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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13375

21 March 2024
Contents Publication in full By article 2 / 42
EUROPEAN COUNCIL / Middle east
Faced with “inhumanity” of war in Gaza, EU27 expected to call for immediate humanitarian pause
Brussels, 20/03/2024 (Agence Europe)

Heads of state or government, meeting in Brussels on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 March, are expected to call for an “immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza, where 70% of the population is said to be at risk of starvation.

According to a senior European diplomat, this issue should be at the centre of the Sherpas’ discussions on Thursday and Friday, but there is already thought to be “broad support” for the latest conclusions. In his invitation...

Contents

EUROPEAN COUNCIL
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: leaders of EU27 could support opening of EU accession negotiations with Sarajevo
MIDDLE EAST: faced with “inhumanity” of war in Gaza, EU27 expected to call for immediate humanitarian pause
UKRAINE: European leaders should pledge support “for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed”
RUSSIA/BELARUS: European Council expected to call for immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners
DEFENCE: European leaders to call for more to be done to strengthen defence preparedness
AGRICULTURE : EU leaders expected to welcome first measures announced to appease farmers
EURO AREA: euro area leaders to call for rapid progress in strengthening European capital markets
Russian invasion of Ukraine
ECONOMY: EU hopes to mobilise revenues generated by frozen Russian public assets starting in summer
TRADE: EU Council wants more time to approve provisional agreement on liberalisation of trade with Ukraine
UKRAINE: European Commission disburses €4.5 billion under Facility
UKRAINE: regions and cities call for a decentralised approach to reconstruction of Ukraine
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: European social partners call for new European Industrial Pact to promote competitiveness and high-quality jobs
SOCIAL/EMPLOYMENT: Commission draws up catalogue of actions to remedy labour and skills shortages
SOCIAL/EMPLOYMENT: by not explicitly banning unpaid internships, European Commission has disappointed European trade unions and part of European Parliament
INSTITUTIONAL
FUTURE OF EU: enlargement requires a review of EU budget spending, stresses European Commission
EP2024
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2024: Renew Europe officially launches its election campaign with a focus on “defence, defence, defence”
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2024: defence, fight against extremism, competitiveness and treaty reform among Renew Europe’s priorities for European elections
EXTERNAL ACTION
HUMANITARIAN AID: EU Council and European Commission call for Palestinian children’s rights to be respected
HONG KONG: EU is concerned about adoption of new national security law
SECTORAL POLICIES
ENERGY: some fifty countries to meet in Brussels to promote revival of nuclear energy
INTERNAL MARKET: MEPs adopt their position on late payment regulation
INTERNAL MARKET: European Commission wants to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in Europe
RESEARCH: European Commission unveils strategic guidelines for Horizon Europe, focusing on dual transition and resilience of EU
RESEARCH: prizes awarded and new initiatives launched at EIC summit
TRANSPORT: MEPs approve agreement with EU Council on port and flag States
TRANSPORT: MEPs question reduction of external costs in proposal on combined freight transport
ENVIRONMENT: report by Bloom association criticises Renew Europe, EPP, ECR and ID groups for their stance on environmental protection
AGRICULTURE : CEJA publishes manifesto for generational renewal in agriculture
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: retail investment, MEPs adopt position despite major differences of opinion on issue of retrocessions
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
GENDER EQUALITY: 68th United Nations Commission on Status of Women, MEPs call for legislative levers to be used and social norms to be questioned
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: EU Agency for Fundamental Rights calls for better integration of fundamental rights into use of European funds
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: in run-up to elections, European Network Against Racism initiates dialogue in Parliament on racial discrimination
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
RUSSIA: EU General Court annuls sanctions against son of oligarch Dmitry Mazepin
SECURITY - DEFENCE - SPACE
SPACE: ESA launches two new navigation missions
NEWS BRIEFS
TRADE: EU is still not attracting enough investment, according to a BusinessEurope report
DEMOCRACY: member states give green light to interinstitutional agreement on combating intimidation lawsuits
YOUTH: new application campaign for DiscoverEU, promoting travel across Europe, will open on 16 April
INTERNAL MARKET/TRADE: European Parliament approves provisional agreement on regulation banning products made using forced labour
DIGITAL: European Parliament and EU Council both adopt provisional agreement of Cyber Solidarity Act
DIGITAL: Council approves provisional agreement on digital tools in company law
REGIONS: demographic change, 10 EU regions selected under second pillar of talent promotion mechanism
SPORT: finalists for #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards 2023, which recognise sporting initiatives that promote social inclusion, have been announced