Europe Daily News, 03 December 2021

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Vaccines containing metal contaminants
• EMA starts rolling review of Valneva’s COVID-19 vaccine (VLA2001)
  

ECONOMY

• Eurobarometer: survey shows strong support for euro, SURE and Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Commission approves amendment to Irish scheme to compensate airport operators in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100481) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €23.33 million Danish scheme to support travel operators in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100368)  - Midday Express

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10247 - CVC / Cooper)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10449 - KIA / Almaviva)
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Sydney Airport by IFM and GIP (M.10532) - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections
• State aid - France - State aid SA.56399 and SA.56634 (2021/C) (ex 2020/FC)) - Octroi supposé d’aide d’État illégale à la Française des Jeux - Invitation to submit comments pursuant to Article 108(2) of the TFEU

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions of 09 December 2021
• Agenda for: Customs Code Committee - Customs Debt & Guarantees of 13 December 2021
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Expert Group on responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten & gold of 14 December 2021
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2126 of 29 September 2021 amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2127 of 29 September 2021 amending Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences
• EU stakeholders outreach on the Trade and Technology Council Working Group on Secure Supply Chains - Agenda (13 December 2021)
• EU and WTO members strike major deal to simplify trade in services - IP/21/6468 & Declaration
• Apples from Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands savoured finally in Thailand
• Annual Report of the Hearing Officer for Trade Proceedings - 2020
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Commission measures to ensure the fair application of the CBAM and a level playing field between EU and foreign companies

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles of 16 December 2021
• NGOs demand Member States to vote on chemicals with a conscience
• Joint NGO letter to the REACH Committee

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Council adopts fairer, greener and more performance-based farming policy
• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - EU plans for the future of the automotive industry

ENERGY

• Main results of the TTE Council (Energy) of 2 December 2021
• Power2People: engaging customers in the energy transition - See Eurelectric Statement
• Letter to Energy Ministers of EU Member States ahead of TTE Council - See EEB Statement

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Standing Committee on Biocidal Products of 08 December 2021
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues
  - Climate change of 09 December 2021
  - Biosafety of 09 December 2021
• Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP): 41st session of the Executive Body (EB 41) (Geneva/hybrid, 6-8 December 2021) - First EU coordination
• Fit for 55 package proposals (CBAM, ETD and SCF) - Progress report
• The role of biodiesel in EU climate action - Input for EBB roadmap to 2030 and 2050
• Acea - Position paper – EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) for road transport
  

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Council Regulation on the emergency framework regarding medical countermeasures - Exchange of views
• Pharmaceutical strategy for Europe and other upcoming initiatives - Information from the Commission
• Consumer Protection: 2021 data on the EU Rapid Alert System - Midday Express
• Agenda MDCG - EUDAMED Subgroup CAs & Observers of 9 December 2021
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Inactivation of indicator microorganisms and biological hazards by standard and/or alternative processing methods in Category 2 and 3 animal by‐products and derived products to be used as organic fertilisers and/or soil improvers
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Assessment of the control measures of the category A diseases of Animal Health

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Council Decision (EU) 2021/2132 of 29 November 2021 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on civil aviation safety between the European Union and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, as regards the adoption of the rules of procedure of the Joint Committee

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Disinformation: new actions from online platforms and extension of the monitoring programme - Midday Express
• Joint CEO Statement: Europe needs to translate its digital ambitions into concrete actions – see ETNO Statement

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues of 06 December 2021

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Conclusions of the 57th Plenary Meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) (Slovenia, 18-19 October 2021)
• EU mobilises additional €2.5 million to support vulnerable refugees and migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Midday Express
• EU-Latin America & Caribbean Leaders' Meeting: Joining Forces for a Sustainable post-COVID Recovery - Press release by President Michel and President von der Leyen - IP/21/6541

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EU-Latin America & Caribbean Leaders’ Meeting: Joining forces for a sustainable post-COVID recovery - Press release by Presidents Michel and von der Leyen
• Belarus: EU adopts 5th package of sanctions over continued human rights abuses and the instrumentalisation of migrants (See Regulation (EU) 2021/2124 & Decision (CFSP) 2021/2125)
• Declaration by the HR on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures
  - against the Republic of Guinea
  - in view of Turkey’s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean
  - against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2133 of 2 December 2021 in support of the comprehensive programme on supporting efforts to prevent and combat illicit trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Conventional Ammunition (CA) in South-Eastern Europe
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2138 of 2 December 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2018/2011 in support of gender mainstreamed policies, programmes and actions in the fight against small arms trafficking and misuse, in line with the Women, Peace and Security agenda
• Council Decision (CFSP) of 2 December 2021 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support
  - the Georgian Defence Forces (2021/2134)
  - the Ukrainian Armed Forces (2021/2135)
  - the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2021/2136)