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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12651

5 February 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 32 / 39
NEWS BRIEFS / Energy
Energy Charter Treaty, German multinational RWE attacks Netherlands over coal phase-out

04/02/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 2 February, German energy giant RWE filed a request for arbitration against the Netherlands under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) over the country's decision to discontinue coal-fired generation of power by 2030. According to the Dutch Minister of Economy and Climate, Bas van 't Wout, the company is claiming €1.4 billion in damages from the Dutch state. While Member States are currently discussing the revision of the ECT (see EUROPE B12646A7),...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: Ms von der Leyen will explain European strategy for vaccination against Covid-19 to European Parliament plenary session on 10 February
DEVELOPMENT: Covid-19, MEPs call on EU to do more to ensure poor countries’ access to vaccines
TRADE: EU still firmly opposed to lifting intellectual property rights on vaccines
COHESION:  Elisa Ferreira insists on importance of involving territories in European Recovery Plan
STATE AID: green light for €300 million of Austrian support for package travel organisers
DEAL EU/UK
UNITED KINGDOM: post-Brexit agreement with EU, European Parliament committees split between moderate satisfaction and real concerns 
UNITED KINGDOM: Committee on Constitutional Affairs wants European Parliament to be treated on equal footing with EU Council regarding post-Brexit agreement with EU
UNITED KINGDOM: EU ready to be flexible on rules of Northern Ireland Protocol, but without changing it
JUSTICE/HOME AFFAIRS: European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties has doubts about data transfers to UK
SECTORAL POLICIES
FOOD: paradigm shift needed for sustainable food and agriculture, experts told MEPs at hearing
AGRICULTURE: MEPs protest end of hygiene derogation for small slaughterhouses 
AGRICULTURE: CoR and MEPs working towards revitalising rural areas
AGRICULTURE: according to study, implementation of CAP for sustainable soil management can be improved
HEALTH: priorities of Portuguese Presidency of Council of EU largely influenced by Covid-19
CLIMATE/TRADE: MEPs agree on shape of carbon border adjustment mechanism
CLIMATE: Marie Toussaint welcomes French court’s decision to condemn State for climate inaction
ENERGY: despite a decline, share of fossil fuels in EU’s gross energy still stood at 71% in 2019, according to Eurostat
ENVIRONMENT: EEA underlines importance of adopting an approach from design stage for safe and sustainable products
HOME AFFAIRS: Frontex must become irreproachable very quickly, requests Portuguese Minister of Interior
JUSTICE: European Parliament should receive EU Council documents on appointments to European Public Prosecutor's Office next week
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: Mrs Nahles proposes a European exchange programme for leaders of social partner organisations
INSTITUTIONAL
TRANSPARENCY: Transparency International puts new spotlight on transparency and accountability in European public life
SECURITY - DEFENCE
NATO: Jens Stoltenberg promises Alliance will prioritise climate change
EXTERNAL ACTION
AFGHANISTAN: EU announces further €32 million in humanitarian aid
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: European Parliament in favour of extensive exchange of tax information on revenues from digital platforms
FINANCE: EIOPA approves technical standards for Key Information Document for PRIIPs
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: national sports federation subject to control of a sufficiently influential public authority may be subject to EU law
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: European Commission approves two new geographical indications from France and Croatia
COHESION: European Commission consults on improving open data platform on ESI funds
COMPETITION: current rules are already helping to make our economy greener, according to Margrethe Vestager
DEFENCE: trio Presidency of EU Council discuss European policy
ENERGY: Energy Charter Treaty, German multinational RWE attacks Netherlands over coal phase-out
ECUADOR: European Parliament will not observe general elections
JUSTICE: MEPs give green light to agreements on ‘Justice’ and ‘Rights and Values’ programmes 2021–2027
KAZAKHSTAN: EU welcomes lifting of restrictions against human rights NGOs
MEDITERRANEAN: further preparatory discussions between Turkey and Greece could take place at end of February or early March
DIGITAL: Franco-German call for projects on artificial intelligence
RESEARCH: 43 training programmes supported to tune of €100 million, as part of Horizon 2020
SOCIAL: European trade unions rather disappointed by action plan to fight cancer