Daily News 22 / 09 / 2021

RÉUNION DU COLLÈGE: Révision des règles de l'UE en matière d'assurance: encourager les assureurs à investir dans l'avenir de l'Europe

La Commission européenne a proposé aujourd'hui une révision complète des règles de l'UE en matière d'assurance (connues sous le nom de «solvabilité II») afin de permettre aux entreprises d'assurance d'accroître leurs investissements à long terme dans la reprise économique de l'Europe après la pandémie de COVID-19. La révision proposée aujourd'hui vise aussi à renforcer la résilience du secteur de l'assurance et de la réassurance (l'assurance des entreprises d'assurance) face à de nouvelles crises, et à mieux protéger les assurés. Des règles simplifiées et plus proportionnées seront en outre instaurées pour certaines entreprises d'assurance de petite taille. La révision proposée aujourd'hui se compose des éléments suivants: une proposition législative prévoyant de modifier la directive solvabilité II (directive 2009/138/CE); une communication sur la révision de la directive solvabilité II; une proposition législative de nouvelle directive relative au redressement et à la résolution des entreprises d'assurance et de réassurance. Pour de nombreux Européens et pour les entreprises européennes, il est indispensable de s'assurer. L'assurance les protège contre les pertes financières que pourrait leur occasionner la survenue d'événements imprévus. Les entreprises d'assurance jouent aussi un rôle important dans notre économie en orientant l'épargne vers les marchés financiers et l'économie réelle, et en fournissant ainsi aux entreprises européennes des financements à long terme. Un communiqué de presse et un document questions-réponses sont disponibles en ligne. (Pour plus d'informations: Daniel Ferrie – Tél.: 32 229 86500; Aikaterini Apostola – Tél.: +32 229 87624)

SURE: Report confirms instrument's success in protecting jobs and incomes

The Commission has published its second report on the impact of SURE, the €100 billion instrument designed to protect jobs and incomes affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report finds that SURE has been successful in cushioning the severe socio-economic impact resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. National labour market measures supported by SURE are estimated to have reduced unemployment by almost 1.5 million people in 2020. SURE has helped to effectively contain the increase in unemployment in the beneficiary Member States during the crisis. Thanks to SURE and other support measures, this increase in unemployment has turned out to be significantly smaller than during the global financial crisis, despite the much larger fall in GDP. A total of €94.3 billion of financial assistance has so far been approved to 19 Member States, of which €89.6 billion has been disbursed. A full press release is available here. (For more information: Veerle Nuyts – Tel.: +32 2 29 96302; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976; Flora Matthaes – Tel.: +32 229 83951)

Commission publishes enhanced surveillance report for Greece

The Commission has today published the eleventh enhanced surveillance report for Greece. The report is prepared in the context of the enhanced surveillance framework which serves to ensure continued support for the delivery of Greece's reform commitments following the successful completion of the financial assistance programme in 2018. The report concludes that Greece has taken the necessary actions to achieve its due specific commitments, despite the challenging circumstances caused by the pandemic. The Greek authorities delivered on specific commitments across various areas, including privatisations, improving the business environment and tax administration, while advancing on wider structural reforms including in the area of school education and public administration. The European institutions welcome the close and constructive engagement in all areas and encourage the Greek authorities to keep up the momentum and, where necessary, reinforce the efforts to remedy the delays partly caused by the pandemic. (For more information: Veerle Nuyts – Tel.: +32 229 96302; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976)

Coronavirus: la Commission signe un contrat pour la fourniture d'un traitement à base d'anticorps monoclonaux

La Commission a signé un contrat-cadre de passation conjointe de marché avec la société pharmaceutique Eli Lilly visant à fournir un traitement à base d'anticorps monoclonaux pour les patients atteints du coronavirus. Il s'agit là de la toute dernière avancée vers la constitution du premier portefeuille de cinq traitements prometteurs annoncé par la Commission dans le cadre de la stratégie de l'UE en matière de traitements contre le COVID-19 en juin 2021. Le médicament fait actuellement l'objet d'une évaluation en continu par l'Agence européenne des médicaments. 18 États membres ont souscrit à l'accord de passation conjointe de marché visant à acquérir jusqu'à 220 000 traitements. Stella Kyriakides, commissaire à la santé et à la sécurité alimentaire, s'est exprimée en ces termes: « Plus de 73 % de la population adulte de l'UE est désormais complètement vaccinée, et ce taux va continuer d'augmenter. Mais les vaccins ne peuvent constituer notre seule réaction face au COVID-19. Les gens continuent d'être contaminés et de tomber malades. Nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour prévenir la maladie grâce aux vaccins tout en faisant en sorte de pouvoir la traiter par des médicaments. En signant ce contrat aujourd'hui, nous concluons notre troisième marché public et respectons l'engagement que nous avons pris dans le cadre de la stratégie de l'UE en matière de traitements de faciliter l'accès des patients atteints de COVID-19 à des médicaments de dernière génération. » Si la vaccination reste le principal atout à la fois contre le virus et ses variants, les traitements jouent un rôle essentiel dans la lutte contre la COVID-19. Ils contribuent à sauver des vies, à accélérer la guérison, à réduire la durée d'hospitalisation et, en définitive, à alléger la charge pesant sur les systèmes de santé. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter notre communiqué de presse. (Pour plus d'informations: Stefan De Keersmaecker - Tél : +32 229  84680 ; Darragh Cassidy - Tél : +32 229 83978) 

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of TVH Parts by D'Ieteren and Wehold

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control over TVH Parts Holding NV (‘TVH Parts') by D'Ieteren Group SA/NV (‘D'Ieteren'), both of Belgium, and Wehold S.à.r.l. of Luxembourg. TVH Parts is active mainly in the distribution of spare parts for material handling, construction, industrial and agricultural machinery. D'Ieteren is active, among other activities, in automobile distribution and vehicle glass repair and replacement. Wehold is the holding company for the Thermote family's participations in TVH Parts and certain other portfolio companies. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because there is no overlap 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.10417. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EU at UNGA76: building back better

Yesterday, 21 September, after the opening session of the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell held a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders. High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Vice-President and Foreign Minister of Colombia, Marta Lucía Ramírez, took EU-Colombia relations a step further by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, in the presence of President von der Leyen, and of the President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez. See the press release here. At the High-level Dialogue on the protection of Afghan people, especially of women and girls, in Afghanistan and in the region, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, stressed the importance of preserving the achievements of the Afghan people since 2001, in particular the rights of women and girls. She also held a bilateral meeting with UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, delivered an introductory speech during the virtual Kapuscinski Development Lecture. High Representative/Vice-President Borrell participated in a ministerial meeting following up the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership that took place held on 28 August. He then met with members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). See the press release here. In the evening, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell hosted leaders from the Western Balkans for the traditional dinner organised in the margins of the UN General Assembly. See the full press release here. Today, the EU enters the third day of this high-level week. President von der Leyen will represent the EU at the high-level event “Transformative Action for Nature and People” via a video message. The President will use this forum to send a strong signal to world leaders about EU's ambition to protect and restore nature worldwide. Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans and Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, will represent the EU at the virtual High-level Dialogue on Energy, which begins today and runs until Friday. During the morning, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell will participate in the meeting of the Libyan Peace Process, co-organised by Germany, France and Italy. Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, will speak at the virtual high-level side-event on Violence against Children in times of crisis, co-hosted by the EU together with Bulgaria, Jamaica, Luxembourg and the UN. Then, Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, will participate in a high-level event on Yemen, co-hosted by the EU, Sweden and Switzerland. The EU has today announced a new aid package for the country. See the press release here. The meeting offers the opportunity to mobilise urgently needed funding for the humanitarian response. Then, in the afternoon, he will co-host a high-level event on International Humanitarian Law, together with France and Germany. High Representative/Vice-President Borrell will then participate in the meeting of G20 Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan. Commissioner Sinkevičius will speak at a high-level event on regional perspectives on the circular economy to present the EU's approach. In the evening, Commissionner Johansson will participate in a Ministerial Working Dinner on UNRWA. (For more information: Nabila Massrali – Tel.: +32 229 88093; Xavier Cifre-Quatresols – Tel.: +32 229 73582)

Frans Timmermans in Washington, DC for discussions on COP26

Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans will travel to Washington, DC to discuss climate change with US lawmakers. On Thursday he will meet with members of the Climate Solutions Caucus in the US Senate, and will convene a meeting of the High-Level Climate Action Group, together with John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for climate change. He will also present his vision on climate ambition in an online conference on the European Union's new path forward on climate organised by the Atlantic Council think tank. On Friday, he will meet with members of the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and with the US National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel.: +32 229 74959)

Commissioner Simson in Warsaw for transatlantic energy discussions

Tomorrow, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson will travel to Warsaw to participate in the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) ministerial meeting. The debate will focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of energy supply and critical infrastructure. In Warsaw, the Commissioner will meet US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, to discuss the preparation of the next EU-US Energy Council. During the day, Commissioner Simson will also hold bilateral meetings with the Minister for Climate and Environment of Poland, Michał Kurtyka; the Minister for Energy of Bulgaria, Andrey Zhivkov; and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Zorana Mihajlovic. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 229 81325)

Commissioner McGuinness in London

On 23 and 24 September, Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union, Mairead McGuinness, will be in London. The visit will focus on the post-COVID financial system, discussing topics such as sustainable finance, digital finance, anti-money laundering, banking and insurance. On Thursday, Commissioner McGuinness will meet Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. She will also join a discussion with CEOs of EU financial firms active in the UK. In the afternoon, the Commissioner will meet Ambassadors from EU Member States in the UK and deliver Trinity College Dublin's Henry Grattan Lecture at the Embassy of Ireland to the United Kingdom. On Friday, Commissioner McGuinness will have meetings with Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London; Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England; William Russell, Lord Mayor of the City of London; and with organisations from the City of London. She will also pay a visit to the underwriting floor at Lloyd's of London. (For more information: Daniel Ferrie – Tel.: +32 229 86500; Aikaterini Apostola - Tel.: +32 229 87624)

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

The Spokesperson's Service has re-opened the Berlaymont press room to a limited number of journalists. For more information, please see here.