Insights | EU Insight, 3 July 2020

06/07/2020

EU Insight, 3 July 2020

EU OPENS EXTERNAL BORDERS WITH 15 COUNTRIES

The Council of the EU adopted a recommendation on the gradual lifting of temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, which were introduced in mid-March. Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation (focused on the epidemiological situation and containment measures), as from 1 July Member States should start lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, and China (subject to confirmation of reciprocity). The list will be reviewed every two weeks.

CO-LEGISLATORS AGREE ON DIGITALISATION OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE

EU co-legislators struck an agreement on a legislative package to modernise judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters. The package, comprising a regulation on taking evidence and another on service of documents, aims to make access to justice faster, cheaper and more user-friendly. Specifically, courts will be able to exchange documents electronically across Member States and modern communication technologies will be increasingly used, all the while respecting data protection rules. The European Parliament and the Council now need to endorse the final version of the agreement before it is published in the Official Journal of the EU.

EU & UK AGREE TO END RESTRICTED ROUND EARLY AS SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES PERSIST

This week’s “restricted” EU-UK negotiation round, between very small groups of negotiators, halted Thursday, one day earlier than expected. At the end of this round significant differences persist on the same recurring issues – level playing field, fisheries, governance of the framework and dispute settlement mechanisms. The UK side considers that any deal with the EU would have to be effectively settled by August. Whereas, the EU side is not confident of any possible deal being ready until the autumn. The intensified EU-UK negotiations continue next week in London, starting Monday.

EXCEPTIONAL STATE AID RULES PROLONGED

The Commission has prolonged the validity of certain state aid rules that were due to expire at the end of 2020 and adjusted existing ones, aiming to alleviate the coronavirus outbreak’s financial impact on companies. The Commission thus adopted a new regulation amending the General Block Exemption Regulation and the de minimis Regulation, and adopted a Communication amending seven sets of state aid guidelines, notably concerning undertakings in difficulty and job relocations. That communication also prolonged by one year (until 2021) those rules due to expire at the end of this year.

COMMISSION DRAFTS NEGOTIATING FRAMEWORKS FOR ALBANIA AND NORTH MACEDONIA

The Commission presented draft negotiating frameworks for Albania and North Macedonia to the Council, outlining principles for the two countries’ accession negotiations. The draft frameworks divide into three sections: firstly, principles governing accession negotiations; secondly the substance of negotiations; and thirdly the negotiations procedure. The objective is for Albania and North Macedonia to adopt the entire EU acquis and fully implement and enforce it upon EU accession. Once Member States have adopted the negotiating frameworks, the rotating Council Presidency will present the agreed EU position in the first intergovernmental conference with each country, thus beginning accession negotiations.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK

  • 6 July: Informal meeting of justice ministers.
  • 7 July: Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers.
  • 8-10 July: European Parliament Plenary session. On the agenda: Germany Presidency programme, AML, EU public health strategy post-COVID-19, Mobility package.
  • 9 July: Video conference of the Eurogroup. On the agenda: Commission summer interim forecast, budgetary situation and fiscal stance in the euro area, Eurogroup President election.
  • 9 July: European Union Military Committee (EUMC). On the agenda: EU’s military operations and training missions, Strategic Compass, EU-NATO cooperation, migration.
  • 10 July: Video conference of economics and finance ministers. On the agenda: Economic impact of COVID-19 and recovery measures, convergence reports, CMU.

Karl Isaksson, Managing Partner Brussels, Kreab