Help for livestock farmers, excess milk production

Three possible 'plan Bs' for Brexit are defined in research carried out by Michael Emerson, in a 24-page policy paper spanning a range of views, from which EurActiv publishes the Executive Summary. Michael Emerson is Associate Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies: http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/opinion/three-plan-bs-for-brexit/

Members of the European Parliament fear they will be swamped by a sudden flood of energy legislation this year, with some urging their colleagues to resist the temptation of "optimising" laws in endless negotiating rounds, EurActiv reports. The European Commission is preparing a make-or-break "year of delivery" on its flagship Energy Union strategy, with a steady stream of bills proposals expected in 2016: http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/parliament-braced-for-tsunami-of-legislation-on-energy-union/

The European Commission's new EU internet scoreboard has sparked a wave of mea culpas among the member states that ranked lowest for connectivity and digital skills, EurActiv reports: http://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/eu-countries-issue-mea-culpas-for-poor-marks-on-internet-connectivity/

The EU's agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said on Thursday (25 February) he was ready to work with France to take further steps to help struggling livestock farmers after weeks of protests by farmers over low prices in the European Union's biggest agricultural economy, EurActiv reports: http://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/commission-says-ready-to-back-help-for-livestock-farmers/

The European Union on Thursday (25 February) formally lifted nearly all of its sanctions against Belarus, including President Alexander Lukashenko, citing improvements in the country's human rights record, EurActiv reports: http://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/eu-ends-belarus-sanctions/

The EU Refining Forum provides an opportunity for the EU Member States, Members of the European Parliament, the Commission, industry and other stakeholders to come together and discuss planned and future regulatory proposals with potentially significant impacts on the competitiveness of EU oil refining industry and on the EU's security of supply of petroleum products. EurActiv carries a video interview with John Cooper, Director General of FuelsEurope ahead of the 6th EU Refining Forum on 1 March: http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/video/6th-eu-refining-forum-will-take-place-on-1-march-2016/

A temporary 'slimming down' scheme for the milk sector, led by the European Commission, would provide a strong EU-wide response to rebalance the market, according to an op-ed in EurActiv. With €500 million, the quantity of milk available on the market could be reduced by more than 2 million tonnes, writes Yves Madre, co-founder of Farm Europe, a Brussels-based think tank that aims to stimulate thinking on rural economies in the European Union: http://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/opinion/bringing-an-end-to-the-never-ending-milk-crisis/

Thanks to Peter Morris, European Movement