Europe Daily News, 01 December 2021

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• Commission reiterates calls to step up vaccination, rapid deployment of boosters, vigilance and rapid reaction to Omicron variant - IP/21/6473
• Revised - COVID-19 – Current and future response to the pandemic - Exchange of views
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Ivermectin and COVID-19
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Extension of the expiry date for Pfizer vaccines

STATE AID

• Commission amends liquidity support for Air France in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.100430) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €10 million Irish scheme to support companies active in the arts and culture sectors in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100526) - Midday Express

TRAVEL

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2113 of 30 November 2021 establishing the equivalence, for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of El Salvador to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of the Council

COMPETITION

• Initiation of proceedings (Case M.10319 - Greiner/Recticel)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10549 - Ardian France / RG Safety)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9971 - P27 NPP / Bankgirot)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10500 - PSPIB / ADIC / Local)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10287 - Proximus / Besix / SL / i.LECO)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10508 - Hutchison 3 Indonesia / Indosat)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10492 - Silver Lake / CVC / Sphinx / RAC JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10407 - AIP / Alvance Dunkerque Target Business)
• Summary of Commission Decision of 18 March 2021 declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case M.9820 - Dafoss / Eaton Hydraulics)
  - Opinion of the Advisory Committee on mergers
  - Final Report of the Hearing Officer 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 2021 Export Control Forum of 08 December 2021
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union of 03 December 2021
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) of 03 December 2021
• Agenda for: Joint EU-US stakeholders outreach on Investment Screening of 02 December 2021
• Notice of reopening the anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in Egypt (CN codes: 70193900, 70194000, 70195900 and 70199000)
• Customs: Modern risk management system (CRMS2) helps customs authorities exchange real-time information - Midday Express
• Joint Statement of the Trade Ministers of the United States, Japan, and the European Union After a Trilateral Meeting

INTERNAL MARKET & GENERAL

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry) of 07 December 2021
• Main results of the Culture, Audiovisual & Sport Council of 30 November 2021
  - Council approved a resolution on the key features of a European Sport Model highlighting solidarity with lower-tier sport levels and the promotion of open competitions 
  - Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on lifelong physical activity  
  - Council conclusions on on culture, high-quality architecture and built environment as key elements of the New European Bauhaus initiative 
  - Conclusions on increasing the availability and competitiveness of European audiovisual and media content
• The future of social protection and of the welfare state - Presidency steering note for the EPSCO Council of 06 December 2021 

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Financial stability: Commission launches call for evidence on EU macroprudential rules in the banking sector - Feedback period: 01 December 2021 - 18 March 2022
• ESMA announces that it will start publishing information on trading venues with the highest turnover for bonds
• The three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) – the EBA, EIOPA and ESMA announced the new composition of their Board of Appeal, as of 1 December 2021

TAXATION

• Minutes of the SCAC - Expert Group in the field of VAT- Administrative Cooperation of 23 September 2021
• Minutes of the 17th plenary meeting - EU VAT Forum of 08 November 2021
• Directive (EU) 2021/2101 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2021 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of income tax information by certain undertakings and branches 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Expert Group for sustainability and quality of agriculture and rural development of 14 December 2021
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Increase in the cost of fertilisers

ENERGY

• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Member State energy sovereignty and fracked gas imports
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Action against increasing electricity prices and the impact on vulnerable households

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Call for Evidence - Microplastics pollution – measures to reduce its impact on the environment - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 30 November 2021 - 28 December 2021
• Public Consultation - Environmental Liability Directive (evaluation) - Evaluation - Feedback period: 29 November 2021 - 27 December 2021
• Creating a resilient economy within environmental limits - See EEA Report

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices of 03 December 2021
• Conclusions on strengthening the European Health Union - Approval before the EPSCO Council (Health) of 07 December 2021
• World AIDS Day: new EMCDDA miniguide on responding to drug-related infectious diseases
• EU4MD (U4Monitoring Drugs) project advisory committee takes stock of results and outlines next steps
• The EU and Turkey discuss health matters of mutual interest and future cooperation - IP/21/6469
• EFSA: Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Oligonychus mangiferus
• EFSA: Scientific Opinion - Re‐evaluation of thaumatin (E 957) as food additive
• EFSA: Scientific Report - The EU summary report on surveillance for the presence of TSE  in 2020

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Data Protection of 01 December 2021
• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues of 06 December 2021
• Commission welcomes political agreement to boost data sharing and support European data spaces - IP/21/6428
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2005/671/JHA, as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Asylum and return: Commission proposes temporary legal and practical measures to address the emergency situation at the EU's external border with Belarus - IP/21/6447
  - Proposal for a Council Decision on provisional emergency measures for the benefit of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
  - Communication: Responding to state-sponsored instrumentalisation of migrants at the EU external border
• Ombudsman launches new inquiry on transparency of Commission interactions with the tobacco industry - Case OI/6/2021/LDS

EU/UK RELATIONS

• Decision No 1/2021 of the Specialised Committee established by Article 8(1)(p) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 29 October 2021 as regards the amendment of the Annexes to the Protocol on Social Security Coordination
• Council Decision (EU) 2021/2111 of 25 November 2021 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union, under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, as regards the establishment of a Working Group on Fisheries and the adoption of its rules of procedure

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• What are banks’ actual capital targets? ECB Working Paper Series No.2618
• Central Bank Digital Currency: functional scope, pricing and controls - ECB Occasional Paper Series - No.286
  

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Minutes of the Meetings of the Coreper of 10 & 12 November 2021

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2108 of 29 November 2021 amending for the 323rd time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida organisations 
• Global Gateway: up to €300 billion for the European Union's strategy to boost sustainable links around the world - IP/21/6433, QaA, FactSheet, the Joint Communication & Statement by President von Der Leyen  
• Honduras: Statement by the Spokesperson on the general elections
• Ukraine: HR/VP Josep Borrell met with Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal
• Kyrgyzstan: Statement by the Spokesperson on the Parliamentary elections
• China: Statement by the Spokesperson on the reappearance of Peng Shuai
• EU-Southern Neighbourhood: Ministers review the progress made on the renewed partnership
  
• Answer given by HR/VP to a MEP written question - Situation in Afghanistan and threats to Europe
• Answer given by HR/VP to a MEP written question - Chinese Communist Party efforts to hide ongoing influence operations in Europe
• Answer given by HR/VP to a MEP written question - Support provided to the Taliban by regional powers and some of Afghanistan's neighbours
• Answer given by HR/VP to a MEP written question - Lukashenka regime using migrants as a tool for hybrid warfare against EU Member States