European Union

German and French leaders Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron agreed on Tuesday to defend together the idea of a eurozone budget to boost investment and increase convergence between euro countries. After meeting near Berlin, they said that this budget could be put in place by 2021 but gave no detail on a possible amount. But Merkel added that reducing banking risks was needed before the banking union can be deepened.

Draft conclusions of the EU summit seen by this website suggest setting up "regional disembarkation platforms", possibly in countries near Libya, to separate asylum seekers and economic migrants.

No one can say that the EU and its leaders are not exorcised by migration. Its next seven-year budget is expected to include a plethora of new tools, including a “migration management window”. An investment fund for African countries has been set up to “tackle the root causes of migration”.

The UK needs a reality check and will not be able to remain part of the European Arrest Warrant after it leaves the European Union, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said on Tuesday.

The EU Court of Justice will not be asked if Britons living in the EU will automatically lose their citizenship after the UK leaves the bloc.

Spain's new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took over earlier this month after his conservative predecessor lost a no-confidence vote, said on Monday (18 June) he plans to stay in office until the regular ballot scheduled for 2020.

Committee meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

A draft conclusion of the upcoming EU summit, seen by Reuters, says the European Union will agree to look at creating "regional disembarkation platforms" where the fate of asylum requests will be decided, possibly in areas around north Africa. "Such platforms should provide for rapid processing to distinguish between economic migrants and those in need of international protection, and reduce the incentive to embark on perilous journeys."

With its objective of reaching greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality in the second half of this century, the Paris Agreement has been hailed as the most ambitious climate accord to date. But it is only as ambitious and effective as the policies that countries implement to achieve its objectives, writes Lola Vallejo.

Written by Angelos Delivorias (1st edition),

© Christian Delbert / Fotolia

The assignment of a claim refers to a situation where a creditor transfers the right to claim a debt to another person. This system is used by companies to obtain liquidity and access credit. At the moment, there is no legal certainty as to which national law applies when determining who owns a claim after it has been assigned in a cross-border case. The new rules proposed by the Commission clarify which law is applicable for the resolution of such disputes: as a general rule, the law of the country where assignors have their habitual residence applies, regardless of which Member State’s courts or authorities examine the case. This proposal will promote cross-border investment and access to cheaper credit, and prevent systemic risks.

Versions

• June 2018: ‘Law applicable to the third-party effects of assignments of claims‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the law applicable to the third-party effects of assignments of claims Committee responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) COM(2018) 96
12.3.2018 Rapporteur: Pavel Svoboda (EPP, Czech Republic) 2018/0044(COD) Shadow rapporteurs: Mady Delvaux (S&D, Luxembourg)
Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL, Greece) Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Vote in committee

Morocco is the EU’s most stable trading partner in North Africa and a reliable ally in Brussels’ efforts to control African migration across the Mediterranean. But two rulings by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) have revived political tensions in the region and complicated things for the Commission.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) should "normally" decide on the future of the so-called new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) before the summer break in July. However, no date has yet been set, a source close to the issue told EURACTIV.com.

The General Court of the EU ruled on Tuesday that French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has to pay back €298,500 to the European Parliament over fake assistant jobs. Judges said that Le Pen, who was an MEP until last year, failed to prove that activities of her assistants paid by the EU parliament between 2010 and 2016 were "linked actually, directly and exclusively to her mandate."

The European Commission's infringement procedures against EU states that - according to the commission - are failing to uphold car emissions legislation, remains ongoing for now. A spokeswoman told EUobserver that the commission needed time to assess Germany's €1bn fine for emissions fraud against Volkswagen, handed out last week. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the UK have until 17 July to respond to 'letters of formal notice' related to Dieselgate.

Committee meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Gnandi
Justice and Home Affairs
Member States are entitled to adopt a return decision as soon as an application for international protection is rejected, provided that the return procedure is suspended pending the outcome of an appeal against that rejection

Le Pen v Parliament
Law governing the institutions
The General Court confirms the decision of the European Parliament to recover from Marine Le Pen MEP almost €300 000 for the employment of a parliamentary assistant, on the ground that she did not prove the effectiveness of that assistant’s work

Baumeister
MARI
All the information in the file of a financial supervision authority is not necessarily confidential

Efforts to reform 'Dublin', a regulation that determines who is responsible for asylum applications, remain mired in controversy. But other less contentious reforms that make up EU asylum laws have already reached provisional agreements.

Romanian lawmakers approved on Monday a judicial reform package that critics say could worsen graft in one of the European Union's most corrupt countries. The reform was proposed by the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) and backed by 175 to 78 votes. Criminal investigations will be limited to one year, forcing prosecutors to press charges quickly. Opposition parties said they would try to get the laws declared unconstitutional.