Almost forgotten: Brexit

With the fight against the Corona pandemic dictating both the headlines and the actions of political players at EU level, the fact that there are still major differences in the Brexit talks has gone almost unnoticed. EU negotiator Michel Barnier takes the view that a trade agreement with the UK is currently unlikely. He was already blaming London for this at the end of July. Since then, another six weeks have passed with no signs of any rapprochement. The EU is now accusing the British of having completely wasted the summer. The level playing field and fisheries, in particular, are areas that have seen no progress. No-one now, even in Berlin, believes there is any chance that the German Council Presidency will be able to achieve a breakthrough in the coming weeks. Thus, without any follow-up arrangements, a hard economic break is looming between the EU and the UK, at the end of the year, with the threat of customs duties and additional obstacles to trade.

Harald Händel
Head of Communications

EU Data Strategy II

As part of its data strategy, the EU Commission wants to create European data spaces for various sectors, including the energy, health and financial sectors. It has announced its plans for this in a Communication.

EU Climate Policy in Light of the Corona Crisis

The Corona crisis is a stress test for the climate policy of the EU and its member states. The cep has examined the various instruments for reducing CO2 emissions – prohibitions and bans, subsidies, CO2 tax, emissions trading – with regard to their "crisis resistance".

EU Legal Framework Cryptocurrencies

The EU Commission wants to clarify the legal framework for cryptocurrencies. A cepInput provides an overview of the current state of regulation and examines whether and under which conditions cryptocurrencies are covered by the main provisions regulating the EU financial markets.

Quotes

"European data should be stored and processed in Europe because they belong in Europe. There is nothing protectionist about this.“

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton

“It is not me that is the spoilsport, it is the virus.”
German Federal Health Minister, Jens Spahn

“Lobbyists and those profiting from subsidies under the German Renewable Energy Act are the ones militating against emissions trading. They claim that it does not work because the price is too low. That is nonsense.”

Lüder Gerken, President of cep

“The requirements laid down for carbon reduction must remain effective, affordable and reliable, even in times of crisis. Only emissions trading meets these standards.”

cep climate expert Dr. Martin Menner

Facts

Youth unemployment is rising

In summer 2020, 2.96 million people under 25 were unemployed in the EU. The youth unemployment rate has therefore risen to 16.8%. According to estimates from Eurostat, 15.02 million men and women over the entire EU are out of work. This represents an unemployment rate of 7.1%. At the same time, a year ago, the unemployment rate in the EU was 6.3%. The rise is primarily due to the Corona crisis.

(Source: Eurostat)

And finally

Source: The Telegraph / Twitter

The cepNewsletter is published every first Wednesday of the month.

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Image Sources: Header (shutterstock), Facts (Eurostat) and publications (iStock, shutterstock)
Quotes: EC Audiovisual Service (Breton) / BMG (Spahn) / cep (Gerken, Menner)
And finally: The Telegraph/Twitter
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Editors: Harald Händel, Stephan Seiler
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