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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12061

13 July 2018
Contents Publication in full By article 25 / 41
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS / Ecofin
VAT and priorities of Austrian Presidency of Council of ministers' agenda
Brussels, 12/07/2018 (Agence Europe)

On Friday 12 July, the European finance ministers will once again discuss the two controversial VAT dossiers, which aim to: - apply reduced rates to electronic books ('e-books') and - allow certain member states to carry out pilot projects for a reverse-charge mechanism with a view to preventing VAT fraud (see EUROPE 11692). The chances of reaching an agreement are virtually zero.

Since June 2017, these two dossiers have been caught up in an ongoing clash between Paris and Prague(see EUROPE...

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: Austria tests out its ideas with Ministers of the Interior for preventing migrants coming to EU
CONSUMERS: MEPs call for measures to address problem of 'dual quality' products
FOOD SAFETY: Trans fatty acids - S&D group in Parliament urges Commission to set in place legal limits requested two years ago
INDUSTRY: Greens/EFA in Parliament want to make complaint to European Ombudsman against Commission in context of Dieselgate
JUSTICE: First positive responses in Parliament on 'Rozière' whistleblowers report
FISHERIES: MEPs commend Thailand's efforts to combat unlawful fishing
FISHERIES: Oceana exposes cases of illegal fishing in protected areas of Mediterranean
INSTITUTIONAL
UNITED KINGDOM: On Brexit, United Kingdom proposes free trade area for goods that could resolve Irish question
BUDGET 2019: MEPs lament 'considerable' cuts made by Council
SECURITY - DEFENCE
NATO: Trump is pleased with Allies' financial commitments
NATO: NATO calls for maximum inclusion of non-EU Allies in European defence efforts
DEFENCE: NATO wants to continue efforts of synergy with EU in terms of military mobility
RUSSIA: NATO reaffirms dual approach to Putin before his meetings with Macron and Trump
FYROM: Johannes Hahn welcomes NATO's invitation to Skopje to begin accession talks subject to conditions
IRAQ: Iraq could be seen as model of cooperation between EU and NATO, Alliance source says
EXTERNAL ACTION
USA: Donald Trump announces start of trade talks with EU at end of July
USA: Transatlantic convergence for increased cooperation to boost supplies of American LNG in Europe
CAMBODIA: EU not ruling out withdrawal of its trade preferences under Everything But Arms scheme
JAPAN: Continuation of talks for EU-Japan investment agreement until end of 2018 at earliest
DEVELOPMENT: MEPs want EU to support adoption of a UN treaty to oblige multinationals to respect human rights
HUMANITARIAN AID: Priorities of Austrian Presidency of EU Council are poverty eradication and link between humanitarian aid and development
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: Commission adjusts its growth forecasts for 2018 downwards slightly
ECONOMY: European Court of Auditors criticises flexibilities permitted under Stability Pact
BANKS: German finance minister attaches conditions to completion of Banking Union
ECOFIN: VAT and priorities of Austrian Presidency of Council of ministers' agenda
FINANCE: Revision of financial supervisory architecture – Parliament's co-rapporteurs take stock of their agreements and disagreements
MONEY LAUNDERING: Pilatus Bank affair – EBA accuses Maltese authorities of breaking EU law
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Austrian Presidency of the Council explains that it will also continue work on European Employment Authority
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
CITIZENSHIP: Court confirms that a European citizen's member state of origin must facilitate the residency of the non-EU partner with whom this citizen has a durable relationship
STATE AID: General Court confirms British aid to Hinkley Point C nuclear power station
JHA: Fines confirmed on main European and Asian high-voltage electricity cable producers
NEWS BRIEFS
STATE AID: Green light to public funding of ferry connections between Croatian islands and mainland
ARMENIA: EU ready to help reform process via technical and financial assistance
BALKANS: New meeting of Serbian and Kosovan presidents in Brussels on 18 July
CATALONIA: Schleswig-Holstein court authorises extradition of former president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont
EGYPT: EU and Egypt want to strengthen cooperation
INTERNAL MARKET: Inter-institutional agreement on Single Digital Gateway adopted by Parliament committee
PARLIAMENT: Mirja Vehkaperä elected Second Vice President of Parliament's development committee
SOMALIA: EU increases its humanitarian aid by €89.5 million
CORRIGENDUM
FINANCE: Von Weizsäcker asks Draghi about sovereign bond-backed securities
BUDGET: Council to adopt its position on 2019 budget in September