Austrian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Banking Union

EP Plenary session - Debate on Driving licences

EP Plenary session - Union-wide effect of certain driving disqualifications

EP Plenary session - The European Elections 2024

EP Plenary session - Strengthening the CO2 emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles

EP Plenary session - Establishing the Ukraine Facility

ENVI ITRE TRAN AGRI - Hearing of Maroš SEFCOVIC, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight

Roman HAIDER in the EP in Strasbourg

To improve road safety and support the digital transition, MEPs debate and vote (on Wednesday) on updating driving licence rules, introducing mobile licences and mandatory health checks.

Debate: Driving licences: MEPs debate

MEPs debate and vote on on strengthening requirements for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), such as buses, trucks and trailers, to reduce their CO2 emissions. They propose that the targets should be set at 45% for the period 2030-2034, 70% for 2035-2039 (compared to 65% proposed by the Commission) and 90% as of 2040. They also agree that newly registered urban buses should be zero-emission vehicles from 2030. Background: On 14 February 2023, the Commission tabled a legislative proposal to set CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles from 2030 onwards to help reach the EU’s objective to be climate neutral by 2050 and lower the demand for imported fossil fuels. Heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, city buses and long-distance buses, are responsible for more than 25% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transport in the EU and account for over 6% of total EU GHG emissions.

Strengthening the CO2 emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles: MEPs debate

MEPs debate on the establisment of the Ukraine Facility, a €50 billion package to support Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and modernisation from 2024 to 2027. MEPs have improved the proposal by strengthening transparency and democratic accountability. One of the key demands is that Russian assets should be used to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction. First part of MEPs debate.

Establishing the Ukraine Facility: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs hold a hearing with Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, to evaluate his suitability for his new role in the European Commission related to climate policy. Šefčovič would assume responsibility for the European Green Deal, in addition to his current duties related to interinstitutional relations and foresight in the Committees on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), and on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). Second part of questions and answers.

Hearing of Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight: Questions and answers (part 2)

MEPs debate new trade rules seek to deter foreign powers from bullying the EU or member states into policy changes using economic coercion and enable the EU to take countermeasures. The Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) seeks to protect the EU’s and member states’ sovereignty in a geopolitical environment where trade and investment are increasingly weaponised by foreign powers. The regulation would enable the EU to respond, in line with international law and as a last resort, if the EU or a member state is blackmailed economically by a non-EU country trying to influence a particular policy choice or stance.

Economic coercion by third countries: MEPs debate

MEPs debate on new rules to incentivise EU countries to jointly procure defence products and support the EU’s defence industry. The new regulation, already agreed with member states, establishes a short-term instrument to boost the European defence industry through common procurement (EDIRPA) through to 2025. The tool should help member states address their most urgent and critical defence needs, especially those which have been exacerbated by the transfer of defence products to Ukraine, in a voluntary and collaborative way.

European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA): MEPs debate

MEPs debate on a law that would contribute to the long-term recovery of damaged nature across the EU’s land and sea areas and to achieve EU climate and biodiversity objectives. As there was no majority in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in favour of the EU nature restoration law as amended, the Committee has tabled to plenary the proposal to reject the Commission’s proposal. Second part of the debate. Third part of the debate.

Key debate - Nature restoration: MEPs debate (part 3)

MEPs call on the EU to boost its food security and strategic autonomy. In the light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft text calls for the use of the EU’s strategic food stocks, a protein and feed strategy to allow farmers to become less reliant on third countries, new breeding techniques to decrease the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and investments in digital technologies in agriculture. It also demands a dedicated EU programme for water management, the reduction of food waste and reciprocity in trade of agricultural products with third countries. MEPs also ask for safeguards to ensure that agricultural activity in the EU is maintained during the implementation of the Green Deal. MEPs debate.

HAIDER, Roman (Patriots, AT)

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