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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12478

1 May 2020
Contents Publication in full By article 16 / 46
INSTITUTIONAL / Democracy
Borrell rejects allegations that a report on disinformation was ‘watered down’ following Chinese pressure
Brussels, 30/04/2020 (Agence Europe)

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy denied, on Thursday 30 April, that a report on disinformation following Chinese pressure (see EUROPE B12475A22) had been altered.

“I can assure you that no changes have been made to the published version to accommodate a third party actor, in this case China. The disinformation campaign conducted by States is clearly mentioned, including China, and there has been no watering-down of our findings”, he assured...

Contents

Labour Day: please note that our offices will be closed on Friday 1 May. EUROPE 12479 will be dated 5 May 2020
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
ECB: monetary institute stands ready to adjust its monetary policy to cope with a recession “unprecedented in peacetime”
TRANSPORT: EU ministers, in favour of further cooperation, call for sector-specific guidelines for relaxing containment measures
TRANSPORT: sixteen Member States support a temporary amendment to European regulation on air passenger rights
SOCIAL: Member States make progress on SURE instrument
STATE AID: Commission approves modification of Greek ‘guarantee’ to support businesses affected by coronavirus
COMPANIES: Commission proposes extension of time limit for convening general meetings of ‘European companies’ in 2020
CYBERSECURITY: EU condemns cyber threat and cyber attack activities
CONSUMERS: online scams and unfair commercial practices during Covid-19 crisis in sights of ECC and European Commission
MEDIA: twenty MEPs call for European fund to aid press
HEALTH: global donor conference to fund universal vaccine and treatment is only a start
HEALTH: fewer meetings for scientific advisory panel
DIGITAL: 117 projects chosen at end of #EUvsVirus hackathon
INSTITUTIONAL
FUTURE OF EU: governments have a responsibility to direct their stimulus plans towards reducing poverty and inequality, says Olivier De Schutter
POLAND: 612 Polish judges call on OSCE to properly monitor presidential election on 10 May
DEMOCRACY: Borrell rejects allegations that a report on disinformation was ‘watered down’ following Chinese pressure
SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: Commission and some MEPs support mobilisation of agricultural crisis reserve
FISHERIES: MEPs call for ‘safeguard clause’ linking EU/UK trade agreement to access to water and fish
FISHERIES: European Ombudsman calls on EU Council to release documents on fisheries quotas
COHESION: Manolis Kefaloyiannis proposes substantial increase in budget of Just Transition Fund
REGIONS: Commission proposes 279 million euros in aid for four countries affected by bad weather in 2019
MIGRATION: EPP say asylum seekers have to be fairly distributed among Member States, but other forms of assistance are possible
JHA: European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties will decide on possible resumption of its most sensitive work in videoconference format
CLIMATE: to comply with Paris Agreement, global emissions would have to be reduced by 40-50% by 2030, according to a new study
DEVELOPMENT: Covid-19, UNDP highlights huge disparities in ability of countries to cope and recover
EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM: first meeting of Specialised Committee on Protocol on Northern Ireland
TRADE: 2019 confirms the intensification of trade defence activities
UNITED STATES: Washington still annoyed by EU geographical indication protection policy, report says
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
TAXATION: Italian-Portuguese double taxation regime is in conformity with EU law, according to Court of Justice
EMPLOYMENT: Working Time Directive applies to Hungarian police officers guarding external borders of Schengen area, says Court of Justice
INDUSTRY: advocate general clarifies concept of a diesel engine defeat device
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: Covid-19, Commission guidelines on rural development in candidate countries
COUNCIL OF THE EU: Mr Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen remains Secretary-General for another five years
ENERGY: European Ombudsman grants Commission a new deadline for its inquiry into fourth PCI list
COMPANIES: European investor group calls on European Commission not to delay implementation of Shareholder Rights Directive
SPACE: Arianespace to resume its launch campaigns at Guiana Space Center
FINANCE: ‘BlackRock’ affair, European Ombudsman will not open an inquiry for now
TAXATION: Poland is considering a ‘Netflix tax’
TAXATION: European Commission to present three tax initiatives this summer
MIGRATION: asylum applications drop 43% in EU in March 2020 as a result of Covid-19
NICARAGUA: Member States said to have initiated procedure leading to targeted sanctions
WTO: entry into force of multi-party appeal arbitration
RESEARCH: Commission provides further €150 million to fund new Covid-19 innovations
SYRIA: EU condemns attack on Afrin market
CALENDAR
Main activities of European Institutions: from 04/05 to 10/05/2020
CALENDAR EXTRA
Other Events: until 10 May 2020