President Metsola calls for an end to violence against women

President Metsola opened the 25-28 November plenary session in Strasbourg by marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In advance of a plenary debate on the issue, and alongside the illuminating of the European Parliament’s buildings in Strasbourg as part of the “Orange the world” campaign, President Metsola stressed that MEPs “stand with those abused, traumatised, bullied and brutalised.”

She highlighted the work done in Parliament to pass legislation combating violence against women and domestic violence, criminalising more forms of abuse offline and online at the European level, and that “this legislature must go even further. Strengthening protection across Europe and ensuring those who prey on these women are prosecuted.”

Changes to the agenda

Tuesday

The Commission statement on Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea, originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon will be switched with the Commission statement on Outcome of COP 29 and challenges for international climate policy, originally scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

The title of the second debate on Tuesday afternoon was updated, as follows: “Council and Commission statements on - continued escalation in the Middle East: the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA’s essential role in the region and the need to release all hostages, and the recent ICC arrest warrants”.

Wednesday

The following reports are added to the voting session:

Paolo CUNHA - Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as regards Vanuatu.

Giuseppe LUPO - Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany and Italy relating to floods occurred in 2024.

The following debate was added to the agenda to take place after the debate on the breaches of human rights, democracy on the rule of law: Council and Commission statements on the arrest of the Franco-Algerian writer Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and the call for his immediate and unconditional release, and the repression of freedom of speech in Algeria.

The sitting will be extended to 23.00.

Corrigenda

Under Rule 251(4) of the EP Rules of Procedure, six corrigenda will be deemed approved unless a request is made by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold for them to put to the vote. You can find the relevant list on the plenary website.