This week's European news

Letter n°1088 of Tuesday 19^th November 2024

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

Aifang Ma - 19 Nov 2024

'Digital legislation has taken off, in autocracies and democracies alike. Its importance is universal, because digital technology poses challenges that are common to all states: the collection of personal data without users' knowledge, the precarious working conditions of couriers and delivery drivers, the monopolistic practices of major platforms, and attacks on dignity and internal security.' This study looks at the different approaches to digital legislation chosen by three giants: China, the United States and the European Union.

Agenda | Other issues | Contact

■ Elections :

General elections in Ireland on 29 November

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called for the dissolution of the lower house of parliament on 8 November, taking advantage of his rising popularity to call a snap general election for 29 November. In this way, he hopes to secure a more solid majority in the Dail Eireann (lower house), after his party topped the European and local elections on 7 June. Read more

■ Foundation :

Progress on the European recovery plan

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union set up an ambitious recovery fund of over €670 billion for EU countries. This facility for recovery and resilience led all Member States to propose national recovery plans. To monitor the progress of these plans and the quality of the Member States' economies, the Robert Schuman Foundation offers you summary sheets, country by country. Read more

The Schuman Network, a platform to share European ideas

The Schuman Network, an initiative of the Foundation, brings together think tanks specialising in European issues in order to share ideas and encourage debate and reflection on Europe. Comprising 21 members from 13 European countries, the Schuman Network is a forum where studies on a variety of topical European subjects can be pooled. Over 140 studies have been shared since the network was launched in November 2023. Read more

Order your copy of the State of the Union 2024 report

If you would like to find out more about the European Union and its key issues, the "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2024" is available in French and English. It includes an interview with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, as well as a text by Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola, respectively President of the European Commission and President of the European Parliament. This book is available on the Foundation's website or in digital format. Read more

Summary of the European Commissioners' hearings

The final hearings of the European Commissioners-designate ended on 12 November with the 6 Vice-Presidents: Kaja Kallas, Roxana Minzatu, Stéphane Séjourné, Raffaele Fitto, Teresa Ribera and Henna Virkunnen. For the time being, Parliament is holding back these nominations in a final political showdown before the final vote at the plenary session at the end of November. Summaries of the hearings are now available. Read more

■ Commission :

Economic growth forecasts

On 15 November, the European Commission published its economic forecasts for the autumn. It forecasts growth of 0.9% in the EU and 0.8% in the eurozone in 2024. It expects this growth to accelerate to 1.5% and 1.3% respectively in 2025, then 1.8% and 1.6% in 2026. Inflation is continuing on a downward trajectory: after 5.4% in 2023, the Commission anticipates inflation of 2.4% in 2024, then 2.1% and 1.9% in 2025 and 2026 in the eurozone, and after 6.4% in 2023, inflation of 2.6% is expected in 2024, then 2.4% in 2025 and a return to the 2% target in 2026 for the Union. Read more

First financial support for Member States in the field of defence

On 14 November, the European Commission approved funding for five cross-border projects to support the coordination of defence procurement. This funding comes under the instrument for strengthening the European defence industry through joint procurement (EDIRPA) and will help to achieve economies of scale and greater interoperability. The five projects cover three areas: the purchase of air and missile defence systems, the purchase of modern armoured vehicles and the purchase of munitions. Read more

European Capital of Innovation Award

On 13 November, the European Commission awarded the European City of Innovation 2024-2025 prize to Turin in Italy and Braga in Portugal. This prize, supported by the European Innovation Council, aims to reward the efforts made by cities to offer innovative solutions in urban planning. Read more

Meta fined €797 million

Following proceedings initiated in June 2021, the European Commission fined Meta €797.72 million for anti-competitive practices. Meta holds a dominant position on the personal social networking market in the European Union and on the national online advertising markets. By linking its online advertising service, Facebook Marketplace, to its personal social network, Facebook, and by imposing unfair commercial conditions on other online advertising providers, Meta has infringed European competition rules. Read more

■ Parliament :

Legislation on deforestation postponed for a year

On 14 November, MEPs approved a one-year postponement of the law on deforestation, saying they wanted to help companies comply with it. The law aims to ensure that products sold in the EU do not come from deforested land. Other amendments were approved by Parliament, including the creation of a 4th category of countries presenting 'no risk' (in addition to the low, standard and high risk categories). The text still has to be definitively approved by the Council and Parliament. Read more - Other link

■ Council :

Agreement reached on the EU 2025 budget

Ministers meeting on 15 November to discuss the EU budget for 2025 reached an agreement with MEPs. The Union's commitments have been set at nearly €192.7 billion and payments at €149.6 billion. Formal approval by the Council and Parliament is still 14 days away. Read more

■ Diplomacy :

Cyber Dialogue with Japan

The 6th EU-Japan Cyber Dialogue took place in Tokyo on 11 November. This dialogue is helping to improve the implementation of actions undertaken within the framework of the Digital Partnership. Discussions focused on new threats and the response to cyber attacks, as well as developments in their respective legislative frameworks in this area. This dialogue comes a few days after the announcement of the security and defence partnership between the European Union and Japan on 1 November. Read more

■ Court of Auditors :

Report on public-private partnerships

On 13 November, the European Court of Auditors published its annual report on public-private partnerships. It gave a favourable opinion on the 2023 accounts of the joint ventures. The auditors nevertheless expressed risks, particularly concerning the Fusion for Energy joint venture, which must take account of major technical changes and significant cost increases. The Court also reported systemic errors in declarations of personnel and equipment costs following the audit of a sample of subsidies. Read more - Other link

Annual report on the Commission's performance

On 14 November, the European Court of Auditors published its annual report on the way the Commission is managed and its performance. Among the issues examined were the response to the conflict in the Middle East, support for Ukraine and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. No inconsistencies were detected: a few points for possible improvement were suggested. Read more - Other link

■ European Agencies :

Market launch of a treatment to combat the consequences of Alzheimer's disease

On 14 November, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended granting marketing authorisation for Leqembi, a treatment for mild cognitive impairment (memory and thought disorders) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The CHMP concluded that the benefits of Leqembi outweigh the risks for patients. Read more

152 million counterfeit or dangerous products by 2023

In a report drawn up jointly with the Commission and published on 13 November, the European Union Intellectual Property Office announced that nearly 152 million counterfeit products were seized by European customs in 2023. This represents a 77% increase on the previous year and a value of €3.4 billion, 68% more than in 2022. The products most frequently counterfeited are games and toys, the majority of which come from China and Turkey. Read more - Other link

Investigation into fraudulent Chinese imports

■ Germany :

Economic Experts Council has published its annual report

The German Council of Economic Experts (Council of Wise Men) published a report on November 13 recommending a major change in method, particularly in view of the country's poor economic performance. They call for investment in three protected sectors: transport infrastructure, defence and education. They recommend structural measures in each of these areas. To support this project, they advocate a reform of Germany's golden rule to curb debt, under which the country cannot take out new loans exceeding 0.35% of GDP. Read more - Other link

■ France :

French support for Ukraine stepped up

On 9 November, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, announced the delivery of around ten SCALP long-range missiles to Ukraine. This decision is part of France's continuing support for Ukraine, and Sébastien Lecornu intends to extend this support, even after the end of hostilities, in order to strengthen the Ukrainian army, as demonstrated by his visit on 14 November to the Champagne Task Force in the Marne region, where Ukrainian soldiers are trained. Read more

9th publication of the dictionary of the Académie française

On 14 November, the Académie française held a formal sitting in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. During the ceremony, the 9th publication of the Académie française dictionary, in four volumes, was presented. It is the result of 40 years' work. The dictionary is available online. Read more - Other link

■ Albania :

Agreement on the first restricted-access fishing zone

The European Commission reported on 11 November that the European Union and its neighbouring countries had adopted important fisheries measures, including a regulated area off the coast of Albania, at the 47th annual meeting of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in Rome. The GFCM decided to create the first Fishing Regulated Area (FRA) shared between the European Union and Albania in a bid to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems. Read more

■ Ukraine :

Josep Borrell in Ukraine

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, travelled to Kyiv on 11 November to reaffirm Europe's support for the Ukrainian people. During his visit, he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Chmyhal. Topics discussed included continued cooperation with Ukraine, increased military assistance and the completion of all procedures to provide Ukraine with $50 billion, in line with the G7 decision. Read more - Other link

Positive assessment of the second payment of €4.1 billion by the European Union

On 14 November, the Commission gave a positive assessment of the 2nd regular payment of almost €4.1 billion to Ukraine. This payment is made under the Ukraine facility, with the aim of supporting the country's economic stability. The EU has already paid nearly €12 billion to the country. The evaluation recognises the achievement of 9 reform indicators, including the fight against corruption, environmental protection and the labour market. Before the actual payment, the Council still has to adopt the decision. Read more

Ukraine: 1000 days of war

18 November marks the 1,000th day of war in Ukraine since Russia invaded on 24 February 2022. Thousands of civilians have been killed, the country's energy capacity is being targeted by Russian attacks and drones are terrifying communities on the front line. The United States has decided to allow Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range missiles. Read more - Other link

■ Council of Europe :

Information point for the Belarusian people in Vilnius

On 13 November, the Council of Europe signed an agreement with the Lithuanian government to set up a Council of Europe information point for Belarusians in Vilnius. The aim of this information point is to publicise the work and values of the Council of Europe, with a view to raising awareness in this country of respect for human rights and the rule of law. Setting up such an information point was one of the priorities of the Lithuanian chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. Read more

■ NATO :

Mark Rutte visits France

On 12 November, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met French President Emmanuel Macron after visiting one of the sites of Thalès, a flagship of the defence industry. The meeting focused on increasing defence investment, strengthening transatlantic cooperation and stepping up support for Ukraine. Read more

■ Studies/Reports :

International Migration Outlook 2024

According to the OECD report 'International Migration Outlook 2024', published on 14 November , permanent immigration to OECD countries reached a new record in 2023, with 6.5 million people, an increase of 10% compared to 2022. These figures are mainly due to an increase in family migration (+18%) and humanitarian migration (+20%). Labour immigration remained high, with almost 1.2 million workers admitted. Almost a third of OECD countries, such as the United Kingdom, France and Canada, set new records for immigration. Conversely, another third of OECD countries recorded a fall in immigration, such as Denmark, Italy, Lithuania and Estonia. Read more

■ Culture :

Modigliani-Zadkine in Paris

The Musée Zadkine presents 90 works by the two artists, Amedeo Modigliani and Ossip Zadkine, including paintings, sculptures and photographs, highlighting their partnership in the years 1910-1920. The "Modigliani/Zadkine, an interrupted friendship" exhibition will run until 30 March 2025. Read more

Old drawings and artistic creation in Brussels

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium are staging two exhibitions until 16 February 2025. The first exhibition, entitled 'Drafts, from Rubens to Khnopff', takes visitors through the various stages in the artistic creation of painters and draughtsmen. The second exhibition, 'Old Drawings: From Bruegel to Rubens' features around a hundred works paying tribute to two centuries of the art of drawing. Read more - Other link

Sculptures from the Golden Age in Madrid

The Prado Museum in Madrid presents 'Hand in Hand. Sculpture and Colour in the Spanish Golden Age', an exhibition focusing on the success of Baroque polychrome sculpture. On show until 2 March 2025 are more than 100 sculptures, as well as paintings and engravings that imitate or mirror them, demonstrating the importance of colour in sculpture. Read more

The Senn Impressionist Collection on show in Le Havre

The exhibition "The Senn family, collectors and patrons", organised by the MuMa in Le Havre until 16 February 2025, celebrates the Senn family's successive donations of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections to the museum. Thanks to loans from public and private funds, the exhibition brings together many masterpieces. Read more

Nan Goldin in Berlin

Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie is paying tribute to photographer Nan Goldin with its exhibition 'Nan Goldin, ça ne finira pas bien', on show until 6 April 2025. This is the first retrospective to offer an overview of the artist's work. Her works are exhibited in six buildings designed by the architect Hala Wardé, who worked regularly with Nan Goldin, each a response to a specific work by the artist Read more

Photography exhibition in London

The exhibition "the 80s: Photographing Britain" is on at Tate Britain in London until 5 May 2025. It explores the 1980s, a period of profound social and economic upheaval. Through almost 350 photographs, the exhibition highlights the challenges facing British society at the time. Read more

Monte Carlo Jazz Festival

The Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival is celebrating its 18th anniversary until 1 December. For this year's edition, a programme of 10 dates is on offer on the Rock, in the heart of the Opéra Garnier de Monte-Carlo. On the programme: jazz of all colours, from traditional to contemporary influences. Read more

42nd Turin Film Festival

Until 30 November, Turin is hosting the 42nd edition of the Turin Film Festival. This is one of the most important film events of its kind, offering a subtle combination of young, innovative cinema and the rediscovery of the great classics, through the screening of around 120 films and a special retrospective dedicated to Marlon Brando. Read more