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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13546
Contents Publication in full By article 1 / 35
EXTERNAL ACTION / Syria

Europeans ready to establish contacts with Islamist group HTS but remain cautious

On Monday 16 December, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced that she had tasked the head of European diplomacy in Syria, who is currently based in Beirut, to travel to Damascus to “to make the contacts with the new government and people there”.

“Syria faces an optimistic, positive, but rather uncertain future. We have to make sure that this goes in the right direction”, she added after the Foreign Affairs Council...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
SYRIA: Europeans ready to establish contacts with Islamist group HTS but remain cautious
MIDDLE EAST: Kaja Kallas reiterates European proposal to hold EU-Israel Association Council
ENLARGEMENT: Member States clarify ambitions with regard to accession processes of Western Balkans
ENLARGEMENT: seven EU Member States call for accelerated accession strategy for Western Balkans
BELARUS: human rights violations – EU imposes sanctions on further 26 individuals and two entities
RUSSIA: hybrid threats – EU sanctions 16 individuals and three entities responsible for destabilising actions
Russian invasion of Ukraine
RUSSIA: 15th EU sanctions package increases pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet’ and targets Chinese companies
SECTORAL POLICIES
ENERGY: EU Member States divided on how to ensure affordable energy prices
ENERGY: EU Council calls on European Commission to propose an action plan for geothermal energy
AGRICULTURE: High-Level Group on European wine sector provides its recommendations
ENVIRONMENT: European Parliament said to have thrown spanner in works of Hungarian Presidency of EU Council on environmental issues
ENVIRONMENT: EU pesticide exports dropped in 2023 compared with 2022, according to new European Chemicals Agency report
TRANSPORT: European Commission adds Air Tanzania to list of airlines banned in European Union
SECURITY - DEFENCE - SPACE
SPACE: European Union implements its Iris² secure connectivity programme
CSDP: EU Council prolongs and strengthens mandates of Operation ATALANTA and EUTM Somalia
INSTITUTIONAL
BUDGET/RULE OF LAW: Hungarian measures are insufficient to unlock access to funds from Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes, says European Commission
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: Aurore Lalucq calls on European Parliament to not amend proposal on administrative cooperation rules
MONEY LAUNDERING: EU Member States’ competent authorities have made significant progress in their approach, according to EBA report
EDUCATION - YOUTH - CULTURE - SPORT
EDUCATION: European Commission analyses integration of sustainability and digital technology in schools
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Europe’s construction companies publish their recommendations for future plans on sustainable and affordable housing
BREACHES OF EU LAW
UNITED KINGDOM: free movement of EU citizens, European Commission refers matter to EU Court of Justice
UNITED KINGDOM: EU takes London to CJEU for failing to terminate bilateral investment treaties with six Member States
SINGLE MARKET: EU takes Bulgaria and Cyprus to Court for failure to comply with proportionality checks
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission refers Slovakia to EU Court of Justice for inadequately treated urban waste water
DIGITAL: European Commission calls on several Member States to designate national DSA coordinator
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: EU takes Spain to Court for failure to comply with public procurement rules
NEWS BRIEFS
HOME AFFAIRS: import, export and transit of firearms, EU Council adopts new European rules
GEORGIA : EU Member States in favour of suspending diplomatic and service visas
HAITI: EU sanctions three Haitians implicated in violence involving armed groups
INDIA: EU confirms anti-dumping tariffs on Indian optical fibre cables
WTO: fourteenth WTO Ministerial Conference will be held from 26 to 29 March 2026 in Cameroon
EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES: Giorgia Meloni to step down as President of European Conservative Party
SUDAN: EU sanctions four officials for breaches of peace and human rights
TRANSPORT: EU Council formally adopts directive on exchange of information on road traffic offences
TRANSPORT: EU Council adopts regulation on standardisation of technical requirements for type-approval of non-road mobile machinery