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Outbreaks affect men, women and other genders differently. This study outlines gendered effects of the pandemic and how these may extend into the post-crisis period. Data includes: lack of sex-disaggregated data, role of (health) care workers, domestic violence, impact of quarantine, extra unpaid labour due to lockdown, access to maternity, sexual and reproductive health services.

This briefing explores the performance gap between EU-15 and EU-13 countries under Horizon 2020, the reasons for this gap and policy options at national and EU levels. The purpose of Horizon 2020 is to support research and innovation of the highest quality, produced in international collaboration, and selected on a competitive basis. Under such conditions, uneven budget distribution is inevitable. However, participation in Horizon 2020 seems biased against the entire EU13 region.

Space is rapidly becoming a political arena hanging over geopolitical competition on earth. The EU must make important choices to preserve its position, as without strategic autonomy in space there can be no strategic autonomy on earth. This is crucial also for security and defence, so that the EU’s ability to act autonomously is further enhanced.

EU state aid policy is playing a pivotal role in mitigating the socio-economic damage caused by COVID-19 but excessive state aid could jeopardise free and fair competition. The study requested by ECON on EU state aid during COVID-19 confirms the need to maintain a level playing field. Monitoring and policy fine-tuning, focusing on SMEs and keeping Member States involved are the main challenges, as well as the goals of green and digital transformation and EU firms' global competitiveness.

Cohesion Policy, due to its overall share of the EU budget, can play a vital role in delivering on EU climate objectives, and in paving the way for the green transition. Cohesion Policy seeks to make a significant contribution to the EU´s overall climate-related spending target of 20% in the 2014-2020 period. Financing Europe’s transition to climate neutrality as foreseen in the European Green Deal will require at least EUR 1 trillion in public and private investments over the next decade.

On 14 January, BUDG committee members will debate the conclusions of the study on Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA) in the EU Budgets 2014-2019. PPPAs have proven to be effective in triggering new legislation, such as the Erasmus programme. However, in light of the lack of follow-up data, their long-term analysis proves to be challenging. Members will discuss ways to improve the procedure.