CDE News | Corporate DispatchComuniq.Eu

CDEIU‘s Comuniq.eu is the only Malta-based platform offering a one-stop shop for EU-affairs, from research to in-depth analysis of developments and the dissemination of news related to the European institutions and their activities.

Through its research arm, it constantly looks for the latest developments from across the EU institutions through various channels, whether contacts within the institutions themselves, international media agencies and portals, and local representatives and offices of the said institutions.

The team at Comuniq.eu looks beyond the news which makes the media headlines, understanding the stakes at play, the positions being taken, the likely scenarios and the potential impact on the Maltese economy and businesses.

After identifying how developments, such as proposed legislation or regulation can affect your business, we also support you in makign your voice heard should it be in your business’ interest to support or challenge such proposals. We also look at the positions being taken by international organisations and other countries thereby allowing our clients to strengthen their position where possible.

Over the past months, Comuniq.eu has extensively looked into all facets of Brexit, and is supporting local business in understanding the impact of this important change on their operations and supporting them in identifying the right channels to get their concerns across. Similarly, Comuniq.eu raises advance note of legislative and regulatory processes which are still in the pipeline at EU level, which would have barely made news portals, to allow businesses to react at an advanced stage to such developments.

Comuniq.eu also disseminates EU-related news, both sourced through its exclusive arrangements with interntational news agencies as well through its own research and networks. It also produces exclusive content on matters related to EU affairs.

MEPs vote to add Channel and British Virgin Islands to tax haven blacklist

The European parliament is pushing for UK overseas territories including the British Virgin Islands, Guernsey and Jersey to be added to an EU tax havens blacklist after the conclusion of the Brexit deal. Sending a signal that tougher action on ta...

Privacy complaint targets European Parliament’s virus test site

A privacy activist filed a complaint with an EU watchdog on Friday over the European Parliament's COVID-19 testing app for its staff, saying it could be transferring data illegally to the United States. The Austrian privacy advocacy group N...

EXCLUSIVE-AstraZeneca to cut EU’s COVID-19 vaccine deliveries by 60% in Q1 -EU source

BRUSSELS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca told European Union officials on Friday it would cut deliveries of its COVID-19 vaccine to the bloc by 60% to 31 million doses in the first quarter of the year due to production problems, a senior official to...

Economists cut euro zone growth forecast for 2021: ECB survey

The pandemic-stricken euro zone economy is likely to rebound this year but at a slower pace than expected only a few months ago, before making up for the lost ground in 2022, a European Central Bank survey showed on Friday. Economists polled in t...

AstraZeneca’s initial EU delivery volumes of COVID-19 vaccine to fall short

FRANKFURT, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Europe's COVID-19 vaccination drive was dealt another blow on Friday when AstraZeneca said initial deliveries to the region will fall short of the targeted volumes because of a production glitch. "Initial volumes wil...

EU to seek more time to ratify trade deal with UK – FT

The Financial Times reports that the EU is set to ask Britain for more time to ratify the new trade deal despite the UK urging the EU to press ahead quickly, with the issue becoming a fresh point of tension between the two sides. The report sta...

Euro zone business activity shrank in Jan as lockdowns hit services

Economic activity in the euro zone shrank markedly in January as lockdown restrictions to contain the coronavirus pandemic hit the bloc's dominant service industry hard, a survey showed. With hospitality and entertainment venues forced to remain ...

EU’s Michel phones Russia’s Putin to demand Navalny’s release

A senior European Union official told Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone on Friday to release opposition politician Alexei Navalny and demanded an investigation into the Kremlin critic's poisoning last August. Navalny was detained in R...

MEPs appeal so EU states recognise Guaido as Venezuela’s leader

The European Parliament called on EU governments to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president in a resolution on Thursday, after a downgrade of his status by the bloc earlier this month. The EU’s 27 states said on Jan. 6 they can no ...

Pfizer cuts vaccine deliveries by as much as half to some EU countries

Pfizer has slashed in half the volume of COVID-19 vaccines it will deliver to some EU countries this week, government officials said, as frustration over the U.S. drugmaker’s unexpected cut in supplies grows. Romania got only 50% of its planned v...

MEPs vote to add Channel and British Virgin Islands to tax haven blacklist

EU to seek more time to ratify trade deal with UK – FT

UK stars from Ed Sheeran to Elton John raise alarm over post-Brexit music tours

More than 100 British musicians, from Ed Sheeran, Sting and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters to classical stars like conductor Simon Rattle, have said tours of Europe by British artists are in danger because of Brexit. In a letter to The Times newspaper...

Brexit responsible for food supply problems in N.Ireland, Ireland says

Food supply problems in Northern Ireland are due to Brexit because there are now a certain amount of checks on goods going between Britain and Northern Ireland, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said. British ministers have sought to play down...

UK and EU in row over bloc’s diplomatic status

Britain is refusing to give full diplomatic status to the European Union’s ambassador in London, causing a row between the recently divorced parties, the BBC reported on Thursday. Britain, an EU member for 46 years, voted to quit in 2016 and comp...

Software data shows freight groups avoiding UK, prices rising

An increasing number of freight groups rejected contracts to move goods from France into Britain in the second week of January, while prices rose, according to data that shows the impact of Brexit and COVID-19 on UK trade. Transporeon, a German s...

European Commission's NewsFeed

Calendrier du 25 janvier au 31 janvier 2021

European Commission Commissioners' weekly activities Brussels, 22 Jan 2021 Calendrier du 25 janvier au 31 janvier 2021 (Susceptible de modifications en cours de semaine) Déplacements et visites Lundi 25 janvier 2021 Mr Fr...
Daily News 22 / 01 / 2021

European Commission Daily news Brussels, 22 Jan 2021 Commission proposes to amend the EU's 2021 budget to accommodate the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Following the proposal for a Brexit Adjustment Reserve the Commis...
Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Michel, following the EU Leaders' videoconference

European Commission Statement Brussels, 22 Jan 2021 Thank you, Indeed across Europe, the health situation remains very serious. And yes, there is reason for hope because of the vaccines. But there is also strong ...
State aid: Commission approves €325 million public support to provide schools in Italy with very high internet speeds

European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 Jan 2021 The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, €325 million of public support to connect 12,000 schools in Italy to very high-speed intern...
State aid: Commission approves €12 billion German umbrella scheme to compensate companies for damages suffered due to coronavirus outbreak

European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 Jan 2021 The European Commission has found a €12 billion German umbrella scheme (final part of the Novemberhilfe package) to compensate companies for damages suffer...
Daily News 21 / 01 / 2021

European Commission Daily news Brussels, 21 Jan 2021 Climate Diplomacy: EVP Timmermans and HR/VP Borrell welcome the U.S. return to the Paris Agreement and engage with Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry Follow...

European Parliament Newsfeed

Article - Plenary highlights: vaccines, new US president, right to disconnect

MEPs demanded more clarity about Covid-19 vaccine contracts and welcomed the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president during Parliament's first plenary session of the year. Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP
Press release - MEPs: Juan Guaidó is the legitimate interim President of Venezuela

MEPs call on the Council to unequivocally recognise Juan Guaidó as the legitimate interim President of Venezuela, and welcome the recent extension of EU sanctions.Committee on Foreign Affairs Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP
Press release - ‘Right to disconnect’ should be an EU-wide fundamental right, MEPs say

Parliament calls for an EU law that grants workers the right to digitally disconnect from work without facing negative repercussions.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP
Press release - EU help for Croatia after devastating earthquakes

MEPs call for financial and other assistance to be distributed swiftly to enable a quick recovery in areas affected by the earthquake in Croatia last December. Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP
Article - Parliament calls for action to solve housing crisis

The European Parliament calls on EU countries to act on the housing crisis to invest more in decent homes and ensure everyone has access to affordable housing. Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP
Press release - MEPs: Access to adequate housing should be a fundamental European right

MEPs call on the EU to recognise access to decent and affordable housing as an enforceable human right and to push for measures to eradicate homelessness.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

"Challenge, resilience and accountability: the path to transformation" - Speech by President Charles Michel at the EIB Annual Economic Conference

European Council President Charles Michel gave a speech at the Annual economic conference of the European Investment Bank.
Media advisory - Informal video conference of agriculture and fisheries ministers of 25 January 2021

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.
Media advisory - Foreign Affairs Council of 25 January 2021

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities
Forward look: 25 January - 7 February 2021

Overview of the main subjects to be discussed at meetings of the Council of the EU over the next two weeks and upcoming media events.
Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2020/2033 of 10 December 2020 amending Decision 2010/788/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Readout of the telephone conversation between President Charles Michel and Russian President Vladimir Putin

President Michel and President Putin took stock of EU-Russia relations during their phone call on Friday 22 January 2021.

7/2021 : 20 January 2021 - Judgment of the General Court in case T-328/17 RENV

Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi v EUIPO - M. J. Dairies (BBQLOUMI) Intellectual and industrial property The General Court confirms that there is no likelihood of confusion between the collective mark HALLOUMI, reserved for the members of a Cypriot association, and the sign ‘BBQLOUMI’ which serves to designate the products of a Bulgarian company
6/2021 : 20 January 2021 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the case C-872/19 P

Venezuela v Council External relations Advocate General Hogan: a third State may have legal standing in an action for annulment of restrictive measures adopted by the Council against that State
3/2021 : 14 January 2021 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-63/19

Commission v Italy (Contribution à l’achat de carburants) Taxation The reduction on the price of fuel for residents of the Regione autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia does not, in itself, constitute an infringement of the Energy Taxation Directive

23rd January 2021

U.K. consumer confidence falls back in January on economy worries – GfK

A gauge of confidence among British consumers slipped back in January because of worries about the ...

23rd January 2021

Spain sells to Andorra 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines

Health workers from the Nostra Senyora de Mertixell Hospital receive the first batch of vaccines ag...

23rd January 2021

Portugal holds presidential election on Sunday as COVID-19 cases spiral

Portuguese voters - largely confined to their homes due to a strict COVID-19 lockdown - will pick a...

23rd January 2021

Lockdown in Ibiza over coronavirus pandemic

Spanish Civil Guard members check passengers at an almost empty Ibiza airport in Ibiza, Balearic is...

23rd January 2021

Bulgaria to ease some COVID-19 rules, restaurants closed for now

Bulgaria will ease some coronavirus restrictions from February 4 though restaurants will remain clo...

23rd January 2021

MEPs vote to add Channel and British Virgin Islands to tax haven blacklist

The European parliament is pushing for UK overseas territories including the British Virgin Islands...

23rd January 2021

Scientific breakthrough as German scientists make paralyzed mice walk again

German researchers have enabled mice paralyzed after spinal cord injuries to walk again, re-establi...

23rd January 2021

Polemic in Spain as officials jump vaccine queue as COVID-19 cases surge

A steady drip-feed of public officials admitting to having been vaccinated ahead of priority groups...

23rd January 2021

Privacy complaint targets European Parliament’s virus test site

A privacy activist filed a complaint with an EU watchdog on Friday over the European Parliame...

23rd January 2021

Photo Story: The renovation of the Veit Stoss Altarpiece in Krakow

The Veit Stoss Altarpiece is renovated at the St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow, southern Poland. The a...

23rd January 2021

UPDATED: Navalny’s wife among those held in Russian protests

The wife of Alexei Navalny is one of hundreds reportedly detained at a series of demonstrations in ...

23rd January 2021

Georgia to lift ban on international flights on February 1

Georgia will lift a ban on international flights, imposed last March as an anti-pandemic measure, i...

23rd January 2021

Russian diplomat expelled from Albania for breaking Covid rules

Russia’s foreign ministry vowed on Friday to retaliate in kind against Albania for expelling a Russ...

23rd January 2021

UK body sets billion-pound budget for COVID financial firm collapses

Britain's scheme for compensating consumers hit by financial company failures has set itself a bill...

23rd January 2021

UK doctors call for shorter gap between Pfizer vaccine doses

A group of British doctors have written to England's chief medical officer to tell him to cut the g...

23rd January 2021

Hotel quarantine for UK arrivals to be discussed

British ministers are to discuss on Monday further tightening travel restrictions, the BBC reported...

23rd January 2021

Oslo tightens lockdown to combat more contagious virus variant

Norway's capital Oslo and nine neighbouring municipalities will impose some of their toughest lockd...

23rd January 2021

UAE in talks with Denmark over suspended flights

The United Arab Emirates said it was in talks with Denmark after the Nordic country temporarily ha...

23rd January 2021

Sweden’s Trustly plans $11 billion IPO as digital payments boom

Swedish payments firm Trustly plans to take advantage of a surge in digital transactions in the COV...

23rd January 2021

South African Covid variant may make vaccines 50 % less effective

The South African Covid variant could make current vaccines 50 per cent less effective, British Hea...

23rd January 2021

Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny’s supporters to rally for his release despite warnings

Supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were set to confront Russian authorities on Satu...

23rd January 2021

Moody’s warns over Italy’s credit rating if unable to manage EU funds

Moody's said that Italy's inability to take advantage of the available EU resources to boost its ec...

23rd January 2021

German CDU confirms Laschet as new leader

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats confirmed centrist Armin Laschet as their new party ...

23rd January 2021

Portugal identifies first case of South African coronavirus variant

The first case of the South African coronavirus variant was identified in Portugal on Friday, healt...

23rd January 2021

Talk of elections in Italy as Conte struggles for majority

Italy’s main ruling parties on Friday flagged snap elections as the only way out of its political i...

22nd January 2021

Lufthansa’s Airlines to require crew, passengers to wear medical masks

From February 1, all passengers and crew members on Lufthansa flights must wear a medical mask. ...

22nd January 2021

EXCLUSIVE-AstraZeneca to cut EU’s COVID-19 vaccine deliveries by 60% in Q1 -EU source

BRUSSELS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca told European Union officials on Friday it would cut deliv...

22nd January 2021

Hungary PM says too early to talk about lifting COVID-19 restrictions

Hungary cannot lift restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus until it can carry out a mas...

22nd January 2021

Belgium bans foreign tourism to avoid third COVID-19 wave

BRUSSELS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Belgium is banning residents from taking vacations abroad until March ...

22nd January 2021

Economists cut euro zone growth forecast for 2021: ECB survey

The pandemic-stricken euro zone economy is likely to rebound this year but at a slower pace than ex...

22nd January 2021

AstraZeneca’s initial EU delivery volumes of COVID-19 vaccine to fall short

FRANKFURT, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Europe's COVID-19 vaccination drive was dealt another blow on Friday ...

22nd January 2021

EU to seek more time to ratify trade deal with UK – FT

The Financial Times reports that the EU is set to ask Britain for more time to ratify the new trade...

22nd January 2021

UK retail sales recover weakly in Dec, borrowing jumps

British retail sales bounced back weakly in December as shops in England emerged from November's fo...

22nd January 2021

British PM says new variant may carry higher risk of death

LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday the new English vari...

22nd January 2021

Amazon to raise fees on Spanish vendors due to new digital tax

U.S. tech giant Amazon will raise fees for Spanish companies using its platform to sell their wares...

22nd January 2021

Euro zone business activity shrank in Jan as lockdowns hit services

Economic activity in the euro zone shrank markedly in January as lockdown restrictions to contain t...

22nd January 2021

Skoda Auto says made less cars at Czech plants in 2020

Skoda Auto, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG and the country's main exporter, said on Friday its out...

22nd January 2021

Croats caught between fear and funding woes after 2020 earthquakes

Besides fighting COVID-19, Croats learnt last year how nature could show its brutal face as two dev...

22nd January 2021

Italy’s ‘brain drain’ increasing

Italy's 'brain drain' is rising with increasing numbers of mostly young and highly educated Italian...

22nd January 2021

Photo Story: New circus company shows art through windows amid coronavirus in Prague

Artists perform in a window of a closed shop, organized by the contemporary circus company Cirk La ...

22nd January 2021

Photo Story: Italy’s museums reopen again after COVID-19 closure

People visit the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, as it reopened on Thursday. Museums and arch...

22nd January 2021

EU’s Michel phones Russia’s Putin to demand Navalny’s release

A senior European Union official told Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone on Friday to re...

22nd January 2021

‘Lichtfenster’: Germany remembers those who died of Covid-19

A handout photo made available by the German government showing German President Frank-Walter Stein...

22nd January 2021

MEPs appeal so EU states recognise Guaido as Venezuela’s leader

The European Parliament called on EU governments to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim pr...

22nd January 2021

Navalny, anticipating arrest, planned protests to force Kremlin to release him, ally says

Before he returned to Russia, opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his supporters had anticipat...

22nd January 2021

German minister warns against relaxing COVID-19 measures too soon

Germany's coronavirus infection numbers are encouraging but remain too high, Health Minister Jens S...

22nd January 2021

UK keeping its borders open for now -environment minister

Britain is keeping its borders open for now environment minister George Eustice said, after specula...

22nd January 2021

Photo Story: Cold grip on Norwegian fishing vessel

Ice covered fishing vessel Storm is moored in Tromso harbour, Norway, 22 January 2021. Storm Fr...

22nd January 2021

Anyone who tests positive may get £500 under UK government plans

The British government has taken no decision on whether to pay 500 pounds ($683) to everyone in Eng...

22nd January 2021

Photo story: -11 degrees Celsius in Moscow

Scenes from the streets of the Russian capital Moscow as the temperature dropped to minus 11 degree...

22nd January 2021

KLM to cut 1,000 more jobs, says mandatory COVID-19 testing will ground planes

KLM said it would cut an additional 1,000 jobs in 2021 and warned on Thursday that government plans...

22nd January 2021

Poland says it could take legal action over Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine delay

Poland could take legal action against Pfizer next month if the U.S. drugmaker does not deliver all...

22nd January 2021

France warns fabric masks not enough to protect from COVID

The French government is now recommending that people wear surgical masks in public because they of...

22nd January 2021

Denmark halts all flight from Dubai for five days

Denmark has halted all flights arriving from the United Arab Emirates for five days due to potentia...

22nd January 2021

Bulgaria nuclear reactor shut after automatic defences activate

The Kozloduy nuclear power plant in Bulgaria has shut down one of its two 1,000 megawatt units afte...

22nd January 2021

UPDATED: Hungary buys Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, first in EU

Hungary has signed a deal to buy Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the first European Union coun...

22nd January 2021

Spain’s health minister to resign as COVID-19 cases hit new daily high

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa will resign next week to campaign in regional elections in Ca...

22nd January 2021

Pfizer cuts vaccine deliveries by as much as half to some EU countries

Pfizer has slashed in half the volume of COVID-19 vaccines it will deliver to some EU countries thi...

22nd January 2021

EU to tighten travel curbs for virus hot spots as third wave fears mount

The European Commission proposed to EU leaders on Thursday identifying "dark red" coronavirus hot s...

21st January 2021

Volkswagen faces EU fine for missing 2020 emissions targets

Volkswagen faces a fine of more than 100 million euros ($121 million) for missing EU targets on car...