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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12043

19 June 2018
Contents Publication in full By article 19 / 33
EXTERNAL ACTION / Australia
Official launch of EU-Australia free trade negotiations
Brussels, 18/06/2018 (Agence Europe)

On Monday 18 June, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Trade Minister Steven Ciobo gave the official kick-off to the EU-Australia free trade negotiations when they met in Canberra.  The first round of talks in these negotiations will take place in Brussels from 2 to 6 July.

The goal is to remove barriers to trade in goods (both parties hope to increase their trade in goods by over a third thanks to this agreement) and services,...

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: Twenty member states against cut in agricultural spending in 2021-2027 period
FISHERIES: Reasonably warm reception from Council for fisheries fund proposal
FISHERIES: Proposals on tighter controls raise Council criticism
FISHERIES: France restates opposition to pulse fishing
MIGRATION: 2017 EU asylum requests fall but number of refusals rises
MIGRATION: Further progress expected at the council on several areas of asylum package including EU resettlement framework
ENVIRONMENT: Aarhus Convention – Council calls on Commission to provide options to address lack of public access to justice
CLIMATE: No member state really championing climate cause, says CAN Europe
DIGITAL: European Commission launches coordinated action plan for artificial intelligence
INSTITUTIONAL
FUTURE OF THE EU: Paris and Berlin plan to finalise their roadmap to deepen Economic and Monetary Union
POLAND: Commission still hoping for compromise with Warsaw over rule of law
PARLIAMENT: Interpreter requisitions continue at European Parliament
ECONOMY - FINANCE
BANKS: MEPs prepare to reach their position on 'risk reduction' package
FINANCE: Council inclined to dial down pan-European nature of personal pension product label
EMU: European Fiscal Board calls for slightly restrictive budgetary orientation in Eurozone in 2019
COMPETITION: European Commission gives green light to planned acquisition of Sky by Comcast
EXTERNAL ACTION
SAHEL: EU and G5 Sahel cooperate in their common interest for security and region's socio-economic development
FYROM: EU to continue supporting process for implementing agreement on country's name
AUSTRALIA: Official launch of EU-Australia free trade negotiations
MERCOSUR: Paraguay criticises EU's agricultural sensitivities in free trade negotiations
TRADE: Italy grows impatient at zero-duty imports of Asian rice
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: EU member states shifting towards greater flexibility in 'work-life balance' directive
SOCIAL: Trade unions, NGOs and MEPs urge member states to reach a position on 'work-life balance' directive
NEWS BRIEFS
COMPETITION: Green light to Fortum's acquisition of Uniper
CRIMEA: EU extends sanctions for a year in connection with illegal annexation of Crimea
ENVIRONMENT: Commissioner Andriukaitis to appear before PEST special committee on 19 June
LIBYA: EU sanctions six human traffickers
FISHERIES: Council adopts technical amendment of Baltic Sea management plan
FISHERIES: Polisario Front challenges resumption of negotiations between EU and Morocco on amended agreement
FISHERIES: Council adopts multiannual management plan for North Sea
FISHERIES: Council adopts regulation on South Pacific fisheries management
CSDP: Jacques Fradin considers that EU missions in Mali will need time to achieve their aims
WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT
European Library: No. 1125