Latest documents

Summary : Regional economic and political leader, G20 member, and elected to a United Nations Security Council seat in 2019 for the third time since the end of apartheid, South Africa is a strategic EU partner. Recognised as one of only two full democracies on its continent in the 2018 Democracy Index, South Africa nevertheless faces considerable problems, affecting both the economy and a fragile social fabric still affected by its apartheid history. The governing party's election success comes as no surprise, although its falling popularity increasingly puts its ability to address South Africa's challenges into question. In this context, a revived EU-South Africa strategic partnership could provide a framework for enhanced cooperation in sensitive policy areas.

Authors : LATEK Marta

Summary : Looking back on 20 years of the euro, it is widely acknowledged that it has proved successful as the common currency of the euro area, and that it has also developed into a vehicle for international trade, having become the second most widely used currency in the world. However, this growing international role is not reflected in the external representation of the euro in international financial fora, notably the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Over the years, various attempts have been made to change this. The latest of these attempts came in the wake of the Five Presidents' Report of 2015, which subsequently led to a Commission proposal for a Council decision on unified representation of the euro area in the IMF. The proposal aims to secure representation of the euro area on the IMF's Executive Board through the creation of a single euro-area constituency, and by the Eurogroup in the remaining IMF bodies. Member States have shown reluctance to give up the current form of representation on the IMF Executive Board in favour of a unified euro-area constituency. Their objections are mainly geopolitical in nature. They tend to consider that their national interest is best served in the framework of the existing IMF governance structure. Although the proposal has been on Council's table since 2015, there has been no visible progress to date, with the 2025 implementation deadline proposed by the Commission now called into question.

Authors : DE RYCK PAUL

Summary : During the 2014-19 parliamentary term the European Union and notably the European Parliament, through its dedicated Committee on Petitions (PETI), has continued to uphold the right of citizens to petition the EP to raise issues and concerns and to call for redress and action in areas of EU competence, by mobilising institutions and Member States both on issues at the centre of the political debate, and on ‘‘orphan’’ or ‘‘dormant’’ issues. With the aim of better serving EU citizens, the Committee on Petitions has developed a Petitions Web Portal, adopted new and updated Guidelines, created a Petitions Network and a special Working Group on Child Welfare Issues. PETI continued to examine a high number of petitions raising issues in all areas of EU activity. In the 9th legislature, PETI could strengthen its achievements by exploring innovative ways to achieve effective solutions for the petitioners.

Authors : HEEZEN JOHANNES, MARZOCCHI Ottavio

Summary : The substantial reduction in trade costs and the rapid technological advances characterising the global economy over the past three decades have allowed multinational enterprises (MNEs) to increasingly break up their supply chains and spread them across different countries. The principal implication of this change relates to the concept of value added and the way it is created and captured across MNE-controlled global value chains (GVCs). The dynamic nature of transfers within MNEs, the increasing role of services and intangible assets in manufacturing, and most critically the unfolding digital revolution have all intensified the mobility of value-generating factors within GVCs, and highlighted the difficulty of defining the exact location where value is generated. These developments have significant policy implications. One critical area is that of tax policy, where the challenges posed by the new economic landscape are numerous and multifaceted. On the one hand, governments seek to encourage trade and investment by MNEs by removing tax and regulatory barriers they face. Some governments go even further by resorting to harmful tax competition that drives corporate income taxes to the bottom. At the same time, many MNEs continue to employ enhanced tax arbitrage to minimise their tax obligations across jurisdictions; furthermore, business models are increasingly becoming borderless and highly mobile, and therefore difficult to tax. In view of these challenges, consensus is gradually emerging that tax systems need improved alignment to ensure that profits are taxed where the economic activities generating them are performed and where value is created. Yet, allocating jurisdiction to tax business profits in the context of MNE-controlled GVCs remains a highly complex process.

Authors : ZACHARIADIS IOANNIS AGAMEMNON

Summary : Having been elected to the European Parliament, two current members of the College of Commissioners have resigned as Commissioners in order to take up their seats. As a general rule, a vacancy caused in this way needs to be filled by a new Commissioner of the same nationality – unless the Council unanimously decides otherwise. On 16 June 2019, given the short duration of the remainder of the current Commission’s mandate, the Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, proposed not to replace the departing Commissioners.

Authors : TILINDYTE-HUMBURG Laura

Summary : The responsibility for better law-making is shared between the European Union institutions. In recent years Parliament has developed its own instruments to guarantee proper and independent assessment and to support parliamentary committees in their work. The concept of impact assessment is applied throughout the whole policy cycle – on both an ex-ante and an ex-post basis – from the design of legislation through to its implementation, evaluation and revision. The European Parliament also advocates a proper assessment of European added value, in terms of what savings will result from a European solution and if supplementary costs would arise in the absence of a European solution. This briefing provides a look back over five years’ experience in support of better regulation for the benefit of citizens.

Authors : HILLER WOLFGANG

Summary : The special European Council agreed on a package of EU high-level appointments including, the German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen (Germany) as candidate for the office of European Commission President. The Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles MIchel, was elected as incumbent European Council President. Josep Borrell (Spain) was nominated for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Christine Lagarde (France) for President of the European Central Bank.

Authors : DRACHENBERG Ralf

Summary : The first parliamentary session of the ninth legislature took place in Strasbourg from 2-4 July 2019. The Members of this new Parliament (sitting from 2019 to 2024), dealt with elections of their peers to the most important offices in Parliament – the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors. Under Rule 14 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure, the outgoing President opened this first, constituent session, during which Members also adopted a decision on the numerical strength of the standing committees and debated the outcome of the European Council meeting of 20 and 21 June 2019, and the follow-up meeting earlier this week.

Authors : FERGUSON CLARE, SOCHACKA KATARZYNA

Summary : Sovereign bonds, the most common form of sovereign debt, have specific characteristics. They are issued by national debt management offices on the primary market and subsequently traded on secondary markets. Loan agreements signed at the issuance of sovereign bonds on the primary market may include collective action clauses (CACs) aimed at making restructuring more orderly and predictable. CACs have been included in loan agreements and bond contracts since the 1990s. These clauses enable a 'supermajority' of creditors to modify essential payment terms of the contract, thus overcoming the problem posed by holdout creditors. Indeed, while debt restructuring involves benefits for both debtor countries and their creditors, there are also incentives for both parties to delay the process. Certain creditors, for instance, are tempted to hold out, and are therefore referred to as holdout creditors. Their incentive for holding out is the chance that they might recover their investment either in full or in a higher amount than the debtor country has offered in the restructuring agreement. While a holdout can bring creditors great gains, it has significant negative consequences for debtor countries and, in the worst case, can jeopardise the restructuring process. CACs can have one or two 'limbs'. While the EU Member States that are in the euro area decided in 2011 to include two-limb CACs in sovereign debt issued after 2013, the Greek restructuring experience and recent New York court decisions relative to sovereign debt have shown that such CACs can protect sovereign debtors only up to a certain point. Therefore, in the context of the euro-area governance reform, the Eurogroup has proposed that euro-area leaders should work for the introduction of single-limb CACs by 2022, and included this commitment in the draft revised text of the European Stability Mechanism Treaty.

Authors : DELIVORIAS Angelos

Summary : Our table shows the number of MEPs in each group, broken down by Member State, as well as the non-attached (NI) Members not in any group. The figures are supplied by our colleagues from the Members’ Administration Unit. This infographic updates an earlier edition, of 4 December 2017, PE614.600.

Authors : SABBATI Giulio

Summary : In September 2017, the Commission adopted a cybersecurity package with new initiatives to further improve EU cyber-resilience, deterrence and defence. As part of these, the Commission tabled a legislative proposal to strengthen the EU Agency for Network Information Security (ENISA). Following the adoption of the Network Information Security Directive in 2016, ENISA is expected to play a broader role in the EU's cybersecurity landscape but is constrained by its current mandate and resources. The Commission presented an ambitious reform proposal, including a permanent mandate for the agency, to ensure that ENISA can not only provide expert advice, as has been the case until now, but can also perform operational tasks. The proposal also envisaged the creation of the first voluntary EU cybersecurity certification framework for ICT products, where ENISA will also play an important role. Within the European Parliament, the Industry, Research and Energy Committee adopted its report on 10 July 2018. An agreement was reached with the Council during the fifth trilogue meeting, on 10 December 2018. The text was adopted by the European Parliament on 12 March and by the Council on 9 April 2019. The new regulation came into force on 27 June 2019. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.

Authors : NEGREIRO ACHIAGA Maria Del Mar

Summary : In 2016, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation establishing a certification system for aviation security screening equipment. The proposal sought ‘to contribute to the proper functioning of the EU internal market and to increase the global competitiveness of the EU industry by establishing an EU certification system for aviation security equipment’. This system was to be based on EU type-approval and issuance of a certificate of conformity by manufacturers, which would have been valid in all Member States, according to the principle of mutual recognition. Progress on the proposal rapidly reached a stalemate. Consequently, in its 2019 work programme, the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the proposal, noting that there was a common understanding that an EU certification system would be better reached by amending existing implementing legislation based on Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation security. The proposal was formally withdrawn on 21 June 2019. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : DEBYSER Ariane

Summary : The practice of linking human rights with trade liberalisation has gained ground among many trade partners. Not only the EU, but also other important trade powers, such as the US and Canada, embed human and labour-rights provisions in their new trade agreements. For the EU, this ensues inevitably from the normative vision underlying all of its external policies, as enshrined in the Treaties. Accordingly, the EU has committed to respecting and promoting human rights and democracy through its external action. The main mechanism for incorporating human rights into the EU's bilateral agreements consists of an 'essential elements' human rights clause that enables one party to take appropriate measures in case of serious breaches by the other party. The clause, which also covers democratic principles and often the rule of law, is more than just a legal mechanism enabling the unilateral suspension of trade commitments in times of crisis. It enshrines the parties' commitments to human rights and thus puts EU relations with third countries on a solid regulatory base, opening the path to dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues. So far, the EU has clearly preferred a constructive engagement to more restrictive measures, and has not activated the clause to suspend trade preferences under any of its trade agreements. Civil society and the European Parliament have, on the other hand, encouraged the European Commission to use the clause in a more robust way in order to respond to serious breaches of human rights and democratic principles. This briefing focuses exclusively on the EU's bilateral and regional free trade agreements. EU unilateral human and labour rights provisions in trade arrangements are addressed in a separate briefing. A forthcoming EPRS paper will provide more information about labour rights (many of which also form part of the human rights enshrined in international conventions) in EU bilateral agreements.

Authors : ZAMFIR Ionel

Summary : The quality of European agricultural products often relies on their geographical origins, the traditional recipes used to make them, and the methods used in production and processing. These human and geographical factors are intrinsic to making a product unique. In 1992, the EU developed a quality scheme for foodstuffs, including the designation of their origin. The objectives of the EU quality scheme are to provide consumers with clear information, allowing them to make a more informed choice, and to indicate the added value of a given product. The protection of European local and gastronomic traditions, especially against imitation in third countries, is another important aim of the regulations. Consequently, the EU's engagement in protecting its registered products on the global market is a contentious issue in the negotiation of many trade agreements.

Authors : ROJEK Beata

Summary : The European Parliament's application of scrutiny prerogatives of political oversight of the European Commission increases the democratic legitimacy of the European Union, and the transparency and accountability of the European executive. The update of the 2018 study examines the European Parliament's powers of scrutiny of the European Commission in the last two legislative terms. The cases examined pertain mainly to electoral and institutional issues, motions of censure, parliamentary questions, inquiry committees and special parliamentary committees and reporting, consultation and provision of information. It also touches upon scrutiny in budgetary issues, scrutiny of delegated acts, scrutiny in the legislative procedure, legal proceedings and the EU's external relations.

Authors : REMAC Milan

Summary : The internet has transformed the world into a global village transcending physical borders and palpable distances. Often described as 'fog' or a 'globalised network of networks', cyberspace is extremely complex, accessible to everyone and difficult to pinpoint. While thanks to these characteristics cyberspace has opened countless social, economic and political opportunities, it has also become a source of disruption, conflict and geopolitical rivalries. The European Union has recognised that cyber-security and cyber-defence are critical for both its prosperity and security, and is emerging as an increasingly capable cyber player.

Authors : LATICI Tania

Summary : In May 2019, European citizens voted on their representatives in the European Parliament for the next five years, to defend their interests in the EU. This year’s election had a turnout of 51%, an increase of 8.3 percentage points from the previous election in 2014. It is also the first time since 1999 that more than half of adult citizens voted. The 751 MEPs elected have an average age of 50 years (with the youngest being 21 and the oldest 82). There is a majority of new MEPs(435). Women represent 40.4% of all MEPs.

Authors : SABBATI Giulio

Summary : The Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries expires in February 2020. The main challenge for the EU is to maintain its relations in the region while remaining faithful to the values set out in the European Treaties. The renegotiation of the Cotonou Agreement provides an opportunity to streamline relations between the ACP countries and the Union, taking into account the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the redefining of Europe’s strategies in the regions concerned, the new ambitions of the ACP countries and changes in the balance of power at a global level. The question of financing is also on the table. The EU sees promoting prosperity, stability and good governance in the ACP countries as a way of helping to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement. The ACP Group adopted its negotiating mandate in May 2018. The European Union adopted its negotiating mandate in June 2018, proposing a common ‘Foundation’ supplemented by specific protocols with the three subregions. The negotiations began in September 2018.

Authors : PICHON Eric

Summary : When Walter Hallstein became the first President of the European Economic Community Commission, in 1958, a long career already lay behind him: legal scholar, university professor, research manager, diplomat and German government representative at the conferences drafting the founding treaties of the European Coal and Steel Community and then the European Economic Community. The federalist ideas he developed and the emphasis he placed on supranational institutions remain among his most important legacies. Equally significant was his administrative capacity to build an institution of a completely new type and to anticipate policies that seemed utopian at the time but turned out to be necessary many years later. This impetus to push for further integration earned Hallstein strong opposition from several national leaders, and eventually led to his precipitous departure. This briefing recalls three principal aspects of Hallstein's life: as a scholar and research administrator, as a protagonist of German foreign policy and, of course, as a crucial architect of the early period of European integration.

Authors : LEHMANN Wilhelm, SALM Christian

Summary : On 30 November 2016, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal for a regulation on the internal market for electricity, as part of a comprehensive legislative package on the energy union. The proposed regulation is aimed at making the electricity market fit for more flexibility, decarbonisation and innovation, by providing for undistorted market signals. It sets out rules for electricity trading within different time frames, and clarifies the responsibilities of market actors. It defines principles for assessing capacity needs at regional and European level and proposes design principles for market-based capacity mechanisms with cross-border participation. It introduces regional operational centres for handling-system operation and a European entity for distribution system operators. The Council adopted its general approach in December 2017. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) adopted its report in February 2018. A provisional trilogue agreement was reached on 19 December 2018. The European Parliament adopted the text in the March II 2019 plenary session and the Council on 22 May 2019. The Regulation entered into force on 4 July 2019. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : On 30 November 2016, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal for a regulation on the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), as part of the ‘clean energy for all Europeans’ legislative package. The proposed regulation gives ACER a stronger role in the development of network codes and the coordination of regional decision-making. It furthermore assigns it a number of new tasks related to regional operational centres, the supervision of nominated electricity market operators and the assessment of generation adequacy and risk preparedness. In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), which adopted its report in February 2018. A provisional trilogue agreement was reached on 11 December 2018. The European Parliament adopted the text in the March II 2019 plenary session and the Council on 22 May 2019. The final act was signed on 5 June 2019 and published in the Official Journal on 14 June 2019. The Regulation entered into force on 4 July 2019. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : On 30 November 2016, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation on risk-preparedness in the electricity sector. This proposal addresses shortcomings in the existing legislation, notably a lack of regional coordination, and differing national rules and procedures. It would replace the existing legislation, and establish common rules on crisis prevention and crisis management in the electricity sector. Regional interdependencies would be taken into account in the preparation of national riskpreparedness plans and in managing crisis situations. Transparency would be enhanced by requiring an ex-post evaluation of crisis situations. In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), which adopted its report in February 2018. A trilogue agreement was reached in November 2018. The European Parliament adopted the text in the March II 2019 plenary session and the Council on 22 May 2019. The Regulation was published in the Official Journal on 14 June 2019 and entered into force on 4 July 2019. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : On 30 November 2016, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal for a recast directive on the internal market for electricity, as part of a comprehensive legislative package entitled 'Clean Energy for all Europeans'. The proposed directive would oblige Member States to ensure a more competitive, customer-centred, flexible and non-discriminatory EU electricity market with market-based supply prices. It would strengthen existing customer rights, introduce new ones and provide a framework for energy communities. Member States would have to monitor and address energy poverty. The proposal clarifies the tasks of distribution system operators and emphasises the obligation of neighbouring national regulators to cooperate on issues of cross-border relevance. The Council adopted its general approach in December 2017. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) adopted its report in February 2018. A provisional trilogue agreement was reached in December 2018. The European Parliament adopted the text in the March II 2019 plenary session and the Council on 22 May 2019. The Directive entered into force on 4 July 2019 and must be transposed into national legislation by 31 December 2020. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : On 23-26 May, 2019, European Union citizens elected a more fragmented European Parliament than its predecessor, with the two main political groups – the European People’s Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats losing some ground, and the Liberals, now known as Renew Europe, and the Greens/European Free Alliance strengthening their representation. Gains made by Eurosceptic and populist groups proved more limited than had been predicted. This note brings together commentaries, analyses and studies by major international think tanks and research institutes on the European elections and their aftermath.

Authors : CESLUK-GRAJEWSKI Marcin

Summary : The President of the European Commission has taken on an ever more prominent leading role within the College of Commissioners, with the increasingly presidential system eclipsing the principle of collegiate decision-making. With the European Parliament now more involved in the appointment, the Presidency has not only become a much more politicised office, but the President has also gained greater influence vis-à-vis the other members of the Commission. The Commission President plays a crucial role in relations between Parliament and Commission. Presenting his or her priorities to Parliament prior to election sets the course for the whole term, on which the President will be called to account by Parliament. Building on this, Parliament has an increasingly prominent role in political agenda-setting, shaping the EU's legislative programming together with the Commission and the Council. At the end of President Barroso's second term as Commission President, many had criticised the lack of ambitious initiatives undertaken, whereas others believe that the economic and institutional difficulties which the EU faced made this inevitable. The legacy of President Juncker's mandate can claim, on the one hand, to show progress in trade and defence, although some maintain that more ambition could have been displayed in other areas, for instance on the digital market or monetary union. On the other hand, the Juncker Commission introduced some significant changes in the College's working methods and a more political role for the Commission. Whereas Jean-Claude Juncker had been a Spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) in the European elections, Ursula von der Leyen, nominated as candidate for the Commission presidency by the European Council on 2 July, was not. As none of the Spitzenkandidaten were seen to have a clear majority in Parliament, it remains to be seen whether an 'outsider' from that process can muster the support of the required majority of Parliament's component Members at the time of the election, currently planned for the July II plenary session. This is an updated edition of a 2014 briefing drafted by Eva-Maria Poptcheva.

Authors : KOTANIDIS Silvia

Summary : With the help of cells from a single cow, scientists can produce 175 million hamburgers. What if we didn’t need cows for our beef? Technologies for producing cultured meat and dairy products will help feeding the world in a sustainable way. What if we could produce meat without farming? New technology within reach to produce meat with a very low eco-footprint

Authors : VAN WOENSEL Lieve

Summary : To ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in society, and to reduce the fragmentation of legislation governing access to products and services, the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a directive – often referred to as the European Accessibility Act. This proposal, published on 2 December 2015, provides for a common EU definition of, and implementation framework for, accessibility requirements for certain products and services. It also aims to use the same accessibility requirements to provide a clear definition of the existing general accessibility obligation laid down in European law. Many stakeholders welcomed the European Union's wish to honour its responsibilities under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, but they were divided on the means to reach this objective. In the European Parliament, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) adopted its report on 25 April 2017, which was discussed in plenary on 15 September. At the same time, Parliament gave a mandate to start negotiations with the Council. On 7 December 2017, the Council agreed on a position (general approach). On 8 November 2018, the EP and the Council came to a provisional agreement. The agreed text was adopted by the EP on 13 March 2019, then by the Council on 27 March, and published in the Official Journal on 7 June 2019. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : LECERF Marie

Summary : The European Parliament plays an important role in the appointment processes of two European Central Bank bodies: the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board (Chair and Vice-Chair). This paper aims to: a) provide an overview of the relevant procedural provisions, b) present a selection of past appointments; and c) describe the evolving role of the European Parliament in those procedures. This document was prepared by Policy Department A for the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Authors : RAKIC Drazen

Summary : This study assesses the role of the European Parliament in the field of cohesion policy since the Treaty of Lisbon introduced ‘co-decision’ procedure whereby Parliament and Council have equal powers in agreeing the regulations of the EU Structural and Investment Funds. In addition to the formal processes, the study also considers the informal ones from policy development at the pre-legislative stage to the interinstitutional negotiations as well as the Parliament’s scrutiny role over cohesion policy.

Summary : This study provides an analysis of the most important EU funding instruments currently available for transport projects with the aim to evaluate the extent to which they are fulfilling strategic EU policy goals. Based on a thorough assessment of the overall performance of these instruments (through previous reports, interviews and case studies), and after identifying the main opportunities and challenges they will face in the future, the study proposes a set of recommendations on how to improve their effectiveness and contribution to EU added value in the future.

Summary : The directive on contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services, proposed by the European Commission in 2015, harmonises some private-law aspects of such contracts at EU level for the first time. The directive will not fully harmonise the duration of legal guarantees for digital content and services, but national laws will not be allowed limit it to less than two years. For the first year from delivery, the burden of proof will be on the supplier. Traders will be required to provide necessary updates. The directive will also establish what remedies consumers are entitled to and the order in which they can be used. Although the European Parliament proposed that the directive should cover embedded digital content as well, following negotiations with the Council, the co-legislators agreed that such content will be regulated by the new directive on sale of goods. The directive on contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services was formally signed into law in May 2019 and Member States have to apply its measures from 1 January 2022. Sixth edition of a briefing originally drafted by Rafał Mańko. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. To view previous editions of this briefing, please see: PE 635.601 (March 2019).

Authors : SAJN Nikolina

Summary : The European Parliament is very attentive to the issue of transparency and integrity within the EU institutions. In the past, the EP has commissioned two studies to verify the level of effectiveness and efficiency of the Code of Conduct for Commissioners of the European Commission. This in-depth analysis verifies whether the Code of Conduct of 2018 complies with the requests the EP has made in order to guarantee the best performance in terms of transparency and integrity by the EC Commissioners. Most of the EP requests have been satisfied. However, there is still some room for improvement in terms of transparency of the Independent Ethical Committee, the cooling off period for Commissioners and provisions related to the role of the European Ombudsman within the Code. Moreover, the Code of Conduct, being a soft law instrument, could be upgraded to a hard law instrument having a stronger binding force. Finally, the EP could reiterate the study recommendations concerning stricter provisions on the involvement of Commissioners in the national, regional or local politics.

Authors : CALATOZZOLO Rita

Summary : The European Commission proposed a new directive on the consumer sale of goods in 2015, with the aim to lay down rules on online and other distance sales of goods. This was replaced on 31 October 2017 by an amended proposal, which sought to replace entirely the existing Consumer Sales Directive dating from 1999, and regulate contracts concluded both online and offline. The new directive was agreed in January 2019 after trilogue negotiations between Parliament and Council, and then adopted by the two institutions in March and April respectively. Signed in May 2019, it will allow Member States to decide on a legal guarantee of longer than two years and extend the period during which it is presumed that the goods were faulty from the start. It entered into force on 11 June 2019 and Member States have to apply it from 1 January 2022. Fifth edition, based on a briefing originally drafted by Rafał Mańko. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. To view previous versions of this briefing, please see: PE 635.594 (March 2019).

Authors : SAJN Nikolina

Summary : This study focuses on the issue of trafficking in human beings in the specific context of hotspots. It analyses the processes in place to facilitate the detection of victims when they arrive by sea on Greek and Italian shores, as well as the protection they are granted.

Authors : SCHERRER Amandine Marie Anne

Summary : The Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) is, along with the Single Resolution Mechanism, one of the pillars or the Banking Union (the third pillar, the common deposit guarantee scheme, still pending completion). It comprises the European Central Bank, in its supervisory capacity, and the national supervisory authorities (NCAs) of participating Member States.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE

Summary : The recent case of Banco Popular has shown the importance of liquidity funding in the context of bank resolution. The Eurogroup report endorsed by the December 2018 Euro Summit noted the “broad support for the assessment of the institutions [i.e. ECB, SRB and Commission] that there are limitations in the current framework [for liquidity provision in resolution] which may hamper its effectiveness. The June 2019 Euro summit has not yet reached any conclusions on the design of that liquidity facility, as planned. The Eurogroup is expected to report back to the Euro-Summit in December 2019. This briefing (1) describes the existing arrangements in the Banking Union, (2) compares those arrangements with the US and the UK regimes and (3) echoes ongoing reflections on possible new arrangements with a view to completing the Banking Union. This briefing is an updated version of a briefing initially drafted in July 2018.

Authors : DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, MAGNUS Marcel

Summary : One of the key lessons learned from the financial crisis in 2007-2008 is that in order to reduce the direct and indirect costs of bank failures for national governments, one has to have a credible framework in place to deal with banks’ failures, including clear rules as to the allocation of losses and the conditions attached to the use of common resources, to provide strong incentives for taking measures of precaution in good times and minimise losses in times of crisis. To that end, Europe has put together a framework for resolving banks in difficulties. That framework is the Single Resolution Mechanism, headed by an European agency, the Single Resolution Board (SRB), based on Regulation 806/2014 and comprising all national resolution authorities of the Member States participating in the Banking Union.

Authors : PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, MAGNUS Marcel

Summary : While a banking group located in the Banking Union is supervised by a single supervisor (SSM) and no longer by home and host supervisors, subsidiaries are subject to individual requirements with remaining national powers over legal entities of a group. Further integration of banking groups’ risk management has been identified by the Chair of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) as one of the remaining steps to completing the Banking Union. For the Chair of the SSM, there are “still obstacles to the integrated management of bank capital and liquidity within cross-border groups operating in the banking union”. As the SSM put it “the fences should be removed; they are out of place within a banking union where the concept of home and host supervisors has disappeared”.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE

Summary : For 85 years, the US regime for non-viable banks has maintained a high degree of stability and public confidence by protecting deposits, while working to minimize the public cost of that protection. With awareness of the difference in context, EU reformers can draw valuable insights from the US experience. On balance, a review of the US regime supports arguments in favour of harmonization and centralization of bank insolvency proceedings and deposit insurance in Europe’s banking union. A unitary regime would improve on the current EU status quo along multiple dimensions: deposit protection, creditor rights, controlling moral hazard, predictability and operational effectiveness, transparency and accountability, and financial stability. It would help break the bank-sovereign vicious circle in the euro area. The US experience suggests that substantial improvements are achievable in a well-designed system of institutional checks and balances that learns and adapts over time.

Summary : This briefing summarises the key areas of possible regulatory initiatives with a view to further completing the Banking Union: (1) EDIS, (2) Further harmonisation of banking law (“single rule book’), (3) Home/host issues, (4) Resolution financing, (5) Further harmonisation of insolvency law, (6) safe assets and regulatory treatment of sovereign exposures and (7) AML supervision. These issues are further explained in additional thematic briefings.

Authors : PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, MAGNUS Marcel

Summary : This briefing provides an insight into where banking legislation stands in terms of providing a ‘single rule book’ for the purposes of supervising banks in the Banking Union It also identifies the key areas where further harmonisation would facilitate both supervision and resolution.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA

Summary : This note is prepared in view of a public hearing with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB), Elke König who will inter alia present the SRB 2018 Annual Report.

Authors : PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA, MAGNUS Marcel, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, SEGALL REBECCA SARAH FANNY

Summary : The main highlight of the July II plenary session was the election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. Other highlights included a statement by Viorica Dăncilă, Prime Minister of Romania, on the outcome of that country's Council presidency, and by Antti Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland on the priorities for the current Finnish Council Presidency. Parliament also debated statements by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on implementation of the EU Global Strategy, and the situation in Venezuela (also adopting a resolution), in the Persian Gulf and in Moldova. Debates were also held on Council and Commission statements on humanitarian assistance in the Mediterranean and clean air zones in EU cities. Members also decided on the numerical strength of the interparliamentary delegations.

Authors : FERGUSON CLARE, SOCHACKA KATARZYNA

Summary : The Bologna Declaration marked the launch of the Bologna Process, which led to the formation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in 2010. The process now brings together 48 European countries in a common effort to achieve compatible and comparable higher education systems. Participants face the challenge of making different systems more easily recognisable whilst respecting academic freedom and autonomy, as well as cultural and linguistic diversity.

Authors : CHIRCOP Denise

Summary : The European Parliament and Council have adopted a new multiannual plan for the western Mediterranean fisheries exploiting several stocks of fish and crustaceans living close to the sea bottom (i.e. 'demersal fisheries'). Most of these stocks have long been overfished and are now in an alarming state. The new plan aims to reverse this trend and ensure that fishing activities are environmentally sustainable, and capable of securing economic and social benefits. It concerns fishing fleets from Italy, Spain and France, totalling almost 10 900 vessels. The new regulation introduces a fishing-effort regime for all trawlers operating in the region, under which the Council will set each year, on the basis of scientific advice, the maximum number of fishing days for each fleet category by Member State. In addition, the plan restricts trawlers from operating in waters shallower than 100 m located within 6 nautical miles of the coast, for three months per year, to reserve the coastal zone for more selective fishing gear. The plan also establishes regional cooperation among the Member States concerned, with a view to developing provisions on the obligation to land all catches and on the conservation of resources through technical measures.

Authors : POPESCU Irina

Summary : On 17 April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive intended to facilitate law enforcement authorities' access to and use of financial information held in other jurisdictions within the EU for investigations related to terrorism and other serious crime. The proposed directive would grant competent authorities direct access to bank account information contained in centralised registries set up in each Member State, according to the Fifth Anti-Money-Laundering Directive. The proposal also aims to strengthen domestic and cross-border exchange of information between EU Member States' competent authorities, including law enforcement authorities and financial intelligence units, as well as with Europol. The provisional agreement reached in February 2019 in interinstitutional negotiations was adopted by the European Parliament on 17 April 2019, followed by the Council on 14 June. On 20 June 2019, the directive was signed into law and then published in the Official Journal on 11 July. Member States have until 1 August 2021 to transpose its provisions into national law.

Authors : CIRLIG Carmen-Cristina

Summary : The European Parliament (EP) and the Council are the budgetary authority of the European Union. The two institutions, assisted by the European Commission, decide on the budget in the annual EU budgetary procedure. The annual EU budget funds EU policies and programmes following the Union's political priorities and legal obligations. The financial year starts on 1 January and ends on 31 December. The European Parliament amends the Council position through the work of its Committee on Budgets (BUDG) and the specialised parliamentary committees. The EP then adopts the Parliament's reading in plenary session. This briefing presents possible scenarios set in the EU Treaties for adoption or non-adoption of the annual budget. It explains differences between the Treaty calendar and the 'pragmatic calendar'. The key actors in establishing the Parliament's position are: the Committee on Budgets and EP specialised committees, in particular the BUDG chair, the annual budget rapporteurs and their shadows, BUDG coordinators and budget rapporteurs in specialised committees. An amendment to the Council's position is a tool enabling Members of the European Parliament to modify the annual budget draft. This briefing sketches the life cycle of such an amendment. The European Parliament and the Council work out an agreement on the annual budget through negotiations consisting of trilogue meetings and conciliation. Last but not least, this briefing explains what happens if there is no agreement on the EU annual budget.

Authors : MAZUR Sidonia

Summary : Pilot projects and preparatory actions (PP/PAs) are tools introduced in the European Union (EU) budget that aim at testing new policy initiatives and/or preparing the ground for the adoption of future measures. Such PP/PAs give Members of the European Parliament the possibility to initiate innovative policies and fund them in advance of a legal basis being set. Both new PP/PAs and those continued from previous years must be included in the EU budget through the annual budgetary procedure.

Authors : MAZUR Sidonia

Summary : This study is part of a wider project investigating, from a comparative law perspective, the role of constitutional courts of different states. Following a brief historical introduction to the jurisdiction of the state in question, the various reports examine the composition, internal organization, functioning, jurisdiction of the various highest courts, as well as the right of access to its courtroom, its procedural rules, and the effects and the execution of its judgments. The present study examines Canada’s highest court, the Supreme Court. While all judicial courts may rule on constitutional matters, the Supreme Court of Canada enjoys a privileged status in the Canadian legal landscape. As the ultimate arbiter of the Constitution, it has the final word with respect to constitutional interpretation, notably in constitutional matters. It thus plays a central role in Canada’s federal democracy.

Summary : The implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) raises a series of challenges for scientific research, especially regarding research that is dependent on data. This study investigates the promises and challenges associated with the implementation of the GDPR in the scientific domain and examines the adequacy of the GDPR exceptions for scientific research in terms of safeguarding scientific freedom and technological progress.

Summary : In recent times, there has been much discussion in policy circles, academia and the private sector regarding the tension between blockchains and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’). Whereas, the GDPR is based on an underlying assumption that in relation to each personal data point there is at least one the data controller, blockchains make the allocation of responsibility and accountability burdensome. Further, although the GDPR is based on the assumption that data can be modified or erased where necessary to comply with legal requirements, blockchains, however, render the unilateral modification of data purposefully onerous in order to ensure data integrity and to increase trust in the network.

Summary : During the September 2019 plenary sitting, the European Parliament is expected to vote on a resolution on the candidate (Christine Lagarde) for the position of President of the European Central Bank (ECB), to succeed Mario Draghi, whose term is due to end on 1 November 2019. The President is appointed by the European Council, while Parliament and the Bank’s Governing Council are consulted. Prior to the vote, the candidate will receive a series of questions for written answer, and be invited to a hearing before the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON). The ECB President is a key figure within the Eurosystem when setting monetary policy for the euro area.

Authors : SCHEINERT CHRISTIAN

Summary : International research collaboration is the core of contemporary higher education and science systems. The percentage of internationally co-authored publications globally and across Europe has been on the rise. The aim of the study is to analyse the changing nature of academic knowledge production in EU28 Member States towards its increasing internationalization. A number of policy options concerning the improvement of international research collaboration in the European Union are suggested.

Summary : Despite significant progress for some social groups in the area of work-life balance, there has been a general trend of decline since 2011, and progress amongst Member States has been uneven. This proposed directive (complemented with non-legislative measures) should lead to the repeal of the existing Framework Agreement on Parental Leave, made binding by Council Directive 2010/18/EU (the Parental Leave Directive). The new directive contains proposals for paternity, parental and carers' leave. Stakeholders have been divided over the level of ambition of the proposed measures. Trilogue negotiations started in September 2018, and a provisional agreement among the three institutions was reached after the sixth trilogue meeting, in January 2019. The provisional agreement is less ambitious than the original Commission proposal and the Parliament’s position, which had, in some ways, gone further than the Commission. The text was approved by the Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee in February voted in plenary in April and adopted by the Council in June 2019. Member States have to transpose most of its provisions into national law by August 2022. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : MILOTAY Nora

Summary : Investment funds are products created to pool investors' capital and to invest it in a collective portfolio of securities. The characteristics of a range of different types of investment funds have been established in Union law, and most funds on the market are categorised as one of these types. The market in the EU is smaller than in the United States, despite there being far more funds in the EU. This is why the European Commission put forward two legislative proposals: one for a regulation aligning national requirements for marketing funds and regulatory fees and harmonising the process and requirements for the verification of marketing material by national competent authorities, and the other for a directive harmonising the conditions under which investment funds may exit a national market and allowing European asset managers to engage in pre-marketing activities. Parliament and Council approved the texts agreed in trilogue on 16 April and 14 June 2019 respectively. The final acts were published on 12 July 2019. The directive’s provisions shall apply from 2 August 2021, and the regulation’s from August 2019, with some exceptions. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : DELIVORIAS Angelos

Summary : The mid-term review of the digital single market strategy in 2017 identified the data economy as one of the top three priority areas for action in the second half of the strategy's implementation, and announced a legislative proposal to improve access to and the re-use of publicly funded data. These data, which include geographical, land registry, statistical and legal information, are needed by re-users in the digital economy, and are increasingly employed by public administrations themselves. On 25 April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a revision of the directive on the re-use of public sector information, which was presented as part of a package of measures aiming to facilitate the creation of a common data space in the EU. The directive addresses a number of issues, and presents ways to boost the potential of public sector information, including the provision of real-time access to dynamic data, the supply of high-value public data for re-use, the prevention of new forms of exclusive arrangement, and action to limit the use of exceptions to the principle of charging the marginal cost. The European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) adopted its report on 3 December 2018. An agreement was reached with the Council in trilogue on 22 January 2019. The updated directive was adopted by the Parliament on 4 April and by the Council on 6 June 2019. It was signed by the Presidents of the European Parliament and of the Council on 20 June 2019, and published in the Official Journal of 26 June 2019. The directive came into force on 16 July 2019. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : NEGREIRO ACHIAGA Maria Del Mar

Summary : Harmonised products represent 69 % of the overall value of industrial products in the internal market. However, a significant part of these products does not comply with harmonised EU rules. This has negative effects on the health and safety of consumers, and on fair competition between businesses. To remedy the situation, in 2017 the Commission proposed to strengthen market surveillance rules for non-food products harmonised by EU legislation. Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the proposal in February 2019. The new regulation was signed on 20 June and published in the Official Journal on 25 June 2019, applying in full from July 2021. It aims to increase EU-level coordination of market surveillance and clarify the procedures for the mutual assistance mechanism. Non-EU manufacturers of products that could cause an elevated level of risk to public interest will have to designate an importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider established in the EU. Fifth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : SAJN Nikolina

Summary : In May 2019, the European Parliament and the Council (the co-legislators) adopted the legislative proposals amending the Capital Requirements Directive and Regulation, which establish the prudential framework for financial institutions operating in the EU. The amendments implement the most recent regulatory standards for banks, set at international level ('Basel III framework'). They also address some regulatory shortcomings and aim to contribute to sustainable bank financing of the economy. The final acts were published in the Official Journal on 7 June 2019. The new provisions will for the most part apply as of 2021. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : STAMEGNA CARLA

Summary : This briefing p[resents the key findings of the corresponding study (PE 638.407).

Summary : Europe's population is ageing, due to people living longer and having fewer children, putting pressure on pension systems and leading to reforms to make public pensions more sustainable – and often less generous – in future. To support retirement incomes, the European Commission's 2012 pensions white paper called for more opportunities for citizens to save in safe and good-value complementary pensions. The aim of the proposed framework for a pan-European personal pension product (PEPP) was to encourage the development of personal (voluntary, individually funded) pensions in Europe, to support retirement saving and strengthen the single market for capital by making more funds available for investment. Generally the proposal was considered a welcome extra option to support retirement savings and investment. However differing national pension systems and tax treatments were noted as challenges, although the Commission also issued an accompanying tax recommendation. Following trilogue negotiations, an agreement was reached on the legislative proposal. It was subsequently approved by the Parliament on 4 April 2019 and by the Council on 14 June 2019. The final act was signed on 20 June 2019. Third edition of a briefing originally drafted by David Eatock. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : KISS Monika

Summary : The rapid increase in the number of Europeans working in a Member State other than their own, the large number of daily cross-border commuters and the need for information on job opportunities and rights at home and abroad have led the European Commission to propose the creation of a European-level coordinating body. The European Labour Authority (ELA) would replace, reorganise, or cooperate with existing structures dealing with information for individuals and employers, mediate between national labour authorities and social security bodies, and gather viable data on posted workers and commuters. According to the final text of the agreement reached between the Council and the Parliament, the main tasks of the ELA will be to facilitate access to information, enhance cooperation, and coordinate and support concerted and joint inspections. Furthermore, the ELA, in cooperation with Member States and social partner organisations, will assess risks and carry out analyses regarding labour mobility and social security coordination. The ELA may also conclude cooperation agreements with other relevant Union agencies. The European Parliament approved the agreement in plenary on 16 April 2019. The Council adopted the act on 13 June 2019 and the final act was signed on 20 June 2019 and entered into force on 31 July 2019. The Authority will become operational with the capacity to implement its own budget by 1 August 2021. Third edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : KISS Monika

Summary : Technical measures in fisheries govern the different fishing practices that can be used to catch fish, as well as the areas and seasons for fishing. Aimed at limiting unwanted catches and the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems, EU technical measures have developed over time into a notoriously complicated regulatory structure, which came to be seen as a plethora of ineffective rules under rigid governance. The European Parliament and Council have adopted a new legislative framework that changes the governance structure of technical measures. The new regulation is designed to simplify the previous system, to increase its flexibility through a regionalised approach adapted to the specificities of each EU sea basin, and to optimise the contribution of the technical measures to the objectives of the common fisheries policy. The text also provides for a total ban on electric pulse trawl fishing from 1 July 2021, with the possibility for Member States to immediately prohibit or restrict this type of fishing in their coastal waters. Fourth edition of a briefing originally drafted by Jean Weissenberger. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. To view earlier editions of this briefing, please see: PE 637.926, from April 2019.

Authors : POPESCU Irina

Summary : An employer's obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to their contracts is regulated by Directive 91/533/EEC. Major shifts in the labour market due to demographic trends and digitalisation, spawning a growing number of non-standard employment relationships, have made it necessary to revise this directive. The European Commission therefore came forward with a proposal for a directive aimed at updating and extending the information on employment-related obligations and working conditions, and at creating new minimum standards for all employed workers, including those on atypical contracts. In the European Parliament, the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) considered the proposal and adopted a report focusing in particular on the scope, on employees' working hours, on the conditions for making information available to them, and on employers' responsibilities. Following trilogue negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on the content of the draft legislation. The final act was signed on 20 June 2019 and published in the Official Journal on 11 July 2019. Member States have until 1 August 2022 to take the necessary measures to comply with the new directive. Third edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : KISS Monika

Summary : Every time a ship calls at a port, its maritime transport operator has to submit a set of pre-arrival information to a range of entities and agencies. Currently, the reporting process is not harmonised across EU ports. In addition, the information provided by ships is not efficiently shared among the actors concerned. The resulting multiple reporting places an excessive administrative burden on shipping operators, with negative impacts rippling down the logistics chain. Within broader efforts to modernise EU transport, the European Commission is proposing to bring all the reporting linked to a port call together into one digital space – the 'European Maritime Single Window', to harmonise reporting procedures for shipping operators and to ensure data can be shared and reused efficiently. Interinstitutional negotiations concluded on 7 February, the agreed text was adopted by the Parliament in plenary on 18 April and by Council on 13 June 2019. After publication in the Official Journal, the new regulation entered into force on 14 August 2019, while the measures within it will apply from 15 August 2025. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : PAPE Marketa

Summary : This briefing provides an insight into the latest developments on equivalence in EU banking and financial regulation both in terms of governance and decision making (Section 1) and in terms of regulatory and supervisory frameworks that governs the access of third countries firms to the internal market (Section 2). The briefing also gives an overview on the possible role of equivalence regimes in the context of Brexit (Section 3) together with Brexit-related supervisory and regulatory issues (Section 4). This briefing is an updated version of a briefing published in April 2018.

Authors : DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, MAGNUS Marcel, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA

Summary : Culture and creative sectors (CCS) are confronted with an ever-changing environment which challenges practices, business models and market balances. This study highlights the key trends that are likely to impact the future development of the CCS in their operational context in the European Union by 2030.

Summary : This note prepared by the Economic Governance Support Unit provides an overview of the EP’s accountability hearings in the context of the Single Resolution Mechanism.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel

Summary : This note prepared by the Economic Governance Support Unit provides an overview of the EP’s accountability hearings in the context of the Single Supervisory Mechanism.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel

Summary : 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 improving the existing framework. Actors on the employers' side have underlined the need to ensure that values are proportionate and feasible in terms of technical implementation. After adoption by the Parliament and Council, in March and May respectively, based on a text agreed in trilogue in January 2019, the final act was signed by the presidents of the co-legislators on 5 June 2019. Directive (EU) 2019/983 entered into force on 10 July 2019 and is to be transposed into national law within two years, by 11 July 2021. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : SCHOLZ Nicole

Summary : In November 2017, the European Commission proposed a revision of Directive 2009/33/EC on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles (the Clean Vehicles Directive), after an evaluation showed that the directive had yielded limited results. The proposed directive aims to promote clean mobility solutions in public procurement tenders and thereby raise the demand for, and the further deployment of, clean vehicles. The proposal provides a definition for clean light-duty vehicles based on a combined CO2 and air-pollutant emissions threshold; for heavy-duty vehicles, it gives a definition based on alternative fuels. The proposal is in line with the European Commission's energy union package, which plans action on the further decarbonisation of road transport in line with the 2030 climate and energy targets. The proposal was referred to the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). A trilogue agreement was reached on 11 February 2019. The Parliament adopted the text in the April II 2019 plenary session and the Council on 13 June. The Directive was published in the Official Journal on 12 July 2019. Member States must transpose it into national law by 2 August 2021. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : In May 2018, the Commission proposed a regulation setting the first-ever CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles in the EU, as part of the third mobility package. It would require the average CO2 emissions from new trucks in 2025 to be 15 % lower than in 2019. For 2030, the proposal sets an indicative reduction target of at least 30 % compared to 2019. Special incentives are provided for zero- and low-emission vehicles. The proposed regulation applies to four categories of large trucks, which together account for 65 %-70 % of CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. The Commission proposes to review the legislation in 2022 in order to set a binding target for 2030, and to extend its application to smaller trucks, buses, coaches and trailers. In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which adopted its report on 18 October 2018. Parliament voted on the report on 14 November. Trilogue negotiations were concluded on 18 February 2019 with an agreement that sets a legally binding 30 % reduction target for the average fleet emissions of new trucks by 2030. The Parliament adopted it during the April II 2019 plenary session, and the Council on 13 June. The Regulation was published in the Official Journal on 25 July and entered into force on 14 August 2019.

Authors : ERBACH Gregor

Summary : This note is prepared in view of a regular public hearing with the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank (ECB), Andrea Enria, which will take place on 4 September 2019. The briefing addresses (i) the role and tasks of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), (ii) individual cases that merit particular supervisory attention; (iii) institutional and organisational issues (Extension of the Banking Union to Bulgaria and Croatia, and memorandum of understanding between the European Court of Auditor (ECA) and the ECB); (iv) the risk assessment of Banking Union banks with a particular focus on leveraged loans, NPL, profitability and sovereign exposures (v) supervisory issues and policies (finalisation of Basel 3 and review of internal models, SSM Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process and transparency of stress tests further to the recently published report from the ECAs: (vi) policy developments and supervisory issues raised on the AML front; (vii) Brexit. On a more prospective note, this briefing also presents (viii) an external paper on "Lessons from the United States for banking resolution in the Banking Union" which advocates harmonisation and centralisation of bank insolvency proceedings in the Banking Union.

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA

Summary : On 28 June 2019, the European Union (EU) and the four founding members of Mercosur (the 'Southern Common Market') – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – reached an 'agreement in principle' on a free trade agreement (FTA) as part of a wider association agreement (AA). However, spurred by massive destruction of the Brazilian Amazon through large-scale forest fires, EU policy-makers and international environmental groups alike have since become increasingly vocal in expressing concerns about the deal's potential environmental and climate change implications. EU farmers' associations with defensive interests have fiercely criticised what they have referred to as a 'cars for cows' deal. On the other hand, the deal has been warmly welcomed by EU industry associations and several sub-sectors of EU agriculture with offensive interests. If tariff and non-tariff barriers are eliminated or substantially lowered, the potential for growth in bi-regional trade in goods, services and investment is significant. In addition, the FTA would be a strong signal in favour of the rules-based multilateral trading system and against power politics in trade. After the agreement's legal review and translation, it will be presented to the Council for signature. It will then be submitted to the European Parliament for consent. Once the Council has adopted the decision concluding the agreement, it will be presented to EU Member State parliaments for ratification. First edition. The 'International Agreements in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the process, from initial discussions through to ratification.

Authors : GRIEGER Gisela

Summary : Mika Lintilä, Minister of Finance of Finland, is participating in the ECON Committee in his capacity of President of the ECOFIN Council during the Finnish Presidency (July - December 2019). In accordance with the Treaty of the Union, “Member States shall regard their economic policies as a matter of common concern and shall coordinate them within the Council”. This briefing provides an overview of the Finnish Presidency priorities in ECON matters and the Council’s work relating to the implementation of the European Semester for economic coordination. References are also made to further reading relating to the state-of-play on the Banking Union, the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact and the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure under the European Semester.

Authors : ZOPPÉ Alice, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA, CIUCCI MATTEO, LEHOFER WOLFGANG, ANGERER Jost

Summary : This study examines possible scenarios (both aspirational and disruptive) for future developments for the education and youth sectors. It also identifies and assesses the policy implications of these scenarios. Ultimately, the study informs EU policy-makers, in particular MEPs, on policy options and their implications for the education and youth sectors in the EU, and seeks to help them prepare for the scenarios identified (both in terms of facing challenges and embracing opportunities).

Summary : This document presents: • The 2019 Country-Specific Recommendations proposed by the European Commission on 5 June 2019 and adopted by the Council on 9 July 2019 and • The European Commission’s assessments of the implementation of the 2018 Country-Specific Recommendations based on its Country Reports published on 27 February 2019. • The 2018 Country-Specific Recommendations proposed by the European Commission on 23 May 2018 and adopted by the Council on 13 July 2018. This study was provided by the Economic Governance Support Unit (EGOV).

Authors : ANGERER Jost, CIUCCI MATTEO

Summary : On the back of a number of high profile cases and alleged cases of money laundering, this briefing presents current initiatives and actions aiming at reinforcing the anti-money laundering supervisory and regulatory framework in the EU. This briefing first outlines (1) the EU supervisory architecture and the respective roles of European and national authorities in applying anti-money laundering legislation that have been further specified in the 5th AML Directive and (2) ways that have been proposed to further improve the anti-money laundering supervisory and regulatory frameworks, including the 12 September 2018 Commission’s communication, the changes to the European Supervisory Authority (ESA) Regulation adopted by the co-legislators on the basis of a Commission proposal and the most recent Commission’s state of play of supervisory and regulatory landscapes on anti-money laundering. Some previous AML cases are presented in Annex. This briefing updates an EGOV briefing originally drafted in April 2018. On a more prospective note, this briefing also presents (3) some possible additional reforms to bring about a more integrated AML supervisory architecture in the EU. In that respect, President-elect U. von der Leyen’s political declaration stresses the need for further action without specifying at this stage possible additional supervisory and regulatory developments: “The complexity and sophistication of our financial system has opened the door to new risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. We need better supervision and a comprehensive policy to prevent loopholes.”

Authors : MAGNUS Marcel, DESLANDES JEROME JEAN PHILIPPE, PACHECO DIAS CRISTINA SOFIA

Summary : Violence against women is a violation of human rights and a form of gender-based discrimination. Rooted in inequalities between men and women, it takes many forms. Estimates about the scale of the problem are alarming. Such violence has a major impact on victims and imposes a significant cost burden on society. The instruments put in place by the United Nations and Council of Europe, including the latter’s 'Istanbul Convention', to which the EU plans to accede, are benchmarks in efforts to combat violence against women. The EU is tackling the problem in various ways, but has no binding instrument designed specifically to protect women from violence. Although there are similarities between national policies to combat violence against women, the Member States have adopted different approaches to the problem. Parliament's efforts have focused on strengthening EU policy in the area. Parliament has repeatedly called for a European Union strategy to counter violence against women, including a legally binding instrument. Stakeholders have expressed a range of concerns, such as the impact of the current economic climate on the prevalence of violence and funding for prevention and support for victims, and have highlighted the need for a comprehensive EU political framework on eliminating violence against women. They have also launched new initiatives of their own. This is a further update of an earlier briefing by Anna Dimitrova-Stull, of February 2014. The most recent previous edition was from November 2017.

Authors : SHREEVES Rosamund, PRPIC Martina

Summary : Since its establishment in 1975, the European Council, which is made up of the Since its establishment in 1975, the European Council, which is made up of the Heads of State or Government of EU Member States, has wielded considerable influence over the development of the European Union. According to the Treaties, the European Council's primary role is to 'define the general political directions and priorities' (Article 15(1) of the Treaty on European Union). This role has rapidly evolved over the past decade, and today the European Council's involvement in the EU policy cycle is much broader, covering tasks from agenda-setting to exercising scrutiny. In practice, its activities often exceed the role envisaged in the Treaties. This level of involvement has a significant impact both on the role of the other EU institutions within the policy cycle and the functioning of the ordinary legislative procedure.

Authors : DRACHENBERG Ralf

Summary : Le Niger, pays de croisement de nombreuses routes migratoires au Sahel, s'est montré le plus réactif, parmi ceux de l'Afrique subsaharienne, aux sollicitations européennes pour renforcer la lutte contre la migration irrégulière – un des objectifs clefs du nouveau cadre de partenariat de l'Union européenne (UE) avec les pays tiers. Ce cadre offre de nouvelles opportunités de coopération en contrepartie du durcissement de la politique migratoire. Le gouvernement nigérien a donc mis en œuvre une règlementation stricte criminalisant toute assistance aux étrangers en transit. En matière de sécurité, le gouvernement de Niamey, qui doit faire face à l'instabilité régionale et la criminalité transfrontalière, et l'UE, qui gère une pression migratoire importante, ont des intérêts convergents, ce qui explique l'intensification de la coopération depuis 2015-2016. La diminution des flux migratoires qui en résulte, applaudie par les partenaires européens, a des conséquences néfastes sur l'économie locale centrée sur le fait migratoire. La crise économique menace les équilibres fragiles des ethnies du Sahara entre elles ainsi qu'avec le gouvernement central et renforce l'insécurité, tant pour les migrants victimes des abus que pour la population locale, encore plus fragilisée. Le Parlement européen a mis en garde dès 2017 contre une vision trop étroite et à court terme de la politique externe de l'UE et contre le risque de détourner les fonds de la politique du développement vers les objectifs purement sécuritaires, en plaidant pour une approche de la migration centrée sur les droits de l'homme. Il soutient également le plan d'investissement extérieur, un de bras financier du nouveau cadre de partenariat, qui doit encourager des investissements privés en faveur du développement.

Authors : LATEK Marta