During the first Strasbourg plenary of 2012 MEPs will choose their new President and the new Danish Presidency of the Council will present its priorities.

On the agenda: All change!

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There's a big reshuffle at the EP  for the first plenary of 2012.

The MEPs will choose  their new President on Tuesday 17th.

After 2.5 years in office,  Jerzy Buzek is stepping down.

The British MEPs Diana Wallis  from the Liberals and Democrats

and Nirj Deva  from the Conservatives and Reformists

and the favourite, Martin Schulz, a German  MEP from the Socialists and Democrats.

Other candidacies  are still possible before Monday.

The Vice Presidents will also be chosen.

As for party chairs,  few changes are expected.

On Wednesday, the Danish Presidency  will present MEPs its work programme

In times of crisis,  money isn't wasted:

the Presidency budget  comes to €35 million,

compared to the €115 million  of the outgoing Polish Presidency.

The priorities will be a Europe which is  'responsible', with a 'tight' budget,

'dynamic', with digital technology, innovation  and e-commerce, and thirdly 'green'.

The focus will also be on a 'safe Europe',  to deal with illegal immigration problems.

Two environmental topics  are on the agenda:

Reducing detergent biocide levels and  controlling the stream of electronic waste.

Better recycling  to protect the environment

and avoiding the black market  are priorities for the MEPs.

And finally on the political front,  a big debate is expected on Hungary.

Under fire from EU states  since it brought in its new constitution

which is judged conservative and damaging  to citizen and press freedom in Hungary.

PM Viktor Orbán, who seeks IMF support  to resolve Hungary's financial difficulties,

MEPs will vote on a resolution in February.