Plenary priorities 5 - 8 october 2026

EU-China political relations - MEPs are set to vote on the report on EU-China political relations led by Renew Europe MEP Hilde Vautmans. Dialogue with China remains essential on shared challenges, yet relations, marked by systemic rivalry, have reached a critical point, due to China's unfair economic practices such as dumping, its stance on Russia's war against Ukraine and the massive expansion of its nuclear arsenal.

Renew Europe supports the report and welcomes its clear statement that China is a systemic rival. Our priorities:

•Dialogue on fair terms: cooperation must be balanced and mutually beneficial.

•China must stop fuelling Russia's war: Beijing supplies technologies and components used in Russian weapons and drones striking Ukrainian civilians; the EU must make it pay a higher price.

•Less dependence, more resilience: reciprocity, full use of the trade toolbox against dumping and spying, and protection against disinformation and hybrid threats.

•Standing with Taiwan and like-minded partners, including Japan and South Korea, against Chinese escalation in the Taiwan Strait and the South and East China Seas.

•Human rights at every meeting: from forced labour and the persecution of Uyghurs to boarding schools for Tibetan children, and the lifting of sanctions on European citizens and politicians.

Renew MEP & EP Rapporteur : Hilde Vautmans (Anders, Belgium)

Empowering Europeans to end the cost-of-living crisis - Too many European families, workers and businesses are buckling under soaring costs. Energy bills have risen 35% in five years, food prices have nearly doubled since 2015 and rents and house prices have skyrocketed. The European Central Bank forecasts inflation at 3% in 2026, while real wages continue to lag behind. Earlier this week, Renew Europe launched a ten-point action plan to make life more affordable.

Europe cannot choose the American President, whose actions have deepened our challenges, but it can act now for a fairer, more competitive and more affordable future. A unified European response is essential to protect Europe from shocks and keep high living standards within everyone's reach. Our demands:

•Achieve energy independence now: replace fossil fuel subsidies with clean energy investment, roll out smarter grids, speed up permitting and let households get paid to shift their energy use away from peak times.

•Secure housing for all: build more accessible and affordable homes, so that housing remains a right, not a privilege.

•Make the economy cut bills: improve the Single Market, digitalise cross-border services, close the €500 billion investment gap and mobilise private investment to lower household costs.

Financial Framework 2028-2034: we call for a budget that matches Europe's ambitions - Negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034 are moving from technical talks into political negotiations. Member States are divided over its size, its priorities and how to pay for it. Parliament has already set out its position, and Renew Europe wants it fully involved before governments settle the final deal.

For Renew Europe, Europe cannot have bigger ambitions on a smaller budget. Our priorities : 

-A budget matching our ambitions: Europe must do more on security, competitiveness and Ukraine.

-Protect what works: new priorities cannot come at the expense of farmers, regions, research or other programmes people rely on.

-Pay for it honestly: more responsibilities require credible new sources of revenue, not simply passing the bill to national taxpayers.

-Recovery debt must not squeeze everything else: NextGenerationEU repayments should not force cuts to programmes supporting jobs, investment and communities.

-No last-minute deal: Parliament represents European citizens and its consent is required for any agreement.

-Focus on results: EU money should be spent where acting together makes the biggest difference.