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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13368

12 March 2024
Contents Publication in full By article 19 / 36
EXTERNAL ACTION / Trade
Generalised Scheme of Preferences – Belgian Presidency of EU Council tries its luck
Brussels, 11/03/2024 (Agence Europe)

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU has circulated a document to the Member States in an attempt to reconcile the positions of the Council and the European Parliament on the regulation revising the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). A meeting of inter-institutional negotiations (‘trilogue’) is due to take place on Thursday 14 March to try to reach an agreement after more than a year of deadlock. This regulation will revise the current rules for granting tariff...

Contents

SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Member States’ employment and social affairs ministers finally agree on Platform Work Directive
SOCIAL: twenty European organisations call on EU leaders to put social issues at heart of next Strategic Agenda
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: euro area countries propose 13 key measures to complete capital markets union by 2029
ECONOMY: Eurogroup recommends “slightly contractionary” fiscal stance for euro area
ECOFIN: financial aid to Ukraine and social investments on agenda of European finance ministers
STATE AID: European Commission authorises Italian support of €750 million for companies affected by energy crisis
INSTITUTIONAL
EP2024: Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann appointed as ALDE party’s lead candidate
SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: European Commission due to present proposals to simplify CAP rules on 15 March
AGRICULTURE: MEPs to adopt their position on seeds on 19 March
AGRICULTURE: European Parliament study warns that EU is too dependent on imported soya and fertilisers
CLIMATE: European Commission to present response to EEA’s climate risk assessment
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission adopts new standardised method to systematise calculation of presence of microplastics in water
INDUSTRY: European Commission publishes a transition pathway for agri-food industry
DIGITAL: European Commission breached data protection rules in its contract with Microsoft, says EDPS
DIGITAL: DMA, Apple takes hit and authorises Epic Games to distribute own apps in Europe
TRANSPORT: European Parliament and EU Council negotiators close to agreement on exchange of information on road traffic offences
TRANSPORT: European Commission deplores Member States’ lack of progress on road safety
TRANSPORT: SNCF Group wants modal shift to be fundamental objective of next mandate
EXTERNAL ACTION
TRADE: Generalised Scheme of Preferences – Belgian Presidency of EU Council tries its luck
SECURITY - DEFENCE
NATO: Sweden raises flag alongside those of 31 allies
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: on eve of European elections, protection of democracy and defence of rule of law are key issues at European Forum which opened in Vienna
WOMEN’S RIGHTS: Helena Dalli and Marie-Colline Leroy mobilised at United Nations to tackle poverty and promote women’s empowerment
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
SPORT: Council of Europe and European Union commit to gender equality in sports refereeing
NEWS BRIEFS
STATE AID: Commission authorises a Portuguese measure worth €63 million to help petrochemical company Repsol Polímeros diversify its production
ECB: European Parliament opens call for candidates to form expert group on monetary policy
BELARUS : Roberta Metsola invites MEPs to sign a postcard in solidarity with political prisoners
WOMEN’S RIGHTS: women account for only 32.8% of EU graduates in exact sciences, according to latest Eurostat data
ENERGY: ENTSO-E consults on assessment of resource adequacy of European electricity system for 2024
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission consults on aligning polymer biodegradability criteria with REACH provisions
HAITI: “extremely concerned”, EU evacuates all its diplomatic staff from Port-au-Prince
DIGITAL: European Commission launches survey into international cooperation in semiconductor sector
DIGITAL: Artificial Intelligence Act – MEPs to vote on untranslated version
EP2024: Member States approve provisional political agreement with European Parliament on transparency and targeting of political advertising
EP2024: if elected to European Parliament, Matteo Renzi will propose voting against re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as head of European Commission
MIDDLE EAST: Olivér Várhelyi sets out conditions for further disbursement of funds to UNRWA
SERBIA/KOSOVO: European Commission reminds Serbia and Kosovo of importance of making progress on Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue