European Semester 2019 Spring Package: Commission issues recommendations for Member States to advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth
Vice-President Dombrovskis, Commissioner Thyssen and Commissioner Moscovici are presenting the European Commission’s 2019 country-specific recommendations (CSRs), giving economic policy guidance to all EU Member States for the next 12 to 18 months. The Commission calls on Member States to build on the progress made in recent years in pursuing effective structural reforms, well-targeted investment strategies and responsible fiscal policies as a successful compass for modernising the European economy. The country-specific recommendations for 2019 include a stronger focus on identifying and prioritising investment needs at national level and pay special attention to regional and territorial disparities. The Commission also recommends closing the Excessive Deficit Procedure for Spain and adopts reports for Belgium, France, Italy and Cyprus under Article 126(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). It also adopts the third report for Greece under the Enhanced Surveillance framework. A press release in all languages is available here. A memo is available here. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 50055; Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 229 62253; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976; Sara Soumillion – Tel.: +32 229 67094)
COLLEGE MEETING: EU budget 2020: Commission focuses its proposal on jobs, growth and security
The European Commission has today proposed an EU budget of €168.3 billion for 2020 for a more competitive European economy, and for solidarity and security in the EU and beyond. This budget is the seventh and last one under the current 2014-2020 long-term EU budget and operates within the limitations set therein. It is designed to optimise funding for existing programmes as well as new initiatives and to boost the European added value in line with the Juncker Commission’s priorities. Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources, said: “The draft 2020 EU budget is the last budget proposal of the Juncker Commission. It seeks to continue supporting EU’s priorities- jobs, growth, young people, climate change, security and solidarity- and to prepare the transition to the next budgetary cycle. I invite the Council and the new Parliament to come to a timely agreement that would provide stability for the EU’s future.” As per the Commission proposal, the money under the 2020 budget will go to the following priority areas: competitive economy and young people; and strengthening security and solidarity in the EU, climate change and beyond. More information is available online in the press release and MEMO. Follow the press point of Commissioner Oettinger with Members of the European Parliament live at 14.45 CET on EbS. (For more information: Alexander Winterstein: Tel.: +32 229 93265; Andreana Stankova – Tel.: +32 229 57857)
Rapport de la Commission européenne sur la charte des droits fondamentaux de l’UE, dix ans après
La Commission européenne publie aujourd’hui son rapport annuel sur la manière dont les institutions européennes et les États membres ont appliqué la charte des droits fondamentaux de l’UE. Cette année marque le 10e anniversaire de la charte et à cette occasion, la Commission publie également les résultats d’une enquête Eurobaromètre sur la connaissance qu’en ont les citoyens. Grâce à la charte, une culture des droits fondamentaux s’est développée dans les travaux des institutions européennes au cours des dix dernières années, toutefois, la charte n’est pas encore mise pleinement en application à tous les niveaux et reste mal connue. Frans Timmermans, Premier vice-président, a déclaré: « Dix ans plus tard, la charte des droits fondamentaux est à la hauteur de ses promesses. Elle est le pilier de notre Union de valeurs et établit nos droits, nos libertés et nos principes. Pour que la charte soit la plus efficace possible dans la vie des citoyens, ces derniers doivent connaître leurs droits ainsi que les instances auxquelles s’adresser en cas de violation de ces droits. C’est pourquoi il importe de continuer à faire connaître la charte et d’informer les citoyens de ce qui leur appartient véritablement en tant qu’Européens. » Věra Jourová, commissaire en charge de la justice, des consommateurs et de l’égalité des genres, a ajouté: « La charte est citée par les juridictions et appliquée par l’UE dans le cadre de ses récentes initiatives visant à protéger les droits des citoyens. Néanmoins, seul un Européen sur dix sait ce qu’est la charte et les citoyens ne peuvent donc pas l’exploiter autant qu’ils le pourraient. C’est pourquoi j’appelle les gouvernements nationaux et l’ensemble de la société civile et des défenseurs des droits à mieux faire connaître la charte et à en faire une réalité pour l’ensemble des citoyens. » Un communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Christian Wigand – Tél.: +32 229 62253; Sophie Dupin de Saint Cyr – Tél.: +32 229 56169)
Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of control over AES Ballylumford and AES Kilroot Power by EPH
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of sole control over AES Ballylumford Limited and AES Kilroot Power Limited, both of Northern Ireland, by EP UK Investments Limited (“EPUK”) of the UK, controlled by Energetický a průmyslový holding, a.s. (“EPH”) of Czechia. AES Ballylumford operates the Ballylumford gas fired power station in Northern Ireland. AES Kilroot Power operates the Kilroot thermal dual coal/oil fired power station with a battery storage facility, also in Northern Ireland. EPUK is an energy company, primarily focusing on power generation from conventional and renewable sources in Great Britain. EPH is a utility company engaged in coal extraction, electricity and heat production, distribution and supply as well as gas supply in various EU Member States. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns, given the lack of overlaps between the companies’ activities. 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.9372. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of PeroxyChem by Evonik
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of PeroxyChem Holdings L.P. (“Peroxychem”) of the US by Evonik Industries AG (“Evonik”) of Germany. Both Peroxychemand Evonik are globally active in the production and marketing of specialty chemicals, in particular of hydrogen peroxide (“H2O2”) and peracetic acid (“PAA”). The Commission concluded that the horizontal overlaps and vertical relationships between the companies’ activities resulting from the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area, given the presence of several other well-established H2O2 and PAA suppliers. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9239. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
Eurostat: Les prix à la production industrielle en baisse de 0,3% dans la zone euro, stables dans l’UE28
En avril 2019 par rapport à mars 2019, les prix à la production industrielle ont diminué de 0,3% dans la zone euro (ZE19) et sont restés stables dans l’UE28, selon les estimations d’Eurostat, l’office statistique de l’Union européenne. En mars 2019, les prix avaient diminué de 0,1% dans la zone euro et étaient resté stables dans l’UE28. En avril 2019 par rapport à avril 2018, les prix à la production industrielle ont augmenté de 2,6% dans la zone euro et de 2,9% dans l’UE28. Le communiqué de presse est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Lucía Caudet – Tél.: +32 229 56182; Victoria Von Hammerstein – Tél.: +32 229 55040)
Eurostat: Le volume des ventes du commerce de détail en baisse de 0,4% dans la zone euro, de 0,3% dans l’UE28
En avril 2019 par rapport à mars 2019, le volume des ventes du commerce de détail corrigé des variations a diminué de 0,4% dans la zone euro (ZE19) et de 0,3% dans l’UE28, selon les estimations d’Eurostat, l’office statistique de l’Union européenne. En mars 2019, le volume du commerce de détail était resté stable dans la zone euro et avait augmenté de 0,3% dans l’UE28. En avril 2019 par rapport à avril 2018, l’indice corrigé des effets de calendrier des ventes de détail a augmenté de 1,5% dans la zone euro et de 2,9% dans l’UE28. Un communiqué de presse est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Lucía Caudet – Tél. +32 229 56182; Victoria Von Hammerstein – Tél.: +32 229 55040)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Juncker in Slovenia to attend the Three Seas Initiative Summit and in Croatia for official visit
President Jean-Claude Juncker will participate in the Three Seas Initiative Summit on 5-6 June. The Three Seas Initiative, also known as the Baltic, Adriatic, Black Sea Initiative, is a forum of 12 EU Member States located in Central and Eastern Europe. It aims to promote more rapid development in the region, particularly on infrastructure, energy and digital interconnectivity, and to help foster cohesion and convergence in the EU as well as to strengthen transatlantic relations. This will be the 4th Summit following those that took place in Dubrovnik, Warsaw and Bucharest. On 5 June, President Juncker will attend the leaders’ dinner hosted by the President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor. On 6 June in the morning, President Juncker will participate in the official Summit. At 12:30 CET, he will hold a joint press conference together with President Pahor, the President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. In the afternoon, President Juncker will travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia, where he is invited for a working dinner by the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković. In Zagreb, on 7 June, he will be received by Prime Minister Plenković. The meeting will be followed by a joint press conference at 11:30 CET. Finally, he will be received by President Grabar-Kitarović for a working lunch. The press conferences in Ljubljana and Zagreb will be broadcast live on EbS. Factsheets on the EU’s support to Slovenia and Croatia are available. (For more information: Margaritis Schinas – Tel.: +32 229 60524; Mina Andreeva Tel.: +32 229 91382)
Commissioners Avramopoulos, Jourová and King in Luxembourg for Justice and Home Affairs Council
Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová and Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King will attend the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on 6 and 7 June. On Thursday, Justice Ministers are expected to adopt the Directive on insolvency and the Regulation on strengthening the security of ID cards and of residence documents. They are also expected to adopt the Council Decisions on the opening of negotiations for an EU-US agreement on cross-border access to electronic evidence and on negotiations on the Budapest convention. Commissioner Jourová will update Justice Ministers on the setting up of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), will discuss the importance of judicial training on EU law to foster mutual trust as well as the way forward in the field of mutual recognition in criminal matters. Commissioner Jourová will then take part in a press conference at +/- 17.15 (CET) that you can follow live on EbS+. On Friday morning, Home Affairs Ministers together with Commissioners Avramopoulos and King will discuss the future of EU law enforcement and exchange views on cooperation between national authorities dealing with counter-terrorism, as well as on the implications of 5G in the area of internal security. Commissioner Avramopoulos will join Ministers over lunch for an exchange of views on future developments in the area of migration and asylum in the presence of UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and Director General of the International Organisation for Migration António Vitorino. Ministers are then expected to reach a partial general approach on revised EU rules on return, as well as on the next long-term EU budget for 2021-2027 in the area of border management, migration and security (Border Management and Visa Instrument, Asylum and Migration Fund and Internal Security Fund). A press conference with the participation of Commissioner Avramopoulos will take place on Friday +/- 17.30 (CET) and will be live streamed on EbS+. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229 67456; Tove Ernst – Tel.: +32 229 86764; Christian Wigand- Tel.: +32 229 62253)
Commissioner Stylianides visits Copenhagen: DEMA rescue centre and EU Saves Lives exhibition
Tomorrow, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, is in Copenhagen, to address the Annual Danish Top Executive Summit and discuss the UN global goals of sustainable development. He will also meet representatives from Danish humanitarian partner organizations. On Friday 7 June, the Commissioner will meet Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) representatives, visit their rescue centre of greater Copenhagen and discuss the cooperation with the Danish authorities on EU civil protection and rescEU. In the afternoon, Commissioner Stylianides will visit the Commission’s “EU Saves Lives” travelling exhibition, which is currently set up in the Field’s shopping centre in Copenhagen. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)
Commissioner Bieńkowska visits Canada to strengthen technology and innovation cooperation
Tomorrow, Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs will begin her two-day visit to Canada to promote the cooperation of business networks – also called clusters – between the EU and Canada. As part of this objective, Commissioner Bieńkowska and the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, will take part in the signing ceremony of an Administrative Arrangement on Cluster Cooperation, which will be formally signed by the European Commission and the Canadian Department of Industry. The agreement will help SMEs to pursue transatlantic trade opportunities and foster innovation-led growth on both sides by facilitating linkages and exchange of best practices between EU and Canadian cluster representatives and policy-makers. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which provisionally applies since September 2017, offers a favourable environment for such an enhanced cooperation. Ahead of the visit, Commissioner Bieńkowska said: “The EU and Canada are natural partners for clusters. Companies from both sides of the Atlantic can pool their knowledge and innovation potential to build a strong industrial foundation. We have an interest to intensify our cooperation in a more strategic and sustainable manner – not the least to fully use the opportunities offered by CETA.” By boosting trade between the partners, CETA creates jobs, growth and new opportunities for businesses. CETA also has some of the strongest commitments ever included in a trade deal to promote labour rights, environmental protection and sustainable development. The signature of the Administrative Arrangement on Cluster Cooperation will take place tomorrow during the 3 day EU-Canada Cluster Matchmaking event at Humber College in Toronto, where the Commissioner will also deliver a keynote speech, hold a bilateral meeting with Minister Bains and participate in a roundtable discussion on opportunities for EU-Canada business development. At the event, 26 European clusters will join the Commissioner with companies from 16 countries, which will attend alongside Canada’s 5 innovation Superclusters and other key counterparts. On the second day, the Commissioner will visit the MaRS District, an innovation hub that helps start-ups to grow, create jobs and solve societal challenges. (For more information: Lucia Caudet – Tel.: +32 229 56182; Victoria Von Hammerstein-Gesmold – Tel.: +32 229 55040)
Le commissaire Gabriel à Paris pour participer à la Cyber Week
Demain, la commissaire à l’économie et à la société numériques, Mariya Gabriel, participera à la Cyber Week de Paris, en France. Celle-ci réunira des acteurs numériques et des experts de divers secteurs industriels pour débattre de la transformation numérique, en particulier en ce qui concerne les questions de confiance et de sécurité. La commissaire Gabriel prononcera un discours liminaire sur divers actions en faveur du marché unique numérique, en mettant l’accent sur les efforts de l’UE visant à renforcer la cybersécurité et à garantir un cadre éthique et juridique approprié pour l’intelligence artificielle. Elle présidera et prononcera un discours lors du déjeuner avec des entrepreneurs européens du secteur de la cybersécurité sur la nécessité d’attirer plus de femmes et de populariser les contributions des femmes expertes en cybersécurité. L’Union européenne a mis en place un large éventail d’instruments destinés à renforcer la cybersécurité dans l’UE, notamment la directive sur la sécurité des réseaux et des systèmes d’information, l’Acte sur la cybersécurité et les nouvelles règles encadrant les télécommunications visant à renforcer la coopération et l’action collective entre les Etats membres pour protéger l’économie et la société contre les cyber menaces. En mars, la Commission européenne a publié une recommandation invitant les États membres à prendre des mesures concrètes pour évaluer les risques de cybersécurité sur les futurs réseaux 5G et renforcer les mesures d’atténuation des risques. En outre, afin de suivre l’évolution constante des cyber menaces, la Commission a proposé de créer un centre européen de recherche, de technologie et de cybersécurité, ainsi qu’un réseau de centres de compétence pour la cybersécurité, afin de mieux cibler et coordonner les fonds disponibles pour la coopération, la recherche et l’innovation en matière de cybersécurité. Plus d’informations sur les actions de l’UE en matière de cybersécurité sont disponibles ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tél.: +32 229 67083; Marietta Grammenou – Tél.: +32 229 83583)
Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)
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