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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12842
Contents Publication in full By article 28 / 31
NEWS BRIEFS / Wto

Response to Covid-19, WTO members want to build on “momentum” after postponement of 12th Ministerial Conference

29/11/2021 (Agence Europe) – Trade ministers from World Trade Organization (WTO) members will not meet in Geneva for the 12th Ministerial Conference this week. This was postponed for the second time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On health, delegations at the WTO want to build on the “momentum” to reach an agreement on patents on Covid-19 vaccines. However, at a meeting at the WTO on 29 November, opponents and supporters of lifting patents each maintained their position. According to a Geneva official, the EU has reiterated its request to find common ground between lifting on the one hand and patent protection on the other. South Africa, on the other hand, pointed to “the WTO’s inability to act in solidarity in times of international crises”. (LM)

Contents

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
WOMEN’S RIGHTS: EU Member States urged to support Slovenian compromise proposal on pay transparency
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: World Health Assembly, Charles Michel reiterates EU’s preference for a binding treaty on pandemics
SECTORAL POLICIES
DIGITAL: EU Member States to decide on a high common level of cybersecurity on 3 December
DIGITAL: artificial intelligence, EU ministers to take stock of EU Council Presidency’s work on 3 December
AGRICULTURE: EU Member States adopt new CAP regulations
FISHERIES: MEPs call for EU action on cormorant proliferation
ENERGY: EU launch of a ‘Clean Hydrogen Partnership’
SECURITY - DEFENCE
CAR: EU-trained units cooperate with Wagner Group
SECURITY: Ursula von der Leyen wants to strengthen EU/NATO cooperation on hybrid threats
EXTERNAL ACTION
MEDITERRANEAN: UfM members highlight their determination to work together
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban ask EU for help in keeping Afghan airports open
INDO-PACIFIC: MEPs want EU to be fully engaged in Indo-Pacific
EDUCATION - YOUTH - CULTURE - SPORT
EDUCATION: EU Member States promote “blended learning” and adult education
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: agreement possible over reform of EU fiscal rules, say Le Maire and Donohoe
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: digital platform workers, several Member States and MEPs expect an “ambitious” proposal from European Commission
NEWS BRIEFS
LATIN AMERICA: EU/Latin America and Caribbean mini-summit on Thursday 2 December by video conference
BANKS: Finance Ministers’ dinner on banking union on 6 December
COURT OF AUDITORS: EU Court of Auditors to explain accusations of abuse on Tuesday 30 November
UNITED STATES: European Commission publishes suspension of additional customs duties on certain US products
ENERGY: European Commission consults on EU energy diplomacy
ENERGY: nuclear safety, European regulators publish review of Belarusian national action plan
SPACE: Copernicus, reflection will begin on alternative scenarios in absence of a UK contribution
INDUSTRY: Thierry Breton wants twice as many European “unicorns”
YOUTH: EU Member States still undecided on position to adopt regarding budget for European Year of Youth 2022
MEDIA: sixteen news agencies to create a “European newsroom” by mid-2022
MIGRATION: France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany commit to strengthening cooperation against smuggling networks
MOLDOVA: European and Moldovan Parliaments to strengthen their cooperation
WTO: response to Covid-19, WTO members want to build on “momentum” after postponement of 12th Ministerial Conference
RUSSIA: EU to renew its request for WTO arbitration panel against Russia
TRANSPORT: ACEA warns EU about risk of lack of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles
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