(AGENPARL) – Tue 16 December 2025 [1] scribo-webmail-logo [27]
Press service **
European Parliament **
16-12-2025
Plenary session
EP TODAY [2]
Tuesday 16 December
2025 Sakharov Prize award ceremony*
President Roberta Metsola will award the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia. Both laureates are imprisoned in their respective countries and will be represented by others during the ceremony. A press conference with President Metsola and representatives of the laureates will take place before the plenary ceremony at 11.30 in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room. The ceremony and the press conference will be broadcast on Parliament’s multimedia website [3] and on EbS+ [4] .
Representatives of the 2025 Sakharov Prize laureates plus other figures shortlisted for the prize will join a hybrid media seminar [5] from 9.00 to 11.15.
Phasing out Russian natural gas*
A new law banning imports of Russian natural gas to protect the EU’s energy security from weaponisation by the Russian Federation is first on today’s agenda. The debate with Commissioner Dan Jørgensen starts at 9.00. The draft law has already been provisionally agreed between Parliament and Council negotiators. The vote will take place tomorrow, followed by a press conference with the co-rapporteurs.
Simplifying corporate sustainability reporting *
MEPs will vote at 12.30 on a provisional agreement reached with EU governments earlier this month to simplify sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements, for companies in general and for small and medium-sized companies in particular. A press conference with Parliament’s rapporteur is scheduled at 15.00.
EU-Mercosur: additional safeguards for agricultural products*
Parliament’s position on a safeguard mechanism for agricultural imports from Mercosur countries will be put to a vote at 12.30. The draft regulation would allow the EU to temporarily suspend tariff preferences on agricultural products from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay if these imports harm EU producers. If the text is adopted, negotiations with the Council on the final form of the legislation can start.
Electricity grids, affordable housing and the automotive sector*.
The Commission will be presenting three separate policy proposals today. First, from around 11.00, Commissioner Dan Jørgensen will offer details on the brand new “grids package”, designed to boost electricity grid resilience and bring electricity prices down. Later, in two consecutive debates from 15.00, the Commission will present its European affordable housing plan and an automotive package. On affordable housing, Jørgensen is expected to outline a dedicated construction strategy and streamlined administrative procedures to accelerate the renovation of existing housing stock. The automotive package is meanwhile expected to include proposals for a possible revision of CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans, a strategy to boost the production of batteries for electric vehicles, and measures to stimulate demand for clean vehicles in corporate fleets.
In brief *
Defence mobility and readiness. *Two reports, on military mobility and on defence readiness, will be the subject of a joint debate, with Commissioners Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Henna Virkkunen, starting at 13.30. MEPs will vote on the reports tomorrow.
My voice, my choice. *MEPs will review a European citizens’ initiative on safe and accessible abortion, in a debate starting at around 17.30. Tomorrow at noon, they will vote on a related draft resolution calling on the Commission to establish an opt-in financial mechanism to enable participating EU countries to provide access for women from other member states to safe abortions.
Hybrid attacks on Lithuania*. In an evening debate with Commissioner Magnus Brunner, MEPs will discuss the continuing Belarusian hybrid attacks on Lithuania. They will vote on a resolution on Thursday.
Artificial intelligence in the workplace*. Last on today’s agenda is a debate with Commissioner Roxana Mînzatu on a proposal prepared by Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee for a new EU law to ensure the transparent, fair, and safe use of algorithmic management systems in the workplace. MEPs will vote on the proposal tomorrow.
Votes*
At noon, MEPs will vote, among others, on:
– a request to fast track the Commission proposal to establish the Reparations Loan to Ukraine
– a text agreed with member states to simplify the common agricultural policy rules;
– a first reading agreement on the ReArm EU omnibus, and
– EU aid for workers in Sweden made redundant following the closure of Northvolt.
Live coverage of the plenary session can be found on Parliament’s webstreaming site [20] and on EbS+ [21] .
For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter [22] .
Find more information regarding plenary [23] .
Press room
scribo-webmail-phone [28]