Brussels – A request to verify the European Sovereignists Party (Europe of Sovereign Nations – ESN) compliance with EU values, a vote on air passenger rights, support measures for the European automotive industry, solutions to tackle climate change and forest fires: these are some of the issues on the agenda for the European Parliament’s plenary session, which opens on Monday in Strasbourg and runs until Thursday 9th. The Irish Prime Minister will present the priorities of the rotating EU Council Presidency for the next six months.
On Tuesday (7 July), MEPs will decide whether to ask the competent authority, the Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations,to check whether ESN, the sovereigntist party, complies with the EU’s founding values. The request for the review came from the Socialists. During the press briefing ahead of today’s plenary session (3 July), their spokesperson, Robin Murphy, called on other MEPs to support the review and to sign the initiative. “The EU is a community of values, and we are obliged to uphold them” and cannot be “a cash machine for forces that are opposed to what it stands for,” he emphasised. The European People’s Party (EPP) is also in favour of the investigation. Its spokesperson, Pedro López de Pablo, stated that his group supports the initiative and that “if ESN has nothing to hide, it too will vote in favour.” The spokesperson for the conservatives, Michael Strauss, was more sceptical, however, stating that “Parliament must be very careful not to turn procedures concerning European political parties into political tools against opponents.” In defending his party, the spokesperson for the sovereigntists, Vijay Monany, announced that ENS MEPs “will take full part in this vote, and they will not do so to defend a party to which they belong,” but “to defend something that is, in fact, far more fundamental: the idea that democracy and pluralism are being made a mockery of.” In other words, “they will argue that an unelected body cannot reproach a party for choosing its own issues, for saying what it thinks, for expressing its views and for warning the public about the dangers it believes threaten the peoples of Europe.” The Party for a Europe of Sovereign Nations includes members of Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland and the MEP from Futuro Nazionale, Roberto Vannacci. The motion required 180 signatures to proceed to a vote and was signed by over 200 MEPs, mainly from progressive groups. A simple majority will be required for the motion to be approved. If the investigation into the ESN reveals any breaches, the party will no longer receive EU funding; however, the work of the ESN group in the European Parliament would not be affected, as the party is legally separate from the group.
Also on Tuesday, MEPs will vote on new regulations—which have not been updated since 2004—for air passengers. The aim: to strengthen protections and rights. The Conservative spokesperson explained that “after many years of discussions, European passengers will finally be able to expect fair and predictable conditions.” And, in a briefing with the Italian press, the MEP (S&D), Giuseppe Lupo, clarified that the protections include “reimbursement for delays of three hours,” the “obligation for airlines to display the cost of hand luggage,” and other measures aimed at helping families and people with disabilities.
Automotive: here, on 7 July, MEPs will discuss possible measures to strengthen the automotive sector, improve its competitiveness and safeguard jobs. According to the spokesperson for the European Patriots, Agnes Karandi, “Tuesday’s vote should serve as a wake-up call,” given that the sector is struggling due to “rising energy prices” and excessive “European regulation.”
The report on the latest heatwave will be presented to the plenary on Wednesday morning, when Parliament will discuss the need to protect European citizens from recurring heatwaves and forest fires ahead of the summer season. In 2026, Europe recorded
the third warmest spring on record
and, during the debate, MEPs will ask the Commission and the Council what measures the EU plans to take to prevent and prepare for these increasingly frequent extreme weather events. The Greens’ spokesperson, Alex Johnson, highlighted the thousands of deaths caused by the heatwave, reiterating that his group wants that “fuel companies foot the bill for the closures of our cities, our homes, our schools, and our hospitals” caused by the heat. For the nationalists, however, the issue must not be “an excuse to impose restrictions on the European economy.”
Finally, the handover of the EU Council presidency, with Ireland taking over from Cyprus. The Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, on Tuesday will present the priorities of the EU Council presidency for the next six months, among which the complex issue of the 2028–2034 European budget stands out.The spokesperson for the Renew party, Linda Aziz-Rohlje, emphasised that “in difficult times, the EU must deliver concrete results for citizens and businesses.” Among the items her party would like to see prioritised in the budget are “lower energy bills,” “the creation of quality jobs,” and “strong European security” that continues to support Ukraine. Among the Italians, the MEP for the Five Star Movement, Mario Furore, has criticised the cuts proposed by Germany in the EU budget proposal. The fear is that they will leave the cohesion and agriculture chapters “high and dry.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
