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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13329

17 January 2024
Contents Publication in full By article 32 / 42
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / Health
At least 1.4 million lives saved in Europe thanks to vaccines, according to WHO
Brussels, 16/01/2024 (Agence Europe)

A new study conducted by the World Health Organization - Europe (WHO-Europe) has revealed that at least 1.4 million lives have been saved in Europe thanks to safe and effective vaccines against Covid-19, wrote WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, in a statement on Tuesday 16 January.

“Without [these vaccines], the European Region’s cumulative known death toll could have been around 4 million, possibly even higher”, he added. The analysis of 34 countries also...

Contents

SECTORAL POLICIES
CLIMATE: for Virginijus Sinkevičius, 2040 emissions reduction target “will reaffirm EU’s determination to combat climate change”
ENVIRONMENT/CLIMATE: water resilience, one of several priorities to prepare EU’s resilience to future climate risks
ENVIRONMENT: EU Environment Ministers set course for next stages of a circular economy integrating all sectors
HEALTH: European Commission opens up participation in Critical Medicines Alliance
ENERGY: MEPs validate provisional agreements reached with EU Council on reform of European electricity market
RESEARCH: research security, EUA advocates open cooperation involving stakeholders
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
RULE OF LAW: release of EU funds to Hungary – European Parliament political groups agree to take Commission to EU Court of Justice
EU2024BE: Alexander De Croo calls on European Union to not be afraid of international challenges of 2024, but to face them to become stronger
UKRAINE: European Parliament’s main political groups call on EU Member States to do more on military support
MIDDLE EAST: MEPs divided over situation in Gaza
MIDDLE EAST: several MEPs call on Europeans to take action on safety in Red Sea
INDIA: MEPs present their recommendations for strengthening and updating strategic partnership between EU and India after 2025
EYCS: European Parliament votes in favour of reports on Erasmus+, Creative Europe and CERV programmes, with emphasis on inclusion, budget increases and civic involvement
TRANSPORT: European Parliament wants to encourage electric aviation
FINANCE: transparency of EU financial markets, European Parliament ratifies revision of MiFIR-MiFID package
TAXATION: European Parliament adopts its opinion on reducing tax incentives to encourage corporate debt
COMPETITION: fair competition, adapting to digital age and Europe’s strategic autonomy, European Parliament adopts ‘Yon-Courtin’ report
CLIMATE: European Parliament approves provisional interinstitutional agreement on fluorinated gases
CLIMATE: European Parliament ratifies agreement on ‘Substances that deplete ozone layer’ regulation
FISHERIES: European Parliament refuses to use urgent procedure on targets for fixing fishing opportunities
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Jan-Christoph Oetjen becomes European Parliament Vice-President
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: European Parliament stresses importance of its diplomacy in Union’s foreign and security policy
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: coordination of social security systems—European Parliament political groups oppose Belgian Presidency’s plans opting for limited revision
Russian invasion of Ukraine
RUSSIA: EU Member States support proposal to confiscate profits from frozen Russian public assets
AGRICULTURE: several EU Member States concerned about extension of trade measures in favour of Ukraine
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: EU Member States take stock of financial services legislative proposals
TAXATION: European Citizens’ Initiative on taxing great wealth reaches 100,000 signatures
EIB: EIB lends around €942.6 million for production of circular batteries at Northvolt’s Skellefteå factory in Sweden
INSTITUTIONAL
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2024: Manfred Weber promises Christian Democrats will not do business with “nationalists”
TRANSPARENCY: Corporate Europe Observatory calls for investigation into lobbying by European Livestock Voice
EXTERNAL ACTION
CHINA: in Davos, Chinese Premier criticises discriminatory “trade barriers” of EU and United States
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HEALTH: at least 1.4 million lives saved in Europe thanks to vaccines, according to WHO
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
DIGITAL/JUSTICE: according to CJEU, a parliamentary committee of inquiry must comply with provisions of GDPR where there is no question of national security
WOMEN’S RIGHTS: an EU country may grant subsidiary protection status to a woman at risk of violence in her own country, rules Court of Justice
NEWS BRIEFS
AZERBAIJAN: European Parliament will not be observing presidential election on 7 February
AGRICULTURE: European Commission approves new geographical indication for Netherlands and Belgium
BUDGET: Viktor Orbán advocates macro-financial assistance for Ukraine outside EU budget
NORTH KOREA: EU calls on DPRK to cease illegal actions undermining international security, following launch of a ballistic missile
ECONOMY/FINANCE: agenda for informal ministerial meeting in Ghent takes shape
ENERGY: energy performance of buildings, MEPs give green light to European Parliament/EU Council agreement
MIGRATION: European Court of Human Rights condemns Greece after coastguards fire on boat carrying Syrian migrants
TERRORISM: EU sanctions political leader of Hamas and a member of Al-Shabab in Somalia