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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13337

27 January 2024
Contents Publication in full By article 2 / 38
SECTORAL POLICIES / Internal market/trade
EU Council adopts its position on regulation banning products made using forced labour
Brussels, 26/01/2024 (Agence Europe)

White smoke at the EU Council. A week after calling for more time to refine their text (see EUROPE B13332A1), the Member States’ ambassadors to the European Union (Coreper) finally approved the Belgian Presidency’s fourth compromise by a majority vote. Only Germany abstained.

This latest version makes relatively few changes to the previous one but clarifies and strengthens the notion of “European Union interest”, which governs the conditions under which the Union, through the...

Contents

BEACONS
Beacons: what do we know about Georgia?
SECTORAL POLICIES
INTERNAL MARKET/TRADE: EU Council adopts its position on regulation banning products made using forced labour
JUSTICE: fight against organised crime, Paul Van Tigchelt calls for stronger European action to achieve “better results”
JUSTICE: despite a diversity of perspectives, European ministers agree on need to take account of human rights and self-determination in field of sex work
JUSTICE: small-scale detention, Belgian Presidency of EU Council outlines Belgian model for better reintegration
CLIMATE: while several Member States are calling on European Commission to present an “ambitious” 2040 climate target, Commission stresses benefits of reducing emissions by at least 90%
AGRICULTURE: strategic dialogue on future of EU agriculture highlights many stakeholder expectations
AGRICULTURE: nearly ten EU Member States call for measures on water management
GMOs: Commission authorises new maize and renews authorisation for two GM oilseed rape crops
ENVIRONMENT: costs to EU of air pollution from large industrial installations remain considerable, according to European Environment Agency
DIGITAL: EU Member States voice their concerns and questions before voting on provisional agreement with European Parliament on artificial intelligence
RESEARCH: ERC calls for next European framework programme for research to strengthen its action
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Member States broadly support revised mandate submitted by Belgian Presidency of EU Council on digital platform workers
SOCIAL: European Parliament officially informs Belgian Presidency of EU Council of its refusal to commit to limited review of coordination of social security schemes
EXTERNAL ACTION
MIDDLE EAST: EU awaits “full and immediate” implementation of ‘International Court of Justice’ provisional measures against Israel
MIDDLE EAST: EU calls for full transparency regarding allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in attacks of 7 October
RUSSIA: foreign agents law, EU denounces “witch hunt” of critical voices
TRADE: European Commission publishes guidelines on export controls
MERCOSUR: concluding free trade agreement with EU is still a ‘priority’ for Latin American countries
INSTITUTIONAL
EP2024: crisis resolution, economic growth, green transition and greater European security are ALDE party’s priorities for the EU
EP2024: social justice and defence of rule of law at heart of Party of European Socialists’ campaign themes
GENERAL AFFAIRS: defending democracy and hearing on rule of law on agenda of EU countries
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
RULE OF LAW: European Commission ready to supervise Spanish dialogue aimed at ending deadlock over renewal of Council of Judiciary
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: European Parliament/EU Council negotiations on reform of Stability Pact to intensify
ECB: Stefan Berger lays foundations for long-term acceptance of and access to euro notes and coins
STATE AID: European Commission publishes practical document to guide Member States in their support for risk financing
COMPETITION: European Commission believes that its work to maintain competition in pharmaceutical sector has borne fruit
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
BELARUS: Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe strengthens links with Belarusian opposition
NEWS BRIEFS
ECB: a national central bank may be asked to charge recovery interest if it has engaged in monetary financing
ECB: new temporary operational unit dedicated to digital euro
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Ursula von der Leyen reaffirms the EU’s role in preserving “Jewish life”
UNITED STATES: EU denounces “particularly cruel” execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith
GULF: first dialogue on regional security
JUSTICE: Sweden could join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office “in the course of the year”, announced the Swedish Minister for Justice, Gunnar Strömmer
DIGITAL: for Věra Jourová and Didier Reynders, “rigorous” application of the GDPR remains an “absolute priority”
UZBEKISTAN: EU wants to sign a memorandum of understanding with Uzbekistan on raw materials
EP2024: Charles Michel will not be a candidate in European elections
ERRATUM
FUTURE OF EU: Milojko Spajić is Prime Minister of Montenegro