March 12, 2019 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 12.03.2019, 20:13

GAC The future multi-annual financial
framework of the EU ‘must meet the priorities of the EU as well as the new
challenges, which cannot always be anticipated’ – Frans Timmermans, the First
Vice-President of the European Commission said in Bucharest on Tuesday.
Obtaining an agreement between the member states, then between the Council, the
European Commission and the European Parliament on the multi-annual financial
framework is an ‘extremely complicated operation’ – Timmermans also said while
attending the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council hosted by
Bucharest. The aforementioned meeting hosted a session of debates over the
multi-annual financial framework 2021 – 2027 and another one on the future of
Europe, with emphasis on the priorities, which should guide the activity of the
union in the following five years in terms of preparing the EU’s new strategic
agenda.

CYBER SECURITY The European Parliament
on Tuesday passed the law on cyber security. The move has thus established the
first certificate scheme at European level aimed at proving the products,
processes and services sold in the EU are meeting cyber-security standards, a
European Parliament communiqué says. The MEPs on Tuesday also passed a
resolution urging to action against cyber-threats related to China’s
technological presence in the EU. The MEPs have voiced concern related to the
5G equipment, which might include options allowing the Chinese manufacturers
unauthorized access to private data and to telecommunications inside the EU.

ECOFIN The Romanian Finance Minister,
Eugen Teodorovici, on Tuesday chaired the 3rd meeting of the
Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) in Brussels. The agenda
included topics like the Directive on alcohol excises, one on the general
regime of excise duties, and the taxation of digital services. An agreement on
this issue has been pending for more than 25 years. The reform is aimed at
harmonizing the present legislation with a view to improving the business
environment and cutting costs for small producers. On Monday the Romanian
official took part in an enlarged Eurogrup meeting and chaired the high-level
talks on Macroeconomic Dialogue.

DEFENCE Romanian Defence Minister
Gabriel Les is paying a two-day formal visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday
and Wednesday upon the invitation of his British counterpart Gavin Williamson.
According to the Defence Ministry in Bucharest, talks will be focusing on
bilateral cooperation in the field of defence as well as on several major
issues on the agenda of the North Atlantic Alliance. The two officials are also
expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Romanian-British
cooperation in the field of defence.

(translated by
bill)