European Union

Parliament adopted its recommendations on Thursday for a coordinated EU response to health threats posed by antimicrobial resistance.
Subcommittee on Public Health

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Thursday, Parliament adopted its position for negotiations with member states on rules to integrate human rights and environmental impact into companies’ governance.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Thursday, Parliament adopted its position for negotiations with member states on rules to integrate human rights and environmental impact into companies’ governance.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Evaluating what EU institutions and countries have done so far to fight against sexual harassment, MEPs call for better reporting procedures and support for victims.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Evaluating what EU institutions and countries have done so far to fight against sexual harassment, MEPs call for better reporting procedures and support for victims.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs call on the Commission and EU countries to end “fast fashion” and help consumers make more ethically responsible and sustainable choices.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs call on the Commission and EU countries to end “fast fashion” and help consumers make more ethically responsible and sustainable choices.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted its position for talks on new rules on EU geographical indications for agricultural products.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted its position for talks on new rules on EU geographical indications for agricultural products.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

When Unesda, representing the European soft drinks sector, became one of the first signatories of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices in 2021, it was a natural step in our ongoing journey to provide...

On Thursday, Parliament backed a draft bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Thursday, Parliament backed a draft bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The EU’s updated renewable energy directive includes numerous measures to fast-track projects. Meeting the EU’s updated 2030 target for renewables will now require swift implementation by EU Member States, write Marian Bons and Agustin Roth. Marian Bons and Agustin Roth...

The alleged attempts to influence MEPs unveiled loopholes in Parliament’s internal rules, alongside other issues, says Special Committee on Foreign Interference.
Special Committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation, and the strengthening of integrity, transparency and accountability in the European Parliament

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The alleged attempts to influence MEPs unveiled loopholes in Parliament’s internal rules, alongside other issues, says Special Committee on Foreign Interference.
Special Committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation, and the strengthening of integrity, transparency and accountability in the European Parliament

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The first auction to support green hydrogen production in Europe will help understand supply and demand on the emerging EU market when it takes place at the end of the year, according to the European Commission.

The heat pump industry is entering a transformative decade, with major producers jostling for market share, consumers angling for state support and EU governments aiming to nurture the bloc's nascent industry while meeting climate goals.

A global race has started to manufacture the millions of heat pumps needed to decarbonise heating, with Asian and East European countries taking a head start.

This week’s announcement from the Council on the adoption of three Regulations marks the end of a rapid process of enacting the Windsor Framework.

As discussed earlier this month, while the February photoshoot in leafy Surrey [my local news sources were very adamant about it not being even Berkshire, let alone Windsor] was good for headlines, it wasn’t much more than a set of commitments to enact a bundle of items.

While the Joint Committee‘s meeting within a month permitted much of that content to be moved into the rule books, even with an accelerated procedure the EU has needed a further two months to get these Regulations over the line.

PDF: https://bit.ly/UshGraphic119

But enactment is not quite the same as application, as we noted before. While I picked out a couple of examples last time, it felt sensible to be more systematic about this, given that we are now on the next stage.

The graphic below sets out the progressive application for the central Joint Committee decision and for the three Regulations: the other elements are effective immediately.

The Joint Committee decision unpacks its provisions, with goods subject to a phased introduction of new measures, conditional upon British implementation. This is similar to the original transitional elements within the Withdrawal Agreement and reflect an intention to allow market operators to adjust over a clear time horizon.

Likewise, the SPS Regulation phases in markings of retail goods, especially on diary and meat where production and distribution chains have been most cross-border pre-withdrawal.

Of course, markings on retail goods is a more general UK headache, with the UKCA mark pushed back to the end of 2024, so producers will need to incorporate this aspect in a more systemic overhaul, which in turn requires a definitive central government position.

Finally, the medicines Regulation will only apply from 2025, again conditional upon several British guarantees.

PDF: https://bit.ly/UshGraphic120

Recall that all of this comes three years into the notional start of the Protocol. Partly this is the price paid for the breakneck timetable of negotiation and ratification, but it is also a reflection of the British government’s long refusal to accept the Protocol as the baseline for future relations.

Business might be understandably loath to use capital expenditure when policy remains in the air: indeed, even when policy appears relatively clear, misallocation occurs with all its associated opportunity costs.

The take away here is still that implementation will be a long process, rather than an event. Even when we get to the end of this set of transitions, we run directly into the TCA revision in 2025, which might produce further changes. Not to mention the potential effects of a general election.

Relations are thus in semi-permanent flux: the question is how this is managed by the parties and communicated to stakeholders and citizens. Whether that’s easier or harder as we return to the technocratic mode is open to debate, but reflection on that now might seem a prudent course of action.

The post Into full Windsor implementation appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Thursday, 1 June

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP