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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12811

14 October 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 26 / 33
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / Economy
€822.7 million paid in pre-financing for Slovak recovery plan

13/10/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 13 October, the European Commission paid out €822.7 million in pre-financing corresponding to 13% of Slovakia’s recovery plan allocation under the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan. The Slovak plan will receive €6.3 billion in EU support, only in the form of grants. More information on this plan: decision: https://bit.ly/3oZ2xO1; and annex: https://bit.ly/3oWvbiX (MB)

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
ENERGY: European Commission presents “toolbox” to combat rising energy prices
ENERGY: ACER recommends encouraging technologies that can “smooth out” the volatility of energy prices in future
ENERGY: energy transition too slow, warns new IEA annual report
ENVIRONMENT: ‘EU regulation on batteries and waste batteries’, draft ‘Bonafé’ report to European Parliament supports and clarifies text
ENVIRONMENT: over 40 organisations urge Stella Kyriakides to ensure independent and up-to-date evaluation of glyphosate
ENVIRONMENT: incineration of residual waste in EU goes against a carbon-free circular economy, says Zero Waste Europe
BIODIVERSITY: European Commission says EU makes progress in tackling invasive alien species, but can do better
AGRICULTURE: ‘Fit for 55’ package, EU Ministers stress need to ensure food security
AGRICULTURE: European Commission expects EU wine production to fall by 13%
DIGITAL: EU Council expects Member States to clarify their approach to artificial intelligence
TRANSPORT: vehicles hired without drivers, EU Council focuses on maximum rental periods
REGIONS: European local and regional authorities under severe financial pressure
COHESION: European Committee of Regions insists on respecting principles of partnership
EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM: European Commission proposes to London a substantial relaxation of health and customs controls between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
ARCTIC: EU calls for moratorium on fossil fuel extraction in Arctic regions
TRADE: G20 ministers want to give impetus to work on WTO reform
TRADE/CLIMATE: several developing countries criticise EU’s proposed carbon border adjustment mechanism
TRADE: Franck Riester calls for support from other Member States for a more sustainable trade policy
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOCRACY: draft report on “SLAPPs” ready to be voted on in European Parliament committee
INSTITUTIONAL
POLAND: Ursula von der Leyen reiterates her serious concerns after Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruling challenging primacy of EU law
BUDGET: European Commission increases spending for 2022 by €1.2 billion
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: more than a quarter of MEPs engage in paid activities outside their mandate, according to Transparency International
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EDUCATION
SOCIAL: social dimension of ‘European Semester’ process and occupational safety and health on ministerial agenda
EDUCATION: European Commission calls on group of experts to create guidelines for promotion of digital literacy in classrooms
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: CureVac withdraws its first Covid-19 vaccine, Commission ‘examines consequences’ on its contract with company
ECONOMY: €822.7 million paid in pre-financing for Slovak recovery plan
COHESION: REACT-EU, European Commission approves €268 million of aid for Spain
NEWS BRIEFS
COURT OF JUSTICE: appointment of two judges to EU General Court
COMPANIES: SMEunited, EBC and LIFE programme join forces to support greening of European construction sector
IRAQ: EU gives preliminary good report on holding of legislative elections
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Manfred Weber re-elected EPP group Chairman in European Parliament
TRANSPORT: European Commission consultation on increasing requirements for event data recorders
TRANSPORT: European Commission consults on making intelligent transport systems more efficient and accurate