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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12158

13 December 2018
Contents Publication in full By article 14 / 40
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY / Japan
MEPs vote in favour of “world's most important trade agreement” 
Brussels, 12/12/2018 (Agence Europe)

Many superlatives have been attached to the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan: "The most important free trade agreement in the world", according to the Commission, but also the most progressive, most favourable to the agri-food sector or to small and medium-sized enterprises. The European Parliament offered him a comfortable majority (474 votes in favour, 172 against, 40 abstentions) during the plenary vote on Wednesday 12 December in Strasbourg. 

Pedro...

Contents

EUROPEAN COUNCIL
UNITED KINGDOM: Twenty-seven willing to help Ms. May avoid a Brexit without agreement, but without reopening negotiations
EMU: Eurozone Summit will endorse modest progress made by Eurogroup
BUDGET: Twenty-eight will have a long debate with a view to preparing an agreement in 2019 on EU budget for 2021-2027
INTERNAL MARKET: Member States will debate future of single market in March 2019
MIGRATION: no progress expected at European Council on asylum package, even on least controversial texts
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: leaders to discuss Russia's actions in Ukraine once again
DIGITAL: European Council keeps an eye on fight against misinformation
CLIMATE: strategy 2050, European Council will announce political guidelines for first quarter of 2019
FUTURE OF THE EU: citizen consultations, progress report identifies major trends, despite varying results
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
FUTURE OF THE EU: Nicos Anastasiades reminds EU that solidarity is not a one-way street
SAKHAROV PRIZE: European Parliament presents its 2018 prize in absentia to Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov
BUDGET: formal adoption of 2019 EU budget, which responds to MEPs' priorities
TERRORISM: disrupted by attack in Strasbourg, European Parliament validates recommendations of its special committee
JAPAN: MEPs vote in favour of “world's most important trade agreement” 
TAXATION: European Parliament outraged by Council's deadlock on taxation of digital sector
TRANSPORT: European Parliament is ready to negotiate with Council on 2021-2027 budget of Connecting Europe Facility
RESEARCH: MEPs adopt their position on Horizon Europe programme
INDUSTRY: European Defence Fund, European Parliament ready for negotiations with Council
DEFENCE: MEPs support a strong EU defence policy
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: European Parliament calls for end of unanimity for foreign policy decisions
UKRAINE: European Parliament condemns “deliberate” Russian aggression in Sea of Azov
HUMAN RIGHTS: European Parliament supports a universal sanctions regime on human rights violations
JHA: European Parliament ready to negotiate with Council on new rules for short-stay visas in EU
INSTITUTIONAL
RULE OF LAW: Article 7 procedure against Poland, set to continue after a further hearing on rule of law
SECTORAL POLICIES
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: plastic products polluting oceans, Council is reluctant to accept targets for reducing plastic cigarette butts
DIGITAL: much bargaining to come on copyright reform aimed at reaching an agreement
ENERGY: European Parliament and Council agree on functions of Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators
CLIMATE: reduction of CO2 from heavy goods vehicles, Presidency hopes for a political agreement on 20 December at Environment Council
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: new Commission measures to combat VAT fraud in e-commerce sector
FINANCE: Commission sets new transparency requirements for systematic internalisers
EXTERNAL ACTION
WTO: the multilateral organisation sounds the alarm about the rise of protectionism in the world
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
COMPETITION: Court of First Instance partially annuls Commission's decision condemning Servier for anti-competitive practices
EGYPT: Tribunal confirms freezing of Mr Mubarak's assets in 2017 and 2018
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: unauthorised sampling constitutes an infringement of rights of music producers, according to Advocate General
NEWS BRIEFS
STATE AIDS: green light for 20-year extension of concession granted to AIA to operate Athens Airport
CITIZENSHIP: expected inter-institutional agreement on reform of European Citizens' Initiative
SPACE: industry becoming impatient with slow pace of negotiations on space programme
PARLIAMENT: MEP Stefano Maullu joins ECR group in European Parliament
FISHERIES: Member States shall approve agreement between institutions on Western Waters management plan
FOOD SAFETY: transparency of EFSA evaluations, BEUC satisfied with European Parliament vote, with two caveats