Annual Activity Report 2015 of the EPP Group in the European Parliament

ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2015 OF THE EPP GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 1 / ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE EPP GROUP 2015

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Table of Contents Foreword by the Chairman: Manfred Weber ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1

The EPP Group.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 1. The EPP Group Structure...............................................................................................................................................................................................11 2. How We Work....................................................................................................................................................................................................................11 3. Description.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 The EPP Group Presidency................................................................................................................................................................................16

Heads of the EPP Group National Delegations.............................................................................................................................................18

EPP Group Members of the European Parliament’s Bureau........................................................................................................................22

EPP Group Chairs of the Parliamentary Committees....................................................................................................................................23

EPP Group Coordinators in the Parliamentary Committees.........................................................................................................................24

EPP Group Chairs of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assemblies, Joint Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and Interparliamentary Delegations..................................................................................28 4. The President (EPP) of the European Council............................................................................................................................................................30 5. Members (EPP) of the European Commission...........................................................................................................................................................30 6. The 216 Members of the EPP Group...........................................................................................................................................................................31 7. The EPP Group Secretariat: Staff Management..........................................................................................................................................................33

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Parliamentary Work Service.................................................................................................................................................................................. 35

General Activities..................................................................................................................................................................................................36 Legislative Coordination and Whip Office........................................................................................................................................................37 Standing Working Group 'Economy and Environment' ................................................................................................................................39

Standing Working Group 'Legal and Home Affairs' ......................................................................................................................................44 Standing Working Group 'Budget and Structural Policies'.............................................................................................................................48 External Meetings and Events ...........................................................................................................................................................................52 Hearings, Conferences and Events ....................................................................................................................................................................68

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External Policies, Committees and Delegations Service..................................................................................................................... 91

Standing Working Group 'Foreign Affairs'........................................................................................................................................................93

Interparliamentary Delegations...........................................................................................................................................................................97

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National Parliaments Service..............................................................................................................................................................................111

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Mediterranean Policy and Intercultural Activities Service...............................................................................................................123

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Press and Communications Service...............................................................................................................................................................137

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The European People’s Party (EPP)...............................................................................................................................................................147

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“

The EPP Group will continue to work hard to demonstrate Europe’s added value.

Our mission centres on the promotion of a society founded on the Christian-Democratic values of liberty and solidarity, based on a sustainable social market economy in a unified and peaceful continent

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Foreword by the Chairman, Manfred Weber 1

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Foreword by the Chairman, Manfred Weber 2015 was a year full of upheaval for the European Union. The migration crisis, economic and political instability in Greece, further destabilisation in Ukraine and the decision by the UK Government to hold a membership referendum severely tested Europe’s unity. The Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) in the European Parliament played an important role in shaping answers towards these and other challenges, bolstering the EU’s cohesion to face these interlocking crises.

With 216 MEPs from 27 Member States the EPP Group is the largest and most influential political force in the European Parliament. Our Group provides the backbone for reinforced European cooperation for the benefit of all European citizens.

The arrival of Syrian and other war refugees by the hundreds of thousands in the second half of the year risked creating division among European Union Member States. The swift adoption and implementation of an encompassing migration approach was therefore of utmost importance. The EPP Group was the driving force behind a European migration plan with the principle of concrete solidarity at its centre. Our Group helped ensure a fair sharing of responsibilities between Member States, reinforced border controls, the creation of ‘hot spots’ where migrants are received and registered and a list of safe countries. The EPP Group will continue to take the lead in shaping a well-functioning common asylum policy that will fight traffickers and ensure better management of migration flows.

As well as the challenges posed by the migration crisis, the wider security environment surrounding the EU is complex and volatile. ISIS and other terrorist organisations are proliferating in the Middle East and North Africa. In the South, Russia continues its hybrid warfare against Ukraine, destabilising the Eastern Neighbourhood. The tragic events in Paris and Copenhagen this year serve as a further reminder for the EU to focus attention on counter-terrorism policy to protect its citizens. With our values and interests being challenged the EPP Group calls for the development of a fully-fledged common defense policy providing equal security for all Member States. We will act swiftly, decisively and with determination to secure this goal.

While supporting the Greek people throughout 2015 we made clear that empty populist rhetoric will not create jobs and bring prosperity.

Economic growth and stability will occur in Greece only through constructive engagement with its European partners. This requires solidarity and responsibility - solidarity within the EU to tackle the common challenge, and responsibility on the part of the Greek Government to adopt and implement the necessary reforms.

The EPP Group champions integration in Europe and turning the dream of Europe’s founders – ever closer union – into reality. In June I met with Prime Minister David Cameron in London to discuss the UK’s plans to renegotiate its relationship with the EU. Our Group believes Europe can benefit from constructive discussion aimed at making the EU more efficient. However, if Britain demands opt-outs

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from certain areas we are adamant that it would no longer have the right to use its veto, nor would it take part in votes by qualified majority.

Britain should not prevent other Member States from pursuing further integration.

The EPP Group and EPP-led governments have been instrumental in setting the agenda for putting Europe on the track of growth and jobs.

Our Group is firm in its demand for continued reform. In June the European Parliament approved the ‘Juncker Plan’ - or European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). The EPP Group has supported the EFSI ever since European Commission President Juncker presented it as his first priority. The fund will activate at least €315 billion in private investment, thereby strengthening the backbone of our economy and creating sustainable growth and jobs. Successfully concluding negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a key priority for the EPP Group. A balanced TTIP will benefit European citizens, workers and businesses, reaffirm environmental standards and food security for consumers and promote Europe’s role in the world. We also welcomed the European Commission’s proposals in September for a Capital Markets Union as it satisfies our criteria to help finance small and medium-sized enterprises, and encourage new entrepreneurship.

The EPP Group will continue to work hard to demonstrate Europe’s added value. Our mission centres on the promotion of a society founded on the Christian-Democratic values of liberty and solidarity, based on a sustainable social market economy in a unified and peaceful continent. We are determined to push forward the policies required to achieve this objective, confident that the EU is essential in the daily lives of the citizens our Group strives to represent.

I hope that by illustrating our policy initiatives the 2015 Annual Activity Report reflects the political will and ambition that will continue to guide the actions of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. To this end our Members, supported by a committed Secretariat, will work hard to create a more active and relevant EU, thereby delivering a better future for Europe’s citizens.

Manfred Weber Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament

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The EPP Group 1

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The EPP Group

Founded as the Christian Democrat Group on 23 June 1953 as a fraction in the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community, the Group changed its name to the ‘Group of the European People’s Party’ (Christian-Democratic Group) in July 1979, just after the first direct elections to the European Parliament, and to ‘Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats’ in July 1999. After the European elections in 2009, the Group went back to its roots as the ‘Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)’.

1. The EPP Group Structure The Chairman of the EPP Group is Manfred Weber MEP. He chairs its governing bodies and speaks for the Group in keynote debates in the European Parliament (EP).

He is supported by Coordinators on each of the Parliament’s Committees and

by Heads of the National Delegations represented in the Group.

The operational needs of the Group are serviced by a Group Secretariat, providing policy and organisational support.

The Group runs its own think-tank - the European Ideas Network - which brings together opinion-formers from the worlds of politics, business, academia and civic society across Europe, to discuss the major policy issues facing the European Union.

2. How We Work The Group of the European People’s Party (EPP Group) is the largest in the European Parliament with 216 Members. It has always played a key role in the construction of Europe. It brings together centre and centre-right proEuropean political forces from the Member States of the EU. Most of the parties represented in the EPP Group also belong to the European People’s Party. The EPP was the first-ever transnational political party to be formed at European level, and has the strongest representation in the European Council of Ministers. EPP parties came together to advance the goal of a more competitive and democratic Europe, closer to its citizens, and based on a social market economy.

As the largest political group in a Parliament where non-socialist parties now enjoy a clear majority, the EPP Group is in a stronger position than any other to set that body’s political agenda and to win its most critical votes. This strength is reflected in the fact that, since 1999, the EPP Group has been on the winning side of more votes than any other group in the European Parliament’s monthly plenary sessions.

Strength of numbers also ensures that EPP Group Members hold a range of key positions within the Parliament - including 6 of its Vice-Presidencies, Chairs of 8 of the EP’s 22 Committees or Subcommittees, and 2 of its 5 Quaestorships. Within the Parliamentary Committees, EPP Group Members are best placed to secure the right to author the EP’s position on key pieces of draft legislation and other major reports: the Group gets more of these “rapporteurships” on more important subjects, than any other group.

The task of the European Parliament - which is elected every five years by direct universal suffrage - lies in exercising democratic control over the decisionmaking process in the European Union on behalf of Europe’s citizens.

Composition: there are 751 Members of the European Parliament, representing more than 500 million Europeans.

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3. Description

The Presidency

With 216 Members the EPP Group is the largest political Group in the European Parliament.

The Presidency consists of the Group Chairman and ten Vice-Chairs. The Members of the Presidency agree among themselves on the allocation of tasks, including the Group Treasurer and the Chairmanships of the Standing Working Groups, which shall be brought to the notice of the Group.

Its Membership is made up of 1: 34 Members from Germany

5 Members from the Netherlands

23 Members from Poland

5 Members from Slovenia

The Bureau

20 Members from France

4 Members from Belgium

The Bureau, the Group’s political organ, consists of:

17 Members from Spain

4 Members from Ireland

15 Members from Italy

4 Members from Latvia

12 Members from Hungary

4 Members from Sweden

12 Members from Romania

3 Members from Finland

7 Members from Bulgaria

3 Members from Luxembourg

7 Members from Czech Republic

3 Members from Malta

7 Members from Portugal

2 Members from Cyprus

> The Presidency > The Heads of National Delegations > The President and Vice-Presidents of Parliament belonging to the Group > The Chairs of Parliamentary Committees belonging to the Group > The Coordinators in the Parliamentary Committees belonging to the Group > The Chairman and the Secretary-General of the European People’s Party if they are members of the European Parliament > One co-opted Member for every 10 Members of a national delegation

6 Members from Slovakia

2 Members from Lithuania

5 Members from Austria

1 Member from Denmark

5 Members from Croatia

1 Member from Estonia

5 Members from Greece

As of December 2015

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The four Standing Working Groups The EPP Group’s political strategy is formulated in the framework of four Working Groups which coordinate its Members’ parliamentary work in the 22 Committees or Subcommittees.

Working Group ‘Foreign Affairs’

Working Group ‘Economy and Environment’

> Committee on Foreign Affairs > Subcommittee on Security and Defence > Subcommittee on Human Rights > Committee on Development > Committee on International Trade Chairman: Jacek Saryusz-Wolski

> Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs > Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety > Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection > Committee on Transport and Tourism > Committee on Employment and Social Affairs > Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Chairwoman: Françoise Grossetête

Working Group ‘Legal and Home Affairs’ Working Group ‘Budget and Structural Policies’ > Committee on Legal Affairs > Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs > Committee on Constitutional Affairs > Committee on Petitions > Committee on Culture and Education > Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Chairman: Esteban González Pons

> Committee on Budgets > Committee on Budgetary Control > Committee on Regional Development > Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development > Committee on Fisheries Chairman: Marian Jean Marinescu

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Size of political groups in the EP by Member State (as of 11 November 2015)

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service

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Strength of the political groups in each parliamentary term

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service

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The EPP Group Presidency

Manfred Weber

Lara Comi

Mariya Gabriel

Esteban González Pons

Françoise Grossetête

Sandra Kalniete

Esther de Lange

Marian Jean Marinescu

Chairman

Vice-Chairwoman Communication Strategy EPP Youth Strategy

Vice-Chairwoman Working Group 'Economy and Environment'

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Vice-Chairwoman Mediterranean Union, Euromed

Vice-Chairwoman Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values

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Vice-Chairwoman Relations with National Parliaments

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Vice-Chairman Working Group 'Legal and Home Affairs'

Vice-Chairman Working Group 'Budget and Structural Policies'

The EPP Group Presidency

Paulo Rangel

Vice-Chairman EIN/Future of Europe/Treasurer

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski

Vice-Chairman Working Group 'Foreign Affairs'

J贸zsef Sz谩jer

Vice-Chairman Parliamentary Work

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Heads of the EPP Group National Delegations

Federal Republic of Germany (34 Members)

Herbert Reul

Poland (23 Members)

Angelika Niebler

Elisabetta Gardini

Esteban Gonzรกlez Pons

Alain Lamassoure

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Andrzej Grzyb

Italy (15 Members)

Spain (17 Members)

France (20 Members)

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Jan Olbrycht

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Lorenza Cesa

Heads of the EPP Group National Delegations

Hungary (12 Members)

Romania (12 Members)

Theodor Dumitru Stolojan

Czech Republic (7 Members)

Luděk Niedermayer

Adina-Ioana Vălean

András Gyürk

Portugal (7 Members)

Paulo Rangel

Bulgaria (7 Members)

Mariya Gabriel

Slovakia (6 Members)

Nuno Melo

Anna Záborská

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Heads of the EPP Group National Delegations

Greece (5 Members)

Croatia (5 Members)

Austria (5 Members)

Othmar Karas

Dubravka Šuica

Slovenia (5 Members)

Manolis Kefaloyannis

Ireland (4 Members)

Belgium (4 Members)

Milan Zver

Ivo Belet

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Seán Kelly

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The Netherlands (5 Members)

Esther de Lange

Latvia (4 Members)

Krišjānis Kariņš

Heads of the EPP Group National Delegations

Sweden (4 Members)

Gunnar HĂśkmark

Cyprus (2 Members)

Lefteris Christoforou (replaced Eleni Theocharous in November 2015)

Finland (3 Members)

Sirpa Pietikäinen

Lithuania (2 Members)

Gabrielius Landsbergis

Luxembourg (3 Members)

David Casa

Viviane Reding

Denmark (1 Member)

Bendt Bendtsen

Malta (3 Members)

Estonia (1 Member)

Tunne Kelam

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EPP Group Members of the European Parliament’s Bureau

Antonio Tajani

Mairead McGuinness

Rainer Wieland

Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso

Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz

Adina-Ioana Vălean

Élisabeth Morin-Chartier

Andrey Kovatchev

Vice-President

Vice-President

Vice-President

Vice-President

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Quaestor

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Vice-President

Quaestor

EPP Group Chairs of the Parliamentary Committees

Elmar Brok

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Danuta Maria Hübner

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Jerzy Buzek

Alain Cadec

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Giovanni La Via

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee on Fisheries

Alain Lamassoure

Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (The first Special Committee finalised its recommendations in November 2015)

Czesław Siekierski

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Inge Gräßle

Committee on Budgetary Control

Pavel Svoboda

Committee on Legal Affairs

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EPP Group Coordinators in the Parliamentary Committees

Cristian Dan Preda

Michael Gahler

Daniel Caspary

Petri Sarvamaa

Andrzej Grzyb

Davor Ivo Stier

JosĂŠ Manuel Fernandes

Burkhard Balz

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Subcommittee on Security and Defence

Subcommittee on Human Rights

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Committee on International Trade

Committee on Budgets

Committee on Development

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Committee on Budgetary Control

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

EPP Group Coordinators in the Parliamentary Committees

David Casa

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Peter Liese

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Krišjanis Karinš

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Andreas Schwab

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Wim van de Camp

Albert Deß

Lambert van Nistelrooij

Gabriel Mato

Committee on Transport and Tourism

Committee on Regional Development

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Committee on Fisheries

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EPP Group Coordinators in the Parliamentary Committees

Sabine Verheyen

Monika Hohlmeier

György Schöpflin

Peter Jahr

Committee on Culture and Education

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

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Constance Le Grip

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Committee on Petitions

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Tadeusz Zwiefka

Committee on Legal Affairs

Main governing bodies in the EP

European Parliament Committees

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service 27 / ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE EPP GROUP 2015

EPP Group Chairs of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assemblies, Joint Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and Parliamentary Delegations

Manolis Kefalogiannis

Alojz Peterle

Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio

Othmar Karas

Andrej Plenković

Fulvio Martusciello

Michèle Alliot-Marie

Janusz Lewandowski

Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

Delegation to the EU-Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee

Delegation for relations with Israel

Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

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Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee

Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula

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Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

Delegation for relations with Iran

EPP Group Chairs of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assemblies, Joint Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and Parliamentary Delegations

David McAllister

Werner Langen

Michael Gahler

Luis De Grandes Pascual

Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski

Paulo Rangel

Monica Macovei

Eduard Kukan

Delegation for relations with the United States

Delegation for relations with the Belarus

Delegation for relations Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Delegation for relations with the Federative Republic of Brazil

Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament

Delegation to the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Assosiation Parliamentary Committee (left the Group in October 2015)

Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community

Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Assosiation Parliamentary Committee

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4. The President (EPP) of the European Council Donald Tusk

5. EPP Members of the European Commission Johannes Hahn European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Austria (ÖVP)

President Jean-Claude Juncker President of the European Commission Luxembourg (CSV)

Dimitris Avramopoulos Migration, Home Affairs & Citizenship Greece (ND)

Vice Presidents

Elżbieta Bieńkowska

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs Poland (PO)

Kristalina Georgieva Budget & Human Resources Bulgaria (GERB)

Miguel Arias Cañete Climate Action & Energy Spain (PP)

Jyrki Katainen Jobs, Growth, Investment & Competitiveness Finland (Kokoomus)

Tibor Navracsics Education, Culture, Youth & Sport Hungary (Fidesz)

Valdis Dombrovskis Euro & Social Dialogue Latvia (Unity)

Members

Carlos Moedas Research, Science & Innovation Portugal (PSD)

Günther Oettinger Digital Economy & Society Germany (CDU)

Phil Hogan Agriculture & Rural Development Ireland (FG)

Marianne Thyssen Employment, Social Affairs, Skills & Labour Mobility Belgium (CD&V)

Christos Stylianides Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management Cyprus (DISY)

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6. The 216 Members of the Group GERMANY (34) BALZ, Burkhard BÖGE, Reimer BROK, Elmar CASPARY, Daniel COLLIN-LANGEN, Birgit DEß, Albert EHLER, Christian FERBER, Markus FLORENZ, Karl-Heinz GAHLER, Michael GIESEKE, Jens GRÄßLE, Ingeborg HOHLMEIER, Monika JAHR, Peter KOCH, Dieter-Lebrecht KUHN, Werner LANGEN, Werner LIESE, Peter LINS, Norbert MANN, Thomas McALLISTER, David NIEBLER, Angelika PIEPER, Markus QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL, Godelieve REUL, Herbert SCHULZE, Sven SCHWAB, Andreas SOMMER, Renate VERHEYEN, Sabine VOSS, Axel WEBER, Manfred WIELAND, Rainer WINKLER, Hermann ZELLER, Joachim

POLAND (23) BONI, Michal BUZEK, Jerzy GRZYB, Andrzej HETMAN, Krzysztof HÜBNER, Danuta Maria JAZŁOWIECKA, Danuta KALINOWSKI, Jarosław KOZLOWSKA-RAJEWICZ, Agnieszka KUDRYCKA, Barbara LEWANDOWSKI, Janusz Janusz ŁUKACIJEWSKA, Elżbieta Katarzyna OLBRYCHT, Jan PITERA, Julia PLURA, Marek ROSATI, Dariusz SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Jacek SIEKIERSKI, Czesław Adam SZEJNFELD, Adam Von THUN UND HOHENSTEIN, Róża Gräfin WAŁĘSA, Jarosław WENTA, Bogdan ZDROJEWSKI, Bogdan ZWIEFKA, Tadeusz FRANCE (20) ALLIOT-MARIE, Michèle CADEC, Alain DANJEAN, Arnaud DANTIN, Michel DATI, Rachida DELAHAYE, Angélique

GROSSETÊTE, Françoise HORTEFEUX, Brice JOULAUD, Marc JUVIN, Philippe LAMASSOURE, Alain LAVRILLEUX, Jérôme LE GRIP, Constance MORANO, Nadine MORIN-CHARTIER, Elisabeth MUSELIER, Renaud PONGA, Maurice PROUST, Franck SAÏFI, Tokia SANDER, Anne SPAIN (17) AYUSO, Pilar de GRANDES PASCUAL, Luis del CASTILLO VERA, Pilar DÍAZ DE MERA Y GARCÍA CONSUEGRA, Agustín ESTARÀS FERRAGUT, Rosa FISAS AYXELA, Santiago GAMBUS, Francesc GONZÁLEZ PONS, Esteban HERRANZ GARCÍA, Esther ITURGAIZ, Carlos JIMÉNEZ-BECERRIL, Teresa LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Verónica LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE, Antonio MATO, Gabriel MILLÁN MON, Francisco VALCARCEL SISO, Ramon Luis ZALBA BIDEGAIN, Pablo

ITALY (15) CESA, Lorenzo CICU, Salvatore CIRIO, Alberto COMI, Lara DORFMANN, Herbert GARDINI, Elisabetta LA VIA, Giovanni MARTUSCIELLO, Fulvio MATERA, Barbara MAULLU, Stefano MUSSOLINI, Alessandra PATRICIELLO, Aldo POGLIESE, Salvatore SALINI, Massimiliano TAJANI, Antonio HUNGARY (12) BOCSKOR, Andrea DELI, Andor DEUTSCH, Tamás ERDOS, Norbert GÁL, Kinga GÁLL-PELCZ, Ildikó GYÜRK, András HÖLVÉNYI, György KÓSA, Ádám SCHÖPFLIN, György SZÁJER, József TŐKÉS, László ROMANIA (12) BUDA Daniel BUŞOI, Cristian MANESCU, Ramona MARINESCU, Marian-Jean MUREŞAN, Siegfried

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PREDA, Cristian Dan SÓGOR, Csaba STOLOJAN, Theodor Dumitru ŢURCANU, Mihai UNGUREANU, Traian VĂLEAN, Adina-Ioana WINKLER, Iuliu

SLOVAKIA (6) CSÁKY, Pál KUKAN, Eduard MIKOLÁŠIK, Miroslav NAGY, Jozsef ŠTEFANEC, Ivan ZÁBORSKÁ, Anna

BULGARIA (7) GABRIEL, Mariya KOVATCHEV, Andrey MALINOV, Svetoslav NOVAKOV, Andrey PAUNOVA, Eva RADEV, Emil URUTCHEV, Vladimir

AUSTRIA (5) BECKER, Heinz K. KARAS, Othmar KÖSTINGER, Elisabeth RÜBIG, Paul SCHMIDT, Claudia

IRELAND (4) CLUNE, Deirdre HAYES, Brian KELLY, Seán McGUINNESS, Mairéad LATVIA (4) KALNIETE, Sandra KARIŅŠ, Krišjānis PABRIKS, Artis VAIDERE, Inese

GREECE (5) KEFALOGIANNIS, Manolis KYRTSOS, Giorgos SPYRAKI, Maria VOZEMBERG – VRIONIDI, Elissavet ZAGORAKIS, Theodoros

PORTUGAL (7) COELHO, Carlos FERNANDES, José Manuel MELO, Nuno MONTEIRO de AGUIAR, Cláudia RANGEL, Paulo RIBEIRO, Sofia RUAS, Fernando

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BELGIUM (4) ARIMONT, Pascal BELET, Ivo ROLIN, Claude VANDENKENDELAERE, Tom

CROATIA (5) MALETIĆ, Ivana PETIR, Marijana PLENKOVIĆ, Andrej STIER, Davor Ivo ŠUICA, Dubravka

CZECH REPUBLIC (7) NIEDERMAYER, Ludek POLČÁK, Stanislav POSPÍSIL, Jirí ŠOJDROVÁ, Michaela ŠTĚTINA, Jaromir SVOBODA, Pavel ZDECHOVSKÝ, Tomás

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SLOVENIA (5) BOGOVIC, Franc PETERLE, Alojz SULIN, Patricija TOMC, Romana ZVER, Milan

SWEDEN (4) ADAKTUSSON, Lars CORAZZA BILDT, Anna Maria FJELLNER, Christofer HÖKMARK, Gunnar FINLAND (3) PIETIKÄINEN, Sirpa SARVAMAA, Petri VIRKKUNEN, Henna

NETHERLANDS (5) de LANGE, Esther LENAERS, Jeroen SCHREIJER-PIERIK, Annie van de CAMP, Wim van NISTELROOIJ, Lambert

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LUXEMBOURG (3) BACH, Georges ENGEL, Frank REDING, Viviane MALTA (3) CASA, David COMODINI CACHIA, Therese METSOLA, Roberta CYPRUS (2) CHRISTOFOROU, Lefteris THEOCHAROUS, Eleni LITHUANIA (2) LANDSBERGIS, Gabrielius SAUDARGAS, Algirdas DENMARK (1) BENDTSEN, Bendt ESTONIA (1) KELAM, Tunne

7. The EPP Group Secretariat - Staff Management

Martin Kamp

Secretary-General

Juan Salafranca

Deputy Secretary-General Head of the External Policies – Committees Service

John Biesmans

Deputy Secretary-General Head of the Internal Organisation Service

Natacha Scriban-Cuvelier

Deputy Secretary-General Head of the Parliamentary Work Service

Joanna Jarecka-Gomez

Deputy Secretary-General Head of the External Policies – Delegations Service

Pedro López de Pablo Head of the Press and Communications Service

Johan Ryngaert

Head of the Presidency Service

Paolo Licandro

Deputy Secretary-General Head of the Mediterranean Policy and Intercultural Activities Service

Beatrice Scarascia Mugnozza

Head of the Relations with National Parliaments Service

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Parliamentary Work Service 1

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Parliamentary Work Service

The EPP Group Parliamentary Work Service is composed of 5 units: • The Legislative Coordination and Whip Office, under the responsibility of József Szájer MEP (HU), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (EP) • The Standing Working Group ‘Economy and Environment’, under the responsibility of Françoise Grossetête MEP (FR), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (EP) • The Standing Working Group ‘Budget and Structural Policies’, under the responsibility of Marian Jean Marinescu MEP (RO), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (EP) • The Standing Working Group ‘Legal and Home Affairs’, under the responsibility of Esteban González Pons MEP (ES), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (EP) • The Policy Strategy Unit, under the responsibility of Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, and Paulo Rangel MEP (PT), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (EP)

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General Activities A. Major Votes in Plenary

B. Personalities Attending the Sitting

- Election of a Vice-President of the European Parliament (20/05) - Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict affected and high-risk areas (20/05) - European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) (24/06) - Negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) (08/07) - Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme: establishment and operation of a market stability reserve (08/07) - Resolution on the Commission Work Programme 2016 (16/9) - Provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy, Greece and Hungary (17/9) - Payment services in the internal market (08/10) - European single market for electronic communications (27/10) - Insurance Mediation Directive (24/11) - EU Budget 2016 (25/11) - Community Trade Mark (15/12)

- Address by His Majesty King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (10/03/2015) - Address by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations (27/05/2015) - Address by Tsakhia Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia (09/06/2015) - Address by King Felipe VI of Spain (07/10/2015) - Current situation of the European Union statements by Franรงois Hollande, President of the French Republic, and Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (07/10/2015) - Address by Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic (25/11/2015)

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C. Meetings - Following up the Secretary-General Meetings and those of the Conference of Presidents in order to establish the plenary agenda - Regular meetings with the Chairman, in order to define the policy strategy of the EPP Group - Plenary session organisation: votes and speaking time - Group Meetings

Legislative Coordination and Whip Office A. EPP Group Meetings

B. Whip Office

Personalities attending Group Meetings

The Whip Office follows EPP Group MEPs’ presence and participation in votes, at plenary and committee level, and evaluates in accordance with the agreed Group line. The Office has been rationalised and reorganised to improve its efficiency in these tasks.

- Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness (13/01) - Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (10/02) - Patriarch Philaret, Leader of the Ukrainian Church (22/04) - Antonis Samaras, former Prime Minister of Greece (28/04) - Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society (28/4) - Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for the Euro and Social Dialogue (19/05) - Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary (19/05) - Nikola Gruevski, Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) (20/05) - Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (01/07) - Dimitris Avramotopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship (25/09) - Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (07/10) - Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (27/10) - Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions - Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (24/11) - Donald Tusk, President of the European Council (9/12) - Miguel Arias Cañete, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy (14/12) Group Meetings agenda and calendar, Chairman’s notes and Early Briefings - Chairman’s notes and dossiers for the President - Internal briefings related to all items (reports, resolutions, and other points) which will be submitted to a plenary vote ahead each Group Meeting in Brussels and Strasbourg - Specific and detailed briefings related to all items treated at Group Meetings - MEPs’ presence list, minutes, documents to be distributed to MEPs

The President, the Presidency, the Heads of National Delegations, the Coordinators and the Members are regularly informed of their participation and presence rates during votes at plenary and committee level.

C. Legislative Coordination Meetings and Activities Commission Work Programme (CWP) for 2016

The EPP Group defined its position on the CWP for 2016 under the leadership of József Szájer MEP (HU), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, who negotiated a joint resolution with the S&D, ALDE and Greens/EFA Groups in line with the contributions of consulted EPP Group Members, the Coordinators and the Group Presidency (adopted in September plenary).

Conference of the Committee Chairmen (CCC)

The Legislative Coordination Office prepares and follows the Conference of the Committee Chairmen, working to avoid internal conflicts between committees in the attribution of reports and competences among the Parliamentary Committees.

Specific EPP Group preparatory meetings are organised monthly to inform EPP Group stakeholders on CCC-level issues.

In close cooperation with the Coordinators, an internal early warning system has been established aimed at identifying possible conflicts of competences before they officially arise, especially between the committees where Chairmanship belongs to the EPP Group.

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Rapporteurship and Group line in plenary votes

“Guidelines on Rapporteurship and Group line in plenary votes”, have been endorsed by the Group and are sent to all EPP Group MEPs. The Presidency improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Group in parliamentary work, both at committee and plenary level.

Newly appointed EPP Group Rapporteurs in all Parliamentary Committees and comparative charts from the other Groups are regularly submitted to the Coordinators, the Presidency and the Heads of National Delegations.

Coordinators’ Meetings

Nine Coordinators’ Meetings were organised to deal with horizontal parliamentary issues. These meetings have been enlarged to EPP Group Committees’ Chairs, to reinforce Group cohesion and prevent conflicts of competences.

The main topics treated in 2015 included: - preparation of the plenary sessions and conflicts of competences between committees as standing points on the agenda - EPP Group priorities for the resolution on the CWP 2016 - revision of the Inter Institutional Agreement - revision of the Rules of Procedures of the EP - cooperation with the other political groups

Cooperation with other political groups and Institutions

The Unit provides the Presidency with monthly updated information regarding the most important forthcoming and pending legislative or non-legislative items for which closer cooperation with the other political groups and/or Institutions might be necessary.

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Standing Working Group ‘Economy and Environment’

Françoise Grossetête MEP (EPP Group, France), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Chairwoman of the Working Group 'Economy and Environment'

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The Working Group ‘Economy and Environment’ coordinates the following Committees:

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) In the field of economic governance the EPP Group applied existing legislation - the Two and Six Packs, for example - rather than advocating modification of the legal and institutional framework. The Group insisted on compliance with Member State rules and enforcement of Commission and Council rules.

Regarding financial services, significant progress was made in 2015. Important legislation was improved, such as the Insurance Mediation Directive and the Payment Services Directive. These reforms increase the efficiency and resilience of key infrastructures to benefit citizens, for example regarding payment systems or insurance distribution. The Capital Markets Union (CMU) Action Plan was launched in 2015. A key pillar of the Investment Plan, it tackles investment shortages by increasing and diversifying funding sources for Europe’s long-term business projects. The EPP Group has been working to ensure the CMU improves SMEs’ access to funding.

The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) was adopted in 2015, representing a major success for the EPP Group. The initiative will mobilise €315 billion in private capital to fund additional investment, while not creating additional debt. The EPP Group successfully defended operational and managerial independence of the fund.

Tax avoidance in Europe: not a problem for a specific country, but a structural problem In 2014, the “Lux Leaks” scandal highlighted controversial tax practices existing in many Member States. The scandal led to the setting up of a temporary Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (TAXE), to shed light on all Member States’ tax systems, end unfair tax practices and combat tax avoidance in Europe.

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TAXE investigated tax avoidance schemes used by multinational companies to shift and channel their profits through different countries to reduce tax. Most of these aggressive tax planning practices are legal, but politically problematic.

While some groups labelled the Committee a ‘witch hunt’ on certain multinationals or a personal attack on Commission President Juncker, our Group ensured its constructiveness by focusing on forward-thinking tax policies.

Delegations engaged with finance ministers, tax authorities and other stakeholders in Ireland, the Netherlands, the UK, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium and exchanged views with whistle-blowers, multinational companies, Commission President Juncker, and with authorities from Gibraltar and Bermuda.

The main finding concluded that tax avoidance in Europe is not a specific country problem, rather a structural problem. Mismatches between national tax systems create loopholes. Since Member States have different tax bases, tax rates, tax exemptions and tax incentives, some companies simply shift different parts of their economic activity to different countries, optimising their taxes.

The Committee recommended the immediate introduction of a common consolidated corporate tax base, and country-by-country reporting for large multi­national companies. This would oblige disclosure on how much profit, taxes and employees exist in every operating country, thereby helping tax authorities and the European Commission better understand where problems lie.

The EPP Group prioritised Taxation in 2015: Alain Lamassoure MEP (FR) was appointed Chairman and Burkhard Balz MEP (DE) Coordinator in the TAXE Committee. Danuta Hübner MEP (DE) was Shadow Rapporteur on the TAXE Report. The mandate of the Special Committee ended in November 2015.

The EPP Group furthermore adopted a Position Paper on Taxation addressing important and relevant issues, and highlighting our priorities in the field of taxation.

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) In February 2015, on the initiative of Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility and former EPP Group MEP - a proposal to increase the amount of prefinancing for Member States to promote youth employment and provide support to young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) in the most affected regions was presented. This proposal marked a major success for the EPP Group and was necessary following the adoption of the European Social Fund Regulation (ESF) and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) in December 2013, instruments intended to help workers enter the employment market. At the end of 2014 the results on the ground - regarding Member State participation and the number of operational programs adopted - did not meet our expectations. Difficulties centred on anticipating the costs of employment programs under the YEI due to liquidity insufficiency. During that time, over 7 million people aged between 15 and 24 remained unemployed in Europe: the EPP Group pressed for quick and efficient action.

The EPP Group demanded the Council and the Commission to facilitate Member State finance access to underpin a faster start-up of the operational programs. The proposal was adopted by an overwhelming majority in plenary in April 2015, under the lead of the EPP Group Rapporteur Elisabeth MorinChartier MEP (FR). The European pre-financing for youth job creation in the most affected regions was increased from 1% to 30%.

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Despite strong resistance from other political Groups, the EPP Group managed to both conclude and influence a substantial number of dossiers in 2015. On the legislative level, the plenary adopted legislation in first reading agreement, notably on: the Market Stability Reserve, with Ivo Belet MEP (BE) (EPP Group Rapporteur); on the Directive on Medium Combustion Plants, with Andrzej Grzyb MEP (PL) (EPP Group Rapporteur); and on Novel Foods. The legislative proposal on Food from Animal Clones and Cloning of

Animals for Farming Purposes, with Renate Sommer MEP (DE) (EPP Group Rapporteur), was voted in Plenary in regular first reading.

Regarding second reading agreements, the EP adopted important legislation such as the Directive on the Emissions from Indirect Land Use Change; the Directive on the Reduction of Consumption of Plastic Bags; the Regulation on CO2 Emissions from Maritime Transport; and the Directive to Restrict or Prohibit the Cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms in Member States.

Some key legislative reports are currently under negotiation: Veterinarian Medicinal Products, with Françoise Grossetête MEP (FR), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, (EPP Group Rapporteur); Emission Limits and Type-approval for Internal Combustion Engines for Non-Road Mobile Machinery, with Elisabetta Gardini MEP (IT) (EPP Group Rapporteur); Emissions from Road Vehicles, with Albert Deß MEP (DE) (EPP Group Rapporteur); and GMOs, with Giovanni La Via MEP (IT) (EPP Group Rapporteur). Some important reports will start negotiations in second reading: Medical Devices, In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices, with Peter Liese MEP (DE) (EPP Group Rapporteur), and Official Controls.

Key adopted additional own initiative reports include: Circular Economy; Patient Safety and the Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance; and COP-21 and the New International Climate Agreement in Paris.

Resolutions on alcohol as well as on country of origin-labelling for meat in processed food were also adopted.

EPP Group ENVI Committee Members contributed to fixing strategic political positions and outlined its priorities in the EPP Group Position Paper on Climate and Energy Policy.

Two EPP Group Hearings were organised by the ENVI Committee: in April, with the collaboration of EPP Group AGRI Members, on ‘Anti-microbial Resistance – urgent need to act in human and veterinary medicine’ and in November on ‘The Future of GMOs in Europe – Experiences and best practices”.

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Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Under the lead of Pilar Del Castillo MEP (ES), a report on the “Connected Continent” was tabled in 2015. An agreement on the Telecom Single Market was reached after several months of negotiations, focusing on the enforcement of consumer protection, and the open Internet. The abolition of roaming charges starting on 15 June 2017 was a key achievement.

The EP adopted a report on “Family businesses in Europe” led by Angelika Niebler MEP (DE). Family run businesses account for more than 60% of all enterprises and up to 50% of private sector jobs in the EU. The report addresses specific challenges that hamper their growth and development, especially in terms of access to finances or business transfer to the next generation. The EPP Group organised a hearing which facilitated greater insight into the specific challenges which were incorporated into the finalisation of the report.

Based on the European Commission’s Green Action Plan for SMEs - an initiative to further stimulate SMEs to develop the benefits of green growth - the EP successfully adopted a report on “Green Growth opportunities for SMEs”. The text elaborates on aspects such as financing, research, development and innovation, as raised by stakeholders during the public consultations.

With the European Public Administrations Interoperability Solutions (ISA) programme coming to an end on 31 December 2015, a new EU ISA programme is needed. The ITRE Committee adopted under a first reading agreement the ISA2 report for the period 2016-2020. The solutions covered by the programme will address issues such as lack of frameworks, ICT architectures and tools enabling interoperability.

A report on the Energy Union, negotiated by András Gyürk MEP (HU), looked at the EU’s security of supply, sustainability and competitiveness in the field of energy. Emphasis was placed on aspects related to security, such as the need to diversify energy sources and supply routes, the completion of the internal energy market and the moderation of energy demand.

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In 2015, the EPP Group adopted a Position Paper on the External Dimension of Energy Security highlighting our priorities in the field of energy security.

A report on Achieving the 10% Electricity Interconnection Target, negotiated by Bendt Bendtsen MEP (DK), looked into the development of an interconnected European energy grid, which will aid a functioning energy market and ensure affordable, secure and sustainable energy. Focus was set on projects with the greatest benefit for the European single energy market.

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) EPP Group IMCO Committee Members marked 2015 with success, manifest through the support of the efficient functioning of the internal market, while safeguarding consumers’ interests.

The conclusion of the Package Travel and Assisted Travel Arrangements Directive marks a milestone for consumer rights in a marketplace where an increasing number of purchases are done online. Birgit Collin-Langen’s MEP (DE) leadership in negotiations resulted in a legal framework where the rights and obligations of travellers and operators are clear and balanced.

Cristian-Silviu Buşoi MEP (RO) was instrumental, as Rapporteur, in updating legislation regarding the ban of seal products on the European market following an arbitration procedure lodged at the World Trade Organisation.

The ban on seal products is now fully in line with international rules.

In March 2015, in preparation of the EC Digital Single Market Strategy, the EPP Group formulated and adopted its priorities on the digital economy. The EPP Group Position Paper on the Digital Economy outlines these key requests which include a level-playing field between the different actors, a fair balance between consumer rights and the needs of businesses, incentivising investment in infrastructure while embracing innovation and new business models, as well as working towards a balanced copyright framework that enables the access to services while generating sufficient benefits to promote Europe’s cultural diversity.

Work is ongoing in the IMCO Committee on major initiatives, including Network and Information Security and Digital Single Market policies, which will shape major aspects of citizens’ everyday lives. The EPP Group is active in shaping both policies.

Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) The EPP Group played a key role in reinforcing sustainable and environmental friendly legislation in all modes of transport. This was reflected in the technical pillar of the fourth railway package. The European Railway Agency (ERA) Markus Pieper MEP (DE), Railway safety - Georges Bach MEP (DE), and the Interoperability - Luis de Grandes Pascual MEP (ES), will remove the technical obstacles posed by differences in national standards, thus cutting the time and costs required to obtain authorisation for operators, locomotives and rolling stock to use the European rail network. The ERA would become a “onestop shop” for all applications for safety certification and authorisation of locomotives and rolling stock for cross-border services. For services within one Member State, operators and manufacturers choose submitting applications to either the ERA or the national safety authorities.

The EPP Group strived to achieve sustainable funding for infrastructure, and better predictability and improvement of competitiveness in all modes of transport - underlined in the Implementation of the 2011 White Paper on Transport - Wim van de Camp MEP (NL). The Rapporteur stressed the earning capacity of the transport sector and the need for an efficient co-modality where the uses of the most energy-efficient and sustainable transport modes are prioritised.

The Implementation of Multimodal Integrated Ticketing in the EU (report of Dieter-Lebrecht Koch MEP (DE)) emphasised the creation of integrated ticketing with real-time information and passenger rights for multimodal travel, to allow seamless mobility for EU citizens.

The EPP Group requires that the EC put forward legislative proposals (aviation and road) to allow EU citizens travel faster, safer and cleaner.

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Standing Working Group ‘Legal and Home Affairs’

Esteban González Pons MEP (EPP Group, Spain), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group ‘Legal and Home Affairs’

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The Working Group ‘Legal and Home Affairs’ coordinates the following Committees:

Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) Access to justice

The Small Claims Procedure intends to make small claims litigation in crossborder cases more efficient and quick for consumers and SMEs. Shadow Rapporteur Daniel Buda MEP (RO) played a key role in the negotiations and EPP Group priorities are reflected in the first reading agreement.

Reducing administrative burdens of businesses by effective common rules

Klaus-Heiner Lehne MEP (DE) and Tadeusz Zwiefka MEP (PL) led on the Insolvency Regulation report and an agreement was adopted in May 2015.

The regulation aims to streamline cross-border insolvency proceedings to ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market and its resilience in economic crises, while increasing legal certainty.

Corporate Governance and Long-term Shareholders’ Engagement Package

The EPP Group Shadows Giovanni Toti MEP (IT) and Tadeusz Zwiefka MEP (PL) were instrumental in this important dossier. The EPP Group strives to improve Europe's business environment by reducing bureaucracy and costs and by finding solutions that favour European competitiveness. Therefore a legal framework should be created which enables companies to grow and to create jobs.

Better Regulation

The EPP Group has always instigated efforts to improve the quality of European laws. It continues to push revision of the 2003 Inter-institutional Agreement on Better Law-making. Although the new EC proposal addresses some longstanding Group priorities - such as more independent impact assessments - there is room for improvement, in particular regarding delegated acts.

The EPP Group has established its own Working Group to safeguard its position throughout the process.

Improving Intellectual Property Rights

The report on the Implementation of the Copyright Directive was a popular topic ahead of the EC proposal. The EPP Group Shadow Rapporteur Therese Comodini Cachia MEP (MT) was instrumental in securing a balanced report that reflects our position. The balance of rights between the authors and the public interest of disseminating knowledge will continue to foster investment, safeguard employment and encourage job creation, while allowing the industry to embrace digital technologies.

The report on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights was drafted

by Pavel Svoboda MEP (CZ). It recognises that tackling IPR infringement effectively is complex, particularly in the online environment. It reiterates the importance of strengthening the fight against IPR infringements while safeguarding the fundamental rights of all parties. The Rapporteur played a key role in the negotiations and achieved a result supported by all groups.

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Time for action on the Migration and Refugee crisis

The EPP Group has taken the lead in providing immediate long-term solutions to the migration crisis. Roberta Metsola MEP (MT), EPP Group Justice and Home Affairs Spokeswoman, has been appointed chief negotiator on a report on Migration due to be adopted by the end of the year. As chief negotiator on two joint resolutions on migration she has facilitated the EP to send a strong signal of solidarity by supporting a fairer distribution of persons in need of protection through a binding redistribution mechanism.

Migration was the top priority at the EPP Group Bureau meeting in Milan.

Under the leadership of Monika Hohlmeier MEP (DE), the EPP Group held a public hearing on asylum to develop a way forward to tackle the identified shortcomings in the implementation of the existing rules.

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The security of our citizens is our priority

The EPP Group has put security at the core of its political priorities. Monika Hohlmeier MEP (DE), EPP Group Coordinator in the LIBE Committee of the EP, convinced mainstream political groups to adopt a joint resolution on the fight against terrorism. Furthermore, the EPP Group initiated in the EP a report on the Prevention of Radicalisation of EU Citizens by Terrorist Organisations under the leadership of Rachida Dati MEP (FR). At the Bureau Meeting in Toledo, under Esteban Gonzalez Pons MEP (ES), ViceChairman of the EPP Group in the EP, the EPP Group Position Paper on an Anti-terrorism Pact was discussed for adoption. Regarding air travel, after protracted negotiations the EPP Group overcame left-wing resistance by approving the setting-up of an EU Airline Passenger Name Records system (PNR) in committee.

Protecting EU citizen’s personal data and exploring data driven security

Digitalisation is changing our lives. For this reason the EPP Group, through its negotiator Axel Voss MEP (DE), supported the adoption of the proposed Data Protection Regulation to increase legal certainty for businesses and consumers. We have continuously worked for solutions that seek to deliver robust data protection for EU citizens, legal certainty and trust for companies. Group priorities are articulated in our Position Paper on Data Protection, adopted in Budapest, centering on the adjustments deemed necessary to achieve balanced legislation. Our Group is also working on the development of digital solutions and technologies to tackle cyberspace threats. During a public Hearing on Data Driven Security, sponsored by Michał Boni MEP (PL), the EPP Group explored the possibilities of utilising modern technology to fight cybercrime.

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Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) The hearing of nominees for European Commissioners is an essential feature of European democracy. Before the vote on the College of Commissioners as a whole, the nominees appeared before the relevant EP Committees.

This allowed MEPs to assess whether the nominee meets the minimum requirements for the post of Commissioner.

The AFCO Committee followed closely each of the hearings and presented a report on Hearings voted in plenary in September 2015. The report includes a request aimed at a more agile process adequate to cope with new tailored Commission portfolios. It also asks that in the future each Member State indicates not one but rather two candidates - of each gender - in order to allow more freedom to the President-elect of the Commission in the composition of his/her College, and to ensure proper respect for gender balance.

Committee on Petitions (PETI) In 2014, the European Commission continued “The European Year of the Citizens”, launched in January 2013. As the right of petition is enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty under Article 227, the Petitions Committee of the EP remained active in the initiatives aimed at engaging citizens in shaping Europe’s future, mainly in the field of the environment, fundamental rights and free movement of citizens and workers.

Regarding fundamental rights, the First Vice-President and European Commissioner for Better Regulation, Inter-institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Frans Timmermans, was present at the committee meeting on 7 October to discuss the limits of applicability of the Charter on Fundamental Rights imposed by Article 51.

Since many petitions refer to the Charter - for instance in the field of the protection of children’s rights - Commissioner Timmermans clarified and justified to citizens the applicability of the Charter.

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) The EPP Group was active in 2015 in shaping the work of the FEMM Committee according to its priorities. Rapporteur, Mariya Gabriel MEP (BG), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, insisted that the Council react to the Women on Boards Directive, asking for more women as non-executive board members in companies listed on stock exchanges.

The EPP Group also prioritised the Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value and the Fight against the Existing Gender Pay Gap, covered by Anna Záborská MEP (SK).

The EPP Group report on Women’s Careers in Science and University and Glass Ceilings Encountered by Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi MEP (EL) proposes measures to increase equality in the framework of the European Research Area and the specific program Horizon 2020, targeted at women in universities and the world of science.

Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) Thanks to Erasmus+ Programme (2014-2020) - with a total budget of €14.8 billion - over 4 million people will benefit from EU grants for education and training.

Thanks to the previous work of EPP Group Rapporteur Doris Pack MEP (DE), the Erasmus+ Programme has brought together EU education, training and youth programmes - Comenius, Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, Leonardo da Vinci (professional training) and Grundtvig - under a single umbrella. The programme also includes sport for the first time.

The Erasmus+ Programme supports learning mobility for individuals, cooperation for innovation and good practices in education, training, youth exchanges and European voluntary service. The Programme also focuses on cooperation and activities in grassroots sport by supporting international study, training, teaching and volunteering activities.

The EPP Group is also committed to combat violence against women.

Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio MEP (ES) and Anna Maria Corazza Bildt MEP (SE) are active within the FEMM Working Group, created with the aim of prevention and eradication.

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Standing Working Group ‘Budget and Structural Policies’

Marian Jean Marinescu MEP (EPP Group, Romania), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group ‘Budget and Structural Policies’

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The Working Group ‘Budget and Structural Policies’ coordinates the following Committees:

Committee on Budgets (BUDG) The EPP Group was responsible for two main budgetary files this year: the European Fund for Strategic Development (EFSI) and the EU Budget 2016.

For both, EPP Group Coordinator in the BUDG Committee, José Manuel Fernandes MEP (ES), was the EP Rapporteur.

EFSI: The EPP Group fully supported the EFSI (‘Juncker Plan’) as a boost for investment in the EU. This fund is established by a contribution coming from the EU budget. The EPP Group could minimise the impact of this contribution on the important policies of Research: Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

EU Budget 2016: The EPP Group worked actively to secure the immediate budgetary means to address the refugee and migration crisis, while ensuring also the necessary resources in favour of programmes and policies conducive to growth and employment. The final agreement foresees the financing of a package of extraordinary measures for migration for an amount of €1,530 million, bringing the total migration figure to €2,672 million. An additional amount of €285.3 million is also agreed to address the external dimension and root causes of the crisis. Moreover, a number of additional increases are agreed for programmes such as COSME, Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020. A joint statement between the three Institutions calls on the European Commission (EC) to make proposals for the continuation of the Youth Employment Initiative until 2020.

A €500 million package of measures to European farmers affected by the ongoing crisis - especially in the milk sector - is also part of the Budget agreement.

Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) The EP discharge procedure ensures democratic oversight on how the EU Budget has been used. In 2015, the EPP Group was responsible for scrutinising the EC implementation of the 2013 Budget. EPP Group CONT Committee Chair Ingeborg Gräßle MEP (DE) stressed in her report the lack

of reliability regarding the first-level checks performed by Member States, especially in the areas of regional policy and agriculture. The report demands more transparency from Member States in cooperation with the EC and says that misinformation by Member States must be followed up with sanctions.

EPP Group CONT Committee Coordinator Petri Sarvamaa MEP (FI) drafted an own-initiative report on the Protection of the Financial Interests of the Union in the area of Agriculture, aiming to reduce the level of complexity of rules, thus making the life of farmers easier. The report stresses the necessity to strike the right balance between less administrative burden and effective financial control. The report advocates simplification and risk-based monitoring of expenditures.

On the initiative of the EPP Group, the EP adopted a resolution on the effective functioning of the Supervisory Committee of the EU anti-fraud body, OLAF. The Group attaches great importance to independent oversight of OLAF’s investigative activities.

In September, Members of the Budgetary Control Committee undertook a fact-finding mission to Greece to study the implementation of major infrastructure projects funded by the EU budget.

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) EPP Group Members monitored closely the application of the new Common Agricultural Policy. Conscious of the need to simplify the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), Members made suggestions to reduce complexity and red-tape, notably with regard to the new “greening” requirements for direct payments.

The EPP Group, through its Coordinator Albert Deß MEP (DE) and Committee Chair Czesław Siekierski MEP (PL), were instrumental in ensuring the AGRI Committee organised major hearings on CAP simplification and implementation.

Rapporteurs for key reports adopted in 2015 included: Elisabeth Köstinger MEP (AT), who secured the backing for her report on a new EU Forest

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Strategy. Nuno Melo MEP (PT) achieved near unanimous support for his report on Producer Organisations in the Fruits and Vegetables Sector – as a drive to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food supply chain.

Michel Dantin MEP (FR), Rapporteur for legislation on Conditions for Trade and Imports of Breeding Animals, is negotiating to bring updated rules into force. Herbert Dorfmann MEP (DE) worked on the key legislative package on animal health.

The EPP Group responded to the major challenges faced by farmers. Members initiated an EP resolution on measures to combat the spread of Xylella Fastidiosa, a deadly bacterium which has struck olive trees in large parts of Italy.

This underlined the importance of the on-going work being coordinated by Pilar Ayuso MEP (ES) on improved rules to protect the EU from a growing influx of pests harmful to plant health.

In September, EPP Group Members signed a letter co-authored by Esther Herranz García MEP (ES) to the EC demanding immediate measures to deal with the extreme market difficulties experienced by farmers, especially in the dairy and pigmeat sectors.

Committee on Regional Development (REGI) The EPP Group, led by Coordinator Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP (NL), was vigilant on developments in the field of cohesion policy. Concerns centred on the current 2014-2020 programming period, as well as the longer term perspectives.

Following the publication of the European Commission’s Sixth Report on the Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, EPP Group Vice-Coordinator Tamás Deutsch MEP (HU), prepared a report on the 2007-2013 programming period. It highlighted the successes of cohesion policy, job creation and investments through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and the important support from the European Social Fund (ESF). The effects of these investments will increase over the next years.

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The report on Cohesion Policy and the Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy, drafted by Fernando Ruas MEP (PT), represents the first EP position on the mid-term review of the Union's strategy for growth and jobs, currently being prepared by the EC. The Rapporteur focused on several key points: better interlinking objectives and flagship initiatives, strengthening multilevel governance, ensuring effective co-ownership along the implementation by involving stakeholders, and introducing the possibility of voluntary regional targets where appropriate. The EPP Group insisted that both future cohesion policy and future EU long-term strategy be concluded before the current term of the EC ends, an approach embraced by other political groups.

Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), an expert on cohesion policy, has been Shadowing the report on the Urban Dimension of EU policies. This report argues that the challenges facing Europe are either related to the economy, climate or environment and society, and manifest themselves in and around cities. Cities therefore need to be more involved in the conception and implementation of EU policies, and these policies need to be better adapted to urban realities.

Committee on Fisheries (PECH) The legislative activity during 2015, coordinated by Gabriel Mato MEP (ES), concentrated mainly on two principal questions: the landing obligation and the multiannual management plan for the stocks of cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea. The EP approved the progressive implementation of the landing obligation starting from 1 January 2015. The goal is to gradually eliminate discards.

The Commission published an 'Omnibus Proposal' in 2014 to iron out the contradictions in the remaining legislation and to implement the obligation to discard non-marketable fish, or fish caught in excess of quota. The practice of discarding fish came to an end on 1 January 2015 for pelagic species, such as anchovy, herring and sardines - in general - and for cod and salmon in the Baltic Sea, in particular. Rapporteur Alain Cadec MEP (FR) played a key role in achieving an agreement between the EP and the European Council, adopted on 3 June 2015.

Secondly, the aim of the Multiannual Plan is to establish a framework for the multispecies management of Baltic Sea stocks of cod, herring and sprat.

The multispecies plan - “a Constitution for the Baltic fisheries” - had long been awaited. It aims to take account of inter-species interactions, such as the influence of cod on herring and sprat stocks and vice versa. The plan should provide for a balanced, sustainable exploitation of stocks and thereby benefit fishermen. It should additionally guarantee that management is based on the most up-to-date scientific advice regarding the status of stocks covered, and interactions between species and other aspects related to ecosystem and fisheries. The multispecies management approach is considerably more effective than the management of single species.

Rapporteur Jarosław Walesa MEP (PL) is involved in trialogues with the European Council and the European Commission. The aim is to reach a first reading agreement and adopt the plan in line with the reformed Common Fisheries Policy. The most controversial part of this dossier concerns the scientific advice - namely target fishing mortality ranges - which indicate how much fish fishermen will be allowed to catch.

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External Meetings and Events The EPP Group hosts meeting and events both in the European Parliament buildings and within individual Member States. Many of these meetings and events are organised by the Political Strategy Unit and the European Ideas Network (EIN).

The Unit offers a valuable mechanism for further developing the Group’s political identity by increasing the number of forums for debate:

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> Meetings of the EPP Group Bureau outside the three working seats of the European Parliament: aim to deepen relations with Member States and to express support to EPP sister parties. > Study days: are organised in a different Member State each year, as understanding the different national realities allows a better grasp of the political themes that are important at a national level. > European Ideas Network: the EIN represents an open pan-European think-tank designed to promote new thinking on the key challenges facing the European Union.

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1. EPP Group Bureau meetings outside the three working seats of the European Parliament Toledo, Spain EPP Group Bureau Meeting – 5-6 March 2015 The Group Meeting was dedicated to the following themes: Restoring Europe's online leadership, protecting democratic values, preventing radicalisation and fighting against Islamic terrorism.

Following these debates, two Position Papers on the Digital Economy and on an Anti-terrorism Pact were finalised for approval by the EPP Group.

The Position Paper on the Digital Economy outlines the steps necessary to build a truly inclusive Digital Single Market to the benefit of consumers and

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businesses. The Position Paper on an Anti-terrorism Pact highlights how the EPP Group is at the forefront in adopting measures to strengthen our citizens' security, defend our values of freedom, democracy and human rights and to uphold international law.

The event was highlighted by the special intervention of Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister of Spain.

Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament EP (speaking), (r-l) Marian Jean Marinescu MEP (Romania), Françoise Grossetête MEP (France), Lara Comi MEP (Italy), Esteban Gonzáles Pons MEP (Spain), all Vice-Chairpersons of the EPP Group in the EP, Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister of Spain and President of the People's Party, María Dolores de Cospedal, President of Castilla-La Mancha, Secretary-General of the People's Party, and József Szájer MEP (Hungary), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP

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Milan, Italy EPP Group Bureau Meeting – 23-24 April 2015 The speakers were invited to intervene on the following themes: How to address current trends of global migrations and asylum; how to combat irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking, and on the transatlantic dimension of EU trade policy.

Two Position Papers were debated at the Group Meeting. The Position Paper on Migration advocates an all-encompassing strategy with the principle of concrete solidarity at its centre in dealing with the crisis. The Position Paper on International Trade outlines the EPP Group position on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and EU trade policy in a global context.

The event was highlighted by the special intervention by Angelino Alfano, Italian Minister of Interior, and Silvio Berlusconi, Former Prime Minister of Italy, and President of Forza Italia.

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l-r: Robert Črepinko, Operations Department, Serious and Organised Crime, EUROPOL, Elizabeth Collett, Director of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe and Senior Advisor to MPI’s Transatlantic Council on Migration, Lara Comi MEP (Italy), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and Martin Kamp, Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the EP

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Budapest, Hungary EPP Group Bureau Meeting – 4-5 June 2015 The speakers were invited to intervene on the following themes: tax fairness in the EU and data protection.

Following these debates, two EPP Group Position Papers on Taxation and on Data Protection were discussed for approval by the EPP Group.

The Position Paper on Taxation outlines EPP Group priorities on tax, and requests for specific legislative and non-legislative measures in the area of taxation. The Position Paper on Data Protection highlights the means by which the EPP Group seeks to deliver robust data protection for EU citizens, legal certainty and trust for companies, and the enhancement of EU competitiveness.

A further discussion took also place on the role of education in tackling youth unemployment.

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l-r: Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Euro and Social Dialogue, Mihály Varga, Hungarian Minister of National Economy, Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group Group in the EP, John Biesmans, Deputy Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the EP, and Françoise Grossetête MEP (France), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP

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Katowice, Poland EPP Group Bureau Meeting – 3-4 September 2015 The Group Meeting was dedicated to the external dimension of energy security and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). EPP Group Position Papers on the External Dimension of Energy Security and Towards a European Defence Union were discussed for approval by the EPP Group.

The Position Paper on the External Dimension of Energy Security highlights EPP Group objectives to ensure higher security of external energy supplies for the EU. The EPP Group welcomes the creation of the Energy Union as the primary tool for achieving stronger energy security, reducing energy prices and increasing the competitiveness of the European economy. The Position Paper on Towards a European Defence Union highlights the means by which the EU and Member States should undertake concrete steps to develop a fullyfledged common defence policy providing equal security for all citizens.

The event was highlighted by the special intervention by Ewa Kopacz, Prime Minister of Poland.

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Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and Ewa Kopacz, Prime Minister of Poland

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Prague, Czech Republic EPP Group Bureau Meeting – 10-11 December 2015 The speakers debated on the following themes: the future of the EU and Performance-based budgeting. A round table discussion followed on what Europe should expect of the UK referendum? An EPP Group Position Paper on Performance-based Budgeting was discussed for approval.

The Position Paper on Performance-based Budgeting evaluates Performancebased Budgeting (PBB) as a method to improve the sound financial management of EU expenditure by linking financing with results in a transparent manner.

The concept of 'spending better' will become a reality with Performance-based Budgeting.

The event was highlighted by the special intervention of Wolfgang Schäuble, Federal Minister of Finance of Germany.

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Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and Wolfgang Sch채uble, Federal Minister of Finance, Germany

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2. EPP Group Study Days Madrid, Spain EPP Group Study Days – 21-22 October 2015 EPP Group Study Days were held in the margins of the EPP Party Congress in Madrid, Spain. Key issues of discussion included: the EPP success story on growth and jobs, and the reform process in EU Member States serving to increase citizens' welfare. The debate was held with Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Soraya Sáenz De Santamaría, Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Alexander Stubb, Finnish Minister of Finance.

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l-r: Esteban Gonzรกlez Pons MEP (Spain), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, Joseph Daul, President of the European People's Party, Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and Martin Kamp, Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the EP

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3. The European Ideas Network (EIN) The European Ideas Network, sponsored by the EPP Group, is an open panEuropean think-thank. Launched in 2002 it rapidly emerged as an important meeting-point and intellectual cross-roads for the centre-right in European politics designed to promote new thinking on the key challenges facing the European Union.

With an active membership of around 3,000 policy-makers and opinionshapers across the European Union, the EIN brings together politicians, businessmen, academics, policy advisers, think tankers, journalists and representatives of civil society who share a common Europe-wide outlook, as well as outside non-party experts and commentators interested in the public policy issues being addressed. The network offers a unique forum in which to develop innovative ideas.

The EIN organises a number of different types of activity: > Breakfast Meetings, Food for Thought lunch debates and Working Group Seminars In 2015, the EIN organised an active programme of breakfast meetings, Food for Thought lunches/debates and seminars to offer a forum for both elected policy makers and political researchers in Brussels to discuss subjects of topical interest, the outcome of which was stimulated with interventions by leaders in their field. The seminars had special relevance on the outcome of the referendum in Scotland, the MFF and Own Resources, populism and nationalism and the importance of Mediterranean stability for democracy and regional progress.

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> EIN and the Trans-Atlantic-Group (TAG) This year's Trans-Atlantic-Group on counter-terrorism meeting in Washington, held within the context of the EIN meetings organised in the capital of the US, provided a unique experience, allowing nine MEPs and eight Congressmen to draw important conclusions. The meetings were co-organised by the EIN, the Wilfried Martens Centre, the International Republican Institute and the Hudson Institute. This year's TAG meeting focused on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the role of Russia and China in the new world architecture, the new security framework and transatlantic cooperation. > Summer University The EIN summer University was the highlight of the 2015 programme of events. This year’s 14th EIN Summer University took place in Copenhagen on 1-2 October. The theme for the 2015 meeting surrounded 'Security and political stability'.

The international and growing global character of the Summer University was once more reaffirmed and further extended with speakers and participants from Singapore, the United States, Egypt and Lebanon joining European colleagues for discussions. This enabled the EIN Summer University to reach important conclusions in a truly global perspective.

The 2015 Agenda consisted of three special plenary sessions focusing on areas of current regional, European and international interest. In addition, eleven roundtables gave the participants the opportunity to reach in-depth, internationally oriented conclusions in strategic areas of European policy.

European Ideas Network Summer University

l-r: Mairead McGuinness MEP (EPP Group, Ireland), Vice-President of the European Parliament, David McAllister MEP (EPP Group, Germany), and Jon B Perdue, Director of Latin America Programmes at The Fund for American Studies

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4. Hearings, Conferences and Events 12/01/2015 Je suis Charlie

Members of the European Parliament observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks in France

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04/02/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the Perspectives for the Single Market 2014-2019

l-r: Antonio Preto, Commissioner for Infrastructures and Networks, Italian Communication Authority – AGCOM, Professor André Sapir, Senior Fellow at Bruegel and Professor of Economics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Andreas Schwab MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament (EP) and host of the hearing, Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, and Professor Michael Hüther, Director at the Cologne Institute for Economic Research

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04/02/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the Sixth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion

l-r: Philip McCann, Professor, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (right), Stanislav Polฤ รกk MEP (EPP Group, Czech Republic), Vice-Chairman of the Regional Development Committee of the EP, Moderator (left), and Rudolf Niessler, Director for Policy, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy

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04/03/2015 EPP Group Hearing on Asylum: Reinforcing a Holistic Approach

Monika Hohlmeier MEP (Germany), EPP Group Coordinator in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the EP and co-host of the hearing (in the middle), (l-r) Eugenio Ambrosi, Director, Regional Office EEA, EU & NATO International Organisation for Migration, Leon Prop, Director, Red Cross EU Office, Roberta Metsola MEP (Malta), EPP Group Vice-Coordinator in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the EP and co-host of the hearing, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, State Secretary for European Affairs, Latvia, an assistant to Ms Kalniņa-Lukaševica, and Claus Folden, Head of Centre for Operational Support, EASO

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24/03/2015 European Parliament High-Level Conference: The Rise of Religious Radicalism and Fundamentalism and the Role of Inter-religious Dialogue in the Promotion of Tolerance and Respect for Human Dignity

Antonio Tajani MEP (EPP Group, Italy), Vice-President of the European Parliament

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21/04/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the State of EU-Russia Relations

Gabrielius Landsbergis MEP (EPP Group, Lithuania), European Parliament Rapporteur on the State of EU-Russia Relations (in the middle), Sandra Kalniete MEP (Latvia), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values and Roland Freudenstein, Deputy Director and Head of Research, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

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22/04/2015 EPP Group Hearing on 'Anti-microbial Resistance – Urgent Need to Act in Human and Veterinary Medicine'

l-r: Gemma Roig, EPP Group Secretariat, Martin Seychell, Deputy Director General for Health responsible for Directorates B and C., Georgeta Vasile, EPP Group Secretariat, Peter Liese MEP (Germany), EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the EP, Albert DeĂ&#x; MEP (Germany), EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the EP, Harald Welsch, EPP Group Secretariat, and Prof. Dr Johanna Fink-Gremmels Utrecht University, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences and President of the European Association for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology

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22/04/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the Protection of Traditional Minorities

r-l: P谩l Cs谩ky MEP, J贸zsef Nagy MEP (both EPP Group, Slovakia), Monika Hohlmeier MEP (Germany), EPP Group Coordinator in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the EP, Csaba S贸gor MEP (EPP Group, Romania) and Dr Gabriel Toggenburg, Senior Legal Advisor, European Union Fundamental Rights Agency

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02/04/2015 EPP Group Hearing on Family Businesses in Europe

Angelika Niebler MEP, Head of the German Delegation (CSU) of the EPP Group in the EP (in the middle), Anna Zรกborskรก MEP, Head of the Slovakian Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, and Dr Peter von Mรถller, Member of European Family Businesses

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02/05/2015 Open Days of the European Institutions in Strasbourg

EPP Group Stand at the European Parliament Open Days in Strasbourg

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09/05/2015 Open Days of the European Institutions in Brussels

Visitors in Brussels

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16/06/2015 EPP Group Event: EU Health Kick for EU Healthcare

Giovanni La Via MEP (EPP Group, Italy), Chairman of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the EP, and young healthcare experts from the pan-European platform European Health Parliament (EHP)

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01/07/2015 EPP Group Hearing on Good Administrative Behaviour

l-r: Karel Lannoo, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for European Policy Studies, Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, Inge Gräßle MEP (EPP Group, Germany), Chairwoman of the Budgetary Control Committee of the EP, Petri Sarvamaa MEP (Finland), EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Budgetary Control of the EP, Professor Dr Reinhard Quick, Chemical industry association VCI, and Carl Dolan, Director of the Transparency International EU Office

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01/07/2015 EPP Group Hearing on Cohesion Policy and the Review of the EU 2020 Strategy

Jan Olbrycht MEP, Head of the Polish Delegation of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Moderator, right, and Fernando Ruas MEP (EPP Group, Portugal)

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01/07/2015 EPP Group Hearing on Data Driven Security

Michał Boni MEP (EPP Group, Poland), Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the EP and host of the Hearing (in the middle), (l-r) Professor Udo Helmbrecht, Executive Director of ENISA, Agnieszka Wawrzyk, Mr Boni's Parliamentary Assistant, Wil van Gemert, Deputy Director of Europol, and Juan Hardoy, Digital Crimes Unit Lead for EMEA, Microsoft

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30/09/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the Future of Medicine

Françoise Grossetête MEP (France), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP (in the middle), Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Director, Health Directorate, DG Research, European Commission, and Stefan Oelrich, General Manager Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Sanofi

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14/10/2015 Presentation of the Schuman Medal

Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP (2nd from right), presents US Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (2nd from left) with the Schuman Medal together with Viviane Reding MEP (EPP Group, Luxembourg) and David McAllister MEP (EPP Group, Germany)

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18/11/2015 Commemorative Ceremony for Paris Attack Victims

Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, (in the middle), Françoise Grossetête MEP (France), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, (on the left), and Alain Lamassoure MEP, Head of the French Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP

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18/11/2015 EPP Group Hearing on the Future of GMOs in the European Parliament

l-r: Giovanni La Via MEP (EPP Group, Italy), Chairman of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the EP, Elisabeth Köstinger MEP (Austria), EPP Group Vice-Coordinator in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the EP, György Hölvényi MEP (EPP Group, Hungary), and Alojz Peterle MEP (EPP Group, Slovenia)

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18/11/2015 EPP Group Hearing on 'Gender-focused Cooperation Policies of the European Union'

Esteban González Pons MEP (Spain), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP (in the middle), (l-r) Rosa Estaràs Ferragut MEP (EPP Group, Spain), Hyn Joo Min, Member of the National Assembly of Republic of Korea, Mu Sochua, Member of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Teresa Jiménez Becerril-Barrio MEP (EPP Group, Spain), Shukria Barakzai, Member of the Lower House of the Afghanistan Parliament, and Anna Maria Corazza Bildt MEP (Sweden), EPP Group Vice-Coordinator in the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the EP

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18/11/2015 Award Ceremony for European Capitals and Cities for Sport

l-r: Jens Nymand Christensen, Deputy Director-General for Education and Culture, European Commission, Santiago Fisas AyxelĂ MEP (EPP Group, Spain), Member of the Committee on Culture and Education of the EP, Gian F Lupattelli, President, ACES Europe, Andrey Kovatchev MEP (EPP Group, Bulgaria), Quaestor of the European Parliament, Hugo Alonso, General Secretary of ACES, and Steven De Meyer, Flemish Institute for Sport Management and Recreation Policy, Antwerp

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09/12/2015 EPP Group Hearing Event on the Implementation of the Erasmus+ Programme

r-l: Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Sabine Verheyen MEP (Germany), EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Culture and Education of the EP, Brunhild Kurth, President of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the L채nder in the Federal Republic of Germany, and Prof Dr Christoph Ehmann, Secretary-General at the European University Foundation - Campus Europae

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External Policies, Committees and Delegations Service 1

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External Policies, Committees and Delegations Service

The EPP Group Service for External Policies, Committees and Delegations aims to assist the design of the EU’s external policies by promoting external action based on democracy and the rule of law, strengthening political relations with third countries, ensuring the effectiveness of the enlargement process, encouraging the spread of fundamental principles and human rights, promoting free trade and contributing to the eradication of poverty throughout the world.

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1. External Policies - Committees Service

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP (EPP Group, Poland), Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Chair of the Working Group 'Foreign Affairs'

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As of from 1 September 2014 the Standing Working Group Foreign Affairs was formally reconstituted from the Parliamentary Work Service to the External Policies: Committees Service

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Standing Working Group 'Foreign Affairs' Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Eastern Partnership

External Aspects of Migration

2015 oversaw the preparation of the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), and persisting instability in the region. The Kukan Report called for a renewed, more strategic, focused, flexible, coherent and politically driven ENP to respond to the needs of the neighbourhood countries. The focus was on the three Association Countries - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. Each have serious problems: Ukraine - the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russian waged hybrid war in Donbas, ambitious reform efforts, including stabilising the economy, reforming the judiciary, eradicating corruption and decentralisation; Georgia - the instrumentalisation of the justice system as a tool of political retribution; Moldova - permanent political instability following the theft of €1 billion from the banking system. Permanent assistance and political support to implement the AA/DCFTA - strongly backed by the EPP Group - will bring tangible results for citizens.

The flow of migrants arriving in the EU has reached an unprecedented scale, challenging the EU’s capacity to cope. The EPP Group has been working for the establishment of a common European list of safe countries of origin and transit, which will relieve asylum systems and facilitate effective return. It is an important prerequisite to focus our asylum and reception capacities on those truly in need of protection. The EPP Group argues that third countries near crisis regions, such as the Arab Gulf States, should be pushed to show more preparedness to receive refugees. The development of reception and protection capabilities in countries of origin and transit, including in North Africa and Turkey should be promoted. The most important issue, however, is tackling the root causes of the massive migration flows: a geopolitical solution has to be found, especially against Islamist terror.

Russia The European Parliament (EP) adopted the report on the State of EU-Russia Relations with a large majority on 10 June 2015. The Group organised a Hearing on 'The State of EU-Russia Relations' on 21 April. The EP reiterates that Russia's direct and indirect involvement in the armed conflict in Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Crimea, the violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia, economic coercion and political destabilisation of its European neighbours constitute a deliberate violation of democratic principles and fundamental values and of international law. The EP believes that in the long run a constructive and predictable relationship between the EU and Russia is possible, but it must be based on respect for international law and a dialogue. A resumption of cooperation is envisaged on the condition that Russia respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, including Crimea, fully implements the Minsk Agreements and stops destabilising military and security activities at EU Member States' borders.

Human Rights The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded yearly to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. In 2015 it was awarded to Raif Badawi, a Saudi Arabian blogger, writer, activist and the creator of the website Free Saudi Liberals.

Initiated by the EPP Group, the EP adopted the resolution on the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), a support tool for the European neighbourhood reflecting the direct link between democracy support and human rights enhancement. It aims at fostering deep and sustainable democratisation in countries in political transition by fighting corruption, promoting dialogue, encouraging social and political participation, as well as protecting civil society activists and journalists.

In the field of Election Observation Missions, EPP Group MEPs partici­pated in in Nigeria, Tajikistan, Burundi, Haiti, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Ukraine, Guinea and Myanmar in 2015.

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External Dimension of Energy Security

Committee on International Trade (INTA)

The EPP Group adopted in October a Position Paper on the External Dimension of Energy Security. The Group aim to ensure a higher security of energy supply by decreasing dependency on Russian energy imports and increasing the EU's resilience to external pressure. The Position Paper underlines that negotiating uniformly with third countries would increase the EU's negotiating power, highlights enhanced coordination, and the collective purchasing of gas, starting at the regional level.

The EP position on the ongoing negotiations regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States dominated in 2015. This was clearly reflected during the EPP Group INTA Trade Seminar organised by Coordinator Daniel Caspary MEP (DE) in October 2014, and in the EPP Group Position Paper on International Trade adopted in Milan in April, which focused on the transatlantic dimension of trade. Two years after commencing, negotiations are proceeding slowly. EU public concern is thus growing, fuelled by anti-trade and therefore anti-TTIP associations, parties and organisations. To combat this mounting negativity the EPP Group acted accordingly. Consultations with parliamentary groups ended with majority support for the EPP Group. Chairman Weber MEP (DE) and MEPs Daniel Caspary (DE) and Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (DE) were at the forefront in securing a common position on the Investor State Dispute Settlement2 in line with what was defined in the EPP Group Bureau Meeting Milan: the EU and the US are key strategic partners; therefore possible agreement should reinvigorate this partnership as a whole beyond its trade aspects.

Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Also in October the EPP Group adopted a Position Paper on Towards a European Defence Union, calling for the establishment of a European Defence Union, and urging defence responsibility. Members supported an increase in defense spending to reach the 2% commitment and the strengthening of the solidarity clause enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty (42)7 TEU - which could become the equivalent of NATO's Article 5 - simplifying CSDP decisionmaking within the CSDP and utilising military potential whenever European values and interests are threatened.

Trade aspects, however, must not be underestimated and we are convinced that an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced agreement articulated in its three fundamental parts - market access, regulatory cooperation and definition of new rules - will lead to promoting sustainable growth with shared benefits for the two parties. An EPP Group Working Group on TTIP Chaired by Shadow Rapporteur Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl MEP (DE) has been set up to build a strong position on all aspects of the agreement.

The conclusions of the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership on October 5, where the US has played a major role, set forth a renewed dynamic in the TTIP negotiations; the process for a balanced agreement has been accelerated. The European Commission is thereby enhanced by the support of the EP.

The dividing issue among the groups was the ongoing system of Investor State Dispute Settlement - which allows foreign companies to challenge national and local authorities but only under few and specific circumstances. The final formulation inspired by our Group proposes an alternative and modernised structure for the mechanism, while not excluding the system.

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Jaromír Štětina MEP (EPP Group, Czech Republic) (3rd from left, back row), Vice-Chairman in the Subcommittee on Security and Defence of the EP and Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EP, with the military command of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Defence Units (YPJ) in Kobani, Syria, October 2016

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Committee on Development (DEVE) The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The UN Sustainable Development Summit took place in New York on 25-27 September 2015. A delegation from the EP Development Committee attended, including EP Rapporteur and EPP Group Coordinator Davor Ivo Stier MEP (HR), and Teresa JimĂŠnez-Becerril MEP (ES), respectively.

The Summit adopted an outcome document titled Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious universal and transformative agenda which encompasses 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. They seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what they did not achieve. In addition, the SDGs aim to enhance countries' ownership, inclusiveness and shared responsibility as they have been developed in a long and comprehensive consultation and negotiation process involving all UN Member States and a wide range of stakeholders, rather than by experts behind closed doors. They are universal, integrated and indivisible, and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.

The EPP Group from the beginning of the negotiations attached particular importance to Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. From our perspective it is important that combatting corruption and promoting good governance

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become SDGs priorities. Assistance must focus on helping countries firstly to identify structural drivers of corruption and then come up with the necessary reforms suitable for their own circumstances. The second important area is focusing global efforts on the creation of basic socio-economic conditions in developing countries to ensure an inclusive process of consolidating peace, stability and development. That demands a new approach comprising better opportunities for trade and economic development leading to wealth creation from which everybody can benefit.

Although serious commitments at the highest levels were made and work towards the implementation of the Agenda has started in earnest, the main issue remains how the Agenda 2030 will be implemented, monitored and financed. As called for by the EPP Group, the Financing for Development Conference held in Addis Ababa in July 2015 presented the opportunity for the EU to recommit to ambitious targets and to insist on the need to mobilise all partners as well as the necessary and adequate resources, whether public or private. In the words of Davor Ivo Stier MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Development Committee of the EP: “We are facing times of profound change that call for a new paradigm and a renovated EU development policy. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must address the root causes of poverty instead of treating the symptoms. It needs to be people-centred and rightsbased, putting human dignity at the core of all our endeavours. Global good governance and bringing justice to all people through building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions needs to become the cornerstone of the new global development framework�

2. External Policies - Delegations Service The main objective of the Interparliamentary Delegations and Assemblies is the maintenance and development of international contacts through parliamentary diplomacy, and contributing to enhancing the role and visibility of the European Union in the world. The EPP Group holds 16 Presidencies and is strongly represented in each Interparliamentary body. Consistency and continuity underpin our actions in a changing world facing mounting security challenges.

In 2015 the External Polices - Delegations Service assisted EPP Group Members in maintaining and further developing international contacts with our partners through various activities. Besides the institutional framework of the Interparliamentary Delegations meetings, the Service organised a number of EPP Fact Finding Missions in neighbouring countries; regular meetings of the Working Group on Eastern Neighbourhood and Enlargement; meetings with Commissioners, seminars and conferences as well as working lunches with Ambassadors from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Neighbourhood. The Service issued bi-monthly publications and daily briefs, in particular on Ukraine, to keep Members well informed of the rapidly evolving political situation in the EU neighbourhood. The Service also strengthened channels of communication with our sister parties and explored new possibilities for cooperation. 2015 marked an intense year regarding the activities of the Interparliamentary Delegations. This reflected, to a large extent, the evolving geopolitical situation that we witnessed in different regions such as the migration crisis, terrorist threats, political instability and the rise of populism and xenophobia.

Interparliamentary Delegations constituted a forum for exchanges and dialogue to promote better understanding of the challenges that we face today.

In this respect, the following Delegations deserve special attention.

Eastern Neighbourhood The EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) was extremely active in 2015: sixteen meetings were organised in close cooperation with the AFET Committee.

The first EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) meeting took place in Brussels on 24-25 February under the Co-Chairmanship of Andrej Plenković MEP (HR). The Committee discussed the state of play regarding EU-Ukraine relations, as well as Russia's aggressive and expansionist policy and undeclared hybrid war - which constitutes a threat to the unity, integrity and independence of Ukraine. It was followed by the second PAC which took place in November in Kyiv to review and assess the progress of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the framework of the Association Agreement (AA). The discussion was constructed around specific policy priorities, creating a spirit of active engagement, frank exchange, and trust among partici­ pants. MEPs also met with President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, as well as Ukrainian officials responsible for anti-corruption activities, thus gaining valuable insights from those working on the ground.

The cooperation built around the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee has secured the coherent, consistent and influential position of the EPP Group. At the same time, within these multiple platforms, MEPs have communicated to their counterparts in Ukraine the need of a rigid reform process, the non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the temporary occupied parts of Donbas, as well reassuring Ukrainian colleagues that the Minsk Agreements should be fulfilled in order for sanctions to be lifted against Russia.

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Ukraine Conflict: Timeline November 2013 - February 2015

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service

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The first meeting of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) took place on 2-4 November 2015 in Tbilisi. The EP Delegation acknowledged the important efforts in terms of approximating Georgian legislation with EU standards, and the need of sustenance and support for EU assistance. Results of the DCFTA implementation have been positive and Georgia has committed to fully implement the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).

Relations with Russia remain challenging, namely due to two so called "treaties" between Russia, South-Ossetia and Abkhazia. Georgia's pragmatic approach towards Abkhazia contributed to improve the Geneva talks. NATO ambitions, however, are not likely to be successful in the short-term. Despite launched reforms, democracy still suffers due to polarisation, amidst accusations of selective justice and politically motivated anti-corruption campaigns.

The 4th Ordinary session of the Euronest PA in Yerevan from 15-18 March 2015 was very successful from an EPP Group viewpoint. The Assembly adopted two political resolutions: “resolution on the Russian military aggression against Ukraine and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution of the conflict" and a “resolution on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide". Both resolutions reflect the EPP Group core positions. In addition, at the request of the EPP Group, Alexander Milinkievich, Sakharov Prize winner in 2006 and former opposition presidential candidate in Belarus, was invited to address the plenary as the representative of Belarusian Civil Society for the first time in the history of the Assembly. This has been one of the major EPP Group achievements since the Assembly's creation.

The EP Delegation for relations with Belarus visit took place in Minsk on 18-19 June 2015. Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski MEP (PL), Chairman of the Delegation, welcomed the timing due to presidential elections in Belarus, and signals of favourable relations with the EU. Belarus is additionally facilitating the Minsk dialogue.

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4th Ordinary session of the Euronest PA in Yerevan Sandra Kalniete MEP (EPP Group, Latvia), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values (in the middle), Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz (EPP Group, Poland), Eduard Kukan MEP (EPP Group, Slovakia), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement) (far right), and Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski MEP (EPP Group, Poland), 15-18 March 2015

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Western Balkans

North America

The 10th EU-Montenegro SAPC meeting took place in Podgorica on 8-9 April. The EU Ambassador informed that the political situation remains stable and that Montenegro opened two additional chapters (chapter 16 on taxation and chapter 30 on the external reforms). Major problems surround the fight against organised crime, corruption and the freedom of media.

During the 76th EU-US Interparliamentary Meeting and Trans-atlantic Legislator's Dialogue (TLD) in Washington DC in November, led by David McAllister MEP (DE), Chairman of the Delegation, Members noted the uniqueness and importance of the Transatlantic relationship and friendship.

In this context trust and dialogue among legislators is paramount. Exchanges highlighted the necessity for the EU and the US to face global challenges and threats together. Cooperation was urged regarding security, foreign affairs, climate, energy and trade to uphold our common values and principles.

Members highlighted that more action on high-level corruption is needed.

Despite the establishment of a new agency against corruption, the situation is still far from being satisfactory.

The 8th meeting of the European Union-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) took place in Tirana, 16-17 March 2015.

During discussions with the EP Delegation, Prime Minister Edi Rama categorically rejected the notion of the “decriminalisation of Parliament,” stating that elected MPs cannot be considered as criminals until proven so by a court. Despite sensitivities over certain issues, the parties agreed about the need to pursue Albania’s European aspirations and work on establishing a genuine political dialogue and consensus.

Members advised the advancement of the TTIP agenda for economic and geostrategic reasons; negotiations must proceed in a fair, pragmatic and accelerated pace. Differences over government procurement, geographic indications or ISDS should not be impediments to achieving a balanced and comprehensive agreement. The complexity of some issues should not overshadow our joint and shared goal of reinforcing the world trade architecture. Trade is a major geostrategic tool, for stabilisation, peace and shared growth.

As to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - after more than 18 months of deep political crisis - the EU facilitated a political agreement in July which led to the return of the opposition to Parliament in September.

This facilitated the 13th EU-FYROM JPC taking place in December 2015 in Skopje.

The EP Delegation, Co-Chaired by Alojz Peterle MEP (SI), managed to adopt a joint recommendation which highlighted the importance of restoring trust and cooperation between the ruling party and opposition in order to pursue the European aspirations of the country.

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EPP Members at the November TLD meeting in Washington DC, November 2015

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Latin America

Asia

Paulo Rangel MEP (PT) led the first meeting of the newly created - at the behest of the EPP Group - EU-Brazil Delegation in Brasilia and Belo Horizonte from 2-6 November. Members met with Congress Member J么 Moraes, President of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Commission, Eduardo Barbosa, President of the EU-Brazil Friendship Group, Aloysio Ferreira, President of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Commission in the Senate, Roberto Requi茫o, Co-Chair of EuroLat Parliamentary Assembly and other representatives from authorities and civil society. It was also an opportunity for the Delegation to celebrate the 20th anniversary of EU-Brazil cooperation.

The EP Delegation for relations with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Chaired by Werner Langen MEP (DE), visited Vietnam in November. The visit took place in a wider context of enhanced bilateral relations: the European Union and Vietnam celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Most EU Member States have ratified the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, and the two sides have reached agreement in principle on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. These two instruments will be the key pillars of bilateral relations in the coming years. It demonstrates the shared conviction of the EU and Vietnam that trade is essential to growth, the creation of jobs and to sustainable development. The Chairman recalled that both agreements require the approval of the EP.

The Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America visited Guatemala and Honduras from 16-20 February 2015. Discussions were marked by the ongoing peace process in Colombia and Ecuador's accession to the Multiparty Agreement between the EU, Colombia and Peru. The EP should give its consent in 2016. The Delegation for relations with the Mercosur Countries focused on the ongoing negotiations to achieve an EU-Mercosur Association Agreement. Both parties are coming close to the exchange of offers. The Delegation visited Paraguay and Uruguay in February and met with government and the opposition.

As to Mexico, the 18th meeting of the EU-Mexico JPC took place on 18, 19 and 20 February in Mexico City. The main issue of discussion, aside from the Joint Declaration, concerned the tragedy of the students killed in Guerrero.

Regarding the conflict with China, the EP called on China to accept the upcoming decision of the International Sea Court on the South-China Sea. This affirms the EU stance that a peaceful and cooperative solution in accordance with international law- in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea - must be found.

The delegation emphasised the legally binding link between the Free Trade Agreement and the human right clause in the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, and declared that the EP will pay particular attention to the human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular in the fields of freedom of expression and freedom of religion. The government was also urged to adopt a moratorium on the death penalty.

The two meetings of the EU-Chile JPC which took place this year focused on the modernisation of the EU-Chile Association Agreement.

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Roberta Metsola (EPP Group, Malta) Vice-Coordinator in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the EP, discusses her report on a holistic approach to migration.

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Africa

Working Group on the Eastern Neighbourhood and Enlargement

Since 1996, the Windhoek Dialogue has served as the EPP Group African policy initiative. The 2015 Windhoek Dialogue Meeting organised from 30 October to 1 November brought together EPP Group Members, Members of the Union of African Parties for Democracy and Development (UPADD), representatives of other centre-right political parties from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda and representatives of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Participants discussed current Africa-EU relations; the political situation in particular countries (Angola, DR Congo, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Togo); the security crisis, root causes of terrorism and ethnic conflicts; the challenge of migration and its humanitarian, security, development and political dimension; the economic challenges in Sub-Sahara Africa; regional integration and ways to achieve an inclusive economic growth.

The Working Group on the Eastern Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Chaired by Sandra Kalniete MEP (LV), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values, convened monthly to discuss the political, security and humanitarian situation in countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood and Western Balkans.

This year meetings were held with some notable speakers such as Patriarch Philaret from Ukraine, Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Ambassadors and officials from the EEAS and the European Commission.

In a joint declaration participants underlined that democracy in Africa was deteriorating: the joint aim therefore was to foster the rule of law. In this context they stressed the role of unbiased education and of investing in future generations as key for a democratic political culture, social emancipation and participation. The declaration notes also that an absence of democratic governance remains a key factor for migration and refugee flows out of Africa.

The participants remained committed to building on the Windhoek Dialogue by intensifying dialogue, networking between Africa and Europe and amongst African parties themselves. The African participants agreed also to review the configuration of the UAPDD and to adopt the changes at the next UAPDD meeting- foreseen early next year - to be facilitated by KAS.

The Working Group meetings aim to understand the roots of various crises erupting in the EU neighbourhood and to elaborate possible solutions with high-level personalities and experts. Discussions centred on the review of the Eastern Neighbourhood Policy, the political crisis in Moldova, presidential elections in Belarus, EU-Armenian relations and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

The Service organised monthly meetings in Strasbourg with Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. Discussions reviewed the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the findings of EC Progress Reports and the questions related to the migration crisis, especially in the Western Balkans.

Besides their involvement in Interparliamentary Delegations and Assemblies, EPP Group Members also participated in different activities that the Service organised during 2015, including: the Working Group on Eastern Neighbourhood and Enlargement, regular meetings with Ambassadors, fact finding missions and conferences.

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EPP Working Lunches with Western Balkans Ambassadors

Fact Finding Missions

This year the Service organised two EPP Working Lunches with Western Balkan Ambassadors and EPP Group Members, respectively on 30 June and 13 October. Guests took the opportunity to express their concerns regarding the issue of migration flows in the region, and also on longer term objectives such as implementation of reforms needed by countries on their way towards EU integration. Sandra Kalniete MEP (LV), Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values, shared an understanding of the frustration felt by Western Balkan countries regarding the EU Institutions' commitment to Enlargement Policy. Urging positivity, she advised Ambassadors to highlight what unites their countries.

An EPP Group Fact Finding Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 4-6 February 2015 took place one week after BiH’s leaders signed the written commitment (initiated by Germany and Great Britain) that should make BiH a more functional country and bring it closer to Europe. EPP Group MEPs underlined the need for broad consensus among all political forces on implementing reforms: Sandra Kalniete MEP (LV), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values, and Christian Dan Preda MEP (RO), EP Rapporteur on BiH, underlined the great importance for the BiH leadership to focus on the most urgent reforms and for political parties to cooperate. The EPP Group Delegation also held a meeting with the Chair of the BiH Presidency, Mladen Ivanic, and discussed the joint statement on EU integration.

In addition, the EPP Group organised a working lunch in July with Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister on the Latvian EU Council Presidency, on the policy areas of EU Neighbourhood, security and Russia.

The meeting was organised on the eve of the Latvian Presidency of the EU and the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga.

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An EPP Group Fact Finding Mission to Serbia on 19-20 November focused on the migration crisis as well as Serbia's progress toward EU accession. Sandra Kalniete MEP (LV), Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest and European Values, Eduard Kukan MEP (SK), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, and Franc Bogovic MEP (SL) held a series of meetings in Belgrade. They also visited the railway station of Šid at the border with Croatia where the refugees coming from Greece and the FYROM were transported to a temporary winter camp. The visit included meetings with the Serbian Prime Minister Alexandar Vučić, who expressed gratitude for the support the EPP Group offers to Serbia on its path to the EU.

War and Peace: 1945-2015, Brussels, 6 May Hans-Gert Pรถttering, Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, former President of the European Parliament and former Member of the EPP Group in the EP

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Publications and Conferences The External Policies-Delegations Service launched two new publications in 2015: “EPP Eastern Neighbourhood Review” and “EPP Western Balkan Review”.

These reviews gave an overview of political developments in both regions, including interviews with politicians from neighbouring “sister parties”.

Each publication includes reports on key EPP Group MEP initiatives, and important news and statistics on political and security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and Western Balkans regions.

The Service assisted with organising two large EPP Group conferences throughout the year. The 'War and Peace 1945 – 2015' conference was held on 6 May in the European Parliament in Brussels to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Notable speakers included Hans-Gert Pöttering, Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, former President of the European Parliament and former Member of the EPP Group and Timothy Snyder, Housum Professor of History at Yale University, author of 'Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin'.

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On 22 June 2015 in Warsaw, the EPP Group in cooperation with the POLIN Museum of History of Polish Jews organised the Conference on the 'Contribution of Jews to European culture and values' with the participation of Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. Members and guest speakers discussed the role of Jews in shaping European culture and European values and their contribution to the European integration process. The aim of the conference was to analyse how the potential of a common culture and values can be used to create a safe and strong Europe that is free of xenophobia and extremism.

Contribution of Jews and Jewish Communities to European Culture and Values, Warsaw, 22 June 2015 Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, addresses the audience

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National Parliaments Service

In 2015, EPP Group activities on Relations with National Parliaments focused on strengthening interparliamentary cooperation by exchanging views on challenges facing both National Parliaments and the European Parliament.

Issues included bolstering economic growth and dealing with migration.

The EPP Group has a long-standing tradition of organising meetings between the European Parliament and National Parliaments. This tradition was honoured again this year.

In addition to these meetings, the Young Members Network was also active; it held well attended meetings in Vienna and Brussels. The EPP Group intends to further boost relations with National Parliaments in 2016.

The Group organised the following activities in 2015

The 22nd Summit of Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament, Brussels, 29 June 2015 The 22nd Summit of Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament took place on 29 June 2015, when the Chairmen of 21 EPP Parliamentary Groups from 27 Member States met in Brussels. The Chairpersons and representatives of EPP Parliamentary Groups met to discuss topics of common interest, such as the situation in Greece, EFSI funds and a future Energy Union. The Summit was Co-Chaired by Esther de Lange MEP (NL), Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for relations with National Parliaments, together with Solvita Āboltiņa MP, Chair of the Unity parliamentary group in the Saeima, Latvia.

On the issue of the Greek crisis, all participants expressed their concern about the current situation, and especially voiced their concerns for the Greek citizens. All speakers outlined their preference for Greece to be inside rather than outside the Eurozone; they noted however that solidarity cannot exist without due responsibility and underlined that all Member States should be treated equally. In this regard, Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, said that Greece risked leaving the Eurozone as a result of its radical government's failure to reach a new bailout agreement with its creditors. The Chairman said he hoped that the Greeks would vote 'yes' in the government’s referendum on the bailout proposal.

Participants also received first-hand information on the EFSI investment fund from Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness. The Commissioner said that as soon as one Member State experiences success with the EFSI investment platform, it is likely that others will want to participate in this investment strategy. Italian MP Maurizio Lupi commented that the EFSI is very positive, especially when it is noted that almost two thousand projects were already proposed. However, he pleaded for simplified procedures for the sake of accessibility. French Senator Jean Bizet asked Commissioner Katainen that special attention be given to small and micro-enterprises.

Esther de Lange MEP (NL), Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for relations with National Parliaments, concluded the meeting by thanking participants.

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22nd Summit of Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament, Brussels, 29 June 2015 EPP Political Family picture at the 22nd Summit of Chairmen

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22nd Summit of Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament, Brussels, 29 June 2015

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EPP European Affairs Network The 13th Meeting of the Network of EPP National Parliamentarians responsible for European Affairs and EPP Group Members in the European Parliament, 2 March 2015, Brussels The EPP Group was the first political group in the European Parliament to discuss EU rules on own resources. During the 13th Network meeting of EPP National Parliamentarians responsible for European Affairs and EPP Group Members in the European Parliament, the former Commissioner and Chair of the High-Level Group on Own Resources, Mario Monti, presented a first assessment report on this subject. Mario Monti, stated that the HighLevel Group still had a lot of work to do and that a preliminary report will be presented at an Interinstitutional conference in 2016, in which representatives of National Parliaments will also participate.

Alain Lamassoure MEP (FR), Chair of the Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Member of the High-Level Group on Own Resources, explained that the current system of EU contributions is not satisfactory and that all Member States should be involved in its review. The Chair underlined that a reform of the system of EU own resources should not influence the overall public spending or tax burden.

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High level speakers from the National Parliaments expressed their expectation that a viable, fair and transparent system of own resources which should also be complemented by a decrease in EU expenditure will provide the EU with a stable income. Speakers included: Hans-Peter Friedrich MP, Chairman of the CDU/CSU Group in the Bundestag; Kimmo Sasi MP, Chair of the Committee on Finance in the Eduskunta; Antonio Rodriguez MP, Deputy Chairman of the PSD Parliamentary Group; Giannis Plakiotakis MP, Secretary General of the Nea Demokratia Parliamentary Group; and Janusz Lewandowski MEP (PL).

On the issue of parliamentary scrutiny, the Chair of the EU Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament, Lolita Cigane MP, guest speaker at the working session, outlined the importance of National Parliaments in explaining the role of EU policy in attaining solidarity and prosperity. Lolita Cigane elaborated on the idea of a 'green card procedure', which would allow a minimum number of National Parliaments to put a proposal on the agenda of the European Commission. This would complement the current 'yellow card procedure', where National Parliaments can demand that the European Commission reconsiders a proposal.

The 13th Meeting of the Network of EPP National Parliamentarians responsible for European Affairs and EPP Group Members in the European Parliament, 2 March 2015, Brussels l-r: Hans-Peter Friedrich MP (DE), Federal Minister of the Interior, Cornelia Gheorghiu, EPP Group Secretariat, Lolita Cigane MP (LV), Chair of the EU Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament, Esther de Lange MEP (NL), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, responsible for Relations with National Parliaments, Beatrice Scarascia Mugnozza, Head of the EPP Group Service for Relations with National Parliaments, Mario Monti, President of the ‘High Level Group on Own Resources’, and Alain Lamassoure MEP (FR), Chair of the Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Member of the High-Level Group on Own Resources 115 / ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE EPP GROUP 2015

The 14th Network Meeting of EPP National Parliamentarians responsible for European Affairs and EPP Group Members of the European Parliament, Brussels, 12 October 2015 The 14th EPP European Affairs Network meeting brought together members of National Parliaments, Commission experts and Members of the European Parliament, to discuss the current state of play of migration in the EU. The speakers touched upon important issues such as border protection, the fight against human trafficking, the registration of migrants, a permanent mechanism for migrants' relocation, a proper returns policy, and the proper integration of migrants, as well as the necessity to tackle the roots of the crisis. The essential message presented at this meeting was the importance of a stronger stance by the EU in its external policy, with an enhanced dialogue with third countries, such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. It was also strongly recommended that development policies should be coordinated more effectively than in the past in order to overcome their present fragmentation. The speakers highlighted the importance that these measures should be immediate and binding, without endangering the Schengen Agreement.

Monika Hohlmeier MEP (DE), EPP Group Coordinator in the LIBE Committee of the EP, highlighted the importance of changing the Dublin regulation, as well as finding political support for the upcoming legislation.

She also highlighted the importance for the EPP Group to make a clear distinction between "economic migrants" and “asylum seekers". Olivier Bergeau, Member of Cabinet of Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, gave an overview of the measures which the Commissioner announced since the adoption of the EU agenda on migration in May 2015. Olivier Bergeau presented the current state of play on the relocation of migrants in the EU, the functioning of the so called "hotspots" and he also highlighted the importance of increasing the number of experts for FRONTEX. He stressed the importance of a well-managed migration policy that sets clear criteria for the migrants who can seek protection in the EU and the economic migrants who need to be returned to their country of origin.

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The following Speakers, members of National Parliaments, addressed the audience: Dan Neville MP, Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, Ireland; Gunther Krichbaum MP, Chair of the Committee for European Affairs, the Bundestag, Germany; Elena Centemero MP, Member of the Camera dei Deputati, Italy; Georgios Koumoutsakos MP, responsible for Foreign Affairs of Nea Demokratia, Greece; Tobias Billström MP, Former Minister for Migration and Asylum policy, Vice-President of the European People Party, Sweden; and Zsolt Németh MP, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Hungary.

The 14th Network Meeting of EPP National Parliamentarians responsible for European Affairs and EPP Group Members of the European Parliament, Brussels, 12 October 2015 l-r: Olivier Bergeau, Member of Cabinet of Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Cornelia Gheorghiu, EPP Group Secretariat, Esther de Lange MEP (NL) Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Relations with National Parliaments, Beatrice Scarascia Mugnozza, Head of the EPP Group Service for Relations with National Parliaments, and Monika Hohlmeier MEP (DE), EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the EP

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8th Annual meeting of the EPP Young Members Network The 8th annual meeting of the EPP Group Young Members Network (YMN) took place in Vienna, Austria on 15-16 October 2015. The programme included both high-level meetings and a lecture on migration and political communication. EPP Group YMN Coordinator, Tom Vandenkendelaere MEP (BE), and Elisabeth Köstinger MEP (AT) were the organisers and hosts of the event and with MPs and MEPs coming from Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia. The participants engaged in a multi-angled approach on selected topics.

The first panel was entitled: Youth and politics: Foreign policy and migration challenges in 2015. The main speakers were Lara Comi MEP (IT), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, and Asdin El-Habbassi MP, member of the Austrian Parliament; discussions were moderated by Jim Lefebre, Vienna University of Economics. Referring to the relocation system Lara Comi MEP (IT), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, said that the EU is disappointingly late in acting on this issue. Even if the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea will decrease during the winter period it will increase again from next spring. She said it is unacceptable that different Member States decide and act differently on this issue, which should unite all Member States. The role of the European Council has to be revised in solving this issue. She endorsed a strong ‘yes’ to solidarity and reaffirmed her commitment to the notion that the EU has to be a political union. Solving current issues will reinforce solidarity.

In his intervention Asdin El-Habbassi MP gave a short overview of the current migration crisis in Austria. 8,000 migrants arrive in Austria daily; approximately 200,000 arrived in September and October. Bloodshed in Syria, he noted, must end as migration will not cease if the violence continues. Moreover, each National Parliament is devising its own solution instead of looking for an overall EU solution. Safety zones to protect EU borders efficiently and to deepen police cooperation must be created, he added. The EU has to agree on a common classification of safe countries and apply the same criteria when deciding on asylum requests. Additionally, importance has to be given to refugee integration. Whether refugees should be allowed access to the EU

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labour market, he noted it would not be a good idea to fully open up the market.

Lara Comi MEP (IT), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, added that youth unemployment rates in host countries also have to be taken into account; for instance in Greece 80% of migrants are refugees and only 20% illegal (economic) immigrants, whereas in Italy the ratio is exactly the reverse, namely that 80% of people crossing the Mediterranean are economic migrants.

A keynote speech by Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister, followed. The Minister underlined that this migration crisis is unlike the economic/financial crisis and the recent Greek debt crisis; this current refugee crisis is much more emotional. With 5,000 to 8,000 people arriving at the Austrian borders daily, and 7,000 to 10,000 arriving in Greece daily, the situation can slip out of control. Minister Kurz also spoke about the role of the EPP Group in this crisis, noting how the EPP Group has an important role to play in convincing governments to act in a coordinated manner “as time is almost up”.

A second panel discussed the topic of political communication methodologies.

The main speakers were Philipp Maderthaner, an expert in political communications, and Konstantinos Kyranakis, President of the Youth of the EPP (YEPP). The panel was moderated by Stefan Schnöll, Junge ÖVP Secretary General. Philipp Maderthaner spoke about the new methods of engaging audiences, and the new “currency” of efficient communication and mobilisation power. In order to be efficient, one needs communication knowledge and technology knowledge and also knowledge of organisational and institutional behaviour.

Konstantinos Kyranakis gave examples of unusual methods he used in his early political career that worked in his favour, such as wearing casual clothes for his first television appearance and also using mobilising techniques which were sometimes based on very simple, down-to-earth ideas. He also noted that young politicians specifically wish to avoid making mistakes, which makes them passive and which radically decreases their chances for re-election. In many cases first-timers thereby tend not to be re-elected.

The 8th meeting of the EPP Young Members Network meeting concluded with remarks by Elisabeth Köstinger MEP (AT) and Tom Vandenkendelaere MEP (BE), thanking all the participants for their efforts and contributions to the successful outcome of the event.

8th Annual meeting of the EPP Young Members Network, Vienna, 15-16 October 2015 Young Members Network participants with Sebastian Kurz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Austria

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The EPP and Inter-parliamentary cooperation in the EU Members of the European and National Parliaments met in 2015 in the framework of different formats. Interparliamentary meetings organised by the EP Committees during the year included: "The Smart Borders Package: European challenges, national experiences, the way ahead" (LIBE Committee); "International Women's Day: Empowering women and girls through education" (FEMM Committee); "From COP 21 Paris to 2050: a roadmap towards an innovative low-carbon, resource-efficient Europe" (ENVI Committee); "The Review of the European Neighbourhood Policy - Outlook at the June 2015 European Council on Defence" (AFET Committee and SEDE Subcommittee); "Democratic oversight of intelligence services in the European Union" (LIBE Committee); "Aggressive tax planning and democratic control: Role of Parliaments" (TAXE Committee); "The situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic approach to migration" (LIBE Committee); "Unfulfilled Millennium Development Goals and the implementation of the newly-agreed Sustainable Development Goals" (DEVE Committee); "Trans-European transport network (TEN-T) including cross-border links" (TRAN Committee); "The future institutional evolution of the Union: Enhancing political dialogue between EP and National Parliaments reinforcing the scrutiny over the executive at European level" (AFCO Committee); "Education and Youth" (CULT Committee); "Migration through Western Balkans, proxy wars in the EU's neighbourhood and the Middle East Peace Process" (AFET Committee).

The JURI Committee invited members of National Parliaments, experts, practitioners and academics to a workshop on "Cross-border activities in the EU - Making life easier for citizens"; the PETI Committee hosted a public hearing on the "Right to petition" in the presence of National Parliamentarians; and the ECON Committee organised with National Parliaments an "Exchange of Views on the 2015 cycle of the European Semester".

European Parliamentary Week on the European Semester In the framework of the European Parliamentary Week that took place in Brussels on 2 and 3 February 2015, the EPP Group organised a family meeting with EPP National Parliamentarians to discuss economic governance:

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"Structural reforms are keys to growth. We don't want to burden our children with debt", stated Esther de Lange MEP (NL), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for relations with National Parliaments.

She continued by noting that "Europe has 7% of the world population, 25 % of world GDP, but 50% of the world's social welfare spending. This is already a challenge for our children". The Vice-Chairwoman is also the EPP Group Shadow Rapporteur of the report on the Review of the economic governance framework.

The need for reforms was shared by Lolita Cigane, Chair of the EU Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament. The Juncker Investment Fund will not work "without the necessary structural reforms", she noted. On the Greek wishes for debt forgiveness, Cigane clearly stated: "No write-offs of course".

EU Member States have recently created new rules on fiscal and economic governance. This usually happened with debates on the legal basis in the EU Treaty: at the meeting MEP Danuta H端bner MEP (PL) asked "How long can we go on with this 'Treaty stretching'?

The MEPs speakers, including Members Dariusz Rosati (PL), David Casa (MT), Manuel Fernandez (ES) and Sofia Ribeiro (PT), Andreas Schwab (DE) as well as MP's Vicente Martinez-Pujalte and Norbert Barthle contributed to a fruitful debate.

Interparliamentary Conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Defence and Security Policy (CSDP) In the framework of the Interparliamentary Conference which took place in Luxembourg on 5 and 6 September 2015, the EPP Group organised a political family meeting. During the preparatory meeting Members debated the European Neighbourhood Policy and climate change in the framework of security. A third session discussed the management of migration flows, civilian CSDP missions and the follow-up on the implementation of conclusions of the June European Council on defence. Final conclusions were adopted at the end of the Conference.

Conference on Article 13 of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG) The "debate and exchange of information and best practices, ensuring democratic accountability in the area of economic governance and budgetary policy in the EU, particularly in the EMU", entered onto a new organisational path.

This meeting in Luxembourg, which took place from 9-11 November 2015, marked the adoption of the "Rules of Procedure of the Interparliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union", with the aim of strengthening the cooperation between National Parliaments and the European Parliament on issues relating to economic governance and budgetary policy. This document, drafted on the basis of the decision of the speakers of the conference, contains provisions on the scope and role of the Presidency, the organisation and conduct of the meetings, and the composition of the forthcoming "Interparliamentary Conference on SECG".

Subsequently, talks at this interparliamentary meeting focused on the social dimension of economic governance, parliamentary scrutiny of European economic governance, fair tax competition, growth and economic and monetary union.

Publications On a regular basis, the EPP Group Service responsible for Relations with National Parliaments informs stakeholders of EPP Group activities relating to specific policy areas. While the main communication channel for reaching the public remains the dedicated webpage, the Service issues press releases and publications. In 2015, the Service produced a brochure on the Summit of the Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups, four newsletters on the general activities of the Service and the main events attended by leading EPP Group MEPs, and two newsletters dedicated to the EPP Young Members Network.

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Mediterranean Policy and Intercultural Activities Service 1

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Mediterranean Policy and Intercultural Activities Service

Mediterranean Policy 2015 witnessed a deepening of the Syrian crisis and rising terrorist threats with an increasing flow of Syrian migrants to the European mainland. The EPP Group faced the refugee challenge with several new initiatives concerning the Mediterranean. Our Group considers the Mediterranean a political priority and has strengthened its actions towards the region. The EPP Group took the lead in promoting political dialogue and cooperation with the region, in the context of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

There are a number of common challenges to face, including the management of migrant flows - particularly emergency situations arising from political instability - armed conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, the stabilisation of democratic regimes and countering youth unemployment. The acute refugee crisis changed the strategic priorities of the European Union and our Group adapted its strategy in order to face these challenging political circumstances. Stability in neighboring countries is of great importance to the EU; for that reason the EPP Group will continue to emphasise political dialogue. No progress can be achieved in a climate of military conflict, violence and intolerance.

The EPP Group will continue to consolidate its political network and extend its influence in countries embracing democratic transition - as an alternative to the old Socialist International, given that it is perceived as a strong political force - and offer cooperation based on true values and shared objectives. The EPP Group will give its support for developing a political party network within the PA-UfM and elsewhere to establish itself as a credible partner with real plans for the Euromed region.

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service

The EPP Group has developed its Mediterranean policy and strategy in three different frameworks: the Working Group Euromed, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) and Political Activities.

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EPP Group Working Group on Euromed In 2015 the Working Group Euromed met monthly in Brussels under Mariya Gabriel MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP. Attendees included Members from the AFET, INTA, DEVE, LIBE Committees, and the MAS, IL, CLP, MAG, TUR Delegations working on Mediterranean affairs, and Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM). In February 2015, Tokia Saïfi MEP (FR) was elected as Vice-Chairwoman of the Working Group Euromed.

EPP Group Members who are delegates of the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM (AP-UFM) played an important role in the Working Group throughout 2015, in particular, Santiago Fisas Ayxelà MEP (ES), Vice-Chair of the Energy, Environment and Water Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM (AP-UFM); Lorenzo Cesa MEP, Head of the Italian Delegation NCDUDC-SVP of the EPP Group in the EP; Massimiliano Salini MEP (IT), Fernando Ruas MEP (PT), Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Antonio López Istúriz White MEP (ES); Secretary General of the EPP; Stefano Maullu MEP (IT); Fulvio Martusciello (IT), Chair of the Delegation for relations with Israel; Eduard Kukan MEP (SK), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee; Cristian Dan Preda MEP (RO), Coordinator in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EP; Brice Hortefeux MEP (FR), Vice-Chair of the Economic Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM (AP-UMF); Therese Comodini Cachia MEP (MT) and Andrej Plenković MEP (HR), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee and Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EP. This Working Group Euromed represents the EPP Group political forum in charge of the elaboration of a strategy regarding Mediterranean policy, the following-up of all legislative events concerning the Mediterranean region and the strengthening of networks to enhance Mediterranean policy. Moreover, the Working Group Euromed liaises with the relevant Mediterranean personalities in order to exchange views and find common cooperation links. To effectively

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carry out its mission the Working Group Euromed regularly meets with the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other institutions at the highest level.

Meetings with key external figures in 2015 included: the Ambassador from Morocco H.E. Menouar Alem; the Ambassador for Turkey H.E. Selim Yenel; the Ambassador for Algeria H.E. Amar Belani; the Ambassador for Israel H.E. David Walzer; the Ambassador for Lebanon S.E. M. Rami Mortada; the Ambassador for Egypt H.E. Ehab Fawzy; the Ambassador for Tunisia H.E. Tahar Cherif; and the Ambassador for Turkey, H.E. Izzet Selim Yenel.

Mariya Gabriel MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, presented an ambitious EPP Group strategy document for the Mediterranean region outlining the Group's commitment in developing a strategy to foster a dynamic and prosperous Mediterranean region to develop peace and security.

The EPP Group proposed reforms to the European Neighbourhood Policy through the Kukan Report, adopted by the AFET Committee on 11 June 2015. The report aims to adapt the ENP to the new economic and political conditions. The new strategy is based on mutual responsibility and universal values respecting human rights and democracy. The EPP Group gives priority to the following areas of neighbourhood policy: • • • •

• •

Promoting intelligent and coordinated migrant flow management; Measures to combat terrorism and religious radicalisation; Encouraging the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region; Support for democratic consolidation and measures to strengthen governments and administrations; Development of trade in the Mediterranean and free trade agreements; Adopting a joint approach to energy challenges.

Euromed Working Group, September 2015 Mariya Gabriel MEP Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP (in the middle), Dr. M.A. AL Jefri, President of the Saudi Arabian Delegation (left), and Paolo Licandro, Deputy Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the EP

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Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) The EPP Group has always been the leading force in the PA-UfM. Our main long-term aim is the intensification of relations with our southern neighbors.

In order to strengthen its role, the EPP Group will work for new initiatives and competences for the Assembly.

The EPP Group Delegation, led by Brice Hortefeux MEP (FR), Vice-Chair of the Economic Committee of the UfM and Santiago Fisas Ayxela MEP (ES), Vice-Chair of the Energy, Environment and Water Committee of the UfM, adopted the majority of the 49 EPP Group amendments, including:

On 9 February 2015, Mariya Gabriel MEP (BG), Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation of the EPP Group, together with EPP Group Members Lorenzo Cesa MEP (IT), Head of the Italian Delegation of the EPP Group, and Massimiliano Salini MEP (IT), met with Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary General for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), to discuss the future of the UfM and its institutional role. They stressed the necessity to converge the agendas between the EU and the UfM. Fatallah Sijilmassi confirmed that the main objective of the UfM and its secretariat concerns regional development and multilateral cooperation.

• • • • •

On 11 March 2015, the EP plenary for the Delegation of the PA-UfM addressed the necessity of deepening cooperation in the field of security and development to better combat terrorism and manage refugee streams.

The 2015 Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly On 11-12 May 2015, in Lisbon, the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM held its plenary session. The plenary endorsed all the recommendations previously discussed and voted through its parliamentary committees.

The Committee on Economic and Financial Issues, Social Affairs and Education of the UfM adopted a recommendation on the economic aspects of migration, the protection and promotion of investments in the Mediterranean and the development of the tourism sector among the PA-UfM countries.

On the economic and humanitarian consequences of migration On Syrian and Libyan refugees and the role of the UN On cultural diversity On agricultural aspects On security and tourism

The Committee on Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights the PA-UfM adopted a recommendation on the role of parliaments in the protection and promotion of human rights to guarantee the safety of migrants in the Mediterranean and the fight against terrorism. Several EPP Group amendments were adopted on the need for inter-parliamentary cooperation and a concerted action and projects between the national parliaments of the Member States and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. These included: • The need to widen the objectives of the PA-UfM with regard to the protection and promotion of human rights in the Euro-Mediterranean region by giving new momentum to the cooperation between the national legislative bodies • The need to ensure that the education system favours a culture of human rights in society as a whole • The need to bring together the national parliaments and civil society in the fight against terrorism • The need to tackle the roots of issues linked to Human Trafficking

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Therese Comodini Cachia MEP (ES) led the EPP Group Delegation in the Committee on Improving Quality of Life, Exchanges between Civil Societies and Culture of the PA-UfM, underlining that immigration is a challenge for the EU and Mediterranean countries and that a common approach is very urgent. Proposals centred on the modification of a number of amendments to the committee's recommendation on the need for better cooperation between the EU and Mediterranean countries and on how to guarantee fundamental human rights for migrants. The recommendation welcomed the mobility agreement between the EU countries and the inclusion of students and young people within the Erasmus Programme.

In Lisbon, Santiago Fisas Ayxela MEP, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Energy, Environment and Water of the PA-UfM, led the EPP Group Delegation. A recommendation was adopted with several amendments tabled by the EPP Group, highlighting the following: • the importance of a tourism responsible for the environment, and as a resource for economic, cultural and social development in Mediterranean countries; • the importance of developing renewable energies, the management of water, the distribution networks for domestic use, and for the better protection of marine environment; • the need for a greater connection between North-African countries and European countries for more effective energy management of gas and electricity.

The Committee on Women's Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM PA) adopted a recommendation on 'Women and the Media' in Lisbon. Therese Comodini Cachia MEP (ES) introduced important modifications to the draft, with a recommendation to portray women as equal partners and contributors to society without stereotypical representations. She negotiated several compromise texts, in particular on gender equality and culture.

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Political Activities In 2015, the Working Group Euromed developed concrete political actions which served to strengthen links with Mediterranean actors, and establish a political network with Mediterranean parties, civil society, and other relevant personalities from the cultural, economic or university field.

During 2015, the EPP Group organised the following major political events: • 10 February 2015: A parliamentarian delegation from Morocco, led by Atmoun Abderrahim, President of the EU-Morocco Committee, met with Mariya Gabriel MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, and Members to exchange views on the relations between the EU and Morocco and the political situation in the country.

• 15 February 2016: A working lunch hosted by Mariya Gabriel MEP, ViceChairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, with Fathallah Sijigilmassi, Secretary-General of the UfM in Barcelona, and Eduard Kukan MEP (SK) discussed the reform of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

• 24 February 2015: A working lunch with the Euromed Ambassadors reflected the EPP family joint efforts to set forth an active policy and strategy in the Southern Neighborhood. The meeting also aimed at seeking concrete proposals for the revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and identifed EU instruments available in order to maximize the EU Institutional Framework resources in place.

• 5 March 2015: A working lunch where Members met with Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, to discuss the revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Commissioner Hahn announced the launch a public consultation on ENP reform, followed by a report in November.

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• 2 June 2015: A working Lunch with representatives of "Réseau des Villes Euromed" led by Tokia Saïfi MEP (FR), Vice-Chairwoman of the Working Group Euromed met with Agnes Rampal Lebon, Deputy Major of Nice and representatives of local Mediterranean Authorities. Agreement was reached to give strong support to the initiatives managed by Nice and inscribed in the instruments of the ENP; the EPP Group offered its support to future projects which will be introduced to the EU Commission.

• 6 October 2015: Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and Mariya Gabriel MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the EP, responsible for the Working Group on Mediterranean Policy, Euromed, Head of the Bulgarian National Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, met with Rachid Talbi El Alami, Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, to discuss the EU-Morocco partnership, security, migration, review of the European Neighbourhood Policy and reform of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM).

• 17 November 2015: A meeting and working lunch discussing the Middle East Peace Process with Professor Alon Ben Meir and H.E. Patrizio Fondi, EU Ambassador to Abu Dhabi EAU. Professor Alon Ben Meir focused on the responsibilities of both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities in working for peace.

• 1 December 2015: A working lunch with 11 Ambassadors from the Mediterranean region focused on the political situation in the Mediterranean, the influence of Daesh and the growing tensions in Syria and Libya.

Intercultural Dialogue

18th Annual EPP Group Interreligious Dialogue

Religious leaders from European and non-EU countries (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria, and Pakistan) met with EPP Group Members, amongst them Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, and György Hölvényi MEP (HU) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairmen of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue. Discussions, both in Brussels and outside, primarily centred on 'religion and politics,' with representatives of the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches, Islam and Judaism.

On 11 and 12 December in Prague, the EPP Group hosted its 18th Interreligious Dialogue on “Migration: A Response to a Forced Displacement”.

The most relevant issues in 2015 centred on the importance of religion, social cooperation and religious discrimination.

Religion is more important globally than at any time in the last 20 years. It is no longer possible to view religion as something of only private relevance, largely unconnected to broader political and security issues. Therefore, it is important to pay particular attention to the strong correlations between religious freedom and social stability and political moderation, both inside and outside the EU. Religious leaders highlighted the importance of promoting dialogue aimed at preventing conflicts in their countries. It is also essential to support fundamental values, such as respect for human dignity, the rule of law, respect for universal human rights, freedom of religion and freedom of expression.

In contemporary European and global politics, there are numerous major problems that can only be solved by broad social cooperation. The economic crisis, ever-increasing social tension and issues related to migration are all global challenges that the EU faces today. It is important for the EPP Group to have knowledge of the thoughts and activities of churches and religious organisations relating to these issues. There is an urgent need to cooperate, coordinate, and exchange experiences, and to ensure that the best ideas and practices can be shared throughout the European Union. Political and religious bodies have special responsibility and a primary role to play.

EPP Groups Members, representatives from EU Institutions, from churches, religious institutions and international organisations contributed to a deep debate on the current situation affecting millions of displaced people in the EU neighbourhood, and the EU response to this increasing phenomenon.

Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, opened the 18th Annual Dialogue by highlighting the massive exodus from the Middle East and the need of a stronger cooperation between EU Member States in order to take care of people in need. Churches and international organisations are providing fundamental support, but need more aid from the EU Institutions.

György Hölvényi MEP (HU) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairmen of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, Chaired two debates on the phenomenon of 'Roots' and possible strategies to handle the situation.

The meeting was attended by Cardinal Dominik Duka, from Prague; by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, VicePresident of the Conference of the European Churches; and by Rabbi Karol Sidon, Chief Rabbi of Prague. The EU Institutions were represented

by Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, who explained and provided statistics regarding the EU engagement for helping refugees and migrants.

A working dinner was opened by Ludek Niedermayer MEP (CZ), Head of the Czech Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, and by Michaela Šojdrová MEP (CZ), EPP Group Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Education in the EP.

There is an increase in anti-religious incidents that target all three monotheistic religions in Europe. Consequently, as Group Members and participants emphasised, every form of discrimination against religions must be countered with efficient initiatives. In this context several challenges issues must be considered. These include historical, socio-economic, religious-cultural and humanitarian; therefore all societal actors should be involved.

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18th Annual Intercultural Dialogue with Churches and Religious Institutions, Prague, 11 December 2015 l-r: György Hölvényi MEP (EPP Group, Hungary), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, Cardinal Dominik Duka, Prague, Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Manfred Weber MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, Marian Apostol, EPP Group Secretariat, Agshin Mehdiyev, Ambassador, Permanent Observer Mission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to the European Union, and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairman of the the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue

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XV International Conference, Cracow, September 2015 The Annual Conference entitled the “Role of the Catholic Church in the process of the European Integration” took place on 25-26 September in Cracow. The conference was organised in cooperation with the European People’s Party, the Polish Delegation of the EPP Group in the EP, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, COMECE and the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow. The main subject concerned “Dignity, Freedom and Human Rights”.

The Conference was opened by Stanisław Dziwisz, Cardinal of Cracow who stated: “Europe must return to the roots of Christianity - the source of our civilisation. This is the foundation of human dignity”. EPP Group Members opined: György Hölvényi MEP (HU) spoke about Interreligious Dialogue as an important instrument to understand other religions. Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL) discussed the immigrant phenomenon and the concomitant subject of dignity. Elmar Brok MEP (DE) discussed Christian spiritual heritage, and its relation to human rights implementation. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP (PL) analysed the theme 'Europe as a Global Player', stating that “Europe can be a global player but it has to be stronger”. Andrzej Grzyb MEP (PL) and Anna Záborská MEP (SK) were moderators of the Working Group on Dignity and Human Rights. They stressed the importance of European values and democratic law.

Dialogue with Islam The EPP Group is highly experienced regarding Dialogue with Islam.

In May, the EPP Group organised its annual working lunch with the Ambassadors of the 56 Islamic countries. Antonio Tajani MEP (IT), VicePresident of the European Parliament, opened the session by underlying that religious conflicts, terrorism and international tensions are undermining

cooperation between societies. He asked for more cooperation between the EU and the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in order to facilitate mutual understanding and to set up common initiatives. The Islamic countries were represented by Arif Mammadov, Head of the OIC Mission to the EU, and by several Ambassadors. Arif Mammadov, sharing the words of Antonio Tajani MEP (IT), Vice-President of the European Parliament, pledged for closer cooperation with the EU against violence, terrorism and tensions and declared that Muslims have a moral obligation to address and defend the rights of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa. He succinctly noted that “human rights equate with freedom of speech, but speech should not insult religion, race or minorities. Rights of believers must protected by law.

Defamation of religion makes people angry and hurts their feelings”.

The working lunch was chaired by György Hölvényi MEP (HU) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairmen of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue.

In November, the EPP Group organised a Conference on 'Reform of Radical Heritage and Islamic Discourse'. Scholars of Islam were represented by Sheikh Dr. Mustafa Rashid, President amongst other Sheikhs of the Al Azhar Mosque’s School.

The seminar was opened by György Hölvényi MEP (HU) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairmen of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue and animated by Antonio Tajani MEP (IT), Vice-President of the European Parliament, Tokia Saïfi MEP (FR), ViceChairwoman of the Working Group Euromed and Elmar Brok MEP (DE), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, underlined the necessity to improve dialogue and mutual understanding so that religion can unify rather than divide. EPP Group Members stressed the necessity to stop any form of violence against Islam and minorities.

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EPP Group Interreligious Dialogue Conference on Reform of Radical Heritage and Islamic Discourse, Brussels, 11 November 2015 l-r: Manfred Weber MEP (EPP Group, Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP (far left), György Hölvényi MEP (EPP Group, Hungary), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, and Jan Olbrycht MEP (EPP Group, Poland), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue

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Persecution of Christians Nigeria

EPP Group Hearing on the Persecution of Christians in the World

In May, György Hölvényi MEP (HU) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairmen of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, organised a working breakfast with Mgr. Olivier Dashe Doeme, Bishop of Maiduguri, Nigeria, to forward EPP Group initiatives in fighting global Christian persecutions. Bishop Olivier Dashe Doeme informed on the situation in Nigeria and the lack of international solidarity. Antonio Tajani MEP (IT), Vice-President of the European Parliament, expressed his solidarity with the Church in Nigeria. EPP Group Members Tunne Kelam (ET), Mairead McGuiness (IE), Miroslav Mikolasik (SK), Alojz Peterle (SL), Marijana Petir (HR), Davor Stier (HR), Csaba Sógor (RO) and Anna Záborská (SK) - all actively engaged in discussions surrounding the persecution of Christianity.

The hearing, in July, raised awareness at EU-level and provided a follow-up for the motion for resolution on the persecution of Christians in the world, in relation to the killing of students in Kenya by terror group al-Shabaab, adopted on 30 April 2015 in Strasbourg by Members of the European Parliament. In this resolution, Members condemned the persecution of Christians and called on the EU and its Member States to address the persecution of Christians as a priority issue for their foreign policy.

The hearing consisted of two parts: the first session concentrated on the broader Middle East region, notably the cases of Syria and Iraq, and the second on other areas of the world, by giving examples from Asia to Africa.

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EPP Group Hearing on the Persecution of Christians in the World, Brussels, 1 July 2015 l-r: György Hölvényi MEP (EPP Group, Hungary) and Jan Olbrycht MEP (EPP Group, Poland), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, Manfred Weber MEP (EPP Group, Germany), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP, Antonio Tajani MEP (EPP Group, Italy), Vice-President of the European Parliament, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio MEP (EPP Group, Spain), and Paolo Licandro, Deputy Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the EP

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Middle East In May, Father Douglas Al-Bazi Chaldean, a Catholic priest from Baghdad, met with EPP Group Members in the European Parliament in Brussels. He gave a detailed and firsthand overview of the current situation in the region.

Father Douglas was previously kidnapped, tortured and eventually released by an Islamist militant group. He stated that people need leaders not soldiers in Iraq; furthermore, education is essential, and local churches are essential actors in its provision. In addition to education, guaranteeing human dignity, the private sphere of families and health care are critical for a prosperous future in the region, he concluded.

Antonio Tajani MEP (IT), Vice-President of the European Parliament, considering recent political developments, investigated possible geopolitical scenarios in the Middle East.

Michael Gahler MEP (DE) questioned whether there is any hope for a spiritual religious renewal within Islam. In his closing remarks Jan Olbrycht MEP (PL), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, pointed out that Europeans should not look the situation from their point of view; rather they should try to deepen their understanding of local approaches.

György Hölvényi MEP (HU), Co-Chairman of the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue, emphasised that the current EU Commission rules do not support the possibility of financing church activities in favor of those persecuted: this must be urgently changed.

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Press and Communications Service 1

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Press and Communications Service

Bringing Europe closer to its citizens Through its Press and Communications Service, the EPP Group in the European Parliament works daily to promote its ideals and values, inform the media and public of its political priorities and engage directly with European citizens. Communication activities are overseen and implemented by a team of Press Officers who assist journalists and provide news reports on the parliamentary activities undertaken by the EPP Group. Our Press Officers specialise in particular policy areas, and communicate regularly through a number of channels in all 24 official EU languages. This guarantees comprehensive coverage and effective delivery of information to Brussels-based journalists and those in Member States.

The crises experienced by the EU in 2015 attracted unprecedented media attention on Brussels. In response, the Press and Communications Service intensified its efforts in liaising with the Brussels-based press corps on key issues of importance to the EPP Group. At present there are over 1,300 journalists accredited to the EU institutions in Brussels; of these over 80 are accredited to the European Parliament, with on average 100 using the Parliament Press Room during each plenary session in Strasbourg. These numbers are an indication that the EU matters, and reflect Brussels position as a central European media hub.

The Press and Communications Service employs an innovative combination of traditional communication methods and new media platforms in the provision of written, oral, audio-visual and social media material. To this end a number of specialised teams work to ensure that the content of EPP Group communications sufficiently inform and engage European citizens. These include: the Internet and Social Media Team; the EPP-TV and Meet Your MEP Unit; and the Publications Team who produce and distribute an array of material detailing the legislative process of the EU and how policies affect the everyday lives of citizens.

Responsibility for the visual identity of the EPP Group also rests with the Press and Communications Service. We make sure that the graphic guidelines and more specifically the Group logo - are correctly applied so that the public recognises the EPP Group as an identifiable brand. In October 2015 our new logo was launched at the Madrid Congress of the European People's Party.

The logo represents a visual symbol beyond language that can be adopted by the EPP Group to communicate our values: people, Europe, solidarity.

Through a combination of these efforts the EPP Group’s media presence increased considerably in 2015.

2015: A Year of upheaval The role of the European Union became increasingly important in 2015 as national media devoted more resources and space to the coverage of European affairs. Political instability in Greece - and its implications for the wider EU the migration crisis, and the terrorist attacks on European soil dominated news headlines across print, audio-visual and social media platforms in Member States, and indeed globally. Such issues ensured that the public has never been so engaged with and so opinionated about the EU project. The EPP Group took this into account. To get our message across and fully engage with EU citizens, our work was carried out in close cooperation with our counterparts in the European Commission and Council, and the EPP Party.

To maximise the impact of communication in 2015 the Press and Communications Service disseminated daily information on the activities and policy work of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. News reactions on the most topical EPP Group issues were found in our press releases - made available in several languages, while each Friday our ‘Highlights’ offered valuable insights on what is 'hot' and what is not in the European Parliament. Breaking news coverage was simultaneously provided via real-time social media feeds, EPP-TV, the Group website, and our Instagram and Flickr photo channels.

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Staff: EPP Group Press and Communications Service

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The EPP Group worked hard to demonstrate a Parliament more visible to the public throughout 2015. The role of the European Parliament as an important stage for European leaders gave the institution a new political spotlight, and more legitimacy. The plenary in Strasbourg became a debating platform for several important European leaders, including Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, French President François Hollande and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Through the appropriate media channels, the Press and Communications Service helped to ensure these events were widely reported on most major European news outlets. We also intensified our efforts to successfully turn this year's State of the Union speech by EPP Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker into an important media event.

Our embrace of social media platforms ensured an unprecedented ability to deliver news to our audience. As developments unfolded during the crisis periods involving Greece, migration and the terrorist attacks we were active on Twitter and Facebook with live reports. The EPP Congress in Madrid - and the EPP Group Study Days which occurred alongside - received extensive media coverage, aided with a dedicated website and live stream assisting outreach. Our presence was also made felt through traditional news channels such as newspapers, TV and radio. Chairman Weber's meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron was widely reported in European print media in July, to cite one such example.

In response to the terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, the EPP Group led a joint communication campaign throughout 2015, primarily focused on a set of anti-terrorism measures. In March, concrete proposals were set out in the EPP Group Position Paper on an Anti-terrorism Pact, highlighting the means by which the EU must intensify anti-terrorism measures to strengthen citizens' security. Reacting immediately, the EPP Group reiterated these demands following the November Paris attacks. On 25 November an own-initiative report by Rachida Dati MEP (EPP Group, France) on the Prevention of Radicalisation and Recruitment of European Citizens by Terrorist Organisations was overwhelmingly adopted in plenary in Strasbourg.

The report calls for a more proactive, harmonised approach to tackling radicalisation in Europe. It specifically focuses on the publishing and proliferation of illegal content on the Internet. The media spotlight on terror ensured that the EPP Group proposals generated widespread interest across all channels in 2015.

The following presents a detailed overview of the work carried out by the Press and Communications Service’s different units.

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Rachida Dati MEP (EPP Group, France), Member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the EP, Rapporteur on the report on the Prevention of Radicalisation and Recruitment of European Citizens by Terrorist Organisations

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Internet and Social Media

Moving beyond traditional media – bringing bloggers into the fold

Mobile version of the website and Search Engine Optimisation (SE0)

Following on from last year's success we organised another event for bloggers, this time a smaller, more intimate event. It centred around one specific and very timely topic: security policy. Bloggers were given the opportunity to carry out personal interviews with relevant MEPs. The events help to build up longterm contacts between MEPs and the blogosphere.

In 2015, the Internet and Social Media team focused on further developing and improving the usability of the Group’s website. A project aiming to optimise the site for search engines started towards the end of 2015 and will continue into 2016. It aims to make it easier for those seeking information on European politics and the EPP Group to find it.

In March, just in time to meet the launch of a new algorithm from Google favouring sites with mobile-friendly websites in its search results, we launched the mobile version of www.eppgroup.eu.

New logo and graphic charter Following the launch of a new logo adopted by the Group and the Party at its political Congress in Madrid in October, we also launched a redesigned and rebranded website with a more modern and simple look, to make our priorities and key topics more accessible. Our social media channels were updated and a new graphic charter published.

Facebook Our presence on Facebook has earned us a reputation as an example to follow.

We are the only non-commercial organisation in the world to use Facebook ‘Global pages’. We run our communications on 14 sub-pages in local languages, under the umbrella of our Global Facebook page in English.

In 2015, we launched 3 more local Facebook pages (German, Italian and Maltese) and now have 14 global EPP Group Facebook pages, meaning that the content managed by our team is also available in 14 languages. By the beginning of 2016 we will have introduced also Czech and Latvian language sub-pages. These local pages allow us to provide more relevant news to our followers in their own languages. Our Facebook following is growing every day.

In 2015 we grew by more than 80% and by mid-December we were engaging with more than 200,000 people on Facebook in Europe.

The rebranding project was a major exercise in internal communications – in addition to the printed and digital material managed by the Secretariat of the EPP Group, all of the European Parliament’s material – from its website to the logos displayed on TV screens and at press conferences – also needed to be changed.

Similarly, 216 MEPs also needed help to update their websites, blogs, social media channels, leaflets and publications and other material – in all 24 EU languages.

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Twitter

EPP TV

The EPP Group Twitter account is currently the Twitter account with the most followers amongst all the political groups in the European Parliament.

And there is still a lot of potential for growth.

The EPP Group Press and Communications Service was the first to establish, in June 2007, its own European Parliament Web TV platform. The Group has a WebTV team with its own studio and a full-time camera operator and technician. EPP-TV communicates the latest news from inside the European Parliament and reports on EPP Group success stories, events and activities.

Almost all of our videos are originally produced in English and then translated, dubbed or subtitled in German, French, Italian and Spanish. EPP-TV allows European citizens to better appreciate the work of their MEPs through live coverage, short reports, documentaries, interviews and on-the-spot reactions that are uploaded on the EPP Group website, and on our YouTube channel, which has more than 930 subscribers. More than 180 EPP Group MEPs have participated and contributed to our videos.

Our Twitter team worked closely with EPP Group Spokespersons in four major areas: Economy and Environment, Foreign Affairs, Legal and Home Affairs, and Budget and Structural Policies. They also provided technical support to MEPs with social media campaigns; for example, the #UpToUs with MEP Tom Vandenkendelaere MEP (BE) to encourage youth participation in politics.

By mid-November 2015, we had 48,199 followers – an increase of 2,478 over a period of 90 days. Our account gains around 28 new followers per day – approximately 68% of whom are male and 32% female.

EPP-TV also produces coverage on relevant news and topics that are being discussed in the Parliament, quickly uploading the videos onto ‘The Newsmarket’, an online video distribution platform that is accessible to media professionals. From 01/01/2015 to 30/09/2015 we published 59 stories which were downloaded (video/image) 255 times from media located in 35 countries (Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam).

Out of 16,450 tweets, our Twitter account gains, on average: • • • •

25 link clicks per day 47 Retweets per day 22 likes per day 7 replies per day

Our top tweet earned 24.6K impressions.

Follow the link to view a selection of our most topical videos from 2015: http://www.eppgroup.eu/videos

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Information and Promotional Material Responding to the ever increasing numbers coming to meet our MEPs in Brussels and Strasbourg involves ensuring that all visitors receive leaflets, brochures and supplementary material to inform and help them understand the day-to-day activities of the EPP Group. The quality and origin of the material we distribute is of utmost important to us: as a principle, the EPP Group uses renewable material and European production for its promotional material. At present, over 85% of the items the Group distributes are sourced in Europe. Detailed certification that all material complies with employment and environmental directives is required from suppliers.

Meet your MEP Programme (MYMEP) Since its inception in 2010 the "Meet your MEP Programme" launched and managed by the EPP Press and Communication's Service has accommodated more than 15,000 visitors in Brussels and Strasbourg. The Programme showcases the daily work and activities of EPP Group MEPs and allows our Members to invite regional journalists, young people, people with disabilities and staffers of EPP sister parties in the national Parliaments to see them at work.

European Parliament Open Days To celebrate Europe Day the European Parliament opened its doors on 2 May in Strasbourg and 9 May in Brussels and Luxembourg. In addition, local EU offices across Europe and all over the world organised a series of activities for all ages. More than 40,000 people visited the Parliament's events in all three cities.

On Saturday 9 May, visitors in Brussels were able to participate in quizzes, exhibitions and mini-conferences, as well as debate with EPP Group MEPs. Visitors also had the opportunity to watch the documentary "L’homme qui répare les femmes" detailing the work of Denis Mukwege, a Congolese doctor known for his work treating rape victims. He was awarded the 2015 Sakharov Prize for his endeavors.

In Strasbourg on 2 May visitors learned more about the institution and the EPP Group through detailed presentations of our activities and information about our work in the European Parliament.

Since 2015 was the European Year for Development, this year’s celebration was focused on what the EU does to reduce poverty in the developing world.

Many activities were centred on development cooperation. Visitors learned how the EPP Group actively participates in shaping development policy, and how people around the world and in Europe benefit.

EPP Group Publications In 2015 the Publications Team ran an extensive print and online publishing programme to bring EPP Group policies and activities to the attention of European citizens.

In early 2015 a brochure entitled EPP Group Priorities 2014-2019: A Reform Agenda for Europe's Future was produced in 18 languages, presenting the Group's political framework for the new legislature.

In January the Position Papers on The EU's response to the Crisis in Ukraine and Five Building Blocks for Growth and Jobs marked the first in a series of multi-lingual publications which directly focused on EPP Group policy priorities. These were followed throughout 2015 by Position Papers on the Digital Economy, Anti-Terrorism Pact, Climate and Energy Policy, Migration, International Trade, Taxation, Data Protection, Towards a European Defence Union, the External Dimensions of Energy Security, Copyright and Performance-based Budgeting..

With a view to supporting demand from MEPs and distributing to visitors, a number of thematic publications were produced, including brochures on EU Development Policy and EU Transport Policy. A revised Presentation Leaflet outlined the structure, priorities and political orientation of the EPP Group. A Customised Delegation Leaflet, produced in 23 languages informed Member State citizens of their EPP Group MEPs’ pro-

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EPP Congress in Madrid Manfred Weber MEP (DE), Chairman of the EPP Group in the EP (far right of cameraman), Jean Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (middle), and Donald Tusk, President of the European Council (far left)

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file, contact presence, and their assigned roles in Parliamentary Committees and Delegations. Adhering to a more condensed and reader-friendly format, the updated Annual Activity Report summarised the activities and highlighted the successes and political goals of the EPP Group in the European Parliament.

Almost 15,000 printed publications were ordered by EPP Group national delegations for distribution both in Brussels and Strasbourg, and in the MEPs' respective Member States in 2015. Publications were additionally circulated to the EPP Group external offices in Paris, Rome, Berlin, Madrid, Bucharest, and Warsaw.

The Publications Team continued to expand its range of interactive eBooks available on the Issuu publishing platform. Since March 2013, a total of 84 publications have received over 100,000 'impressions'.

Combining our digital publications with EPP Group communication on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter has served to inform, enlarge and engage our audience.

Find a selection of EPP Group eBook publications to download for viewing on the Publications Page of the Group website: http://www.eppgroup. eu/publications or access our eBook display directly from the Issuu digital publishing platform: http://issuu.com/eppgroup

In addition to producing newsletters and Service activity reports documenting EPP Group initiatives and external meetings, the team also produced for internal purposes branded stationery, business cards, signage for corridor and panels for the various Services.

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The European People’s Party (EPP) 1

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The European People’s Party (EPP)

About us

Structure

The European People’s Party (EPP) is the political family of the centre right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilisation of the European continent, and which has pioneered the European project from its inception. Tracing back its roots to Europe’s Founding Fathers – Robert Schuman, Alcide De Gasperi, and Konrad Adenauer – the EPP is committed to a strong Europe based on a federal model that relies on the principle of subsidiarity.

The European People’s Party is horizontally engaged with all the main EU institutions including the European Council, Council of the EU, European Commission, and European Parliament. In addition to Parliament, the EPP has Groups in the Committee of the Regions, the Council of Europe, OSCE and NATO. Internally, the EPP has three levels of decision making: the Presidency, Political Assembly and Congress.

Founded in 1976, the EPP is a party of values, based on the Christian view of mankind and the Christian Democratic concept of society. The EPP strives for a democratic, transparent and efficient Europe that is close to its citizens.

Through the promotion of the social market economy, the EPP aspires to achieve a prosperous Europe. The EPP is the largest political party in Europe, currently with 75 member parties from 40 countries, 14 heads of state and government (9 EU and 5 non-EU), 14 European Commissioners, and the largest group in the European Parliament with 216 Members.

Presidency

The EPP is led by the Presidency, an executive body. It decides on the general political guidelines of the Party and presides over the Political Assembly. The Presidency is composed of: (i) the President of the EPP; (ii) the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, the President of the European Parliament (if these persons are affiliated with the EPP); (iii) the Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament; (iv) the Honorary President(s); (v) ten Vice-Presidents; (vi) the Treasurer; (vii the Secretary-General

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The composition of the EPP Presidency as of 15 November 2015 is as follows: President David McAllister Germany (CDU)

Joseph Daul France (UMP)

Dara Murphy Ireland (Fine Gael)

Secretary General

Paulo Rangel Portugal (PSD)

Antonio López-Istúriz White Spain (PP)

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski Poland (Civic Platform)

Ex Officio Vice-Presidents

Antonio Tajani Italy (Forza Italia)

Jean-Claude Juncker Luxembourg (CSV)

Marianne Thyssen Belgium (CD&V)

Donald Tusk Poland (PO) Manfred Weber Germany (CSU)

Corien Wortmann-Kool The Netherlands (CDA)

Vice-Presidents (alphabetical order by surname)

Treasurer

Kinga Gál Hungary (FIDESZ)

Christian Schmidt Germany (CSU)

Johannes Hahn Austria (ÖVP)

Honorary President

Jyrki Katainen Finland (Kokoomus)

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Sauli Niinistö Finland (Kokoomus)

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Political Assembly The Political Assembly defines the political positions of the Party between each Congress, deciding on membership applications and final political guidelines.

The Political Assembly also decides on the budget and safeguards the political presence of the EPP between Congress meetings. The Political Assembly is composed of designated delegates from EPP member and associate member parties, member associations and groups. The Political Assembly meets three to five times a year and defines the mandate of the Working Groups which prepare the Party’s policy documents and recommendations.

Congress The Congress is the highest decision-making body of the Party. It is composed of delegates from EPP member and associate member parties, member associations and groups. The EPP Congress meets at least once every three years. It elects the EPP Presidency and decides on the main policy documents and electoral programmes, and provides a platform for the EPP heads of state and government and party leaders.

The EPP has organised a total of 23 Congress meetings: 2015 Congress XXIII in Madrid 2014 Congress XXII in Dublin 2012 Congress XXI in Bucharest 2011 Congress XX in Marseille 2009 Congress XIX in Bonn 2009 Congress XVIII in Warsaw 2006 Congress XVII in Rome 2004 Congress XVI in Brussels 2002 Congress XV in Estoril 2001 Congress XIV in Berlin 1999 Congress XIII in Brussels 1997 Congress XII in Toulouse 1995 Congress XI in Madrid 1993 Congress X in Brussels 1992 Congress IX in Athens 1990 Congress VIII in Dublin 1988 Congress VII in Luxembourg 1986 Congress VI in The Hague 1984 Congress V in Rome 1982 Congress IV in Paris 1980 Congress III in Cologne 1979 Congress II in Brussels 1978 Congress I in Brussels

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EPP Congress Madrid, 22 October 2015

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EU Heads of State and Government of the EPP (As of 15 November 2015, in alphabetical order by surname)

President

Prime Minister

Nicos ANASTASIADES Cyprus (DISY)

Viktor ORBÁN Hungary (FIDESZ)

Prime Minister

Prime Minister

Boyko BORISSOV Bulgaria (GERB)

Pedro PASSOS COELHO Portugal (PSD)

President

Prime Minister

Klaus IOHANNIS Romania (EPP)

Mariano RAJOY Spain (PP)

Taoiseach

Prime Minister

Enda KENNY Ireland (Fine Gael)

Laimdota STRAUJUMA Latvia (Vienotība)

Chancellor Angela MERKEL Germany (CDU)

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Non-EU Heads of State and Government of the EPP Chairman of the Bosnian Presidency

EPP Members of the European Commission

Dragan ĆOVIĆ Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH)

President Jean-Claude JUNCKER President of the European Commission Luxembourg (CSV)

Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI FYROM (VMRO-DPMNE)

Vice-Presidents Valdis DOMBROVSKIS Euro & Social Dialogue Latvia (Unity)

Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA Kosovo (LDK)

Kristalina GEORGIEVA Budget & Human Resources Bulgaria (GERB)

President Serzh SARGSYAN Armenia (HHK)

Jyrki KATAINEN Jobs, Growth, Investment & Competitiveness Finland (Kokoomus)

Prime Minister

European Commissioners

Erna SOLBERG Norway (Høyre)

Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS Migration, Home Affairs & Citizenship Greece (ND) Elżbieta BIEŃKOWSKA Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs Poland (PO)

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Miguel Arias CAÑETE Climate Action & Energy Spain (PP)

Tibor NAVRACSICS Education, Culture, Youth & Sport Hungary (Fidesz)

Johannes HAHN European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Austria (ÖVP)

Günther OETTINGER Digital Economy & Society Germany (CDU)

Phil HOGAN Agriculture & Rural Development Ireland (FG)

Christos STYLIANIDES Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management Cyprus (DISY)

Carlos MOEDAS Research, Science & Innovation Portugal (PSD)

Marianne THYSSEN Employment, Social Affairs, Skills & Labour Mobility Belgium (CD&V)

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College of Commissioners

Source: European Parliamentary Research Service

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Activities Summits EPP heads of state and government, party leaders in coalition governments and/or in opposition, the EPP Presidency and the Presidents of the European Council and European Commission meet for EPP Summits prior to the European Council Summits. These important sessions offer EPP leaders an informal and confidential setting to seek consensus within the EPP family in an effort to develop common positions at the European Council.

Ministerial Meetings In 2007, the EPP inaugurated a new political process with the first EPP Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in order to discuss the foreign policy priorities on the EU Ministers’ agenda. Following this successful model, the EPP then launched informal meetings with the EPP Ecofin Ministers in 2008, and again expanded the concept in 2010. The current list of meetings includes: Foreign Affairs, Economic and Financial Affairs, Employment, Competitiveness, Defence, Agriculture, Environment, Energy, Justice and Home Affairs, Trade and General Affairs.

Working Groups Working Groups are the backbone of the EPP’s political work, where high-profile representatives from the EPP member parties develop common positions and strategies on major policy areas and submit specific recommendations to the Political Assembly for final approval.

Working Group 1: European Policy The European Policy Working Group has the task of preparing the EPP’s most vital policy papers and Congress documents on European issues.

Working Group 2: Economic and Social Policy This working group is focused on responding to the current economic and financial challenges facing Europe, demographic issues, and research and development.

Working Group 3: EPP Membership This working group promotes and facilitates the accession of new EPP member, associate and observer member parties. When a party from an EU country is accepted into the EPP, its elected representatives automatically join the EPP Group in the European Parliament, and all other EPP Groups and organisations.

Campaign Managers Meeting This committee coordinates with member parties to plan campaigns. The exchange of experiences in past election campaigns, as well as the longterm preparation of European issues and the campaigns for the European Parliament elections, brings added value to the member parties and to the EPP.

Associations Youth of the European People‘s Party (YEPP) YEPP, led by President Konstantinos Kyranakis, is the EPP’s official youth organisation. YEPP’s members are national party-political youth organisations.

The purpose of all 58 member organisations, as well as for YEPP, is to provide young people with a channel to influence the shaping of their societies with democratic means and centre-right, Christian Democratic and conservative ideas. YEPP brings together between 1 and 2 million young people in 39 countries of Europe, making it the largest party-political youth organisation in Europe.

European Democrat Students (EDS) EDS is the official students’ organisation of the EPP. Founded in 1961, EDS brings together students and young political leaders from all over Europe to promote a political pro-European exchange. Led by Chairman Georgios Chatzigeorgiou, EDS has 35 member organisations from 29 countries, representing over 1,600,000 students and youngsters.

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Think Tanks, Foundations European Seniors’ Union (ESU)

Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

Founded in Madrid in 1995 and led by its President An Hermans, ESU is the largest political senior citizens’ organisation in Europe. The ESU is represented in 27 states with 36 organisations and about 1,269,000 members.

The ESU is dedicated to the advancement of rights of European senior citizens and their engagement in society.

European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW)

Founded in 2007 as the Centre for European Studies and renamed in 2014 in honour of the late EPP President, the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (Martens Centre) is the official think tank of the EPP. Led by President Mikuláš Dzurinda, the Martens Centre serves as a common European framework for national foundations and think tanks recognised by EPP member parties. It is governed under the revised 2007 “EU Regulation on political parties at European level and rules regarding their funding.”

The EUCDW is the workers’ organisation of the EPP with 24 member organisations from 18 different countries. Led by Elmar Brok MEP (DE), the EUCDW presses for the political unification of a democratic Europe; promotes the development of the EPP on the basis of Christian social teaching; represents and defends worker interests in European policy; and works for the achievement of Christian social principles and policies in the European workers’ movements.

The core activities of the Martens Centre are its research and study projects, which are complemented and supported by conferences, seminars, workshops and publications, many of which are executed in conjunction with its member organisations. The aim of the foundation is to contribute both to the public awareness of European citizens on the development of European integration and to help decision-makers, such as EPP heads of state and government and EPP party leaders, to formulate new and effective policy options.

Small and Medium Entrepreneurs of Europe (SME Europe)

Robert Schuman Institute

SME Europe, led by Nadezhda Neynsky, former EPP Group MEP, is the EPP organisation for small and medium entrepreneurs, shaping EU policies in a SME-friendly way. As a proactive organisation within the political networks of Christian Democrats and Conservatives, SME Europe brings a new spirit and a fresh entrepreneurial wind into the political debate.

The “Union of the Robert Schuman Institute for Developing Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe” (RSI) has been operating under the auspices of the EPP with an extended scope of activities since 1995. The RSI organises international courses for potential young leaders, party members and officials of the EPP sister and co-operating parties of the developing democracies in the region, which receive both theoretical and practical training. Since the 2004 EU enlargement, the Institute has focused mostly on eastern and southeastern European countries.

Women of the European People’s Party (EPP Women) EPP Women, led by Doris Pack, former EPP Group MEP, is recognised by the EPP as the official association of women from all like-minded political parties of Europe. EPP Women has over 50 member organisations from countries of the European Union and beyond.

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157 / ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE EPP GROUP 2015

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Publications Team Press & Communications Service EPP Group in the Euopean Parliament Pedro L贸pez de Pablo Responsible: Greet Gysen Coordinator: Mark Dunne Address: European Parliament

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