11 September 2019

MiFID – Secondary Markets

The European Commission today adopted a Communication reaffirming the EU’s commitment to accelerated climate ambition. Preparing for the Climate Action Summit by the United Nations Secretary General in New York on 23 September, the Commission recalls that the European Union has been at the forefront of global climate action, negotiating an inclusive international framework to respond to this challenge, while acting domestically with unity, speed and decisiveness. The EU has put concrete actions behind its Paris Agreement commitments, in line with the Juncker Commission priority of establishing an Energy Union with a forward-looking climate change policy.

Commission Vice-president for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič said: “With the Paris Agreement, for the first time all parties committed to reduce emissions. Now we must make sure these reductions are timely enough to avoid the worst of the climate crisis. The European Union will bring to New York the fruit of our work on the Energy Union: a realistic perspective of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050, backed by ambitious policies set in binding legislation. The EU has ensured that all sectors contribute to the transition. At the Climate Action Summit, we hope our plans will inspire other countries, and we hope to be inspired. Our message is simple: Europe delivers.”

Commissioner for Climate Action and energy, Miguel Arias Cañete said: “The European Union has a powerful story to tell at the UN Climate Summit later this month. We are a global climate leader and our climate action is an outstanding example of delivery, including in the context of our Long Term Strategy process. The EU’s approach is to ensure that climate ambition is not only about headline targets, but about actual delivery on our promises, about making sure that objectives will be fulfilled and emissions reductions will happen. As shown by the EU-wide survey published today, our approach has a very strong mandate from our citizens. I am proud to share these messages also in New York.”

The European Union is the first major economy to put in place a legally binding framework to deliver on its pledges under the Paris Agreement and it is successfully transitioning towards a low emissions economy, with a view to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Ambitious climate action enjoys strong democratic support. According to the latest special Eurobarometer on climate change as published today, 93% of Europeans believe that climate change is a serious problem.

Moreover, the EU and its member states, true to their commitment to multilateral action rooted in science, are actively preparing to communicate by early 2020 a long-term strategy with the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as proposed by the Commission. The Commission presented its vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy in November 2018 and a large majority of member states endorsed this vision in June 2019. According to the Eurobarometer, 92% of Europeans supported making the EU climate-neutral by 2050. Under the Paris Agreement, all parties have to present a long-term strategy by 2020.

Background

The EU continues to deliver on its commitments:

The EU has the most comprehensive and ambitious legislative framework on climate action in place and it is successfully transitioning towards a low emissions economy, aiming at climate neutrality by 2050 – between 1990 and 2017 its greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 23% while the economy grew by 58%.

The EU has already over-achieved its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target and has completed its unique binding legislative framework that will allow us to over-deliver on our climate targets for 2030. At the same time, the EU Adaptation Strategy has encouraged national, regional and local adaptation action since 2013.

Conscious that our emissions make up only around 9% of the global total, the EU is continuing its outreach and cooperation, financial and technical, to all partner countries. The EU remains the world’s leading donor of development assistance and the world’s biggest climate finance donor. Providing over 40% of the world’s public climate finance, the EU and its Member States’ contributions have more than doubled since 2013, exceeding EUR 20 billion annually.

Strong support from citizens

Ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit, the Commission carried out a special Eurobarometer on climate action and energy, which shows that in all EU Member States, citizens overwhelmingly support action taken to fight climate change, and want the EU and national leaders to increase their ambitions in this regard and strengthen Europe’s energy security.

The Eurobarometer shows that 93% of Europeans believe that climate change is a ‘serious problem’, and 79% see it as a ‘very serious problem’. Compared with the last Eurobarometer in 2017, climate change has overtaken international terrorism in being perceived as the second most serious problem facing the world today, after poverty, hunger and lack of drinking water.

The proportion of European citizens who have taken personal action to fight climate change has increased in all EU Member States to an EU wide average of more than nine in ten citizens (93%). The Eurobarometer results also show a demand for national governments to step up their own targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy (92%), and to give more public funding to renewable energy (84%). A strong majority of Europeans (72%) feel that reducing energy imports will have a positive impact on the economy and energy security, and 92% believe that EU must secure access to energy for all EU citizens.

For More Information

Communication on the 2019 Climate Action Summit hosted by the United Nations Secretary General in New York

Special Eurobarometer on Climate Change with Member State specific factsheets

Special Eurobarometer on Energy with Member State specific factsheets

Clean planet for all communication

The Energy Union: from vison to reality

Factsheet on the new legislative framework for energy and climate action

COLLEGE MEETING: The European Union continues to lead the global fight against climate change

The European Commission today adopted a Communication reaffirming the EU’s commitment to accelerated climate ambition. Preparing for the Climate Action Summit by the United Nations Secretary General in New York on 23 September, the Commission recalls that the European Union has been at the forefront of global climate action, while acting domestically with unity, speed and decisiveness. The EU has put concrete actions behind its Paris Agreement commitments, in line with the Juncker Commission priority of establishing an Energy Union with a forward-looking climate change policy. The Commission presented its vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy in November 2018 and a large majority of member states endorsed this vision in June 2019. According to the special Eurobarometer published today, 92% of Europeans support making the EU climate-neutral by 2050. A press release is available online. (For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 229 56186; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel.: +32 229 74959)

COLLEGE MEETING: The European Fiscal Board publishes its assessment of EU fiscal rules

The European Fiscal Board has today published an assessment of the EU fiscal rules with a particular focus on the six and two-pack legislation. Mr Niels Thygesen, Chair of the European Fiscal Board, presented the report at today’s College meeting. As part of its work on deepening Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union, the Commission has acknowledged the need to review the current EU fiscal rules, including in the Five Presidents’ Report in 2015 and the roadmap for deepening Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union presented in 2017. In this context, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker invited the European Fiscal Board in January to carry out the assessment that has been published today. The assessment includes a backward-looking part reviewing the effectiveness of the current set of EU fiscal rules and a forward-looking part with ideas on how the rules could evolve. The European Fiscal Board is an independent body mandated to advise the European Commission on the overall direction of fiscal policy of the euro area and to evaluate the implementation of the EU fiscal governance framework. The report is available here. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 56153; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151)

COLLEGE MEETING: European Commission appoints Principal Adviser in DG DEVCO, proposes to extend the term of office of railway agency Executive Director

The European Commission has today appointed Ms Arianna Vannini to the position of a Principal Adviser “Investment strategy for development and innovative financing” in its department for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO). Ms Vannini, an Italian national, joined the Commission from the Bank of Italy in 1995. Over the years, she worked in the private offices of Commissioner Mario Monti responsible for the internal market and for competition; of Vice-President Antonio Tajani in charge of transport, and of the former Commission President José Manuel Barroso. Ms Vannini first became Head of Unit in the Commission Competition policy department (DG COMP) in 2004. Over the years, she held several management positions in the Commission’s departments for competition and for human resources. She is currently Economic Advisor in the private office of High Representative/ Vice-President Federica Mogherini, in charge of, among others, the external financing aspects of EU’s next long-term budget. Also today, the Commission has decided to propose to the Management Board of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to extend the term of office of its current Executive Director, Mr Josef Doppelbauer, for a period of five years as of 1 January 2020. Mr Doppelbauer has been managing ERA since 2015, following some 25 years of experience in the railway technology sector. More information about Mr Doppelbauer’s professional background is available here. (For more information: Mina Andreeva – Tel.: +32 229 91382; Andreana Stankova – Tel.: +32 2 29 57857)

EU invests to improve road connection between Hungary and Slovakia

The EU invests €552.6 million to expand the M30 motorway and connect the city of Miskolc in Hungary and the town of Tornyosnémeti, at the border with Slovakia. This Cohesion Fund investment will allow traffic to move faster, improve road safety and reduce congestion. The project will bring closer to fruition the European transport network plan known as ‘Via Carpathia’, linking the Baltic with the Black and Aegean seas. Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said: “This road connection was long awaited and will directly benefit the one million inhabitants of the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén area, with faster, safer and more comfortable travel conditions. Ultimately, Hungary and Slovakia will benefit from the positive spillovers of better connectivity in terms of jobs, growth, tourism and trade.” EU-funded works include the construction of a 60-km motorway stretch and of 48 bridges. The construction will involve local companies and should be completed in February 2022. (For more information: Christian Spahr – Tel.: +32 2 295 00 55; Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tel.: +32 229 56169)

The EU steps up support to prevent violent extremism and radicalisation in Central Asia

The European Commission has mobilised additional €4 million to support the media, civil society organisations, and active citizens in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to prevent violent extremism and counter radicalisation. The new projects will support trainings and professionalisation of local journalists, activists and press officers to produce high-quality content, while fact-checking platforms to flag fake news will be created. The action, through the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, will also contribute to fighting disinformation, increasing resilience of local population and minorities, and developing counter-narratives. The support announced today will consolidate and advance activities started through a previous collaboration with the NGO Internews, promoting regional collaboration and the co-production of content related to peace and stability. Today’s conference at the European Endowment for Democracy in Brussels will present and showcase the main achievements and results of the first phase. More information is available here. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Alceo Smerilli – Tel.: +32 229 64887)

Mergers: Commission clears the creation of a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation and Panasonic Corporation

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation and Panasonic Corporation, both of Japan. The joint venture will be engaged in research and development, manufacture and sale of prismatic automotive batteries, as well as research and development into other automotive battery technologies. Toyota Motor Corporation designs, develops and sells automobiles, automotive components, and accessories. It also provides financing services, as well as leasing services for vehicles and equipment. Panasonic Corporation develops, manufactures and sells electrical and electronic products worldwide. Amongst a number of other products, it develops, manufactures and sells automotive batteries. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because of the limited activities of the joint venture in the European Economic Area. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9446. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni –Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Commissioner Stylianides welcomes Greek contribution to rescEU and addresses ELIAMEP Foundation

Tomorrow, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides visits Athens to welcome Greece’s contribution to the rescEU initial transition fleet during a special visit at the Elefsina air base together with Mr Michalis Chrisochoidis, Minister of Citizens’ Protection of Greece to mark an even closer cooperation in fighting forest fires in Europe and discuss the next steps for rescEU. He will also visit the Civil Protection Operations Centre (GSCP). Under the new rescEU programme Greece has put two firefighting airplanes at the disposal of the rescEU initial firefighting fleet which serves as an extra layer of citizen protection by the European Union. rescEU transition fleet has already been mobilised to tackle forest fires ravaging several areas of Greece in August this year for the first time in history. Commissioner Stylianides will also visit ‘Elpida’, the first oncological hospital for children in Athens, Greece where he will be honoured for his work by Ms Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the homonymous Foundation, of the ‘ELPIDA (HOPE) Friends’ Association of Children with cancer’ and of the ‘Orama ELIDAS’ Association. The same week Commissioner Stylianides will attend the 15th European Seminar organised by the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) to speak about ‘Europe’s New Agenda’ in Nafplio. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)

Le commissaire Moscovici à Istanbul (Turquie) demain

Pierre Moscovici, commissaire en charge des affaires économiques et financières, de la fiscalité et des douanes, est aujourd’hui et demain à Istanbul, en Turquie, où il prononcera le discours d’ouverture lors d’un séminaire annuel organisé par l’Institut du Bosphore sur le thème « Turquie – France – Union européenne, Tendance Actuelles : Pour un Avenir Intelligent Durable Inclusif ». Lors de son séjour à Istanbul, le Commissaire rencontrera également des représentants de TÜSİAD, une organisation représentant les entrepreneurs turcs, ainsi que le maire d’Istanbul, M. Ekrem İmamoğlu. (Pour plus d’informations: Annika Breidthardt – Tél.: +32 229 56153; Vanessa Mock – Tél.: +32 229 56194; Patrick McCullough – Tél.: +32 229 87183)

Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)

It is a pleasure to speak to you again about the Energy Union and climate change after the summer. It was a very hot summer, which is not only good news. For example, Agnès Buzyn, the French Health minister, announced on Sunday that the heatwave provoked an almost 10% spike in mortality in France in June and July. Climate change is with us and we’re vulnerable. There is no time to waste.

This is why the Commission gives its full support to the initiative of UN Secretary-General Guterres to convene a Climate Action Summit on 23 September.

The point of this event is not to negotiate new international rules. For this, we have the UN Climate Convention. What António Guterres asked for is that countries and other stakeholders come to New York announcing what more they can do to accelerate climate action. He asked to bring ‘not a speech but a plan.’

The EU will go there with confidence because President Tusk will have a great story to tell.

Building on the work of this Commission, we are bringing a realistic prospect of a climate-neutral Europe by mid-century. We are delivering on our 2020 targets, we have legislated to overachieve on our 2030 contribution to the Paris Agreement, and we have put on the table a strategy to go climate-neutral twenty years after, already supported by a large majority of our Member States.

We are also serious about financing our ambition, which is why we proposed that 25% of our next financial framework should be dedicated to climate-related activities, including for just and fair transition. And we remain the world’s largest donor of international climate finance, with EU and Member States’ contributions more than doubled since 2013.

The Communication we adopted today recalls these achievements and shows how the EU’s action is a basis for significantly strengthened global ambition. We hope that it will inspire other partners, particularly major economies, since our experience shows that economic growth and reducing emissions are not only compatible but actually mutually reinforcing.

And similarly, we hope to be inspired by action by other partners. We are always keen to share experiences and work together with others for a common goal.

In this vein, the Commission is also at the forefront of international efforts to redirect capital flows towards our climate goals. Vice-President Dombrovskis is preparing jointly with other partners an initiative that will be launched in New York called the ‘International Platform on Climate Finance’ to coordinate regulatory tools for capital markets.

The Climate Action Summit will give opportunities to present action not only by governments but also by other stakeholders. We look forward to seeing examples of ambitious action by businesses, civil society, the financial sector, and of course cities and local authorities.

The European Union is committed to securing the success of the 2019 Climate Action Summit. It will be the last major international climate event in this mandate and I am confident it will give great inspiration to our successors to build upon our achievements.

10 September 2019

Ms Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė joined Eurojust as National Member for Lithuania on 20 August. Ms Šniutytė-Daugėlienė replaced Ms Laima Čekelienė, who returned to Lithuania after serving as Eurojust National Member for 11 years.

After receiving a Master’s Degree in Law from Lithuanian Law University in Vilnius in 1999, Ms Šniutytė-Daugėlienė began her legal career as a public prosecutor in the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Klaipeda, Lithuania, where she worked for 13 years, dealing with international legal cooperation and analysis of prosecution policy, as well as conducting and supervising criminal investigations. From 2011 to 2017, Ms Šniutytė-Daugėlienė served as EJN contact point.

In 2012, Ms Šniutytė-Daugėlienė was promoted to Chief Public Prosecutor of the 2nd Criminal Prosecution Division at the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Klaipeda, which specialises in fighting fraud, money laundering, smuggling, other crimes against the economy, business order and the financial system. She worked there for four years supervising these investigations. During that time, Ms Šniutytė-Daugelienė attended several coordination meetings at Eurojust.

In 2016, Ms Šniutytė-Daugėlienė was appointed as Deputy Prosecutor General. During that time, she supervised international cooperation activities, training and protection of the public interest, including the activities of territorial prosecutor’s offices, of the Prosecution Service. She filled that position until her arrival at Eurojust.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Šniutytė-Daugelienė said: ‘I learned about particularities of the work of Eurojust ten years ago during a Eurojust marketing seminar in Lithuania. I am so happy to finally be able to serve both my country and my colleagues at Eurojust as National Member. My twenty-year prosecutors’ experience as well in international cooperation matters should provide me with an excellent basis for carrying out my duties here in the Eurojust family. I fully understand the role and added value of Eurojust in fighting serious organised cross-border crime and I will do my best to contribute to helping Eurojust to play a leading role in the areas of security and justice. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead.’

Photo © Eurojust