CDE NewsComuniq.Eu

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.

€13.6 million in EU funds being invested to strengthen Malta’s border security

27th November 2020

The Malta Police Force will be investing in more high-end security systems at the airport. With €13.6 million allocated in European funds, these systems will lead to better security management at the border. These details were provided during a press conference addressed by Minister for Home Affairs, Law Enforcement and National Security Byron Camilleri and Parliamentary Secretary f...

Commission launches political debate towards strengthening Schengen and restoring trust

27th November 2020

On Monday, 30 November, the Commission will convene the first ever Schengen Forum, gathering Members of the European Parliament and Home Affairs Ministers, and aiming to foster concrete cooperation and political dialogue to address current challenges and build a more resilient Schengen area. The discussions will inform the Strategy for a stronger Schengen area to be presented in mid-2021...

Italian PM’s closest aid says ECB should consider wiping out pandemic debt

27th November 2020

The European Central Bank should consider cancelling out or holding forever the government debt it buys during the current crisis to help nations recover and restructure, a top Italian government official said. “Monetary policy must support member states’ expansionary fiscal policies in every possible way,” cabinet undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s closest aide,...

Hungary, Poland double down to try to eject rule-of-law condition from EU budget

27th November 2020

Hungary and Poland said on Thursday the EU could not attach rule-of-law conditions to funds unless the bloc changed its founding treaty, digging in their heels after vetoing the EU budget and a coronavirus recovery fund earlier this month. The European Union is investigating the nationalist governments of the two countries for undermining the independence of their judiciaries and media, and ha...

Italy, France call for new EU stimulus scheme for COVID-hit sectors

26th November 2020

Italy and France want to see a new European stimulus tool to support sectors most hit by the coronavirus crisis, Italian Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said on Thursday at a news conference in Rome with French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. Gualtieri also said it was necessary to strengthen economic stimulus policy on a global level and that the first G20 meeting under the Italian presid...

EU drugs watchdog expects first application for COVID-19 vaccine in days

26th November 2020

Europe's drugs watchdog said on Thursday it expects to receive the first application for conditional marketing approval for a COVID-19 vaccine "in the coming days", the latest step towards making a shot available outside the United States. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) did not name the company it expects to file the application, but Pfizer Inc and BioNTEch are the most advanced in ...

Hungary to uphold its veto of EU budget over rule of law provisions – PM aide

26th November 2020

Hungary's government will uphold its veto of the next European Union budget over because the budget links payments to democratic standards, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday. Gergely Gulyas told a press briefing that Orban, who will meet his chief ally, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, later on Thursday, would present a joint written position on the standof...

UK says on Brexit trade deal: We can get there but not at any cost

26th November 2020

Britain and the European Union can clinch a Brexit trade deal and the shape of one is clear but London will not sign up to an accord at any cost, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's finance minister said on Thursday. With just five weeks left until the United Kingdom finally exits the EU's orbit, both sides are trying to reach a trade deal that would avoid a tumultuous finale to the five-year Brexi...

EU completes SURE issuance for 2020; Commissioner still hopeful of budget deal

26th November 2020

The European Union has completed debt issuance for this year to fund its SURE unemployment scheme, Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn told Reuters on Thursday. It has raised 39.5 billion euros ($47 billion) from three bond sales this year, higher than the initial 30 billion euros the European Commission expected to raise in 2020 before it started the funding in October. ...

Tech giants face fines or even break-up if they breach new rules – EU’s Breton

26th November 2020

Tech giants that break new EU rules aimed at curbing their powers could face fines, be ordered to change their practices or even be forced to break up their European businesses, the bloc's digital chief Thierry Breton said on Wednesday. Breton's comments come two weeks before he is due to present draft rules known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), which are likel...

Poland, Hungary should go to EU court on rule of law, not block budget, Commission says

26th November 2020

Poland and Hungary should ask the European Union's top court to assess the link between access to EU money and observing the rule of law, instead of blocking the EU's 2021-2027 budget and recovery plan, the head of the European Commission said. The suggestion is one of the possible ways EU officials have been informally discussing to end the vetoes of Warsaw and Budapest holding up 1.8 trillio...

Irish PM says “good result” in UK trade talks possible, EU chief says ready for no-deal

26th November 2020

Ireland's prime minister said there was still time for a "good result" in trade talks between Britain and the European Union, though the bloc's chief executive said the risk of a no-deal split on Dec. 31 remained. The European Commission head, Ursula von der Leyen, said the bloc was ready for the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a new trade accord despite "genuine progress" in the...

EU seeks to bypass patents to boost drugs access in crises

25th November 2020

The European Union is planning bold measures to boost its access to drugs, from sidestepping patent rights in emergencies to offering incentives for companies to shift production to Europe, according to EU documents published on Wednesday. The possible moves are meant to tackle the chronic shortages of medicines that have dogged the bloc for years and have become more serious since the COVID-1...

Linking EU budget to rule of law is suicidal – Orban

25th November 2020

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on Germany not to link the European Union's budget to the upholding of rule of law in the bloc, saying that asking him to back such a link was tantamount to asking for his "suicide". Last week, Hungary and Poland vetoed proposals that would make it possible for countries that fail to meet EU rule of law standards to be denied access to fun...

European Commission President warns against relaxation of covid measures

25th November 2020

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Wednesday against relaxing coronavirus lockdown measures too quickly, telling the European Parliament there was a risk of a third wave of infections. "I know that shop owners, bartenders and waiters in restaurants want an end to restrictions. But we must learn from the summer and not repeat the same mistakes," von der Leyen said. "Re...

EU secures 160 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine

25th November 2020

The European Union has struck a deal for up to 160 million doses of U.S. firm Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate, the head of the European Commission said on Tuesday, taking the EU's potential stock of COVID-19 shots to nearly 2 billion. Last week, Moderna said its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19, based on interim data from a late-stage clinical trial. "I a...

Italy’s recovery plan on right path- von der Leyen, Conte

25th November 2020

Italy's recovery plan is on the right track, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Premier Giuseppe Conte on the phone Tuesday, according to the EC chief. Von der Leyen tweeted that she had had a "good" phone conversation with Conte "We are close contact, Italy is on the right track," she said about the recovery plan. Italy has been allotted 209 billion euros of the EU's 7...

Serbia: EIB supports digitalisation of schools with €65 million

24th November 2020

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest €65 million in the modernisation of primary and secondary schools in Serbia to provide new digital equipment, connectivity, and capacity building training for 50 000 school teachers. The investment from the EU bank will support Serbia’s national education strategy, upgrade digital capacities in Serbian schools and contribute to economic and...

COVID-19 and natural disasters: €823 million in EU aid for eight member states

24th November 2020

On Tuesday, Parliament approved €823 million in EU aid for the Croatia earthquake, floods in Poland, and the response to the coronavirus crisis in seven EU countries. The €823 million in aid from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) will be distributed as follows: More than €132.7 million to be distributed in advance payments to Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, and Po...

NATO, EU invite Biden to rebuild transatlantic ties

24th November 2020

The head of NATO and a top European Union official on Monday invited U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to rebuild transatlantic ties and meet with Washington's European allies next year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council President Charles Michel, in phone calls with Biden, congratulated him on his election win and invited him to visit the military alliance's headquarter...

EU warns decision on UK financial services won’t come before January 1

27th November 2020

European Union assessments of whether to grant market access for UK banks and other financial firms will not be completed in time for January, sources in the bloc said on Thursday as the estranged allies make a final push for a free trade deal. Britain's unfettered access to the EU market under ...

Airlines expect to avoid Brexit disruption as transition ends

26th November 2020

Airlines are hopeful that Brexit-related disruption can be avoided, as Britain and the European Union continue negotiations on their future relationship after the Dec. 31 end of the transition period, the sector's main global body said. "We see positive trends in terms of an agreement," said Raf...

Time running out to find Brexit agreement on Gibraltar, Spanish foreign minister says

26th November 2020

Time is running out to find a Brexit agreement between Spain and Britain over Gibraltar, Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said on Thursday. "Talks between Spain and the United Kingdom over Gibraltar continue, but there too time is running out," she told radio station RNE. ...

UK says on Brexit trade deal: We can get there but not at any cost

26th November 2020

Failure to get Brexit trade deal would wipe extra 2% off UK output – OBR

26th November 2020

Failure by Britain and the European Union to agree a free trade deal would wipe an extra 2% off the United Kingdom's economic output while driving up inflation, unemployment and public borrowing, official forecasts showed. The Office for Budget Responsibility revisited its Brexit forecasts after...

Irish PM says “good result” in UK trade talks possible, EU chief says ready for no-deal

26th November 2020

European Commission's NewsFeed

Factsheet: First year of the von der Leyen Commission - EU response to coronavirus

European Commission Factsheet Brussels, 27 Nov 2020 Factsheet: First year of the von der Leyen Commission - EU response to coronavirus Factsheet: First year of the von der Leyen Commission - EU response to corona...
Mergers: Commission clears Altice, Allianz and Omers' joint acquisition of Covage, subject to conditions

European Commission Press release Brussels, 27 Nov 2020 The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Covage by SFR FTTH, a company jointly controlled by Altice, Al...
Commission welcomes the political agreement on the transitional rules for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

European Commission Press release Brussels, 27 Nov 2020 Today, the Commission welcomed the political agreement between the European Parliament and EU Member States in the Council on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules for the transitional period of 2021-2022.
Calendrier du 30 novembre au 6 décembre 2020

European Commission Commissioners' weekly activities Brussels, 27 Nov 2020 (Susceptible de modifications en cours de semaine) Déplacements et visites Lundi 30 novembre 2020 President von der Leyen delivers a message at th...
EIB and Italian Ministry of Justice join forces to promote social inclusion of convicts through a social impact bond

European Commission Press release Luxembourg, 27 Nov 2020 The project aims to curb the reoffending rate of ex-convicts and ensure smooth reintegration into society
Daily News 27 / 11 / 2020

European Commission Daily news Brussels, 27 Nov 2020 Schengen Forum: Commission launches political debate towards strengthening Schengen and restoring trust On Monday, 30 November, the Commission will convene the ...

European Parliament Newsfeed

Article - Plenary highlights: consumer rights, homelessness, media freedom

MEPs approved new rights for consumers, called for an end to homelessness and set out their position on the EU’s industrial strategy during the 23-26 November plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Press release - Human rights breaches in Belarus, Ethiopia, and Algeria

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Belarus, Ethiopia, and Algeria.Committee on Foreign AffairsSubcommittee on Human Rights Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Press release - Polish de facto ban on abortion puts women’s lives at risk, says Parliament

MEPs condemn the setback to women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Poland and stress the EU’s legal obligation to uphold and protect them.Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Press release - Deal on lobsters gets go-ahead from Parliament

Parliament agreed to eliminate EU tariffs on lobsters in return for lower US tariffs on a range of EU exports.Committee on International Trade Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Press release - MEPs condemn Turkey’s activities in Varosha, Cyprus, and call for sanctions

Turkey’s decision to “open” the sealed-off suburb of Varosha undermines prospects of a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, warn MEPs.Committee on Foreign Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP
Press release - MEPs warn of deteriorating fundamental rights in the EU

On Thursday, Parliament adopted its 2018-2019 report on the state of fundamental rights in the EU, identifying multiple areas of concern.Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

CAP transitional regulation: informal deal on how to fund farmers

The Council concluded an informal deal with the European Parliament on how to extend current CAP rules until the end of 2022.
Fair and effective taxation: Council adopts conclusions

The Council approved conclusions on fair and effective taxation.
Forward look: 30 November - 13 December 2020

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.
Media advisory - Video conference of youth ministers, followed by video conference of education ministers of 30 November 2020

Press conferences following the video conference of youth ministers and the video conference of education ministers, 30 November 2020
Declaration by the HR on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1516 of 19 October 2020 amending Decision (CFSP) 2016/1693 concerning restrictive measures against ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them.
Joint press release: EU-Australia Leaders' virtual meeting

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, held a Leaders' virtual meeting on 26 November 2020.

146/2020 : 24 November 2020 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-510/19

Openbaar Ministerie (Faux en écritures) Area of Freedom, Security and Justice Public prosecutors in the Netherlands do not constitute an ‘executing judicial authority’ in connection with the execution of a European arrest warrant, given that they may be subject to instructions in specific cases from the Netherlands Minister for Justice
147/2020 : 24 November 2020 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-59/19

Wikingerhof Area of Freedom, Security and Justice A hotel using the platform Booking.com may, in principle, bring proceedings against Booking.com before a court of the Member State in which that hotel is established in order to bring to an end a possible abuse of a dominant position
145/2020 : 24 November 2020 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-225/19,C-226/19

Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Area of Freedom, Security and Justice A Member State which adopts a decision refusing a ‘Schengen’ visa because of an objection raised by another Member State must indicate, in that decision, the identity of the Member State concerned and the specific ground for refusal based on that objection, accompanied, where appropriate, by the reasons for that objection