EU Insight, 28 February 2020

ITALY HOSTS EMERGENCY MEETING WITH NEIGHBOURS AFTER CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

Following last weekend’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak in northern Italy, the Italian Health Minister hosted a meeting with his counterparts from neighbouring countries, the EU Commissioner for Health, representatives of the Wold Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Ministers decided to continue to cooperate closely to control the said outbreak and, despite Austria’s temporary suspension of train traffic towards Italy last weekend, not to activate any Schengen border restrictions. The Croatian Presidency stated it stands ready to convene regularly Health Ministers (EPSCO Council) meetings until the situation is resolved.

NEGOTIATIONS ON FUTURE EU-UK RELATIONSHIP TO BEGIN AFTER MANDATES ADOPTED

The Council of the EU adopted its negotiating mandate to enter into free trade agreement (FTA) discussions with the UK. The mandate gives instructions to the Commission and in particular the EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier, who will be responsible for conducting the negotiations. He said he is “determined to reach a deal that protects EU interests.” Compared to the draft mandate that was proposed by the Commission on 3 February, the adopted text only includes a few modest additions or changes. Given that the UK also adopted its own mandate this week, the first round of negotiations will begin on Monday 2 March.

COMMISSION PUTS SUSTAINABILITY AT HEART OF EUROPEAN SEMESTER EXERCISE

The Commission presented its Winter Package for 2020, which includes 28 country reports that analyse each Member State’s key socio-economic challenges. Overall, the country reports show that resilience in the banking sector overall strengthened in 2019, but challenges remain in some Member States. The Commission found that nine Member States experience macroeconomic imbalances, while three experience excessive macroeconomic imbalances. For the first time, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been incorporated in the assessments contained in the country reports, which now describe Member States’ progress towards SGDs, in an attempt to place sustainability at the centre of the European Semester.

EU COMMISSION TRAVELS TO ETHIOPIA TO MEET WITH AFRICAN UNION LEADERS

A record number of the Commissioners travelled to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) for the 10th Commission-to-Commission meeting between the European Union and the African Union. A total of 19 members of the College of Commissioners discussed issues such as growth, jobs, green transition, digital, peace, security and governance, and mobility and migration with their African counterparts. African affairs are at the core of the attention of the von der Leyen Commission, which plans to present a comprehensive African Strategy next week. The document will be a basis for further meetings in May and October of this year.

COUNCIL ADOPTS NEW RULES ON TYRES LABELLING

The Council of the EU adopted new rules on the labelling of tyres regulating parameters such as fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise. As a result, consumers will have improved access to information that will enable them to choose safer, fuel efficient and quieter tyres via new labelling. Re-treaded tyres will be included once a suitable testing method on the performance of such tyres is available. Tyres for trucks and buses will in future also have to carry the label. Following the adoption in the Council, the Regulation now needs to be adopted by the European Parliament before being published in the Official Journal.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK

• 4-5 March: Informal meeting of defence ministers. On the agenda: Common Security and Defence Policy, EU defence cooperation, EU-NATO cooperation.
• 5 March: Environment Council. On the agenda: European Green Deal, EU’s climate long-term strategy submission to the UN, air quality, water legislation, European semester.
• 5-6 March: Informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers. On the agenda: EU external policy.

Karl Isaksson, Managing Partner Brussels, Kreab