Through the month of November, COVID-19 cases have surged across Europe, prompting a new wave of lockdowns. This hasn’t slowed the pace of EU affairs, which have been marked by the ongoing Brexit negotiations and the US Election.

EU Foreign Affairs and Security has been dominated by the US election and tensions to the east of the Union, with sanctions raised against Belarus and issues across Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia

For Finance, Trade and (Digital) Internal Market, the last month has seen changes to export controls on “sensitive dual-use goods”, including surveillance technologies, sanctions on US exports as a result of the Boeing—WTO case and a variety of actions taken to protect the EU’s trade interests in the uncertainty at the end of 2020

The Migration section covers reactions to the New Pact on Migration, as well as a surge of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands.

Finally, the Environment section covers the fifth edition of the Circular Economy Stakeholders Conference, as well as renewed commitments to reduce air pollution

In December the UK’s leave date from the Union looms large on the horizon, with many still unsure of where negotiations will land.

EU Update – December, 2020