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Belgium holds the Presidency of the Council until June 2024 inclusive.
Economic and monetary affairs
The main priority will be to protect taxpayers and their purchasing power while restoring citizens' trust in financial institutions, Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem told MEPs on 22 January. Specific priorities, he said, will be a review of economic governance, deepening the Capital Markets Union, achieving a common approach to bank deposit insurance and securing long-term financial support for Ukraine.
MEPs themselves have stressed the need for progress on the Capital Markets Union, support for Ukraine and updating the economic governance system. Some highlighted the need for progress in the fight against tax avoidance and efforts to get the US to adopt the latest international tax standards.
Civil liberties, justice and home affairs
On 23 January, Justice Minister Paul van Tigchelt wants to make progress on priorities such as the fight against organised crime, small-scale detention, sex workers' rights, violence against women and human trafficking. Mathieu Michel, state secretary for digitalisation, said the presidency hopes to reach a general approach to improve enforcement of the GDPR in May.
MEPs highlighted Parliament's request to initiate procedures under Article 7(2) on the rule of law and combating hate speech and disinformation. In response to Members' questions, the Presidency confirmed that a vote on the Artificial Intelligence Act would take place in the first week of February and that work was continuing on the material on child sexual abuse (CSAM). Finally, Members asked that the Violence Against Women Bill move towards a consent-based definition of rape.
Transport and tourism
On 23 January, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mobility Georges Gilkinet stressed that the Presidency will work to push forward the green and digital transition, decarbonise the transport sector and complete as many documents as possible before the EU elections. Valérie De Bue, Minister of Public Service, IT and Administrative Simplification, who is in charge of tourism and road safety, noted that tourism has returned to pre-pandemic levels and announced that an informal meeting of tourism ministers will be held in February to advance the tourism agenda.
MEPs on the Transport Committee have called on the Presidency to complete work on the trans-European transport networks, the declaration on cycling and the maritime and road safety packages, and to obtain a mandate to negotiate the Single European Sky rules and the rules on vehicle weights and dimensions and rail capacity.
Regional Development
On 23 January, the Walloon Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed his wish for cohesion to provide targeted and simpler regional aid after 2027, while ensuring that no citizens and territories are left behind in the green and digital transition. The removal of cross-border barriers and the development of macro-regional strategies for the Atlantic, Mediterranean and islands were mentioned among the priorities.
MEPs touched on increasing the cohesion budget for the next programming period, responding to the housing crisis and ensuring that green transformation is integrated into cohesion policy. They also stressed the need to prepare for EU enlargement and the intention to find agreement on a cross-border barrier removal mechanism before the elections.
Industry, research and energy
On 22 January, Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, highlighted the goal of the Digital Decade: universal access to quality telecommunications, including 5G. She mentioned the forthcoming White Paper on the future of telecommunications and expressed hope for agreement on legislation on gigabit infrastructure.
Mathieu Michel, Secretary of State for Digitalisation, presented four priorities: a framework for digital identity, bridging the digital skills gap, legislation on artificial intelligence and blockchain. Their aim is to strengthen Europe's status as a digital hub and put the EU at the forefront of digital innovation.
MEPs identified EU cyber security, gigabit infrastructure, the digital skills gap, digital skills and the impact of AI legislation on innovation as priority areas for their work.
On the future of research and innovation, Willy Borsus, Walloon Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, said that the Presidency will strive to strike a balance between security and competitiveness, promote EU resilience in vital sectors and turn research into social and economic value.
Thomas Dermine, Secretary of State for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investment with responsibility for science policy, said the space sector will evolve on the basis of three initiatives: the mid-term review of the EU space programme, the European Space Law and the joint space council between the European Space Agency and the EU, which is planned for May 2024.
MEPs sought clarification on proposed cuts to the Horizon programme, Europe's lagging behind in life sciences, the need for comprehensive space legislation and the development of satellite constellations such as Iris² for European autonomy.
Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten highlighted key initiatives such as updating the Euratom guarantee for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and strengthening energy security and sovereignty. It will also focus on increasing the rate of green renovation of buildings and promoting offshore renewable energy production.
MEPs stressed the need to prepare the EU's "Blue Deal" and to strengthen electricity grids to allow the expansion of renewable energy sources. MEPs also want the EU to focus on domestic hydrogen production and ban the remaining imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia.
The Flemish Minister for the Economy, Innovation, Labour, Social Economy and Agriculture, Jo Brouns, said on 23 January that EU industry is too dependent on imports and that the EU needs to be more assertive. The presidency will focus on the remaining legislative work, in particular the Clean Zero Industry Act.
MEPs expressed concern about the exemption from state aid rules granted by the Commission to some Member States and called for sufficient funding to be allocated to the Strategic Technologies for Europe platform currently under discussion between Parliament and the Council.
Employment and social affairs
On 23 January, Pierre Yves Dermagne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Economy and Employment, said the Presidency wanted to make progress on the Platform Work Directive and the European Disability Card. He also stressed the importance of mental health at work, the revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMRD6) and the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Members called on the Minister to overcome the current blockage in the Council on the Platform Work Directive. Asked about the coordination of social security systems, Mr Dermagne said there was a will to conclude the negotiations. Other issues raised by MEPs were quality traineeships, the mandate of the European Labour Authority and the cost of living crisis in Europe.
Internal market and consumer protection
On 24 January, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Economy and Employment, and Alexia Bertrand, State Secretary for Budget and Consumer Protection, said they wanted to finalise negotiations on the right to repair, an emergency tool for the single market and a ban on products produced in the EU by forced labour. The presidency also announced that at an informal meeting on 19 April, it would look ahead to what the next Commission should address, such as mileage fraud on used cars, the availability of financial services and artificial intelligence and consumer protection.
MEPs were interested in the Presidency's support for new rules on addictive design of online platforms and influencer marketing. They also discussed Europe's global role, the concerns of businesses and SMEs, Enrico Letta's report on the future of the single market and disinformation.
Legal matters
On 24 January, Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt highlighted the fight against organised crime, drug trafficking and the reintegration of people leaving prison as priorities. He also expressed his ambition to make progress on EU-wide recognition of parentage and certain intellectual property files, while completing due diligence on corporate sustainability.
MEPs questioned the Minister on the fight against counterfeit products and stressed the need to make progress on company and patent law, including reporting on corporate sustainability. They also asked about planned steps in the area of digital legislation and dossiers in favour of civil society organisations.
Development
Caroline Gennez, Minister for Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, stressed on 24 January that the Presidency is committed to promoting a more equal partnership with Africa, with a focus on the implementation of the Samoa Agreements. In particular, it will focus on health in Africa, humanitarian aid and a durable ceasefire with humanitarian aid for Gaza.
MEPs asked about relations with Latin American countries and other strategic partners of the EU and stressed the importance of civil society involvement and cooperation with partner countries in the field of environmental protection. Some MEPs also asked how to regain the trust of the Sahel countries.
International trade
Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Trade, told MEPs on 24 January that the Presidency would focus on open strategic autonomy, the upcoming 13th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference and the implementation and enforcement of existing trade agreements. The Presidency is also planning a conference on critical raw materials on 26 March.
At the WTO Ministerial Conference at the end of February, the Presidency will focus on dispute settlement, sustainable fisheries, e-commerce and industrial and environmental subsidies.
Women's rights and gender equality
Marie-Colline Leroy, Secretary of State for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, said on 24 January that the Presidency's priorities would be to combat gender-based violence and discrimination, strengthen equality policies and prepare an equality agenda for the new legislature. The Presidency is committed to completing negotiations on the directive on combating violence against women.
MEPs expressed disappointment that Member States refuse to include rape in the directive on combating violence against women. They also highlighted the economic costs of domestic violence and the burden that the cost of living crisis places on vulnerable women.
europarl.europa.eu/gnews.cz-JaV_07
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