Daily News 12 / 09 / 2019

Vaccination: la Commission et l’OMS unissent leurs forces pour promouvoir les vaccins

Aujourd’hui, la Commission européenne et l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) organisent à Bruxelles le premier Sommet mondial sur la vaccination. L’objectif est d’accélérer l’action au niveau mondial afin d’enrayer la propagation des maladies que les vaccins permettent d’éviter ainsi que de mettre fin à la propagation de la désinformation, en matière de vaccins, dans le monde entier. Jean-Claude Juncker, président de la Commission européenne, a déclaré: « La vaccination permet d’ores et déjà d’éviter deux à trois millions de décès par an et pourrait en empêcher 1,5 million de plus si la couverture vaccinale mondiale s’améliorait. Le sommet d’aujourd’hui est une opportunité pour tenter de combler cette lacune. La Commission continuera à collaborer avec les États membres de l’UE dans le cadre de leurs efforts à l’échelle nationale et avec nos partenaires présents ici aujourd’hui. » Le Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, directeur général de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé, a déclaré: « Après de nombreuses années de progrès, nous en sommes à une étape décisive. La rougeole est en train de réapparaître et un enfant sur dix n’est pas protégé par les vaccins essentiels à cet âge. » En ouvrant le Sommet ce matin, le président Juncker et le Dr Tedros ont appelé à accélérer les efforts rapidement pour arrêter la propagation de maladies évitables grâce à la vaccination telles que la rougeole. Au cours des trois dernières années, sept pays, dont quatre en Europe, ont perdu leur statut de pays ayant éradiqué la rougeole. Le Président a déclaré à ce sujet : « Il est inacceptable qu’au 21ème siècle nos enfants succombent encore des suites de maladies qui ne devraient plus exister depuis longtemps en Europe. Mettre fin à cette situation intolérable est une ardente obligation qui s’impose à chacun de nous. » Le communiqué de presse complet et les questions et réponses sont disponibles en ligne. Le discours complet du président Juncker est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Anca Paduraru – Tél.: +32 229 91269; Aikaterini Apostola – Tél.: +32 229 87624)

Erasmus+: l’UE augmente la participation d’étudiants et de personnel africains en 2019

L’UE a investi 17,6 millions d’euros supplémentaires pour aider plus de 8 500 étudiants et membres du personnel africains nouvellement sélectionnés à participer à Erasmus+ en 2019. Cette augmentation du financement Erasmus+ est un pas de plus vers l’engagement pris par le président de la Commission Jean-Claude Juncker dans son discours sur l’état de l’Union de septembre 2018 à soutenir 35 000 étudiants et chercheurs africains d’ici à 2020. Les 17,6 millions d’euros supplémentaires provenant des instruments financiers extérieurs de la Commission et du Fonds fiduciaire de l’UE pour l’Afrique ont permis d’accroître de 40% la participation des ressortissants africains. Pour les pays d’Afrique occidentale et de la Corne de l’Afrique, le nombre de bourses a plus que doublé grâce aux fonds supplémentaires. En outre, pour concurrencer les meilleurs étudiants du monde, 313 jeunes étudiants de 33 pays africains ont reçu des bourses pour les programmes de master conjoints Erasmus Mundus. Cela représente 239 bourses d’études pour 27 pays africains sélectionnés l’an dernier. Plus d’informations sont disponibles dans ce communiqué de presse et cette fiche d’information. (Pour plus d’informations: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tél.: +32 229 67083; Marietta Grammenou – Tél.: +32 229 83583; Christina Wunder – Tél.: +32 229 92256)

Juncker Plan supports €30 million investment in biomedical research fund 

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is providing €30 million to the KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I, a drug discovery fund based in Dortmund, Germany. The European Investment Fund financing is via the InnovFin programme and it is backed by the Juncker Plan’s European Fund for Strategic Investments. KHAN-I will invest in innovative drug discovery projects and spin-off companies at various stages of clinical development. Commissioner Carlos Moedas, responsible for Research, Science and Innovation, said: “Today’s agreement adds to the Juncker Plan’s strong track record in supporting biomedical research and drug discovery projects. This kind of support for researchers and scientists to bring their ideas and innovations to market will help keep Europe at the forefront of innovation.” A press release is available here. As of July 2019, the Juncker Plan has mobilised €424 billion of additional investment, including €32.6 billion in Germany. The Plan is currently supporting 967,000 small and medium businesses across Europe. (For more information Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976)

 

Eurogroup and informal ECOFIN meetings, 13 and 14 September 2019

Vice-President Dombrovskis will represent the Commission at this week’s Eurogroup and informal ECOFIN meetings taking place in Helsinki, Finland. During the Eurogroup meeting, euro area finance ministers will hold a thematic discussion on the quality of public finances and exchange views on initiatives to boost the transparency of the Eurogroup. The Commission and the ECB will also brief the ministers on the main findings of the 11th post-programme surveillance mission to Ireland. Following the mandate received by EU leaders at the Euro Summit in June, the Eurogroup in inclusive format will focus on pending issues of the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness (BICC) for the euro area.Vice-President Dombrovskis will also represent the Commission at the informal ECOFIN meeting on Friday and Saturday. The meeting will kick off in the presence of finance ministers and central bank governors on Friday afternoon with a discussion on the resilience of financial market infrastructure to cyber attacks and hybrid threats. This will be followed by an agenda point on rebooting the EU’s Capital Markets Union Agenda during the next institutional cycle, and identifying ways to foster the cross-border integration of European capital markets. On Saturday, ministers will take stock of the functioning of the current EU fiscal rules, including the presentation of a report by the chair of the European Fiscal Board. They will also discuss the tools at their disposal to take enhanced action on climate change. In a separate but related debate, ministers will exchange views and experiences on the role of energy taxation in climate change mitigation and in reducing emissions. This follows the evaluation of the current EU energy taxation directive, published by Commission services this week. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229-56153; Vanessa Mock – Tel.: +32 229 56194; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Patrick McCullough – Tel.: +32 229 87183)

 

EU report: the Republic of Moldova moved resolutely forward with key reforms

Following the change of government in June 2019, the Republic of Moldova has moved resolutely forward with the implementation of key reforms to address the deterioration of democratic standards and the rule of law, in order to allow citizens to fully benefit from the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. This stems from the Association Implementation Report the EU published today on the implementation of the commitments under the EU-Moldova Association Agreement over the past year. “The new Moldovan government has started an important reform plan to reinforce democracy and the rule of law in the country. We expect the authorities to deliver on the commitments made and to implement the ambitious EU-Moldova Agreement, to the benefit of our citizens. As EU, we are ready to continue to accompany and support this work, because we value our friendship a lot”, said High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini. Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, added: “In July 2019 we already resumed budget support payments; we also signed with the Government financing agreements on sustainable local development and rule of law that will allow for the implementation of programmes bringing tangible results to the people of Moldova. We are ready to further step up our financial support and advice in response to the Government’s robust reform agenda. All these are clear signs of our appreciation of the steps already taken and an encouragement to the authorities to continue on their ambitious reform path.” Read the full press release here. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Alceo Smerilli – Tel.: +32 229 64887)

European Union supports Venezuelan refugees and host communities in countries most affected by the crisis

The European Commission has mobilised an additional €10 million to support Venezuelan refugees and migrants by strengthening the capacities of national institutions, civil society organisations and host communities in the countries most affected by the crisis in Venezuela – namely Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Channelled through the EU’s Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, this assistance will link immediate and concrete relief actions with rehabilitation and future development measures. Its approach will be three-fold: It will strengthen registration and identification capacities for migrants and refugees, fund measures to reduce tensions and the risk of violence with host communities, and address the vulnerability of women, girls and boys exposed to human trafficking, sexual and labour exploitation. In her meeting with the President of Colombia Ivan Duque today in Bogotá, High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will discuss, amongst other topics, the challenges related to hosting refugees and migrants from Venezuela. Colombia hosts the largest number of displaced Venezuelans – nearly 1.5 million according to the latest estimates. In total, over four million Venezuelans have left the country in the past two years, following the deterioration of the socio-economic, political and security situation in Venezuela. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Christina Wunder – Tel.: +32 229 92256)

 

Energy taxation rules are out of step with EU energy and climate ambition, new report finds

EU rules on energy taxation no longer deliver the same positive contribution as when they first came into force in 2003, according to a new report published by Commission services today. While the evaluation of the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) does not make any policy recommendations, it explores how more environmentally friendly policies could better support the EU’s wider climate change commitments. The EDT lays down rules for the taxation of energy products used as motor or heating fuels and for electricity. Today’s report shows that while it initially made a positive contribution to the internal market, current rules do not contribute to the new EU regulatory framework and policy objectives in the area of climate and energy, where technology, national tax rates and energy markets have all evolved considerably over the past 15 years. For example, no link exists between the minimum tax rates of fuels and their energy content and CO2 emissions. The evaluation also points out that the high divergence in national energy tax rates is not in line with other policy instruments and can lead to fragmentation of the internal market, a problem exacerbated by the widespread use of optional tax exemptions. At a time when the EU has considerably raised its ambition by setting new climate targets for 2030 – including reducing greenhouse gas emissions domestically by at least 40 % compared to 1990 levels – the EU’s energy taxation framework has not kept pace. For instance, the ETD does not reflect the current mix of energy products on the market in the EU. The evaluation concludes that overlaps, gaps and inconsistencies significantly hamper EU objectives in the field of energy, environment, climate change and transport. The full report is available here. Today’s publication is part of the Commission’s Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) programme and follows our blueprint for a transition to QMV decision-making in the area of climate and energy taxation published earlier this year. It comes as EU Finance Ministers prepare to debate the EU’s energy taxation architecture at their meeting in Helsinki this weekend. (For more information: Vanessa Mock – Tel.: +32 229 56194; Patrick McCullough – Tel.: +32 229 87183)

 

Chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire : la Commission se félicite du soutien des États membres pour une plus grande transparence des prix

Suite à un échange avec les Etats membres, la Commission va adopter les mesures qui visent à renforcer la transparence par une meilleure communication sur les prix tout au long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. Après avoir interdit les pratiques commerciales déloyales et amélioré les conditions de coopération des producteurs, la Commission a présenté en mai le troisième élément pour améliorer l’équité dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire, à savoir une collecte plus approfondie des prix des produits agroalimentaires à différents stades de la chaîne d’approvisionnement pour voir comment ces derniers sont déterminés et évoluent. Une plus grande transparence permettra aux différents acteurs, dont les producteurs, de faire des choix plus éclairés et d’améliorer la compréhension de la formation des prix et l’évolution des tendances tout au long de la chaîne alimentaire. Elle peut également favoriser de meilleures décisions d’affaires, y compris une meilleure gestion des risques, et améliorer la confiance. Phil Hogan, commissaire à l’agriculture a déclaré : « Accroître la transparence du marché, c’est fournir plus d’informations, sur plus de produits, plus souvent. Ce faisant, nous donnerons un meilleur équilibre à la chaîne et assurerons une prise de décision plus efficace. Accroître la transparence, c’est aussi une question d’équité : nous permettons un accès égal à l’information sur les prix, ce qui clarifiera davantage le fonctionnement de la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. Complétées par la directive récemment adoptée interdisant les pratiques commerciales déloyales, ainsi que par les améliorations apportées en 2017 à la législation sur les organisations de producteurs, ces règles renforceront le rôle des agriculteurs dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire, un objectif clé pour la Commission. » À la suite de la décision des Etats membres au sein du comité de l’organisation commune des marchés, les mesures seront adoptées par la Commission dans les prochaines semaines et seront applicables à partir du 1er janvier 2021. Un communiqué de presse est en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Daniel Rosario – Tél.: +32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tél.: +32 229 52509)

 

New report on digital education shows upward trends in Europe’s schools     

The European Commission’s Eurydice network published today a report that maps the state of digital education in schools across Europe. The report looks at how digital competences are taught and assessed. It also gives an overview of the digital skills of teachers, the policies designed to support digital education and the use of technology in large-scale national tests. Half of the education systems reviewed are currently reforming curricula as regards digital competences, either by including the topic for the first time, giving the subject more prominence or updating curricula to include, for instance, new or different elements of coding, computational thinking or online safety. Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, said: “I welcome today’s report which shows that schools across Europe are making progress in using new technologies in teaching and learning. I am particularly pleased to see the growing number of initiatives to support teachers in using technology in the classroom, an area we will address at the Second European Education Summit on 26 September. We know that teachers play a crucial role in improving the digital competences of young people and in ensuring that technology is used in purposeful ways to make learning more relevant, engaging and fit for the digital age.” Two-thirds of education systems reviewed recognise the importance of teachers’ digital skills, and most countries provide training for teachers, although guidance is lacking on how to assess pupils’ digital skills in the classroom. While most countries have put in place strategies for digital education, few monitor and evaluate these strategies in a systematic and regular way. Supporting Member States in harnessing technology in education and developing digital skills of teachers and learners are central to the Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan, which includes 11 actions to encourage and support innovation in education. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Marietta Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583)

 

State aid: Commission approves amended commitments for Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules certain amendments to a set of commitments submitted by Italy, on the basis of which the Commission in July 2017 had approved Italian support for a precautionary recapitalisation of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) under EU rules. As part of the original commitments submitted by Italy, and approved by the Commission, the bank committed to reinforce its capital position by issuing a certain amount of “Tier 2” instruments (subordinated debt) by a specified deadline. Italy has now requested an extension of this deadline. To counterbalance the extended deadline and minimise possible distortions of competition caused by the extension, Italy proposed a series of additional commitments aimed at further reducing costs and restoring the bank’s viability. Under EU State aid rules, the Commission may approve amendments provided that the new commitments can be considered equivalent to those originally submitted. The Commission concluded that the Italian amendments preserve the balance of the original commitments and do not affect the overall timeframe for the implementation of the bank’s restructuring plan. On this basis, the Commission concluded that aid Italy granted in July 2017 for the restructuring of MPS remains compatible with EU rules and has approved the amended commitments. More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register, under case number SA.55121. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344)

 

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Heras by Equistone

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control over the entire business of Heras consisting of companies in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK by Equistone of the UK. Heras is active in the supply of perimeter protection solutions and services, such as fencing systems, gates and barriers and their maintenance and repair. Equistone is a mid-market private equity investment firm operating across Europe. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given that the companies’ activites do not overlap. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9494. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

 

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of BNVC Group Holdings by EQT and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of BNVC Group Holdings, Inc. of the US by EQT Fund Management S.à r.l (“EQT”) of Luxembourg and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”) of Canada. BNVC Group Holdings is a holding company of Waystar, a provider of revenue cycle management solutions for healthcare systems and providers in the US. EQT is an investment firm and CPPIB is active in investment management. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given that there are no horizontal overlaps or vertical links between the activities of the companies. 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.9518. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Eurostat : La production industrielle en baisse de 0,4% dans la zone euro, baisse de 0,1% dans l’UE28 (juillet 2019 comparé à juin 2019)

En juillet 2019 par rapport à juin 2019, la production industrielle corrigée des variations saisonnières a diminué de 0,4% dans la zone euro (ZE19) et de 0,1% dans l’UE28, selon les estimations d’Eurostat, l’office statistique de l’Union européenne. En juin 2019, la production industrielle a diminué de 1,4% dans la zone euro et l’UE28. En juillet 2019 par rapport à juillet 2018, la production industrielle a diminué de 2,0% dans la zone euro et de 1,2% dans l’UE28.Un communiqué de presse complet est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Lucía Caudet – Tél.: +32 229 56182; Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tél.: +32 229 56169)

Eurostat : Annuaire régional d’Eurostat 2019 : Diversité régionale au sein de l’UE – comment se situe votre région?

Est‑il plus facile de trouver un emploi dans votre région que dans d’autres régions de l’Union européenne? Quelles sont les principales activités économiques dans votre région? Votre région est‑elle plus riche que d’autres? Vous trouverez les réponses à ces questions et à beaucoup d’autres dans l’édition 2019 de l’Annuaire régional, publié par Eurostat, l’Office statistique de l’Union européenne. L’Annuaire régional offre une vue d’ensemble du large éventail de statistiques régionales qui sont disponibles pour 281 régions de l’UE et, dans le cas de certains indicateurs, pour 1 348 régions. Les données sont disponibles pour l’ensemble des 28 États membres de l’UE et, le cas échéant, pour les régions statistiques des pays de l’AELE et des pays candidats. Un communiqué de presse complet est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Christian Spahr – Tél.: +32 2 295 00 55; Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tél.: +32 229 56169)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Third EU-Western Balkans Media Days on 12-13 September in Montenegro: ensuring media freedom and sustainability of independent media in the Western Balkans

The third edition of the EU-Western Balkans Media Days has started today in Podgorica, Montenegro. Organised by the Commission, the Conference gathers around 350 representatives of media and civil society organisations as well as policymakers from the Western Balkans and the EU. Participants will discuss today and tomorrow the role of media in societal changes, its impact on key reforms on the path towards the EU, as well as identify forward-looking actions to strengthen independent media. Ahead of the Conference, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said: “The EU-Western Balkans Media Days – that we launched in 2017 – have contributed to a more comprehensive approach to support media freedom in the region. EU representatives and experts engage and hear directly from journalists, representatives of media organisations as well as political representatives about the effectiveness of the EU assistance and current challenges and concerns to tackle. Freedom of media is one of the fundamental principles of the European Union and a key political indicator in the EU accession process. We must and we will continue to work on concrete ways to sustain and increase independent and professional journalism, help use of new technologies and favour regional cooperation, reconciliation and exchanges. The EU-Western Balkans Media Days are an important step in this direction.” This year’s third edition focuses on discussing how to guarantee freedom and sustainability of media in the region and how to ensure support to new generations of journalists. The discussion about reconciliation and regional cooperation, and overcoming nationalistic narratives hold a central place on the conference agenda alongside themes such as the importance of independent reporting, how to avoid manipulation of information and how to enhance public media literacy. More information on the EU-Western Balkans Media Days as well as the text of the video message by Commissioner Hahn and the video trailer of the event are available online. Read the opening remarks by Director-General Christian Danielsson here. Follow the discussions under #EUWBmedia. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Alceo Smerilli – Tel.: +32 229 64887)

European Institute of Innovation and Technology: ten years of supporting creativity and talent      

Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, will this evening co-host an event with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) at its premises in Brussels to display how the EIT promotes talented innovators, helping them turn their ideas into products that benefit society. Commissioner Navracsics will give a speech on the future role of the Institute and participate in a panel discussion with innovators who are part of the EIT community on how the EIT can help ensure that the EU remains competitive. He said: “I am very pleased that, just over ten years since its creation, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology is now a core part of the EU innovation landscape. With its unique focus on education, it will continue its important role under the future Horizon Europe programme, increasing the innovation capacity of the EU, addressing societal challenges, and strengthening the position of Europe as a global innovation player.”  The event will bring together innovators and entrepreneurs, politicians, public servants and representatives of the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities. The full programme is available here. More information on the EIT can be found in this factsheet. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Marietta Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583)

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