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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12454

26 March 2020
Contents Publication in full By article 31 / 39
EXTERNAL ACTION / Enlargement
EU formally approves opening of EU accession negotiations with Skopje and Tirana
Brussels, 25/03/2020 (Agence Europe)

The EU Council adopted on Wednesday 25 March, by written procedure, its conclusions authorising the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. The day before, the Ministers for European Affairs had given their political agreement to this opening (see EUROPE B12453A20).  

Parliament welcomes the decision

Without waiting for this formal adoption, several political groups in the European Parliament welcomed on Tuesday 24 March the political agreement reached in...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Twenty-Seven will work on an economic recovery plan to bounce back as quickly as possible after Covid-19 pandemic
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: European Parliament is preparing to hold its first partially 'dematerialised' plenary session, devoted to COVID-19 crisis
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: MEPs sitting virtually cannot claim per diems, says European Parliament President
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: concerns and doubts about number of COVID-19 cases in European Parliament
AGRICULTURE: COVID-19, EU agriculture ministers call for exceptional measures and derogations from CAP rules
HEALTH: ECDC maintains pressure on Member States with seventh risk assessment
HEALTH: COVID-19, Member States’ equipment capabilities meet only 10% of requirements
HEALTH: Covid-19 vaccine research might avoid animal testing in some cases
FINANCE: ESMA and EBA clarify application of IFRS 9 for expected credit losses caused by COVID-19
PAYMENTS: COVID-19, contactless payment limit has seen an increase in several EU countries
STATE AID: COVID-19, Commission validates support schemes in United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Denmark
TRADE: European Commission wants to mobilise Member States to protect European strategic assets in times of crisis
TOURISM: MEPs call for a 'more targeted' EU response to 'address damage caused by pandemic'
SOCIAL: social partners call for a temporary suspension of Stability Pact rules
ENVIRONMENT: response to COVID-19 is leading to a decrease in air pollution in Europe, EEA confirms
HUMANITARIAN AID: UN launches $2 billion global humanitarian response plan for COVID-19
MIGRATION: COVID-19, Pierre-Alain Fridez calls for 'humanitarian assistance to refugees in camps' 
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: in face of confinement, GREVIO Chair calls for specific measures for protection of victims of domestic violence
WTO: COVID-19, Mr Azevêdo calls for notification of trade-related measures
BIODIVERSITY: possible postponement of UN COP15 on global biodiversity to 2021
SECTORAL POLICIES
CUSTOMS: Commission outlines main lines of though on taking Customs Union forward
HEALTH: Commission to postpone application of rules on medical devices by one year
AGRICULTURE: European Parliament rapporteur Kataïnen presents compromise amendments on transitional measures for CAP
TRANSPORT: adoption of 'mobility package I' put on hold and called into question
TRANSPORT: European Commission launches a consultation on ‘sustainable aviation fuels’
TRANSPORT: European Commission asks EU Council for an “open-ended” mandate to continue its negotiations with ASEAN
JUSTICE: child abduction by a Japanese parent, Commission promises to continue its dialogue with Japan
ENERGY: tidal power generation in Europe is expected to increase by 50% in 2019, according to Ocean Energy Europe
EXTERNAL ACTION
HUMAN RIGHTS: High Representative and Commission shall propose qualified majority voting on human rights issues
UKRAINE: EU demands access for OSCE patrols to areas not controlled by government
ENLARGEMENT: EU formally approves opening of EU accession negotiations with Skopje and Tirana
ECONOMY
COMPETITION: in-depth investigation into proposed acquisition of Tachosil by Johnson & Johnson
INSTITUTIONAL
HUNGARY: Hungarian EPP MEPs call for evaluation of all emergency laws implemented in EU
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EDUCATION
EDUCATION: Croatia raises issue of ageing farmers, without questioning causes
NEWS BRIEFS
ENERGY: Commission specifies part of its work schedule
ENERGY: more than 60 GW of wind capacity installed worldwide in 2019, according to Global Wind Energy Council
ENVIRONMENT: Commission launches public consultation on industrial emissions
SPACE: Commission launches consultation on use of 'critical' infrastructure in connection with European Galileo programme
RULE OF LAW: public consultation launched to feed into Commission's first annual report