European Union

The management and balancing of the power system is becoming more and more complicated and expensive, and the European TSOs face new challenges. In order to prevent the instability of the system and the increase of the energy costs for the end users, it is necessary to reshape the current electricity market.

It’s the week of the three buffoons! David Davis decides to quit, Boris Johnson makes a split, and Donald Trump gives Nato a fit. This week started with a bang when David Davis make his shock resignation from the British...

Important advancements in diagnosing and treating breast cancer in Europe have been made in the last years. However, there are still many challenges to overcome, writes Lydia Makaroff.  

New legislation rubber-stamped by the European Parliament’s energy committee on Tuesday (10 July) means that the Commission must put together a mid-century climate plan by next year. Berlaymont officials are targeting the COP24 summit in December as a potential launch-pad for the draft strategy.

Remarks by President Centeno following the Eurogroup meeting of 12 July on follow-up to June Euro Summit, euro-area budgetary and economic situation, Ireland, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria’s preparations to join ERM II.

Statement welcoming the intention of the Bulgarian authorities to put in place the necessary elements for a successful entry into ERM II.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Trump has come to the UK during a Brexit crisis, after going through a Nato summit in Brussels like a bull in a china shop.

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EU Finance Ministers meet on 13 July 2018, in Brussels, to follow up on the June European Council, exchange views on the Austrian presidency work programme and approve the terms of reference for the G20 meeting of 21-22 July.

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The EU is moving steadily towards enhancement of its relationship with Iraq and is committed to a long term, mutually beneficial relationship. The general focus of EU support is on helping Iraq to better use its own resources, through capacity building activities in the areas of good governance; socio-economic recovery through education and strengthening institutional capacity; water management and agriculture.

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Written by Irina Popescu (1st edition),

© aterrom / Fotolia

On 23 March 2018, the European Commission proposed a multiannual plan for management of fisheries in a northeast Atlantic area along the western coast of the EU, known as the Western Waters. The plan covers fisheries exploiting stocks of fish and crustaceans living close to the sea bottom (i.e. ‘demersal fisheries’), and several deep-sea stocks. The proposed plan aims to ensure that stocks are exploited sustainably and that management is based on the most up-to-date scientific information. The EU fishing fleet concerned mainly includes vessels from Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

The proposal follows the pattern set by the recently adopted North Sea multiannual plan. It would allow a certain flexibility in setting fishing opportunities, by defining ranges of fishing mortality based on the best available scientific advice, and would introduce safeguard measures based on biomass levels, so as to restore stocks when they fall below safe biological limits. The plan would not include quantified values for fishing mortality or biomass levels. These are instead provided by the latest scientific advice available, and directly used by the Council when fixing fishing opportunities.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Multiannual plan for fisheries in the Western Waters‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multiannual plan for fish stocks in the Western Waters and adjacent waters, and for fisheries exploiting those stocks, amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 establishing a multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) 509/2007 and (EC) 1300/2008 Committee responsible: Fisheries (PECH) COM(2018) 149
23.3.2018

 

2018/0074(COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Alain Cadec (EPP, France) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

  Ricardo Serrão Santos (S&D, Portugal)
Baroness Nosheena Mobarik (ECR, UK)
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE, Spain)
João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal)
Linnéa Engström (Greens/EFA, Sweden) Next steps expected: Committee vote

The EU executive rejected a report by the Court of Auditors that said its monitoring of fiscal policies was too lax and failed to produce results.

The UK finally revealed its hand on Thursday, publishing a 104-page White Paper that looks awfully like continued membership of the single market and customs union. Just don’t call it that, whatever you do.

In the wake of two cabinet resignations on the issue, UK government publishes its long-awaited vision for the future relationship with the EU, which would revolve around a free trade agreement on goods, but would end free movement.

The UK outlined plans for a Ukraine-style association agreement with the EU on Thursday (12 July) as it published its long-awaited White Paper on relations with the EU after Brexit.

The ocean provides us with everything we need: food, oxygen, inspiration and jobs. It also regulates the climate. Despite its vital importance, between 4.8 and 12 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year.

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Together, the EU and the USA have the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world, roughly 31% of the world trade and over 49% of the world GDP. In keeping with the evolving political and legal personality of the EU, there is active cooperation across a host of sectors: cooperation in justice and home affairs, energy and energy security, environment, science & technology, education & training. On 14 June 2013, the Council of the European Union adopted negotiating directives  for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US.

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Austria's far-right interior minister Herbert Kickl on Thursday told reporters following a meeting with counterparts from other EU states that "many" supported the idea of setting up migrant return centres outside the EU. "We discussed this idea, many member states think that this would make sense, that this would increase the scope of what we can do with rejected asylum applications," he said.

The world community has taken action against climate change but it must "triple its efforts" to reduce emissions and Europe needs to take the lead, COP21 President Laurent Fabius said ahead of the crucial United Nations’ annual conference (COP24) in December.

Greens in the European Parliament have filed a formal complaint to the EU Ombudsman over the refusal by the Commission and Council to publish minutes of meetings relating to the 'Dieselgate' scandal over faked vehicle emission tests. MEP Bas Eickhout called it "unacceptable" that members of the key emissions in the automotive sector committee were denied access to documents beyond a closed reading room and promise of secrecy.