On the Parliament’s agenda: raw materials, health data and breakfast guidance

Next week, the EU Parliament will formally approve a preliminary agreement with member states on a new proposal guaranteeing access to critical raw materials needed in the green transition, digitalisation, space and defence. In total, there are 34 important raw materials, of which 17 are considered to be of strategic importance to the EU. Many of them come almost exclusively from China.

– It is very important because we have all seen how difficult it is for Europe to depend on gas from Russia. We must also have a situation where we are not dependent on China, European Parliamentarian Johan Nissinen said during a press conference on Friday.

Under the agreement, the processes for issuing expansion permits will be simplified and accelerated, among other things.

Swedish criticism of the European Parliament election plans

During the plenary session, members must also vote on their wishes on arrangements for next year’s EU parliamentary elections. They want to see clear agreement that the best candidates they choose are actually nominated by the heads of state and government of member states.

On the Swedish side, the vast majority of members oppose such a change.

– We do not have a federal Europe, and this is not where we should go. “We don’t need an EU president, but we have a president of the EU Commission,” said Evin Enser, a social democratic MEP.

Johan Nissinen of the Sweden Democrats agreed with the criticism.

– We should not have a system that looks like the United States, because we are not like the United States. “We have to maintain that we are simply Europe,” Nissinen said.

Breakfast guidance

Parliamentarians will also vote on their position on the proposal for a European Health Data Area where it would be easier to share health data between member states and enable patients to access results and prescriptions, for example.

They should also try to agree a common position on the so-called breakfast guidelines relating to foods such as honey, jams, jellies and fruits. Among other things, members are expected to demand that all countries of origin in which honey has been harvested be listed on packaging by size and increase the minimum amount of fruit contained in jams and jellies.

Award prizes and mini nuclear reactors

Next week, the European Union Parliament will award the Sakharov Prize posthumously to Gina Mahsa Amini and the Women, Life and Freedom movement in Iran.

– Evin Enser said – It is very important to continue to highlight the terrible situation that women and girls live even today in Iran.

Members vote on a proposal on what they want the European strategy for so-called small modular reactors to look like. Johan Nissinen, leader of the Sweden Democrats, is positive.

-It’s good because it’s very small. It can be placed in different places. Power plants don’t have to be as big as they are now, and if you have several small reactors in different places, it provides greater safety if one plant is temporarily shut down, Johan Nissinen said.