Senaste dokumenten

Sammanfattning : On 20 June 2023, the Commission made a proposal for a revision of the EU's long-term budget, to urgently address shortcomings and provide further financial support to Ukraine. Overall, the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) supports the revision in its interim report, pending the formal request from the Council, which has yet to agree its position, for consent to the revision. But BUDG says that an additional €10 billion, on top of the €65.8 billion proposed by the Commission, is needed to address the challenges properly. MEPs stress the urgency of adopting the revision so that it can be applied to the 2024 budgetary procedure.

Författare : KAROLINE KOWALD

Sammanfattning : The European Commission has proposed changes to the existing EU legislation on the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS) in road transport. The proposal aims to adapt the scope of the rules to new developments and to accelerate the availability and enhance the interoperability of digital data that feed ITS services. It also aims to improve coordination and cooperation among stakeholders. Parliament is scheduled to vote during the October I session on the provisional agreement on the proposal reached with the Council in June 2023.

Författare : Monika KISS

Sammanfattning : Outraged by Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union swiftly adopted unprecedentedly tough sanctions, in close cooperation with partners including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan. The rapid succession of 11 packages of EU sanctions adopted since then, in what has already been labelled a 'sanctions revolution', have resulted in an unparalleled set of measures targeting key sectors of the Russian economy and the political elites. New sanctions have also been adopted against Belarus and Iran, in response to their involvement in Russia's war of aggression. The unprecedented nature of the sanctions imposed against Russia, in scale and scope, has created new implementation challenges, in particular for the EU. Member States and EU institutions have renewed efforts to make alignment truly global, and to close loopholes to prevent circumvention. In November 2022, the violation of 'restrictive measures' (sanctions) was added to the list of 'EU crimes' for which special provisions are made in the Treaties. A specific anti-circumvention tool was included in the latest package of sanctions, adopted in June 2023. The real impact of sanctions on Russia's economy, 18 months after the adoption of the first package, has been widely researched and debated. Despite the challenges, analysts consider that sanctions have already met three important objectives: they have sent the Kremlin a strong signal of Western resolve and unity, they have permanently degraded Russia's military capabilities, and they are asphyxiating its economy and energy sector, with long-term consequences. However, most experts warn that the impact of sanctions is not severe enough to limit Russia's ability to wage war against Ukraine in the coming months, pointing at the need for additional measures to reinforce sanctions. Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014, the European Parliament has been a vocal advocate of severe sanctions. It has condemned Russia's unjustified aggression against Ukraine unequivocally, and demanded broader and better-enforced sanctions, and the confiscation of Russian assets frozen by the EU to pay for Ukraine's reconstruction. On 23 November 2022, Parliament adopted a resolution recognising Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. This briefing updates and complements a previous briefing published in March 2023.

Författare : ANNA CAPRILE, Angelos DELIVORIAS

Sammanfattning : This Briefing concerns a portfolio change in the European Commission in mid-mandate and takes the same format and approach as those Briefings published in September 2019 to give Members of the European Parliament an overview of major issues of interest in the context of the Hearings of the Commissioners-designate.

Författare : LISELOTTE JENSEN

Sammanfattning : In the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič has served as a Commissioner since 2009. He was the Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth from 2009 to 2010, and from 2010 to 2014 Commissioner and Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Administration. From 2014 to 2019 he was Vice President for the Energy Union, and since 2019 he has been the Vice-President responsible for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight. He also serves as co-chair and representative of the European Union in the Partnership Council established by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Maroš Šefčovič, born in Bratislava in 1966, studied at the Bratislava University of Economics and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. In 2000, he attained a doctorate degree in law from the Comenius University of Bratislava. From 1990, he held several positions in the Slovak government, including a period as the country's ambassador to Israel (1999 to 2002). From 2004 to 2009 he was the Slovak Permanent Representative to the European Union. In July 2023, as part of his interinstitutional relations and foresight duties, Šefčovič presented the Commission's 2023 Strategic Foresight Report, which focused on putting 'sustainability and people's wellbeing at the heart of Europe's open strategic autonomy'. This briefing concerns a portfolio change in the European Commission in mid-mandate and takes the same format and approach as those briefings published in September 2019 to give Members of the European Parliament an overview of major issues of interest in the context of the hearings of the Commissioners-designate. For information on the procedure, see a separate note on replacement of individual Commissioners. The full set of briefings in the context of the 2019 hearings of the Commissioners-designate can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2019.

Författare : HENRIQUE ANDRE MORGADO SIMOES

Sammanfattning : Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis and Commissioner Gentiloni are invited to the 12th Recovery and Resilience Dialogue (RRD) under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) Regulation. The previous RRD took place on 10 July. This briefing first focusses on the Commission’s Annual Report on the implementation of the RRF published on 19 September (i.e. 18 months after the previous report), summarising the information presented therein and commenting it when considered necessary. The second part of this briefing comments on the Commission’s latest preliminary assessment of milestones and targets included in Italy’s third payment request.

Författare : András SCHWARCZ, Marcel MAGNUS, WOLFGANG LEHOFER, GIACOMO LOI

Sammanfattning : The proposed reform of the electricity market design maintains crucial elements of the existing system to ensure continued efficient operation. The impact that changing the rules on longer-term contracts will have on consumer prices and investment will depend on the concrete language of proposed legislation as well as its ultimate implementation. Overall, neither the expected mode of impact of individual reform elements, let alone their interaction, is clearly spelled out by the legislators. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).

Författare : Georg ZACHMANN, Bruegel Lion HIRTH, Conall HEUSSAFF, Ingmar SCHLECHT, Jonathan MÜHLENPFORDT, Anselm EICKE

Sammanfattning : This study evaluates the implementation and enforcement of the Package Travel Directive (PTD) in the EU with a focus on ten EU Member States. It identifies areas for improvement, such as adapting the definition of package travel to accommodate evolving industry trends, addressing pre-contractual information gaps, improving payment practices, tackling challenges in the digital environment, enhancing enforcement mechanisms, promoting alternative dispute resolution, and increasing consumer awareness. The study aims to enhance the PTD’s effectiveness, protect travellers’ rights, and foster a consumer-friendly package travel market in the EU. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies for the committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).

Författare : Annette CERULLI-HARMS, Alessandra INNESTI, Nessa GORMAN, Pietro PALUMBOS, Cristina PONCIBO’ & Jelena VITIC

Sammanfattning : In April 2023, the European Commission adopted regulatory proposals introducing a Unitary Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) and a centralised assessment procedure for SPCs for medicinal products. This study analyses the potential impacts of these proposals on access to medicines, the administrative burden to applicants and the cost to national health systems. This document was prepared by Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the JURI Committee.

Författare : Thyra DE JONGH, Bregtje KAMPHUIS, Sven BOSTYN & Alfred RADAUER

Sammanfattning : This study has been prepared for the Committee on Budgetary Control. It assesses recent developments in the transparency and accountability of EU NGO funding. The Commission has transitioned all programmes to a single, centralised grant management system that can potentially enhance the public transparency of grant funding significantly. Nevertheless, overall public transparency remains limited. The study recommends a more comprehensive, systematic approach to public transparency involving the Parliament, Commission, and NGOs.

Författare : Roderick ACKERMANN, Margarita SANZ, Michael HAMMER, Veronika KUBEKOVÁ, Kylie JABJINIAK, Ellen HIETSCH

Sammanfattning : In an increasingly assertive geopolitical environment, the use of economic tools to advance foreign policy goals is on the rise. This can take the form of coercion, when a third country deploys restrictions on trade or investment to influence the sovereign choices of the EU or its Member States. On 8 December 2021, the Commission published a proposal for an anti-coercion instrument that would allow the EU to respond more effectively to such challenges on a global scale. In October, the European Parliament is expected to vote in plenary on adopting the political agreement reached between the co-legislators in trilogue negotiations.

Författare : Marcin SZCZEPANSKI

Sammanfattning : On 28 September 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of the 2009 Directive on the protection of workers from the risk of exposure to asbestos. Despite the total ban on the use of asbestos in the EU, exposure to this carcinogenic fibre, which is still present in many buildings, kills more than 70 000 people a year in Europe. Parliament is due to vote in October on the agreement reached in interinstitutional negotiations.

Författare : Laurence AMAND-EECKHOUT

Sammanfattning : In September 2022, the European Commission proposed a regulation establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market (the 'European Media Freedom Act'). During the October I plenary session, Parliament is scheduled to vote on the report from its Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). The report as voted would then form Parliament's position for interinstitutional negotiations with the Council, which agreed its position in June 2023.

Författare : Tarja LAANINEN

Sammanfattning : During its October I plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to adopt its position on a European Commission proposal to revise a core piece of EU chemicals legislation, which requires proper classification, labelling and packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures to protect human health and the environment.

Författare : Vivienne HALLEUX

Sammanfattning : Treating urban wastewater to remove harmful components is essential to protect human health as well as rivers, lakes and seas. During the October I plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to adopt its position on a European Commission proposal that seeks to reinforce existing rules, adopted more than 30 years ago, and to bring them into line with the EU's climate neutrality, circularity and zero pollution ambitions.

Författare : Vivienne HALLEUX

Sammanfattning : To support climate and environmental projects, the European Commission proposed a regulation on a European green bond standard in July 2021. This would establish an official EU standard for green bonds aligned with the EU taxonomy, based on a registration system and supervisory framework for external reviewers. A provisional political agreement reached between the Parliament and Council is scheduled for a vote during the October I plenary session.

Författare : STEFANO SPINACI

Sammanfattning : Under the European Green Deal, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in October 2022. Dating back to 1991, and instrumental to the achievement of European Union water policy objectives, the directive needs to be updated and adapted to new challenges and realities. The recast proposal would introduce new obligations to better control pollution due to rainwater, impose stricter standards for nutrient removal and require advanced treatment for the removal of micro-pollutants. To cover treatment costs, a system of extended producer responsibility (EPR) targeting pharmaceuticals and cosmetics would be set up. To align the directive with the Green Deal's ambitions, an energy neutrality obligation would be introduced for wastewater treatment plants. Requirements on water reuse and sludge management would be clarified to enhance circularity. Health parameters would be monitored in wastewater to support public health action. In Parliament, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, responsible for the file, adopted its report on 20 September 2023. It will be put to the vote during the October I plenary session. The text as adopted will become Parliament's position for future negotiations with the Council, which has still to agree on a general approach. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Vivienne HALLEUX

Sammanfattning : The EU's ambition to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050, and its ability to sustain the green and digital transition and achieve strategic autonomy, all rely heavily on reliable, secure and resilient access to critical raw materials (CRMs). On 16 March 2023, the Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation on CRMs. It introduces the concept of strategic raw materials (SRMs), which are key for some strategic technologies and vulnerable to shortages. The general objective of the proposed regulation is to improve the functioning of the single market by establishing a framework to ensure the EU's access to a secure and sustainable supply of CRMs. To achieve this, the regulation would pursue four specific objectives: strengthening the whole SRM value chain; diversifying the EU's imports of SRMs (so that by 2030, no third country would provide more than 65 % of the EU's annual consumption of each SRM); improving the EU's ability to monitor and mitigate the CRM supply risk; ensuring the free movement of CRMs and products containing CRMs placed on the EU market and ensuring a high level of environmental protection, by improving their circularity and sustainability. The proposal is now in the hands of the co-legislators. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is responsible for the file. It adopted its report on 7 September 2023. On 14 September, Parliament adopted its position for trilogue negotiations with the Council, which had endorsed its mandate on 30 June 2023. Negotiations then started on 20 September. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Guillaume RAGONNAUD

Sammanfattning : Since Russia invaded Ukraine, EU Member States have made serious efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. To broaden the range of energy suppliers, the European Commission and the Member States' national governments have signed new agreements with non-EU countries and strengthened their pledges with existing partners. Norway is the world's fifth largest oil and third largest natural gas exporter, accounting for 2 % of global crude oil production and 3 % of global natural gas production. Norway covers 92 % of its electricity generation with renewable energy (hydropower) and is highly electrified. The government is investing heavily in energy research and innovation to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement by 2030. Norway is part of the European Economic Area. In June 2022, the EU and Norway signed a joint statement pledging to step up their cooperation in order to secure their energy independence and improve the EU's resilience. The statement focuses on gas supply from Norway to the Member States and on developing cooperation on renewable energy, carbon capture research, and hydrogen.

Författare : Angelos DELIVORIAS

Sammanfattning : Since Russia invaded Ukraine, EU Member States have made serious efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. To broaden the range of energy suppliers, the European Commission and EU national governments have signed new agreements with non-EU countries and strengthened their pledges with existing partners. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The economy of Saudi Arabia is the largest of all the GCC countries. It is dominated by petroleum, of which the country is by far the largest producer within OPEC. The country is among the top three petroleum producers in the world (the other two being the US and the Russian Federation) and is the largest exporter of crude oil in the world. It exports mainly to non-EU countries (China, Japan, India, and the US). Saudi Arabia's petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87 % of budget revenues, 42 % of gross domestic product (GDP), and 90 % of export earnings. By 2030, the Saudi government is planning to replace crude oil, fuel oil, and diesel with natural gas and renewable energy for power generation. This would likely increase natural gas demand and investment in natural gas supply for a number of years. In February 2022, the EU-GCC Joint Cooperation Committee endorsed a joint cooperation programme for the 2022 2027 period, aiming to enhance the partnership between the EU and the GCC. Later, on 18 May 2022, the European Commission published a communication on a strategic partnership with the Gulf.

Författare : Angelos DELIVORIAS

Sammanfattning : Several EU directives dealing with equality require EU Member States to establish equality bodies with a focus on assisting victims of discrimination and preventing and fighting discrimination on the grounds listed under the directives. However, their rules are general and have no precise definition of these bodies' duties and manner of operation, thus leading to disparities among the Member States' bodies. Additionally, the work of some Member States' bodies has been hampered by lack of resources, insufficient independence or a narrow remit. In December 2022, the European Commission published a proposal, under the ordinary legislative procedure, setting standards for equality bodies involved in fighting discrimination between men and women in the area of employment, in parallel with another proposal fighting discrimination on other grounds, under the consent procedure. The proposal reinforces the equality bodies' independence, resources and mandate. While generally welcoming it, stakeholders have suggested specific changes to its provisions. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Ionel ZAMFIR

Sammanfattning : Sovereign debt has been a longstanding challenge for Argentina's governments. As recently as 2022, Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez secured an outline deal with the IMF to restructure US$44.5 billion of debt from a record 2018 bailout. In fact, since 2001, Argentina has defaulted on its international sovereign debt three times –the first time in December 2001 in the midst of a very serious financial crisis, in 2014, in the middle of a battle against holdout creditors and again in 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the same period, Argentina has gone through two debt restructurings. One that lasted from 2005 to 2016, and one that started in 2020 and was agreed much faster. After the 2005-2016 restructuring experience, Argentina implemented two of the lessons learned: (i) the use of collective action clauses in the 2005 and 2016 indenture bonds, and (ii) taking a faster approach to the restructuring process, in both the opening of negotiations with creditors and the formulation of an acceptable proposal. In addition, during the 2020 restructuring, Argentina chose initially to adopt two controversial measures to circumvent collective action clauses, it changed course and managed to complete the restructuring of the desired amount. These actions, along with other economic policy decisions, allowed the country to avoid a crisis similar to that of 2001, despite the challenging global economic environment. In 2022, the country's economy went through multiple shocks, i.e. the ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as a persistent drought that damaged its crops and exports. The situation persisted in 2023, with an increase in inflation and a depletion of dollar reserves, which added to the government's woes. Even if a crisis is averted, economic considerations will play a critical role in the general elections due to take place in October 2023. While it is too early to say that Argentina will not again find itself in need of restructuring in the near future, experts suggest that the country has learned some lessons from these processes, with regard both to negotiating with creditors and to managing its debt and the legal innovations that can protect it. This could help it manage such processes more efficiently and without the associated economic and social costs.

Författare : Angelos DELIVORIAS

Sammanfattning : The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the main element of Next Generation EU (NGEU), the EU's recovery plan, designed to help EU Member States navigate their way out of the COVID-19 crisis and towards a more resilient future. To receive financing from NGEU, each Member State had to prepare a national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) and include in it reforms and investment addressing six policy areas, or the six pillars of the RRF. The fifth pillar, 'Health, and economic, social and institutional resilience', has a broad scope, but around half of the measures included in it are health-related. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic put an unprecedented strain on the EU's health systems and revealed a number of vulnerabilities, even in the best-performing Member States. Consequently, in 2020, in the framework of the European Semester, all Member States received country-specific recommendations (CSRs) in the area of health policy (up from around half of Member States in 2019). To address these recommendations, and their health systems' weaknesses, all the Member States have envisaged investment and reform measures adapted to their national contexts, and included them in their NRRPs. The most recent annual report from the European Commission on the RRF estimated the total healthcare-related expenditure at €43 billion for the 27 NRRPs. Despite differences, the NRRPs reveal a number of common themes. These include the need to expand healthcare infrastructure, modernise primary care, address staff shortages, and – not least – digitalise health services. Taken together, these measures are expected to make national healthcare sectors more robust and efficient. With all national plans in place and the implementation of the RRF well under way, this briefing gives an overview of the main health-related measures in the plans, with a spotlight on digital (e-health) measures. While Member States define and deliver their national health services and medical care, the EU is contributing greatly to the joint efforts to strengthen public health policy and build a European health union. The European Parliament has consistently promoted the establishment of a coherent public health policy, including the creation of a new stand-alone European health programme.

Författare : Velina LILYANOVA

Sammanfattning : On 15 June and 7 July 2023, the German Federal Parliament approved the 2018 reform of the EU rules on elections to the European Parliament, and that approval is now awaiting promulgation before it takes effect. Enacting the reform requires the approval of all EU Member States. All but two – Cyprus and Spain – have given their approval. Cyprus is preparing to finalise its approval procedure, but Spain has not yet launched its. Once all Member States have given their approval and the EU reform law becomes binding, those with constituencies of more than 35 seats must set therein a threshold of 2-5 % – but only as of the second set of European elections after the law has entered into force. The German Federal Parliament's lower house (Bundestag) rejected a proposal to set the threshold at 2 %, raising questions about Germany's ultimate choice.

Författare : Hendrik Alexander MILDEBRATH

Sammanfattning : Violence directed against a woman because she is a woman, or that affects women disproportionately ('gender-based violence against women') is a violation of fundamental rights, and a major obstacle to gender equality in all EU Member States. Despite increased attention, national legislation does not offer equal protection for women against all forms of gender-based violence across the EU, and there are significant gaps in the measures adopted at EU level. On 8 March 2022, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal on combating violence against women and domestic violence, to enshrine minimum standards in EU law for criminalising certain forms of gender-based violence, improve access to justice, protection and support for victims, ensure coordination between relevant services, and prevent these types of crime. In July 2023, based on the joint report drafted by its Committees for Gender Equality (FEMM) and Civil Liberties (LIBE), the Parliament decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations. It will need to find agreement with the Council, particularly on the extent of EU competences to criminalise at EU level certain forms of violence against women. The position adopted by the Council weakens the proposal significantly by removing rape and other crimes, because the Council considers that there is no legal basis in the Treaties to define them at EU level. Second edition of a briefing, the first edition of which was drafted by Rosamund Shreeves. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Ionel ZAMFIR

Sammanfattning : In December 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of the Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, one of the two cornerstones of the EU's framework regulating chemicals. The revision, announced in the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability, notably seeks to identify and classify hazardous chemicals more comprehensively; improve communication on chemical hazards and the notification of relevant information to poison centres for emergency health response; and address online sales more effectively. Industry has expressed particular concern about the proposed rules for classifying multi-constituent substances, grouping substances for harmonised classification and labelling, and label formatting. Non-governmental organisations, mainly supportive of the revision, stress the need to set deadlines, cover further hazards and nanoforms of substances, and do more to limit animal testing. In the European Parliament, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, responsible for the file, adopted its legislative report on 11 September 2023. The vote in plenary is expected to take place during the October I session. The report as voted will form Parliament's position for negotiations with the Council, which adopted its general approach on 30 June 2023. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Vivienne HALLEUX

Sammanfattning : The European Commission has proposed changes to the existing EU rules on the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS) in road transport. The objective of the proposal is to expand the scope of the existing EU rules to cover new and emerging challenges and to make essential ITS services mandatory across the EU. The proposal seeks to resolve problems stemming from the lack of interoperability and continuity of the existing applications and services, but also from the low level of availability and sharing of the data supporting ITS services. Finally, it aims to ensure effective concertation and cooperation among stakeholders. The Commission adopted the proposal on 14 December 2021. Within the Council, the Working Party on Transport – Intermodal Questions and Networks carried out the preparatory work, and the Council adopted its general approach on 2 June 2022. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) took the lead on the file. The committee's report was tabled for plenary on 29 October 2022 and its decision to enter interinstitutional negotiations was confirmed by plenary on 21 November 2022. A provisional agreement was reached on 8 June 2023. This was approved by the TRAN committee on 26 June 2023. Third edition of a briefing originally drafted by Marketa Pape. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Monika KISS

Sammanfattning : On 28 September 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of the 2009 Directive on the protection of workers from the risk of exposure to asbestos. The aim of the proposal is to lower the occupational exposure limit (OEL) value, which is mandatory in all Member States. Despite the total ban on the use of asbestos in the EU, exposure to this carcinogenic fibre, which is still present in millions of buildings, kills more than 70 000 people a year in Europe. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) adopted its report on the proposal on 26 April 2023. The mandate to enter interinstitutional negotiations was endorsed by the plenary the following month. On 27 June 2023, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement. The Council's Permanent Representatives Committee approved the agreement on 19 July 2023. In the European Parliament, the EMPL committee approved it on 7 September 2023. The vote in plenary on Parliament's first-reading position is expected to take place in October. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Laurence AMAND-EECKHOUT

Sammanfattning : Dieses Dokument ist Teil einer Reihe von Studien, mit denen die Grundsätze der Gleichheit und der Nichtdiskriminierung in verschiedenen Staaten und internationalen Organisationen aus rechtsvergleichender Sicht dargestellt werden sollen. Die vorliegende Studie hat den Fall Italien zum Gegenstand, wobei anerkannt wird, wie wichtig die völkerrechtlichen und EU-rechtlichen Quellen für dieses Thema sind. Nach einem kurzen historischen Überblick werden die gesetzlichen Regelungen untersucht, die sich auf den Grundsatz der Gleichheit in seinen verschiedenen Ausprägungen in der italienischen Republik ausgewirkt haben. Den Ausgangspunkt bildet natürlich die Verfassung; die anderen Rechtsquellen wurden auf Grundlage des jeweils geregelten inhaltlichen Gegenstands gegliedert. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Rechtsprechung. Da es nicht möglich ist, der Materialfülle in Gänze Rechnung zu tragen, wurden einige besonders relevante Fälle ausgewählt. Abschließend werden die wichtigsten Problembereiche genannt, die es noch zu lösen gilt – in einem globalen sozialpolitischen Kontext, in dem sich die Ungleichheiten für viele Gesellschaftsschichten sogar noch verschärft haben. Das vorliegende Dokument ist die deutsche Version einer Studie, die ursprünglich im Oktober 2020 in italienischer Sprache von der Bibliothek für Vergleichendes Recht veröffentlicht wurde. Diese Version aktualisiert die frühere Version durch Anmerkungen des Herausgebers (AdH).

Sammanfattning : This briefing paper was prepared ahead of the Monetary Dialogue between the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the European Central Bank (ECB) President on Monday, 25 September. It provides a summary of key monetary policy developments and decisions taken by the ECB’s Governing Council.

Författare : Drazen RAKIC, MAJA SABOL, GIACOMO LOI

Sammanfattning : This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of national tax measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of ensuring an appropriate assessment and providing policy recommendations to effectively address future crises. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC).

Författare : Niccolò BALDESI, Irene BRUSINI & Paola PROFETAN (Corresponding author)

Sammanfattning : Alignment of monetary and fiscal policies has proven to be decisive for the euro area's ability to withstand successive crises over the years. Today, the European Central Bank (ECB) continues its fight against inflation by implementing a monetary policy tightening unprecedented in pace and scale. At the same time, after allowing for some deviations from regular budgetary rules with the activation of the general escape clause in 2020, the EU is set to reapply its fiscal rules fully from 2024. In addition, co-legislators are currently discussing the proposed legislation by the European Commission for the reform of the economic governance framework. Five papers were prepared by the ECON Committee’s Monetary Expert Panel, discussing the interaction between monetary and fiscal policies in the euro area. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Zsolt DARVAS, Jeromin ZETTELMEYER, Kerstin BERNOTH, Sara DIETZ, Rosa LASTRA, Marie RULLIÈRE, Charles WYPLOSZ, Paolo CANOFARI, Giovanni Di BARTOLOMEO, Marcello MESSORI, Daniel GROS, Farzaneh SHAMSFAKHR

Sammanfattning : As monetary policy continues to tighten and excess liquidity is gradually drained from the banking system, the European Central Bank (ECB) is confronted with a decision on which liquidity provision framework the Eurosystem should adopt going forward. Three papers were prepared by the ECON Committee’s Monetary Expert Panel, discussing the relative advantages and disadvantages of the ample reserves/floor system versus the scarce reserves/corridor system. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Christophe BLOT, Jérôme CREEL, François GEEROLF, Marek DABROWSKI, Karl WHELAN

Sammanfattning : In view of the rising frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks hitting United States (US) targets and entailing widespread disruption of critical infrastructure, significant economic loss, and sensitive content and personal data leaks, the Biden administration has taken a series of steps to bolster the US cybersecurity posture since early 2021. Adding to President Biden's 2021 Executive Order on cybersecurity and 2022 Congressional legislation, the 2023 US National Cybersecurity Strategy lays out a comprehensive vision for a 'defensible, resilient and values-aligned' digital US ecosystem. In a departure from previous US policy, the strategy seeks to rebalance the responsibility to defend cyberspace and to realign incentives for long-term cybersecurity investment. Mainly for political reasons, the implementation plan is more cautious than the strategy. The geopolitical dimension of EU-US cyber cooperation is growing, due to support for third-country capacity-building.

Författare : Gisela GRIEGER

Sammanfattning : The second Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR) are the principal texts regulating investment services and financial markets activities in the EU. Following an extensive consultation and in light of the recent developments in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission proposed the establishment of an EU-wide consolidated tape for financial markets instruments, as well as making targeted changes to market structure, so as to increase transparency and strengthen the competitiveness of EU financial markets. Consolidated tape is a high-speed electronic system that reports the latest price and volume data on sales of exchange-listed stock. The proposals are currently being discussed by the co-legislators. Within the European Parliament, both have been assigned to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), which adopted its reports on 1 March 2023 and also decided to enter into trilogue negotiations on that basis. A provisional agreement was reached on 29 June 2023. Third edition of a briefing originally drafted by Angelos Delivorias. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : ISSAM HALLAK

Sammanfattning : In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, which showed the need for more sophisticated and demanding capital requirements for banks, new regulations were agreed at international level – known as the Basel III Agreements. In the EU, they were implemented essentially by amending the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD) and adopting the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR). On 27 October 2021, the Commission tabled two interconnected proposals to amend the CRR and the CRD, respectively. The objective is two-fold: (i) implementing the final arrangements of the Basel Agreement; and (ii) enhancing the harmonisation of banking supervision in the EU. The main amendments concern the introduction of an 'output floor', i.e. a lower bound for minimum capital requirements calculated using banks' own methods, consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) components in risk assessment, and harmonisation of the selection of board members and directors of credit institutions. The Council issued its common approach in November 2022. The decision by Parliament's ECON Committee to enter negotiations was confirmed in plenary on 15 February 2023. A provisional agreement was reached on 29 June 2023. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : ISSAM HALLAK

Sammanfattning : The proposed revision of the EU's pharmaceutical framework covers the EU's general pharmaceutical legislation and the paediatric and orphan medicines regulations ('specific pharmaceutical legislation') in an integrated manner. The merger of the orphan and paediatric regulations with the legislation applicable to all medicinal products is explained with 'simplification and increased coherence' in the explanatory memorandum of the proposed directive. The proposed revision is supported by two impact assessments that were prepared in separate processes, but striving for utmost coherence, and eventually published under the same cover: one focusing on the general and the other on the specific pharmaceutical legislation. The ease of assessing the IAs in conjunction with the proposed legislation is somewhat hampered by the differences in structure described above. Both IAs draw on the results of the respective Commission evaluations, in line with the 'evaluate first principle'. They appear solid in substance, underpinned by a seemingly sound evidence base. Despite the complex nature of the topic, the main parts of the IAs are drafted in a way that is accessible to non-experts. Much of the data is further substantiated in (partly rather detailed and technical) annexes. Each IA presents three well-developed options in addition to the dynamic baseline scenario. The assessment of the specific policy measures' impacts under each option appears comprehensive; in particular, the section on economic impacts is developed thoroughly, substantiated by qualitative and quantitative data (including, inter alia, a cost-benefit analysis). In terms of transparency, the IA on the general pharmaceutical legislation (IA, part I), as published on EurLex and the Commission's public register of documents, is incomplete in the sense that it lacks all annexes, including the Commission's evaluation of the general pharmaceutical legislation, prepared back-to-back with the IA. Although the annexes were (later) published on a dedicated DG SANTE webpage, they remain difficult to trace and lack stable hyperlinks.

Författare : Irmgard ANGLMAYER

Sammanfattning : The 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and the 2019 European Green Deal initiated a wave of EU policies and legislation to combat climate change and protect the environment. Achieving a green transition became a key driver of EU policies. While many pieces of legislation were being discussed or adopted, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine moved the political focus to supply chain security and energy dependencies. Since then, achieving open European strategic autonomy for the EU economy has become an equally important EU policy driver. The European Commission is trying to reconcile these environmental and economic objectives by advocating a green and digital transition, which should lead to green growth, decoupling growth and pollution. The 2023 strategic foresight report 'Sustainability and people's wellbeing at the heart of Europe's open strategic autonomy' illustrates this effort. However, greening the economy and making the EU more autonomous do not always overlap. Whereas the Commission emphasises synergy between these objectives, that is just one possible scenario for the EU's future. Focusing on greening or autonomy only are equally viable scenarios, as is the possibility of achieving none of these objectives. Recently, tensions between the objectives of greening and becoming more autonomous have surfaced in political debates. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested a pause in European environmental legislation to increase industrial competitiveness. In debates on the EU nature restoration law, opponents pointed to possible negative economic consequences for European farmers of the proposed law. Tensions may also increase in the area of energy production, particularly if energy prices rise again. To achieve a combined transition towards a green and more autonomous EU, the EU and its Member States will have to focus on win-win solutions. A more circular economy with a higher degree of recycling and nature-based solutions in construction or agriculture are examples of such solutions. Some consider that long-term solutions should also question the principle of economic growth itself, and Western societies may have to aim for 'de-growth', whereas others fear this might hamper green investment, and therefore stick to the notion of 'green growth'.

Författare : Mario DAMEN

Sammanfattning : The IA supports the revision of the EU customs legislation to ensure an integrated approach to reinforcing the customs processes, data management and governance framework. It considers four policy options (POs), each with an increasing degree of ambition and a concrete implementation timeline. The four POs are complimentary, rather than separate alternatives, and appear realistic and self-standing. The IA assesses the impacts of all POs both quantitatively and qualitatively, and selects PO4 – 'EU Customs Authority for coordination and operations, managing the EU Customs Data Space' – as the preferred option. While the IA argues convincingly that the preferred option would significantly simplify the customs processes and that all economic operators, including SMEs, are expected to gain from this, it would have been useful if the IA had featured a targeted analysis of the impacts on competitiveness, fundamental rights and an explanation of how the revision of the legislation would contribute to the achievement of the Green Deal's objectives. The IA finds that PO4 is not only the most efficient and most effective, but it is also the most coherent and proportional, addresses challenges identified by the Wise Persons Group, and is future-proof and in line with the JRC foresight report on the Future of the Customs in the EU in 2040. The IA duly integrates foresight in the analysis and appears to be based on sound and recent data, reports by EU institutions, academic literature and stakeholders' consultations. It underlines that capacity to act together as a customs union provided by this option would strengthen the strategic autonomy and resilience of the EU. The IA respects the 'evaluate first' principle and consistently refers to the opinions expressed by the Member States and other stakeholders, but could have provided more clarity on how the different stakeholder categories see the PO4. It indicates that the Commission would monitor the implementation of the reform on a regular basis and that a first evaluation would be carried out in 2035. It also proposes a list of quantifiable success indicators. It appears that the Commission made substantive changes to the IA in response to the opinions of the RSB. The proposal corresponds to the preferred option identified in the IA.

Författare : AUSRA RAKSTELYTE

Sammanfattning : On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented the maritime safety package, focused on introducing modernised maritime safety and security rules on port state and flag state control, maritime accident investigation and ship source pollution. The package also includes a proposal to revise the Regulation on the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The revised regulation would give EMSA new and more numerous tasks since the last major revision of its mandate in 2013 and aim to make it 'future proof'. Furthermore, it seeks to take better account of EMSA's current tasks and objectives, which means that the agency would be legally mandated to fulfil these and provide EU Member States and the European Commission with technical, operational and scientific assistance, to ensure maritime safety, security and the green and digital transition of the maritime sector. At the same time, the agency would be provided with adequate human and financial resources to fulfil its role. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is leading the work on this legislative file. The Fisheries (PECH), Environment (ENVI) and Budget (BUDG) Committees have been invited to submit an opinion. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : KARIN SMIT-JACOBS

Sammanfattning : On 30 March 2023, the European Commission presented a proposal for a directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods. The proposed directive aims to mitigate the current business and consumption pattern, marked by frequent and premature replacement and discarding of goods. According to the Commission, this model generates additional costs for consumers, is a waste of natural resources and does harm to the environment. The proposal seeks to save costs for consumers and facilitate the development of a resource-efficient circular economy. The proposed directive would apply to the repair of goods within and outside the legal guarantee. In Parliament, the file has been referred to the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). René Repasi (S&D, Germany) has been appointed as rapporteur. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Anne ALTMAYER

Sammanfattning : On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented a legislative package to modernise and reinforce maritime rules on safety and pollution prevention. This package contains proposals for the revision of five legislative acts, among them the revision of the Directive on Ship-source Pollution. The aim is to combat pollution from maritime ships thereby preventing all ship-owners and operators, regardless of the ship's flag, from releasing any type of illegal discharge, in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules, into European seas. The proposal contains a robust framework for penalties for infringements, and their application. In addition, there would be an extended range of substances classified as polluting, and enforcement would be strengthened. Within the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is leading the work on this legislative file and Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania) has been appointed rapporteur. The Committees on Legal Affairs (JURI), Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), and Fisheries (PECH) have been invited to provide opinions. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : KARIN SMIT-JACOBS

Sammanfattning : The EU adopted a comprehensive and innovative regulatory framework on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA) in June 2023 that will regulate crypto-asset markets. The regulation focuses on stablecoins, which are crypto-assets promising a 'stable value' against official currencies or values. The MiCA provides for strict transparency and governance rules, on the one hand, and prudential rules as per other financial institutions, on the other. By covering all aspects of the crypto-assets, MiCA is expected to enhance citizens' protection, financial stability, innovation and financial inclusion. However, EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has reiterated her concern over financial stability as regards the lack of regulation in third countries. The United Kingdom has adopted comprehensive legislation on crypto-assets, with a strong commitment to become a 'crypto hub' and attract global activities. However, the new law does not enact detailed regulation which is left to the national financial authorities. In the United States, crypto-assets are subject to the financial markets supervisor, if they qualify as a security. However, the various cases have proved that such qualification could vary, creating legal uncertainty. Moreover, the applicable regulation is that for securities, not financial institutions. Recent debates have given rise to more stringent and protective regulation being envisaged by legislators. Academics and international organisations have warned of the instability effects on the financial system of stablecoins, and the need for tight transparency requirements as well as effective international coordination and cooperation. However, tighter regulation in the EU as compared with that in third countries may have adverse effects on the development of crypto-asset markets. Overall, there is evidence that a tighter regulatory framework has limited but positive effects on crypto-assets markets. Therefore, the EU's regulatory action should bring benefits overall, while third-party policy action is still needed to complement and strengthen financial stability.

Författare : ISSAM HALLAK

Sammanfattning : A massive increase in trade volumes – in particular thanks to the rise of e-commerce – combined with the fast growing number of EU standards that need to be checked at the border and continuously evolving trade strategies have put EU customs authorities under a lot of pressure in recent times. Concerns have been raised that the EU's customs union is burdened by fragmented digitalisation, suboptimal coordination between national authorities and overall complexity, leaving traders with high administrative compliance costs and criminals with opportunities to commit fraud. To tackle these issues, the European Commission tabled a customs reform package on 17 May 2023. Along with a number of other provisions, key to the reform would be the establishment of an EU customs authority, which would oversee a new customs data hub. This would entail a more centralised and digitalised approach to customs that should lower compliance costs for traders, free up resources for national authorities and ensure a more efficient, strengthened and fraud-proof customs union. The proposal is subject to the ordinary legislative procedure, requiring the support of both the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, following consultation of the European Economic and Social Committee. Within the Parliament, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is working on the file. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Pieter BAERT

Sammanfattning : This paper analyses the operational frameworks adopted by the ECB and the consequences of a shift from the floor to the corridor system. The concept of excess liquidity in the euro area is examined, alongside discussions on market liquidity and funding liquidity. The paper emphasises the need to evaluate the implications for monetary policy effectiveness and financial stability of the different frameworks, shedding light on the role of liquidity in maintaining well-functioning financial markets. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Christophe BLOT, Jérôme CREEL, François GEEROLF

Sammanfattning : This briefing provides a summary of the recent economic developments in the EU Member States and gives an overview of relevant economic projections forecasted by major international and EU institutions.

Författare : SAMUEL DE LEMOS PEIXOTO, MAJA SABOL, GIACOMO LOI

Sammanfattning : Achieving a balanced monetary-fiscal policy mix in the euro area is crucial to ensure that monetary policy is able to fulfil its primary price stability objective. This paper outlines, from an economic and legal perspective, the interaction between monetary and fiscal policy in light of the current monetary and fiscal stance and, in particular, the “quasi-fiscal” effects of some unconventional monetary policy measures. Since sustainable public finances are a prerequisite for a price-stability-oriented single monetary policy, the paper also analyses the EU economic governance review proposals. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Kerstin BERNOTH, Sara DIETZ, Rosa LASTRA, Marie RULLIÈRE

Sammanfattning : The geopolitical and economic shocks, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, represent a structural shift for the European Union (EU) economy. The euro area needs to deal with an ongoing inflation process and the EU needs to radically transform its production model to avoid a lasting decline. An expansionary centralised fiscal capacity, grounded on the production of public goods, and a related common industrial policy are required to allow for this structural change. In the meantime, it is necessary to bring the excessive inflation process under control. These two contrasting problems create a policy dilemma. A restrictive monetary policy backed by national fiscal actions and a temporary central fiscal initiative are inadequate to overcome this dilemma. Hence, we propose an innovative policy mix to address the problem. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Paolo CANOFARI, Giovanni DI BARTOLOMEO & Marcello MESSORI

Sammanfattning : This study is the first research paper in a series of three, prepared for a PECH Committee Workshop. It gives insight on the challenges and opportunities arisen from the application of the European Green Deal to European fisheries. It identifies solutions that are currently being applied regarding decarbonisation and circular economy practices in fisheries and observed strengths and weaknesses of the regulatory framework. It provides policy recommendations to move towards the decarbonisation of the fishing fleets and circular European fisheries.

Författare : AZTI: Oihane C. BASURKO, Martin ARANDA, Ainhoa CABALLERO, Marga ANDRES, Jefferson MURUA, Gorka GABIÑA

Sammanfattning : This analysis looks at the future of the EU and Ukraine, using a time horizon of 2035. It was launched in June 2022 as a Strategic Foresight Conversation, a few months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The ensuing war has drastically changed all aspects of life in Ukraine, affects the EU in many significant ways and shifted pre-war geopolitical and geo-economic paradigms. The European Council decision of 24 June 2022 to give candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova added to the need for a long-term perspective on EU-Ukraine relations. The analysis is based on foresight methodologies, including a multi-stage stakeholder consultation and scenario building. Four scenarios examine future developments along two main axes: the Ukraine-Russia relationship, addressing the development and possible outcome of the war, characterised by the level of hazard; and the EU-Ukraine relationship, characterised by the level of integration. The resulting policy considerations address four areas of future EU action: firstly, the transition from military support towards a new European security architecture; secondly, the process of EU enlargement, reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine; thirdly, the development of an effective, green and sovereign European Union; and fourthly, continuity and review of EU relations with five countries which are key to the conflict: Russia, Belarus, Türkiye, China and the US.

Författare : Mario DAMEN

Sammanfattning : This infographic provides an insight into the economic performance of the United States (US) compared with the European Union (EU), and looks at the trade dynamics between them. The US unemployment rate rose substantially in 2009 following the financial crisis. This was followed by a steady fall in unemployment from 2010 onwards, with the exception of the COVID-19 years (2020 and 2021) when a new steep increase was recorded. Both foreign direct investment (FDI) and remittances remained relatively low and stable between 2007 and 2022, accounting for only a small share of US gross domestic product, while the EU’s FDI has fluctuated, and its inward remittances have gradually increased. The EU’s trade with the US has shown a generally upward trend, with a sharp increase after the 2020 global economic slowdown.

Författare : GYORGYI MACSAI

Sammanfattning : The annual European Week of Sport (23-30 September) opens on 23 September in Valencia, Spain. This is the ninth edition of a European Commission initiative designed to promote sport and physical activity across Europe with the slogan #BeActive. The hope is that people will #BeActive during the Week of Sport, but also stay active throughout the rest of the year. The initiatives in 2023 centre on three topics: involvement, inclusion, and innovation. Sport has the potential to bring together people from various backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, fitness levels, genders, and generations. There are events, contests and challenges in 40 countries, with millions of people getting together and having fun thanks to sport. Over 13 million people took part in the 2022 edition. On the dedicated website, you can find this year's events near you. #BeActive Night takes place on Saturday 23 September, increasing awareness of the Week with thousands of activities organised in all participating countries. Over 95 million people across 40 countries and regions have taken part in the Week's activities over the years since 2015. The European School Sport Day® – a Week of Sport spinoff – takes place on Friday 29 September. To take part in the sport day, students need to #BeActive for at least 120 minutes – run, walk, hop or dance the distance of the given year (i.e. 2 023 metres in 2023).

Författare : Tarja LAANINEN

Sammanfattning : An independent media is a pillar of democracy and an important part of the economy, helping to shape public opinion and hold those in power to account. In recent years, however, there have been increasingly worrying trends across the European Union (EU), as documented in the annual rule of law reports by the European Commission and other tools such as the Media Pluralism Monitor. Tabled on 16 September 2022, the proposed European media freedom act (EMFA) would introduce a new set of rules to promote media pluralism and independence across the EU, and would amend the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The aim is to prevent political interference in editorial decisions and ensure transparency of media ownership. The proposed act seeks to protect journalists from having to disclose their sources and from the use of spyware against them. It also sets requirements for audience measurement systems and transparent allocation of state advertising. Media content would be better protected against online content removal, and a new European board for media services would be established. The Council adopted its negotiating position on 21 June 2023. In Parliament, the Committe on Culture and Education (CULT) adopted its report on 7 September 2023. Parliament is expected to adopt its negotiating mandate during the October I plenary session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Tarja LAANINEN

Sammanfattning : This year marks the 30th anniversary of the single market. Although it has generally been a success story, a number of challenges remain. For instance, there is still no EU-wide harmonisation of the technical requirements for the road circulation of non-road mobile machinery. This has a negative effect on the functioning of the single market. This sector covers a broad range of machinery fitted with the means for self-propulsion – such as combine harvesters, excavators, ride-on mowers and forklifts – and that may need to circulate on the road to go from one workplace to another. On 23 March 2023, the Commission presented a proposal for a regulation that would set out the requirements for the EU type approval and placing on the market of non-road mobile machinery intended to circulate on public roads. It would also lay down rules and procedures on market surveillance of non-road mobile machinery. Stakeholders have broadly welcomed the proposal. The proposed regulation is now in the hands of the co-legislators. In Parliament, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is responsible for the file. The committee vote on the draft report is expected on 27-28 November 2023. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Guillaume RAGONNAUD

Sammanfattning : Detention is the confinement of a migrant, asylum seeker or refugee by a Member State, where the applicant is deprived of his or her freedom of movement. However, detention should only be a measure of last resort, applied after a careful and individual examination of each case. This stems not only from the EU Member States' obligations under international human rights law regarding the right to liberty and health, but also from relevant EU law provisions governing asylum and return procedures and the reception conditions of the individual EU Member States. Within the EU, the detention of asylum seekers is governed by specific provisions under EU asylum law. Decisions on detention should be based on the principles of necessity and proportionality. There is an exhaustive list of grounds on which applicants may be detained during the asylum procedure. This list is accompanied by detailed procedural safeguards to ensure that human rights are upheld. These safeguards include rules on the length of detention, judicial review and conditions of detention (especially for vulnerable applicants), as well as alternatives to detention. Mechanisms to protect migrants from arbitrary detention and to monitor the application of standards and principles should always be in place. In addition, detained migrants should, from the moment they are deprived of their liberty and throughout their detention, enjoy their fundamental human rights. Considering the effects of detention on migrants' health, including mental health, detention should be a last resort to be used in specific and limited circumstances only. Before resorting to detention, it is important to consider the alternatives. Once detention has been applied, the detention conditions should be examined to avoid possible human rights violations and the deterioration of migrants' health. National rules on detention alternatives diverge, and more and more Member States have been introducing their own rules since 2015. Meanwhile, there are EU law instruments containing provisions on detention, mainly relating to returns procedures.

Författare : Maria-Margarita MENTZELOPOULOU

Sammanfattning : National parliaments' active participation in EU affairs and enhanced scrutiny of their national governments are instrumental in ensuring the democratic accountability and legitimacy of the EU institutional system. However, despite the inclusion of national parliaments in the text of the Treaties, their ability to impact EU affairs remains generally limited. Nevertheless, national parliaments are willing to play a more active role in EU affairs by being more closely involved in the substance of EU policies and legislation, rather than on matters of subsidiarity alone. Discussions are intensifying on the need to give national parliaments the opportunity to intervene throughout the EU decision-making process, including on granting them the right to propose initiatives to the EU level.

Författare : Ekaterina KARAMFILOVA

Sammanfattning : The Commissioner-designate, Iliana Ivanova, appeared before the European Parliament on 5 September 2023 to answer questions put by MEPs from the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and on Culture and Education (CULT). During the hearing, she made a number of commitments which are highlighted in this document. These commitments refer to her portfolio, as described in the mission letter sent to her by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, including: • Education, research and innovation; and • Culture, youth and sport.

Författare : CORINNE CORDINA, Katarzyna Anna ISKRA, Kristiina MILT, MATTEO CIUCCI

Sammanfattning : This document provides a snapshot of the state-of-play on EU national parliaments involvement at the early stage (spring 2023) of the current EU economic governance reform debate. The summary is based on replies from 20 parliament chambers from 16 EU member states

Författare : Kajus HAGELSTAM, SAMUEL DE LEMOS PEIXOTO, WOLFGANG LEHOFER

Sammanfattning : This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee, examines the fiscal responses of the EU to the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. It claims that the law & policy tools developed to address these crises have led to the establishment, and consolidation, of an EU fiscal capacity – contributing to overcoming the original imbalance of the EU’s Economic & Monetary Union. Nevertheless, the study claims that these developments now require appropriate institutional adjustments, and considers options to achieve them.

Författare : Federico FABBRINI

Sammanfattning : Year after year, tens of thousands of people try to reach the EU from the coasts of Turkey and Africa, risking their lives at sea. Irregular migration to Europe is predominantly concentrated in the Mediterranean, where there are frequent reports of people being rescued at sea and of shipwreck incidents. Between January and June 2022, on average five people died per day during their attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea, according to the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), and 28 021 persons have been recorded missing since 2014. This is most likely an under-estimate, as many cases go unreported or even completely unnoticed.

Författare : Maria-Margarita MENTZELOPOULOU

Sammanfattning : Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool thanks to technological advances, access to large amounts of data, machine learning and increased computing power. The release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022 was a new breakthrough in AI. It demonstrated the vast range of possibilities involved in adapting general-purpose AI to a wide array of tasks and in getting generative AI to generate synthetic content based on prompts entered by the user. By 2026, 90 % of online content may be synthetically generated. AI is an opportunity to improve the democratic process in our societies. For example, it can help citizens to gain a better understanding of politics and engage more easily in democratic debate. Likewise, politicians can get closer to citizens and eventually represent them more effectively. Such an alignment between citizens and politicians could change the face of electoral campaigns and considerably improve the policymaking process, making it more accurate and efficient. Although concerns over the use of AI in politics have been present since the late 2010s, those related to democracies and the election process in particular have grown with the recent evolution of AI. This emerging technology poses multiple risks to democracies, as it is also a powerful tool for disinformation and misinformation, both of which can trigger tensions resulting in electoral-related conflict and even violence. AI can, for example, generate false information, or spread a bias or opinions that do not represent the public sentiment. Altogether, despite its benefits AI has the potential to affect the democratic process in a negative way. Despite the above risks, AI can prove useful to democracies if proper safeguards are applied. For example, specific tools can be employed to detect the use of AI-generated content and techniques such as watermarking can be used to clearly indicate that content has been generated by AI. The EU is currently adapting its legal framework to address the dangers that come with AI and to promote the use of trustworthy, transparent and accountable AI systems.

Författare : MICHAEL ADAM

Sammanfattning : On 22 December 2021, the European Commission announced its proposal for the introduction of new own resources. The underlying objective is to decrease the share of own resources based on gross national income (GNI) in the revenue mix while preserving existing long-term EU policy commitments. The initiative also seeks to secure the necessary resources to cover new budgetary expenditures, such as the repayments of the debt arising from the Next Generation EU recovery fund and the recently adopted Social Climate Fund. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has generated further needs for additional funds to finance support for Ukraine, for Ukrainian refugees in the EU, and for sectors of the EU economy severely affected by the war. The 2021 Commission proposal on own resources included the extended emissions trading scheme and a carbon border adjustment mechanism, and reallocated profits of very large multinational companies (on the basis of Pillar 1 of the OECD/G20 agreement). Parliament adopted a legislative resolution approving that proposal. On 20 June 2023, the Commission put forward an adjusted package for the next generation of own resources, amending its previous proposal and completing its proposal by increasing the ETS call rate and introducing a temporary statistical own resource based on company profits. The proposal is subject to a formal re-consultation of Parliament. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : Alina DOBREVA

Sammanfattning : The EU's long-term budget for 2021 to 2027 was set at €1.1 trillion, together with a specific instrument to support the EU's recovery from the pandemic, Next Generation EU (NGEU), providing €750 billion (2018 prices). Since 2021, the EU budget has already mobilised significant additional resources to cope with the pandemic and its impact, providing direct support totalling €70 billion to help EU citizens and enterprises, and countries outside the EU, cope with the COVID 19 crisis. In 2022, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine generated more unexpected financing needs. The EU budget alone has contributed €50 billion to support Ukraine and its people, and help Member States cope with the multiple effects. As a result, the EU's funds and instruments for addressing unexpected situations are severely depleted. The EU budget needs meaningful reinforcement to be able to respond to the challenges that still lie ahead. On 20 June 2023, the Commission presented a revision of the EU's long-term budget, including a package of budgetary and legislative proposals. It proposed an overall reinforcement of the EU budget by €65.8 billion, covering an increase in the budget headings, the special instruments and €17 billion in grants for Ukraine. For the Ukraine Facility, a further €33 billion in loans is proposed, bringing overall support to Ukraine to €50 billion. The Commission is also proposing a 'Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform' (STEP), to be financed through redeployments and with €10 billion of additional funds. Additional budgetary means are set aside for responses to migration challenges, and a specific instrument to cover the increasing borrowing cost of NGEU. According to the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets, the proposed revision is a positive step towards equipping the EU budget with the necessary financing means. However, the rapporteurs' draft report argues that an additional €10 billion is required to address future challenges effectively. This is a follow up to an earlier briefing on the EU's long-term budget, published in June 2023.

Författare : KAROLINE KOWALD, MARIANNA PARI

Sammanfattning : Lithuania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) sets out the package of reforms and investment measures designed by the country in the context of the EU response to the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. In absolute figures, Lithuania decided to use its full grant allocation of €2 224 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), while declining to avail of the loan component. These resources represent 0.3 % of the entire RRF, equal to 4.6 % of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 (the RRF amounting to 5.2 % of EU-27 GDP in 2019). In June 2022, Lithuania's grant allocation was revised downwards to €2 100 million (-5.6 %). Lithuania may nevertheless benefit from a further €194 million worth of grants by adding a REPowerEU chapter on energy measures to its NRRP. On 30 June 2023, Lithuania submitted the related proposal to revise its original plan, which includes a request of €1 700 million in RRF loans. Measures under the current NRRP are to be completed by 2026. Lithuania has so far received 37.4 % of the resources (in the form of pre-financing and one payment of the grants). Further payments will depend on progress made in implementing the plan. In May 2023, the Commission assessed the implementation of the Lithuanian plan as well under way. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate for the creation of a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the work of the European Commission. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Second edition. The 'National Recovery and Resilience Plans in the EU' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.

Författare : JEROME LEON SAULNIER

Sammanfattning : Luxembourg's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) was initially to be financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) with a total of €93.4 million in grants. This allocation accounted for around 51 % of the total estimated value of the Luxembourgish NRRP (€183.1 million). A further 46 % of the costs are to be covered by the national budget, and 3 % from other EU co-financing. Under the RRF Regulation, Member States can request RRF loans until 31 August 2023; Luxembourg has not done so. It is expected to submit a REPowerEU chapter and has decided to transfer €128.5 million from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to the RRF to finance it. On 30 June 2022, the European Commission recalculated the maximum grant amounts for each country. For Luxembourg, this cut the total to €82.7 million; the country updated its NRRP, removing one investment. The estimated total cost of measures under the NRRP is now €88.4 million, or €5.7 million more than the new allocation. The difference will be financed through the national budget. Luxembourg's RRF allocation is not only the smallest in the EU in absolute figures but also the lowest as a share of grants, both in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) (0.13 % of GDP in 2019) and per capita (€26 per citizen). Luxembourg has so far received €32.4 million of RRF grants (in pre-financing on 3 August 2021 and a first payment on 16 June 2023). The NRRP aims to address Luxembourg's structural issues, aggravated by the pandemic. The measures included complement and build on priorities laid out in the national economic stimulus package from May 2020 (i.e. the Neistart Lëtzebuerg programme). The central objective is to support social cohesion and the promotion of a modern and attractive economic environment, while responding to climate and environmental challenges. With 68.8 % of the funds allocated to climate objectives and 29.6 % to the digital transition, the NRRP will contribute to common European efforts in these areas. The climate and environmental policy guidelines in the NRRP are consistent with Luxembourg's integrated national energy and climate plan (NECP) for 2021-2030. The Luxembourgish NRRP's components relating to skills, health, housing and governance also support cohesion and growth potential significantly in the long term. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.

Författare : Velina LILYANOVA

Sammanfattning : In 2022, over 41 million Europeans were unable to keep their homes adequately warm. Energy poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, considered to be caused by a combination of low income, high energy expenses, and poor energy efficiency in buildings. The EU has been addressing this issue in various legislative and non-legislative initiatives, most recently in the context of its climate policies and energy transition, as well as the energy crisis. The Gas and Electricity Directives ensure the protection of vulnerable consumers, and the Energy Efficiency and Energy Efficiency of Buildings Directives require measures to alleviate energy poverty alongside efficiency efforts. The 'renovation wave' initiative under the European Green Deal aims to boost structural renovation in private and public buildings, while the Social Climate Fund includes households in energy poverty among its main beneficiaries. The Social Climate Fund regulation and the revised Energy Efficiency Directive define energy poverty as a household's lack of access to essential energy services, such as heating, hot water, cooling, lighting and energy to power appliances. The 2020 European Commission recommendation on the topic provides a set of indicators relating, for instance, to the inability to keep a home adequately warm, arrears on utility bills, and a high share of income spent on energy bills. A number of possible policy options exist to address energy poverty under energy policy, social policy, or a mix of various regulatory solutions. Specific measures range from price regulation and tax breaks, to limits on disconnection, to social tariffs, energy efficiency improvements, and energy savings. Against the backdrop of security of energy supply concerns, high energy prices, and the ongoing EU transition to climate neutrality, the issue of energy poverty will be a crucial one in the months and years to come. This is an update of a briefing published in July 2022.

Författare : Agnieszka WIDUTO

Sammanfattning : A digital euro can be understood as central bank money offered in digital form for citizens and businesses to be used for their retail payments. It would be a central bank digital currency (CBDC) –an electronic equivalent to cash, complementing banknotes and coins – and the central motivation to develop a CBDC can be explained by the increasing digitalisation of financial services. Banknotes and coins, currently the only public money, are considered the ultimate anchor of the financial system. However, in recent years the number of cash payment transactions has declined substantially while digital payments have soared. At the same time, private currencies, such as Bitcoin, are challenging the role of sovereign currencies. Another argument for pursuing a digital euro relates to Europe's 'strategic autonomy' and the external dependency on foreign payment-related service providers. In October 2021, the ECB launched the investigation phase for the digital euro project. It is the ECB's prerogative to decide whether or not to issue a digital euro, but the decision requires the approval of a regulation establishing a legal framework for a digital euro. The European Commission has therefore put forward a digital euro package. While the proposal would grant legal tender status to the digital euro, the legal tender status of the physical form of central bank money would also be ensured for the first time in secondary legislation. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : MARTIN HOFLMAYR

Sammanfattning : Nadia Calvinho, First Vice President of the Government of Spain, Minister for Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation is participating in the ECON Committee in her capacity of President of the ECOFIN Council during the Spanish Presidency (July - December 2023). 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 document provides an overview of the Spanish Presidency priorities in ECON matters, including the Council’s work relating to the implementation of the European Semester for economic coordination, notably the application of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and other policy streams relevant to the EU single market and the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union, including the review debate on the EU economic governance framework.

Författare : SAMUEL DE LEMOS PEIXOTO, Marcel MAGNUS, MAJA SABOL, GIACOMO LOI, Kai Gereon SPITZER

Sammanfattning : During the September plenary session, Members heard the annual State of the Union speech from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Other highlights included exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's address to a formal sitting of Parliament. Members debated disaster resilience in the EU, the EU-Tunisia memorandum of understanding, combating the normalisation of extremist discourse, a relief package for smaller businesses, and violence and discrimination in sport. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, made statements on Iran, Latin America and Chile, and answered questions on the situation in west and central Africa in the light of the recent coups d'état. Finally, Members approved the appointment of Iliana Ivanova to the European Commission.

Författare : CLARE FERGUSON, KATARZYNA SOCHACKA

Sammanfattning : On 7 December 2022, the European Commission made two proposals to amend EU legislation on derivative markets to reduce the excessive and concentrated exposure of EU financial institutions to third-country central counterparties (CCPs). CCPs are clearing platforms that mitigate counterparty risks on derivative instruments by demanding collateral. Among other things, the proposals would require EU financial institutions to retain a portion of mandatory CCP derivative trading, to be handled through EU CCPs, and aim to reduce the regulatory costs of innovation for the latter. The regulations would also grant other non-banking institutions further access to EU CCPs. The strategy behind the proposals is to establish additional controls over clearing in third-country CCPs posing systemic risks, while making EU CCPs more attractive. In Parliament, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) is responsible for the files. The rapporteur for the files is Danuta Hübner (Poland, EPP). She tabled her draft reports in June 2023. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Författare : ISSAM HALLAK

Sammanfattning : The impact assessment is based on extensive internal and external expertise, including several studies, tailored EBA advice and JRC input. In line with the 'evaluate first' principle, it builds on an evaluation and develops a consistent intervention logic. The options presented to address the problems identified are packages of legislative amendments, with increasing ambition to enhance application of the EU resolution framework and facilitate the decisions on the appropriate resolution tools. The IA compares the option packages in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and proportionality and in relation to both the baseline and an intermediate form of a European Deposit Insurance Scheme (considering the latter currently politically not feasible). While the IA is transparent on methods and underlying assumptions, the dense and long analysis remains of limited accessibility for non-expert readers, particularly as regards the details of and interconnections between the options' technical features. Additional explanations and a more coherent presentation of the two groups of options and their key features would have been helpful. The IA does not define specifically the banks intended to fall within the expanded resolution's scope.

Författare : Esther KRAMER

Sammanfattning : This study addresses the expected impact of the EU’s Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It takes the German supply chain act (Lieferkettengesetz) as an example that may hold lessons for EU due diligence legislation. Against the background of a review of the existing literature on the impact of sustainability regulations, we conducted expert interviews with German business associations, German foreign chambers of commerce in emerging economies, as well as German supporting agencies. The objective was to identify key challenges SMEs in the EU and third countries face when dealing with the requirements of the supply chain act, and to discuss support measures that SMEs need or are already using. Based on the results of this analysis, we provide recommendations as to how the EU can help ease the burden for SMEs when implementing the proposed CS3D. These include targeted capacity-building measures for SME suppliers in developing countries, who mostly know little about European due diligence legislation, and simplifications in the reporting requirements for SMEs in Europe.

Författare : Rainer THIELE, Aoife HANLEY, Finn Ole SEMRAU, Frauke STEGLICH

Sammanfattning : This document provides an overview of public hearings and exchange of views with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) in the ECON Committee since July 2019. It also provides an overview of all external papers requested by the ECON Committee by a standing panel of banking experts. Lastly, the annex contains an overview of the respective legal bases for these hearings as part of the accountability framework of the SRB. For an overview of public hearings during the 8th parliamentary term, please see here.

Författare : Marcel MAGNUS

Sammanfattning : This document provides an overview of the public hearings of the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank in the ECON Committee during the 9th parliamentary term (since July 2019), and lists all research papers requested by the ECON Committee, which are in general provided by a standing panel of banking experts. The annex gives an overview of the respective legal bases for those hearings, which form part of the accountability framework of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM).

Författare : Marcel MAGNUS

Sammanfattning : The excess liquidity in the euro area is a product of a long period of quantitative easing. It changed the operational framework of the European Central Bank (ECB)’s monetary policy from the scarce reserves system (SRS) to the abundant reserves system (ARS). To eliminate excess liquidity and return to the SRS, the ECB must intensify quantitative tightening, which is also essential for successful disinflation. Fiscal adjustment can help in this process and mitigate the risk of financial instability. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Marek DABROWSKI

Sammanfattning : The ECB is reducing its sovereign bond holdings and needs to consider the appropriate size of its balance sheet over the longer-term and the best operational framework for supplying liquidity to the banking system. This paper recommends the ECB substantially reduce its balance sheet but should maintain an ample reserves approach by keeping its full allotment policy for refinancing operations. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Karl WHELAN

Sammanfattning : Fiscal policy becomes less potent in affecting output in an inflationary environment. As the economy nears full employment an increasing part of any fiscal stimulus either crowds out other expenditure or leads to higher prices. This reinforces the case for an accelerated reduction in deficits, especially through the termination of energy subsidies that are no longer appropriate as energy prices have returned to pre-war levels. An unintended (but predictable) consequence of the past bond buying schemes of the ECB (PSPP and PEPP) is that the net income of the Eurosystem is likely to fall by about EUR 70–80 billion, or 0.5–0.6 % of GDP, making the fiscal adjustment harder. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Daniel GROS, Farzaneh SHAMSFAKHR

Sammanfattning : Like most advanced economies, the euro area emerges from a series of historical shocks with larger public debts, a sizeable increase in the already large balance sheets of the Eurosystem central banks, and intensified links between fiscal and monetary policies. The governments and the ECB must now undo what they did. Corrective action must not wait, if only because other shocks may again unexpectedly occur. The paper also presents a procedure to cut public debts. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 25 September 2023.

Författare : Charles WYPLOSZ

Sammanfattning : Leaders met in New Delhi, India, for the 18th summit of the G20, the intergovernmental forum for international economic cooperation of the world's major economies. The 2-day meeting (9 to 10 September 2023) hosted by the Indian G20 presidency took place at a time of increasing political and economic rivalry, in which the world's leading and emerging economies are shaping new alliances around the globe. The themes chosen by the Indian presidency and the decision taken by the G20 leaders to grant permanent member status to the African Union (AU) reflect the growing importance that the G20 members attach to the states from the 'Global South'.

Författare : Marc JUTTEN

Sammanfattning : Everybody either needs or has to provide care at some time in their life. The pandemic showed how vital care provision is, and turned health and care workers into heroes. While these workers are no longer applauded daily, the need for them is still there. As Europe's population ages, demand for long-term care in particular is rising, while not enough people are interested in taking up care jobs. This paper looks at actions taken by the EU in relation to long-term care, and highlights some of the challenges.

Författare : Marketa PAPE