Europe
Sticking points of the DMA + French EU Presidency + Fossil fuels: end to state aid
Dear reader,
New Covid wave, new standard: the German federal and state governments agreed yesterday to link the decision on 2-G or 2-G plus to the so-called hospitalization incidence. Also, among the new resolutions are a partial vaccination requirement for medical and nursing workers who are in direct contact with vulnerable people, a higher booster shots rate, 3-G in the workplace and on public transportation, and an extension of fixed-cost assistance. "The situation is highly dramatic," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. The European Commission therefore also gave its green light yesterday for further state aid until mid-2022.
Emmanuel Macron has many ambitions for the French EU Council presidency, but will he have enough time? Many observers assume that the French presidential elections in April will de facto mean that France will only really be present in the Council of the EU for three of the six months of its presidency. Together with Tanja Kuchenbecker, I have analyzed which priorities from Paris harbor potential for conflict with other member states, what role the German coalition negotiations play in this, and on which legislative projects the "Grande Nation" could decisively push the European Union forward.
One of the European legislative projects that have a high priority for France is the "Digital Markets Act". Platform regulation is moving forward in leaps and bounds, as the negotiating positions of the European Parliament and the Council are close to a final vote. Till Hoppe has taken a detailed look at the demands. In his analysis, he highlights lines of conflict between the two institutions and provides answers to the question: How effectively can the law be implemented at all?
