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| Tuesday 29th November 2022 | issue 1001 |
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| Will the new generation be up to the task of succession? |
| Author: Isabelle Marchais | | For the new generation, born after the fall of the Berlin Wall, peace was a matter of course, until the invasion of Ukraine brutally signalled the return of war to the continent. It must rise to an improbable challenge: to return to the sources of the European project and at the same time give it a new profile and a real capacity to act in an unstable and divided world.
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| Agenda | Other issues | Contact |
| Foundation :
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| How will this war end for Europe?
The Foundation and the think tank Visegrad Insight are organising a discussion on the future of Europe in the context of the war in Ukraine with MEP Katalin Cseh (Renew,HU) in Brussels on 30 November... Read more |
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| European Recovery Plans: figures and priorities
In response to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund, called the Recovery and Resilience Facility for Member States in the form of grants and loans. On 25 November, the Commission approved the preliminary assessment for a €3.6 billion payment to Greece. The Foundation provides an interactive map of the country-by-country plans, including amounts, timetables and priorities... Read more |
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| Energy Crisis, European Measures
Member States and the European Union have taken action to address rising energy prices. On 18 November, Italy adopted a fourth package of budgetary measures, which allows companies to request payment of bills in instalments until 31 March, the extension of bonuses for energy-intensive companies and the reduction of excise duties on fuels. The Foundation provides a regularly updated map to help you understand the situation... Read more |
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| Ukraine/Russia :
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| International summit on food security
At a meeting on food security on 26 November, participants denounced the disastrous consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on agriculture. Ukraine reiterated its commitment to the UN World Food Programme and pledged to continue contributing to global food supplies. The final declaration calls for an extension of the Black Sea Grains Initiative and support for the "Grain from Ukraine" humanitarian programme, which provides the framework for delivering Ukrainian food to the countries in Africa and Asia that are most affected by hunger... Read more |
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| Vote on an 18 billion € loan
On 24 November, MEPs approved an €18 billion loan for Ukraine to be delivered in monthly instalments of €3-4 billion in 2023. The assistance will be devoted to the rehabilitation and operation of essential infrastructure and will be combined with rule of law conditions to prepare Ukraine for the EU accession process. The loan still needs to be approved by the Council. They reject passports and other travel documents issued by Russia in the territories it illegally occupies in Ukraine and Georgia. Finally, on 23 November they described Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism using terrorist means, in view of the crimes committed in Ukraine... Read more |
| Other link | Other link |
| Speech by Volodomyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at the annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, calling for support for its 10-point peace formula and for Russia to be named a state sponsor of terrorism. Before the Congress of Mayors and Presidents of Inter-municipalities of France, he recalled the destruction caused by Russian troops in Ukrainian towns and villages, while calling for assistance to Ukraine during the winter and in its reconstruction project. He also spoke during the UN Security Council meeting and called on it to condemn all forms of Russian terrorism. Finally, he called on the OSCE to give more support to Ukraine and to sanction Russia, which continues to be a member of the organisation's Parliamentary Assembly... Read more |
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| Visits by the Belgian, Lithuanian and Polish Prime Ministers
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Kyiv on 26 November. Ingrida Simonytė participated in the inauguration of a plaque bearing her name for Lithuania's assistance to Ukraine. Together with the Belgian Prime Minister, they discussed the "Grain From Ukraine" initiative, to which Belgium has contributed, by funding food supplies to countries in need. Alexandre De Croo pledged to provide electricity generators and other equipment of vital importance to Ukraine. Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania signed a declaration of mutual cooperation in the face of the Russian invasion... Read more |
| Other link | Other link |
| Solidarity campaign in European towns for Ukraine
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, together with the President of Eurocities and Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, has launched the solidarity campaign "Generators of Hope", which aims to encourage European cities to donate generators and transformers to Ukraine. The initiative, which will be presented to 80 participating cities, aims to ensure the functioning of its electricity system and essential infrastructure... Read more |
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| UN concern in the face of the violation of Human Rights
On 25 November, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed his shock at the continuing human suffering in Ukraine. Civilians, women and children are being killed or injured, while Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war are being summarily executed. Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is concerned that Russian strikes on electricity infrastructure are depriving Ukrainians of power... Read more |
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| Call by the Council of Europe to act against Russian crimes in Ukraine
On 24 November, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, condemned Russia's attacks on hospitals, civilian and energy infrastructure in Ukraine. She called on member states to provide special support to women victims of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers. She also called for assistance in accessing medical and psychological care for women victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers... Read more |
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| Commission :
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| Budgetary guidelines and recommendations for the euro area
On 22 November, the Commission presented its opinions on the coherence of Member States' budgetary plans for 2023 in relation to their debt levels. It recommends that euro area countries maintain a high level of public investment and implement a dual pricing system for energy to support households and businesses and to promote wage and labour market developments... Read more |
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| Towards the end of the verification mechanism in Romania
On 22 November, the Commission concluded that Romania has made enough progress in the area of rule of law to close the cooperation and verification mechanism (CVM), which was set up when the country joined the EU in 2007. It highlights the steps Romania has taken to reform its judicial system and fight corruption, including the lifting of political immunities. The final decision on the CVM will be taken after consideration of the comments of the Council and Parliament... Read more |
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| Parliament :
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| 70th anniversary of the Parliament in Strasbourg
The European Parliament celebrated the 70th anniversary of the first meeting of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952 on 23 November in Strasbourg, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Speakers stressed the strengthening of the Parliament's role over the course of its existence and the need to forge a common European future while respecting democracy and diversity... Read more |
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| Approval of the 2023 budget
MEPs adopted the EU budget for 2023 by 492 votes to 66 with 42 abstentions on 23 November. The Council gave its approval on the previous day. The annual budget represents €186.6 billion in commitments and €168.7 billion in payments, with Ukraine, energy and recovery as priority objectives... Read more |
| Other link | Other link |
| Vote on new own resources
On 23 November, MEPs voted by 440 votes to 117 with 77 abstentions in favour of introducing three new sources of revenue: the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism and the reallocated profits of very large multinational companies. They recalled that, according to a roadmap agreed in 2020, the Commission should present a proposal for a second set of new own resources by the end of 2023. Furthermore, they presented a proposal for the repayment of the debt contracted in the framework of NextGenerationEU... Read more |
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| Directive on the presence of women on company boards
On 22 November, MEPs gave final approval to new rules on the presence of women on the boards of listed companies, which require that at least 40% of non-executive directorships or 33% of all directorships be held by women by July 2026. Companies will have to report information on their board representation to the competent authorities and will be subject to sanctions for non-compliance... Read more |
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| Extension of the regime of restricted access to territorial waters
On 22 November, MEPs gave their final approval to a ten-year extension of the rules restricting access to national waters by fishing vessels from other Member States. The aim of these rules is both to protect the local economic activities of the countries concerned and to prevent certain areas from being overfished... Read more |
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| New requirements for critical infrastructure security
On 22 November, MEPs approved new rules to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure in the European Union. The scope of the directive has been extended to eleven sectors including digital, water, food and health. In this framework, Member States will adopt national resilience strategies and critical actors will have to systematically notify them of incidents... Read more |
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| Call to renew the Union's enlargement strategy
MEPs called on the EU on 23 November to speed up and reform its decision-making process for future enlargement, in particular to abolish the requirement for unanimity to advance the accession process in favour of qualified majority voting. They called on the EU to conclude the current negotiations before 2030. MEPs also suggested that in the reform process of candidate countries, backtracking should be sanctioned and sustainable progress should be rewarded... Read more |
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| Council :
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| Meeting of Home Affairs Ministers
Home Affairs Ministers, meeting on 25 November, discussed the situation of migration routes. They decided to build a more resilient migration and asylum system, to strengthen support and cooperation with all partner countries and organisations and to improve search and rescue. They welcomed the Commission's proposal for an action plan with 20 operational measures to address the immediate challenges in the central Mediterranean... Read more |
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| Meeting of Energy Ministers
On 24 November, the Energy Ministers reached an agreement on the project for the joint purchase of gas via a European platform for cross-border exchanges and reliable prices within the Union, as well as on the content of a regulation that aims to establish a temporary framework to simplify authorisation procedures for renewable energy projects. They considered that the Commission's proposal for a gas market correction mechanism needed further work and that the conditions for activating the mechanism seemed too stringent... Read more |
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| Meeting of Trade Ministers
Trade Ministers discussed World Trade Organisation (WTO) reform on 25 November. They exchanged views on the impact of discriminatory provisions in the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in view of the next meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) on 5 December. They also held a policy discussion on trade support to Ukraine... Read more |
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| Meeting of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers
On 21 November, the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers took stock of the progress made on the new forestry strategy for 2030 and on ways to improve cooperation between the various stakeholders. In parallel, they discussed the proposed regulation on nature restoration, while the Commission presented its communication on fertilisers. They also discussed the promotion of energy transition in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, and ensuring a strong and sustainable seaweed sector... Read more |
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| Meeting of Ministers responsible for Cohesion
The ministers in charge of regional development, meeting on 22 November, drew up a general assessment of cohesion policy, in particular its impact on reducing the development gap between European regions. They discussed future challenges, such as the green and digital transitions. They stressed the need to create more synergies between the different EU instruments, to take into account regional specificities, and suggested the possibility of simplifying the rules... Read more |
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| Diplomacy :
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| EU-Korea Digital Partnership
On 29 November, the European Union and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) launched a new Digital Partnership. This partnership will strengthen cooperation between reliable and technologically advanced partners in the digital field, which is crucial for the sustainable development of the European and Korean economies, as well as for trade and investment links... Read more |
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| European Economic Area Council
On the occasion of the 55th meeting of the European Economic Area Council, held on 23 November in Brussels, Ministers took stock of the overall functioning of the agreement and exchanged views on energy transition and security. The EFTA Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, discussed Ukraine and the security policy situation in Europe... Read more |
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| Court of Justice :
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| The anti-money laundering directive partially invalidated
On 22 November, the Court of Justice ruled that the provision in the anti-money laundering directive which allowed the general public to consult the beneficiary registers of companies registered in the Union constituted a risk of infringement of fundamental rights. This provision had been introduced to prevent individuals or companies from concealing assets derived from tax fraud or corruption. The Court acknowledged the existence of a general interest objective, but considered that the provision was not proportionate... Read more |
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| European Agencies :
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| ESA budget increase, agreement on launchers and new generation astronauts
On 23 November, the ministers representing the Member States pledged to grant the European Space Agency (ESA) a budget that is 17% higher than in 2019. 2.7 billion will be dedicated to the Earth observation programme, €3.2 billion to science, €2.7 billion to the exploration programme and €1.9 billion to connectivity. France, Germany and Italy committed on 22 November to review the public funding needed for the institutional and commercial operation of the Ariane 6 and Vega-C launchers. On 24 November, ESA unveiled its new class of 17 astronauts... Read more |
| Other link | Other link |
| Europol operation against a criminal network and drug trafficking
Europol announced on 25 November that it had arrested 44 individuals in an operation involving 11 countries who were members of a large criminal organisation whose activities included drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal enrichment. The criminal network operated in Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Germany and Slovakia. Police have dismantled a "super cocaine cartel" and arrested 49 suspects in various countries including six "high-value targets" in Dubai, Europol announced on 28 November. The super cartel controlled "about a third of the cocaine trade in Europe"... Read more |
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| Pierre Gremegna appointed Managing Director of the ESM
The former Luxembourg Finance Minister, Pierre Gramegna, was appointed Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism on 25 November for a five-year term. He succeeds the German Klaus Regling... Read more |
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| France :
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| Elisabeth Borne's visit to Berlin: energy and industrial partnerships
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne went to Berlin on 25 November to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They signed a "joint declaration of energy solidarity" in which France undertakes to continue supplying gas to Germany. In exchange, Germany will supply France with electricity. On 22 November, the French and German economy ministers, Bruno Le Maire and Robert Habeck, announced that they would act together to support the "most vulnerable economic sectors". They want to implement a joint gas purchasing policy to bring down prices, reform the electricity market, and set up cooperation in strategic sectors... Read more |
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| Ireland :
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| Meeting with Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin on 24 November. They welcomed the implementation of the Joint Action Plan adopted in August 2021 and the future agreement between RTE and its Irish counterpart EirGrid, which will help Ireland integrate into the European electricity system. They undertook to foster green mobility between the two States, through the creation of a single Franco-Irish ticket for trains and ferries by the summer of 2023. Finally, they renewed their support for Ukraine and discussed the major issues of the next European Council, notably energy, post-Brexit relations and the European political community... Read more |
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| Czech Republic :
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| Nine candidates for the presidential election in January
Nine candidates are running for the Czech presidential election, the first round of which will be held on 13 and 14 January, according to the official list published on 25 November. Among the contenders to succeed Milos Zeman are former prime minister Andrej Babis, former army chief of staff Petr Pavel, and two women, Danuse Nerudova and Denisa Rohanova... Read more |
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| IMF Report
The International Monetary Fund published its report on the Czech economy on 22 November. Growth is expected to slow down to 2.3% in 2022 and become negative, at -0.5%, in 2023. A recovery is expected from 2024 onwards. The labour market remains unstable and vulnerabilities related to the overheated housing market persist... Read more |
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| UK :
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| No referendum on independence in Scotland
The UK Supreme Court ruled unanimously on 23 November that the Scottish government does not have the power to hold a new independence referendum without the agreement of central London, as the vote would affect the territorial union of the UK. The referendum had been proposed by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in June to be held in October 2023... Read more |
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| Moldova :
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| Third Support Platform conference
Following the third ministerial conference of the Moldova Support Platform held in Paris on 21 November, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Romania agreed to help Moldova strengthen its energy security. The participating countries announced their support for Moldova's EU integration process and underlined the efforts made by the government. They also expressed their readiness to participate in the stability, prosperity and development of Moldova. The next conference will take place in Moldova in 2023... Read more |
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| OECD :
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| Economic outlook
The OECD notes in its Economic Outlook published on 23 November that member countries' energy-related spending accounts for 17.7% of their GDP. Growth has slowed, especially in the United States and Europe, and global GDP is estimated to grow by 2.2% in 2023, thanks in particular to the large emerging Asian economies, which are expected to account for nearly three-quarters of this growth. Finally, the inflation rate is expected to moderate in 2023, stabilising at around 6.6% in the OECD area... Read more |
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| IMF :
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| Report on Spain's economy
In a report published on 23 November, the IMF estimates that Spanish growth should reach 4.6% in 2022 and 1.2% in 2023. It notes that state aid has helped to cope with rising prices, although it needs to be adapted in the long term. It advises the government to initiate policies aimed at increasing productivity to raise living standards... Read more |
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| Report on France
In a report published on 21 November, the IMF calls on France to reduce its public spending more quickly in 2023, and to limit financial aid to the most vulnerable to cope with the energy crisis. It advises to "better target support measures to counteract the energy shock" and proposes the phasing out of price controls. Reforms will also have to be introduced, notably concerning training, pensions, rationalisation of tax expenditure and the efficiency of the education system... Read more |
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| Report on Slovenia's economy
The International Monetary Fund welcomed the post-pandemic recovery of Slovenia's economy in a report published on 21 November. However, it expects growth to fall from 5.4% in 2022 to 1.8% in 2023... Read more |
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| Culture :
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| Christmas Markets
Since 24 November and with the start of Advent, many European cities are opening their Christmas markets: from Strasbourg in France, to Edinburgh in Scotland; from Nuremberg in Germany, to Madrid in Spain, to Gdańsk in Poland... Read more |
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| Splendours of Uzbekistan's oases
Until 6 March 2023, the Louvre Museum is devoting an exhibition to the "Splendours of the Oases of Uzbekistan". Works restored especially for the exhibition are on display, such as murals and paintings from the 16th century Bukhara school... Read more |
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| Barbara Hepworth at the Tate in St Ives
The Tate Gallery in St Ives is devoting an exhibition to the art and life of one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century: Barbara Hepworth. Almost five decades of the artist's sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints and designs are on display... Read more |
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| Monica Bonvicini in Berlin
Until 30 April 2023, the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin is presenting an exhibition dedicated to the influential work of artist Monica Bonvicini, including two large-scale, specially designed architectural installations. In addition to her architectural works, sculptures are on display... Read more |
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| Giovanni Boldini and the myth of the Belle Epoque
Until 10 April 2023, the Palazzo Mazzetti in Asti is hosting the exhibition "Giovanni Boldini and the Myth of the Belle Époque". Eighty paintings by the Italian painter are on show to the public... Read more |
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| Steven Meisel in A Coruña
The Muelle de la Batería exhibition space in A Coruña is devoting an exhibition until 1 May 2023 to the American photographer Steven Meisel, who launched the careers of a whole generation of models in the 1990s.. Read more |
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| Collage Art in Wroclaw
The evolution and diversity of forms, techniques and materials used to make collage, an artistic medium continually used by artists for a wide variety of purposes, will be explored in the exhibition "Collage: Linked Worlds" at the National Museum in Wroclaw, until 15 January 2023... Read more |
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Agenda :
| | 28-29 September 2022 Brussels
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
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| | 29 November 2022 Brussels
Ministerial meeting EU-Organisation of African, Carribean, and Pacific States (OACPS)
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| | 1 December 2022 Brussels
Competitiveness Council
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| | 5 December 2022 Brussels
Transport Council Eurogroup Meeting
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| The Letter's Editorial Team : |
| Stefanie Buzmaniuk, Helen Levy ;
Micol Cattana, Eléna Roux, Amandine Guérin
Editors-in-chief: Eric Maurice
Publishing Director: Pascale Joannin
N° ISSN : 2729-6482
Contact/Suggestions info@robert-schuman.eu |
| The Robert Schuman Foundation, created in 1991 and acknowledged by State decree in 1992, is the main French research centre on Europe. It develops research on the European Union and its policies and promotes the content of these in France, Europe and abroad. It encourages, enriches and stimulates European debate thanks to its research, publications and the organisation of conferences. The Foundation is presided over by Mr. Jean-Dominique Giuliani. |
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