Brussels briefing, Jan. 20

 
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and various high-ranking EU officials will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week.

On Monday, finance ministers from euro area countries will gather in Brussels for a Eurogroup meeting. The ministers will discuss policies and the deepening of the economic and monetary union.

Also on Monday, EU member countries’ foreign ministers will meet in Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council. Chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the meeting will review recent international developments and hold discussions on the situation in Iraq, Libya and Venezuela. The ministers will also debate ways to step up climate diplomacy.

On Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will meet in Brussels. Finance ministers from all EU member states will discuss tax challenges arising from digitalization and the Commission will give a presentation on the economic and financial aspects of the European Green Deal - an ambitious package of measures that hopes to enable European citizens and businesses to benefit from sustainable green transition.

Tuesday will also see agreements on the EU-Vietnam free trade and investment protection up for voting in the International Trade Committee. 

On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will address the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Security and Defense and the Parliamentary Delegation to NATO.

On Thursday, the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee will vote on their recommendation to Parliament on whether it should grant its consent to the EU-U.K. withdrawal agreement.