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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12625

18 December 2020
Contents Publication in full By article 23 / 41
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY / Companies
European Parliament calls for update of SME strategy in light of Covid-19
Brussels, 17/12/2020 (Agence Europe)

In a report adopted on Wednesday 16 December (533 votes in favour, 58 against, 82 abstentions), the European Parliament has called for a review of the strategy for SMEs to take account of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the first point of the report, MEPs insisted on the need to “update” the strategy that was presented last March (see EUROPE B12431A11), while continuing to maintain a focus on the dual green and digital transition. Within this context, they asked the...

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
CLIMATE: EU environment ministers reach a political agreement on entire ‘Climate Act’
ENVIRONMENT: political agreement in EU Council on amendment of ‘Aarhus’ Regulation to improve NGOs access to justice
ENVIRONMENT: EU Council indicates path to follow for a green and circular post-Covid-19 economic recovery
ENVIRONMENT: EU Council adopts conclusions on ‘green’ digitisation to reconcile two priority transitions
AGRICULTURE: EUR 182.9 million for promotion of European agri-food products
FISHERIES: EU ministers agree on 7.5% reduction in fishing effort in Mediterranean by 2021
HEALTH: European Commission moves towards seventh vaccine against Covid-19
ENERGY: Twenty-two Member States commit to an ‘important project of common European interest’ for hydrogen
TRANSPORT: use of airport slots, European Commission paves way for gradual return to normality
SPACE: Josef Aschbacher appointed head of ESA
EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM: European Parliament sets Sunday 20 December as deadline for considering a possible agreement on post-Brexit relationship
BELARUS: EU sanctions seven entities and 29 additional individuals
SERBIA: Olivér Várhelyi calls on new Serbian government to continue its efforts
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
CLIMATE: European Parliament calls on EU to strengthen its action on adaptation to climate change
BETTER REGULATION: European Parliament ready to negotiate on reform of comitology procedure
TRANSPORT: European Parliament set to approve similar position to that of EU Council on transport emergency measures after Brexit
TRANSPORT: Channel Tunnel, MEPs approve temporary measures on certificates and licences
GMO: European Parliament vetoes authorisation of five glyphosate-tolerant transgenic soybean and maize varieties
ENVIRONMENT: European Parliament calls for Water Framework Directive to be finally complied with no later than 2027
CHINA: situation of Uighurs, MEPs call for sanctions
IRAN: EU calls for immediate and unconditional release of Sakharov Prize winner Nasrin Sotoudeh
BUDGET: European Parliament considers European Council’s interpretative declaration on ‘Rule of law’ mechanism to be superfluous
COMPANIES: European Parliament calls for update of SME strategy in light of Covid-19
COMPANIES: European Parliament adopts position on sustainable corporate governance
MIGRATION: European Parliament confirms its message on current shortcomings of asylum and return policy
GENDER EQUALITY: European Parliament calls for creation of EU Council configuration dedicated to gender equality
SOCIAL - CULTURE
SOCIAL: European Parliament and EU Council set trigger threshold at 200 for post-2020 Globalisation Adjustment Fund for dismissed workers
CULTURE: European Commission sees no need to extend term of protection in audiovisual sector
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
INDUSTRY: Court says tampering with vehicle emission control systems is illegal under EU law
MIGRATION: Hungary has failed to fulfil several of its obligations under EU law on asylum and returns, Court rules
POLAND: Prohibiting a right of appeal against decisions on appointments of Supreme Court judges violates EU law
MALTA: Prime Minister’s role in appointment of Maltese judges not necessarily contrary to EU law, according to Advocate General
AGRICULTURE: CJEU considers that PDO also protects appearance of products in certain cases
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
COMPETITION: European Commission clears Google’s acquisition of Fitbit subject to conditions 
TAXATION: EU Council makes appointment with US tax authorities on FATCA legislation
NEWS BRIEFS
EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Charles Michel isolates himself after having been in contact with Emmanuel Macron, who tested positive for Covid-19
BUDGET: EU Council formally adopts 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework
NIGERIA: EU calls for immediate release of all abducted children in Kankara by Boko Haram
EPP: European Parliament’s EPP Group strips Hungarian Tamás Deutsch of some of his rights but does not exclude him
RUSSIA: EU formally extends economic sanctions
TRANSPORT: EU Council formally adopts decision making 2021 European Year of Rail