I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Eberhard van der Laan, the Mayor of Amsterdam and my close friend. He was a great friend of Europe and a very popular mayor of his beloved Amsterdam.

During the Dutch Presidency of the EU, Eberhard van der Laan made sure his city was not only a superb host to the countless politicians and officials that came to Amsterdam but also supported cultural and societal activities.

My thoughts are with the people of Amsterdam and the Netherlands, and above all, with those who were close to him. He will be greatly missed.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a real pleasure to be here at this Business Forum and in this city. I know that a speaker is supposed to say that he is happy to be where he is. It is never true but this time it is true, because the last time I was here was back in 1999 and I am really happy to be here once again. This is my second visit to this great nation; it will not be the last. I will come back.

And I am really happy for having come back because I remember my first trip to India. I remember it vividly. Because I was then impressed – as I am now – by the energy of India, of the Indian people, both eager to grow, wanting to succeed. And when I left India in 1999 I sensed that this country was the future.

Coming back here today, I think my sense was right. India has embraced the 21st century – more than others. The Indian leadership is helping to shape the world and make it a safer place. You are home to some of the most innovative tech companies in the world.

As I stand here today, I am more convinced than ever of this country’s enormous potential. I am more convinced than ever that India and the European Union, beacons of democracy and tolerance, must shape the world together.

India is one of the European Union’s oldest partners and friends around the world, with diplomatic relations dating back to 1962.

We are – how could I say? Partners, natural partners in so many respects. 

Natural partners because we share the same values of freedom and respect for human dignity.

Natural partners because we are two of the world’s largest democracies and believe in the rule of law.

Natural partners because we face many of the same challenges and share many of the same opportunities in an increasingly globalised world.

Our cooperation in response to these challenges helps make the world safer, more prosperous and more sustainable.

Two examples.

Since we last met in Brussels, India and the European Union have tragically fallen victim to terrorist attacks. We may be thousands of kilometres away from each other, but we face the same enemy. Europe and India, India and Europe must work together to fight terrorism in all its forms.

This is why this year we have deepened the cooperation between our security and intelligence agencies to fight terror financing and radicalisation. The Joint Declaration on Counter Terrorism we signed earlier today builds on that work.

India and Europe also have a shared responsibility when it comes to climate change. Both India and the European Union are unequivocal: the Paris Agreement is irreversible. Together with the other 195 signatories we will lead the way.

India has committed to increasing its share of renewable energy from 7% in 2012 to 22% by 2022. The European Union will support India every step of the way as your energy needs grow over the next decade and beyond that.

The European Investment Bank has already provided EUR 1.2 billion worth of loans to support energy and climate related projects in India. 

These numbers include the EUR 200 million loan to the State Bank of India to support large scale solar power schemes across the country. This is just a part of the almost EUR 1 trillion that will be needed to be invested in clean energy in India by 2030 – this investment will create new opportunities for Indian and European businesses alike.

Working together across these areas makes sense for both sides. And in doing so both India and the European Union are charting a course to what I believe must be a shared future.

Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day speech set a clear course for India. This was a speech which was impressing me and which was inspiring me. As this country celebrates its 70th anniversary of independence, the Prime Minister has set out a bold and ambitious vision of the ‘New India’ ahead of your 75th Anniversary in 2022.  He made a passionate case for international cooperation on security, counter-terrorism and other global issues.

Less than a month ago, more modestly, I delivered my own State of the Union speech about European future. I set out how Europe could become more united, stronger and more democratic. And I called for Europe to become the leading global voice for a rules-based multilateral system.

The Prime Minister and I, in our own ways, both argued for the same thing. We are natural partners because we share the belief that by working together we are stronger.

But we both know that we could also be doing so much more. We are only scratching at the surface of our common potential.

And we could start by learning a few lessons from how our businesses and people are working together.

European companies are already the second largest investor in India with an investment stock valued at EUR 51.2 billion in 2015.

European companies create jobs and growth right across India.

Bosch, Michelin, L’Oreal and others are setting up headquarters, manufacturing facilities and innovation hubs right across the country. They are only a few examples of the 6,000 European companies which are operating in India, employing 1.2 million people directly – and 5 million indirectly. 

Europe is already the primary destination for Indian foreign investment. This reflects our shared values and common belief in global trade and investment.

But we know we can do more. And we know that you can do more. We would like to see more investment in the European Union coming from Indian companies.

The European Union is the world’s biggest open market. We are the largest trading partner for 80 countries, including of course India. And we are the largest recipient and source of Foreign Direct Investment in the world.

The European Union’s economy is growing at above 2% a year. That is not enough, that is too meagre, that is too modest. But with this growth we were outstripping the United States for the last two years. And never in its history was the employment rate in Europe as high as it is today – never, never before. So Europe is a place to do business. And that will remain the case after the United Kingdom’s departure in March 2019.

The European Union of the then 27 will still be India’s largest trading partner. It will be made up of 445 million consumers living in what will remain the second largest economy in the world.

The EU 27 – you have to become used to this kind of description – already import EUR 2.38 trillion in goods and services a year, the second most in the world. This will not change after March 2019. We will also remain by some distance the largest destination – and the number one source of – Foreign Direct Investment in the world.

We can be sure that Europe’s economy will create new opportunities for India’s businesses – both now and in the future, now and after March 2019.

But business cannot do it alone. There is a role for institutions and for governments. I am proud that the European institutions are investing in India and its future.

The European Investment Bank now has a regional office in New Delhi. Its loans helped to build the Lucknow Metro that opened just last month. For a previously non-metro city, the impact of European investment cannot be underplayed.

And just this summer a EUR 500 million loan was signed to help with the construction of 12 underground and six elevated stations in the Namma Metro, making social mobility easier and reducing congestion.

But it is not just about hard investment. It is also about the sharing of knowledge and best practice to help solve real problems.

European know-how is now contributing to the Clean Ganga project – and we have some experiences in this field: with the Danube, the Elbe, to give just two examples.

I am delighted that the European Union is providing technical, financial and business input to the reform of India’s water sector. We know this is a major issue for India, where 75.8 million people have no access to clean water. This is not only the problem of India, this is a common problem both for India and for Europe and we are trying to help as much as possible to tackle this enormous problem.

Dear friends,

When I think back to when I was here in 1999 – for the younger amongst you: that was last century – the level of cooperation is remarkable.

But I believe it is now time to open a new chapter in our partnership, one that can cement the progress we have made and create jobs and growth in both India and the European Union.

Both the European Union and India believe in fair trade. It is a way of creating jobs, exporting our standards and values – values we share with our Indian friends.

When it comes to trade, we are once again partners, natural partners.

We have a significant and balanced trading partnership to build on. The European Union is already India’s largest trading partner, accounting for more than 13% of India’s overall trade. Trade in goods and services surpassed EUR 100 billion last year.

The trading of goods is almost perfectly balanced with exports and imports almost equal on both sides. And bilateral trade in commercial services has almost tripled over the last decade.

This is only a fraction of what we could achieve together. This is why I believe that a Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU would be the best way forward.

I really believe that today’s Summit has given us fresh impetus and I am confident that our negotiators will establish a way forward in the next coming days because your Trade Minister and my Trade Commissioner will have a meeting in three days from now, I think in Marrakesh, and they have to have an in-depth look into this issue.

But I do not want to raise expectations we cannot meet. No nonsense. We will not restart talks for the sake of starting them; we want to conclude them. Once the circumstances are right – because the European Union cannot impose conditions on India because India has at least the same dignity as the European Union – once the circumstances are right, we will resume. And with good faith on both sides I am confident we can move forward.

A second goal that we should set ourselves relates to data protection.

Indian companies have created enormous wealth and thousands of jobs providing IT services to European companies. Many of the services they provide involve the exchange of personal data, the black gold of the 21st century.

This data needs to be protected. India and the European Union should work together on high standards of protection.

First, because data protection is about values. The rights that citizens enjoy offline should also be protected online. Second, because the closer our data protection standards are, the more freely personal data can flow between us. The business case is compelling.

If India’s standards of data protection are converging with those of the European Union, the aim should be for the EU to recognise the adequacy of India’s rules – conformity does not mean full identity with European rules but bringing together values, norms, systems. We have to build this “data bridge” to enable personal data to flow freely between us.

As both India and the European Union look forward to the next decade, I am convinced that India will play an increasingly important role in Europe’s future – and vice-versa.

Today’s Summit – the one we had, President Tusk and myself, with your Prime Minister – was an important step towards making that happen.

As a friend, ally and partner, natural partner, I believe that the European Union can help India make good on Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a “New India” for 2022.

The European Union will be there every step of your way from now to 2022 and beyond. We are ready to help India achieve its ambitions, and we are counting on India that India will reach its ambitions. The benefits will be mutual. The opportunity should be seized.   

Long live India!

Thank you.

EU – India Summit: strengthening our strategic partnership and moving forward with our common agenda

The 14^th Summit between the European Union and India was held today in New Delhi, marking 55 years of diplomatic relations between the world’s two largest democracies. The European Union was represented at the Summit by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. India was represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini also attended. “We are the world’s two largest democracies. We are two of the world’s biggest economies. We share the same values and the belief that freedom, equality, tolerance and the rule of law. Working together with a like-minded partner like India simply makes sense. It is natural”, said the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.  “We agreed that we should take our trading relationship to the next level. It is high time for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU. Once the circumstances are right – and only once the circumstances are right – we will resume. Today’s Summit is an important step in the right direction and after hearing Prime Minister Modi I am confident we can move forward. Our chief negotiators will next sit down in November to chart a way forward.” The full remarks of President Juncker at the joint press conference following the Summit are available online. The Summit provided an opportunity for leaders to take stock of EU-India cooperation across the full spectrum of our cooperation, including tackling global challenges, the economic relationship, and sectoral cooperation. A number of substantial, concrete deliverables were agreed by the leaders at the Summit, and are detailed in a Joint Summit Statement. Joint statements on combatting terrorism; on clean energy and climate change; and on smart and sustainable urbanisation were also adopted. A full press release on the Summit outcomes is available online.After the Summit, President Juncker will deliver the keynote speech at the EU-India Business Forum. (For more information: Margaritis Schinas – Tel.: +32 229 60524; Mina Andreeva – Tel.: +32 229 91382; Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Adam Kaznowski – Tel: +32 229 89359)   

Our Ocean 2017: European Union leads the way on global actions for better governance of the oceans

More than six billion euros have been committed by public and private actors at the European Union-hosted conference in Malta, to better manage the oceans. High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries have announced yesterday on behalf of the EU over €550 million of EU-funded initiatives to tackle global oceans challenges. At the conference, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans will announce that the European Commission will phase out by end 2017 all single-use plastic cups in water fountains and vending machines in its buildings in Brussels. Furthermore, Commissioner for Development, Neven Mimica reaffirmed on behalf of the EU and its African, Caribbean, and Pacific partners their commitment for sustainable ocean governance. Read the joint statement here. Following the strong message sent by the EU to step up action for better governance of our ocean, the total commitments made by other public and private actors from 112 countries around the world reached over €6 billion. The resources will be invested to strengthen the fight against marine pollution and enlarge protected areas, reinforce security of the oceans, foster blue economy initiatives and sustainable fisheries and intensify the EU efforts against climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030. Participants also announced the creation of new Marine Protected Areas spanning more than 2.5 million km², or more than half the size of the entire European Union. The full list of over 400 commitments (36 from the EU, over 200 from third country governments, more than 100 from business and several others from NGOs, foundations, research institutes and international organisations) are available online. A press release and memo are available online. A press conference with First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner Vella can be followed live here at 13:00 CET. (For more information: Enrico Brivio – Tel.: + 32 229 56172; Iris Petsa – Tel.: +32 229 93321)

Commission welcomes the Tallinn Declaration on e-government

European Ministers responsible for e-government pledged today at the Ministerial eGovernment Conference in Tallinn, Estonia to accelerate wider use of electronic identification means across the EU. This is an important step to complete the formal notification of electronic identification means under the regulation on the electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS), which makes it possible for Europeans to access online services in other Member States just as they do at home and for European businesses to make easy electronic transactions in the internal market. Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Gabriel welcomed this step with a joint statement, saying: “European Ministers responsible for e-government committed today to accelerate wider use of electronic identification means across the EU. The Tallinn Declaration marks therefore serious progress for our citizens and businesses. […] The Commission will continue to work closely with the Member States to accelerate this process.” The full statement is available here. Another declaration was signed yesterday in Tallinn at the second Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting on the digital economy. Ministers from EU Member States as well as from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine signed a declaration agreeing to specific targets that reflect a shared willingness to deepen their cooperation in six priority areas: electronic communications and infrastructure; trust and security; eTrade; digital skills; ICT innovation, and start up ecosystems; and eHealth. Read more here. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Inga Höglund – Tel.: +32 229 50698)

Trade defence: Commission imposes anti-dumping measures on steel producers from four countries

The Commission today imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of hot rolled flat steel products from Brazil, Iran, Russia and Ukraine. Hot rolled flat steel products from these countries will face duties ranging between €17.6 and €96.5 per tonne after an investigation conducted by the Commission. Serbian imports to the EU, although initially part of the investigation, were not included in the final regulation because their volume was considered negligible. This action is yet another one taken by the EU to protect European jobs and industry from unfair trade practices and brings the total number of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures in place on steel products to 48. The goal is to provide a level playing field and conditions of fair competition for European companies. In addition to this, the EU is tackling the root causes of overcapacity in the global steel industry through its active involvement in the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity created last December.The text of the regulation is available in the EU Official Journal. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 229 56185 and Kinga Malinowska – Tel.: + 32 229 51383)

Investment Plan for Europe: €260 million for SMEs in Hungary

Today the European Investment Fund has signed an agreement with Hungarian guarantee institution Garantiqa to provide HUF 80 billion (ca. €260 million) to some 3,500 small and medium-sized businesses in Hungary. The agreement is covered by the guarantee of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the core of the Juncker Plan. The deal will help reduce the administrative burden involved in getting a loan. Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said: “The agreement signed today by the European Investment Fund and Garantiqa is very good news for small Hungarian businesses. Thanks to support from the Investment Plan for Europe, not only will 3,500 small businesses have access to HUF 80 billion in finance to grow their companies, but the deal will also help reduce the administrative burden involved in getting a loan. I encourage SMEs in Hungary with an investment proposal to use this opportunity and apply to Garantiqa.” (For more information about any of the projects and the latest Investment Plan results see the Investment Plan website or contact Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 56153; Siobhán Millbright – Tel.: +32 229 57361)

Fourth successful European Citizens’ Initiative submitted to the Commission [added on 06/10/2017 at 13:11]

The European Commission has officially received this morning the submission of the 4th successful European Citizens’ Initiative. By supporting the ‘Stop Glyphosate’ European Citizens’ Initiative, over 1 million citizens from at least 7 Member States have called on the European Commission “to propose to Member States a ban on glyphosate, to reform the pesticide approval procedure, and to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use”. A total of 1,070,865 statements of support have been received from 22 Member States so far, and have been checked and validated by national authorities. The European Commission will now invite the organisers within the next 3 months to present their ideas in more depth. A public hearing will be arranged in the European Parliament to allow all stakeholders to present their views, and then the Commission will decide whether to act by proposing legislation, act in some other way to achieve the goals of the Initiative, or not act at all; all three options are possible under Article 11(4) of the Treaty of the European Union. After having listened to stakeholders, the Commission will present a Communication explaining its reasoning. The European Citizens’ Initiative is a valuable tool in the hands of citizens and allows them to contribute to shaping EU law and policy. The Commission recently presented a proposal to modify the Citizens’ Initiative Regulation, to make the tool even more accessible to citizens and to encourage its wider use. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229 67456; Tim McPhie – +32 229 58602)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of joint control over Ambry Genetics by Konica Minolta and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control over Ambry Genetics of the US by Konica Minolta Inc. and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), both of Japan. Ambry Genetics is a healthcare company which provides genetic laboratory testing services and is active in related genetic research activities. Its business is focused on the US and Canada with negligible activities in the EU. Konica Minolta is a technology company specialising in imaging products, data analysis optics and nano-fabrication. It is active in 150 countries globally. INCJ is a public-private partnership of the Japanese Government and 26 private companies. It pursues investment activities by providing financial, technological and management support to next generation businesses. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given the transaction’s limited impact on the market structure. 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.8613. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Sarantopoulou – Tel.: +32 229 13740)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Novae by Axis

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of Novae Group PLC of the UK by Axis Capital Holdings Limited of Bermuda. Novae underwrites both insurance and reinsurance through its syndicate at Lloyds (Syndicate 2007). Axis is a global (re)insurance company providing a range of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with activities in several countries, including the UK. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns because of the very limited overlaps between the companies’ activities and its limited impact on the market structure. 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.8585. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Sarantopoulou – Tel.: +32 229 13740)  

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Apprendre à programmer un robot? La semaine européenne du code se déroulera du 7 au 22 octobre

La cinquième édition de la semaine européenne du “code” et de la programmation numérique s’étalera exceptionnellement sur deux semaines, du 7 au 22 octobre 2017. Ce sont plus de milliers d’activités qui vont faire vivre le monde numérique aux quatre coins de l’Europe et au-delà. La semaine européenne du code est une initiative organisée par des bénévoles et coordonnée par les Ambassadeurs numériques. Elle encourage chacun à découvrir la programmation numérique à travers des manifestations où jeunes, adultes et personnes âgées pourront apprendre à créer leurs propres applications, à programmer un robot ou encore à créer un site web. En parcourant la carte codeweek.eu vous trouverez des événements organisés dans votre région par des écoles, des organisations sans but lucratif, des entreprises, des bibliothèques et d’autres amateurs de programmation numérique. Dans le cadre de sa stratégie pour un marché unique numérique, la Commission européenne encourage la semaine européenne du code ainsi que d’autres initiatives indépendantes visant à renforcer les compétences numériquesde chacun. La Commission organisera un événement pour fêter le cinquième anniversaire de la semaine européenne du code le 9 octobre 2017 au Berlaymont en présence de la Commissaire Gabriel en charge de l’économie et de la société numériques et du Commissaire Navracsics chargé de l’éducation, de la culture, de la jeunesse du sport. Tous deux participeront à un atelier de programmation numérique et les visiteurs pourront tester des projets conçus par les étudiants d’associations telles que  BeCode, Le Wagon, MolenGeek, Techies Lab, comme des robots, des imprimantes 3Det d’autres outils informatiques. (Pour plus d’information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Inga Höglund – Tel.: +32 229 50698; Julia-Henriette Bräuer – Tel.: +32 229 80707)

La Semaine européenne des régions s’ouvre lundi à Bruxelles

La Commission, le Parlement européen et le Comité des Régions donneront ensemble le coup d’envoi lundi à 14h30 de la Semaine européenne des régions et des villes. Cette année, le thème principal sera l’avenir de la politique de Cohésion. Des centaines d’élus nationaux et locaux et de gestionnaires de projets se retrouveront toute la semaine pour discuter de ce qui a été accompli au cours de la décennie précédente avec les investissements de l’UE, sur la base du 7^e rapport Cohésion qui sera présenté lundi, et de ce qu’il faut parachever dans la période post 2020. “Tous les participants savent à quel point la politique de Cohésion est vitale pour nos régions,” a commenté la Commissaire à la politique régionale Corina Creţu, “Et nous devons relayer le message le plus largement possible. C’est pourquoi je me réjouis du lancement, ce lundi, de l’alliance pour la cohésion. Cette alliance devra réunir les bénéficiaires des fonds de la politique de cohésion, villes et régions mais aussi des représentants du secteur privé, de la santé et de l’éducation, pour promouvoir une politique de cohésion forte dans la prochaine période financière.” Au cours de cette semaine, vous aurez l’occasion d’échanger avec des élus et des experts de la politique de cohésion dans votre pays, d’assister à la traditionnelle cérémonie des RegioStars Awards et de participer à un séminaire sur l’avenir de la politique de cohésion. Le programme média complet est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tel.: +32 229 56169)

Calendar

The Commissioners’ weekly activities

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

(Susceptible de modifications en cours de semaine)

Déplacements et visites

 

Lundi 09 octobre 2017

Eurogroup, in Luxembourg

09-10/10 Agriculture and Fisheries Council, in Luxembourg

Mr Frans Timmermans receives Mr Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of the European Research Council (ERC).

Mr Frans Timmermans receives Mr Jonas Eriksson, Member of the Parliament of Sweden, Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee.

Mr Frans Timmermans delivers a keynote speech at Les Grandes Conférences Catholiques, in Brussels.

Ms Federica Mogherini receives Mr Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, Vice-President of Indonesia.

Mr Andrus Ansip receives representatives from the German Broadband Association (BREKO) and the Association of Providers of Telecommunications and Value-added Services (VATM).

Mr Andrus Ansip receives Mr Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, Vice-President of Indonesia.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič in Stuttgart, Germany: participates in the International Electric Vehicle Symposium; meets Mr Winfried Kretschmann, Minister President of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis receives Mr Markus Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope; Mr Maxime Cerutti, Director for Social Affairs, BusinessEurope; Mr Luca Visentini, Secretary General, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC); and Mr Peter Scherrer, Deputy Secretary General, ETUC.

Ms Cecilia Malmström in Marrakech, Morocco (until 10/10): participates in the Third mini-ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete in Lisbon, Portugal: delivers a keynote speech at  “The challenges of the Iberian Energy Market” conference.

Mr Karmenu Vella in Luxembourg: meets Mr Rumen Porodzanov, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry of Bulgaria.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis meets Mr Jari Leppä, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, in Brussels.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis meets Mr George Eustice, Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the United Kingdom, in Brussels.

Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos in Athens, Greece: delivers a speech at the EU-Eurasia-China Business Summit organised by The Economist.

M. Pierre Moscovici à Luxembourg (jusqu’à 10/10): rencontre M. Xavier Bettel, Premier Ministre du Luxembourg; et M. Pierre Gramegna, Ministre des Finances du Luxembourg.

Mr Christos Stylianides in Obrenovac and Belgrade, Serbia: visits a refugee assistance site; meets Mr Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia; Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia; Ms Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Mr Aleksandar Vulin, Minister for Defence and President of the Working Group for Migration of Serbia.

Ms Violeta Bulc in Cyprus (until 10/10): delivers a keynote speech at the Maritime Cyprus Conference; and meets members of the board of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations.

Ms Vĕra Jourová in Prague, Czech Republic: meets Mr Rudolf Jindrák, Head of Foreign Affairs Department of the President’s Office of the Czech Republic.

Mr Tibor Navracsics in Budapest, Hungary: delivers a speech on youth employment policies in Europe at SZÁMALK-Salesian Post-Secondary Vocational School.

Mr Tibor Navracsics and Ms Mariya Gabriel deliver speeches at the CodeWeekEU2017, in Brussels.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Claudio De Vincenti, Minister responsible for Territorial Cohesion and Southern Italy.

Ms Corina Creţu delivers a keynote speech at the official opening of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2017, organised by the European Commission, in Brussels.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Ms Karin Röding, State Secretary to the Minister for Higher Education and Research of Sweden.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Ms Kirsten Dunlop, CEO of Climate-KIC.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Mr Levon Mkrtchyan, Minister for Education and Science of Armenia.

Mr Julian King in Poland (until 10/10): delivers a speech at the 3rd European Cybersecurity Forum, CYBERSEC; and meets Mr Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister for the Interior and Administration of Poland.

Ms Mariya Gabriel receives the CEOs of the German Broadband Association (BREKO).

Mrs Mariya Gabriel delivers a speech at the Language Technology Industry Summit 2017, in Brussels.

 

Mardi 10 octobre 2017

Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH), in Luxembourg

Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), in Luxembourg

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Gilles de Kerchove, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.

Mr Frans Timmermans and Ms Vĕra Jourová deliver keynote speeches at the Equinet (European Network of Equality Bodies) 10th Year Anniversary event, in Brussels.

Mr Frans Timmermans in den Haag, the Netherlands: delivers a speech on “Entrepreneurs thinking in solutions” at the Annual Congress of the Dutch SME organisation (MKB-Nederland Jaarcongres).

Mr Andrus Ansip receives Ms Ginni Rometty, Chairwoman, President and CEO of IBM.

Mr Andrus Ansip receives Ms Karola Wille, Chairwoman of ARD and Mr Tom Buhrow, Director General of WDR.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič receives, together with Mr Carlos Moedas, Mr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis receives Mr Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Parliament of Lithuania; and Mr Andrius Kubilius, Member of the Parliament of Lithuania.

Mr Johannes Hahn receives Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.

Ms Cecilia Malmström in Marrakech, Morocco: participates in the Third mini-ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Neven Mimica in Rome, Italy: delivers a speech at a high-level event to mark the 5^th anniversary of the Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Tenure.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete delivers a keynote speech at the Renovate Europe Day 2017 conference, at the European Parliament, in Brussels.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives representatives of the Federation of Entrepreneurs of SMEs in Catalonia (FEPIME).

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis in Geneva, Switzerland: participates in the POLITICO and Le Temps Health Care Summit 2017; meets Mr Fredmund Malik, Chairman of Management Center St. Gallen, and Malik Institute for Complexity Management, Governance and Leadership; and delivers a speech at the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry(AESGP) reception.

Ms Marianne Thyssen delivers the opening statement at Employment and Social Developments in Europe review (ESDE) conference on intergenerational fairness and solidarity, in Brussels.

M. Pierre Moscovici à Luxembourg: rencontre M. Klaus Regling, Directeur Général du Mécanisme Européen de Stabilité (MES).

M. Pierre Moscovici à Paris, France: rencontre M. Edouard Philippe, Premier ministre de la République française.

Mr Christos Stylianides delivers an opening speech at the Global Education Cluster Annual Partners’ meeting, in Brussels.

Mr Christos Stylianides receives Mr Pierre Krähenbühl, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Mr Phil Hogan in Paris, France: delivers a speech at the third annual EU conference on EAFRD financial instruments for agriculture and rural development in 2014-2020; and meets Mr Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate of France.

Ms Violeta Bulc in Nicosia, Cyprus: meets members of the Parliament of Cyprus.

Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska in Singapore (until 11/10): meets Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore; visits Airbus training centre for Asia; and hosts a dinner with representatives of Eurocham Singapore and EU-ASEAN Business Council.

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Mr Miha Lobnik, Advocate of the Principle of Equality of Slovenia.

Mr Tibor Navracsics delivers a speech at the “Smart specialisation sport” workshop at the European Week of Regions and Cities 2017, organised by the European Commission, in Brussels.

Mr Tibor Navracsics delivers a speech at the opening conference on Conductive Pedagogy, organised by the European Parliament, in Brussels.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Miguel Carballeda, President of ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and the Social Inclusion of the Disabled.

Ms Corina Creţu delivers a keynote speech the Award Ceremony on Urban Agenda, in Brussels.

Ms Margrethe Vestager in Vilnius, Lithuania: meets Ms Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania; Mr Saulius Skvernelis, Prime Minister of Lithuania; members of Lithuanian Parliament; delivers a keynote speech at the 14^th Baltic Competition Conference; meets Mr Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Minister for Energy of Lithuania; and Mr Rokas Masiulis, Minister for Transport and Communication.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives leaders from associations of social partners from the Azores islands, Portugal.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Ms Ginni Rometty, Chairwoman, President and CEO of IBM.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Mr Guillermo Fernandéz Vara, President of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Spain.

Mr Julian King in Warsaw, Poland: visits the Police Central Forensic Laboratory.

Ms Mariya Gabriel receives Mr Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of European Research Council (ERC).

Ms Mariya Gabriel delivers a speech at the “How to fight cyber risk” conference organised by Mr Doru-Claudian Frunzulica, Member of European Parliament, in Brussels.

Ms Mariya Gabriel delivers a speech at the “Thinking SMARTer – how can we grow the Data Union?” conference, in Brussels.

 

Mercredi 11 octobre 2017

College meeting

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.

Mr Frans Timmermans participates in #GirlsTakeover by Plan International, in Brussels.

Mr Frans Timmermans and Ms Vĕra Jourová deliver keynote speeches at the Gender Equality Index Conference 2017, organised by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), in Brussels.

Ms Federica Mogherini receives Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.

Mr Andrus Ansip in Buenos Aires, Argentina (until 13/10): participates in the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017; and addresses the Ministerial Roundtable on the impact of ICTs for sustainable development goals.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič receives CEOs and representatives from Member States on targeted exchange of views on battery development and production in Europe.

Mr Jyrki Katainen delivers a keynote speech at the European Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy, in Brussels.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Lawrence MacAulay, Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives a delegation from the Confederation of Swedish Conservative and Liberal Students.

Mr Günther Oettinger participates in a panel discussion “Quo vadis, Europa”, organised by the German public broadcaster ZDF, in Brussels.

Ms Cecilia Malmström receives Ms Ginni Rometty, Chairwoman, President and CEO of IBM.

Mr Neven Mimica receives Mr Miguel Carballeda, President of ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and the Social Inclusion of the Disabled.

Mr Karmenu Vella participates in the conference “Maritime Spatial Planning for Blue Growth – How to Plan for a Sustainable Blue Economy“, in Brussels.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis gives a speech and participates in the IFAH (International Federation for Animal Health Europe) Europe’s 2017 Conference, in Brussels.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis participates in the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) event “Therapies for the future – exploring solutions for innovative treatments in Europe”, organised by the European Parliament, in Brussels.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis receives Mr Lawrence MacAulay, Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada.

Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos receives Mr Marc Pierini, Visiting Scholar at Carnegie Europe.

Ms Marianne Thyssen in Romania (until 12/10): meets Ms Lia-Olguța Vasilescu, Minister for Labour and Social Justice of Romania; Mr Gabriel Petrea, Minister for Public Consultation and Social Dialogue;  Ms Sevil Shhaideh, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds; Ms Rovana Plumb, Minister-delegate for European Funds; and representatives of trade unions and business society.

Ms Violeta Bulc receives Mr Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn.

Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska in Singapore; visits Singapore’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster; and meets representatives of the Singapore manufacturing federation (NAMIC).

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives representatives of FoodDrinkEurope, the European Brands Association (AIM) and Eurocommerce on dual quality of food products.

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Ms Ginni Rometty, Chairwoman, President and CEO of IBM.

Mr Tibor Navracsics in Marseille, France: delivers a speech at the Capital of sport 2017 #BeActive Awards gala event.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Aaron Farrugia, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue of Malta.

Ms Margrethe Vestager receives visitors from a Danish association for Corporate Finance and Control.

Ms Margrethe Vestager delivers a speech at the event “Jobs for Girls”, part of the European Week of Action for Girls 2017, in Brussels.

Ms Margrethe Vestager receives Mr Andreas Steenberg, Member of the Danish Parliament.

Mr Carlos Moedas in Aveiro, Portugal (until 12/10): visits the Institute of Telecommunications; and the Campus of the University of Aveiro, the Science and Innovation Factory and Park.

Ms Mariya Gabriel receives Mr Sebastien Soriano, Chairman at ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes) and 2017 Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).

Mrs Mariya Gabriel delivers a speech at the Launch event of the Broadband Platform organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), in Brussels.

 

Jeudi 12 octobre 2017

12-13/10 Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), in Luxembourg

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Luxembourg (until 13/10): delivers a speech at a special event on the occasion of the conference of international auditors marking the 40th anniversary of the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

Mr Andrus Ansip in Buenos Aires, Argentina: meets Mr Andrés Ibarra, Minister for Modernisation of Argentina.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič in Finland (until 13.10): on Energy Union Tour: meets members of the Grand Committee (Parliament’s EU Committee) of the Finnish Parliament; Mr Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister for Housing, Energy and the Environment; and attends a roundtable discussion with Energy Union stakeholders.

Mr Jyrki Katainen delivers closing remarks at the Third Sustainability and Innovation conference, in Brussels.

Mr Neven Mimica receives Mr Abdoulaye Idrissa Maïga, Prime Minister of Mali.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives Mr Detlef Seif, Member of the German Bundestag.

Mr Karmenu Vella in Tallinn, Estonia: participates in “Beyond 2020: Supporting Europe’s Coastal Communities” conference.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis in Berlin, Germany: delivers a speech at “Poor and sick: social inequality and health in Europe” event of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; and a speech at an event organised by the embassy of the United Kingdom on the occasion of “One Health AMR Multi-sectoral conference – call for action”.

Ms Marianne Thyssen in Iaşi, Romania: delivers a keynote speech at the opening and the closing of the Exhibition “60 years of EU”; hosts a Citizens’ dialogue on the future of Europe – the future of Social Europe and the EU Social Pillar; and visits the EU-funded project “Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases”, with Ms Rovana Plumb, Minister-delegate for European Funds.

M. Pierre Moscovici à Washington, les États-Unis (jusqu’à 13/10):rencontre M. Henrique Meirelles, Ministre des Finances du Brésil; M. Marcello Estevão, Secrétaire d’Etat des Affaires Étrangères du Brésil; M. Simone Celli, Ministre des Finances et du Budget de Saint-Marin; M. Jim Cowles, Directeur Général pour l’Europe, Moyen-Orient et Afrique (EMEA) chez Citigroup Inc.; prononce un discours à Georgetown University sur l’avenir de la zone euro; et participe à la réunion G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

Mr Christos Stylianides delivers a speech at the conference “Education of refugee children in the Middle East: What matters? Experience and best practices“, in Brussels.

Mr Phil Hogan in Lisbon, Portugal: delivers a speech at the Agriculture Innovation Summit (AIS2017).

Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska in Jakarta, Indonesia: visits IDEMIA digital security and identification technologies company; meets Mr Le Luong Minh, Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); representatives of European and Indonesian SMEs and the European Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia; Mr Airlangga Hartarto, Minister for Industry of Indonesia; and Mr Rudiantara, Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

Mr Tibor Navracsics inFrankfurt, Germany: delivers a speech at an event organised by the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Ms Corina Creţu meets Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR); and Mr Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR); delivers a keynote speech at the Conference “Disaster Risk Management in European Regions“; and meets Ms Annick Girardin, Minister for Overseas Territories of France.

Ms Margrethe Vestager in Paris, France: meets Mr Edouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France; Ms Elisabeth Borne, Minister for Transport of France; Mr Nicolas Hulot, Minister of State, Minister for Ecological and Inclusive Transition; Mr Alexis Kohler, Secretary General of Elysée; and delivers a speech at the BPI France Inno Generation.

Mr Carlos Moedas in Aveiro and Oeiras, Portugal: meets representatives of local companies and the Commission of Regional Coordination and Development (CCDR); delivers the opening speech at the TechDays forum; visits Altice Labs; inaugurates the UBIWHERE headquarters; delivers a speech at the Institute of Telecommunications on the occasion of its 25^th anniversary; delivers a speech at the Agriculture Innovation Summit (AIS2017); and attends the AIS2017 Start-up Award ceremony.

Vendredi 13 octobre 2017

Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), in Luxembourg

Environment Council (ENVI), in Luxembourg

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg: participates in a Citizens’ dialogue with Luxembourgish students.

Mr Frans Timmermans in Sicily, Italy: hosts a Citizens’ dialogue.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič in Finland: on Energy Union Tour: visits the UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery site; participates in a Citizens’ dialogue; and meets Mr Kimmo Jarva, Mayor of Lappeenranta.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis in Washington, the United States for the annual meeting of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (until 15/10): delivers remarks at the event “EU-US partnership for building strong institutions and resilient economies“, organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States; meets Mr J. Christopher Giancarlo, Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Mr Jay Clayton, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and participates in the introductory plenary session of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the International Monetary Fund.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Daniel Gros, Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS); and Mr Steven Blockmans, Senior Research Fellow and Head of EU Foreign Policy, CEPS.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Ms Monique Goyens, Director General of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

Ms Cecilia Malmström delivers a keynote speech at the European Services Forum (ESF) conference on “Trade in services: unlocking a multi-trillion euro economy for all and across sectors”, in Brussels.

Ms Cecilia Malmström receives Mr Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister for State, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

Mr Neven Mimica in Washington, the United States (until 15/10): attends the annual meeting of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund; attends the G5 Sahel Ministerial meeting; meets Mr Luis Alberto Moreno President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Ms Hadizatou Rosine Coulibaly, Minister for Economy, Finance and Development of Burkina Faso; and Mr Claver Gatete, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda.

Mr Karmenu Vella in Luxembourg: meets Mr Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis and Ms Vĕra Jourová in Bratislava, Slovakia: participates in and deliver speeches at Bratislava Consumer Summit: Equal Quality of Products for All Citizens.

M. Pierre Moscovici à Washington, les États-Unis: rencontre M. Euclid Tsakalotos, Ministre des Finances de la Grèce; participe à la réunion G20 des Ministres des Finances et Gouverneurs des Banques Centrales; à L’Assemblée annuelle du Fonds monétaire international (FMI); rencontre M. Mehmet Şimşek Vice-Premier Ministre de la Turquie; et M. Oleksandr Danyliuk, Ministre des Finance de l’Ukraine.

Mr Phil Hogan in Bergamo, Italy (until 15/10): delivers a speech at the Global Hunger Index conference.

 

Samedi 14 octobre 2017

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis in Washington, the United States for the annual meeting of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund: meets Ms Barbara Novick, Vice Chairman and Head of the Global Public Policy Group, BlackRock; Mr Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Minister of Finance of the Netherlands and President of the Eurogroup; Mr James Cowles, CEO, Europe Middle East and Africa at Citigroup Inc.; and Mr David Walker, Head of Public Sector, Europe Middle East and Africa at Citigroup Inc.; Ms Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank; Mr Oleksandr Danyliuk, Minister for Finance of Ukraine; participates in the plenary session of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); and in an “In conversation” event at the Annual Membership Meeting of the International Institute for Finance.

Mr Phil Hogan in Bergamo, Italy: participates in the G7 Agriculture Ministers meeting; meets Mr Lawrence MacAulay, Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada.

 

Dimanche 15 octobre 2017

Mr Phil Hogan in Bergamo, Italy: participates in the G7 Agriculture Ministers meeting.

 

Prévisions du mois d’octobre:

16/10 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Luxembourg.

17/10 General Affairs Council (GAC), in Luxembourg.

17/10 General Affairs Council (Art. 50), in Luxembourg.

17/10 Competitiveness Council (COMPET), in Luxembourg.

18/10 Tripartite Social Summit, in Brussels.

19-20/10 European Council, in Brussels.

23/10 Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), in Luxembourg.

23-26/10 European Parliament plenary session, in Strasbourg.

24/10 Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE), in Luxembourg.

Prévisons du mois de novembre:

06/11 Eurogroup, in Brussels.

06-07/11 Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH), in Brussels.

07/11 Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), in Brussels.

09/11 Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), in Brussels.

10/11 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Brussels.

13-14/11 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Brussels.

13-16/11 European Parliament plenary session, in Strasbourg.

15/11 General Affairs Council (GAC), in Brussels.

17/11 Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), in Brussels.

17/11 Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth, in Gothenburg.

20/11 General Affairs Council (GAC), in Brussels.

20-21/11 Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council (EYCS), in Brussels.

24/11 Eastern Partnership summit, in Brussels.

27/11 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Brussels.

29-30/11 European Parliament plenary session, in Brussels.

30/11 – 01/12 Competitiveness Council (COMPET), in Brussels.

Prévisions du mois de décembre:

30/11 – 01/12 Competitiveness Council (COMPET), in Brussels.

04/12 Eurogroup, in Brussels.

04-05/12 Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE), in Brussels.

05/12 Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), in Brussels.

07-08/12 Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), in Brussels.

07-08/12 Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), in Brussels.

11/12 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Brussels.

11-12/12 Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH), in Brussels.

11-14/12 European Parliament plenary session, in Strasbourg.

12/12 General Affairs Council (GAC), in Brussels.

12/12 General Affairs Council (Art. 50), in Brussels

14-15/12 European Council, in Brussels.

18/12 Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE), in Brussels.

19/12 Environment Council (ENVI), in Brussels.

 

 

Permanence DG COMM le WE du 23 au 24 septembre 2017:

Natasha BERTAUD: +32 (0) 460 76 74 56

Permanence RAPID – GSM: +32 (0) 498 982 748

Service Audiovisuel, planning studio – tél. : +32 (0)2/295 21 23

The European Commission has announced over €550 million of EU-funded initiatives to tackle global oceans challenges, at the Our Ocean Conference 2017 in Malta, co-hosted by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The commitments announced in Malta made by the Commission and by other public and private actors from 112 countries around the world reached over €6 billion. The resources will be invested to strengthen the fight against marine pollution and enlarge protected areas, reinforce security of the oceans, foster blue economy initiatives and sustainable fisheries and intensify the EU efforts against climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030. Participants also announced the creation of new Marine Protected Areas spanning more than 2.5 million km², or more than half the size of the entire European Union.

The full list of over 400 commitments (36 from the EU, over 200 from third country governments, more than 100 from business and several others from NGOs, foundations, research institutes and international organisations) are available online.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “The European Commission has demonstrated with concrete pledges its strong commitment to the sustainability, security and prosperity of our oceans. If they are at risk, so are we, for the oceans nourish our planet and our people, and they connect us to our partners around the world.”

High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini said: “The sea is a global common. It is Our Ocean because it belongs to humanity, to each and every human being. We all have a responsibility to preserve what’s common – to preserve it as a treasure and avoid that it turns into a threat. The European Union believes that a globalised world needs a more cooperative global governance. We believe in the power of diplomacy, we invest in it, we believe and invest in the power of common rules and international institutions. And it is difficult, actually impossible, to imagine a global governance without a cooperative oceans’ governance.”

Commissioner Karmenu Vella said: “Three years ago I was asked by President Juncker to define the EU’s global ocean role. I think together we have delivered. Our policies on land, like our commitment to the circular economy and reduced plastic waste; and at sea, on marine pollution, on protected areas, and on harnessing the ocean’s clean energy, clearly demonstrate this. The European Union is earning respect and inspiring action across the planet”.

Commissioner Neven Mimica said:“These two days have delivered on our Sustainable Development Goals ocean commitments. Small-scale fishermen around the world have a better chance of fishing safely, legally, and sustainably. Food chains are more secure. Coastal areas more protected. We are acting on the climate challenge. For many of our developing country partners, sustainable ocean governance is a question of survival. The road ahead is still long, but we are moving in the right direction.”

The Our Ocean Conference has brought together public and private actors from six continents, who are collectively committed to the cause of better ocean governance and the sustainable use of the oceans. EU commitments reach far beyond its geographical region, to support sustainable international ocean use worldwide, focusing in particular on developing countries.

For the first time, the Conference gathered significant commitments from the private sector, including Airbus, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Marks & Spencer, Carrefour, Royal Caribbean Cruises, AXA, Sky and others.

Commitments will be tracked and reported at the next Our Ocean Conference in Indonesia in 2018.

Background

Previous conferences, hosted by the governments of the United States (2014, 2016) and Chile (2015), have seen a wide range of commitments and billions of euros pledged.

The Our Ocean 2017 Conference addressed the themes of marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate change. This year, the European Commission introduced the themes of blue economy and maritime security. Our Ocean engaged participants from around the globe to make significant commitments. With a focus on high-level engagement, partnership and action, the EU continues to drive other international efforts, such as delivery on the Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030. The conference also complements the EU’s international ocean governance initiative, which set out an agenda for the future of the oceans around the world, proposing 50 concrete actions.

More information

Our Ocean 2017 website

Factsheet: EU leads the way with ambitious action for cleaner and safer seas

MEMO: European Union generates global action for our ocean