Plans to change how Czech public broadcasters are funded and cyberattacks targeting European supermarkets will come before lawmakers in Brussels on Wednesday. The two-day plenary will also address the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia and funding for Europe’s response to disasters.
The 11–12 November session brings recent crises into parliamentary debate, with most votes scheduled for Thursday. On Czech media, however, Parliament will prepare its position for a vote later this month.
Lawmakers will discuss media freedom in Czechia with Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath on Wednesday evening. The debate centres on the government’s proposal to replace licence fees with state funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio. The bill passed its first reading on 24 October and prompted staff to strike on 3 November.
“Without strong legal safeguards, direct state funding would indeed open the door to political pressure,” European Federation of Journalists director Renate Schroeder told EU Perspectives. The federation has urged stronger Commission action to protect the broadcasters’ independence. Members of the European Parliament are preparing a resolution for the next Strasbourg session, rather than a vote this week.
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Hybrid threats, stolen children and sanctions
Earlier on Wednesday evening, Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen will join a debate on supermarket cyberattacks and other hybrid threats. It follows France’s accusation that Iran sabotaged commercial refrigerators, causing food losses and fires. Tehran has rejected the allegations as “baseless and hostile”. MEPs will examine how to strengthen protection for critical infrastructure and supply chains.
The session also covers the return of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia, with a resolution scheduled for Thursday. Other votes concern disaster-response funding, cancer prevention, retail investor protections and support for smaller defence companies. MEPs will also consider proxy voting for female members before and after childbirth, while Thursday’s debates include further sanctions against Moscow.
