Daily News 13 / 06 / 2024

Daily News 13 / 06 / 2024

Les barrières commerciales sur les exportations de viande bovine française et irlandaise vers la République de Corée ont été supprimées

Dans le contexte d'une évolution significative de l'industrie bovine européenne, la République de Corée a officiellement ouvert son marché à la viande bovine en provenance de France et d'Irlande. Cette étape conclut les négociations visant à supprimer les restrictions à l'importation de viande bovine de l'UE imposées par la République de Corée, l'un des plus grands marchés d'importation de viande bovine au monde.

Cinq ans après la réouverture du marché coréen à la viande bovine de l'UE en provenance du Danemark et des Pays-Bas, cette nouvelle évolution confirme le niveau élevé de sécurité garanti par les mesures harmonisées de contrôle de la sécurité alimentaire de l'UE.

Le commerce international est une source de revenus essentielle pour le secteur européen de la viande bovine. L'UE est un important exportateur net de viande bovine : elle a exporté 1,05 millions de tonnes de viande bovine en 2023, et importé 289 000 tonnes, pour un excédent commercial sectoriel de 761 000 tonnes. La suppression de cette barrière commerciale marque non seulement le début des exportations françaises et irlandaises de viande bovine vers la République de Corée, mais souligne également les efforts de coopération entre l'UE et la République de Corée pour garantir la sécurité et la qualité des produits alimentaires commercialisés.

Valdis Dombrovskis, vice-président exécutif et commissaire au commerce, a déclaré : « L'annonce faite aujourd'hui constitue une avancée majeure et l'aboutissement d'une action soutenue à tous les niveaux afin de garantir un résultat positif aux agriculteurs européens. Nous avons tout mis en œuvre dans le cadre de la politique commerciale pour soutenir nos producteurs de viande bovine. L'ouverture des marchés à leurs produits de qualité a été une priorité dans la mise en œuvre de l'accord de libre-échange UE-République de Corée. Elle montre également l'importance des ALE pour garantir l'accès au marché de nos produits agricoles. Je continuerai à travailler avec les autorités coréennes pour lever les restrictions restantes. »

Plus d'informations sont disponibles en ligne.

(Pour plus d'informations: Olof Gill – Tél.: +32 2 296 59 66; Ana Apse-Paese – Tél.: +32 2 298 73 48)

EU law on combatting violence against women enters into force

Today, the first ever EU rules on combating violence against women and domestic violence enter into force. Violence against women and domestic violence affect an estimated one in three of the 228 million women in the EU. By criminalising certain forms of violence against women across the EU, including online, and strengthening victims' access to justice, protection and support, the Directive aims to ensure the fundamental rights of equal treatment and non-discrimination between women and men.

The new rules are decisive against gender-based violence, and ban female genital mutilation, forced marriage and the most widespread forms of cyber violence, such as the non-consensual sharing of intimate images (including deepfakes), cyber stalking and cyber harassment (including cyber flashing). Cyber violence is an urgent issue to address, given the exponential spread and dramatic impact of violence online. The new EU rules will help victims of cyber violence in Member States that did not yet criminalise these acts.

Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, said: “For the first time ever, we criminalise gender-based cyber violence, such as non-consensual sharing of intimate images, including deepfakes, which is a nightmare for many women. Such violence is often the reason why women leave public life. Online violence is real violence and violence against women is an every minute problem.”

Helena Dalli, Commissioner for Equality added: “This Directive offers a thorough response to a pervasive issue. It addresses the prevention of gender-based violence, the protection and support of victims, and the adequate punishment for perpetrators. This is an important step toward eradicating violence against women and domestic violence.”

Member States have until 14 June 2027 to transpose the Directive into their national law. More information is available here.

(For more information: Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 2 296 22 53; Jördis Ferroli – Tel.: +32 2 299 27 29)

EU's annual reports show erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and increasing focus on national security in Macao

The European Commission and the High Representative have today adopted their latest annual reports on political and economic developments in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in the Macao Special Administrative Region during the year 2023.

The annual report on political and economic developments in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shows in detail the continuous erosion of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and the dismantling of the ‘one country two systems' principle. The District Council election on 10 December saw a historically low turnout rate. For the first time, the National Security Law was applied extra-territorially. In 2023, the EU was Hong Kong's third largest trading partner, after mainland China and Taiwan.

The annual report on political and economic developments in the Macao Special Administrative Region illustrates the continuously increasing focus on national security. This risks weakening fundamental freedoms in Macao and eroding the ‘one country, two systems' principle and Macao's usually high degree of autonomy. In 2023, the EU remained Macao's largest trading partner in goods, ahead of mainland China.

Two press releases are available online: Hong Kong and Macao.

For more information on EU relations with Hong Kong and Macao, consult the website of the EU Office.

(For more information: Nabila Massrali – Tel.: +32 2 298 80 93; Xavier Cifre Quatresols – Tel.: +32 2 297 35 82)

Un nouvel appel dans le cadre des actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie soutient les chercheurs ukrainiens déplacés

La Commission a publié un nouvel appel qui bénéficiera à une cinquantaine de chercheurs ukrainiens déplacés, doctorants et postdoctoraux, dans le cadre de l'initiative « MSCA4Ukraine », avec un financement supplémentaire de 10 millions d'euros au titre d'Horizon Europe. L'appel s'ouvrira le 5 août et se clôturera le 5 septembre 2024. Il fait partie des Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA), qui ont déjà consacré 25 millions d'euros pour permettre à 125 chercheurs forcés de quitter leur pays depuis le début de la guerre d'agression russe contre l'Ukraine, de poursuivre leur travail.

Iliana Ivanova, commissaire chargée de l'innovation, la recherche, la culture, l'éducation et la jeunesse, a déclaré : « Nous restons aux côtés de l'Ukraine et de sa communauté de recherche. Le programme MSCA4Ukraine, financé par Horizon Europe, reconnaît qu'investir dans les scientifiques ukrainiens est essentiel pour reconstruire leur pays. »

Les chercheurs souhaitant postuler doivent préparer une candidature auprès d'une organisation d'accueil de leur choix, basée dans l'UE ou dans des pays associés à Horizon Europe. Cela inclut les universités, les centres de recherche, les organismes publics, les entreprises ou autres institutions.

Le guide complet de candidature est disponible sur le site de MSCA4Ukraine. Trois sessions permettront d'informer les chercheurs et les organismes d'accueil souhaitant postuler à l'appel : un événement de lancement et une journée d'information auront lieu le 14 juin, suivis de deux webinaires pratiques pour les candidats potentiels les 20 et 24 juin. Ce programme fait partie du soutien plus large de l'UE à l'Ukraine. Les initiatives dans le domaine de la recherche et de l'innovation comprennent le récent bureau Horizon Europe à Kyiv et le centre communautaire de l'Institut européen d'innovation et de technologie (EIT) à Kyiv, ainsi que l'action du Conseil européen de l'innovation (EIC) EIC4Ukraine et d'autres initiatives comme le programme de bourses EURIZON.

Plus d'informations et des conseils sur la façon de postuler sont disponibles ici.

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

Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Croatia's fifth payment request for €821.7 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

Yesterday, the Commission endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Croatia's fifth payment request for €821.7 million (net of pre-financing) under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU.

Following its assessment of the payment request submitted on 15 April 2024, the Commission has preliminarily concluded that Croatia has satisfactorily completed the 25 milestones and 12 targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision for the fifth grant instalment and the first loan instalment.

15 reforms and 16 investments will drive positive change for citizens and businesses in Croatia in the areas of digitalisation, public administration, clean mobility, water and wastewater management, tourism, the judiciary, education and health. An interactive map providing examples of reforms and investments supported by the RRF is available online.

The Commission has now sent its preliminary assessment of Croatia's fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has four weeks to deliver its opinion. The payment to Croatia can take place following the EFC's opinion, and the adoption of a payment decision by the Commission.

More information can be found in a press release online.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel.: +32 2 299 63 02; Marajke Slomka – Tel.: +32 229-82613)

La Commission approuve une évaluation préliminaire de la quatrième demande de paiement de l'Espagne au titre de la facilité pour la reprise et la résilience

La Commission a approuvé hier une évaluation préliminaire positive de 60 des 61 jalons et cibles liés à la quatrième demande de paiement de l'Espagne, d'un montant de 10 milliards d'euros (hors préfinancement), au titre de la facilité pour la reprise et la résilience (FRR), la pièce maîtresse de NextGenerationEU.

La demande de paiement couvre des étapes importantes dans la mise en œuvre de réformes et investissements dans plusieurs domaines tels que la transition écologique et numérique, l'emploi, l'innovation, l'éducation, de la sylviculture ou de la gestion de l'eau.

La Commission a constaté qu'une cible n'avait pas été atteinte à ce stade. Elle concerne les investissements dans la numérisation des entreprises (C13.I3/T201, « acteurs du changement »). Elle active donc la procédure de « suspension des paiements », comme le prévoit l'article 24, paragraphe 6, du règlement sur la Facilité pour la reprise et la résilience. Cette procédure donne aux États membres un délai supplémentaire pour atteindre les jalons en suspens, tout en leur permettant de recevoir un paiement partiel lié aux jalons qui ont été atteints de manière satisfaisante.

La Commission a transmis au comité économique et financier (CEF) son évaluation préliminaire positive des jalons et cibles qui, selon elle, ont été atteints de manière satisfaisante. Le CEF a quatre semaines pour rendre son avis.

Parallèlement, la Commission a communiqué à l'Espagne les raisons pour lesquelles elle estime que la cible relative aux investissements dans la numérisation des entreprises n'avait pas été atteinte de manière satisfaisante. L'Espagne dispose à présent d'un mois pour présenter ses observations à la Commission.

Le plan espagnol pour la reprise et la résilience comprend 111 réformes et 142 investissements dans 595 jalons et cibles. Il s'élève à 163 milliards d'euros, dont 79,8 milliards sous forme de subventions et 83,2 milliards sous forme de prêts.

De plus amples informations sur le plan espagnol, notamment une carte des projets financés par la FRR en Espagne, sont disponibles ici.

Un communiqué de presse est également disponible en ligne.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel.: + 32 229-96302; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 460 76 10 03)

Commission sends request for information on illegal content and protection of minors to Pornhub, XVideos and Stripchat under the Digital Services Act

Today, the Commission has sent Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos requests for information under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission is requesting the companies to provide more detailed information on the measures they have taken to diligently assess and mitigate risks related to the protection of minors online, as well as the to prevent the amplification of illegal content and gender-based violence. Among others the Commission is requiring details on age assurance mechanisms adopted by these pornographic platforms.

The Commission is also requesting detailed information on the internal organisation of the companies to ensure compliance with the DSA. The DSA indeed requires designated very large online platforms to equip themselves with independent and well-resourced internal teams with sufficient authority and resources, as well as access to the management body. Under the DSA, compliance officers must ensure that all systemic risks outlined in the regulation are identified and properly reported on.

Pornhub, Stripchat and Xvideos must provide the requested information by 4 July 2024. Pursuant to Article 74 (2) of the DSA, the Commission can impose fines for incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information in response to a request for information. In case of failure to reply, the Commission may decide to request the information by decision. In this case, failure to reply by the deadline could lead to the imposition of periodic penalty payments.

Following their designation as Very Large Online Platforms, Pornhub, Stripchat and Xvideos are required to comply with the full set of provisions introduced by the DSA, including the assessment and mitigation of risks related to the dissemination of illegal and harmful content, any negative effects on the exercise of fundamental rights and on the protection of minors. These three pornographic platforms have submitted their first risk assessment report at the end of April 2024 – four months after their designation.

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

Commission sends Statement of Objections to Alchem over first pharmaceutical cartel case in the EU

The European Commission has informed Alchem International Pvt. Ltd. and its subsidiary Alchem International (H.K.) Limited (together ‘Alchem') of its preliminary view that they have breached EU antitrust rules by participating in a long-lasting cartel concerning an important pharmaceutical product.

Alchem is a producer of the pharmaceutical ingredient N-Butylbromide Scopolamine/Hyoscine (‘SNBB'). The Commission has concerns that Alchem may have coordinated and agreed with other market participants to fix the minimum sales price of SNBB to customers (i.e., distributors and generic drug manufacturers) and to allocate quotas. In addition, Alchem may have exchanged commercially sensitive information with competitors.

If the Commission's preliminary view were confirmed, such behaviour would violate EU rules that prohibit anti-competitive business practices such as collusion on prices and market sharing (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement).

The sending of a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “We are concerned that Alchem may have taken part in an agreement with competitors to coordinate prices and allocate quotas for an active pharmaceutical ingredient used to produce a widely prescribed drug. As a result, European consumers may have suffered from restricted access to affordable medicines. Alchem now has the possibility to respond to our concerns.”

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 opens in-depth State aid investigation into German measures to support local bus transport operator WestVerkehr

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether certain support measures to German local public transport company WestVerkehr GmbH (‘WestVerkehr') are in line with EU State aid rules.

The Commission's assessment started on the basis of a complaint of a competitor of WestVerkehr, alleging that WestVerkehr benefitted from State aid incompatible with the internal market. The alleged aid measures are: (i) a direct award of a public service contract by the district of Heinsberg to WestVerkehr; (ii) a profit and loss transfer agreement between WestVerkehr and its majority shareholder NEW Kommunalholding GmbH; (iii) a payment into WestVerkehr's capital reserve by its minority shareholder Kreiswerke Heinsberg GmbH; and (iv) a current account agreement between WestVerkehr and Kreiswerke Heinsberg. NEW Kommunalholding and Kreiswerke Heinsberg are companies in which the district of Heinsberg holds shares.

The Commission takes the preliminary view that these four measures constitute State aid. Furthermore, at this stage, the Commission needs to further investigate to determine whether the compensations received by WestVerkehr may give it an undue advantage over its competitors, in breach of State aid rules applicable to public passenger transport services by rail and by road.

The opening of an in-depth investigation gives Germany and interested third parties, including the alleged beneficiary of the aid and the complainant, the opportunity to submit comments. It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.

A press release is available online.

(For more information: Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Nina Ferreira - Tel.: +32 2 299 81 63)

Commission clears creation of joint venture by ABB and Niedax

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by ABB Inc. of Switzerland and Niedax GmbH & Co. KG of Germany.

The transaction relates primarily to the design, manufacturing and supply of cable tray systems in North America.

The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. The notified 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.11589.

(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