Monday, 12 January: Parliament Committees and Mercosur Background
This Monday, 12 January, there is no plenary session in Strasbourg. Instead, the European Parliament is meeting in Brussels in committees and political groups to prepare for the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg, scheduled for 19–22 January.
Among today’s highlights, the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) will meet from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to continue its work on the 2024 EU budget discharge. Meanwhile, in the late afternoon, the Subcommittee on Housing will hold its first discussion on the Commission’s Affordable Housing Plan with Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, responsible for Energy and Housing. This plan, adopted on 16 December 2025, is presented by the Cypriot Presidency as a flagship dossier of its six-month term, aligning with the vision of a “socially strong and cohesive” Union.
12 to 18 January: A Week of Intense Political Preparation
Throughout the week, parliamentary committees and political groups are gearing up for the Strasbourg plenary (19–22 January), which will be one of the first political milestones of 2026. According to the European Parliament’s “Week Ahead” agenda, MEPs are preparing to debate the outcomes of the December European Council, EU foreign and security policy, the need to adapt to emerging risks (drones, hybrid warfare), air passenger rights, the security of medicine supplies, EU-US relations, and digital sovereignty.
On the committees’ website, a section titled “Highlights 12–15 January” notes that members are working in Brussels on technical yet politically sensitive issues: the simplification of financial rules, the “Securitization Package,” industrial policies, the automotive and battery sector strategy, and hearings on financing the green transition and the state of livestock farming in Europe.
Mercosur: Member States’ Decision and a Looming Battle in Parliament
Against the backdrop of this parliamentary week, the EU-Mercosur agreement dominates institutional news. On Friday, 9 January, Member States gave the green light to sign the agreement by qualified majority, ending over twenty years of negotiations with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. According to Euronews and Reuters, France, Poland, Austria, Hungary, and Ireland voted against, while Belgium abstained; however, this was insufficient to form a blocking minority against a broad coalition led by Germany and Spain.
Reports indicate that a signing ceremony is expected on 17 January in Asunción, which would create a free trade area covering more than 700 million people. The agreement, “concluded” politically by Ursula von der Leyen in December 2024, further opens the Latin American market of 280 million consumers to European firms, while including quotas and safeguard clauses for sensitive sectors such as beef and other agricultural products.
However, the text still requires consent from the European Parliament, where representatives from France, Ireland, and other member states are already signaling a fierce political battle over social, agricultural, and climate concerns.
Cyprus Presidency: Social Agenda and Housing at the Forefront
The Cypriot Presidency of the Council, which began on 1 January 2026, is shaping the early-year institutional agenda. A briefing note from the European Parliament Research Service (EPRS) on “Priority dossiers under the Cyprus EU Council Presidency” highlights three main pillars: a strategically autonomous and resilient Union, a Union open to the world, and a socially strong and cohesive Union. On this final point, Nicosia is placing particular emphasis on the fight against poverty, the housing crisis, and access to education.
The Parliament’s “Week Ahead” reflects how these priorities are translating into action: the housing committee is hearing from the Commission on its plan, MEPs are questioning officials on social infrastructure financing, and initial discussions are underway regarding how revised fiscal rules will—or will not—support these investments.
Council of Europe: Towards a Chișinău Declaration on Migration
While the EU adjusts its legislative agenda, the Council of Europe is moving forward on another front: the European Convention on Human Rights and migration management. On 6 January 2026, the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) adopted a document outlining “possible elements” for a Chișinău Declaration on Migration and Human Rights, to be discussed for political adoption in May 2026.
This working text reaffirms the obligation of States to comply with European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgments and emphasizes principles of subsidiarity and shared responsibility. However, it also expresses serious concern regarding “irregular migration,” the “instrumentalization” of migratory flows, and the challenges of deporting individuals convicted of serious offenses.
As reported by the ECHR Blog, many NGOs and legal experts fear that the phrasing of these concepts risks politically legitimizing practices of refoulement, detention, or externalization, while still claiming compatibility with the Convention.
Sources:
- European Parliament – Weekly agenda (Brussels): Official agenda for the week of 12 to 18 January 2026 (committees, political groups, preparation for the Strasbourg plenary session of 19–22 January).
- European Parliament – Agenda 12–18 January 2026 (PDF): Details of committee meetings (CONT, meeting on the housing crisis, Affordable Housing Plan, other preparatory work).
- Agenparl – The Week Ahead 12–18 January 2026: Summary in English of the Parliament’s weekly programme (debates scheduled for plenary, main items on the agenda in committees).
- European Parliament committees website: Section entitled “Highlights 12–15 January 2026” listing the main issues examined in committee (housing, green transition, automotive sector, financial rules, etc.).
- EU Parliament Agenda for 12 January 2026 (INSIGHT EU Monitoring): Tracking sheet detailing committee meetings and hearings scheduled for Monday, 12 January (CONT, Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, etc.).
- European Parliament Research Service – Priority dossiers under the Cyprus EU Council Presidency: Analysis of the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency (socially strong and cohesive Union, housing, combating poverty, education, etc.).
- IPEX / Cyprus Presidency – Background Note on the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency: Background note presenting the three main priorities (strategic autonomy, openness, social cohesion) of the Cyprus programme.
- EARLALL – Cyprus EU Council Presidency: Lifelong Learning Priorities: Presentation sheet on the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency in the field of education, training and social inclusion.
- Euronews – EU member states back Mercosur deal, French MEPs vow fight in Parliament: Article on the qualified majority vote by Member States, the opposing States (France, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Ireland), Belgium’s abstention and the battle announced in Parliament.
- Reuters – Mercosur bloc to sign EU trade deal on 17 January: News report confirming the agreement for the EU–Mercosur deal to be signed on 17 January in Asunción following approval by Member States.
- Reuters – EU states back record South America trade agreement after 25 years: Analysis of the political green light, the qualified majority mechanism and the geopolitical context of the EU–Mercosur agreement.
- WIMZ / Policy summary – EU Member States confirm approval of signing EU-Mercosur trade agreement: Summary of key elements of the Council decision and national positions.
- Euronews – Video: EU Member States back Mercosur trade deal: Video reports on the consequences of the agreement for European agriculture and the reactions of MEPs.
- Reuters – Irish farmers protest against Mercosur trade deal, in Athlone: Report on protests by Irish farmers against the EU–Mercosur agreement.
- ECHR Blog – CDDH publishes elements for the Chișinău declaration on migration: Analysis of the document adopted on 6 January 2026 by the CDDH on the “possible elements” of the future Chișinău Declaration.
- Council of Europe – Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) – Extraordinary meeting 13–15 January 2026: Official document on the CDDH extraordinary meeting and preparatory work on the declaration on migration and human rights.
