The MPs will be looking at the reform of electoral law, which will include the possibility of introducing electronic voting. Photo: Guy Wolff/Archives

The MPs will be looking at the reform of electoral law, which will include the possibility of introducing electronic voting. Photo: Guy Wolff/Archives

Electoral reform, European defence and large-scale testing will be the political topics of the week in Luxembourg. The week will also see the announcement of the CJEU’s ruling on the Monica Semedo case, in which the former MEP accused of harassment was sanctioned by the European Parliament.

A single electoral constituency, the right of foreigners to vote, dual mandates for MPs, the number of MPs, the system for calculating the distribution of seats, the introduction of digital voting: these are just some of the proposals from the various parliamentary groups and political persuasions represented in the Chamber of Deputies concerning the reform of the electoral law that will be considered by the MPs on the institutions committee. Reform of the electoral law is a recurring theme. “We have a few years without elections, so this would be a good time to do it,” prime minister  (CSV) told parliament last June. The president of the Chamber of Deputies  (CSV) therefore asked the parties to put their ideas down in black and white and table them in parliament before 1 February.

Coincidence of timing. At the same time as the committee on budgetary execution is due to hold a second meeting on the Court of Auditors’ report on , the European Court of Auditors will publish a special report on the control systems designed to check whether the funds granted by the EU to revive the economy after the pandemic comply with the rules on public procurement and state aid. The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the main financial element of NextGenerationEU, the EU’s recovery plan. By the end of 2023, €648bn had been committed with the aim of speeding up member states’ economic recovery from the covid-19 pandemic and improving their resilience.

From 10 to 13 March, the European Parliament meets in plenary session in Strasbourg. MEPs will discuss the critical issues of the day, including European defence architecture, Ukraine, the Critical Medicines Act, the action plan for the automotive industry, dependence on Russian hydrocarbons and the freezing of Russian assets.

Monday 10 March

EU Council meeting. Eurogroup meeting in Brussels, with tax policy coordination and cryptoassets on the agenda. This meeting will continue on 11 March with a meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, which will debate the European Commission’s Omnibus project. Informal meeting of research ministers in Warsaw on 10 and 11 March.

Chamber of Deputies. The committee on foreign and European affairs, cooperation, foreign trade and the Greater Region will be the scene of an exchange of views between MPs and prime minister Luc Frieden on the .

Chamber of Deputies. The institutions committee will examine the positions of the various parliamentary groups and political persuasions represented on the reform of the amended Electoral Law of 18 February 2003.

Chamber of Deputies. The members of the committee on the family, solidarity, living together, reception of refugees, gender equality and diversity are once again considering bill 8382 amending the amended Act of 30 July 1960 on the creation of a National Solidarity Fund. The aim is to reform the governance of the FNS in order to modernise its operation while preserving its character as a public institution.

Chamber of Deputies. Continued examination of the Court of Auditors’ report on large-scale testing. A rapporteur is to be appointed.

Chamber of Deputies. After organising its work until June, the special committee on Caritas will hear representatives of the Fédération des acteurs du secteur social au Luxembourg ASBL (Fedas).

European Court of Auditors. Presentation of the report on the control systems designed to check whether the funds granted by the EU to relaunch the economy after the pandemic have been used correctly.

Tuesday 11 March

European Commission. Commissioners Teresa Ribera and Henna Virkkunen present the European executive’s proposals on the Critical Medicines Act to MEPs.

Chamber of Deputies. Following a request from the political group déi Gréng, the National Observatory for Children, Young People and School Quality will present two thematic reports to the national education committee: “Wellbeing in schools” and “Evaluation of the 2009 school reform.”

The members of the finance committee will consider the opinion of the Council of State on the bill to extend the tax measures in the housing package until 30 June 2025 ([arliamentary dossier 8470), and will also deal with bill 8460 on instant transfers in euros.

The committee on higher education, research and digitisation is continuing its work on the recognition of professional qualifications (draft 8434) and on the electronic signature of administrative documents (8089). Finally, MPs will have an exchange of views with a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Slovenia led by Lena Grgurevič, chair of the justice committee.

UEL. The Union des entreprises luxembourgeoises presents its proposals for modernising labour law.

Wednesday 12 March

Court of Justice of the EU. The CJEU delivers its judgment in case T349/23 Semedo v Parliament.  seeks the withdrawal of sanctions taken against her--in this case, the withdrawal of 10 daily allowances--following accusations of psychological harassment. She rejects this accusation. The substance of the case concerns whether the European Parliament’s internal procedure, which refuses to allow MEPs to be assisted by legal counsel during hearings before the disciplinary committee, is legal.

Council of the EU. Meeting in Brussels of the competitiveness council (internal market and industry). The ministers in charge will hold an exchange of views on “Making European industry more competitive--the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industry Pact” following the European Commission’s and the Clean Industry Pact on 26 February. They will also debate a single market strategy for services.

Chamber of Deputies. The health committee will work on the holistic care of cancer patients during an exchange of views with representatives of the Cancer Foundation; on the ban on virginity tests and the abolition of the reflection period for voluntary termination of pregnancy (dossier 8490) and on the creation of the public body Agence luxembourgeoise des médicaments et produits de santé (dossier 8491).

Chamber of Deputies. Meeting of the special committee for an exchange of views with representatives of the archbishopric of Luxembourg.

Chamber of Deputies. Examination by the members of the committees on media and communication and culture of project 8303 aimed at reforming the governance of the Fonds national de soutien à la production audiovisuelle.

Thursday 13 March

Council of the EU. The eighth summit between the leaders of the EU and South Africa opens in Cape Town. The president of the European Council, António Costa, and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will represent the EU. South Africa will be represented by president Cyril Ramaphosa. This summit is an opportunity to intensify the EU’s partnership with South Africa, which is a strategic partner for the EU in a difficult context of rising populism and geopolitical instability.

Chamber of Deputies. The justice committee is continuing its study of parliamentary dossier 8228 amending the Civil Code with a view to reforming adoption.

Chamber of Deputies. Bill 7650 on the introduction of class actions in consumer law continues to be examined.

This article was originally published in .

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