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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12663

23 February 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 20 / 30
SECTORAL POLICIES / Energy
Nearly €440 million of EU gas subsidies have been wasted, says Global Witness
Brussels, 22/02/2021 (Agence Europe)

Since 2013, the European Union has spent nearly €440 million on fossil gas infrastructure projects that have failed (‘stranded assets’) or are at risk of failure, according to an analysis by international NGO Global Witness published on Monday 22 February. 

According to this analysis, out of the €5 billion in grants and subsidised loans provided by the EU to 41 gas projects, €439 million has been given to seven gas projects that never got off the ground or were built, but...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
RUSSIA: European ministers of Foreign Affairs agree on sanctions in Navalny affair
MYANMAR: EU foreign ministers agree to punish those responsible for military coup d’état
VENEZUELA: EU now sanctions 55 Maduro regime officials
DRC: EU shocked by attack on a WFP convoy that left three people dead, including Italian ambassador
UNITED KINGDOM: Northern Ireland Protocol is neither renegotiable nor amendable, says European Parliament
SECURITY - DEFENCE
CSDP: EEAS recommends strengthening and extending mandate of EUBAM Libya until June 2023
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH INTERVIEW: “When we look back, it looks as if we’re more alarmist now than at the beginning” of the Covid-19 pandemic, admits ECDC Director, Andrea Ammon
ECONOMY: social dimension of European Recovery Plan highlighted in European Parliament 
INDUSTRY: Covid-19 vaccines, working group led by Thierry Breton is focusing on first quarter of year
SECTORAL POLICIES
FISHERIES: EU Ministers hope for a quick agreement with United Kingdom on 2021 quotas and discuss agreements with Norway and Mauritania
FISHERIES: European Commission “concerned” about certain amendments on controls by MEPs
AGRICULTURE: EU/Mercosur trade agreement could be “detrimental to EU young farmers’ stability”, according to CEJA
SPACE/DEFENCE: European Commission launches its first action plan to encourage civil, military and space synergies
TRANSPORT: draft report to European Parliament on future of maritime transport is less severe than announced concerning fossil fuels
TRANSPORT: EU Member States are moving further away from original proposal on use of vehicles hired without drivers for carriage of goods by road
ENVIRONMENT: EU Council draft conclusions on 8th EAP provide for a review of programme by end of March 2025 at latest
ENVIRONMENT: launch of Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency
ENERGY: Renovation Wave strategy, Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU presents Member States with first draft of conclusions
ENERGY: EU Council approves continued EU funding for ITER project for 2021-2027
ENERGY: nearly €440 million of EU gas subsidies have been wasted, says Global Witness
CONSUMERS: EU Council adopts conclusions supporting new EU policy 2021-2025
MIGRATION: European Parliament enquiry group on Frontex agency starts activities on 23 February
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: coordination of social security systems, Portuguese EU Council Presidency is sounding out Member States for a new negotiating mandate
SOCIAL: European trade unions want to tackle status of digital platform workers
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
WOMEN: European Parliament is looking into issue of child custody rights in domestic violence situations
NEWS BRIEFS
HORN OF AFRICA: European Foreign Affairs Ministers are very concerned about report by Pekka Haavisto on situation in Tigray
HUMAN RIGHTS: Council of the EU reaffirms Union’s commitments in context of post-Covid recovery
TAXATION: EU Council formally adopts revised ‘black’ list of tax havens
INDONESIA: World Trade Organization opens panel to examine disputes with EU 
FISHERIES: MEPs validate compromise between EU institutions on 2021-2027 funds