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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12670

4 March 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 38 / 38
NEWS BRIEFS / Regions
Regional disparities remain high in EU

03/03/2021 (Agence Europe) – Regional GDP per capita was between 32 and 260% of the EU average in 2019, according to the latest figures published by the EU Statistical Office (Eurostat) on Wednesday 3 March. The poorest region is north-west Bulgaria, while the richest is the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Regional GDP per person employed ranged from €12,700 in north-central Bulgaria to €205,500 in the south of Ireland, while the EU average was €66,800. For more information:...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
ECONOMY: European Commission suggests continuing freeze of Stability and Growth Pact into 2022
INSTITUTIONAL
EPP: at Viktor Orbán’s request, MEPs from Hungarian Fidesz party leave EPP group in European Parliament
FUTURE OF EU: Conference on Future of Europe, political agreement in EU Council on draft interinstitutional declaration
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: Commission will propose creation of a European disability card by end of 2023
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: EU Council plans to hold annual debates on applying Charter of Fundamental Rights
EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM: European Commission denounces London’s unilateral decision to extend flexibility period for certain controls in Northern Ireland
UKRAINE: Mr Michel's visit to highlight EU support
CENTRAL AFRICA: AU and EU call on all Central African actors to work together to finalise electoral process
WTO: EU Covid-19 vaccine export regime criticised at WTO 
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: Member States give green light for future VAT cooperation framework with China
TAXATION: EU Council ready to negotiate public country by country reporting with European Parliament
TAXATION: state of advancement on digital taxation expected at next ‘Ecofin’ Council meeting
FINANCE: in wake of ‘Wirecard’ case, ESMA proposes several amendments to ‘Transparency’ Directive
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: in absence of tangible progress, a simple progress report is scheduled for EU Member States on 12 March
DIGITAL: draft conclusions on Cybersecurity Strategy for 2030 on track in EU Council
DIGITAL: EuroHPC – EU Council Presidency suggests greater EU involvement in acquisition of quantum computers 
DIGITAL: EU Council continues discussions on data retention
FISHERIES: Member States endorse compromise text between institutions on EMFAF 2021-2027
FISHERIES: mandate for negotiations with United Kingdom on 2021 quotas supported by EU countries
INDUSTRY: Battery Alliance, European Commission wants to focus on skills in national recovery plans
ENERGY: energy system integration, MEPs want to strengthen energy efficiency first principle
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: focusing on recycling alone would be a mistake, according to Portuguese Presidency of EU Council and Commission
ENVIRONMENT: European ministers to debate role of recovery plans in ecological transition on 18 March
BIODIVERSITY: European Commission reiterates its call for mobilisation for nature and an ambitious COP15
REGIONS: Committee of the Regions launches ‘regional hubs 2.0’ to monitor EU legislation
SPACE: Eurospace publishes its manifesto for a European response on space traffic management
SECURITY - DEFENCE
CSDP: MPCC has fallen behind in its deployment
NEWS BRIEFS
HOME AFFAIRS: German government does not intend to give up its internal border controls
AGRICULTURE: European Commission study evaluates EU framework on geographical indications
AGRICULTURE: Farm Europe finds European Commission’s 2021 promotion policy unbalanced
ARMENIA: Borrell calls for dialogue
MYANMAR: EU condemns continuing violent repression
CLIMATE: rate of reduction of emissions from fossil fuels must be increased tenfold to comply with Paris agreement, according to new study
ENERGY: ‘Renewable Hydrogen Coalition’ publishes a “policy charter” to develop renewable hydrogen
TAXATION: European Commission proposes to renew dock dues scheme in French outermost regions
MIGRATION: Frontex director to be interviewed on Thursday 4 March by European Parliament’s fact-finding group
NEAR EAST: in 2020, cost of Israeli demolitions of EU-funded structures amounted to more than 300,000 euros
REGIONS: regional disparities remain high in EU