Newsletter Plenary Session in Strasbourg

• Ahead of the Extraordinary European Council of 20 February on the Multiannual Financial Framework, MEPs on Wednesday will urge member states to agree on adequate financing of 2021-2027 EU programmes and projects. A roundtable debate with EP negotiators for media will take place on Tuesday. EP President David Sassoli will hold a press conference on this issue on Wednesday at 13:00.

EU-UK future relations

• Parliament will debate and vote on a resolution setting out MEPs’ stance on an ambitious new EU-UK partnership, on Wednesday. Any final future agreement will need the approval of the European Parliament as a whole before it can enter into force.

EU-Vietnam trade deal

• MEPs will debate on Tuesday and give their final vote on Wednesday on the free trade an d investment deals between the EU and Vietnam. A press conference by the rapporteurs will take place in the afternoon.

Artificial intelligence

• Challenges arising from artificial intelligence and the measures the EU should take to protect consumers will be the focus of a debate on Monday and a resolution, to be put to the vote on Wednesday.

ECB President Lagarde

• Newly-elected ECB President Christine Lagarde will address the plenary for the first time on Tuesday, to discuss the Eurozone’s economic governance and ECB activities. Greening the economy, financial technology and the impact of Brexit are likely to be raised by MEPs.

Artificial Intelligence	Vietnam
• This infoclip illustrates the Brussels Human Robotic Research Center, BruBotics. Next Monday, MEPs will discuss challenges that come with AI developments.	• Illustrative footage of Hanoi Vietnam featuring traditional city views as well as views of European products in a Vietnamese setting.

Check the EP archives for added value to coverage of current affairs.

Enlargement ceremony	European elections
• Next week in plenary, MEPs will discuss proposed changes to the Enlargement process. Have a look back at the 2004 Enlargement ceremony which took place at the EP in Strasbourg to celebrate ten new countries who joined the EU.	• EU citizens have been participating in European elections since 1979. Take a look back at this illustrative footage of citizens voting in different countries during the European election days from 1979 to 2009.

Check the EP archives for added value to coverage of current affairs.