Le Plan Juncker soutient 180 millions d’euros de financement pour un programme d’économie circulaire en France et l’innovation industrielle en Espagne
La Banque Européenne d’Investissement (BEI) finance deux projets innovants en France et en Espagne à hauteur de 180 millions d’euros, avec le soutien du Fonds européen pour les investissements stratégiques (EFSI), aussi appelé Plan Juncker. Le premier projet est un prêt de 130 millions d’euros destiné au groupe Derichebourg afin de soutenir son programme pluriannuel d’investissements en France dans le domaine du recyclage et de l’économie circulaire. Le deuxième projet concerne 50 millions d’euros de financement pour la société espagnole Sidenor, spécialisée dans l’acier, pour encourager ses efforts dans l’efficacité énergétique, la digitalisation, et l’innovation. Concernant le projet français, Pierre Moscovici, commissaire européen en charge des affaires économiques et financières, de la fiscalité et des douanes, a déclaré: « Je me réjouis de la signature de cet accord, car c’est une étape supplémentaire vers une Europe plus durable. Grâce au Plan Juncker, l’entreprise Derichebourg pourra développer un programme de financements destiné à améliorer ses services dans le domaine du recyclage et de l’économie circulaire. C’est une première en France ! » Les communiqués de presse sont disponibles ici. En juin 2019, le plan Juncker a mobilisé près de 410 milliards d’euros d’investissements supplémentaires dans toute l’UE, dont 69,3 milliards en France et 43,5 milliards en Espagne. Le plan soutient actuellement 952 000 petites et moyennes entreprises en Europe. (Pour plus d’informations: Annika Breidthardt – Tél.: +32 229-56153; Siobhan Millbright – Tél.: +32 229 57361)
Commissioner Mimica in Ethiopia to sign a new EU funding package for the African Peace Facility
Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica is visiting Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today where he will meet with Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission to sign a new EU funding package for the African Peace Facility. During his visit, Commissioner Mimica also signed a €36 million budget support contribution to support Ethiopia’s green growth, and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The bulk of the EU’s contribution, €33 million in budget support, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from forestry and industry. An additional €3 million will enhance the country’s measurement, reporting and verification systems, making them compliant with Paris Agreement standards. The Commissioner also met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to discuss ongoing reforms in the country and in the region. He will also meet Parfait Oninga, UNSG Special Representative for the Horn of Africa. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)
Humanitarian Aid: €10.5 million for South and South East Asia
To help the most affected communities in South and South East Asia hit by natural disasters and humanitarian crises, the European Commission has mobilised a new humanitarian funding package worth €10.5 million. This includes €1.5 million in emergency aid for the victims of ongoing monsoons in India and Bangladesh, where more than 500,000 people have been displaced. The remaining funds will be provided in Nepal and the Philippines as well as fordisaster risk reductioninitiatives in the region. “The countries in South Asia are facing an increasingly worse monsoon season. Heavy rains and flooding have created a large-scale humanitarian situation in India and Bangladesh. During these difficult times, EU solidarity makes a difference: our support will reach those most in need providing water, sanitation and essential supplies. In the wider region, the EU is also supporting Nepal and the Philippines to be better prepared for natural disasters and get aid to those most in need,”said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides. More details are available in the press release here. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)
Ebola: l’UE en contact avec l’Organisation mondiale de la santé pour renforcer l’aide humanitaire
Le commissaire chargé de l’aide humanitaire et de la gestion des crises, Christos Stylianides, a été en contact ce week-end avec le Directeur de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), le Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pour discuter des derniers développements de l’épidémie d’Ebola en République démocratique du Congo. À la suite du communiqué publié par l’OMS la semaine dernière, déclarant que l’épidémie d’Ebola en RDC était devenue une urgence sanitaire mondiale, le commissaire Stylianides, également coordinateur de l’UE contre Ebola, a réaffirmé l’engagement de l’UE à poursuivre son soutien à la lutte contre le virus et à intensifier son aide. « En ce moment critique, la communauté internationale doit redoubler d’efforts pour lutter contre Ebola. Nous devons tirer les leçons de la situation en Afrique de l’Ouest pour éviter toute propagation supplémentaire. Le temps presse. L’Union européenne est à la pointe de la réponse internationale pour soutenir les autorités congolaises et l’OMS. Nous sommes prêts à fournir une aide supplémentaire, que ce soit par le déploiement du Corps médical européen ou par un soutien financier additionnel », a déclaré le commissaire Stylianides. L’UE a été l’un des principaux donateurs depuis le déclenchement de l’épidémie l’année dernière, apportant une aide humanitaire (17 millions d’euros) ainsi que des experts, mobilisant les services aériens humanitaires ECHO pour livrer des fournitures, investissant dans la recherche et le développement de vaccins, et soutenant le secteur de la santé en RDC. En outre, l’UE apporte son aide à travers le mécanisme de protection civile de l’UE, tout en aidant les pays voisins, l’Ouganda, le Soudan du Sud, le Rwanda et le Burundi, à mettre en place des mesures de prévention et de préparation. Une fiche d’information sur la réponse de l’UE à l’épidémie d’Ebola est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations : Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tél.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tél.: +32 229 69140)
Security Union: EU-U.S. cooperation on tackling terrorist financing continues to produce results
Cooperation between the EU and the U.S. on tracking terrorist financing has continued to yield positive results with over 70,000 leads generated between 2016 and 2018 – some of which were instrumental in bringing forward investigations relating to terrorist attacks on EU soil, including those in Stockholm, Barcelona and Turku. According to the Joint Report published today, the Commission is satisfied with EU-U.S. cooperation under the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme (TFTP) and the essential safeguards and controls, such as data protection, continue to be properly implemented. The TFTP is a key instrument to provide timely, accurate and reliable information to identify and track terrorists and their support networks worldwide. EU Member States and Europol have increasingly used the mechanism and the number of leads generated by TFTP soared between 2016 and 2018 to 70,991 as compared to 8,998 in the previous reporting period. In the report published today, the Commission suggests that Member States provide regular feedback on the leads received from the U.S. and encourages Europol’s continued efforts in providing support to Member States. The next Joint Review of the Agreement is expected in 2021. The full Report and Staff Working Document are available online. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229 67456; Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 229 80423).
Fighting unfair contract terms: Commission issues guidance to better protect consumers
The European Commission adopted today a guidance note on unfair contract terms. This guidance should ensure that consumer associations and legal practitioners, including judges, will be better equipped to protect EU consumers from unfair contract terms. Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Věra Jourová said: “Every time a consumer buys a product or a service from a professional trader, they enter into a contract. Contracts must be transparent and must not give traders unfair advantages over consumers. The new guidance notice will be a valuable tool for consumer right defenders and legal practitioners.” The guidance note is based on the rich amount of case law of the European Court of Justice, referring to existing rulings on unfair terms in mortgage credit contracts, in loans taken out in foreign currencies, as well as in mortgage enforcement that affect a high number of consumers in the EU.As a complement to the guidance note, European businesses organisations have drawn up recommendations on how mandatory consumer information as well as terms and conditions can be presented to consumers in a more user-friendly and transparent way. Both initiatives follow up on the REFIT Fitness Check of EU consumer and marketing law, as announced in the Commission’s Communication on a New Deal for Consumers. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Mélanie Voin – Tel.: +32 229 58659)
Trade: EU agri-food exports continue growing at record pace
The latest monthly agri-food trade report published today shows that a strong increase in exports observed from the beginning of the year continues. According to the latest monthly data available (May 2019), agri-food exports are now doing 13% better than a year ago. The best performing exports include pork meat, spirits and liqueurs, wine and vermouth, and infant food. The most significant export growth was register for the U.S., China, as well as Japan and Canada, two partners with whom the EU has recent trade agreements in place. A less significant (6%) increase in import value was mostly due to trends for oilcakes, cocoa beans, tropical fruit and vegetable oils and imports from the U.S., China and Ukraine. See the full report for more details including evolution of trade balance for each product category and the main trading partners from June 2018 to May 2019.(For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 2 295 61 85; Kinga Malinowska – Tel.:+32 2 295 13 83 )
State aid: Commission adopts new Notice on recovery of illegal State aid
The European Commission has adopted a new Notice on the implementation of Commission decisions ordering Member States to recover unlawful and incompatible State aid (the “Recovery Notice”). The new Recovery Notice replaces the 2007 Recovery Notice. As the 2007 Recovery Notice, the new Notice is primarily addressed to the authorities of the Member States in charge of implementing Commission decisions ordering recovery of illegal State aid. It explains the European rules and procedures governing the recovery of State aid and how the Commission works with Member States to ensure compliance with their obligations with respect to recovery. Since the adoption of the 2007 Recovery Notice the Commission’s practice and the case law of the Union Courts has evolved. The new Recovery Notice takes stock of those developments. It explains in greater detail how the Commission may assist Member States during the recovery phase, for instance by organising kick-off meetings, as well as by sharing documents and working methods plans. Furthermore, compared to the existing Notice, the new Notice provides specific guidance to Member States on the quantification of the aid to be recovered and on the identification of the “beneficiaries”, i.e. the companies that benefitted from the illegal State aid. It also includes specific sections with detailed explanations on how to implement recovery in case of tax reliefs, insolvency proceedings and restructuring. Finally, a new contact point is available for queries: comp‑recovery‑state‑aid@ec.europa.eu. The new Recovery Notice takes into account comments received in a public consultation that ended in April 2019. The Commission has also consulted the Member States and the EFTA Surveillance authority. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel.: +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
State aid: Commission approves €171.7 million compensation to Poste Italiane for distributing newspapers at reduced tariffs
The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules a €171.74 million public service compensation granted by Italy to Poste Italiane for distributing, at reduced tariffs, newspapers and publications of book publishers and non-profit organisations in the period 2017-2019. Italy entrusted Poste Italiane with the obligation of providing this service of general economic interest (“SGEI”), which aims at preserving and fostering media plurality and diversity of views by charging reduced rates to publishers and newspapers for the distribution of certain categories of press. The Commission assessed the measure under the EU State aid rules on public service compensation. The Commission found that the level of compensation did not exceed the amount needed to cover the net cost borne by Poste Italiane for providing the service. Furthermore, in 2018, the Italian authorities carried out a public consultation, which confirmed that the SGEI consisting in the reduced tariffs offered to publishers and not-for-profit organizations is considered as important by users. The Commission concluded that the Italian measure is in line with EU State aid rules, as it fosters a service of general public interest and promotes media plurality, without unduly distorting competition. The full press release is available online in EN, FR, DE and IT. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel.: +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner Avramopoulos participates in ministerial meeting on migration in Paris
Commissioner Avramopoulos is in Paris today to participate in an informal ministerial meeting on migration in the Mediterranean, organised by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner. The meeting is being attended by foreign affairs ministers and ministers of interior of the EU, the European Border and Coast Guard, the European Asylum Support Office, the UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration, and the African Union. Topics for discussion include temporary arrangements following disembarkation, measures to improve returns and cooperation with countries of origin and of transit, resettlement and the situation in Libya. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229 67456; Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 229 80423).
Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)
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