Today, the EU Commission’s Fit for Future Platform, a high-level expert group composed of stakeholders and representatives of all Member States, held its final plenary meeting under it’s current mandate.
“Based on our updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission, it is now appropriate to moderate the degree of monetary policy restriction after nine months of holding rates steady” – ECB statement.
Eurostat estimates that in 2023, EU countries invested about €67 billion into assets essential to provide environmental protection services. These services included wastewater treatment plants, vehicles to transport waste, acquisitions of land to create a natural reserve, or cleaner equipment for production.
“A thriving ocean holds immense benefits for all life, and President Biden has made clear that preserving this natural resource is key to protecting our livelihoods” – US White House.
Today, the Expert Stakeholder Group set up under the Regulation governing rules about markets in financial instruments (‘MiFIR Review’) published reports on the main parameters of EU consolidated tapes. These tapes are centralised data feeds that aggregate prices and volumes of financial instruments (shares and bonds) from trading venues across all Member States into a single stream of information, equally accessible for everybody.
Under the new law, adopted by 464 votes in favour to 92 against and 65 abstentions, member states will be obliged to protect media independence and all forms of interventions in editorial decisions will be banned.
“Regrettably, these negotiations came to an abrupt end this month, despite clear willingness from our team to continue in order to reach a final compromise before the European parliament elections in June. This is a huge setback for everyone that hoped Europe would finally update its labour migration laws and become more attractive to international talent, improve the mobility of foreign workers and shorten the timelines for obtaining the permanent EU status for them and their families.”
In Cambodia, the EU is committed to support the country’s integration into ASEAN and the upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country by championing Green Growth and Decent Jobs.
In the resolution, MEPs expressed their concerns about the economic situation, persistent uncertainty, weak growth, competitiveness and productivity in the EU.
Parliament’s priorities for the 2025 EU budget include enhanced support for the green and digital transitions, competitiveness, and ensuring prosperity, inclusiveness and security.
In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses. Germany faces issues in its green domains: habitats, noise, and renewable energies.
EU member states’ ambassadors (Coreper) have agreed their position on a draft regulation which updates a mechanism that allows the EU to suspend visa-free travel for third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa obligation when travelling to the Schengen area. This new law, when adopted, will boost the EU’s toolbox to counter situations when visa-free travel is being abused or works against the interests of the EU.
On Wednesday, MEPs updated EU rules on driving and resting times for drivers, to serve the specific needs of occasional transport sector.
The updated EU rules on driving and resting times for bus and coach drivers involved in occasional transport services were backed by 482 votes to 120 and 20 abstentions. It ensures more flexibility in taking breaks and rest periods, as in comparison to regular bus service the occasional transport sector is subject to high seasonality, longer distances driven at the beginning and the end of the tour, as well as more frequent needs to accommodate unplanned passenger requests for additional stops or changes of routes.
The overhaul of the EU Customs Code reform would change the way customs authorities operate, cooperate with traders and manage goods that people order online. The EU Customs Code needs a thorough revamp due to the exponential growth of e-commerce and many new product standards, bans, obligations and sanctions the EU has put in place in recent years. The reform introduces new tools and puts in place simpler processes to help customs authorities to work more efficiently and focus on checking the riskiest goods, shipments and traders.
They propose higher binding waste reduction targets to be met at national level by 31 December 2030 – at least 20% in food processing and manufacturing (instead of 10% proposed by the Commission) and 40% per capita in retail, restaurants, food services and households (instead of 30%). Parliament also wants the Commission to evaluate if higher targets for 2035 (at least 30% and 50% respectively) should be introduced, and if so, asks them to come up with a legislative proposal.
Since they were established in 2013, EU’s rules on out-of-court consumer redress (the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) directive and the Online Dispute Resolution (ORD) have not been updated. The ODR platform was created to help settle disputes over online purchases, however it has proved to be ineffective. In October 2023, the Commission proposed to discontinue the platform and to adapt the ADR directive to the evolving digital market landscape.
With 484 votes for, 121 against and 20 abstentions, MEPs adopted their position on compulsory licensing making the EU ready for future crises by ensuring availability of relevant products, such as vaccines or chips, in emergency situations. The EU should now be able to issue a special permission with specified scope, territorial coverage and duration for the use of patent without authorisation of the rights-holder in cross-border emergencies. Its aim would be to ensure the EU receives the necessary supply of crisis-relevant products protected by patents and certificates and the national and EU levels.
The Commission has adopted today the first implementing rules on cybersecurity of critical entities and networks under the Directive on measures for high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (NIS2 Directive).
Brussels, 17 March 2022 Europe after Merkel: how can the EU best build on its
To promote the development and use of AI technologies and systems that are trustworthy and
16 March 2022 On Thursday morning, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
16 March 2022 The Next-Generation Internet of Things (NGIoT) coordination and support action (CSA) has
Brussels, 16 March 2022 Today, the Commission launched a public consultation to gather the views and experiences
Luxembourg, 15 March 2022 Freedom of the press: the disclosure by a journalist of inside
15 March 2022 The Council of the European Union, RECALLING the Council conclusions of 27 November
Brussels, 15 March 2022 The European Commission has approved unconditionally, under the EU Merger Regulation,
Brussels, 15 March 2022 Ladies and gentlemen, A month ago, the Commission presented the EU
Brussels, 14 March 2022 Uniform legal framework for crypto-assets in the EU Consumer protection and
Georgia and Moldova are EU candidate countries facing elections this month. Both risk coming under increased Russian influence, but for very different reasons. The EU should invest in keeping them in its camp. This CER Insight explains why.
Europol supported an EU-wide investigation, led by the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil), into the illegal manufacturing of firearms. The operational activities, initiated in Spain, involved law enforcement authorities from Canada, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The Council addressed a number of files which all share the objective of tightening judicial cooperation between EU countries. EU Ministers also exchanged views on the functioning of the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO). The justice ministers also approved a Council position and findings on the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This Council position will feed into a Commission report, planned in 2024, on the evaluation of the GDPR.
Austria and the United States expressed unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, discussed the situation in the Middle East, and reaffirmed their joint commitment to and solidarity with Israel in light of the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. They reiterated their concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need for unhindered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians.
In the framework of Operation OPSON, Europol’s coordinated effort to combat food fraud and counterfeiting, Europol has supported a spin-off investigation into counterfeit olive oil. This EMPACT-funded operation was initiated by the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil), who joined forces with the Italian Carabinieri. It led to 11 arrests and the seizure of over 260 000 litres of olive oil unfit for consumption.
Law enforcement agencies from 26 countries, in collaboration with Europol, Eurojust, INTERPOL and several private industry partners, have once again joined forces to combat a key facilitator of money laundering: money mules and their recruiters. In June, October and November 2023, several operational phases identified 10 759 money mules and 474 recruiters, leading to the arrest of 1 013 individuals worldwide.
Debates around defence are indeed as old as the European project itself. The Coal and Steel community at the very start of the European integration process had itself a strong defence industry component. In 1950, just months after the Schuman Plan, our predecessors had also the project to build a European Defence Community. A history, in which defence cooperation could have been the sibling of market integration, would have been possible. However, with the rejection of the European Defence Community by the French Parliament in 1954, we chose a different path back then.
“Europe will not be made all at once, but it will be made…. Those famous words by Robert Schuman express what we are doing today. We are making another important part of our European Union. We are making our security and defence union” – EU Council President Michel.
“Each day that passes helps Putin’s war efforts. The effectiveness of the EU sanctions regime is severely undermined by the patchwork of national legal systems, and by uneven and weak enforcement. Sanctioned persons can still travel, study, holiday and live in the EU, as well as companies can conduct their business fairly unhampered. Massive amounts of money are still moved around freely and flow into the war coffers of the Kremlin” – EU Parliament statement.
The ceasefire has been important. It has provided the population with a respite, and not least, more humanitarian aid has come in. I deeply regret that it is not continued. It is the civilian population in Gaza as well as the hostages who will suffer from this. We now fear new rounds of fighting and further human suffering. The civilian population in Gaza must be protected, as much as possible. They have the right to food, water, and medical assistance, even when there is no ceasefire.
On 30 November, the Commission proposed an extension of the Interim Regulation from certain provisions of the e-Privacy Directive. This will allow providers of certain number-independent interpersonal communication services to continue voluntary detection and reporting of child sexual abuse on their services and removing of child sexual abuse material from them.
The current pace of executions in Iran, at least 600 since January, is appalling. The European Union reiterates its firm and principled opposition to the use of capital punishment at all times and in all circumstances. The death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. It is a definite punishment that makes possible miscarriages of justice irreversible.
Amid the decades-long crackdown on rights of LGBTIQ persons unleashed under President Putin, this decision aims at further persecuting the LGBTIQ community in Russia and aims to stifle civil society and those courageously defending human rights. This decision will prevent LGBTIQ persons from enjoying their human rights and dignity over fears of unjustified persecution.
The formal partnership opens a direct line of communication between the two organisations and enables them to collaborate on both preparedness and rapid responses to global health crises.
Opinion piece, Euractiv, 1 February 2024, by Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, European Commission, Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, European Commission, Johan Forssell, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Sweden, Jakob Forssmed, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Sweden, Caroline Gennez, Minister of Development Cooperation and of Major Cities, Belgium and Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium.
EU leaders greenlit additional funding for the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 and discussed support for
EU negotiators reached a provisional deal on a bill that aims to reduce waste and bolster the repair sector by making product repairs more accessible and cost-effective.
PLASTICS: Judgment of the General Court in case T-745/20 +++ Health scientists show why delaying action to cut air pollution is wrong – European Environmental Bureau (EEB) +++ EU Commission proposes to allow EU farmers to derogate for one year from certain agricultural rules +++ Statement von EVP/CDU zu Ausnahmen bei der Agrar-Stilllegungsverpflichtung +++ Renew Europe secures European Parliament debate on empowering farmers +++ EU Council Presidency Conference on Mental Health and Work: A healthier and more inclusive Europe +++ EU Commission recommends new measures on vaccine-preventable cancers under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan +++ EU Commission Q&A on vaccine-preventable cancers
IEA: The relationship between growth in GDP and CO2 has loosened; it needs to be cut completely +++ UNFCCC: Parties Will Decide the Future of the Gender Agenda in the UN Climate Change Process This Year +++ EU COUNCIL REGISTER: EU COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/331 as regards transitional Union-wide rules for harmonised free allocation of emission allowances.
ENERGY REGULATION: ACER calls for improvements to the new gas transmission tariffs proposed for Poland +++ HYDROGEN: Latest hydrogen industries’ headlines +++ Hydrogen Europe: Enagas CEO: Spain can produce 2.5 mln tons/yr of green hydrogen by 2030 +++ Hydrogen Europe: BMW says Goodbye to Electric Cars; it has now Solved the Problem of Hydrogen Engines
We will also continue to support the brave Ukrainian armed forces, to fight off the brutal invaders. So far, the European Union and its Member States have mobilised EUR 28 billion worth of military equipment. And of course, more is coming, and more is needed – more tanks, helicopters, air defence systems, missiles. As well as more ammunition. The European defence industry has already increased its production capacity by 40% – and this is still growing.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and President Emmanuel Macron have signed a renewed strategic innovation partnership declaration between Sweden and France. It includes new areas such as nuclear energy, forestry and security.
Mr Macron is currently paying a two-day State Visit to Sweden hosted by His Majesty The King.
We know that we are stronger and better when we have in our economy the social market and thus the social partners. Let me just give you three examples that you all witnessed. The first was the time during the pandemic when the first lockdowns started. We together developed for the very first time on the European level, the SURE short-time employment where we all stood together. We made sure that employers did not have to lay off their employees when the lockdowns were there and there were no orders anymore. But thanks to European commitment, they kept their jobs.
HYDROGEN: EU Commission approves €550 million Italian State aid scheme to support investments for the use of hydrogen in industrial processes to foster the transition to a net-zero economy +++ Join our Stakeholders Group – Call for Expression of Interest for new Members Open – Deadline: 15 February 2024 +++ ENERGY REGULATION: Regulators request more time to agree on the cross-zonal capacity calculation methodology for the balancing timeframe in the Hansa region +++ Ms Edit Herczog is the new Chair of the ACER Administrative Board +++ CEER Publishes its 2024 Work Programme
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