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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13293

16 November 2023
Contents Publication in full By article 28 / 39
SECURITY - DEFENCE / Defence
European Defence Fund, European Ombudsman enquires about management of experts to avoid conflicts of interest
Brussels, 15/11/2023 (Agence Europe)

On 10 November, the European Ombudsman opened an enquiry into the way in which the European Commission ensures that the external experts who help it evaluate European Defence Fund (EDF) project proposals have no conflicts of interest, according to a press release published on Tuesday 14 November.

Contrary to the general practice of evaluating proposals for EU funding, the Commission is not required to make public the names of the experts it consults for these EDF-backed projects. The...

Contents

Russian invasion of Ukraine
RUSSIA: European Commission and EU High Representative presents 12th sanctions package to Member States
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: euro area economy will slow further in 2023 before rebounding mildly in 2024
MONEY LAUNDERING: MEPs call for tougher anti-money laundering measures following ‘Cyprus Confidential’ revelations
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: EU skills shortages, European Commission presents new tools to attract international talent
ENERGY: European Parliament and EU Council reach provisional agreement on regulation to reduce methane emissions
DIGITAL: AI Act, European Parliament will not compromise on fundamental rights, says Brando Benifei
DIGITAL: EU countries ready to negotiate with Parliament on introduction of managed security services in cybersecurity legislation
DIGITAL: DSA, European Commission asks Amazon to explain measures taken to protect consumers
DIGITAL: ENISA signs a partnership agreement with Ukrainian administration to combat cybersecurity threats
TRANSPORT: TEN-T network, compromises emerging between negotiators from European Parliament and EU Council
TRANSPORT: European ministers, MEPs and industry representatives call for a European strategy for night trains
COMPETITIVENESS: seven hundred European entrepreneurs air grievances with European Union
RESEARCH/SPACE: EU Council agrees to finalise UK’s participation in Horizon Europe and Copernicus
CLIMATE: global ecological transition remains too slow despite encouraging European regulations
AGRICULTURE: agreement at EU Member State level on future arrangements for labelling honey
AGRICULTURE: pesticides, Spanish Presidency of EU Council presents revised compromise on reduction targets
FISHERIES: EU aquaculture production stagnates despite substantial EU support, deplores EU Court of Auditors
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission directing more than €396 million in funding towards 171 new environment and climate projects in LIFE programme
EXTERNAL ACTION
ACP: signed, Samoa Agreement between EU, its Member States and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries will replace Cotonou Agreement in January
TURKEY: Olivér Várhelyi calls for closer relations with Ankara
SERBIA/KOSOVO: normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajčák to meet representatives of Serbian government to try to relaunch talks
MERCOSUR: after setback in free trade agreement with Australia, EU is redoubling its efforts to conclude agreement with Latin America
TRADE: total value of EU trade via its free trade agreements has exceeded €2,000 billion
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOCRACY: very large majority of Member States still opposed to reform of EU electoral law
RULE OF LAW: European Ministers note some positive steps in Hungary, but remain concerned overall
INSTITUTIONAL
MULTILINGUALISM: proposal to grant official EU language status to three Spanish regional languages is moving forward
SECURITY - DEFENCE
DEFENCE: EU Council notes increased efforts to meet more binding commitments of permanent structured cooperation
DEFENCE: European Defence Fund, European Ombudsman enquires about management of experts to avoid conflicts of interest
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
JUSTICE: Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur calls for rapid creation of tribunal “as international as possible” to judge Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: Marija Pejčinović Burić proposes instruments to combat hate speech
NEWS BRIEFS
AFRICA: ministerial meeting between EU and African Union postponed
HUMANITARIAN AID: EU mobilises €2 million in emergency aid for victims of earthquake in Nepal
BUDGET: European Commission raises €8 billion in latest syndicated transaction for 2023
CLIMATE: ahead of COP28, Wopke Hoekstra travels to Beijing to strengthen climate cooperation between EU and China
ENERGY: European Commission plans to launch new call for tenders under EU renewable energy financing mechanism
MIGRATION: agreement between Italy and Albania is not illegal, according to an initial analysis by European Commission
CSDP: Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, new commander of operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta
RESEARCH: European Commission launches calls for €290 million for research in fields of data and AI
RESEARCH: EIC’s ‘Pathfinder Challenges’ call attracted 371 project proposals