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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12184

1 February 2019
Contents Publication in full By article 2 / 34
EXTERNAL ACTION / Venezuela
High Representative Federica Mogherini announces creation of contact group
Bucharest, 31/01/2019 (Agence Europe)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced on Thursday 31 January the creation of the contact group on Venezuela.

“We have decided to establish an international contact group, agreed between our Member States and with some Latin American countries”, she announced to the press after the first day of the informal Gymnich Council in Bucharest.

According to Ms Mogherini, the objective of the group, coordinated by the EU and limited to 90...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
IRAN: France, Germany and the United Kingdom officially launch Instex fund to continue trade with Teheran
VENEZUELA: High Representative Federica Mogherini announces creation of contact group
JAPAN: on 1 February, free trade agreement with Japan enters into force
SECURITY - DEFENCE
NATO: European unity cannot replace transatlantic unity, recalls Stoltenberg
WEAPONS: Mr Stoltenberg once again urges Russia to comply with INF Treaty
CSDP: Member States want to keep and even strengthen EUNAVOR MED Operation Sophia, according to Ms. Mogherini
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
TRANSPARENCY: European Parliament endorses rule on publication of meetings between MEPs and lobbyists
FUTURE OF EU: Mr. Sipilä does not accept any compromise on respect for rule of law
VENEZUELA: European Parliament recognises Mr Guaidó as legitimate interim President
UNITED STATES: MEPs doubt that a common trade negotiation agenda can be identified
HUNGARY: MEPs call on EU Council to take seriously the rule of law procedure against Budapest
BUDGET: European Parliament celebrates reduction in EU budget fraud since 2014
WOMEN: quotas on boards of directors of listed companies, European Parliament puts pressure on Council
DEVELOPMENT: MEPs strengthen budget for Overseas Countries and Territories for 2021-2027 period
GMOs: European Parliament vetoes authorisation of four varieties of GMOs resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate
AGRICULTURE: European Parliament approves special rules on direct payments in 2019 and 2020
DIGITAL: MEPs approve agreement on '.eu' domain name
ECONOMY: green light for interinstitutional agreement on harmonisation of GNI calculation methods
COMPETITION: MEPs vote on annual report on competition policy
SECTORAL POLICIES
JHA: European Parliament ready to accept that Member States should reintroduce temporary controls in Schengen Area without a formal decision by EU Council
INTERNAL MARKET: interinstitutional negotiations on compliance with and enforcement of Union harmonisation legislation on products are at a standstill
TRANSPORT: European Parliament and Council hope to conclude negotiations on 7 February on support for maritime links in event of Brexit without agreement
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: no time to lose in implementing SDGs in EU according to NGOs and local authorities
ENVIRONMENT: air quality standards violated in EU and vicinity, according to joint audit report
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
COMPETITION: commission sends objections to eight banks for possible distortion of competition in acquisition and negotiation of government bonds
INSTITUTIONAL
EP2019: European Liberal family’s team of top-class candidates will be selected on 21 March
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
EMPLOYMENT: for Advocate General, companies must introduce a system for measuring actual daily working time
NEWS BRIEFS
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: EU must invest more in artificial intelligence, warns Ms Mogherini
PATENTS: Syngenta revokes its patent on tomatoes in face of massive opposition
BURKINA FASO: EU expresses its full support for fight against terrorism in Burkina Faso, which will chair G5 Sahel
CYPRUS: UN Peacekeeping Force mission extended by six months
TRADE: EU will impose anti-subsidy duties on imports of Argentinian biodiesel
ECONOMY: GDP up by 0.2% and 0.3% respectively in euro area and EU in fourth quarter 2018
EMPLOYMENT: lowest unemployment rate since 2000 in EU, according to Eurostat