The Week Ahead 13 – 19 October 2025
Committee and political group meetings
Energy imports from Russia. The Industry, Research and Energy and the International Trade committees will vote on new measures to end natural gas and oil imports from Russia. These include a prohibition on signing new gas contracts, a phase out of existing ones and an end to the import of pipeline natural gas directly or indirectly from Russia (Thursday).
Air passenger rights. Transport and Tourism Committee MEPs will adopt their position on an update of EU air passenger rights in cases of cancelled or delayed flights and denied boarding. Among the measures to be voted: a single point of contact in airports for passengers facing disruptions, a single deadline for compensation after a three-hour delay as well as one personal item and a small trolley on board free of charge. A press conference will take place at 17:45 (Monday).
Protection of minors online. MEPs on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will adopt a series of recommendations on enhancing online safety for minors, to feed into an upcoming legislative proposal from the Commission. Areas the resolution is expected to cover include: age assurance, addictive design features, dark patterns, and gambling-like features in video games. MEPs should also propose measures to address targeted advertising, influencer marketing, and risks to children posed by artificial intelligence. On the same day, Parliament will publish the results of a Eurobarometer survey on social media habits, the results of which are set to show that young people use media differently from previous generations and are turning increasingly to digital sources for news and information. (Thursday).
Simplification of due diligence and sustainable reporting. The Legal Affairs Committee will adopt its position on legislative changes to make sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations easier for EU companies to comply with. The proposals, part of the “omnibus I” package, include limiting the number of companies covered by the rules, simplifying reporting duties and reducing due diligence obligations. A press conference will take place at 18:15 (Monday).
Transparency in interest representation from non-EU countries. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will vote on transparency rules for interest representation activities conducted on behalf of third countries. The draft legislation is about enhancing accountability and addressing potential foreign influence in democratic processes. It will cover registration obligations and record-keeping, and introduce safeguards against stigmatisation (Thursday).
2025 Sakharov Prize. The Foreign Affairs and Development Committees will vote to shortlist three candidates for the European Parliament’s 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize has been awarded since 1988 and is the highest European award for commitment to and work on human rights (Thursday).
Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 20 - 23 October plenary session, where MEPs will vote on new rules on driving licences and to reduce reckless driving while abroad, and on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution. They will also debate and vote on new assessment rules for chemicals, debate the situation in Serbia, discuss how to end energy imports from Russia, assess the Commission’s decision to impose a fine on Google, debate the Commission’s 2026 work programme, and take stock of the seasonal clock change saga. MEPs will also discuss the first European Annual Asylum and Migration report, outline their expectations for the 23 -24 October EU summit, and hear from 2020 Sakharov Prize Laureate Siarhei Tsikhanousky.
Pre-session press briefing. The EP’s Press Service will hold a press briefing with Parliament’s political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels).
President’s diary. On Monday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will address the 23rd Edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities. On Wednesday she will speak, via video message, at an event on the 40th anniversary of the Schengen agreement and, on Thursday, she will make a speech at the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2025.
A full list of parliamentary committee meetings is available here.