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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12678

16 March 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 1 / 33
EXTERNAL ACTION / United kingdom
Commission formally launches infringement proceedings against London for breach of Northern Ireland Protocol 
Brussels, 15/03/2021 (Agence Europe)

On Monday 15 March, the European Commission confirmed its legal action against the UK over its latest decisions on the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Withdrawal Agreement (see EUROPE B12670A6) and launched the first phase of an infringement proceeding.

The Commission criticises London for having unilaterally decided to extend the grace periods (of three months) provided for in the Protocol by a further six months, thereby postponing the full implementation of the customs controls...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM: Commission formally launches infringement proceedings against London for breach of Northern Ireland Protocol 
SYRIA: conflict far from over, warns EU
SECURITY - DEFENCE
NATO: Stoltenberg calls for a stronger relationship with EU
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: ministers agree on objectives of social Action Plan, less on means
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
ECONOMY: Eurogroup calls for expansionary fiscal stance in 2021 and 2022
HEALTH: a dozen countries have already stopped inoculation of vaccine produced by AstraZeneca
HEALTH: MEP Chrysoula Zacharopoulou EU candidate for Co-Chair of the COVAX Facility Shareholders Council
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: EU27 ready to offer broader partnerships to third countries to improve cooperation on migration
HOME AFFAIRS: Ireland joins Schengen Information System
AGRICULTURE: Portuguese Presidency of EU Council presents MEPs with compromises on post-2020 direct payments
FISHERIES: no consensus at regional level on protecting yellowfin tuna in Indian Ocean
ENVIRONMENT: 8th Environmental Action Programme, Member States expected to give green light on 17 March to negotiate with European Parliament
ENVIRONMENT: EU Council conclusions on Sustainable Chemicals Strategy underline urgent need for action
CLIMATE: still no major progress in interinstitutional negotiations on ‘Climate Law’
TRANSPORT: scope, regime and variation of charges on agenda of next inter-institutional meeting on ‘Eurovignette’
ENERGY: Portuguese Presidency of EU Council proposes to amend categories of energy infrastructure in TEN-E Regulation revision
RESEARCH: European Commission adopts first “strategic plan” to focus spending of Horizon Europe budget
CUSTOMS: European Commission launches first stage of its new Import Control System
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: European Parliament starts its reflection on sustainable tax system in post-Covid-19 economy
COMPANIES: European Commission promises to ensure consistency of future sustainability legislation
COMPANIES: new waves of coronavirus hit SME morale
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
GENDER EQUALITY: first overview in European Parliament on proposed directive on transparency of remuneration
DEMOGRAPHY: almost 30,000 Britons acquired EU nationality in 2019 
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
POLAND: Council of Europe urges Warsaw to adopt measures to provide access to lawful abortion
NEWS BRIEFS
BOLIVIA: EU concerned about preventive detention of former interim President, Jeanine Añez
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: EU Council adopts recommendations on equality and inclusion of Romani
ENERGY: revision of TEN-E Regulation, first exchange of views between MEPs on 25 March
FINANCE: Natasha Cazenave shortlisted for post of Executive Director at ESMA
HONG KONG: G7 Foreign Ministers gravely concerned about electoral reform
INDUSTRY: construction industry calls for better one-stop-shops in ‘Renovation Wave’
INDUSTRY: European Commission consults on acceptance of UNECE approvals of non-road mobile machinery engines
YEMEN: EU calls on government to discuss a ceasefire
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