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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12604
Contents Publication in full By article 27 / 28
NEWS BRIEFS / Wto

WTO observes a decrease in trade restrictions between mid-May and mid-October 2020

18/11/2020 (Agence Europe) – Trade-restrictive measures slowed from mid-May to mid-October 2020 among G20 countries, according to a report released 18 November by the World Trade Organization (WTO). These import barriers fell by 90% over this period compared to the previous year, a drop attributed to the slowdown in trade. However, the WTO’s finding is qualified by the fact that measures in favour of imports have fallen even further (95%). While the WTO states that most actions relating...

Contents

ECONOMY - FINANCE
ECONOMY: Member States’ budgetary measures to support their economies must be temporary, without being too short, insists the Commission
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
COHESION: interim agreement reached between European Parliament and EU Council on REACT-EU Regulation
BUDGET: European Council could discuss deadlock on 2021-2027 MFF and EU Recovery Plan on Thursday 19 November
HEALTH: European Commission sets common quality criteria for antigen tests
STATE AID: green light for €22.2 million Cypriot term loan to Hermes Airports Limited
EXTERNAL ACTION
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: United States, Afghanistan, multilateralism and discussion with al-Maliki on EU Council’s agenda
DEVELOPMENT: EU contribution to global response to Covid-19 crisis will dominate ministerial meeting on 23 November
UNITED STATES: Member States’ Ambassadors to the EU approve lowering of certain tariffs with US
SECURITY - DEFENCE
DEFENCE: permanent structured cooperation and strategic compass on European Defence Ministers’ agenda
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: Pact on Migration and Asylum, German Presidency now focusing on ‘progress report’ rather than on general political agreement in December
MIGRATION: Frontex agency compromised again by revelations about refoulements of migrants in Aegean Sea
INDUSTRY: EU Ministers to discuss update to industrial strategy
DIGITAL: European Data Protection Supervisor delivers a preliminary opinion on European Health Data Space
JUSTICE: German Presidency of EU Council is working on clarifying relations between European Public Prosecutor’s Office and non-participating Member States
CLIMATE: ‘climate law’, green light from Member States’ ambassadors to start trilogues 
CLIMATE: aid granted for fossil fuels may jeopardise development of renewable energies, warns Climate Transparency
ENVIRONMENT: PAN Europe calls on Commission to take legal action against Member States that violate ‘Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive’
FISHERIES: EU total allowable catch system on verge of imploding, according to report
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: outlook is bleak, according to European Commission’s Joint Employment Report
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: pending EU’s 2021-2030 strategy on rights of people with disabilities, national ombudspersons put forward their recommendations
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
SOCIAL: Court believes a national collective agreement may only grant additional maternity leave to mothers
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
HUMAN RIGHTS-SOCIETY: Council of Europe reaffirms its commitment to protection of children against sexual abuse and warns about images produced by children themselves
INSTITUTIONAL: Germany takes over presidency of Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: European Commission approves two geographical indications from Spain and Hungary
DEFENCE: around 40 NGOs concerned about human rights implications of planned European Peace Facility
SPACE: inquiry commission launched into failure of Vega launcher
WTO: WTO observes a decrease in trade restrictions between mid-May and mid-October 2020
SOCIAL: EU Council definitively adopts extension of European Network of Public Employment Services until end of 2027