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The Newsletter100312 déc. 2022

La Lettre

12 December 2022

In a unique interview, the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, explains how the links between the Russian and Belarusian regimes have enabled the war in Ukraine and are a threat to Europe. She also recalls the European aspirations of her country's population.

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Elections

First round of the Czech Presidential election: three candidates running neck and neck

12 December 2022

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Nine candidates are vying to succeed Czech President Milos Zeman in the election, the first round of which takes place on 13 and 14 January. According to the latest opinion poll, economist and independent candidate Danuse Nerudova is leading with 28% of the vote, followed by former prime minister Andrej Babis with 26.5% and former NATO military committee chairman Petr Pavel with 23.5%.

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Foundation

Energy Crisis, European Measures

12 December 2022

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Member States and the EU have taken action to tackle rising energy prices. In Slovenia, the government unveiled a €1.2 billion plan to support businesses on 6 December. On 7 December, the Bulgarian parliament adopted a 33% tax on windfall profits made by oil, gas and coal companies in the years 2022 and 2023. The Foundation offers you a regularly updated map to help you understand the situation.

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Ukraine/Russia

Norway's financial support to the Ukraine support mission

12 December 2022

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The European Union and Norway signed an agreement on 6 December formalising Norway's financial contribution to the EU Mission to assist in the training and equipping of the Ukrainian armed forces (EUMAM Ukraine). On 31 October, Norway had announced its intention to contribute approximately €14.5 million to the EU Peace Facility.

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Proposal for further sanctions against Russia

12 December 2022

On 7 December, the Commission presented a ninth round of sanctions against Russia, adding 200 individuals to the sanctions list, including military officers, the armed forces and ministers. The proposal also includes new export controls and restrictions on various products, including the direct export of drones to Russia as well as exports to any third country, such as Iran, and a ban on new mining investments in Russia. Member States must now agree unanimously.

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Colossal torment endured by the Ukrainian people

12 December 2022

On 6 December, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths noted that 70% of all attacks on medical facilities worldwide in 2022 took place in Ukraine. On 7 December, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Völker Türk, announced that reports continue to emerge of summary executions, and stated that the suffering of millions of civilians across Ukraine must not become the new normal.

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Rejection of Russian passports delivered in Ukraine and Georgia

12 December 2022

On 8 December, the Council finally adopted the decision not to accept Russian documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia. They will not be recognised as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen area.

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18 billion € aid in support of Ukraine in 2023

12 December 2022

On 10 December, the Council approved an €18 billion loan to Ukraine for 2023, guaranteed by the Member States and not by the EU budget. This legal solution enabled a twenty-six member agreement after Hungary vetoed the initial project on 6 December. This financial aid will be used to rehabilitate critical infrastructure, help the Ukrainian population and support post-war reconstruction.

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Military support by Bulgaria to Ukraine

12 December 2022

On 9 December, the Bulgarian Parliament approved military and technical assistance to Ukraine, the form and details of which have not yet been made public.

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The President and "Spirit of Ukraine", Time Personalities of the Year 2022

12 December 2022

On 7 December, the American magazine Time named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as its Person of the Year 2022, as well as the "spirit of Ukraine". In a speech at the event organised by the magazine, he said he was honoured to "represent the struggle of Ukrainians and the spirit of Ukraine", a spirit of freedom and justice.

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Commission

Investment of 1.2 billion € in defence capacities

12 December 2022

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On 6 December, the Commission pledged to invest €1.2 billion in 61 cutting-edge defence industry projects supported by the European Defence Fund aimed at research and capability development on a European scale. Overall, SMEs represent 43% of the entities participating in the selected projects.

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13.5 billion € for research and innovation

12 December 2022

On 6 December, the Commission adopted the Horizon Europe 2023-2024 work programme, which provides for the investment of €13.5 billion in research and innovation, almost half of which will be devoted to climate objectives and biodiversity. The programme includes targeted support for Ukraine, in particular to ensure access for Ukrainian researchers to European research infrastructures and support for Ukrainian scientists.

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Proposed measure to counter discrimination

12 December 2022

On 7 December, the Commission presented measures on equality, including the adoption of rules for the recognition of parentage from one Member State to another, so that children in a cross-border situation can access their rights. It also puts forward two proposals to improve the prevention and protection of the victims of discrimination in the EU.

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New proposals regarding the Capital Markets Unions

12 December 2022

On 6 December, the Commission presented six legislative proposals to improve the functioning and attractiveness of the Capital Markets Union. These include a review of the clearing system, harmonisation of corporate insolvency regimes and administrative simplification for the listing of companies while reducing their costs.

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Parliament

Corruption inquiry by Qatar

12 December 2022

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Belgian police arrested six people on 9 December, four of whom have been detained, in connection with an investigation into suspected corruption by Qatar in the European Parliament. The home of another MEP, Marc Tarabella (S&D, Belgium), was searched. Eva Kaili, Vice-President of the European Parliament (S&D, Greece), who was indicted and jailed for corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation, was suspended from her position as Vice-President of the Parliament and expelled from the Greek Socialist Party (Pasok). Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that "European democracy is under attack" and that the Parliament will help the investigators "as long as it takes".

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Council

Transport Ministers' Meeting

12 December 2022

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On 5 December, Transport Ministers adopted a general approach on the draft legislation for the construction of a comprehensive trans-European transport network (TEN-T) by 2050. They approved conclusions on the further development of inland waterway transport. They discussed the transport situation in the context of the war in Ukraine.

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Eurogroup Meeting

12 December 2022

Eurozone finance ministers took stock of Member States' draft budget plans for 2023 on 5 December and discussed the Commission's recommendations on economic policy in the euro area. They re-elected the president of the Eurogroup, Paschal Donohoe, for a second term of two and a half years.

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Economy and Finance Ministers' Meeting

12 December 2022

The Finance Ministers held a debate on 6 December on the €18 billion financial support to Ukraine in 2023. They discussed, among other things, the economic governance framework proposed by the Commission and the corrective measures taken by Hungary under the conditionality mechanism.

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Telecommunications Ministers' Meeting

12 December 2022

On 6 December, the ministers responsible for telecommunications approved a general approach to the law on artificial intelligence, which aims to ensure that AI systems respect fundamental rights and European values. They adopted a position on the establishment of a European digital identity for citizens and businesses. In addition, they took stock of the proposals of the Cyber Resilience Act.

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Critical entities, standardisation and the digital decade

12 December 2022

On 8 December, the Council adopted legislation aimed at introducing harmonised standards to facilitate the placing of products on the single market and to strengthen the Union's competitiveness, particularly in digital technologies. It also adopted an action plan for digital transformation. It approved a directive and a recommendation to strengthen the resilience of critical entities.

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Employment and Social Affairs Ministers' Meeting

12 December 2022

Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs discussed draft legislation on 8 December to improve the working conditions of people employed through digital platforms. They reached political agreement on a recommendation for an adequate minimum income.

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Meeting of Healthcare Ministers

12 December 2022

On 9 December, Health Ministers called on Member States to cooperate on disease prevention and to strengthen the fight against vaccine resistance. They presented a new recommendation for cancer screening. They took stock of the proposal for a European Health Data Space and the draft regulation on quality and safety standards for substances of human origin.

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Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers

12 December 2022

On 8 December, the Home Affairs Ministers took stock of asylum and migration, in particular return policy, progress on legislative proposals under the Pact on Immigration and Asylum and agreed on measures to tackle the instrumentalisation of migrants. On 9 December, the Justice Ministers called on the Member States to take measures to combat impunity for crimes committed by Russia.

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Agreement on EU funds for Hungary

13 December 2022

Member States' ambassadors agreed on 12 December to suspend the payment of €6.3 billion of cohesion funds to Hungary due to insufficient measures taken by the Hungarian authorities. This is the first application of the budgetary conditionality mechanism linked to the rule of law. At the same time, the ambassadors approved Hungary's €5.8 billion recovery plan. The funds will only be disbursed if Hungary meets the EU ' s 27 rule of law targets.

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Diplomacy

EU-US Trade and Technology Council

12 December 2022

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At the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) ministerial meeting on 5 December, the EU expressed its concerns about the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes discriminatory provisions and provides for subsidies that could lead to distortions of competition.

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Summit with the Western Balkans

12 December 2022

At the summit between the EU and the Western Balkan countries on 6 December, leaders reiterated their commitment to speeding up the accession process and pursuing reforms. To tackle the energy crisis, the EU announced €1bn in grants and the opening of joint gas purchases for the Western Balkans. On 5 December, the Commission proposed an action plan for cooperation with the Western Balkans along the migration routes. The plan is based on five pillars to strengthen border management, facilitate asylum procedures and support reception capacity, fight smuggling of migrants, better cooperate on returns, and achieve visa policy alignment.

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WTO referral against Chinese trade restrictions

12 December 2022

On 6 December, the EU referred China's trade restrictions against Lithuania to the WTO. It is requesting the opening of two WTO panels, one on the legality of these restrictions and the other on the legality of China's "anti-litigation" measures, which prevent high-tech patent holders from accessing EU courts.

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Aid programme for democracy in Belarus

12 December 2022

On 7 December, the Commission pledged €25 million to help the people of Belarus strengthen democracy. The aid programme launched following the fraudulent elections of August 2020 is intended for civil society fighting for the respect of human rights.

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Political and Trade Agreement with Chile

12 December 2022

The EU and Chile concluded negotiations on a framework agreement on 9 December to strengthen their political dialogue, deepen cooperation and increase trade and investment opportunities.

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Trilogues

Provisional agreement against deforestation and degradation of forests

12 December 2022

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The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 6 December on new rules to ensure that products sold in the EU are not linked to the destruction or degradation of forests. Fines for breaching the rules will be at least 4% of operators' annual turnover. The agreement also provides for the right to prior consent of indigenous peoples to be taken into account.

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Provisional agreement on the safety of ro-ro ships

12 December 2022

The Council and Parliament agreed on 6 December on new rules to improve the stability and safety of ro-ro ships. The revision of the rules aims to comply with international standards, in particular with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

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Agreement on the market of aviation emissions

12 December 2022

The Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 7 December on revising the rules of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme which applies to intra-European flights. The aim is to phase out free emission allowances for the aviation sector with 25% in 2024, 50% in 2025 and full auctioning from 2026.

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Agreement on battery sustainability

12 December 2022

The Parliament and the Council reached a provisional political agreement on 9 December on the draft reinforced sustainability rules for batteries and battery waste. The whole life cycle of a battery, from production to reuse and recycling, will be regulated.

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Provisional agreement on the European border carbon adjustment mechanism

13 December 2022

The Council and the Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 13 December on the establishment of an EU border carbon adjustment mechanism that aims to align the carbon price paid for EU products operating under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) with that of imported goods. It will apply from 1 October 2023, with a transition period.

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Court of Justice

Order regarding the right to be forgotten and data protection

12 December 2022

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On 7 December, the Court of Justice ruled that WhatsApp's action for annulment of the European Data Protection Council's decision to impose a fine of €225 million for violating the provisions of the Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is inadmissible. Furthermore, the Court ruled on 8 December that search engines are obliged to delete allegedly false information. It stated that, given the ability of images to convey highly sensitive information about an individual, the protection of the right to privacy should be of particular importance.

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European Agencies

Artemis Mission: the Orion capsule lands successfully

12 December 2022

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The Artemis I lunar mission ended with the return to Earth of the Orion spacecraft on 11 December. NASA's 25-day unmanned test flight took Orion around the Moon and further than any other spacecraft designed to carry humans back to Earth.

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Germany

German Constitutional Court approves European recovery plan

12 December 2022

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On 6 December, the German Constitutional Court approved the €750 billion European recovery plan launched by the European Union in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The judges found that the plan does not "violate the democratic right to self-determination" established by the Basic Law, being "limited to the exceptional need to deal with the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis, and thus assigned to a specific purpose".

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Croatia

Croatia is to join the Schengen Area

12 December 2022

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On 8 December, the Council definitively adopted the decision that allows the European Union to lift controls on persons at the internal land and sea borders with Croatia from 1 January, which will thus become part of the Schengen area of free movement.

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Spain

Summit of the southern countries of the European Union

12 December 2022

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The leaders of the southern countries of the European Union (EU MED), meeting in Alicante on 9 December, discussed strategic autonomy and economic governance, with a particular focus on energy issues. Debates focused in particular on the issue of the market correction mechanism and the Commission's proposal for tax reforms. Emphasis was placed on the pioneering and innovative role of the countries of the South in providing solutions to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

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Launch of the hydrogen corridor project between Barcelona and Marseilles

12 December 2022

French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish and Portuguese Prime Ministers Pedro Sanchez and António Costa launched the H2Med energy corridor project in Alicante on 9 December. The corridor will link Portugal to Spain and Barcelona to Marseille to promote the EU's energy security and autonomy. It is expected to be operational by 2030 and will be able to transport 10% of the EU's hydrogen consumption. The Foundation has published a study on this subject.

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Latvia

Meeting between the three Baltic Prime Ministers

12 December 2022

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On 9 December, the leaders of the three Baltic states met in Riga to discuss energy security and support for Ukraine. Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Kariņs and his Estonian and Lithuanian counterparts, Kaja Kallas and Ingrida Simonyte, said that if needed, their countries could connect to the Central European electricity system. An agreement between the three states on security of supply is also being considered.

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Council of Europe

CEB Strategic Framework 2023-2027

12 December 2022

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The Governing Board of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has given the green light to the adoption of the CEB's Strategic Framework 2023-2027, and to a capital increase of € 4.25 billion. The investments will be earmarked for activities in Ukraine.

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Eurostat

Increase in GDP and employment

12 December 2022

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According to figures published by Eurostat on 7 December, GDP increased by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the European Union in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter. Employment rose by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU. Ireland recorded the highest increase in GDP with 2.3% and Estonia the sharpest decrease (-1.8%).

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Studies/Reports

Report regarding follow-up to the visa waiver scheme

12 December 2022

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In a report on visa waiver agreements presented on 5 December, the Commission found that measures by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia, as well as Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, are needed for alignment with EU visa policy. It stressed that further efforts should be made to avoid an increase in irregular arrivals at European borders and to better combat organised crime.

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Report by the European Defence Agency

12 December 2022

According to the European Defence Agency's report published on 8 December, total defence spending by Member States, with the exception of Denmark, increased in 2021 to €214 billion. In addition, defence investment has increased by 16% compared to 2020, 82% of which was spent on new equipment.

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Culture

Mickalene Thomas exhibition at the Orangerie

12 December 2022

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Until 6 February 2023, the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris is dedicating an exhibition to Mickalene Thomas. This multifaceted artist creates works of various kinds: paintings, collages, photographs, videos, performances...

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Tilla Durieux in Vienna

12 December 2022

An exhibition dedicated to Tilla Durieux, the famous Austrian film and theatre actress of the 1920s, is being held at the Leopold Museum in Vienna until 27 February 2023. It explores the charisma and fascination exerted by the actress, notably through numerous media portraits.

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International Art Fair in Rome and Venice

12 December 2022

The fifth edition of the International Art Fair of Rome will run until 30 December, presenting collective and individual projects by leading and emerging international contemporary artists. The 16th edition of the same festival will run until 23 December at Palazzo Bembo in Venice, focusing on the relationship between body and space in the contemporary era.

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Nordic painting in Warsaw

12 December 2022

Until 5 March 2023, the National Museum in Warsaw is presenting the exhibition "Solstice", which includes works by some of the greatest Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish and Finnish artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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Christmas Festival of Early Music in York

12 December 2022

Until 17 December, the city of York in the United Kingdom is hosting the Christmas Festival of Early Music, created in 1997, which aims to introduce the public to the extraordinary wealth of music associated with Advent, Christmas and the Epiphany, from the Middle Ages to the Baroque.

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Ice Sculpture Festival

12 December 2022

The city of Zwolle in the Netherlands is presenting its ice sculpture festival from 17 December to 5 March 2023. The world's best ice carvers will take part in the event, which will be held under the theme "What a wonderful world".

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Lux Audience Prize 2023

12 December 2022

Our Suns, Burning Days, Close, Unfiltered and Willow's Fire are the finalists for the LUX Audience Award 2023. All five films will be subtitled in the 24 official languages and screened in cinemas across the EU. European citizens will be able to rate them from 11 December to 12 June 2023. The winner will be selected together with Members of the European Parliament and will be announced on 14 June.

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Mummies of Egypt in Barcelona

12 December 2022

The CaixaForum in Barcelona is showing the exhibition "Mummies of Egypt. Rediscovering Six Lives" until 26 March 2023. A collection of objects on loan from the British Museum and six mummies are presented to the public.

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Festival of Saint Lucia in Sweden

12 December 2022

On 13 December, Sweden will be celebrating Saint Lucia, one of the most beautiful Swedish traditions dating back four centuries. This "festival of light" is an opportunity to congregate outdoors, attend concerts and share ginger or saffron biscuits with a spiced wine called Glögg.

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Agenda

les 12-15 December 2022

Plenary Session of the European Parliament (Strasbourg)


13 December 2022

Paris Conference in support of Ukraine Brussels Energy Council General Affairs Council ()


14 December 2022

EU-ASEAN Summit (Brussels)


15 December 2022

Meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (Frankfurt)


15 December 2022

European Council (Brussels)


19 December 2022

Energy Council (Brussels)


20 December

Environment Council (Brussels)


Newsletter Archives

The path to controlled immigration

A review of the Von der Leyen I Commission (2019-2024)

Central Asia: a player still largely unknown in Europe

Digital legislation: convergence or divergence of models? A comparative look at the European Union, China and the United States

Ukraine's accession negotiations with the European Union: reforms undertaken in ten years and the challenges ahead

The Editors of the Newsletter :
Stefanie Buzmaniuk, Helen Levy ,Micol Cattana, Eléna Roux, Amandine Guérin

N°ISSN : 2729-6482

Editor-in-Chief :
Eric Maurice

Director of Publication :
Pascale Joannin

Any questions or suggestions?
Contact Us!

info@robert-schuman.eu

"Russia's defeat in Ukraine will be the defeat of Lukashenko's regime".

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The Newsletter n°1003- version of 12 déc. 2022