Daily News 19 / 09 / 2024

President von der Leyen announces new EU support for Ukraine's energy security for the winter
President von der Leyen delivered the following statement earlier today in a press conference with Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, on support for Ukraine's energy security in the coming winter:

“In one month, we will mark 1000 days since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 1000 days of absolute cruelty from the Kremlin. Since the beginning they have been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure to try and plunge the country in the dark. Half of all the country's energy infrastructure has been destroyed.

As Ukraine's friends and partners, we must do all we can to keep the lights on. And as winter is approaching, we must keep the brave people of Ukraine warm, while we also keep the economy going. The objective is to address the immediate needs of the population while we make Ukraine's energy system more resilient in the long-term.

Overall, Ukraine needs 17 GW of power capacity for this winter. So today, I want to propose action in three areas: Repair, Connect and Stabilise.
These three objectives require significant financial support. And today I can announce that we will make an additional amount of close to 160 million euros available for this winter. This includes 60 million euros in humanitarian aid - for shelters and heaters for example. As well as around 100 million euros for repair works and renewables.”

The full statement is available here. A factsheet is now also available online.

(For more information: Eric Mamer – Tel.: +32 2 299 40 73; Tim McPhie - Tel.: +32 2 295 86 02)

Commission starts first proceedings to specify Apple's interoperability obligations under the Digital Markets Act

Today, the European Commission has started two specification proceedings to assist Apple in complying with its interoperability obligations under the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA'). Under the DMA, Apple must provide free and effective interoperability to third party developers and businesses with hardware and software features controlled by Apple's operating systems iOS and iPadOS, designated under the DMA.

The specification proceedings formalise the Commission's regulatory dialogue with Apple on certain specific areas of Apple's compliance with Article 6(7) DMA. Pursuant to Article 8(2) of the DMA, the Commission may, on its own initiative, adopt a decision specifying the measures a gatekeeper has to implement to ensure effective compliance with substantive DMA obligations, such as the interoperability obligation of Article 6(7) DMA.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Today is the first time we use specification proceedings under the DMA to guide Apple towards effective compliance with its interoperability obligations through constructive dialogue. We are focused on ensuring fair and open digital markets. Effective interoperability, for example with smartphones and their operating systems, plays an important role in this. This process will provide clarity for developers, third parties and Apple. We will continue our dialogue with Apple and consult third parties to ensure that the proposed measures work in practice and meet the needs of businesses."

A press release is available online.

(For more information: Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Thomas Regnier – Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

La Commission restreint l'utilisation d'un sous-groupe de produits chimiques PFAS pour protéger la santé humaine et l'environnement

Aujourd'hui, la Commission a adopté de nouvelles mesures au titre de REACH - la législation de l'UE sur les produits chimiques - afin de protéger la santé humaine et l'environnement en limitant l'utilisation de l'acide undécafluorohexanoïque (« PFHxA ») et des substances apparentées au PFHxA. Ces sous-groupes de substances per- et polyfluoroalkylées (« PFAS ») sont très persistants et mobiles dans l'eau et leur utilisation dans certains produits présente un risque inacceptable pour la santé humaine et l'environnement.

La restriction PFHxA adoptée aujourd'hui se concentre sur les utilisations pour lesquelles le risque n'est pas correctement contrôlé, des alternatives sont disponibles et les coûts socio-économiques seront limités par rapport aux avantages pour la santé humaine et l'environnement. 

La restriction interdira la vente et l'utilisation du PFHxA dans les textiles de consommation, tels que les vestes de pluie ; les emballages alimentaires, comme les boîtes à pizza ; des mélanges de consummation, tels que des sprays imperméabilisants ; les cosmétiques, comme les produits de soins de la peau ; et dans certaines applications de mousse anti-incendie destinées par exemple à la formation et les tests, sans compromettre la sécurité. Cela n'affecte pas les autres applications du PFHxA, par exemple dans les semi-conducteurs, les batteries ou les piles à combustible pour l'hydrogène vert.

La restriction PFHxA entrera en vigueur après des périodes transitoires comprises entre 18 mois et 5 ans, selon l'utilisation, laissant le temps de le remplacer par des alternatives plus sûres.

Un communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne.

(Pour plus d'informations : Johanna Bernsel – Tél. : +32 2 298 66 99 ; Federica Miccoli — Tél. : + 32 2 295 83 00) 

La Commission lance un appel à projets de coopération internationale en matière de recherche doté d'un budget de €99,5 millions d'euros dans le cadre des actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie

Aujourd'hui, la Commission lance un nouvel appel à projets doté d'un budget de 99,5 millions d'euros dans le cadre des actions d'Echange de Personnel des Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA), qui font partie du programme de l'UE pour la recherche et l'innovation, Horizon Europe. L'appel vise à stimuler l'innovation et le transfert de connaissances par le biais d'échanges de personnel et de partenariats internationaux entre les principaux établissements de recherche de l'UE, des pays associés à Horizon Europe et du monde entier. L'appel devrait financer environ 90 projets. La date limite de candidature est le 5 février 2025.

La commissaire chargée de l'innovation, la recherche, la culture, l'éducation et la jeunesse, Iliana Ivanova, a déclaré : « Les échanges de personnel dans le cadre des actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie offrent aux chercheurs et aux innovateurs une occasion unique de collaborer avec des réseaux mondiaux et de renforcer leurs connaissances au sein et en dehors du monde universitaire. Le financement d'Horizon Europe permet aux participants de s'engager dans des recherches de pointe, d'élargir leurs réseaux et de transformer des idées innovantes en produits et services tangibles au profit de nos sociétés. J'encourage vivement les organisations, y compris les entreprises, les PME, les organismes de recherche et les entités publiques, à postuler. »

Les projets sélectionnés permettront aux chercheurs, ainsi qu'au personnel impliqué dans des activités de recherche de partager des connaissances et des idées à toutes les étapes de la chaîne d'innovation. Les programmes d'échange offrent la possibilité de partir à l'étranger, d'élargir les réseaux, d'acquérir de nouvelles compétences, de partager des connaissances et de mener des recherches de pointe. À partir de 2025, à l'instar du Canada et du Japon, l'Inde et le Brésil ont mis en place des systèmes de cofinancement pour compléter le financement des projets MSCA impliquant des organisations de ces pays.

Plus d'informations sur l'appel à candidatures 2024 pour les échanges de personnel et sur les modalités de candidature sont disponibles en ligne. Une journée d'information pour les candidats potentiels sera organisée le 15 novembre.

(Pour plus d'informations : Johanna Bernsel – Tél. : +32 2 298 66 99 ; Flore Boutier – Tél. : +32 2 296 60 43) 

Commission and OECD launch Research and Innovation Careers Observatory

Today, the Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with the support from the Horizon Europe programme, launched the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO). This initiative will provide reliable data on research and innovation careers in EU and OECD countries. Providing researchers and innovators with attractive careers is key to boosting European competitiveness and retaining talent.  

Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Europe must attract and retain research talent to underpin its prosperity and competitiveness. Sound policies aiming to achieve this goal need to be based on reliable data. This is where the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory comes in - it will fill data gaps on research careers in Europe and provide information to policymakers as well as researchers themselves and their organisations. It is an important step forward in our efforts to strengthen research careers in the European Research Area.” 

The signing ceremony for the official start of the project took place in Brussels at the conference ‘European Research Area: Fostering Greater Integration. Advancing Competitiveness'. ReICO will deliver data and analyses on a yearly basis, starting from 2025, and will be accessible from the European Research Area Talent Platform.  ReICO will build on the expertise of the OECD, delivering data and insights that enable policy makers to develop evidence-based policies to strengthen research careers. This will be of key importance in areas such as researchers' precarity, skills, or mobility. The observatory will also benefit the wider research and innovation community, including research organisations and individuals, allowing informed choices. The first set of data is expected in the first half of 2025, and it will be updated on an annual basis. 

You will find more information here.   

(For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Roberta Verbanac – Tel.: +32 2 298 24 98) 

Commission publishes policy brief on competition in generative AI and virtual worlds

The European Commission has published a policy brief on competition in generative artificial intelligence (‘AI') and virtual worlds following the two calls for contributions launched in January 2024. The objective of the calls for contributions was to better understand the potential impact of these transformative technologies on competition in Europe, to ensure that their potential benefits in terms of prices and innovation can be enjoyed by citizens and businesses alike. 

The policy brief, written by staff in light of the contributions,  explores market dynamics, emerging tendencies, and barriers to entry in these sectors and suggests elements of a preliminary framework for the analysis of cases, such as possible theories of harm and efficiency gains. In particular, it looks at what types of anticompetitive concerns may emerge and at the possible tools to address them, including antitrust enforcement and merger control as well as the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA'). 

Given the disruptive nature of these technologies and the risks they might entail, the Commission will continue to actively monitor the AI and virtual worlds sectors, by using all tools at its disposal to ensure that these new markets remain competitive, contestable and fair. Today's policy brief by staff does not represent a position taken by the Commission in this respect.

The policy brief follows two calls for contributions launched in January 2024, a workshop organised in June 2024 as well as interviews with key stakeholders and parallel market investigations. The submissions received in response to the calls for contributions and a recording of the workshop were also published today alongside the policy brief.

(For more information : Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

Commission approves €2.7 billion Austrian State aid scheme to support decarbonisation of industrial production processes

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €2.7 billion Austrian scheme to support companies active in the industrial sector to decarbonise their production processes. The measure will contribute to the implementation of Austria's National Energy and Climate Plan and to the achievement of the European Green Deal targets, while helping to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels in line with the REPowerEU Plan.

The aid be awarded through a competitive bidding process. The first auction is expected to be launched in 2024. The aid will take the form of direct grants, covering either (i) investment costs only (so-called ‘investment grants'), or (ii) both investment and operating costs (so-called ‘transformation grants'). The scheme will run until 31 December 2030. It is expected to bring around 10.5 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent savings until 2040.

The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU'), which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as under the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (‘CEEAG'), which allow Member States to support measures reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions. On this basis, the Commission approved the Austrian measure under EU State aid rules.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “This €2.7 billion scheme will help Austrian industries decarbonise their production processes and achieve greater energy efficiency. The measure will also help Austria reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, while ensuring that any potential competition distortions are kept to a minimum.”

A press release is available online.

(For more information : Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

Commission takes note of the withdrawal of referral requests by Member States concerning the acquisition of certain assets of Inflection by Microsoft

The European Commission takes note of the withdrawal of the initial referral requests by seven Member States to review under Article 22 of the EU Merger Regulation (‘EUMR') the acquisition of certain assets of Inflection AI, Inc. (‘Inflection') by Microsoft Corporation (‘Microsoft). The deadline for the Commission to decide upon these requests was 19 September 2024.

Following the judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union of 3 September 2024 in the Illumina/GRAIL case, holding that Member States cannot refer a transaction to the Commission under Article 22 of the EUMR when not competent to review the transaction under their national merger control rules, all seven Member States that submitted an initial referral have decided to withdraw their requests. Therefore, the Commission will take no decision in this matter.

The Commission will continue to work together with Member States and the parties to concentrations to assess whether their transactions will be reviewed under national merger control regimes or referred to the Commission in line with the legal requirements for such referrals as clarified in the recent Illumina/GRAIL judgment of the Court of Justice.

A press release is available online.

(For more information : Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings

Note that these items can be subject to changes.

Upcoming events of the European Commission

Eurostat press releases