In June 2018 compared with May 2018, seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 0.7% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.4% in the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In May 2018, industrial production rose by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU28.
The European Investment Bank has signed a DKK 600 million (EUR 81m) loan agreement with Copenhagen Airport (CHP), continuing the longstanding relationship between the two parties. The financing will be used to provide additional passenger processing capacity in the terminals. Copenhagen Airport will also upgrade its baggage security standards by introducing a state-of-the-art passenger and hand baggage security screening concept. In addition, the airport’s capacity will be increased by the addition of further wide-body aircraft stands and a range of other associated airside infrastructure.
“The EIB is pleased to continue its relationship with one of the core network airports of the European Union’s TEN-T framework,” said EIB Vice-President Alexander Stubb. He added: “As a frequent user myself, I’m happy that the Bank is supporting CPH with its expansion plan to accommodate up to 40 million passengers – a real milestone!”
“The expansion of Copenhagen airport will provide more capacity, better connectivity for business and pleasure travel and, not least, many new jobs,” said Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Copenhagen Airports A/S. He added: “We are happy that the European Union and the EIB are investing in airport capacity, supporting our major expansion projects that will enable Copenhagen Airport to serve 40 million passengers annually”.
Pologne: une meilleure sécurité énergétique grâce à la politique de Cohésion
145,5 millions d’euros du Fonds européen de développement régional (FEDER) sont investis dans la construction du gazoduc “Pogórska Wola- Tworzeń”, une canalisation de 168 km pour le transport de gaz naturel, traversant les régions polonaises de Małopolskie, Świętokrzyskie et Śląskie (Petite-Pologne, Sainte-Croix et Silésie), au Sud du pays. Ce gazoduc fait partie du corridor Nord-Sud, projet dit “d’intérêt commun” inscrit dans le plan décennal de développement 2017 établi par le réseau européen des gestionnaires de réseaux de transport de gaz (REGRT pour le gaz). La commissaire à la politique régionale Corina Crețu a commenté: “Ce gazoduc soutenu par les fonds européens est une nouvelle pierre apportée à l’édifice du marché européen de l’énergie ainsi qu’à la diversification des sources d’énergie dans l’Union Européenne. Il contribuera à fournir aux polonais une énergie plus abordable, sûre et durable.” Le corridor Nord-Sud est composé de 10 projets différents, dont 6 sont pour l’instant cofinancés par l’UE. La contribution totale de l’UE à ces 6 projets pendant la période budgétaire 2014-2020 s’élève à 275 millions d’euros. Le gazoduc “Pogórska Wola- Tworzeń” devrait être achevé à la fin de 2020. (Pour plus d’informations: Vanessa Mock – Tel.: +32 229 56194, Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tel.: +32 229 56169)
L’UE en première ligne dans la lutte contre le virus Ebola en RDC
“L’UE continue de suivre de près la nouvelle épidémie d’Ebola en République Démocratique du Congo. Nous apportons tout notre soutien pour aider à contenir le virus. Nos experts humanitaires sont sur place dans les zones affectées, et travaillent dur et de concert avec les autres acteurs d’intervention d’urgence. Nous ne pouvons pas et nous ne serons pas complaisants avec Ebola, nous ne baissons pas la garde. Nous poursuivrons notre soutien aussi longtemps que nécessaire,” a déclaré le commissaire chargé de l’aide humanitaire et de la gestion de crises Christos Stylianides. Durant le week-end, le Commissaire s’est entretenu avec Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Directeur général de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. Ils ont évalué la situation sur place et le commissaire Stylianides a réitéré le soutien indéfectible de l’UE à la lutte conjointe contre Ebola. Tous deux ont convenu de rester en contact constant. Lorsque l’épidémie d’Ebola a été déclarée dans la province du Nord Kivu par le Ministère de la santé congolais le 1 août 2018, la Commission européenne a immédiatement mobilisé une aide d’urgence. En plus de l’envoi d’experts humanitaires de la Commission dans le pays, les services humanitaires aériens ECHO Flight ont mené jusqu’alors huit vols transportant du personnel, du matériel médical et des équipements vers la ville de Beni, dans la zone touchée par Ebola. (Pour plus d’informations: Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322 ; Esther Osorio – Tel.: +32 229 62076)
Agreement signed for new digital data highway between Europe and Latin America
A group of 11 European and Latin American research and education networks forming the BELLA (Building Europe Link to Latin America) consortium, which is partially funded by the European Commission, have signed a contract to build Ellalink, an underwater fibre optic cable in the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and Latin America. The cable will be operational in 2020 and will provide reliable high capacityconnectivity to boost scientific and cultural exchanges as well as business. It is additionally a step forward in the creation of an EU–Latin America common research area. Construction of the cable will start as soon as the contract enters into force in the coming months. The Commission is investing around €26.5 million in the project, with funding from Horizon 2020, the Copernicus programme and the regional Development Cooperation Instrument. More details are available here. (For more information: Vanessa Mock – tel.: +32 229 56194; Inga Höglund – Tel.: +32 229 50698)
State aid: Commission clears inclusion of new combined heat and power plant in Polish scheme to support high-efficiency co-generation
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Poland’s plans to include a 600 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power plant located in Płock in its existing scheme to support high-efficiency co-generation of heat and electricity. Cogeneration increases energy efficiency by recycling the heat from power generation for other uses, to the overall benefit of the environment. The Polish scheme was approved by the Commission in September 2016. Under the scheme, combined heat and power plants are granted certificates for each megawatt-hour of electricity they generate in combined heat and power mode. These certificates have a value because all suppliers in the Polish market are required to purchase a certain quantity of certificates or pay a penalty. The Commission found that the addition of the Płock plant to the scheme will contribute to the EU’s energy and environmental objectives without unduly distorting competition in the Internal Market, in line with the Commission’s 2014 Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy. Poland had to notify to the Commission the addition of the plant to the national scheme because the plant exceeds the 300 megawatt individual notification threshold set out in the Guidelines. More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website, in the State Aid Register under the case number SA.50305. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100).
Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)
The registration takes effect from 13 August 2018. Moody’s Investors Service (Nordics) AB is based in Sweden and intends to issue sovereign and public finance ratings, structured finance ratings and corporate ratings.
The CRA Regulation seeks to ensure that credit ratings issued in the EU respect minimum standards of quality, transparency and independence by providing that only companies registered by ESMA as CRAs may lawfully issue credit ratings which can be used for regulatory purposes by credit institutions, investment firms, insurance and reinsurance undertakings, institutions for occupational retirement provision, management companies, investment companies, alternative investment fund managers and central counterparties.
In order to be registered as a CRA, a company must be able to demonstrate to ESMA that it can comply with the requirements of the CRA Regulation, including, most importantly, on:
Once registered, CRAs are subject to on-going supervision and monitoring by ESMA to ensure that they continue to meet the conditions for registration. ESMA will impose sanctions and/or penalties where it finds that a CRA has failed to meet its obligations under the CRA Regulation.
The total number of CRAs registered in the EU is 28 CRAs. Amongst the 28 registered CRAs, three operate under a group structure, totalling 16 legal entities in the EU, which means that the total number of CRA entities registered in the EU is 41.
The registration takes effect from 13 August 2018. Moody’s Investors Service (Nordics) AB is based in Sweden and intends to issue sovereign and public finance ratings, structured finance ratings and corporate ratings.
The CRA Regulation seeks to ensure that credit ratings issued in the EU respect minimum standards of quality, transparency and independence by providing that only companies registered by ESMA as CRAs may lawfully issue credit ratings which can be used for regulatory purposes by credit institutions, investment firms, insurance and reinsurance undertakings, institutions for occupational retirement provision, management companies, investment companies, alternative investment fund managers and central counterparties.
In order to be registered as a CRA, a company must be able to demonstrate to ESMA that it can comply with the requirements of the CRA Regulation, including, most importantly, on:
Once registered, CRAs are subject to on-going supervision and monitoring by ESMA to ensure that they continue to meet the conditions for registration. ESMA will impose sanctions and/or penalties where it finds that a CRA has failed to meet its obligations under the CRA Regulation.
The total number of CRAs registered in the EU is 28 CRAs. Amongst the 28 registered CRAs, three operate under a group structure, totalling 16 legal entities in the EU, which means that the total number of CRA entities registered in the EU is 41.