⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Conclusion of EU-US data protection agreement: MEPs backed the EU-US Umbrella Agreement on the protection of personal data exchanged for law enforcement purposes on Thursday. The deal will ensure binding data protection standards for data exchanged by police and law enforcement authorities across the Atlantic. It covers the transfer of all personal data, such as names, addresses or criminal records, exchanged between the EU and US for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal offences, including terrorism. In particular, EU citizens will benefit from equal treatment: they will have the same judicial redress rights as US citizens in case of privacy breaches.
europarl.europa.eu, europa.eu
MEPs call for detailed declarations of interest: The EU Commission should revise its code of conduct for Commissioners, to ensure that their declarations of interests give a complete picture of the financial situation and activities of a Commissioner and his or her family, said MEPs in a non-binding resolution voted on Thursday. They advocated prolonging the cooling off period, before ex-Commissioners may take private sector jobs in their areas of expertise, from 18 to at least 36 months. In a recent statement, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker proposed 24 months for ex-Commissioners, and 36 months only for the Commission President.
europarl.europa.eu
Eurozone unemployment falls to seven-year low: The unemployment rate in the eurozone fell to 9.8 percent in October, the lowest rate since July 2009, the EU’s statistic agency Eurostat revealed Thursday. Throughout the EU, unemployment in October fell 0.1 percent to 8.3 percent, a record low since February 2009. The fall is a welcome boost to the European economy, which is muddling through a slow recovery from the eurozone debt crisis and faces new problems such as Brexit and the rise of political populism.
politico.eu, dw.com
Kenyan development meeting: Over 3,000 delegates from 150 countries have gathered in Nairobi to share experiences of managing development cooperation, as well as how best to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation came into being in 2011. Bringing together heads of states and governments, ministers, heads of international organisations, business and civil society, the forum has over the years sought to celebrate the success of development cooperation between developed and developing countries while addressing hiccups in implementation of commitments.
euractiv.com
EU budget 2017: Better support for youth and growth initiatives europarl.europa.eu
NGOs: Rights groups expose flaws in EU counterterrorism directive euractiv.com
Parliament: 31.5 million euros in EU aid to repair flood damage in Bavaria europarl.europa.eu
Council: Aviation safety, EASA and drones rules consilium.europa.eu
⊂ QUOTES ⊃
„We will help Europe turn the Paris agreement into concrete action.“
Miguel Arias Canete, the EU’s Climate Action and Energy Commissioner, says the EU Commission’s Winter Package of new energy rules is part of its push to meet the EU’s international climate commitments in the Paris Agreement.
euractiv.com
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
Germany and Commission seal road toll deal: Germany and the EU Commission on Thursday struck a deal on controversial plans to introduce tolls on the autobahn network. It ends a two-year dispute over Berlin’s proposals to impose a charge on motorists using non-German registered vehicles, which the Commission said discriminated against foreigners and violated EU law. Under the deal, rates will be cut for short-term vignettes typically used by foreigners while a proposed refund through taxes for locals will be pegged to the environmental impact of the vehicle, measured by its emissions.
politico.eu
Hollande says will not seek second presidential mandate: French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he would not seek a second term in office in the presidential election in 2017. The unprecedented decision opened up France’s presidential race even as it added further turmoil to the country’s unsettled politics. The announcement was greeted across the political spectrum as a courageous and dignified decision that, as Hollande himself made clear, was intended to place the interests of the country above his own. Hollande’s ratings had fallen so low that many of his own Socialist colleagues had warned publicly that he was headed for certain defeat if he chose to run.
nytimes.com
UK could pay for single market access: Britain could pay into the EU budget in exchange for access to the single market, British Brexit minister David Davis has told MPs, because ministers are considering all options to get the best Brexit deal. The Brexit secretary said the government would not rule out making future payments indefinitely in order to secure favourable access to European markets. Davis said the government would look at the options during the article 50 process over the next two years.
theguardian.com
Austria attracts interest in its refugee policy: This year, Austria expects to welcome fewer refugees than it predicted it would. The Vienna government wants to lower its upper limit on new arrivals as a result and it’s a policy that has attracted the attention of other EU countries. Danish minister for immigration an Integration Inger Stojberg, during a recent trip to Vienna, inquired about certain political projects, including the upper limit and emergency decrees. Although Denmark receives far fewer asylum applications than Austria, Copenhagen plans similar measures.
euractiv.com
Turkey: Merkel holds talk with Tsipras over Turkey relations en.europeonline-magazine.eu
Russia: President Putin addresses the nation euronews.com
⊂ JOB-BOARD ⊃
politjobs.eu: ONE seeks a Campaign Assistant (m/f) *** PPTA seeks Communications Assistant (m/f) *** European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology seeks Senior EU Affairs and Media Coordinator“ (m/f) *** Uni Europa seeks Policy Officer (m/f) *** Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft sucht Praktikant (m/w) *** Orgalime seeks Adviser Energy Policy (m/f) *** Eurogroup for Animals seeks Programme Manager (m/f) *** Facebook seeks Public Policy Manager, Connectivity
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
⊂ MALFUNCTION ⊃
Europol launches an advent calendar: Europe’s top crime agency is launching a special kind of advent calendar: Every day from the 1st to the 23rd of December, Europol is publishing the photo of a wanted criminal on the organisation’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. The hope is that they will be recognised and handed over to police. 60-year-old Austrian fugitive Tibor Foco is behind the window of the 1st of December.
euronews.com