Note to journalists: shake up EU parliament's media routine

Every Friday before a plenary session in Strasbourg, a curious ritual takes place in the press conference room of the European Parliament in Brussels.

The European Parliament spokesman; his deputy; a spokesperson for parliament president Martin Schulz; and spokespersons for all the political groups show up to announce the topics that will be discussed and voted on in plenary the next week.

However, for the first half hour - sometimes longer - the so-called “pre-session briefing” i...