(AGENPARL) – Wed 17 December 2025 [1] scribo-webmail-logo [21]
Press service **
European Parliament **
17-12-2025
Plenary session
EP TODAY [2]
Wednesday 17 December
Preparing for the European Council meeting of 18-19 December*
Starting the day’s proceedings at 9.00, MEPs will outline their expectations for the 18-19 December EU summit in a debate with Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. MEPs are expected to focus on Europe’s ongoing efforts to secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, relations with the US and the EU’s strategic autonomy. At their meeting, EU leaders will also address the situation in the Middle East, the next EU long-term budget, the EU’s enlargement strategy, and ways to manage migration flows, ensure border protection, and strengthen EU competitiveness.
Phasing out Russian gas*
Following yesterday’s debate, MEPs will vote at noon on a new law banning imports of Russian natural gas. The law, designed to protect the EU’s energy security from weaponisation by the Russian Federation, was provisionally agreed between Parliament and Council negotiators earlier this month. A press conference with rapporteurs Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA, Finland) and Inese Vaidere (EPP, Latvia) is scheduled at 13.00.
Postponing and simplifying EU deforestation law*
The EU’s deforestation law, adopted in 2023, seeks to fight climate change and biodiversity loss by ensuring products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land. Plenary will vote today at noon on a provisional political agreement with Council, simplifying certain elements of the regulation and postponing its application for businesses.
Enhancing military mobility and defence readiness *
MEPs will also vote at noon on two resolutions relating to defence. The first makes recommendations on military mobility as an essential enabler for common European security and defence. The second, on Europe’s defence needs to 2030, calls for more EU joint procurement of defence equipment and strengthened European supply chains.
In brief *
Improving the rule of law conditionality mechanism. *In a debate from around 14.00 with Commissioner Piotr Serafin, MEPs are set to call for improvements to the EU’s rule of law conditionality mechanism. A press conference will take place ahead of the debate, the vote will take place tomorrow.
Preventing sexual harassment in public institutions*. At 15.00, MEPs will discuss the latest revelations regarding sexual harassment by public officials in Spain and institutional responses with Commissioner Hadja Lahbib.
Fighting discrimination. *This session’s topical debate, with Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre and Hadja Lahbib is on the urgent need to combat discrimination in the EU by means of the proposed horizontal anti-discrimination directive, which is currently blocked in Council.
Georgia*. From around 16.00, MEPs will focus on the deepening crisis in Georgia, in a debate with Marie Bjerre and Commissioner Michael McGrath.
Pro-Russian espionage*. Bjerre and McGrath will also take part in a debate with MEPs starting at around 18.00 on cases of pro-Russian espionage in the European Parliament.
Human rights violations*. From around 19.00, MEPs and McGrath will be discussing the cases of the arbitrary arrest and sentencing of academics Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov in Azerbaijan, the mass kidnapping of children in Nigeria, including from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, and the grave political situation in Guinea-Bissau following the government coup of 26 November 2025. MEPs will vote on the related resolutions tomorrow.
Votes*
At noon, MEPs will also vote, among others, on:
– a report on digitalisation, artificial intelligence and algorithmic management in the workplace, and
– a resolution on the European citizens’ initiative ‘My voice, my choice: for safe and accessible abortion”.
Live coverage of the plenary session can be found on Parliament’s webstreaming site [14] and on EbS+ [15] .
For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter [16] .
Find more information regarding plenary [17] .
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