Emma Navarro appointed as new EIB Vice-President

Emma Navarro has been appointed Vice-President and Member of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB) by its Board of Governors, consisting of the 28 European Union Finance Ministers. She took up her duties on the 1st of June.

Emma Navarro has been General Secretary of the Treasury and Financial Policy in Spain and Member of the Bank of Spain Governing Council and Board Member of the Spanish National Securities Market Commission. Prior to this, she had been President of Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO), Director of the Office of the Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry and Competitiveness and advisor at the International Monetary Fund. Previously, Emma Navarro held various positions in the public sector in Spain. 

Upon joining the EIB, Emma Navarro stated: “I am pleased to join the EU bank and to be part of an institution that fosters investment to improve people´s lives. 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the EIB and I am convinced that both the EU and the Bank have much to celebrate. In these 60 years, the EIB has fostered cohesion and promoted the modernisation of the European economy, triggering growth and employment and making it more competitive. I am delighted to be able to contribute to this success story.”

The Management Committee is the EIB’s permanent collegiate executive body, consisting of a President and eight Vice-Presidents. The members of the Management Committee are appointed by the Board of Governors – the Finance Ministers of the 28 EU Member States.

Under the authority of Werner Hoyer, President of the EIB, the Management Committee collectively oversees the day-to-day running of the EIB as well as preparing and ensuring the implementation of the Board of Directors’ decisions.



Main topics and media events 4 – 17 June 2018

Press contacts

Press office
+32 2 281 63 19

Overview of the main subjects to be discussed at meetings of the Council of the EU over the next two weeks.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Justice), Monday 04 June 2018

Justice ministers will discuss various topics including insolvency, contract law and parental responsibility. Jointly, home affairs and justice ministers will also discuss the draft legislation on e-evidence.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs), Tuesday 05 June 2018

Home affairs ministers will cover different aspects of the EU migration, security and terrorism policy.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Transport), Thursday 07 June 2018

The Council will be asked to adopt a general approach on four proposals which relate to safeguarding competition in air transport, port reception facilities, electronic road tolling and exchange of information, and the use of hired vehicles. Ministers will take stock of progress on proposals on drivers’ driving and rest times, the posting of road hauliers, cabotage and establishment rules for road transport operators.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Telecommunications), Friday 08 June 2018

The Council is due to agree a general approach on a proposed Cybersecurity Act regulation. Ministers will also discuss a proposal to update privacy rules for electronic communications (ePrivacy), and a draft directive to promote the re-use of public sector information.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), Monday 11 June 2018

The Council is due to adopt a general approach on the regulation on ACER, the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The Presidency will inform Ministers about the state of play in trilogue negotiations on the governance of the Energy Union, the directive on renewable energy and the directive on energy efficiency.



Main topics and media events 4 – 17 June 2018

Overview of the main subjects to be discussed at meetings of the Council of the EU over the next two weeks.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Justice), Monday 04 June 2018

Justice ministers will discuss various topics including insolvency, contract law and parental responsibility. Jointly, home affairs and justice ministers will also discuss the draft legislation on e-evidence.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs), Tuesday 05 June 2018

Home affairs ministers will cover different aspects of the EU migration, security and terrorism policy.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Transport), Thursday 07 June 2018

The Council will be asked to adopt a general approach on four proposals which relate to safeguarding competition in air transport, port reception facilities, electronic road tolling and exchange of information, and the use of hired vehicles. Ministers will take stock of progress on proposals on drivers’ driving and rest times, the posting of road hauliers, cabotage and establishment rules for road transport operators.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Telecommunications), Friday 08 June 2018

The Council is due to agree a general approach on a proposed Cybersecurity Act regulation. Ministers will also discuss a proposal to update privacy rules for electronic communications (ePrivacy), and a draft directive to promote the re-use of public sector information.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), Monday 11 June 2018

The Council is due to adopt a general approach on the regulation on ACER, the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The Presidency will inform Ministers about the state of play in trilogue negotiations on the governance of the Energy Union, the directive on renewable energy and the directive on energy efficiency.



Weekly schedule of President Donald Tusk

Press contacts

Preben Aamann
European Council President Spokesperson
+32 2 281 51 50
+32 476 85 05 43

Monday 4 June 2018
10.30 Meeting with President of Rwanda Paul Kagame (photo opportunity ± 10.25)
12.00 Meeting with President of Angola João Lourenço (photo opportunity ± 11:55)

Tuesday 5 June 2018
11.30 Meeting with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović (photo opportunity ± 11.25 – press statements ± 12.00)
13.00 Meeting with President of the Eurogroup Mário Centeno
14.30 Meeting with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg (photo opportunity ± 14.25 – press statements ± 15.00)

Wednesday 6 June 2018
11.30 Meeting with President of Liberia George Weah (photo opportunity ± 11.25)

Friday 8 June 2018
G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Canada (local time)
10.00 Joint press briefing with President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker
11.45 Official welcome by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
12.30 Working lunch
14.00 Family photo
15.00 Working sessions
18.30 Working dinner

Saturday 9 June 2018
G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Canada (local time)
08.00 Working breakfast with the Gender Equality Advisory Council
09.00 Signing of the scroll
09.30 Working sessions
12.15 Working sessions with outreach partners
13.30 Family photo with outreach partners
13.45 Working lunch with outreach partners



Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of General Electric Industrial Solutions by ABB

ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd (“ABB”) and General Electric Industrial Solutions(“GEIS”) are active worldwide in the manufacture and sale of electrical components and systems.

The Commission carried out a broad investigation on a large number of markets and concluded that:

  • Both ABB and GEIS are active in the design, manufacture and sale of low voltage and medium voltage products for industrial, commercial and residential applications, as well as of secured power protection systems and transformers. However, their respective geographic areas of activity are complementary, with ABB being stronger in Europe and GEIS in the US.
  • On overlapping markets in the European Economic Area (EEA), the Commission found that the transaction raises no significant concerns because: i) the combination of ABB’s and GEIS’ portfolios does not significantly increase concentration in a number of product categories; ii) the merged entity will continue facing effective competition from a number of large-scale rivals and specialised or local suppliers; iii) products in these markets are generally homogeneous and therefore interchangeable between competing brands. Customers also broadly confirmed that sufficient alternative sources of supply will remain in the EEA after the transaction.
  • On markets where the merging companies are active at different levels of the supply chain, the Commission found that they would not have the ability to foreclose competitors, notably because alternative suppliers will continue to operate in the market.

The Commission therefore concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns in any of the markets concerned.

Companies and products

ABB, based in Switzerland, is active in power and automation technologies and serves customers in utilities, industry, transport and infrastructure globally through four divisions: (i) Electrification Products, the relevant division in the present case; (ii) Robotics and Motion; (iii) Industrial Automation; and (iv) Power Grids.

GEIS is a division of the General Electric Company of the US, and is active in the design, manufacture and sale of low and medium-voltage electrical products and solutions for industrial, commercial and residential applications. GEIS is divided in four business units: (i) Engineered Solutions; (ii) Product Solutions; (iii) Configured Solutions; and (iv) Embedded Solutions.

Merger control rules and procedures

The transaction was notified to the Commission on 20 April 2018.

The Commission has the duty to assess mergers and acquisitions involving companies with a turnover above certain thresholds (see Article 1 of the Merger Regulation) and to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.

The vast majority of notified mergers do not pose competition problems and are cleared after a routine review. From the moment a transaction is notified, the Commission generally has a total of 25 working days to decide whether to grant approval (Phase I) or to start an in-depth investigation (Phase II).

More information will be available on the competition website, in the Commission’s public case register under the case number M.8678.