Additional plenary session of the European Parliament

The European Parliament meets once a month at its seat in Strasbourg for a four-day plenary session from Monday to Thursday. In addition to these twelve annual Strasbourg sessions, the Parliament may also meet in plenary sessions in Brussels up to six times a year. These Brussels sessions are limited to two half-days (usually Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning) and are known as ‘additional plenary sessions’ or, more commonly, ‘mini plenary sessions’.

October’s additional session will open with a formal sitting devoted to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, during which Ingrid Bétancourt will address the MEPs. The session will be marked by Council and Commission statements on the priorities of the next European Council on 15 and 16 October 2008. Bernard Kouchner will be responsible for representing the Council at both sessions.

The Presidency of the Council is also to take part in two debates scheduled on 8 October. The first debate will be held following Council and Commission statements on the situation in Belarus. The second will concern an oral question on the enforcement of the ECJ judgment on the ‘Turco’ case relating to the transparency of the legislative procedure and access to preparatory legislative documents. Jean-Pierre Jouyet should represent the Council at both these debates.

Concerning the parliamentary reports due to be examined during this session, they mainly concern initiative reports on addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in the European Union, on ‘Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013’, and also on the follow-up to the ‘Lamfalussy’ Directives on the structure of supervision of financial, banking and insurance activities.

• Updated: 23.12.2008

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