• Key support for largest public research centre in Greece tackling research brain drain
• Financing a EUR 48 million project for new research buildings and renovation of existing infrastructure
• Project to enable expansion of Lefkippos Technology Park and increase business partnership
• The EIB loan follows recent EIB support in the education sector in Greece, backing investments at nine Greek universities and financing the establishment of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation

The European Investment Bank today confirmed its support for the EUR 48 million expansion and modernisation of the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, the largest public research centre in Greece. The project has also benefited from the support of InnovFin Advisory, one of the InnovFin tools, which provided Demokritos with advice to improve its access to finance.

The EIB will provide EUR 24 million for the project that includes construction of three new buildings and renovation of existing facilities to host renowned research institutes. The new investment will also expand capacity at the Lefkippos Technology Park, located within the Demokritos campus, to enable increased research collaboration among Greek and international business partners.

100 specialist senior research jobs are expected to be created once construction is complete and more than 38,000 m² of specialist research facilities will be constructed, renovated or improved.

The 25 year European Investment Bank loan, the first ever EIB support for the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, was formally signed today at the Demokritos campus by Christos Dimas, Deputy Minister of Development and Investments and Andrew McDowell, European Investment Bank Vice President. European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Demokritos researchers and staff attended the announcement.

“Greece is home to world class research, cutting edge innovation and collaboration with partners from around the world. However, new investment is essential to ensure that Greek researchers are not forced to take their skills and knowledge abroad. The impressive planned expansion of Demokritos marks a new era in Greek public research and will strengthen Greek contribution for natural sciences. I welcome the European Investment Bank’s vote of confidence in Greek research and their support for the EUR 48 million development programme. This builds on the EIB’s recent support to transform education and learning at universities across Greece and the Bank’s key role enabling the establishment of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation.” said Christos Staikouras, Minister of Finance of the Hellenic Republic and Governor of the European Investment Bank.

“The European Investment Bank recognises the importance of new investment across Europe to build on innovation strengths, enhance research collaboration and improve skills. The European Investment Bank is pleased to be able to provide EUR 24 million for this exciting and ambitious project to transform the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” and provide world-class opportunities for future generations of Greek researchers. The first ever EIB financing for Demokritos reflects the EIB’s commitment to support innovation and education in Greece and demonstrates how EIB financing is benefiting this country.” said Andrew McDowell, European Investment Bank Vice President responsible for lending operations in Greece.

“Demokritos represents the impressive strengths and diversity of Greek research that makes a key contribution to European innovation. Transformation of the Demokritos campus and Lefkippos Technology Park is a flagship project of national and European importance. This demonstrates the impact of European engagement to ensure a better future for Greece.” said Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission.

All of us at the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” are humbled by the recognition and trust the Centre receives by the European Union and the Hellenic Republic. We are grateful to EIB for their valuable support. We are confident and fully committed to transform Demokritos’ campus into a vibrant ecosystem for Research and Innovation, accomplishing scientific advancements of world-class impact and innovation for the benefit of the Greek Society, said the current and former Presidents of the Centre Drs Vassilis Kilikoglou and Georgios Nounesis.

Demokritos is the largest multidisciplinary research centre in Greece, with about 630 researchers working in projects funded mainly by grants from State funds, the European Union and the private sector. The Centre consists of five independent Institutes focusing on different scientific fields and is supervised by the General Secretariat of Research and Technology, which is in the Ministry of Development and Investments

Parliamentary Speakers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia will gather on Tuesday to discuss European prospects for the Western Balkans. They will be joined by the president of Croatia’s Parliament, the country currently holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The speakers will meet European Parliament President David Sassoli, the chairs of EP political groups as well as the Foreign Affairs Committee’s Working Group on the Western Balkans.

President David Sassoli said: “I am looking forward to welcoming the speakers from the Western Balkans to the European Parliament. This house has always been firmly committed to the European perspective of the Western Balkans. It is well known that we were very disappointed by the failure of the European Council to start negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia last October. It is now time to move on together and keep pushing for progress. Parliaments are essential in this regard. I convened this Summit for us to develop a strategy for the role that Parliaments can play in driving the EU reform agenda and in delivering concrete measures to meet the European aspirations of the people of the Western Balkans. I am convinced that there is no better time and place to do so.”

Parliamentary cooperation, the future of Europe and the enlargement process, which has stalled following disagreement in Council on opening accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, are on the summit’s agenda. In its resolution adopted last October, Parliament expressed disappointment that Albania and North Macedonia were not able to start accession talks, stressing that the enlargement process has played a decisive role in stabilising the Western Balkans.

The meeting with the members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Working Group on the Western Balkans will be open to the public: you can watch it live.

The summit is organised under the patronage of President Sassoli, in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Committee and the delegations for relations with the Western Balkans.

When: Tuesday, 28 January 18.00

Where: Brussels, SPAAK Building, room 3C50

Full programme

21 January

ESMA publishes responses to joint consultation paper on PRIIPs KID​

ESMA has published the responses received to the Joint Consultation Paper concerning amendments to the PRIIPs KID.

17 January

ESMA consults on the use of No Data options in securitisation reporting

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has published a Consultation Paper on Guidelines on securitisation repository data completeness and consistency thresholds. The consultation’s objective is to help market participants and securitisation repositories to understand ESMA’s expected maximum use of No Data options contained within a securitisation data submission.

13 January

ESMA publishes responses to its consultation on MiFID II review report on position limits

ESMA has published the responses received to its consultation on MiFID II review report on position limits and position management.

10 January

ESMA report values EU Alternative Investment Funds at €5.8 trillion

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its second statistical report on European Union (EU) Alternative Investment Funds (AIF). The study found that the EU AIF sector in 2018, as measured by Net Asset Value (NAV), amounted to €5.8tn or nearly 40% of the total EU fund industry. The report is based on data from 30,357 AIFs, or almost 100% of the market.

09 January

MIFID II: ESMA ISSUES LATEST DOUBLE VOLUME CAP DATA

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has updated its public register with the latest set of double volume cap (DVC) data under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II).

09 January

ESMA announces key priorities for 2020-22

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has published its Strategic Orientation for 2020-22. The Strategic Orientation sets out ESMA’s future focus and objectives and reflects its expanded responsibilities and powers following the ESAs Review, and EMIR 2.2, which increases its focus on supervisory convergence, strengthens its role in building the Capital Markets Union (CMU) and gives it with more direct supervision responsibilities.  

07 January

ESMA clarifies rules for CCPs’ membership criteria and due diligence

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued a report on a survey it conducted into membership arrangements and due diligence by central counterparties (CCPs) towards their clearing members.

07 January

ESMA assesses EU financial market impact of circuit breakers

The European Securities and Markets Regulator (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, publishes a study on the market impacts of circuit breakers.

06 January

ESMA clarifies SFTR reporting

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its final report, its Guidelines on reporting under the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR), amended SFTR validation rulesand a statementon Legal Entity Identifiers (LEI).

23 December

ESMA extends recognition decisions for 3 UK CCPs in the event of a no-deal Brexit

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has announcedthat it has extended the recognition decisions for the three central counterparties (CCPs) established in the United Kingdom (UK) to reflect the extension of the expiry date of the Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/2031 of the European Commission on the equivalence of the UK CCP legal framework.

20 December

ESMA: EU issuers need to improve their disclosure of alternative performance measures

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a report on European Union (EU) issuers’ use of Alternative Performance Measures (APMs) and their compliance with ESMA’s APM Guidelines.

20 December 

ESMA updates ISO 20022 XML schemas for SFTR Reporting

The European Securities and Markets Authorty (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has published updated ISO 20022 XML Schemas to be used for reporting under the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR).

20 December

​ESMA provides updated XML schema and reporting instructions for securitisation reporting

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets’ regulator, has published updated reporting instructions and XML schema for the templates set out in the technical standards on disclosure requirements.

20  December

ESMA updates ESEF XBRL taxonomy files to facilitate implementation of the ESEF regulation

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU securities markets regulator, has updated the ESEF XBRL taxonomy files to reflect the 2019 update of the ESEF Regulation.

20 December

ESMA: further action needed on fees for credit ratings and Trade   Repository services

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a Follow Up to the Thematic Report on fees charged by Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) and Trade Repositories (TRs).

Place:
Europa building

Chair:
Marija Vučković, Minister for Agriculture of Croatia

All times are approximate and subject to change

+/- 08.00
Arrivals

+/- 08.40
Doorstep by Minister Vučković

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the Council meeting (Roundtable Agriculture)
Adoption of the agenda

+/- 10.05
Adoption of non-legislative A items

+/- 10.10
Adoption of legislative A items (public session)

+/- 10.15
Work programme of the Presidency (public session)

+/- 10.40
Any other business: Animal welfare labelling (public session)

+/- 11.00
Any other business: Outcome of the high-level international conference “The future of global pork production under the threat of African swine fever” (Berlin, 17 January 2020) (public session)

+/- 11.25
European Green Deal – agricultural aspects (public session)

+/- 13.00
Ministerial lunch

+/- 15.15
European Green Deal – agricultural aspects (public session)

+/- 15.55
Any other business: Joint Statement of the Ministers of Agriculture of Germany, Spain and France on future CAP in the context of the European Green Deal (public session)

+/- 16.15
Any other business: Regulation on CAP transitional rules (public session)

+/- 17.55
Any other business: Origin labelling of honey blends (public session)

+/- 18.25
Press conference (live streaming)

Friday 24 January 2020
Signature of the Brexit withdrawal agreement by Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen
Tirana
12.45 Meeting with Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama
13.20 Press conference
13.50 Working lunch
Skopje
18.30 Meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Oliver Spasovski
19.15 Meeting with President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski
19.40 Press conference
20.00 Working dinner with President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski and Minister for Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov

Saturday 25 January 2020
Skopje
12.00 Visit of Skopje collector, waste treatment plant financed by the European Investment Bank

Monday 27 January 2020
Auschwitz
15.30 Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp

Tuesday 28 January 2020
11.00 Meeting with President of the European Committee of the Regions Karl-Heinz Lambertz
12.00 Meeting with Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela
14.00 Meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk

Thursday 30 January 2020
Bazoches sur Guyonne (France) – Presidents’ retreat: preparing the future
14.00 Arrival to the Jean Monnet Museum-House
15.00 Working sessions