Daily News 22 / 07 / 2020

Coronavirus Global Response: EU supports vaccine research with additional €100 million

The Commission will co-fund with €100 million a call launched by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to support the rapid development of coronavirus vaccines. The EU support is part of the Commission's pledge to invest €1 billion from Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme, into urgently needed research and innovation to develop diagnostic tests, treatments, vaccines and other prevention tools to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “We need efficient treatments and vaccines to eliminate the danger of the coronavirus. That is why we are proud to support CEPI in its endeavour to rapidly develop the most promising vaccine candidates.” In response to the coronavirus pandemic, CEPI, a global partnership created in 2017 to develop vaccines to prevent future epidemics, is working to rapidly develop a broad portfolio of the most advanced coronavirus vaccine candidates and to ensure that these are ready to be produced at scale, in collaboration with industry partners. The Horizon 2020 support to CEPI will fund research and innovation activities but not the manufacturing of vaccines. More information about the call is available here and about how EU research and innovation is supporting the fight against the coronavirus and the recovery is here. As part of the Coronavirus Global Response initiative led by President von den Leyen, €15.9 billion has been pledged to date for universal access to tests, treatments and vaccines against the coronavirus outbreak and for the global recovery.(For more information: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Marietta Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583; Charles Manoury - Tel.: +32 229 13391) 

Intégration des migrants : La Commission lance une consultation publique et un appel pour un groupe d'experts visant à recueillir les perspectives des migrants

La Commission lance aujourd'hui une consultation publique à l'échelle de l'UE afin de recueillir des contributions sur les nouvelles mesures qui pourraient être prises au niveau européen pour promouvoir l'intégration et l'inclusion sociale des migrants et des personnes issues de l'immigration. La Commission lance également un appel à candidatures pour la création d'un groupe d'experts composé de personnes issues de l'immigration pour participer à l'élaboration et à la mise en œuvre de politiques en matière de migration, d'asile et d'intégration. La participation des migrants, des demandeurs d'asile et des réfugiés est essentielle pour rendre les politiques plus efficaces et mieux adaptées aux besoins sur le terrain. Avec la consultation et le groupe d'experts, la Commission s'efforce de recueillir les contributions d'un large éventail de parties prenantes, notamment les autorités nationales, régionales et locales, les organisations de la société civile, les partenaires sociaux et économiques, les entreprises, les organismes d'éducation et de formation, les universités, les organisations culturelles et sportives, les organisations de migrants et les particuliers. Les résultats de la consultation contribueront à l'élaboration du plan d'action sur l'intégration et l'inclusion, annoncé dans le programme de travail de la Commission. La consultation publique sera disponible dans toutes les langues officielles de l'UE jusqu'au 21 octobre 2020. L'appel à candidature pour devenir membre du groupe d'experts sera ouvert jusqu'au 21 septembre. (Pour plus d'informations : Adalbert Jahnz — Tél. : + 32 229 53156; Ciara Bottomley — Tél. : + 32 229 69971; Laura Bérard — Tél. : + 32 229 55721)

Réponse mondiale au coronavirus : Deux vols humanitaires de l'UE vers le Soudan du Sud et un nouveau financement*

Aujourd'hui, un vol du pont aérien humanitaire de l'UE est arrivé à Juba, Soudan du Sud, dans le cadre du soutien européen aux pays vulnérables pendant la pandémie de coronavirus. Le vol transportait à bord des fournitures humanitaires et du matériel médical nécessaires pour soutenir la réponse nationale à la pandémie. Un autre vol suivra dans les prochains jours, portant le volume total de fret transporté à 89 tonnes. Il s'agit de l'une des plus importantes opérations de pont aérien humanitaire de l'UE depuis son lancement. « L'UE continue de se tenir aux côtés des personnes dans le besoin au Soudan du Sud, en particulier dans le contexte de la crise sanitaire mondiale actuelle. Il est dans l'intérêt de tous de lutter contre la pandémie à l'échelle mondiale. Les vols du pont aérien humanitaire de l'UE acheminent du matériel médical et d'autres fournitures pour protéger le personnel de santé et les travailleurs humanitaires en première ligne. Pour assurer que l'aide continue d'arriver aux personnes qui en ont le plus besoin, il est essentiel que les travailleurs humanitaires aient un accès complet et sûr pour accomplir leur travail qui sauve des vies », a déclaré Janez Lenarčič, commissaire chargé de la gestion des crises. En outre, pour aider les plus vulnérables au Soudan du Sud, la Commission mobilise, en 2020, un total de 42,5 millions d'euros d'aide humanitaire. Ce montant comprend 9 millions d'euros destinés à lutter contre les effets de l'invasion de criquets pèlerins sur les communautés locales. Pour davantage d'informations, un communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d'informations : Balazs Ujvari – Tél. : +32 229 54578; Daniel Puglisi – Tél.: +32 229 69140)

Green Recovery: Commission opens public consultation on offshore renewable energy

The Commission has launched a public consultation on its future EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy, which will be adopted later this year. The Strategy will support the development and integration of offshore sources into the EU energy mix, to support our 2030 and 2050 climate ambitions. It will outline a new approach for exploiting Europe's offshore renewable energy potential in a sustainable and inclusive way, and will help to overcome existing barriers. This is a crucial part of the European Green Deal and the NextGenerationEU recovery package, as it will help to create jobs and boost investments as we deploy clean new technologies across the EU. Enhancing domestic energy production will help to provide affordable energy to our citizens, and will boost Europe's resilience and security of supply. Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, said: “To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, we need to increase EU's offshore energy production twenty times. This means making it easier to build large-scale offshore wind parks in an environmentally sustainable way. We must also use the potential of other renewable sources such as offshore solar energy as well as new opportunities of tidal and ocean energy.” The public consultation will run until 24 September. More information is available here and on the dedicated EU Have Your Say webpage. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 229 81325)

Coronavirus: European Commission strengthens health and other key services in Tajikistan with €112 million

The European Commission announced today €112.2 million to strengthen health, education and social services in Tajikistan as part of the Team Europe Global Response to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The package consists of €52.2 million to improve the accessibility and quality of the healthcare system and to finance critical medical supplies; €50 million to increase access to higher quality education and improve employability of young Tajiks; and €10 million to make basic public services more accessible, integrated and available online. Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has and still continues to impact us and our partners, our citizens and economies. The European Union stands by the Tajik people with a contribution of €112 million to help Tajikistan respond to the threat of coronavirus and address longer-term health and socio-economic needs. Tajikistan will be able to increase and improve its healthcare coverage, and young Tajik people will have greater access to higher quality education, even in times of crisis, and better chances of subsequent employment.” Last month, the EU delivered 13 tons of critical medical supplies and 60 tonnes of potato seeds to vulnerable small farmers to support the country in its fight against COVID-19. More information is available in the press release, in the dedicated webpage on EU-Tajikistan relations and in this factsheet. (For more information: Ana Pisonero – Tel.: +32 229 54320; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)

Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions: EU publishes 2019 annual reports

The European Commission and the High Representative have today adopted their annual reports to the European Parliament and the Council on political and economic developments in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions in 2019. Speaking about the situation in Hong Kong, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell, said: “The Annual Report takes stock of the serious challenges to Hong Kong's autonomy, stability and guaranteed freedoms in 2019. These challenges have significantly mounted in 2020. As the European Union, we will not simply stand back and watch as China attempts to curtail these freedoms even more, with its imposition of the draconian national security law. We are working on a comprehensive and coordinated EU response. It is in the whole world's interest that Hong Kong can thrive both as a part of China and as a vibrant and unique international business centre and crossroad of cultures based on its high degree of autonomy as enshrined in the Basic Law.” The respective reports detail the many aspects of the EU's relations with both Special Administrative Regions, and also focus on the extent to which the ‘one country, two systems' principle has been respected. The annual report for Hong Kong is available online, along with a full press release. The annual report for Macao is also available online, along with a full press release. (For more information: Nabila Massrali - Tel.: +32 229 88093; Adam Kaznowski - Tel.: +32 229 89359)

Mergers: Commission clears the creation of a joint venture for the production and sale of lithium-ion secondary batteries between Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings and Ube Industries

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture between Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (“MCHC”) and Ube Industries, Ltd (“Ube”), both of Japan. The joint venture, based in Japan, will combine the activities of MCHC and Ube in the production and sale of electrolytes for lithium-ion secondary batteries (“LIBs“), and will carry out the production and sale of electrolytes for LIBs globally. MCHC is a chemical manufacturing company, active worldwide in performance products, industrial materials, and health care applications, including electrolytes for LIBs. Ube is active worldwide in the chemicals, construction materials and machinery business segments. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns given that the joint venture has no, or negligible, actual or foreseen activities within the European Economic Area. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competitionwebsite, in the public case register under the case number M.9826. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel. +32 229 87024; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vice-President Schinas and Commissioner Várhelyi in Vienna for Ministerial conference on migration along the Western Balkan Route

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, and Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, are taking part in aMinisterial conference on migration along the Western Balkan route in Vienna today and tomorrow. The conference is organised by Austria, and gathers Western Balkan partners, Salzburg Forum countries as well as Denmark, Greece, Germany as current Council Presidency and Switzerland. EASO, Frontex and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development will also be represented. Participants will discuss strengthening operational cooperation in addressing irregular migration, with a focus on border management, returns and fighting migrant smuggling, as well as capacity-building in the area of asylum. The objective of the conference is to promote practical cooperation and support among participating countries to effectively address irregular migration along the Western Balkan route. Audiovisual coverage will be available on EbS. (For more information: Adalbert Jahnz - Tel.: +32 2 295 31 56; Ana Pisonero-Hernandez – Tel.: +32 2 295 43 20)

Eurostat press releases

*Updated on 22-07-2020, at 12h18