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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13312

13 December 2023
Contents Publication in full By article 35 / 40
NEWS BRIEFS / Energy
European Commission announces inauguration of Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector

12/12/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 11 December, the European Commission announced that the Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector (BSI) had been inaugurated the previous day, linking the two countries’ gas transmission networks over a distance of around 170 km. For the Commission, this is an essential achievement of the Central and South-East European Energy Connectivity (CESEC) initiative, which will help to diversify gas supply routes and strengthen the integration of regional...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
ENLARGEMENT: European Affairs Ministers defer decision-making on accession process to European leaders
WESTERN BALKANS: EU accession, EU27 leaders welcome their counterparts from Western Balkans to encourage them to focus on reforms and alignment
NEIGHBOURHOOD: European Commission finalises negotiations for Association Agreement with Andorra and San Marino
Russian invasion of Ukraine
RUSSIA: European Commission proposes a framework for confiscating profits generated by frozen Russian state assets
TRANSPORT: Adina Vălean welcomes end of blockade of Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossing on Polish-Ukrainian border
SECTORAL POLICIES
FISHERIES: EU countries reach political agreement on fishing opportunities in 2024 in Atlantic and Mediterranean
AGRICULTURE: Member States give mixed review of implementation of CAP national strategic plans in 2023
AGRICULTURE: European Parliament Committee on Agriculture calls for easing of traceability measures for new genomic techniques
CLIMATE: COP28, negotiations prolonged due to issue of phasing out fossil fuels
HEALTH: European Commission publishes EU’s first list of critical medicines
HOME AFFAIRS: negotiators from European Parliament and Spanish Presidency of EU Council agree on terms of directive on freezing and confiscation of assets
JUSTICE: criminalising breaches of EU sanctions, European Parliament and EU Council reach provisional agreement
DIGITAL: MEPs call on European Commission to draw up guidelines on virtual worlds
RESEARCH: European Commission adopts EIC 2024 work programme, opening funding opportunities worth over €1.2 billion
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOCRACY: defence of democracy, European Commission announces legislative package to strengthen transparency and civic engagement
RULE OF LAW: EU Council satisfied with functioning and results of annual dialogue mechanism on rule of law, with exception of Hungary and Poland
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: European Parliament/EU Council agreement on review of national bodies for protection of equal treatment
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: digital platform workers, new European Parliament/EU Council negotiating session potentially conclusive 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
HUMAN RIGHTS: individuals representing Jina Mahsa Amini and ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement in Iran receive 2023 Sakharov Prize
EP2024: European Parliament wants “a clear and credible link” between results of European elections and election of Commission President
FOREIGN AFFAIRS/DEVELOPMENT: for European Parliament, no question of reducing budget for NDICI-Global Europe financial instrument
COMPETITIVENESS: MEPs approve text of provisional agreement on Critical Raw Materials Act
ENERGY: nuclear, European Parliament supports development of small modular reactors in EU
TRANSPORT: European Parliament adopts its position on revision of rules governing occasional passenger transport sector
DIGITAL: MEPs call on European Commission to propose new legislation to combat addictive techniques on digital platforms
AGRICULTURE: European Parliament calls for origin of honey to be clearly labelled
ACP: Samoa Agreement, European Parliament decides to set up four interparliamentary delegations
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
COMPANIES: EU Council and European Parliament seek compromise on directive governing corporate due diligence
ECONOMY: reform of Stability and Growth Pact, MEPs ready to negotiate with EU Council
COMPETITION: European Commission authorises, subject to conditions, merger of biotechnology companies Novozymes A/S and Christian Hansen A/S
INSTITUTIONAL
BUDGET/RULE OF LAW: thawing of €10 billion in EU funds for Hungary still under consideration
EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS: EU Council appoints two new European auditors
SECURITY - DEFENCE
CSDP: EU Council underlines added value of civilian CSDP missions
NEWS BRIEFS
DEMOGRAPHY: EU Council approves Commission’s strategy for tackling consequences of demographic ageing
ENERGY: European Commission announces inauguration of Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector
KENYA: economic agreement with Nairobi ratified by EU Council
EASTERN PARTNERSHIP: European and Partnership ministers pledge to intensify efforts to implement Eastern Partnership resilience and reform programme
PHILIPPINES: EU “concerned” by provocative actions in South China Sea
POLAND: primacy of European law, recent decision of Polish Constitutional Tribunal only confirms concerns of European Commission
CSDP: EU strengthens its civilian CSDP mission in Armenia