Chapter News

EU-U.S. Task Force on Energy Security reviews the progress on energy security situation

The EU-U.S. Task Force on Energy Security met virtually on 6 July 2023 to discuss the implementation of the 25 March 2022 Joint Statement by Presidents Biden and von der Leyen, as well as their commitment of 10 March 2023 to continue to work together to advance energy security and sustainability in Europe. The meeting was co-chaired by Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission, and Sarah Ladislaw, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director...

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Chapter News

Data Protection: European Commission adopts new adequacy decision for safe and trusted EU-US data flows

On 10 July 2023, the European Commission adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. The decision concludes that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection – comparable to that of the European Union – for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies under the new framework. On the basis of the new adequacy decision, personal data can flow safely from the EU to US companies participating in the Framework, without having to...

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Member News

WSGR | The Final Countdown: Designation of Digital Platforms Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act Formally Underway

Midnight on July 3, 2023, heralded the deadline for potential gatekeepers to notify the European Commission (EC) as to whether they meet the thresholds for gatekeepers set out in Article 3 of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By the morning of the U.S.’s Independence Day, five U.S. companies and two Asian companies—but no European—had submitted their notifications: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, ByteDance, and Samsung. Booking.com, a European travel booking platform, stated that the impact of COVID-19 meant it did...

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Chapter News

Eurobarometer: Europeans show strong support for the EU energy policy and for EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and more optimism regarding economy

The latest Standard Eurobarometer survey conducted in June 2023 and published today shows that EU citizens continue to back overwhelmingly the energy transition and to expect massive investment in renewables. They continue to widely approve measures taken by the EU to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. They also support stronger EU defence cooperation and increased defence spending. While inflation remains a major concern, perceptions of the economic situation and economic expectations are improving. A majority of Europeans believe that NextGenerationEU,...

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Chapter News

EU Council adopts new regulation on batteries and waste batteries

The Council today adopted a new regulation that strengthens sustainability rules for batteries and waste batteries. The regulation will regulate the entire life cycle of batteries – from production to reuse and recycling – and ensure that they are safe, sustainable and competitive. Batteries are key to the decarbonisation process and the EU's shift towards zero-emission modes of transport. At the same time end-of-life batteries contain many valuable resources and we must be able to reuse those critical raw materials...

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Chapter News

ECB surveys Europeans on new themes for euro banknotes

Europeans invited to express preferences on shortlisted themes in public survey open until 31 August 2023 ECB’s Governing Council expected to choose future theme by 2024, and final designs in 2026 The European Central Bank (ECB) is asking European citizens about their views on the proposed themes for the next series of euro banknotes. From 10 July until 31 August 2023 everybody in the euro area can respond to a survey on the ECB’s website. In addition, to ensure opinions...

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Member News

Vulcan Insight | Spain takes over Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Following the Swedish term, the European Council has welcomed Spain for their Presidency on 1 July. During this process, Spain will chair the Council meetings whilst ensuring the external representation of the EU with regards to common foreign and security policy. This remains an important process as this mandate will determine how the EU will handle certain oncoming issues and how they will address them. Earlier this week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made a statement at a...

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Chapter News

Interview with Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, conducted by Geneviève Van Lède on 5 July 2023

How would you rank the Rencontres économiques d`Aix-en-Provence on the international stage − as the Provence version of Davos? I would describe it as an important meeting place for stimulating discussions on economic issues, similar to the forum on central banking hosted by the European Central Bank in Sintra, Portugal, every year for the last ten years, or its US equivalent in Jackson Hole. You mentioned Davos, but I think Davos is less exclusively focused on economic topics, which...

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Member News

Arendt | 11th package of EU economic sanctions against Russia

On 23 June 2023, the Council of the European Union adopted its eleventh package of restrictive measures against Russia, which supplements those discussed in our previous newsflashes_. This latest package aims to tackle the circumvention of previously adopted sanctions and also adds additional restrictions. The Council has adopted three regulations: Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1214 of 23 June 2023 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1215...

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Member News

AICEP Portugal Global | Renewables provide 61% of electricity in H1

Wind power and hydroelectricity supplied 25% and 23%, respectively, of the electricity consumption in the first half of the year, said REN. Renewable production supplied 61% of Portugal’s electricity consumption in the first half of the year, especially wind power at 25% and hydroelectricity at 23%, Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) reported on Tuesday. According to REN, photovoltaic production supplied 7% of electricity consumption and biomass 6%, while natural gas production accounted for 19%, and the remaining 20% corresponded to the import...

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