European Council
This week EU Leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss migration, defence, digital Europe and whether sufficient progress has been made in the Brexit negotiations to enable talks to resume on the future EU/UK relationship. ECR Co-chairman Syed Kamall MEP will at the Council on Thursday afternoon. To arrange an interview contact the press officer below.

When: Thursday and Friday.
Press officer to contact:  Robert Taylor +32 498 984760, robert.taylor@ep.europa.eu

Rules on posted workers must not divide Europe between East and West
This Monday the employment committee will vote on the EU's posting of workers Directive that aims at achieving a level playing field for businesses, whilst at the same time protecting posted workers. From the outset the priority for ECR shadow rapporteur Anthea McIntyre was to avoid dividing Europe between East and West and to ensure that new legislation is fair and balanced, allowing businesses and SMEs to freely provide services across borders.

When: Monday @ 17:15
Press officer to contact: Gareth Goldsmith +32 476 668 050, gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu

Proposal for a new Dublin System will create uncertainty and increase risk of human trafficking
On Thursday the civil liberties committee will vote on proposals to change the basic principle of EU asylum law, whereby the first country reached is the country where the asylum application should be processed. The proposals merge the relocation and the ‘Dublin’ system into one mechanism. ECR shadow rapporteur Dan Dalton MEP, believes the proposals undermine the basic principles of internal asylum law, creating uncertainty, increasing the risk of human trafficking, and providing more pull factors to the EU.

When: Thursday@ 8:00
Press officer: Yannick Vanderveeren, +32 473 806 446, yannick.vanderveeren@ep.europa.eu

New e-privacy rules could be bad for innovation and businesses
Also being voted in the civil liberties committee is a revision of the EU's e-Privacy Regulation. This proposal aims to ensure a high level of privacy protection for consumers when they're online. ECR shadow rapporteur Dan Dalton MEP believes these proposals need a rethink in key areas such as the impact on innovation and access to free internet services, and new rules on the use of 'cookies'. These proposals have the potential to negatively impact businesses, in particular SMEs who could struggle to fully implement the rules.

When: Thursday@ 10:15
Press officer to contact: Yannick Vanderveeren, +32 473 806 446, yannick.vanderveeren@ep.europa.eu

ECR Bureau meeting
At the invitation of ECR MEP Eleni Theocharous, the ECR Bureau will be meeting in Cyprus from Wednesday. Among the issues to be discussed will be the talks on Cypriot reunification, Brexit, the EU's Energy market and neighbourhood policy.

Press officer to contact: Charitini Michaelidou, +32 491 082 237, charitini.michaelidou@ep.europa.eu

Panama Papers/Inquiry Committee votes on findings
The European Parliament's special committee investigating the 'Panama Papers' will present its conclusions on Wednesday. The ECR support moves at international level to improve tax transparency and fairness and hope to see progress continue in this area.

When: Wednesday @ 14:00
Press officer to contact: Michael Strauss, +32 470 882 348, michael.strauss@ep.europa.eu

Recovery and resolution of Central Counterparties (CCPs)
CCPs, or clearing houses, lie at the heart of many financial transactions and guarantee that if one party defaults, the other is protected.  This report, of which ECR MEP Kay Swinburne is co-rapporteur, proposes new rules to ensure taxpayers are not exposed if the current measures underpinning CCPs prove insufficient in the event of major financial difficulties.

When: Monday @ 15.45
Press officer to contact:  Robert Taylor +32 498 984760, robert.taylor@ep.europa.eu

Better management of EU databases
On Thursday ECR MEP Monica Macovei, will present her draft report on the EU's agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the civil liberties committee. The proposals aim at enhancing the role and responsibilities of the Agency with regard to current and new large-scale databases in the area of justice and security.

When: Thursday@ 15:45
Press officer: Yannick Vanderveeren, +32 473 806 446, yannick.vanderveeren@ep.europa.eu

Russian private military companies fighting in Ukraine and Syria
ECR MEP Anna Fotyga, chair of the parliament's security and defence committee, will host an event on the involvement of private Russian military companies that are active in the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

When: Monday @ 16.00
Where: ASP A1H1
Press officer to contact: Marta Lipinska, +32 470 904 337, marta.lipinska@ep.europa.eu

For a list of all ECR Press Officers go to (scroll down): http://ecrgroup.eu/contacts/

The ECR was created to take the EU in a new direction, according to the principles of our founding Prague Declaration. It is the third largest group in the European Parliament with 74 MEPs from 18 EU states.

For more information on the ECR, watch our promotional video at http://youtu.be/F5syQt1JuQI or visit our website: www.ecrgroup.eu