Daily News 25 / 02 / 2021

Coronavirus disinformation: Online platforms took more actions fighting vaccine disinformation

The Commission publishes today the new reports by Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, TikTok and Mozilla, signatories of the Code of Practice on Disinformation. They provide an overview of the evolution of the measures taken in January 2021. Google expanded its search feature providing information and a list of authorised vaccines in user's location in response to related searches in 23 EU countries, and TikTok applied the COVID-19 vaccine tag to over five thousand videos in the European Union. Microsoft co-sponsored the #VaxFacts campaign launched by NewsGuard providing a free browser extension protecting from coronavirus vaccines misinformation. Additionally, Mozilla reported that curated authoritative content from its Pocket (read-it-later) application gathered more than 5.8 billion impressions across the EU. Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, said: “Online platforms need to take responsibility to prevent harmful and dangerous disinformation, both domestic and foreign, from undermining our common fight against the virus and the efforts towards vaccination. But platforms' efforts alone will not suffice. It is also crucial to strengthen cooperation with public authorities, media and civil society to provide reliable information.” Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, added: “Disinformation poses a threat that needs to be taken seriously, and platforms' response must be diligent, robust and efficient. This is particularly crucial now, when we are acting to win the industrial battle for all Europeans to have a fast access to safe vaccines.” The monthly reporting programme has been recently extended and will continue until June as the crisis still unfolds. It is a deliverable under the 10 June 2020 Joint Communication to ensure accountability towards the public and discussions are ongoing on how to further improve the process. You will find more information and the reports here. (For more information: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Charles Manoury – Tel.: +32 229 13391)

Publication des derniers chiffres du commerce agroalimentaire: le commerce agroalimentaire de l'UE reste stable en janvier-novembre 2020

Le dernier rapport mensuel sur le commerce agroalimentaire publié aujourd'hui montre une stabilité en janvier-novembre 2020, malgré les défis liés à la pandémie du coronavirus. Les exportations de l'UE ont atteint 168,5 milliards d'euros, soit une augmentation de 0,9% par rapport à la même période de l'année dernière, tandis que les importations se sont élevées à 112,3 milliards d'euros, soit une augmentation de 0,4%. En conséquence, l'UE a bénéficié d'un excédent commercial agroalimentaire de 56,2 milliards d'euros, soit une augmentation de 2% par rapport à 2019. La Chine est restée la principale destination de croissance des exportations agroalimentaires de l'UE, avec une demande de viande porcine, de blé et de nourriture pour nourrissons, contribuant à une augmentation de 3,71 milliards d'euros de la valeur totale des exportations. Une large gamme de produits a entraîné une augmentation de 600 millions d'euros de la valeur des exportations agroalimentaires de l'UE vers la Suisse. Les céréales et les produits laitiers ont entraîné une croissance de la valeur des exportations vers la région du Moyen-Orient et de l'Afrique du Nord, notamment dans le cas de l'Arabie saoudite, de l'Algérie et du Maroc. La valeur des exportations de l'UE vers les États-Unis a baissé de 496 millions d'euros, les spiritueux et le vin étant les principaux produits concernés. La valeur des exportations de l'UE a également diminué dans les cas de Singapour et du Japon. En ce qui concerne les échanges avec le Royaume-Uni, les exportations de l'UE ont enregistré une légère augmentation de 15 millions d'euros par rapport à janvier-novembre 2019. Les exportations de l'UE de blé, de pâtes et de pâtisseries en ont particulièrement profité, bien que les ventes de vins, spiritueux et liqueurs et de viande de volaille aient diminué. Par rapport à la période précédente en 2019, les importations de l'UE en provenance du Royaume-Uni ont diminué de 1,44 milliard d'euros. Le Canada est resté une source croissante d'importations agroalimentaires de l'UE, avec une augmentation de 854 millions d'euros tirée par le colza et le blé dur. Le rapport complet est disponible en ligne et de plus amples informations sur la politique agroalimentaire sont disponibles ici. (Pour plus d'informations: Miriam Garcia Ferrer – Tél.: +32 229 99075; Thérèse Lerebours – Tél.: +32 229 63303)

Europe's ageing society: more labour mobility could help EU meet demand for health and long-term care workers

A report published today by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) says that the EU's health and long-term care workforce will need to grow by 11 million workers between 2018 and 2030 to meet the demands of an ageing society. Much of the demand is being met by domestic education and training, while migration and intra-EU mobility plays an increasingly important role. In 2018, there were almost two million health and long-term care workers in the EU working in a country other than their country of birth. The JRC report recommends integrating current labour migration channels with more specific considerations for health and long-term care systems, while keeping in line with the WHO Global Code of Practice. This could foster mobility flows, with benefits for countries of origin and destination. It would also facilitate recognition of qualifications and full activation of skills of the EU's migrant workforce. Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, said: “Europe is an ageing continent, and while a longer life expectancy and living more years in good health are first and foremost an achievement, we must prepare for an increasing demand in long-term care. Our shared challenge will be to ensure accessible, affordable, quality long-term care and an adequate workforce.” Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, also commented: “The Joint Research Centre's analysis of our changing demography and its impact on the demand for health and long-term care is a timely contribution as Europe tackles one of the key challenges of an ageing society.” The Commission has taken a series of policy initiatives to support EU countries to address the challenges of an ageing population and the impact on the health and long-term care sectors, including the first steps towards a European Health Union. The Commission's recent Green Paper on Ageing opened a wide public consultation, also on how to build resilient health and long-term care systems. Another important initiative to be put forward soon is the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. The Pillar provides a compass to tackle the social and economic challenges of our time, including demographic change. Read the JRC press release and full report here. (For more information: Daniel Ferrie — Tel.: +32 229 86500; Johannes Bahrke —Tel.: +32 229 58615; Sinéad Meehan – van Druten — Tel.: +32 229 84094)

RÉUNION DU COLLÈGE : Protéger les personnes travaillant par l'intermédiaire de plateformes: la Commission lance la première phase de consultation des partenaires sociaux

La Commission a lancé la première phase de consultation des partenaires sociaux européens sur la manière d'améliorer les conditions de travail des personnes travaillant par l'intermédiaire de plateformes de travail numériques. Le travail via des plateformes peut offrir davantage de flexibilité, des possibilités d'emploi et des revenus supplémentaires, y compris pour les personnes qui pourraient rencontrer des difficultés à entrer sur le marché du travail traditionnel. Certaines plateformes ont joué un rôle important durant les confinements, en assurant l'accès aux services. Néanmoins, certains types de travail via des plateformes sont également associés à des conditions de travail précaires, qui se traduisent par un manque de transparence et de prévisibilité des dispositions contractuelles, des défis en matière de santé et de sécurité et un accès insuffisant à la protection sociale. Parmi les autres enjeux liés au travail via des plateformes figurent sa dimension transfrontière et la question de la gestion algorithmique. L'objectif de cette première phase de consultation des partenaires sociaux – organisations d'employeurs et syndicats – est d'inviter les partenaires sociaux européens à donner leur avis sur la nécessité et l'orientation d'une éventuelle action de l'UE visant à améliorer les conditions de travail dans le cadre du travail via des plateformes. La consultation sera ouverte pendant au moins six semaines. Un communiqué de presse et un document questions-réponses, ainsi que les remarques de la vice-présidente exécutive Margrethe Vestager et du commissaire Nicolas Schmit, et un enregistrement de la conférence de presse sont disponibles en ligne. (Pour plus d'informations: Marta Wieczorek – Tél.: +32 229 58197; Flora Matthaes – Tél.: +32 229 83951)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Climate diplomacy: College Members meet with Alok Sharma, President of COP26*

Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioners Kadri Simson, Virginijus Sinkevičius and Mairead McGuinness will receive Alok Sharma, the President of the COP26 climate conference due to be held in Glasgow in November this year. In line with the Paris Agreement, the EU submitted an ambitious new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC secretariat in December, committing to an at least 55% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. This objective sets the EU on a balanced and realistic pathway towards climate neutrality in 2050. Following the EU's leadership, governments around the world have made a number of important announcements to boost the fight against climate change in recent months, and with the U.S. re-joining the Paris Agreement a new international momentum for climate action is an encouraging signal for COP26. The Commission is committed to working closely with the COP26 Presidency and all of its international partners to make this crucial year a tipping point for climate action, the energy transition and for nature. The Commission will make legislative proposals in June 2021 to implement its new climate and energy targets in our ‘Fit for 55' Package, showcasing again to our international partners how the European Green Deal is both a climate strategy and a growth strategy. We will also present new proposals in the course of 2021 to promote sustainable finance and to embark in nature restoration and reverse biodiversity loss, as essential pillars of tackling the climate crisis. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel: +32 229 58602; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel: +32 229 74959)

Citizens' Dialogue: Executive Vice-President Timmermans discusses grassroots climate action under the European Climate Pact

Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Timmermans will meet online with representatives of various youth associations, citizens and Climate Pact Ambassadors from Spain as part of a Citizens' Dialogue series focused on individual action against the climate and biodiversity crises. Ahead of the conversation, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “If it wasn't for the massive mobilisation of civil society around climate change, we would not be where we are today. The climate protests over the last couple of years have made ambitious climate action not only a moral but also a political necessity. The EU has put in place ambitious targets to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, to ensure we become climate neutral by 2050. We can only achieve these targets if we all work together and leave nobody behind in this transition. With the European Climate Pact we are in a continuous conversation with citizens across Europe to learn from and inspire each other." Through the European Climate Pact, the Commission aims to harness ideas, projects and commitments by civil society, industry and local actors and give citizens a platform to exchange knowledge, and inspire each other. Tomorrow's event can be followed via the social media accounts of the European Commission's Representation in Spain (Facebook and Twitter) and the Directorate-General for Climate Action (Facebook and Twitter). Participants will be able to ask questions ahead of the event via these social media platforms. More details are available here. This afternoon, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans also participates in an online dialogue with young European influencers who visited projects promoting a sustainable lifestyle as part of Directorate-General REGIO's Green Challenge and European Climate Pact Ambassadors. This event can be followed live on Facebook. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel: +32 229 58602; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel: +32 229 74959)

Eurostat press releases

UPDATED: 25-02-2021 at 13:15