Daily News 17 / 08 / 2018 - Government World Magazine

Have your say: more than 4.6 million responses received in public consultation on summertime arrangements

The Commission closed yesterday the public consultation on summertime with more than 4.6 million submissions from all 28 Member States of the European Union. Launched on July 4, European citizens, stakeholders and public authorities were invited to share their views on the matter by filling in an online questionnaire. This consultation is part of an assessment of the EU summertime directive, which the Commission is currently undertaking at the request of the European Parliament. The objective is to investigate whether or not the rules should be changed. The Commission will now analyse the responses received and publish a report on the results in the coming weeks. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 229 56185; Iris Petsa – Tel.: +32 229 93321)

State aid: Commission approves three support measures for renewable energy in Denmark

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules three schemes to support electricity production from wind and solar in Denmark in 2018 and 2019: (i) a multi-technology tender scheme for onshore and offshore wind turbines and solar installations, with a budget of DKK 842 million (€112 million). The beneficiaries of the aid will be selected through two tenders organised in 2018 and 2019, with the different technologies competing with each other; (ii) An aid scheme for onshore wind for test and demonstration projects outside the two national test centres for large wind turbines, with an expected budget of DKK 200 million (€27 million); and (iii) a transitional aid scheme for onshore wind, with a budget of DKK 40 million (€5 million). The aid for the three schemes will be granted for a period of 20 years from the time of the connection to the grid. The renewable support schemes are financed from the State budget. The Commission assessed all three schemes under EU State aid rules, in particular the Commission’s 2014 Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection and Energy. It found that the three Danish schemes will encourage the development of offshore and onshore wind and solar technologies, in line with the requirements of the Guidelines. The full press release is available online in EN, FR, DE, DA. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100)

Eurostat: Le taux d’inflation annuel en hausse à 2,1% dans la zone euro

Le taux d’inflation annuel de la zone euro s’est établi à 2,1% en juillet 2018, contre 2,0% en juin 2018. Un an auparavant, il était de 1,3%. Le taux d’inflation annuel de l’Union européenne s’est établi à 2,2% en juillet 2018, contre 2,1% à juin. Un an auparavant, il était de 1,5%. Ces chiffres sont publiés par Eurostat, l’office statistique de l’Union européenne. Les taux annuels les plus faibles ont été observés en Grèce (0,8%), au Danemark (0,9%) et en Irlande (1,0%). Les taux annuels les plus élevés ont quant à eux été enregistrés en Roumanie (4,3%), en Bulgarie (3,6%), en Hongrie (3,4%) et en Estonie (3,3%). Par rapport à juin 2018, l’inflation annuelle a baissé dans neuf États membres, est restée stable dans six et a augmenté dans treize autres. Un communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Christian Spahr – Tél.: +32 229 50055; Annikky Lamp – Tél.: +32 229 56151; Enda McNamara – Tél.: +32 229 64976)

STATEMENTS

Statement by Federica Mogherini and Christos Stylianides on the World Humanitarian Day 2018

On the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad, the European Union pays tribute to the commitment of aid workers who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid worldwide. The unequivocal respect of international law, the safety and security of humanitarian workers and their unfettered access to those in need are a major concern for the European Union. Ahead of the 2018 World Humanitarian Day, High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, made the following statement: “Civilians often pay the highest price in conflict, and attacks, including against aid workers, continue to happen. Over the past year, from Afghanistan to Nigeria and from the Central African Republic to Yemen, these attacks have claimed the lives of civilians and humanitarian workers. These acts of violence are a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law. Saving lives should not cost lives. Almost 4,400 humanitarian workers have been victims of major attacks over the past two decades. Over one third of them were killed. World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to honour these dedicated humanitarians, and to advocate for their safety and security. All parties to conflicts have an obligation under International Humanitarian Law to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, and to facilitate unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, so that assistance can reach all people in need. The EU is a world leader in humanitarian assistance. Promoting principled humanitarian aid and respect for International Humanitarian Law remains at the core of our international engagement.” The full statement is available here. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Esther Osorio – Tel.: +32 229 62076)

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