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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12855

17 December 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 19 / 36
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY / Trade
MEPs call for strengthening of Kimberley Process for diamond certification
Brussels, 16/12/2021 (Agence Europe)

MEPs adopted a motion for a resolution on the Kimberley Process for the certification of diamonds with 668 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions. This international negotiating forum of governments, the diamond industry and civil society created an international diamond certification scheme (KPCS) in 2003. The aim is to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the international market. 

In their resolution, MEPs call for the definition of conflict diamonds to be revised “as a...

Contents

EUROPEAN COUNCIL
ENERGY: rising energy prices, EU Member State leaders in a deadlock
HEALTH: in response to Omicron variant, EU leaders want to accelerate “vaccination for all” and coordinate travel restrictions
UKRAINE: EU leaders threaten Russia with sanctions if there is further aggression against Ukraine
DEFENCE: European leaders argue for both greater EU autonomy and cooperation with NATO
MIGRATION: Member States call for more results regarding returns of migrants to countries of origin and transit
EMU: euro area countries take pulse of macroeconomic situation
EU INSTITUTIONS: signing of interinstitutional declaration on EU legislative priorities for 2022
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
ECB: Monetary Institute sets end of March 2022 as end of PEPP programme created to tackle Covid-19 pandemic
TRANSPORT: European Commission extends slot relief rules for airlines
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: European Parliament and EU Council reach “surprise” political agreement on social security coordination regulation
EMPLOYMENT: European Parliament and EU Council reached a provisional agreement on 4th revision of Directive on protection at work from carcinogens or mutagens
EXTERNAL ACTION
EASTERN PARTNERSHIP: EU stands by partner countries
TRADE: public procurement instrument, co-legislators want to reach agreement by next spring
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
UKRAINE: European Parliament condemns Russian military build-up on border
WESTERN BALKANS: European Parliament calls for efforts to fight organised crime
SLOVENIA: European Parliament still concerned about state of rule of law in Slovenia
MIGRATION: migrants at Belarusian border—MEPs reiterate their concerns about exceptional measures granted to Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia
HUMANITARIAN AID: a strong and flexible humanitarian budget, a priority of European Parliament for future EU humanitarian action
TRADE: MEPs call for strengthening of Kimberley Process for diamond certification
NICARAGUA: European Parliament urges EU to directly sanction Daniel Ortega
EMPLOYMENT: European Parliament calls for a framework Directive to strengthen workers’ information and consultation rights
ENERGY: European Parliament adopts recommendations on implementation of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
ANIMAL HEALTH: MEPs call for EU-wide ban on use of wild animals in circuses
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: European Commission unveils new EU financial reporting strategy
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
STATE AID: decision holding that tax ruling granted to Fiat by Luxembourg was illegal should be annulled, according to Advocate General of Court of Justice
SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: €185.9 million for promotion of EU agri-food products in 2022
ENVIRONMENT: EU Member States’ progress towards achieving good water status by 2027 is still too slow, says Commission
ENERGY: second part of European Commission’s ‘Fit for 55’ package receives a mixed reception
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: with EU and Council of Europe support, Tunisia launches national mechanism to protect human trafficking victims
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: administrative burden limits efficiency of CAP support in rural areas, according to a European Commission evaluation
BIODIVERSITY: European Commission adopts new rules ending most ivory trade in EU
CHINA: European Commission imposes definitive anti-dumping duty on Chinese steel wind towers
CLIMATE: EU has mobilised funds totalling around €900 million in first year of operation of ‘Modernisation Fund’
CLIMATE: European Commission consults on changes to emission monitoring and reporting rules
SOCIAL/CLIMATE: European Parliament’s negotiation schedule on Social Climate Fund specified
TRANSPORT: European Commission consults to start work on strategy for green and efficient mobility