Main news from Brussels this week
date: 08/11/2019
European Commission forecasts a challenging road ahead for the EU economy
On 7 November, the European Commission published its Autumn 2019 Economic Forecast. For the EU economy as a whole, GDP is forecast to rise by 1.4% in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The forecast for 2020 was revised down compared to the summer (from 1.6%). UK GDP is expected to grow at a broadly stable pace at 1.3% in 2019, and at 1.4% in 2020 and 2021.
Landmark agreement will protect 100 European Geographical Indications in China
On 6 November, the EU and China concluded negotiations on a bilateral agreement to protect against imitations and usurpation one hundred European Geographical Indications (GI) in China and one hundred Chinese GI in the EU. The UK GIs set to get this protection are ‘Scotch whisky’, ‘Scottish farmed salmon’, ‘West Country farmhouse Cheddar’ and ‘White Stilton cheese/Blue Stilton cheese’. This deal is expected to result in reciprocal trade benefits and demand for high-quality products on both sides. China is the second destination for EU agri-food exports, reaching over £11 billion (€12.8 billion) in the 12-month period between September 2018 and August 2019. It is also the second destination of EU exports of products protected as Geographical Indications
20,000 travel passes available for 18-year-olds to explore Europe next summer
On 7 November, the European Commission launched a new application round for DiscoverEU travel passes, which allow participants to travel across Europe and learn about its cultural heritage while developing their own knowledge and skills. All 18-year-olds in the European Union have until 28 November 2019 (11.00 GMT) to apply for the opportunity to discover Europe between 1 April and 31 October 2020. So far, the Commission has awarded 50,000 travel passes through three application rounds for which 275,000 young people applied. The new round will allow another 20,000 young people to be part of DiscoverEU.
All this week's key European Commission announcements can be found here