The Week ahead

The EPP Group wants to discuss the challenges and opportunities young framers face in Europe. On Wednesday, the European Congress of Young Farmers will gather more than 300 Young farmers, policymakers and agricultural stakeholders from across Europe in Brussels. At the event, the European Young Farmers Prizes will be awarded for sustainable and innovative ideas and practices that address the challenges facing the agricultural sector, such as generational renewal, climate change mitigation, food security and technological advances. "Farmers are growing older. In 2020, only one in every ten farmers was under 40 years of age. We urgently need young people to enter the sector to secure our food production,"  highlights Herbert Dorfmann MEP, the EPP group spokesman on Agriculture and Rural Development, who is one of the organisers of the congress.

The EPP Group calls on the European Commission to assess whether the terms of the agreement between Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Catalan separatist party 'Junts', led by MEP Carles Puigdemont, constitute a violation of the rule of law and the principle of the separation of powers. On Monday, Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee will debate the state of the rule of law in the EU. “We call on all socialists and European leaders to defend the rule of law in Europe. For the EPP Group, defending the rule of law, freedom, and equality is paramount, no matter who is in power. The EPP Group has always done this," say Dolors Montserrat MEP and Javier Zarzalejos MEP. Montserrat is a Vice-Chair of the EPP Group and Head of the Spanish Delegation.

Do not burden or discriminate against young or old drivers. The EPP Group wants to empower all drivers, particularly novice drivers, by considering measures such as lowering the age for professional driving licences and reinforcing provisions for accompanied driving. On Thursday, the Parliament’s Transport Committee will vote on the new law to modernise the EU's driving licence system. “Driving isn't just a mode of transport. It's a key catalyst for personal empowerment. As we shape EU legislation, it's crucial to address the needs of all citizens and businesses. Let's provide young drivers with the opportunity to hone their skills in real-world conditions, tackling the professional driver shortage while upholding stringent road safety standards," emphasises Elżbieta Łukacijewska MEP, EPP Group chief negotiator on the new rules for driving licences.

The EPP Group is committed to its duty to defend freedom of religion and belief and promote inter-faith dialogue. On 4-5 December, the EPP Group will convene its Working Group on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to mark 25 years of being the sole Group in the European Parliament to engage in extensive dialogue with monotheistic religions, including the Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, and Jewish faiths. "Dialogue and living together in respect and tolerance is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Over the past 25 years, the EPP Group has done its utmost to continuously promote dialogue. Today, we see a growing need for it. Most of the world's current conflicts are religiously motivated - some say as much as 70%. We believe that dialogue is not only a tool but also a solution - without a serious conversation, it is difficult to reach any consensus." says Jan Olbrycht MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chairman and Co-chair of the Working Group on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue.