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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12859

23 December 2021
Contents Publication in full By article 22 / 31
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / Health
European Commission presents specific PCR detection method for ‘Omicron’ variant to Member States
Brussels, 22/12/2021 (Agence Europe)

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a detection method for the new SARS-CoV-2 variant ‘Omicron’ and confirmed the validity of this method on Wednesday 22 December.

This is based on the RT-PCR technique, which is now widely used to detect Covid-19 cases; it could therefore be used in all laboratories that are already performing standard PCR tests.

It is faster and cheaper than sequencing and other currently available methods of detecting variants.

“The...

Contents

Christmas: winter break
BEACONS
Beacons: The theatricals of our leaders
INSTITUTIONAL
BUDGET: European Commission hopes new own resources will bring in €17 billion per year to EU budget
POLAND: European Commission launches new infringement proceeding against Warsaw after Constitutional Tribunal questions primacy of European law
ECONOMY - FINANCE
TAXATION: European Commission wants to put an end to abuse of shell entities
TAXATION: European Commission proposes swift transposition of OECD agreement on minimum taxation
BANKS: political agreement in EU Council on targeted revision of banking resolution framework
STATE AID: European Commission consults on revision of guidelines on support to railway undertakings
STATE AID: European Commission authorises €2.55 billion Portuguese aid to TAP Group
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EDUCATION
SOCIAL: member States reject Interinstitutional Agreement on coordination of social security systems
SOCIAL: unanimous support for interinstitutional agreement on fourth revision of directive on protection from carcinogens or mutagens in EU Council
EDUCATION: EU Council to promote European mobility of trainee teachers
SECTORAL POLICIES
FISHERIES: EU and UK seal deal on shared fish stocks for 2022
ENERGY: green light from Member States for provisional agreement between European Parliament and EU Council on revision of TEN-E Regulation
ENERGY: MEP Nils Torvalds publishes his draft opinion on ‘RED II’ Directive revision
HOME AFFAIRS : European Commission specifies model for cooperation agreements between Frontex and third countries
HOME AFFAIRS : Slovenian Presidency notes progress on Europol reform, but questions remain on Schengen alerts and fundamental rights
MIGRATION: three member countries remain excluded from visa waiver programme for visas to US
BIODIVERSITY: Commission issues guidance to help Member States combat river fragmentation in EU
COHESION: structural and investment funds supported 45 million people in 2020
DIGITAL: Slovenian Presidency of EU Council presents its recommendations for development of digital technology in humanitarian crisis management
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: European Commission presents specific PCR detection method for ‘Omicron’ variant to Member States
STATE AID: Covid-19, green light for support to Deutsche Bahn and Charleroi Airport
COHESION: REACT-EU, Commission approves funding for €681.15 million
EXTERNAL ACTION
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: EU has set priorities for its ‘Peace, Stability and Conflict Prevention’ programme with €871 million until 2027
OACPS: signing on behalf of EU of post-Cotonou Partnership Agreement is still in limbo
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
EDUCATION: Observatory on History Teaching in Europe is a Council of Europe priority shared by European Union
NEWS BRIEFS
HUMANITARIAN AID: EU mobilises additional €15 million to alleviate food crisis in Sahel
HUMANITARIAN AID: EU mobilises €10 million in aid for vulnerable populations affected by drought in Syria
BIODIVERSITY: EU Council takes note of likely postponement of second part of COP15 by at least 1 month
Op-Ed
REGIONS: It is time to start taking climate induced migration seriously, says CPMR