The Eurogroup will meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss the nomination for the upcoming vacancy at the European Central Bank (ECB). Ireland put forward its Central Bank Governor Philip Lane to succeed Peter Praet, whose term of office as an ECB executive board member expires on May 31.
The Eurogroup will discuss the economic situation and outlook for the euro area, on the basis of the Commission's winter forecast. It will also continue to debate the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union.
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council will gather in Brussels on Tuesday. Ministers will review the existing status of financial supervision. The ministers will also exchange views on the EU’s tax policy, and adopt conclusions on the EU budget.
An upgrade of the EU’s civil defense mechanism tested to its limits in 2017 and 2018 by forest fires, storms and floods, will be put to a vote on Tuesday. The new law will help member states respond faster and more effectively to natural and man-made disasters by sharing civil protection assets more efficiently.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will debate the future of Europe with members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Tuesday.
Meetings of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at Defense Minister level will be held at the NATO Headquarters on Wednesday and Thursday.
Trade unions in Belgium called for a nation-wide strike on Wednesday over a disagreement on a wage increase for the next two years.
Parliament will vote on EU 2021-2027 funding rules on Wednesday in order to keep investments in all regions to boost economic and social cohesion. MEPs are likely to oppose cuts to finances dedicated to various regions and approve new goals including the support of innovation, digitization, energy transition, education and access to healthcare.
MEPs will decide whether to approve the free trade and investment protection agreements between the EU and Singapore on Wednesday. The agreement will remove virtually all tariffs between the two parties within five years and allow for free trade in services, protect unique European products, and open up the Singaporean procurement market to EU companies.
Parliament will vote on Thursday on setting up the first EU-level tool to screen foreign direct investment on the grounds of security to protect strategic sectors such as water, transport, or communications, and technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and robotics.
Parliament will vote on a new law on Thursday that will put an end to discrimination that payment service users face in the EU outside the Eurozone. The law stipulates that Banks will need to charge equally for cross-border payments in euro and domestic payments and make currency conversion costs more transparent.