COLLEGE MEETING: Commission strengthens top-level expertise in trade matters and boosts its female senior management by appointing Deputy Director-General and Director

The European Commission has today decided to appoint Mr Jean-Luc Demarty, the current Director-General of its trade department who would normally have retired from the Commission at the end of this month, as Hors Classe Adviser responsible for Multilateralism and WTO reform in the Secretariat-General as of 1 June. In that capacity, he will continue to advise and support President Jean-Claude Juncker and the Secretary-General regarding the implementation of the EU-U.S. Joint Statement agreed by the President and President Trump on 25 July 2018. Moreover, the Commission has decided to appoint Ms Clara de la Torre to the position of Deputy Director-General in its department for Climate Action, DG CLIMA, and Ms Sandra Kramer to the position of Director “EU-AU relations, West and East Africa” in its department for International Cooperation and Development, DG DEVCO. Ms Clara de la Torre, a Spanish national, joined the Commission from the private sector in 1987 and spent most of her career working in the area of research and innovation policy. She first became a Head of Unit in 1999 and has been holding Director posts since 2008. She is currently Director “Transport” in the Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Ms Kramer, a Dutch national, joined the Commission in 1995 and spent the first 10 years of her career working on external policies, including in the European Union Delegations in Indonesia and India. She first became Head of Unit in 2007. She is currently Director “Coordination and Administration” in the Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker, responsible for the Commission’s policies in the area of budget and human resources, including EU’s next long-term budget. With today’s appointments, the Commission makes a further step towards its target of 40% female representation in the Commission’s management by November 2019. Women currently represent over 39% of all managers in the Commission.  (For more information: Alexander Winterstein: Tel.: +32 229 93265; Andreana Stankova – Tel.: +32 229 57857)

General Data Protection Regulation: one year on

On 25 May 2019, the General Data Protection Regulation will celebrate its first year of entry into application. To mark the occasion, Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market and Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, issued the following statement: “25 May marks the anniversary of Europe’s new data protection rules, the General Data Protection Regulation, also widely known as the GDPR. […] The main aim of the rules has been to empower people and help them to gain more control over their personal data. […] Also, companies now benefit from one set of rules applying throughout our Union. They have put their house in order when it comes to data, which led to increased data security and a trust-based relationship with their clients. The GDPR gave authorities teeth to tackle breaches. For example, one year on, the newly established European Data Protection Board has registered over 400 cross-border cases around Europe. […] New figures show that nearly six in ten people know that there is a data protection authority in their country. This is a significant increase from four in ten people back in 2015. The data protection authorities have an essential role to play in making GDPR deliver on the ground. […] The GDPR has changed the landscape in Europe and beyond. But compliance is a dynamic process and does not happen overnight. Our key priority for months to come is to ensure proper and equal implementation in the Member States.” The full statement can be found online. A factsheet with key figures on GDPR is available here, and a second factsheet with results of the special Eurobarometer on data protection here. At 14:00 today, Commissioner Jourová will give a press conference in the House of European History taking stock of the GDPR, one year after its entry into application. The press conference will be recorded and made available on EbS. (For more information: Christian Wigand– Tel.: +32 229 62253; Sara Soumillion – Tel.: + 32 229 67094)

Union de l’énergie: la Commission se félicite de la finalisation du paquet « Une énergie propre pour tous les Européens »

Le Conseil a approuvé aujourd’hui, de façon définitive, les quatre derniers actes législatifs du paquet « Une énergie propre pour tous les Européens », finalisant ainsi le cadre législatif présenté par la Commission Juncker en 2016. La transition progressive d’une économie largement dépendante aux combustibles fossiles vers une économie neutre en carbone est l’un des plus grands défis de notre époque. Le nouveau cadre législatif permet de respecter pleinement l’objectif de l’UE de réduire les émissions de CO2 d’au moins 40% d’ici à 2030, tout en modernisant l’économie de l’UE, en créant des emplois et en favorisant une croissance forte pour tous les citoyens européens. Permettant la mise en place d’un environnement juridique moderne et stable, le paquet pour une énergie propre crée les conditions idéales pour les investissements publics et privés nécessaires pour assurer la transition vers une énergie propre. Les nouvelles règles renforcent les droits des consommateurs, en les plaçant au cœur de la transition énergétique. Elles permettent de créer de la croissance et des emplois verts, tout en réduisant notre dépendance aux combustibles fossiles importés et, renforcent ainsi notre sécurité d’approvisionnement et réduisent les émissions de CO2. Le commissaire en charge de l’action pour le climat et de l’énergie, Miguel Arias Cañete, a déclaré: « Il s’agit de l’ensemble de propositions énergétiques le plus ambitieux jamais présenté par la Commission européenne. Il a été adopté en un temps record par le Parlement européen et le Conseil. Avec sa finalisation, nous avons fait de l’Union de l’énergie de l’UE une réalité, ce qui était une des dix priorités politiques de la Commission Juncker. Je crois sincèrement que cela accélérera la transition vers une énergie propre et donnera à tous les Européens l’accès à une énergie sûre, compétitive et durable. » Des informations détaillées sur la nouvelle législation sont disponibles en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tél.: +32 229 56186; Lynn Rietdorf – Tél.: +32 229 74959)

« EU MED means business »: des entrepreneurs du voisinage Sud définissent les priorités d’action pour stimuler la croissance et l’emploi

Hier et aujourd’hui, la première conférence “EU Med means Business – Construire l’avenir de l’entrepreneuriat dans le voisinage Sud” organisée par la Commission européenne s’est tenue à Bruxelles, parallèlement à des événements en Tunisie, Égypte, au Liban et au Maroc. Quelques 150 jeunes entrepreneurs, dirigeants économiques et moteurs du changement socio-économique du voisinage Sud ont formulé des recommandations à l’intention de responsables politiques, puis ont voté afin d’identifier leurs douze priorités principales d’action en matière d’investissement, d’entrepreneuriat et de création d’emplois. Celles-ci seront utilisées pour préparer les futures approches politiques de l’UE, mais seront également transmises aux décideurs de la région par la Commission et par le biais de l’Union pour la Méditerranée, et pourront être mises à jour dans le futur. Johannes Hahn, commissaire pour la politique européenne de voisinage et des négociations d’élargissement, a déclaré: « À l’issue de discussions animées avec autant d’entrepreneurs créatifs et talentueux en présence de responsables politiques et d’institutions financières, nous avons reçu une liste claire d’actions prioritaires. Nous utiliserons les messages importants de cet événement dans nos interactions avec les gouvernements et lors des prochaines réunions de l’Union pour la Méditerranée. L’amélioration des opportunités pour les entreprises et les entrepreneurs est un scénario gagnant-gagnant: les jeunes des deux côtés de la Méditerranée ont besoin d’opportunités économiques pour pouvoir construire leur propre avenir. Nous devons tous travailler ensemble et écouter la voix de ceux qui créent des emplois pour la génération suivante. » Le communiqué de presse complet, des vidéos et une fiche d’informations sont disponibles en ligne. Pour participer aux discussions autour de l’événement sur Twitter, vous pouvez suivre #EUMED4business. Des vidéos et des photos sont également disponibles sur EbS. (Pour plus d’informations: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Alceo Smerilli – Tel.: +32 229 64887)

Équité dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire : la Commission propose une plus grande transparence des prix

Après avoir interdit les pratiques commerciales déloyales et amélioré la coopération entre les producteurs, la Commission européenne présente aujourd’hui sa dernière proposition visant à améliorer l’équité dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire en introduisant plus de transparence dans la manière dont les prix sont relevés tout au long de la chaîne. La proposition de la Commission vise à mettre à disposition des informations essentielles sur la manière dont les prix des produits agroalimentaires sont formés et évoluent tout au long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. Phil Hogan, commissaire en charge de l’agriculture, a déclaré: « Renforcer la position des agriculteurs dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire est une priorité pour la Commission. Le renforcement de la transparence du marché donnera une égalité d’accès à l’information, en rendant notre chaîne alimentaire plus équitable et plus équilibrée. Je salue ces nouvelles règles qui viendront compléter la directive récemment adoptée interdisant les pratiques commerciales déloyales et donnant davantage de poids aux acteurs plus faibles et de plus petite taille dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. Cette proposition reflète le soutien public très important qui existe dans toute l’UE pour renforcer le rôle des agriculteurs dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. » Les différences entre le prix de vente et le prix d’achat peuvent fournir des informations sur les coûts intermédiaires (tels que le transport, l’assurance, le stockage, etc.) entre le vendeur et l’acheteur. Une meilleure transparence peut contribuer à améliorer les décisions des entreprises et la confiance dans le traitement équitable de chacun à tous les stades de la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire. Il est en outre essentiel de disposer facilement et en temps utile d’informations sur l’évolution du marché afin de faire face de manière efficace à la concurrence sur les marchés mondiaux. Selon les procédures de la Commission pour une meilleure réglementation, la proposition est publiée pour une période de consultation publique de quatre semaines. Elle sera ensuite adoptée par la Commission européenne et devrait entrer en vigueur six mois après son adoption. Un communiqué de presse est en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Daniel Rosario – Tél.: + 32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tél.: +32 229 52509)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Africa-Europe Alliance: Transport Task Force meets to enhance connectivity and boost investments

Today the Africa Transport and Connectivity Task Force meets in Leipzig, Germany, bringing together leaders and experts from public and private sectors on both continents to discuss connectivity. Overall, the initiative – which is part of the new ‘Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs’ as announced by President Juncker at his State of the Union speech in 2018 – focuses on three key areas: air transport, road safety and connectivity. The recently established Task Force’s general objectives are to support pan-African connectivity, boost public and private investment in the African transport network and identify and assist with structural reforms in the transport sector. Successful meetings on road safety and air transport already took place this year. Today, experts from both continents will share perspectives on how to improve transport connectivity both within Africa and between Africa and Europe, and facilitate investments in that sector. The aim is to support pan-African multi-modal transport corridor development, address sector inefficiencies and structural reforms as well as boost public and private investment. Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc said: “Europe’s trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) combining road, rail, air and water transport networks can provide important insights for possible replication along the African transport corridors. Exchanging our knowledge on how to boost transport links and better connect people and business is precisely the kind of win-win our Africa-Europe Alliance is all about.” Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, said: “Well-functioning transport infrastructure ensuring quality, sustainable and reliable connectivity is crucial for development. It is essential for economic integration and growth. Today’s meeting marks another step towards the objectives of the Africa-Europe Alliance: boosting investment and creating jobs in Africa. We will do so by enhancing private sector investment in this area of high demand through an improved and enabling sectoral environment, building on the principles of economic, environmental and social sustainability.” (For more information: Enrico Brivio – Tel.: + 32 229 56172; Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Stephan Meder – Tel.: +32 229 13917; Elena Gonzalez Verdesoto – Tel.: +32 229 99862)

Commissioner Stylianides welcomes Croatian participation in the rescEU firefighting fleet

Tomorrow, Thursday 23 May, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides will visit Split and meet Davor Božinović, the Minister of the Interior of Croatia. They will sign the letters of intention for Croatia’s contribution to the rescEU transition period. Croatia has put two firefighting airplanes at the disposal of the rescEU initial transition fleet, which becomes operational in the coming weeks in order to be ready for the summer forest fire season. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)

Commissioner Bieńkowska in Poland to discuss green cities and sustainable development

Tomorrow, Thursday 23 May, Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, responsible for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs will be in Poznań to continue a series of Citizens’ Dialogues in Poland. Together with Mr Jacek Jaskowiak, Mayor of Poznań, she will talk about the importance of sustainable development in urban centres. The EU has been actively promoting sustainability and supporting the transition to a more circular economy. At the beginning of this year, the Commission published a comprehensive report on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan it adopted in December 2015. Three years after adoption, the Plan can be considered fully completed. Its 54 actions have now been delivered or are being implemented. The Commission is also working with the EU regions and cities through the EU Cohesion Policy to make significant contributions to sustainable development in urban areas. In the current programming cycle, more than €100 billion is spent in cities, out of which €15 billion are managed directly by them. It means they are actively involved in making decisions concerning their priorities and the projects they would like to see financed. As part of the proposals for the new long-term EU budget the Commission proposed €373 billion for the future Regional Development and Cohesion Policy. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel.: + 32 229 56182; Victoria von Hammerstein – Tel.: +32 229 55040)

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

Some 150 young entrepreneurs, economic leaders and drivers of socio-economic change from Europe’s Southern Neighbourhood have set out their most urgent priorities for policy makers in the region and in the EU, to overcome barriers to higher economic growth and job creation.

The European Commission organised a first edition of  ‘EU Med means business’ – Shaping the future of entrepreneurship in the South’ on 21-22 May in Brussels with  parallel events in Tunis (Tunisia), Cairo (Egypt), Irdib (Jordan) and Rabat (Morocco). The participants developed recommendations to policy makers, and then voted in order to identify their twelve top priorities for action regarding investment, entrepreneurship and job creation.  These will be used in preparation of future EU approaches, but will also be transmitted to decision makers in the region by the European Commission and through the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), and may be updated in the future.

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said: “Following vibrant discussions with so many creative and talented entrepreneurs in the presence of policy makers and financial institutions, we have received a clear list of priority actions. These are important messages for policy makers in Europe, but just as important for decision makers in the region. We will use the outcome of this event in our interactions with the governments and in forthcoming meetings of the Union for the Mediterranean”. The Commissioner underlined that he hoped the discussion on the priorities for action would continue, saying: “During my time as Commissioner, I have worked to put socio-economic development at the centre of the partnership between the EU and its neighbourhood. Improving opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs is a win-win scenario: young people on both sides of the Mediterranean need economic opportunities to be able to build their own future. We must all work together and listen to the voice of those who are creating employment for the rising generation.”

The event focused on how to:

• Attract more foreign and domestic investment and improve levels of job creation;
• Unleash the potential of the private sector, and in particular of smaller enterprises, which create the most sustainable new jobs;
• Boost talents and skills of young people and promote entrepreneurship and innovation to reduce the high levels of youth unemployment

Background 

EU cooperation, while providing a tailor-made mix for each partner county`s needs, offers a wide toolbox to help create economic opportunities:

• supporting legislative and administrative reforms and infrastructure building to lift barriers to investment and to create a more enabling business environment;
• providing capacity building, training and education for authorities and entrepreneurs, including on digitalisation;
• creating adequate and accessible lending channels to allow Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) a better access to finance;
•  promoting quality and relevant vocational education and training to provide people with the competencies needed to meet the specific needs of the job market and businesses;

The main instrument to implement these actions is the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). Out of €10.8 billion allocated for the region via the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) for the period 2014-2020, nearly €4.2 billion has been dedicated so far to socio-economic cooperation. This figure will rise before the end of the current budget period, and is expected to reach around 50%  of the total allocation for the Southern Neighbourhood overall. 

This is complemented by finance made available under the EU External Investment Plan (EIP) and the Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) e.g. to facilitate access to finance and modernise crucial infrastructure in transport and energy. On top if this, €356 million has being channelled through the ENI to the Erasmus+ Programme in the Southern Neighbourhood (2014-2020). Under the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020, the Southern Neighbourhood is benefiting from a total amount of €763.9 million, reaching over 1500 participants and nearly 1200 projects.

More info:

Infographic – Shaping the Future of Entrepreneurship in the South

Dedicated website – EU Med means business

Opening Remarks by Commissioner Hahn at the ‘EU Med means business’ – Shaping the future of entrepreneurship in the South’

Social Media Campaign including videos of the participants Sima Najjar, Yahya Bouhlel and Amina Mourid.

Website – European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations

The three European Supervisory Authorities, the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Securities Markets Supervisory Authority (ESMA) launched today a consultation on draft Implementing Technical Standards (ITSs) on the reporting of intra-group transactions and risk concentration for Financial Conglomerates. The draft technical standards were developed based on the mandate included in Financial Conglomerates Directive (FICOD). The consultation runs until 15 August 2019.

The draft technical standards aim at offering a single framework of requirements for the reporting of intra-group transactions and risk concentration by financial conglomerates subject to supplementary supervision in the European Union.

The ITSs provide the foundation for the harmonisation of reporting, with one single set of templates and a single embedded dictionary using common definitions and a single set of instructions to fill in the templates. The ITSs will help the coordinators and other relevant competent authorities to identify relevant issues and exchange information more efficiently, thereby reducing costs and fostering a level playing field across financial conglomerates in the European Union.

Consultation process

For responding to this consultation please use the following link.

Please note that the deadline for the submission of comments is Thursday, 15 August 2019 at 23.59 hrs CET.

All contributions received will be published following the close of the consultation, unless requested otherwise.

Legal basis

These draft ITS have been developed according to the mandate provided in Article 21 a (2b) and (2c) of Directive 2002/87/EC.

The European Commission can confirm that on 20 May 2019 its officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the grocery retail sector in France.

The Commission has concerns that two grocery retail companies may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the French competition authority.

Unannounced inspections are a preliminary investigatory step into suspected anti-competitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The Commission respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings.

There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anti-competitive conduct. Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the companies concerned co-operate with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence.

At present, reaching and testing those at risk of infection with HIV, hepatitis HBV (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) is still a public health challenge across Europe. Data show that every second person living with HIV in the EU/EEA is diagnosed late in the course of their infection. Similarly, a large proportion of the estimated nine million Europeans living with chronic hepatitis B or C are unaware that they are infected. In its recent evidence-based public health guidance on HIV, hepatitis B and C testing, ECDC advocates for integrated testing for the three viruses given that they have common modes of transmission, significant overlaps in affected population groups and high levels of co-infection.

“Testing is an entry point to treatment and care. Effective treatment of HIV or viral hepatitis either eliminates or suppresses the viruses”, explains ECDC Director Andrea Ammon, “this means treatment improves the health of those tested positive and prevents further transmission. That is why we support the efforts of European Testing Week.”

This year, European Testing Week tries to set a focus on scaling up testing efforts in prison settings. Ammon adds:

“Europe needs a stronger focus on working closely with vulnerable populations. This will improve efforts to identify those who are infected but not diagnosed and link them to appropriate healthcare services.”

Interrupting transmission with test-and-treat approach

Compared to the general public, people in prison have a higher burden of communicable diseases such as HBV, HCV, HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. Data show that among people with a positive diagnostic test in prison, sizeable proportions were unaware of their status (53% of those tested positive for hepatitis B, 12% of those with hepatitis C and 3% of those who were HIV positive were unaware of their infection).

The two ECDC and EMCDDA public health guidance documents on active case finding and prevention of blood-borne viruses (BBV) such as HIV and hepatitis B or C in prison settings promote the active offer for BBV testing to all people in prison upon admission and throughout the time in prison. Evidence shows that pro-active provision of BBV testing leads to a higher uptake of testing offers and health promotion as well as peer education have shown to increase HIV testing uptake.

European Testing Week runs from 17 to 24 May 2019 and organisations can sign up on the website.