Daily News 26 / 04 / 2021

Commission welcomes the political agreement on the proposal for a Public Sector Loan Facility of the Just Transition Mechanism

The Commission welcomes today's political agreement by the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission's proposal for a new Public Sector Loan Facility (PSLF). With this, all the proposals of the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) have been agreed, and are pending the final approval by the European Parliament and the Council. The Facility specifically targets public entities, creating preferential lending conditions for projects that do not generate sufficient revenue to be financially viable. It consists of a combination of grants (€1.5 billion) from the EU budget and loans (€10 billion) provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The grant support will be added to the EIB loan and reduce the financial burden for beneficiaries and increase the attractiveness of the investments concerned. Advisory support will be provided to beneficiaries through the advisory hub set up under InvestEU. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “This Facility is an important tool to help our regions and communities meet the challenges stemming from climate transition. It will complete our tool kit for supporting those living in just transition regions to develop new skills and create new businesses and jobs. It is very important that we could do so today, only a few days after the agreement on a climate law. By easing the costs of the transition, we will help the EU as a whole to meet the 2050 climate neutrality goals. I look forward to the Regulation's final adoption so that additional funding can start flowing for a cohesive transition and a fresh start for the affected regions and people.” In delivering the European Green Deal, the Facility will help to address the socio-economic challenges of the transition to climate neutrality in the most affected territories as identified in the Territorial Just Transition Plans. It will complement the two other pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism, namely the Just Transition Fund and a dedicated just transition scheme under InvestEU. Overall, the Facility is expected to mobilise between €25 and €30 billion of public investments over the next 7 years. Following the technical finalisation of the text reflecting the political agreement, the European Parliament and the Council will have to endorse the text to allow the Regulation to enter into force. A detailed press release is available here. (For more information: Vivian Loonela - Tel.: +32 229 66712; Veronica Favalli – Tel.: +32 229 87269)

Oscars 2021: Two EU-supported films won the famous awards

The winners of this year's edition of the Oscars were announced on 25 April during the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, with two films co-funded by the EU winning three awards. ‘The Father' by Florian Zeller took home the award for Best Adapted Screenplay by Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton, as well as Best Actor for Sir Anthony Hopkins' role. Furthermore, ‘Druk - Another Round' by Thomas Vinterberg, which received EU support both for its development and distribution, won the award for Best International Feature Film. Executive Vice-President for ‘A Europe Fit for the Digital Age', Margrethe Vestager, said: “Congratulations! Deserved and well done by our EU-supported films in this year's edition of the Oscars - a remarkable success for European productions as a whole. It is a great recognition and it underlines the importance of our efforts to help the sector recover and transform in these challenging times.” Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, added: “The outstanding results received by our EU-supported films in the 2021 Academy Awards are an excellent example of the resilience of the European audiovisual industry, and crucial role of Europe's continued support to the sector. We are firmly committed to promote and strengthen this support.” The EU supported the development and international distribution of the above two films with an investment of over €1.4 million, awarded through the Creative Europe MEDIA programme. Seven MEDIA-supported films were nominated for a total of 14 awards in this year's edition of the Oscars, competing in categories such as Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Screenplay. More information on these and other productions will be made available in the dedicated campaign for the occasion of 30 years of MEDIA, which celebrates the EU's support to the audiovisual industry throughout the decades. (For more information: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Marietta Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583)

Migration: The EU signs a Joint Declaration on cooperation with Afghanistan

Today, the European Union and Afghanistan signed a Joint Declaration on Migration Cooperation. The Joint Declaration will help to address irregular migration and promote joint efforts in the fight against migrant smuggling and human trafficking and will facilitate the sustainable reintegration of people returning to Afghanistan by focusing on their individual needs and the needs of host and return communities, including opportunities for both skills development and employment. The Joint Declaration continues the positive EU-Afghan cooperation achieved under the previous Joint Way Forward on Migration Issues, which expired earlier this month. In line with the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which places particular emphasis on strengthening partnerships between the EU and countries of origin and transit, the Joint Declaration brings significant improvements based on lessons learned from the implementation of the Joint Way Forward, including: a preference for the voluntary return of Afghan nationals, better protection of children, clearer definition of certain vulnerable groups, and a clarification that all EU Member States may participate in joint return operations by non-scheduled flights. (For more information: Adalbert Jahnz - Tel.: + 32 229 53156; Ciara Bottomley - Tel.: +32 229 69971; Laura Bérard - Tel.: +32 229 55721)

La Commission lance les premiers prix ‘nouveau Bauhaus européen' 

Les 22 et 23 avril, la Commission européenne a organisé une conférence sur le nouveau Bauhaus européen. Le nouveau Bauhaus européen a pour ambition de faire du Pacte vert pour l'Europe une expérience culturelle, axée sur l'humain, positive et tangible. Pendant cette conférence virtuelle, qui a rassemblé environ 6,000 participants de plusieurs coins du monde, la commissaire à l'innovation, à la recherche, à la culture, à l'éducation et à la jeunesse, Mariya Gabriel, et la commissaire chargée de la cohésion et des réformes, Elisa Ferreira ont annoncé les prix qui seront décernés au titre du Nouveau Bauhaus européen. Ces premiers prix fourniront une vitrine aux bonnes pratiques, aux exemples de projets et aux concepts qui illustrent clairement les valeurs de durabilité, d'esthétique et d'inclusion portées par l'initiative. Ces exemples de projets devront être déjà achevés ou, s'ils sont présentés par des étudiants ou de jeunes professionnels (âgés de 30 ans ou moins), être porteurs d'avenir. Les prix récompenseront des projets ou de nouvelles idées et concepts dans dix catégories différentes: (1) Techniques, matériaux et procédés de construction et de conception; (2) Construire dans une perspective de circularité; (3) Solutions pour l'évolution conjointe de l'environnement bâti et de la nature; (4) Régénération des espaces urbains et ruraux; (5) Produits et mode de vie; (6) Préservation et transformation du patrimoine culturel; (7) Réinvention des lieux de rencontre et de partage; (8) Mobilisation de la culture, des arts et des communautés; (9) Solutions de vie modulaires, adaptables et mobiles; et (10) Modèles éducatifs interdisciplinaires. Toute personne, qu'elle soit ou non ressortissante de l'UE, peut poser sa candidature, pour autant que le concept, l'idée ou le projet qu'elle présente soit effectivement élaboré et/ou physiquement situé dans l'UE, avant le 31 mai 2021. Un document questions-réponses sur les prix et un communiqué de presse sont disponibles en ligne. (Pour plus d'informations: Vivian Loonela – Tél.: +32 229 66712; Sinéad Meehan-van Druten – Tél.: +32 229 84 094)

Conference on the Future of Europe: preparations continue

After the successful launch of the multilingual digital platform one week ago, the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe continues to fine-tune arrangements prior to the inaugural hybrid event on 9 May. At their third meeting on 22 April, the Executive Board endorsed the event's draft programme, which will take place on Europe Day. It will be broadcast live, and will feature remote citizen participation and interventions by the Presidents of the three EU institutions. The representatives of the European Parliament, Council and Commission also endorsed the Conference's Rules of Procedure regarding the European citizens' panels, and in relation to the Principles and the Scope of the Conference. Each panel will comprise 200 citizens and will ensure that at least one female and one male citizen per Member State is included. Citizens will be chosen randomly to set up panels that are representative of the EU's diversity, in terms of geographic origin, gender, age, socioeconomic background and level of education. Young people between 16 and 25 will make up one-third of each panel. They also held an exchange of views on the rules of the Conference Plenary, aiming to reach an agreement at their next meeting. Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, and Co-Chair Dubravka Šuica, said: “This Conference is all about engaging and empowering citizens. We keep them at the forefront of all our thinking on the Conference. Whether they are pro-Europe or sceptical, we want to hear from them so we can respond to their concerns.” Read the full statement here. (For more information: Daniel Ferrie - Tel.: +32 229 86500; Sinéad Meehan-van Druten - Tel.: +32 229 84094)

State aid: Commission approves €462 million Portuguese support to compensate TAP for damage suffered due to coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has found a €462 million Portuguese support measure in favour of Transportes Aéreos Portugueses, S.A. (‘TAP') to be in line with EU State aid rules. Portugal notified to the Commission an aid measure to compensate TAP for the damage it suffered between 19 March and 30 June 2020 as a direct result of the containment measures and travel restrictions that Portugal and other destination countries had to introduce to limit the spread of the coronavirus. In order to ensure that there will be no overcompensation, the measure provides that, by September 2021, Portugal will review and report back to the Commission on the amount of actual damage suffered, following independent verification based on the company's audited accounts. Any public support received by TAP in excess of the actual damage will have to be returned to Portugal. The Commission assessed the measure under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid granted to compensate specific companies or specific sectors for the damages directly caused by exceptional occurrences, such as the coronavirus outbreak. The Commission found that the Portuguese measure will compensate damage that is directly linked to the coronavirus outbreak. It also found that the measure is proportionate, as the compensation does not exceed what is necessary to make good the damage. On this basis, the Commission concluded that the Portuguese measure is in line with EU State aid rules. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager in charge of competition policy, said: “This measure will enable Portugal to compensate TAP for the damage it suffered as a direct result of the travel restrictions that Portugal and other destination countries had to implement to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Separately, our assessment of the restructuring plan for the company submitted by Portugal is ongoing. We continue being in close and constructive contacts with the Portuguese authorities in this context.”  A full press release is available online.  (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel. +32 229 87024; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

State aid: Commission approves €75 million Belgian scheme to support companies restarting activities in Flemish Region affected by coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved a €75 million Belgian scheme to support the costs of companies active in the Flemish Region restarting their activities affected by the severe restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak, at times causing a long period of closure. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Framework. The scheme, called ‘Restart loan for undertakings with liquidity problems', will be administered by the Flemish Region and will be open to companies of all sizes and active in all sectors, except the financial one.  Under the scheme, the public support will take the form of loans. Eligible companies will receive up to two loans, at a subsidised interest rate of 1%. The Commission found that the Belgian scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. In particular, the aid (i) will not exceed €1.8 million per company and (ii) will be granted no later than 31 December 2021. The Commission therefore concluded that the measure is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State, in line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. On this basis, the Commission approved the measure under EU State aid rules. More information on the Temporary Framework and other actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.62430 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel. +32 229 87024; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Precisely by Clearlake and TA Associates

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control over Starfish Parent, L.P., active under the brand Precisely, by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (‘Clearlake') and TA Associates Management, L.P. (‘TA Associates'), all of the U.S. Precisely provides data integrity software, in particular data integration and data quality tools, and customer engagement solutions. Clearlake is a private equity investment firm, with portfolio companies active in software and technology-enabled services, energy and industrials, and consumer products/services. TA Associates is a private equity investment firm with portfolio companies active in business services, consumer, financial services, healthcare and technologies. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given the very limited horizontal overlaps and the lack of any vertical relationships between the activities of the companies. 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.10214. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel. +32 229 87024; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

STATEMENTS

Joint Statement on European Immunization Week 2021: Celebrating the past, present and future benefits of vaccines

On the occasion of European Immunization Week 2021, Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, and Afshan Khan, Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), made the following joint statement: “This past, difficult year of the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear how vulnerable we all are to a deadly new disease, when we don't have the right vaccines or medical technologies we normally use to fight back. Long before COVID-19, one crucial tool – simply called ‘routine immunization' – was already saving millions of lives and preventing debilitating sickness, particularly among children. Routine immunization protects not only the person vaccinated, but also others in their communities. It helps pave the way to universal health coverage and Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. The rollout of COVID-19 vaccination at an ever increasing speed across the WHO European Region just a year after the start of the pandemic, is an impressive achievement. The European Union, WHO, UNICEF, all national governments and other partners have worked side by side in this response. Thanks to the global COVAX allocation mechanism and Team Europe's efforts, some countries in the region that could not have competed on the global vaccine market on their own are seeing vaccines being rolled-out. The European Union, WHO and UNICEF are now working with private and public sectors to overcome supply and capacity challenges and enable faster delivery. This year, more than ever, we call on everyone to do their part by choosing health information sources carefully, getting all routine vaccinations in due time and accepting COVID-19 vaccination for yourself and your loved ones when your turn comes. Talk to your children and others about vaccination, so they also come to see that it is not just an injection, but an investment in a healthier future and a safer world.” The full statement is available online. (For more information: Stefan De Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 229 84680; Darragh Cassidy – Tel.: +32 229 83978)

Déclaration de la commissaire Stella Kyriakides relative à l'examen par l'Agence européenne des médicaments du vaccin COVID-19 d'AstraZeneca

Suite à l'examen par l'Agence européenne des médicaments du vaccin COVID-19 d'AstraZeneca publié vendredi, la commissaire à la Santé, Stella Kyriakides, a déclaré : « À la suite d'une demande formelle de la Commission européenne, l'Agence européenne des médicaments a examiné les données de vaccination et les données épidémiologiques supplémentaires fournies par les États membres concernant le vaccin d'AstraZeneca afin de rendre un avis scientifique plus précis sur le profil de sécurité du vaccin, eu égard aux avantages pour les différents groupes d'âge et aux différents taux d'infection. Cette évaluation intermédiaire de l'Agence européenne des médicaments aidera les autorités nationales à décider de la meilleure façon d'utiliser ce vaccin parmi tous ceux dont ils disposent. Je me réjouis que plusieurs de nos États membres en tiennent compte dans leur décision d'administrer le vaccin à leurs citoyens. Il apparaît clairement que dans l'ensemble, les bénéfices du vaccin AstraZeneca en matière de prévention de la COVID-19 l'emportent sur les risques liés à des effets secondaires très rares et inhabituels. Le vaccin d'AstraZeneca est un élément important de notre portefeuille de vaccins - il s'agit d'un vaccin efficace qui protège contre les maladies graves et la mort, dans l'Union et dans le monde entier. La pharmacovigilance constitue la base de campagnes de vaccination sûre et de la stratégie de l'Union en matière de vaccins. Le succès des campagnes de vaccination repose sur la confiance des citoyens. La confiance exige de la science, de la clarté et de la cohérence – assurons-nous de les fournir à nos citoyens. » La déclaration complète se trouve ici. (Pour plus d'informations: Stefan De Keersmaecker – Tél.: +32 229 84680; Darragh Cassidy – Tél.: +32 229 83978)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The European Commission holds today its EU Trade Policy Day 2021

Today, the Commission's Directorate General for Trade is organising the EU Trade Policy Day 2021, a day-long series of virtual events to discuss the new Trade Strategy to promote an open, sustainable and assertive trade policy for the EU, following its launch in February. Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis opened the conference this morning, together with World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, where the two discussed global trade challenges and the EU's role in helping to find global responses. You can find the recoding of the session here. Today's event brings together a wide range of officials and experts, including Members of the European Parliament, high-level officials from the EU institutions, and representatives from think tanks, the private sector and NGOs. The event will continue this afternoon and you can follow it live here. You can also participate and ask questions by tagging @trade_EU and using the hashtag #tradeday21 on Twitter. The full programme and list of participants are available here. (For more information: Miriam Garcia Ferrer – Tel.: +32 229 99075; Thérèse Lerebours – Tel.: +32 229 63303)

Politique de cohésion de l'UE : les commissaires Ferreira et Simson ouvrent la troisième réunion de la plateforme pour une transition juste

Aujourd'hui, la commissaire chargée de la cohésion et des réformes, Elisa Ferreira, et la commissaire chargée de l'énergie, Kadri Simson, inaugurent la troisième réunion de la plateforme pour une transition juste, qui se tiendra jusqu'au 29 avril. Comme les éditions précédentes, elle associe la semaine virtuelle des régions charbonnières et le séminaire des régions à forte production de carbone, ainsi que les sessions qui y sont dédiées. Cette réunion de la plateforme pour une transition juste mêle les voix de tous ceux qui sont touchés par les répercussions sociales et économiques de la transition vers la neutralité climatique dans les régions à forte intensité de charbon, de carbone et de combustibles fossiles. Le commissaire Ferreira a déclaré : « Le mécanisme de transition juste vise les incidences sociales et économiques de la transition climatique dans les régions à forte production de charbon, de carbone et de combustibles fossiles. Le moment est venu de tenir la promesse de ne laisser aucune région de côté. Les partenaires locaux doivent participer au processus et s'approprier les transformations que leurs territoires nécessiteront pour bénéficier de la transition vers une Europe climatiquement neutre. » La commissaire Simson a ajouté : « Cette nouvelle édition de la réunion de la plateforme pour la transition juste intervient à un moment-clé, où les États membres, en partenariat avec une communauté élargie d'acteurs, élaborent leurs plans de transition juste au niveau territorial. L'événement permettra un dialogue ouvert entre les États membres et les acteurs à tous les niveaux pour discuter des progrès réalisés ». Une innovation cette année, la réunion de la plateforme pour une transition juste comprendra un dialogue à plusieurs niveaux, organisé par le Comité européen des régions (CdR) et sera inauguré par Juan Espadas Cejas, président du groupe de travail « Green Deal Going Local » (le pacte vert se délocalise) du CdR et maire de Séville (Espagne). Voir le programme de l'événement. (Pour plus d'informations: Vivian Loonela - Tél.: +32 229 66712; Veronica Favalli – Tél.: +32 229 87269)

Financial literacy: Commission and OECD host joint webinar on development of financial competence framework in the EU

The European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will host this afternoon a virtual event to mark the launch of a joint European Commission/OECD-INFE (International Gateway for Financial Education) project to develop financial literacy across the EU. The new EU framework aims to establish common EU terminology in the area of financial services and to develop financial literacy policies and programmes. The project is being developed as part of the EU Capital Markets Union Action Plan. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development and Honorary Chair of the Dutch Money Wise Platform, Commissioner McGuinness, and OECD Deputy Secretary-General Masamichi Kono will deliver keynote speeches. This will be followed by a panel discussion between representatives from the EU institutions, finance ministries, academia and the private sector. More information and registration is available on the webinar's webpage. (For more information: Daniel Ferrie – Tel.: +32 229 86500; Nerea Artamendi Erro – Tel.: +32 229 90964)

Liste des points prévus à l'ordre du jour des prochaines réunions de la Commission

Veuillez noter que ces informations sont données sous réserve de modifications.

Eurostat: communiqués de presse