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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12669

3 March 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 10 / 37
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / Consumers
EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous products increasingly used in Covid-19 pandemic
Brussels, 02/03/2021 (Agence Europe)

In 2020, 2,253 notifications for non-food consumer products posing a risk to health and/or safety were made through the EU’s rapid alert system - known as RAPEX since 2003, but now renamed the ‘Safety Gate’ - according to the annual report published by the European Commission on Tuesday 2 March.

These alerts generated 5,377 follow-up actions (compared with 4,477 in 2019), representing an increase of more than 20% in the number of measures taken to withdraw products before they are...

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
Interview AGRICULTURE: Maria do Céu Antunes believes that March will be decisive for an agreement on post-2020 CAP
AGRICULTURE: Austria receives support in EU Council on its critical view of ‘social cross-compliance’ in CAP
JUSTICE: EU states want to strengthen European judicial training
JUSTICE: appointment of European Delegated Prosecutors in European Public Prosecutor’s Office progressing slowly
SPACE: Member States stumble over role of EUSPA in context of developing European ‘New Space’
REGIONS: European Court of Auditors puzzled by Brexit reserve fund
TRANSPORT: seven years after adoption of urban mobility package, EU policy on urban mobility is struggling to take hold in Member States
ENERGY: CO2 emissions from energy sector are on rise again, according to IEA
ENERGY: electric vehicles consume far less raw materials than fossil-fuel vehicles, according to T&E
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
CONSUMERS: EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous products increasingly used in Covid-19 pandemic
ECONOMY: battle to extend freeze on EU fiscal rules until end of 2022 is won, says Pascal Canfin
HEALTH: Commission sees no contradiction between Austro-Danish approach and EU strategy over Covid-19 vaccines
HEALTH: Covid-19, Nigeria, Angola and Cambodia received AstraZeneca vaccines through Covax
EXTERNAL ACTION
TRADE: Member States welcome EU trade policy review
WTO: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calls for rapid results in fight against Covid-19
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: Commission promises a new European framework reflecting all aspects of international Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
DEMOCRACY: Raphaël Glucksmann calls for greater European political will to combat foreign interference
SECURITY - DEFENCE
CSDP: European External Action Service calls for extension of EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL COPPS Missions
CSDP: High Representative proposes that European Peace Facility deal with weapons seized by EUNAVFOR MED IRINI
INSTITUTIONAL
FUTURE OF EU: Conference on Future of Europe invited to present conclusions “by spring 2022”
EPP: Fidesz’s membership of European People’s Party and its European Parliament group is back on table 
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: first 226 projects of European Technical Support Instrument for reforms unveiled
STATE AID: in-depth investigation into €4.35 billion compensation for early closure of lignite-fired power plants in Germany
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: negotiations between European Parliament and EU Council on coordination of social security systems continue to stall
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
POLAND: various Polish reforms of Judiciary Council undermine principles of judicial independence and confidence in Rule of law
JUSTICE: Court specifies strict conditions for access to personal data in context of criminal investigations
BANKS: measures taken by private Italian FITD bank deposit guarantee fund do not constitute State Aid, confirms Court of Justice
NEWS BRIEFS
HOME AFFAIRS: European Parliament committee to take Commission to court over lack of full visa reciprocity between EU and US
CAMBODIA: EU calls for process of national reconciliation
CHINA: 100 new geographical indications between China and EU have entered into force
CLIMATE: Portuguese EU Council Presidency wishes to adopt conclusions on adapting to climate change in June 
DEVELOPMENT: Lorenzo Natali Prize 2021 is open for applications until 19 April
GEORGIA: according to Mr Michel, national political dialogue has been relaunched
JUSTICE: Eurojust welcomes mandate given to Commission to negotiate cooperation agreements with thirteen third countries
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: ECR Group in European Parliament gains an MEP 
RUSSIA: Navalny case—EU sanctions four senior Russian officials
SOCIAL: European Commission launches public consultation on action plan for social economy