login
login

Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12723

21 May 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 8 / 39
EXTERNAL ACTION / Trade
EU Council is optimistic about future relationship with US and work at WTO
Brussels, 20/05/2021 (Agence Europe)

The meeting of EU Trade Ministers on Thursday 20 May gave them a broad overview of current trade issues. The EU’s relationship with the United States featured prominently, including in a video conference with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. 

 “We have seen a willingness to address all differences, with a particular effort on steel and aluminium and civil aviation”, said Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Silva Santos. 

Together, the meeting participants discussed the steel...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HOME AFFAIRS: European Parliament and EU Council reach agreement on ‘European Covid certificate’
HEALTH: Rome summit will establish principles to guide global response to future pandemics
HEALTH: EU Member States support continuation of pooled procurement of vaccines for coming years
SOCIAL: SURE instrument—new European Commission returns to financial markets
COHESION: REACT-EU, European Commission approves modification of French and Czech operational programmes
EXTERNAL ACTION
TRADE: EU Member States are close to an agreement on international procurement instrument
TRADE: EU ministers fail to agree on conclusions of EU trade policy review
TRADE: EU Council is optimistic about future relationship with US and work at WTO
TRADE: MEPs ask Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala about fisheries subsidies and health and environmental issues in trade
UKRAINE: Stefanishyna warns about Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECOFIN: EU’s Finance Ministers and top bankers will discuss fiscal and tax policies to stimulate recovery and ecological transition
COMPETITION: banks fined €371 million for cartel in European government bond trading
STATE AID: Commission approves €22.5 billion Polish scheme to support offshore wind farms
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
MIGRATION: European Parliament criticises “abusive” use of informal cooperation agreements with third countries by European Commission and Member States
MIGRATION: European Parliament calls on Commission to open more channels for legal labour migration into EU
CHINA: European Parliament warns it will not consider investment agreement as long as Chinese sanctions are in place
CAUCASUS: European Parliament calls on Azerbaijan to release detained Armenian civilians and military personnel
DEVELOPMENT: European Parliament calls for renewed EU commitment to step up global fight against AIDS
ENVIRONMENT: parliament calls for stronger EU rules on corporate environmental responsibility
ENVIRONMENT: European Parliament improves revision of ‘Aarhus’ Regulation for public access to justice in line with international law
ENVIRONMENT: Parliament calls for better protection of environmental defenders
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: MEPs speak out against EU’s lack of commitment to inclusion of Romani communities
SOCIAL: European Parliament calls for European national insurance number
DIGITAL: European Parliament calls for clear guidelines on transfer of personal data to US
DIGITAL: European Parliament in favour of resolution to improve use of AI for European consumers
CYBERSECURITY: European Parliament adopts regulation establishing future European Cybersecurity Competence Centre
ECONOMY: European Parliament calls for more transparency on content of EU countries’ recovery plans
REGIONS: European Parliament supports extension of French exemption scheme for outermost regions
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
RULE OF LAW: Advocate General considers Polish practice of seconding judges to higher courts to be contrary to EU law
SECTORAL POLICIES
INDUSTRY: European Commission in motion to promote industrial alliances
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: European Court of Auditors points to flaws in collection of electronic waste in EU
CLIMATE: fifty stakeholders call on EU keep road transport and buildings out of ETS
AGRICULTURE: several NGOs criticise lack of ambition in draft compromise on CAP
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
ECHR: Lockdown does not constitute deprivation of liberty, according to European Court of Human Rights
ADDENDUM
ENERGY: clarification of European Parliament vote on hydrogen report
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy—30 professional associations call for comprehensive impact assessment
DEFENCE: Robert Brieger to become the new Chairman of EU Military Committee
FINANCE: Natasha Cazenave, new Executive Director of ESMA
SEAS: emerging blue economy sectors ready to play a leading role in EU’s green transition