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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12645

28 January 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 19 / 36
EXTERNAL ACTION / Honduras
MEPs back Voluntary Partnership Agreement for timber exports to EU
Brussels, 27/01/2021 (Agence Europe)

On Wednesday 27 January, the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) backed the draft report prepared by Karin Karlsbro (Renew Europe, Sweden) agreeing to ratification of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Union and Honduras.

The purpose of this agreement is to ensure that timber exported to the EU is produced legally. Following the agreement, FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade) licences will be issued, guaranteeing that the...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HOME AFFAIRS: Covid-19, new EU travel restrictions could be approved on 29 January
HEALTH: vaccines against Covid-19, tensions rise between European Commission and AstraZeneca
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOGRAPHY: Commission launches debate on possible European solutions to deal with ageing population
SECTORAL POLICIES
COMPANIES: MEPs give their vision of mandatory due diligence in supply chains
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: MEPs want binding targets to reduce use of raw materials
CONSUMERS: BEUC lodges complaint with European Commission against Nintendo for premature obsolescence of a game console
MIGRATION: situation in Greek island camps continues to worry MEPs
JUSTICE: Council of EU believes it cannot be held responsible for actions of Selection Panel for European Public Prosecutor’s Office
JUSTICE/HOME AFFAIRS: pact on asylum, free movement in Schengen and modernisation of judicial systems on European Ministers’ agenda on Thursday and Friday
TRANSPORT: EU Council paves way for adoption of temporary rules on airport slots for 2021 summer season
ENERGY: hydrogen strategy, European Parliament’s Committee on Environment adopts its position
CLIMATE/ HEALTH: MEPs call on EU and UK to align climate and environmental targets
HEALTH: Corporate Europe Observatory denounces privatisation of healthcare in Europe
HEALTH: medicines shortages continue to worsen in Europe, according to Pharmaceutical Group of EU
AGRICULTURE: EFOW concerned about vine planting authorisation system post-2030
EXTERNAL ACTION
AFRICA: European Parliament Development Committee calls for an EU/Africa partnership of equals, focusing on human development
BELARUS: Belarusian opposition calls on EU to do more
RUSSIA: G7 condemns arrest and detention of Mr Navalny for political reasons
HONDURAS: MEPs back Voluntary Partnership Agreement for timber exports to EU
CHINA: “The EU and China are not systemic rivals”, says Zhang Ming
INSTITUTIONAL
POLAND: European Commission continues to ask Warsaw for explanations on ‘muzzle law’ on Supreme Court judges
BUDGET: Rule of law conditionality, MEPs look at possibility of challenging conclusions of European Council of December 2020
FUTURE OF EU: citizen participation in ‘Conference on the Future of Europe’ under debate in European Parliament
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: appointment of a Director-General in department of interpretation and three new Heads of Representation
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: UK’s post-Brexit tax policy worries MEPs
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
ENVIRONMENT: General Court clarifies concept of administrative act that can be appealed against under ‘Aarhus’ Regulation
ENVIRONMENT: EU General Court annuls decision on air pollution from large combustion plants
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
HEALTH: Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe rejects “vaccine nationalism”
NEWS BRIEFS
ACP: EU mobilises €14.5 million for UN initiative on digital finance in ACP countries
CLIMATE: Member States approve revised negotiating mandate of Portuguese EU Council Presidency for ‘Climate Law’
HUMAN RIGHTS: EU sport ministers call for human rights to be respected at international sporting events
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: 76 years after liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, European Parliament commemorates Holocaust
FINANCE: European Commission adopts equivalence decision for US central counterparties (CCPs)
FISHERIES: anglers from Brittany and Normandy authorised to return to Jersey waters
EMU: maximum intervention of ESM in event of resolution of a banking group in euro area set at €68 billion
CORRIGENDUM
SOCIAL: Nicolas Schmit stresses importance of an approach that is not purely legislative