Main news from Brussels this week
date: 25/10/2019
European Commission proposes fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2020
On 24 October, in preparation of the 16-17 December Council meeting on Fisheries, the European Commission adopted its proposal for fishing opportunities in 2020 for 72 stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea. The fishing quota is either increased or remains the same for 32 stocks; but the quota for 40 stocks is reduced. The fishing opportunities, or Total Allowable Catches (TACs), are quotas set for most commercial fish stocks in order to keep or restore healthy stocks, while allowing the industry to profit from fishing the highest amount of fish.
Progress on EU-US Privacy Shield
On 23 October, the European Commission published its report on the third annual review of the functioning of the EU-US Privacy Shield. The report confirms that the United States continues to ensure an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred under the Privacy Shield from the EU to participating companies in the US. Since the second annual review, there have been a number of improvements in the functioning of the framework, as well as appointments to key oversight and redress bodies, such as the Privacy Shield Ombudsperson. There are about 5,000 companies participating in this EU-US data protection framework.
Croatia on the way to join the Schengen Area
On 22 October, the European Commission reported on Croatia's progress in meeting the necessary conditions to join the Schengen area. The European Commission considers that, based on the results of the Schengen evaluation process initiated in 2016, Croatia has taken the measures needed to ensure that the necessary conditions for the full application of the Schengen rules and standards are met. Croatia will need to continue working on the implementation of all ongoing actions, in particular its management of the external borders, to ensure that these conditions continue to be met.