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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12675

11 March 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 15 / 39
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / State aid
Covid-19, Italy authorised to pay €511 million for rail passenger transport providers
Brussels, 10/03/2021 (Agence Europe)

The European Commission authorised, on Wednesday 10 March, an Italian State aid of €511 million to compensate providers of commercial, long-distance rail passenger services for the damage suffered between 8 March and 30 June 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak and the restrictive measures that Italy had to implement.

For the Executive Vice-President for Competition Policy, Margrethe Vestager, competition in the high-speed segment in Italy has been key to develop services with more...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
HUMANITARIAN AID: Commission proposes to recalibrate European and international aid to meet unprecedented humanitarian needs
ETHIOPIA/HORN OF AFRICA: Tigray, draft Council conclusions urge Ethiopian government to cooperate with UN and humanitarian actors
UNITED KINGDOM: new controversy between EU and London after Charles Michel’s criticism of British export restrictions on Covid-19 vaccines
TRADE: French MPs concerned about progress on EU/Mercosur agreement
CHINA: EPP group in European Parliament promotes strategy of ‘cooperation, competition and confrontation’ with Beijing
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
FUTURE OF EU: Conference on the future of Europe will kick off on 9 May
MEDIA: Vera Jourova proposes expanding Commission’s “toolbox” for enforcing press freedom in EU
CLIMATE/TRADE: MEPs adopt report on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
SOCIAL: MEPs want more ambition in Action Plan for implementation of European Pillar of Social Rights
COMPANIES: MEPs unite in support of mandatory due diligence for companies
SYRIA: in front of MEPs, Mr Borrell acknowledges EU’s powerlessness
TAXATION: European Parliament adopts its opinion on exchange of information on revenues from digital platforms
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: EU Council Legal Service validates legal basis chosen for draft directive on minimum wages 
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: European Commission announces 4 million additional doses of BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine by the end of March
STATE AID: Covid-19, Italy authorised to pay €511 million for rail passenger transport providers
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: EU Interior Ministers will focus on return of irregular migrants
JUSTICE: data retention, fundamental rights and judicial training on EU ministers’ agenda
DIGITAL: EU data protection bodies suggest improvements to data governance act
TRANSPORT: Portuguese Presidency of EU Council hopes to finally reach an agreement on Connecting Europe Facility
TRANSPORT: nine Member States call on European Commission to set a deadline for sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission publishes its third report on persistent organic pollutants
CLIMATE: coalition of national climate advisory bodies calls on EU to establish ‘European Climate Change Council’
AGRICULTURE: EU ministers to discuss measures to combat plant pests
AGRICULTURE: ‘Innovation Awards for Women Farmers 2021’ won by Spanish and Italian women
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECB: Greenpeace urges ECB to stop “favouring” fossil industries
EUROGROUP: evolution of budget support in response to Covid-19 pandemic and international role of euro on agenda 
INSTITUTIONAL
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: European Commission reorganises its Directorate-General GROW
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: College appoints a new Director-General for DG DIGIT and a new Deputy Secretary-General
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
MIGRATION: Council of Europe Committee for Prevention of Torture calls for reform of detention system for migrants in Malta
TURKEY: Dunja Mijatović calls on Ankara to suspend implementation of Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
NEWS BRIEFS
MYANMAR: several MEPs call for support for democratic actors
COMPETITION: European Commission’s response to EDF’s reorganisation “does not satisfy us”, says its CEO
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: permanent representatives give green light to draft texts on Romani communities and ageing at EU Council meeting
ENVIRONMENT: Member States give green light for conclusions on EU sustainable chemicals strategy 
UNITED STATES: suspension of tariffs in Airbus/Boeing dispute enters into force
FINANCE: France wants harmonisation between European and American taxonomies on sustainable finance
TAXATION: Commission consults on a further revision of Directive on Administrative Cooperation
LIBYA: EU welcomes appointment of a national unity government
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: extension of special committees