27/04/2020
EU LEADERS HOLD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS ON RECOVERY FUND AND REVISED BUDGET
The European Council held preliminary discussions on how to adapt the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 in light of the current crisis as well as on the Recovery Fund, which will itself be part of the MFF. Whilst EU leaders agreed on a “clear framework” for future talks, no substantial decision on either the size or the functioning of said instruments resulted from the meeting. The European Council tasked the Commission to analyse the economic impact of COVID-19 across Member States and sectors, in order to come up with a proposal clarifying the Recovery Fund’s link with an adjusted MFF for 2021-2027. The proposal is expected to be issued on 6 May.
NO TANGIBLE PROGRESS AFTER SECOND EU-UK NEGOTIATING ROUND
This week the EU and UK held the second round of negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship. During the concluding press conference, EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier noted a deal was far away but still possible, adding that the UK informed the EU that an extension of the transition period beyond 31 December 2020 is not on the table. Barnier said both the EU and the UK want tangible progress by June, to be able to find a deal before the end of the year. For this, Barnier said substantial progress will be needed in the upcoming rounds in May and June.
EU INSTITUTIONS CONTINUE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIY TO MITIGATE IMPACT OF COVID-19
The EU legislative activity to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continued this week. For starters, the Commission announced exceptional measures to support the agri-food sector, includes measures for private storage aid (PSA) in the dairy and meat sectors, the authorisation of self-organisation market measures by operators in hard hit sectors and flexibility in fruits and vegetables, wine and some other market support programmes. The Commission also proposed a €3 billion macro-financial assistance package to support ten neighbouring countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, the Council adopted measures to help the most deprived EU citizens as well as new rules to help EU fishermen.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CALLS TO SUPPORT THE TOURISM SECTOR DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
The European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee held an exchange of views with Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton. Following a letter sent by the Committee’s Tourism Task Force to Commissioners Breton and Adina Vălean (Transport) calling on the European Commission to present a tourism rescue action plan in view of the current crisis, MEPs stressed the need for a crisis-management mechanism that ensures the sector receives support through national compensation schemes and financial instruments. Commissioner Breton said that the tourism sector will be strongly supported by the EU, through both short-term financing and the long-term crisis recovery plans.
NEW DATA SHARING PLATFORM FOR RESEARCHERS TO SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19
The European Commission launched a European COVID-19 Data Platform to enable the rapid collection and sharing of available research data. The platform aims to enable quick sharing of research data and results to accelerate discovery, facilitating the development of an effective response to the COVID-19 emergency. Researchers can use the platform to store and share datasets, such as DNA sequences, protein structures, data from pre-clinical research and clinical trials, as well as epidemiological data. In addition, the Commission announced a pan-European Hackathon in the end of April to mobilise European innovators and the civil society.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK
Karl Isaksson, Managing Partner Brussels, Kreab