EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

  • Statement by President von der Leyen on vaccine sharing
  • EMA recommends approval for use of RoActemra in adults with severe COVID-19
  • EMA - ICMRA high-level meeting on global health emergencies and regulatory approaches
  • EMA and ECDC recommendations on heterologous vaccination courses against COVID-19
  • EMA - ICMRA and WHO map out flexibilities used by regulators to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • ECDC - Data on COVID-19 vaccination in the EU/EEA
  • ECDC - Epidemiological update: Omicron variant of concern (VOC) - data as of 6 December 2021
  • ECDC - Data on the daily number of new reported COVID-19 cases and deaths by EU/EEA country
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Developing medicinal products against COVID-19

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €133 million Swedish scheme to support rail freight and passenger operators affected by the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100464) - IP/21/6395
  • Commission approves €5.5 million Estonian scheme to support dairy and pork meat producers in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100636) - Midday Express

TRAVEL

  • Passenger Locator Forms and transport workers - Information from the Commission

COMPETITION

  • Commission clears acquisition of Panzani by CVC (M.10455) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Hill-Rom by Baxte (M.10489) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of sole control of Allnex by PTTGC (M.10432) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Termica Colleferro by Cogenio and Avio (M.10558) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears joint venture between Société Générale and Hyundai Motor Company (M.10463) - Midday Express
  • UK - CMA - Suspected anti-competitive behaviour in relation to the pricing of Rangers FC-branded replica football kit
  • UK - CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by APi Group Corporation of Chubb Limited
  • UK - CMA finds Veolia / Suez merger raises competition concerns

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Agenda for Customs Code Committee - Customs Debt & Guarantees of 13 December 2021
  • Draft Opinion by MEP Karin Karlsbro on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism
  • Second Report by MEP Daniel Caspary on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the access of third-country goods and services to the Union’s internal market in public procurement and procedures supporting negotiations on access of Union goods and services to the public procurement markets of third countries
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2157 of 6 December 2021 initiating a review of Implementing Regulations (EU) 2021/1266 and (EU) 2021/1267 extending, respectively, the definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duty on imports of biodiesel consigned from Canada, whether declared as originating in Canada or not, for the purposes of determining the possibility of granting an exemption from those measures to one Canadian exporting producer, repealing the anti-dumping duty with regard to imports from that exporting producer and making imports from that exporting producer subject to registration
  • Report of 6th round of EU-ESA EPA deepening negotiations of 22-26 November 2021
  • WTO - The first review of the trade policies and practices of Tajikistan takes place on 6 and 8 December 2021
  • EU flexes geopolitical muscle with new trade weapon - Europe wants a way to respond to blackmail from trade rivals, but it’s taking a high-risk approach - Politico.eu
  • EU plan to tackle ‘coercion’ against member states faces resistance - Brussels wants power to respond swiftly to external trade sanctions but some European countries prefer WTO rules - Financial Times - See all feedback papers to the Consultation
  • EU and Mercosur in the Twenty-First Century: Taking Stock of the Economic and Cultural Ties - see ECIPE Policy Briefs

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • Minutes of the Commission Expert Group on European Financial Data Space of 23 November 2021
  • Report from the Commission on the compliance of the EBA with the requirements regarding the location of its seat
  • Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question – The long-term risks posed by climate change 

TAXATION

  • New rules on VAT rates offer Member States more flexibility while supporting the EU's green, digital and public health priorities - IP/21/6608 & QaA
  • Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Initiatives to tackle international corruption following the revelations in the Pandora Papers
  • Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Pandora papers tax scandal

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

  • Draft - Council conclusions on the contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security in times of crisis
  • Carbon Farming -  Making agriculture fit for 2030 - see the Study for the EP ENVI Committee
  • Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Decision (EU) 2021/2159 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2021 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Spain – EGF/2021/001 ES/País Vasco metal
  • Main results of the European Council (Employment & Social Policy) of 06 December 2021 
    - Council agrees on common position to tackle gender pay gap
  • Commission welcomes the political agreement on the European Year of Youth - IP/21/6648

ENERGY

  • Green energy products 2020: EU imports exceed exports - In 2020, the EU spent €11.2 billion on imports of green energy products from countries outside the EU – See Eurostat Report
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - The impact of draining reservoirs on the Spanish and European electricity model

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Basel) of 10 December 2021
  • Fit for 55 package – Report & Policy debate
  • Non-replaceable batteries are bad news for the environment and consumers, new research finds - See EEB Statement & Report

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Public consultation - Food safety – recycled plastic in food packaging (updated rules) - Feedback period : 06 December 2021 - 03 January 2022
  • Minutes and presentations - Meeting of the Subgroup on Cancer (12 November 2021) 

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

  • EU Internet Forum: Shared responsibilities of governments and platforms for ensuring security online - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • The ENISA gives an overview of how SIM swapping attacks work and of the extent to which Member States are affected

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Main results of the Eurogroup of 6 December 2021, see Remarks by Paschal Donohoe and by Mr Gentiloni
    - Eurogroup statement on Greece of 6 December 2021
    - Eurogroup Statement on the Draft Budgetary Plans for 2022
  • Euro changeover: Partnership Agreement with Croatia for the organisation of information and communication campaigns signed - Midday Express
  • Hysteresis in unemployment: evidence from OECD estimates of the natural rate - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2625
  • Fan charts 2.0: flexible forecast distributions with expert judgement - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2624

BREXIT

  • Second meeting of the Specialised Committee on Fisheries established by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
  • Franco-British relations shouldn’t be a circus – See CER Opinion by Ian Bond

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Revised Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.2) of December 2021
  • Possible items for College agendas from 8 December to 22 December 2021

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2151 of 6 December 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
  • Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2160 of 6 December 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
  • The Council adopted an implementing regulation implementing Regulation (EU) No 208/2014 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine, thereby delisting one individual - see Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2152
  • Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2161 of 6 December 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2018/1788 in support of the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans
  • U.S. and Europe ready ‘significant and severe’ sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine - The preparations come ahead of Biden and Putin’s call on Tuesday - Politico.eu
     

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