L’UE débloque 7,2 millions d’euros pour intensifier la lutte contre Ebola en République Démocratique du Congo
La Commission alloue 7,2 millions d’euros supplémentaires pour renforcer sa réponse face au virus Ebola, qui n’est pas encore sous contrôle, en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). Le montant total de la réponse de l’UE face à cette crise s’élève jusqu’à présent à 12,83 millions d’euros en 2018. Le commissaire en charge de l’aide humanitaire et de la gestion de crises, Christos Stylianides, a déclaré: “Nous devons gagner la lutte contre le virus Ebola en RDC qui a déjà fait 150 victimes. Le soutien de l’UE comprend l’expertise technique, les services aériens humanitaires, le financement de la recherche et l’assistance humanitaire. Nous travaillons en étroit contact avec l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé et les autorités nationales pour lutter contre l’épidémie. Nous ne baissons pas la garde et nous maintiendrons notre assistance aussi longtemps que nécessaire”. Le financement de l’UE va aider les organisations partenaires sur place à déployer des capacités d’appoint dans les zones affectées. Cela va améliorer la surveillance et les capacités de suivi des victimes d’Ebola, notamment les cas précoces. Le soutien de l’UE couvrira également la communication avec les communautés affectées sur les risques et les comportements à adopter pour prévenir la propagation de l’épidémie, y compris un soutien psychosocial et une préparation pour des funérailles sûres et dignes. Le communiqué de presse complet est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)
EU and Japan discuss economic cooperation at the 1st High-level Industrial, Trade and Economic Dialogue
The discussions covered a range of strategic topics of importance for EU-Japan relations and their cooperation in addressing global challenges. The High-Level Dialogue focused on four main areas: global trade challenges; economic transformations linked to energy, environment and climate change issues; international investment and connectivity initiatives; and the digital economy. This Dialogue is a specific platform for strategic discussions whose establishment was endorsed by the 25th EU-Japan Summit held on 17 July 2018. The Dialogue was held by between Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr. Hiroshige Seko and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Taro Kono, as co-chairs on the Japanese side, and the European Commission’s Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Mr. Jyrki Katainen. Both sides confirmed the EU and Japan’s commitments to aim for the early entry into force of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and make their utmost effort to promote the completion of respective domestic procedures by the end of this year. For more information, a full press release is available here. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tél .: +32 229 56 185; Christian Spahr – Tél.: +32 229 50055, Kinga Malinowska – Tél.: +32 229 51383, Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tel.: +32 229 56169)
Aides d’État: la Commission donne son feu vert à un soutien public de 200 millions d’euros aux énergies renouvelables en faveur des autoproducteurs d’électricité en France
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles de l’UE en matière d’aides d’État, une mesure d’aide en faveur de la production d’électricité à partir de sources renouvelables à des fins d’autoconsommation en France. La mesure est destinée à encourager la production d’électricité à partir de sources renouvelables par des entreprises et des particuliers pour leur propre usage (autoconsommation), plus spécifiquement pour les cas où seule une part limitée de l’électricité qu’ils produisent est vendue au réseau. Ce régime, doté d’un budget indicatif de 200 millions d’euros, est financé sur le budget de l’État français. Les bénéficiaires seront sélectionnés dans le cadre d’appels d’offres organisés jusqu’en 2020, auxquels toutes les technologies liées aux énergies renouvelables peuvent participer. Les installations sélectionnées bénéficieront d’un soutien sous la forme d’une prime venant s’ajouter au prix du marché, qui sera accordée pour une période de 10 ans. La Commission a apprécié le régime au regard des règles de l’UE en matière d’aides d’État, en particulier sur la base de ses lignes directrices de 2014 concernant les aides d’État à la protection de l’environnement et à l’énergie. Elle a constaté que le régime français encouragera le développement des énergies renouvelables à des fins d’autoconsommation et évitera toute surcompensation pour les bénéficiaires du soutien public et est ainsi parvenue à la conclusion que cette mesure permettra à la France d’augmenter la part d’électricité produite à partir de sources d’énergie renouvelables afin d’atteindre ses objectifs en matière de climat, conformément aux objectifs environnementaux de l’UE, tandis que les éventuelles distorsions de concurrence engendrées par le soutien de l’État seront réduites au minimum. Margrethe Vestager, commissaire chargée de la politique de concurrence, a fait la déclaration suivante: «Ce régime stimulera la concurrence entre les sources d’énergie renouvelables pour les autoproducteurs et augmentera davantage encore la part des énergies renouvelables dans le bouquet énergétique de la France. Les appels d’offres neutres du point de vue technologique contribueront à la transition de la France vers un approvisionnement énergétique sobre en carbone et durable sur le plan environnemental, conformément aux objectifs environnementaux de l’UE et à nos règles en matière d’aides d’État.» Le communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne en EN, FR, DE. (Pour plus d’informations: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344)
Celebrating EU labour mobility: 60 years of social security coordination and 50 years of free movement for workers
On Monday, 22 October, the Commission will launch a campaign celebrating several big milestones of the European integration, as the year 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of EU rules on the coordination of social security systems, and the 50th anniversary of the founding regulations on freedom of movement for workers. On the occasion of the campaign launch, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, said: “Free movement is more than a fundamental right established in the EU Treaties. It is a living reality, enjoyed by millions. This free movement could not be established in one go. It required legislation to make it concrete. And right from the outset it had to be accompanied with appropriate safeguards. Today, we commemorate the first and crucial legislative steps, while continuing to improve the rules. Indeed, we still have a couple of proposals on the table setting clear, fair and enforceable rules to ensure fair labour mobility. In the coming weeks, I will dedicate all my energy to make sure these proposals get approved and become a reality on the ground.” Free movement is one of the most cherished accomplishments of the European Union. Since taking up office in 2014, the Juncker Commission has made a considerable effort to facilitate free movement of workers and protecting their rights, while avoiding social dumping and giving national authorities the tools to fight risks of abuse or cases of fraud. We put several initiatives in this sense on the table – from the revision of the posting of workers directive to the modernisation of the coordination of social security systems and the proposal for a European Labour Authority. Commissioner Thyssen’s speech launching the campaign is available here. More information on the campaign here. (For more information: Christian Wigand– Tel.: +32 229 62253; Sara Soumillion – Tel.: + 32 229 67094)
Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of joint control of certain industrial gas and helium assets of Linde and Praxair by Messer and CVC
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of industrial gas assets and businesses in North and South America, as well as global helium sourcing contracts and related assets (together, the “Divestment Business”), by CVC Capital Partners SICAV-FIS S.A.(“CVC”) of Luxembourg and Messer Group GmbH(“Messer”) of Germany. The Divestment Business is being divested in the context of the merger between Praxair and Linde.Messeris a supplier of industrial gases, which is mainly active in Europe and Asia. CVCis aprivate equity and investment advisory firm. The Commission examined the effect of the transaction on the markets for the supply of helium and concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because of its limited impact on the markets concerned. As regards the merger between Praxair and Linde, the Commission’s August 2018 decision requires the companies to sell the global helium sourcing contracts and related assets included in the Divestment Business to suitable purchaser(s). The decision adopted today does not prejudge the outcome of that separate assessment. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9059. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of GitHub by Microsoft
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of GitHub by Microsoft. Microsoft and GitHub both supply tools that organisations and individuals use when developing and releasing software (“DevOps tools”). In particular, (i) both companies provide access to platforms for software development allowing developers to collaborate on source code and (ii) both provide code editors and integrated development environments. The Commission found that the combination of Microsoft and GitHub’s activities on these markets would raise no competition concerns because the merged entity would continue to face significant competition from other players on both markets. The Commission also assessed whether there would be a risk of weakened competition, if Microsoft were to leverage the popularity of GitHub’s software development platform to boost its own sales of DevOps tools and cloud services. The market investigation confirmed that Microsoft would not have the market power to undermine the open nature of GitHub to the detriment of competing DevOps tools and cloud services. Therefore, following its phase I investigation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would raise no competition concerns in any of the affected markets and cleared the case unconditionally. The full press release is available online in EN, FR, DE.(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
EU adopts new actions to enforce rule of law in Jordan bringing the overall support to the country to nearly €2 billion
Commissioner Hahn signed a new €50 million programme to support Jordan‘s justice sector reform efforts to enhance the rule of law, effectiveness of the justice sector and access to justice. With this programme, the EU has provided nearly €2 billion in support to Jordan since 2011. At the signing ceremony in Amman, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said: “The EU has been a strong supporter of Jordan’s justice reforms over a number of years, because, as His Majesty King Abdullah II has said, the rule of law is the guarantor of any individual and public rights, providing the effective framework for an efficient public administration and the basis for a safe and fair society. This €50 million programme takes EU support to Jordan since 2011 to nearly €2 billion of total financial support. The EU remains committed to keep supporting Jordan and its ambitious reforms at this difficult time“. The full press release is available online as well as a dedicated factograph and the factsheet: “Responding to the Syrian crisis – EU support to resilience in Jordan” (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Alceo Smerilli – Tel.:+32 229 64887)
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