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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12672

6 March 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 2 / 34
EXTERNAL ACTION / Trade
Italy justifies blocking export of Covid-19 vaccines to Australia
Brussels, 05/03/2021 (Agence Europe)

“It is unacceptable that pharmaceutical groups do not respect their contractual commitments”, said Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Friday 5 March.

His country had blocked the previous week the export of 250,000 doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine to Australia (see EUROPE B12671A9). Italy justifies this blockage by a lack of vaccines available in the EU, whereas in Australia the need for vaccines is less pressing. The European Commission did not oppose the decision.

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED STATES: EU and Washington suspend punitive tariffs in Airbus/Boeing dispute for 4 months
TRADE: Italy justifies blocking export of Covid-19 vaccines to Australia
UNITED KINGDOM: Northern Ireland protocol, Commission pursues infringement proceeding against London 
HONG KONG: EU warns Beijing about consequences of a reform of Hong Kong electoral system
SYRIA: EU adopts €130 million aid plan to support refugees and local communities in Jordan and Lebanon
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
MEDIA: in European Parliament, citizens and journalists depict a Slovenian media landscape undermined by political interference
WOMEN: Covid-19 crisis has more severe consequences for women, confirms European Commission
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: Frontex’s internal report does not yet make it possible to remove grey areas in cases of alleged violations of rules at EU’s borders 
AGRICULTURE: a ‘super trilogue’ between EU institutions on 26 March to make progress in CAP negotiations
AGRICULTURE: European Green Party reacts to Hungarian attacks on its report on destination of EU funds
AGRICULTURE: biodiversity strategy, MEPs call for assurances for agriculture
CLIMATE: faced with criticism from MEPs, Frans Timmermans defends Commission’s position in negotiations on ‘Climate Law’
GMO: European Parliament called on to oppose authorisation of glufosinate-resistant maize and cotton
ENVIRONMENT: pesticides, European Parliament could oppose extension of authorisation of nine active substances, including dimoxystrobin
ENERGY: European regulators’ recommendations to improve TEN-E network reform
INTERNAL MARKET: European Commission adopts new guidelines on free movement of goods
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: MEPs want more ambition in Action Plan for implementation of European Pillar of Social Rights
SOCIAL: European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan was rather well received by social partners
SOCIAL: MEPs are rather opposed to creation of a third status for platform workers
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: modalities of Next Generation EU, structural funds, and InvestEU support should have been defined together, says José Manuel Fernandes
EMU: MEPs set out measures that would enable single currency to play greater international role 
TAXATION: European Commission gives taste of its thinking on business taxation for 21st century
COMPETITION: public consultation on application of right to collective agreements for self-employed workers
INSTITUTIONAL
PARLIAMENTARY PLENARY: carbon border adjustment mechanism, due diligence for companies and ‘European Semester’ on March plenary session agenda
BETTER REGULATION: ‘FitforFuture’ platform will make recommendations to simplify fifteen European legislative acts 
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
WOMEN: Istanbul Convention is essential in combating violence against women, recalls Council of Europe
NEWS BRIEFS
CYPRUS: EU ready to actively help resumption of talks over island reunification
FINANCE: GameStop case highlights discrimination of retail investors in stock markets, says BETTER FINANCE
DIGITAL: European publishers “deeply concerned” about Google’s future advertising targeting system
PARLIAMENT: discreet invitation from ECR group in European Parliament to Hungarian MEPs who have left EPP group 
SOCIAL: MEPs give go-ahead for Interinstitutional Agreement on European Social Fund plus
UKRAINE: EU Council lifts sanctions against Mr Arbuzov and Mr Tabachnyk 
CALENDAR
Main activities of European Institutions: until 12 March 2021
CALENDAR EXTRA
Other events: until 12 March 2021