Daily News 04 / 11 / 2021

REACT-EU: €50 million to support health, SMEs and energy efficiency in three Polish regions

The Commission has granted €50 million to three Polish regions under the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU) following the modification of the respective operational programmes (OP) of the European Regional Development Fund from the 2014-2020 financing period. In Wielkopolska, the regional OP will receive a top-up of €28.5 million to strengthen measures related to health and to support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Health investments in this region will cover mainly access to high-quality care and infrastructure. Opolskie will receive additional resources of €11 million to be invested in information and communication technologies for SMEs and in the digital transition. The additional resources will also support the green transition of the region, with investments in energy efficiency solutions. The additional funding will also strengthen the health sector by increasing the availability and quality of services in the field of therapeutic rehabilitation. Finally, Lubuskie will receive additional resources of more than €10.5 million. In particular, more than €7 million, will be used for an energy-efficient refurbishment of public buildings, whilst more than €2 million will be invested to increase the availability of high-quality health services and for funding the extension, refurbishment and retrofitting of health infrastructures. REACT-EU is part of NextGenerationEU and provides €50.6 billion additional funding (in current prices) over the course of 2021 and 2022 to Cohesion policy programmes. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Veronica Favalli – Tel.: +32 229 87269)

Launch of the Public Engagement with Research Award of the European Research Council

Today, the European Research Council (ERC) launched the second contest for the ERC Public Engagement with Research Award, following a successful pilot competition in 2020. The aim is to recognise ERC grantees who have demonstrated excellence in engaging with audiences beyond their domain and in communicating their research funded by the European Union. The three awards, worth €10,000 each, will be endowed to those scientists that have been most successful in involving the public with the design, conduct or dissemination of activities funded by the ERC, in areas spanning from vaccines to climate change, and more. Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Europeans are more and more interested in science. And over 50% of them, according to a recent Eurobarometer, think that scientists need to engage better with the public. ERC grantees can help meet this expectation and bring their research closer to citizens. Their engagement will be crucial if we want to effectively face current and future challenges in public health, climate change and digital transformation. I hope more scientists will be inspired and follow in their footsteps.” ERC grantees are eligible to enter the competition. The deadline to submit entries is 3 February 2022 and the winners will be announced during the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) in July 2022. More information is available in this ERC press release.  (For more information: Sonya Gospodinova - Tel.: +32 229 66953; Marietta Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583)

La Commission approuve une nouvelle appellation d'origine protégée d'Espagne et une nouvelle indication géographique protégée de Hongrie

La Commission européenne a approuvé la demande d'inscription de « Urueña » d'Espagne dans le registre des appellations d'origine protégée (AOP) et de « Fertőd vidéki sárgarépa » de Hongrie dans le registre des indications géographiques protégées (IGP). « Urueña » regroupe des vins produits à partir de cépages cultivés dans la municipalité d'Urueña, dans la province de Valladolid, dans une zone parfaitement adaptée à la viticulture et qui présente des conditions environnementales très favorables à la production de vins de qualité. Les vins bénéficiant de l'AOP « Urueña » sont uniques en raison de l'originalité de l'expression des cépages et parce qu'ils évoluent très favorablement avec le temps, ce qui renforce les aspects et la complexité propres à chaque cépage. Ils se distinguent par leur équilibre, leur élégance et le caractère minéral qui leur confère une personnalité spécifique et unique. « Fertőd vidéki sárgarépa » est une carotte cultivée dans la région de Transdanubie occidentale, le long du lac Fertő en Hongrie. Elle est connue et recherchée depuis près de 200 ans et diffère des carottes produites dans d'autres régions de Hongrie en ce qu'elle est de couleur plus rouge et a un goût légèrement sucré, qui s'explique par l'effet des sols et par le climat du lac Fertő et du contrefort des Alpes. Ces nouvelles indications vont rejoindre les 1 177 appellations d'origine protégées vinicoles et les 898 indications géographiques protégées alimentaires déjà enregistrées dont la liste est disponible dans la base de données eAmbrosia. Pour plus d'informations, voir aussi les pages sur la politique de qualité. (Pour plus d'informations: Balazs Ujvari – Tél.: + 32 229 54578; Thérèse Lerebours – Tél.: +32 229 63303)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Parexel by Goldman Sachs and EQT

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Parexel by Goldman Sachs Group, both of the US, and EQT Fund Management of Luxembourg. Parexel provides biopharmaceutical outsourcing services. Goldman Sachs and EQT are investment management firms with investments in pharmaceutical companies among others. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given the very limited overlaps 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.10418. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EU at COP26: Commissioner Simson to discuss a just and inclusive energy transition

Today, Commissioner Kadri Simson is in Glasgow to participate in the COP26 Energy Day, aiming to accelerate the shift away from coal and to ensure access to affordable, sustainable energy for all. This morning, Commissioner Simson spoke at the opening event gathering ministers and non-State actors to discuss how to accelerate a just and inclusive energy transition. She also hosted the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation steering committee. Commissioner Simson will be participating in the panel session on ‘Making the Global Transition to Clean Power a Reality' and discuss measures to scale up clean power and ensure a rapid shift away from coal (watch here from 12:30 CET). In the afternoon, Commissioner Simson will deliver a keynote speech at the ‘Marrakech Partnership Global Climate Action' side event organised by the International Renewable Energy Agency. You can follow this event via EbS+. The Commissioner met bilaterally this morning with Leila R. Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, and with Jennifer Granholm, US Secretary of Energy. She will meet Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Petroleum of Egypt, later this afternoon. (For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel.: +32 229 74959)

Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings

Note that these items can be subject to changes.

Eurostat press releases

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