EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

STATE AID

  • Commission approves amendment to Dutch scheme, including €1.9 billion budget increase, to further support companies in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100829) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves amendment to Latvian scheme to support companies active in microgreen production, fishery and aquaculture sectors affected by the coronavirus outbreak (SA.100609) - Midday Express

TRAVEL

COMPETITION

STATE AID

  • Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2182 of 6 March 2020 SA.41727 (2016/C) (ex 2016/NN) (ex 2015/CP) on the measures in favour of Empresa de Manutenção de Equipamento Ferroviário, S.A. (EMEF)
  • Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objection
  • Commission approves prolongation of Croatian scheme under Recovery and Resilience Facility to support access to high-speed broadband services in underserved areas (SA.100662) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves modification of German support scheme for maritime transport, including budget increase (SA.64783) - Midday Express
  • General Block Exemption Regulation (State Aid) must align with EU climate neutrality and zero pollution goals, urges the EEB

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Agenda for: Working Party of Customs Union of 14 December 2021
  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Export Credits Group of 13 December 2021
  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) of 10 December 2021
  • Council Decision (EU) 2021/2180 of 28 September 2021 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the written procedure by the Participants to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits as regards the Common Line on the temporary decrease of the minimum down payment
  • UK-EU trade is about to get a lot more complicated Premium content - From January 1 2022 the rules change for consignments travelling from the EU into GB - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

  • Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Agriculture & Fisheries) of 12 & 13 December 2021
    - Critical situation of the pig sector in the EU - Information from the Czech delegation, supported by the Austrian, Belgian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Estonian, French, Greek, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese and Slovak delegations
    - Rising costs of fertilizers and raw materials for animal feed and their impact on the agricultural sector - Information  from the Spanish delegation, on behalf of the Austrian, Belgian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Finnish, French, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak and Spanish delegations
    - Preparation of the CAP Strategic Plans and implementation of the new CAP reform - Information  from the Czech delegation, supported by the Hungarian and Luxembourg delegations
  • Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Increase in production costs in the agri-food sector

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Commission takes action to improve lifelong learning and employability - IP/21/6476, QaA, FactSheet
    - Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on Individual Learning Accounts
    - Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on Micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability
  • Opening remarks by Commissioner Schmit at the press conference on Platform Work and the Social Economy Action Plan
  • EU ends free ride for platforms - See Etuc Statement
  • ETUC on competition law and collective agreements for self-employed
  • EU Commission proposal ignores the diversity of platform work - See BusinessEurope Statement
  • EU plans boost to worker rights in gig economy - Financial Times

ENERGY

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • 8th EAP: member states endorse provisional political agreement reached with Parliament
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - The ‘polluter pays’ principle
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Encouraging the use of sustainable packaging
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - EU Waste Shipments Regulation and the export of secondary raw materials
  • ECHA: Scientific committees support further restrictions of PFAS - ECHA/NR/21/30
  • EU green taxonomy becomes law, gas and nuclear postponed - euObserver

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical devices of 14 December 2021
  • Rapex - EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products - Report-2021-49
  • ECDC - Timely actions are needed to rapidly detect and control outbreaks in long-term care facilities
  • ECDC - EU One Health report: drop in reported zoonotic diseases in humans and foodborne outbreaks in 2020
  • Experts highly concerned as EU body rejects proposal to exclude hazardous chemicals in diapers - See EEB Statement

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2179 of 9 December 2021 on the functionalities of the public interface connected to the Internal Market Information System for posting drivers in the road transport sector
  • Position (EU) No 37/2021 of the Council at First Reading with a view to the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 1999/62/EC, 1999/37/EC and (EU) 2019/520, as regards the charging of vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures - Adopted by the Council on 9 November 2021 & Statement of the Council’s reasons 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • ECB - Euro area securities issues statistics: October 2021
  • Speech by Fabio Panetta: The present and future of money in the digital age

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • The priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union - 09 December 2021
  • Macron calls on EU to secure borders and deepen defence ties - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo: Council extends current sanctions against 10 people for one more year
    - Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2181 of 9 December 2021 amending Decision 2010/788/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    - Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2177 of 9 December 2021 implementing Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1183/2005 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against persons acting in violation of the arms embargo with regard to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    - Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2176 of 9 December 2021 amending Regulation (EC) No 1183/2005 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against persons acting in violation of the arms embargo with regard to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Human Rights Day: Declaration by the HR Josep Borrell on behalf of the European Union
  • Strengthening human rights and democracy in the world: EU launches a €1.5 billion plan to promote universal values - IP/21/6695 & Intervention by President Charles Michel
  • Germany: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell after meeting with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

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