This week, transport ministers look to agree their position on driving disqualifications and passenger rights; telecoms ministers approve conclusions on the EU Agency for cybersecurity; and MEPs in committee hear from ECB President Christine Lagarde, and also from newly-elected President of Eurojust Michael Schmid, discuss the compliance of TikTok with the EU Digital Services Act, and take part in Disability Rights Week. The week’s events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings from 2 to 7 December 2024.
Monday 2 December
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
Eurojust President Schmid: members of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee will have their first debate with the newly-elected President of Eurojust Michael Schmid. MEPs are likely to discuss the agency’s work fighting against organised crime and drug trafficking as well as investigating crimes of aggression in Ukraine.
Disability Rights Week
In the wake of a renewed European Disability Strategy 2025-2030, Parliament will hold its second Disability Rights Week. MEPs across all committees will debate and participate in events on existing and future policies empowering persons with disabilities to live in equality and realise their full potential (Monday to Friday).
Monday 2 December
Council of the EU | Political Meetings | Employment and Social Policy
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Brussels
Ministers of employment and social affairs will meet in Brussels. Items on the agenda include the traineeships package, labour and skills shortages, comprehensive solutions to demographic challenges, social inclusion of persons with disabilities, and the European Semester 2025.
Tuesday 3 December
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
TikTok/Digital Services Act: the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will discuss the compliance of TikTok with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) in the context of recent elections across Europe, with representatives from the social media company.
European Ombudsman/hearing of the candidates: the six candidates running for the position of European Ombudsman will present their priorities in a hearing organised by the Petitions Committee. Parliament is expected to elect the new European Ombudsman by secret ballot during the December plenary session in Strasbourg.
Tuesday 3 December
Council of the EU | Political Meetings | Health
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Brussels
On 3 December health ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss smoke- and aerosol-free environments, the pharmaceutical package, cardiovascular health, organ donation and transplantation, and the European Health Union.
Wednesday 4 December
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
ECB President Lagarde: members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will hear from Christine Lagarde, first in her capacity as President of the European Central Bank and then as Chair of the European Systemic Risk Board. Economic governance, geo-political risks, and the cost of living are all expected to feature prominently in the discussions. The hearings will be followed by another debate with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board.
Wednesday 4 December
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Intellectual property | International negotiations
EU – Webinar & Horizon Results Platform: Thinking international – International business Opportunities
Online only
This lecture series, organised in co-operation with the Horizon Results Platform, addresses IP-related aspects in four areas: It introduces the main aspects of IP management: notably IP as a Business asset, IP and Artificial Intelligence, IP and Software Start Ups and IP and Thinking international – International business Opportunities. Each lecture explores a different aspect of Intellectual Property valorization. The lectures may be of interest to a variety of audiences, from researchers to technology transfer officers.
Thursday 5 December
Council of the EU | Political Meetings | Transport
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
Brussels
Transport ministers will be invited to agree the Council’s position (‘general approach’) on the directive on driving disqualifications, the regulation on passenger rights in the context of multimodal journeys and the regulation on enforcement of passenger rights in the EU. The Council will also take note of a progress report on the combined transport directive. Ministers will also hold a policy debate on air passenger rights.
Thursday 5 December
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
New Commissioners: newly-appointed Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath will give a keynote speech at a Eurojust evaluation meeting with national parliamentarians held by the Civil Liberties Committee (Monday). New Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius will review upcoming priorities with the Security and Defence Subcommittee, while new EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas will meet with the Budgetary Control Committee to discuss the European External Action Service expenses.
Poland’s Presidency of EU Council: Parliament’s Conference of Presidents (President Metsola and political groups’ leaders) will go to Warsaw to meet with Poland’s government well as political group members of the Sejm to prepare the upcoming Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which will run from January to June 2025. EP President Metsola will also have a bilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Thursday 5 December
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Energy policy | Energy cooperation | Energy consumption | Energy market
16th Citizens’ Energy Forum
Budapest, Hungary
This year’s forum ‘Towards a Citizens Energy Package: Empowering citizens for a just energy transition’ takes place in the context of the next Commission mandate, following the European elections earlier this year. It will kickstart work on the Commission’s Citizens Energy Package, which will increase citizen participation in the energy transition and strengthen the social dimension of the Energy Union.
Friday 6 December
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Business model | Business start-up
Business Modelling and Planning for Startups and Founders
Online only
The European Commission Horizon Results Platform Team and hub.brussels invite you to join the webinar on Friday 6 December.
Join us for Business Modelling and Planning for Startups and Founders, a dedicated webinar with Louise Gatz, hub.brussels and the EC Horizon Results Platform (HRP).
In this session, you’ll gain insights on the foundational skills to effectively model your business idea and create a realistic, investor-ready business plan.
