Daily News 02 / 09 / 2022

EU consular protection: 600,000 people repatriated thanks to EU cooperation during pandemic

Today, the Commission published a report looking into the EU rules on consular protection, which gives the right to a EU citizens staying or traveling abroad to seek consular assistance from any other EU Member State, in case his or her own country is not represented there. The report finds that while EU cooperation was successful during the COVID19-pandemic, the Afghanistan crisis and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, improvements are necessary to ensure that EU rules are better fit for crises. High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, said: “Consular protection demonstrates to our citizens the benefits of our EU external action: during the COVID-19 pandemic or since Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine was unleashed, the EU and it's Member States worked hand in hand to assist our citizens and bring them home. In providing consular assistance, the 130 EU Delegations play a crucial role alongside Member States' embassies and consulates.” Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: “Thanks to EU cooperation 600,000 people stuck abroad got back home in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. EU rules on consular protection gave a lifeline to our citizens in times of need and showed a true solidarity among EU Member States. This report takes stock of major recent events relevant and suggests a number of measures to further facilitate and strengthen the exercise of EU citizenship rights.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, about 600,000 EU citizens affected by travel restrictions where brought home thanks to the close cooperation of the EU and Member States. Similar consular assistance was provided to EU citizens and their families following the crisis in Afghanistan and during Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the local support of EU Delegations was essential, in particular in countries where only a few or no Member States were represented. Overall, the report notes that there is a need to streamline the current rules to facilitate the provision of consular protection. This includes improving information exchange between Member States and communication coordination as well as clarifying the situation of vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, unaccompanied minors or people with disabilities. Finally, while the primary obligation for providing consular protection remains with the Member States, the report notes that empowering EU Delegations to interact more directly with EU citizens in some cases, at Member States' request, could also be considered. More information on Consular Protection can be found here and on this factsheet. (For more information: Christian Wigand - Tel.: +32 229 62253; Katarzyna Kolanko - Tel.: +32 229 63444; Cristina Torres Castillo– Tel.: +32 229-90679)

EU investment screening and export control rules effectively safeguard EU security

Foreign investment screening and export controls play a critical role in safeguarding European security and public order. This is the result of two reports adopted yesterday by the European Commission: the report on the screening of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), and the report on the Export Controls Regulation. In 2021, the Commission analysed more than 400 foreign direct investments into the Union to ensure that no such investment threatens EU countries' security or public order. All but two EU Member States now have screening mechanisms in place or are in the process of establishing them. Meanwhile, under the EU Export Control regime, Member States reviewed during the same year about 40,000 requests for exports of goods with potential military use to non-EU countries worth EUR 38.4 billion, blocking those exports in just over 550 cases. Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: “At a time of mounting security challenges, in particular Russia's unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, it is crucial to have our strategic trade and investment controls instruments up and running. In cooperation with our international partners, the EU deployed export controls to sanction Russia for its devastating war in Ukraine. The EU remains open to foreign investments, but this openness is not unconditional. It must be balanced. We must continue enhancing our capability to ensure this balance.” You will find more information in this press release. (For more information: Miriam Garcia Ferrer – Tel.: +32 229 99075; Sophie Dirven – Tel.: +32 229 67228)

Concours européen pour jeunes traducteurs: les écoles peuvent s'inscrire dès à présent

Les écoles secondaires de tous les pays de l'Union peuvent s'inscrire en ligne dès à présent à Juvenes Translatores, le concours annuel de traduction de la Commission européenne. Leurs élèves pourront ainsi se mesurer à leurs camarades de toute l'Union européenne. Cette année, les participants traduiront des textes sur le thème de la « Jeunesse européenne ». Le commissaire au budget et à l'administration, Johannes Hahn, a déclaré à ce sujet: « Grâce à ce concours, nous voulons encourager les jeunes à faire une carrière dans le domaine de la traduction et promouvoir l'apprentissage des langues. L'année 2022 est l'Année européenne de la jeunesse et le concours réunira des jeunes de différents pays, les encouragera à entretenir leur amour pour les langues et les aidera à surmonter les obstacles entre les peuples et les cultures. Offrir aux citoyens la capacité de communiquer et de se comprendre par-delà les différences est indispensable à la prospérité de l'Union européenne. » Les participants peuvent choisir de traduire dans l'une des 552 combinaisons linguistiques possibles parmi les 24 langues officielles de l'Union. La participation au concours est un processus en deux étapes. Lors de la première étape, les écoles doivent s'inscrire au plus tard le 20 octobre 2022 à midi (12h00 HEC). 705 écoles, sélectionnées de manière aléatoire par ordinateur, seront ensuite conviées par la Commission à l'étape suivante. Le nombre d'écoles participantes de chaque pays sera égal au nombre de sièges dont le pays dispose au Parlement européen. Les écoles choisies désigneront alors un maximum de cinq élèves pour participer au concours. Le concours se déroulera en ligne le 24 novembre 2022, dans toutes les écoles participantes. Les noms des lauréats – un par pays – seront annoncés début février 2023. Ils seront invités à recevoir leur prix au printemps 2023 lors d'une cérémonie qui se tiendra à Bruxelles. Ils auront la possibilité de rencontrer des traducteurs professionnels de la Commission européenne et d'en apprendre davantage sur la profession et l'utilisation des langues. Le communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d'information: Balazs Ujvari - Tél.: +32 229 54578; Claire Joawn - Tél.: +32 229 56859)

InvestEU: Support for women-founded Green Generation Fund for sustainable startups

The European Investment Fund (EIF), backed by an EU budget guarantee from the new InvestEU programme contributed €25 million to the €100 million raised by women-founded The Green Generation Fund. KfW Capital provided €10 million. The Green Generation Fund invests exclusively in sustainable startups that make significant progress in CO₂ avoidance, the circular economy, climate and resource protection, health promotion and biodiversity. The aim is to strengthen the new food tech and green tech industries and to contribute to CO₂ reduction in the agricultural and food sectors. Funding is provided, for example, for plant protein extraction and innovations in fermentation and cell cultivation. In addition, the reduction of shelf life substances in the food industry as well as more sustainable packaging, supply chains, carbon capture solutions and green tech software are being considered. The EIF's investment is one of the first in Germany under the new InvestEU programme. Paolo Gentiloni said: “Securing the green transition will require sustained investment. That is where InvestEU can play a crucial role. I am delighted that the new InvestEU programme is backing this EIF investment to support startups specialising in green technologies. This financing agreement will enable them to access the finance they need to invest in innovation, expansion and job creation. I am looking forward to seeing many other innovators follow suit.” The InvestEU programme provides the EU with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners who will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budgetary guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment. A press release is available online. (For more information: Veerle Nuyts – Tel.: +32 229 96302; Andrea Masini — Tel.: + 32 229 91519)

CALENDAR – Weekly Commissioners' Activities

Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings

Note that these items can be subject to changes.

Upcoming events of the European Commission

Eurostat press releases