👀EU ambassadors are preparing for the possibility of validating the loan to Ukraine during this Wednesday's Coreper. Viktor Orban has suggested he is ready to lift his veto if oil transit is restored as promised by Kyiv.
However, nothing is certain yet, warn cautious diplomats
🔹 Circular economy debate (06/05)
🔹 Fertilisers action plan (19/05)
🔹 2 omnibus (taxation & energy) (24/06)
🔹 Public procurement package (22/07)
🏮According to a draft calendar seen by @contexte.com, the Commission:
👉 plans its ETS review for 07/07
👉 will postpone its energy package from 19/05 to 10/06 (electrification action plan & energy security review).
Also added to the schedule: 🧵
🔴Info Contexte - Le conseiller Green Deal d’Ursula von der Leyen, Peter van Kemseke, sur le départ.
Selon quatre sources informées à la Commission, le Belge, diplomate de métier, devrait prendre le poste d’ambassadeur de l’UE à Oslo, en Norvège, autour du mois de septembre.
Ursula @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu also announced:
- an EU-wide coordination of member states' gas storage filling and of oil stock releases
- updated ETS benchmarks
- quicker adoption (by the summer) of the grid package
- new target on electrification
.@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu just announced a new temporary State aid framework to be adopted "this month" to deal with high energy prices — consultation with Member States to start "this week.
Teresa Ribera told the FT in January that her preferred option was to appoint "a woman" 🤔
I warmly welcome Anthony Whelan as the new Director-General of DG COMP at the European Commission.
Anthony brings deep experience in European policymaking and a strong understanding of how our rules serve citizens, innovation and fair markets.
1/5
‼️ The situation in the Middle East is disrupting the EU Commissioners’ agenda : they will hold a debate on the war and its consequences (energy, supply chains, internal security...) next Monday.
A debate on China that had been planned has been postponed to a later date.
No “whip” system for the S&D group. But to address internal disagreements, Iratxe García Pérez suggests submitting politically sensitive issues to a vote in group meetings, in a bid to reinforce collective ownership.
2/2
❗️In @contexte.com: S&D's draft measures to boost the group’s governance & visibility. Among the proposals is a push to improve compliance with voting instructions by encouraging MEPs to flag disagreements with the group line early
✍️by @sophdupuy.bsky.social
www.contexte.com/eu/news/powe...
1/2
🎙️ 🔴 @contexte.com interview with Antonio Costa on the need to:
* find a legal response to Orbán’s unprecedented Ukraine veto
* wrap up budget talks by the end of the year to avoid economic troubles
By @sophdupuy.bsky.social @ancagurzu.bsky.social & @jslefebvre.bsky.social
🔴 Missing: The #REPowerEU proposal to phase out remaining Russian oil imports has disappeared from the latest Commission agenda. It was previously scheduled for 15/04🛢️
The EU introduced a gas price cap that was never triggered during the energy crisis.
Now Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is looking to bring it back amid the Iran war and the growing calls to lower power bills.
Read more 👇
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Teresa Ribera on Ursula von der Leyen: "It's fair to say that maybe it was not the most adequate way to express herself".
The international law "is a key element" for the EU.
🗞️ Tiny scoop : Ursula von der Leyen is set to lose her senior adviser on legal affairs, migration and rule of law. Charmaine Hili will soon leave her job to join former Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo as his chief of staff at the UN Development Programme in New York
⚡🥳 On recrute un journaliste énergie à Paris chez @contexte.com
www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/companies...
À la clef : sujets passionnants, rédac indépendante qui bosse hyper bien entre les rubriques, délicieux gâteaux et blagues pourries 🌞
🗞️Le « made in Europe » de S. Séjourné met à nu des fractures idéologiques au sein de l’UE
Avec son IAA, le Français savoure une victoire au forceps.
Mais la bataille entre partisans d’une souveraineté assumée et gardiens de l’ouverture commerciale se rejouera !
www.contexte.com/fr/article/p...
🔴 Christophe Grudler @grudlerch.bsky.social (Renew 🇫🇷) will be the rapporteur on the Industrial Accelerator Act
EU leaders are not expected to scrap the ETS system at the next summit in two weeks. They "will call for the upcoming review [...] to both reduce volatility and the impact on electricity prices, while preserving the essential role" of the system, according to a preparatory document seen by L'Opinion
[INTERVIEW] Deregulation could spell the end of the EU, Ribera warns
In a sit-down interview with @contexte.com, Ursula von der Leyen’s top deputy defended the EU rulebook, pushing back against calls —including from German Chancellor — to ‘deregulate every sector’
www.contexte.com/eu/article/p...
And even more in the first edition of "Power":
👉EU institutions go into crisis mode to handle fallout of Iran conflict
👉Iran-linked drone strikes in Cyprus revive talks on EU defence clause
👉Macron pitches ‘advanced nuclear deterrence’ to European partners
And much more 🤸
🔥👀 Also in ContextePower @sophdupuy.bsky.social reports on the S&D seminar today to chart the group’s direction for the rest of the mandate. An internal memo says the aim is to “improve […] collective performance“ at a time when the group’s influence is tested by the Parliament’s shift to the right.
🔴Today in ContextePower : new draft of the Industrial Accelerator Act - with some weakening of the Made in Europe provisions. For now, the text is scheduled for publication on 4/03, but a v long meeting of the heads of cabinet yesterday is set to continue this morning to decide the fate of the text.
🚨 Ursula von der Leyen announces the provisional application of the free trade agreement with Mercosur.
EXPLAINER: What is the Druzhba oil pipeline and why has it held up EU sanctions on Russia?
We break down what you need to know about the Soviet-era pipeline, and why it triggered a geopolitical clash that is holding up EU sanctions on Russia and funding for Ukraine👇
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
🗓The new Commission agenda that had leaked is now official:
Russian oil ban – 15/04
Orientation debate on China – 13/04
Mobility package – 13/05
Energy package (incl. security) – 19/05
🇸🇪 on the IAA presentation delayed at the Commission
"The delay has a positive side: they have sobered up on how much “made in Europe” would have solved the EU’s competitiveness", said Ebba Busch industry and energy minister of Sweden.
IAA : "il est temps d'avoir un texte sur la table maintenant", dit le 🇫🇷 minstre de l'industrie, Sébastien Martin.
"We need a "made WITH Europe" and not a "made IN Europe", said 🇩🇪 Katherina Reiche, at the Competitiveness Council