European Union

With no major faux pas or any ground-breaking policy change to speak of, Bulgaria’s first term as EU President is unlikely to go down in the annals of history. Yet Sofia can nevertheless look back on its six months in office with a sense of satisfaction, writes Vladislava Gubalova.

EU countries should pilot voucher schemes to assess whether they can be used to combat the grey economy, according to a new report.

US president Donald Trump said Friday his Sun newspaper interview threatening a post-Brexit US-UK trade deal may have been "too brutal" for UK prime minister Theresa May. He also said their relationship was "the highest kind of special." At a joint press conference, May insisted that her Brexit position "provides the platform for Donald and me to agree an ambitious deal that works for both countries."

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council, in June 2003. On 15 February 2016, the application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for EU membership was submitted by the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

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Even though Theresa May’s Brexit White Paper prompted a furious reaction from a large section of her Conservative party, not to mention a broadside from US President Donald Trump, not everyone was unhappy with it.

This week’s meetings of the European Parliament’s committee on fisheries (11-12 July) saw fish experts tackling the growing issues of overfishing, small-scale fisheries and fish dependence.

France's prime minister presented new measures to appeal to financial circles, which are currently considering their post-Brexit options. EURACTIV’s partner La Tribune reports.

The European elections are looming ever closer but how will the Parliament's main political groups choose their candidates for the EU's top jobs in the lead-up to May 2019?

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President Donald Tusk and President Jean-Claude Juncker represent the EU at the 20th EU-China summit. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hosts the summit. EU leaders also have talks with President Xi Jinping. EU and Chinese leaders discuss bilateral trade, investment relations and foreign and security issues. They are expected to express their joint support for rules-based trade. They are also expected to confirm their mutual engagement for the modernisation of the World Trade Organisation.

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Chrysostomides, K. & Co. and Others v Council and Others
Law governing the institutions
The Court rejects the claims for compensation brought by several individuals and companies in relation to the restructuring of the Cypriot banking sector

Europol’s annual Operation SILVER AXE III seized the largest-ever amount of illegal or counterfeit pesticides in Europe this week. But the fact that such massive amounts of illegal pesticides are available has raised concerns about both the economic and health costs.

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Albania is a candidate country following the Brussels European Council of June 2014. The country became a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council of June 2003. On 18 February 2008 the Council adopted a new European partnership with Albania. The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA)  with the country entered into force on 1 April 2009.

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Written by Nicole Scholz (1st edition),

© gustavofrazao / Fotolia

The European Commission has proposed to amend Directive 2004/37/EC by expanding its scope and by including and/or revising occupational exposure limit values for a number of cancer- or mutation-causing substances. The initiative is proceeding in steps. The first proposal of May 2016 covered 13 priority chemical agents, the second, of January 2017, a further seven. The current (third) proposal addresses an additional five.

Broad discussions with scientists and the social partners fed into all three proposals. Reacting to the Commission’s set of measures as a whole, trade unions have acknowledged the importance of further action to improve the existing framework, reiterating the need to reach the target of 50 limit values in 2020, while some considered it necessary to extend the scope of the CMD to substances that are toxic to reproduction. Actors on the employers’ side, while in principle supporting further revisions of the directive, have underlined, among other things, the need to ensure that values are proportionate and feasible in terms of technical implementation.

While welcoming the Commission proposal, the rapporteur’s draft report of 29 June 2018 proposes, inter alia, to grant incentives to businesses that comply with the directive. Moreover, it opts to include, within the scope of the directive, the protection of workers from exposure to hazardous, or harm-causing, medicines (including cytotoxic ones, which are used in the treatment of cancer).

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Limits on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work: Third proposal‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work Committee responsible: Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) COM(2018) 171
05.04.20182018/0081(COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Laura Agea (EFDD, Italy) Shadow rapporteurs: Marita Ulvskog (S&D, Sweden) Next steps expected: Discussions in EMPL and committee vote

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On 19 July 2016, the EU and Kuwait signed a Cooperation Arrangement which aims to increase the number of exchanges between officials and promote regular political dialogue and concrete cooperation initiatives.

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Environmental pressure and climate change are some of the main challenges facing agriculture today. The 2013 Common Agricultural Policy reform addressed these problems with “greening” measures, in an attempt to make the direct payments system more environment-friendly.

The majority of the Italian parliament will reject Ceta, the EU-Canada free trade agreement, when it is put to a vote for ratification, deputy prime minister Luigi di Maio, from the Five Star Movement, said on Friday in a meeting with Italy's main farming union. The agreement, which as signed in 2017, needs to be ratified by all EU national parliaments as well as several regional parliaments.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker suffered from a "very painful attack of sciatica accompanied with cramps", a condition that affects his ability to walk, his spokesman said Friday - after a video showed him supported by several leaders at the Nato summit on Wednesday triggered rumours of drunkenness. He added that Juncker, who travels to Asia over the weekend, is "well and following his programme fully" after taking "standard medication".

Speaking at the Nato summit US President Donald Trump threatened to "do his own thing" if the partner countries didn't increase their defence budgets. At the end of the summit, however, he reiterated his commitment to the defence alliance after having accused Germany of being controlled by and hostage to Russia. What will be the consequences of the US president's erratic behaviour in Brussels?