Daily News 11 / 07 / 2024

Daily News 11 / 07 / 2024

Le Conseil européen de la recherche octroie la 2000^ème subvention pour rapprocher les découvertes issues de la recherche au marché

Le Conseil européen de la recherche (CER) annonce aujourd'hui que 100 scientifiques de haut niveau recevront des subventions « Proof of Concept ». Financées au titre d'Horizon Europe, le programme de recherche et d'innovation de l'UE, ces subventions « Proof of Concept » sont destinées aux chercheurs qui ont déjà bénéficié d'une subvention du CER et qui envisagent de franchir une nouvelle étape dans leurs recherches. Ce financement leur permettra d'explorer les applications potentielles de leurs découvertes. Ce dernier lot de subventions comprend le 2000^ème projet bénéficiant de ce type de financement : le projet DeepSpacePULSE, dirigé par l'astrophysicien Nanda Rea, rattaché au Conseil national espagnol de la recherche.

Iliana Ivanova, commissaire à l'innovation, à la recherche, à la culture, à l'éducation et à la jeunesse, a déclaré à ce propos : « Depuis 2011, date à laquelle le programme a commencé, les bénéficiaires de subventions du CER ont reçu plus de 300 millions d'euros de subventions « Proof of Concept ». Grâce au financement d'Horizon Europe, ils ont pu progresser sur la voie de la recherche de pointe à l'innovation. Ces chercheurs sont un excellent exemple de la manière de traduire et de commercialiser les importants résultats de la recherche financés par l'UE. Je félicite chaleureusement le professeur Nanda Rea et tous les autres nouveaux lauréats des subventions « Proof of Concept ». »

DeepSpacePULSE vise à faciliter l'exploration spatiale profonde. Actuellement, pour trouver leur voie, les véhicules spatiaux et les satellites utilisent beaucoup d'énergie pour échanger des informations essentielles sur la navigation avec les coordinateurs de mission sur Terre. Nanda Rea utilisera les fonds pour tester la viabilité d'un nouveau système de navigation qui sera utilisé pour guider les véhicules spatiaux exploratoires tels que les satellites lors de missions à long terme dans l'espace profond. Ce système utilisera les attributs GPS des étoiles pulsaires pour créer une petite unité de navigation autonome légère. Cette solution promet d'être compétitive sur les marchés de l'espace public et privé.

D'un montant de 150 000 euros chacune, les subventions aident les chercheurs à combler le fossé entre les découvertes issues de leur recherche exploratoire et l'application pratique des résultats, y compris les premières phases de leur commercialisation.

De plus amples informations sont disponibles dans le communiqué de presse du CER.

(Pour plus d'informations : Thomas Regnier — Tél. : + 32 2 299 10 99 ; Roberta Verbanac — Tél. : + 32 2 298 24 98)

Commission disburses the first payment of €324 million to Ireland under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

Today, the Commission disbursed to Ireland the first payment for €324 million in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

As for all Member States, payments made to Ireland under the RRF are performance-based and depend on the implementation by Ireland of the investments and reforms described in its recovery and resilience plan.

On 7 September 2023, Ireland submitted its first payment request of €324 million under the RRF to the Commission. This request covers 35 milestones and 5 targets, including several key reforms: promoting digital transition, implementing an SME test in policymaking, strengthening anti-money laundering regulations, addressing aggressive tax planning, reforming pensions and healthcare, increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, and amending carbon tax policies.

These milestones and targets also include investments in the modernisation of railway infrastructure, rehabilitation of peatlands, digital transformation of businesses and schools, retrofit works on government buildings, river basin management, the Recovery Skills Response Programme, and the Technological Universities Transformation Fund.

On 21 May 2024, the Commission adopted a positive preliminary assessment of Ireland's payment request. The favourable opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee of the Council that followed paved the way for the Commission to adopt a final decision on the disbursement of the funds.

A video message from President Ursula von der Leyen on Ireland receiving its first RRF payment is available online. You can find more information on Ireland's Recovery and Resilience plan equally online, which features an interactive map of projects financed by the RRF, as well as on the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard. More information on the process of payment requests under the RRF can be found in this document with questions and answers.

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

Commission accepts commitments by Apple opening access to 'tap and go' technology on iPhones

The European Commission has made commitments offered by Apple legally binding under EU antitrust rules. The commitments address the Commission's competition concerns relating to Apple's refusal to grant rivals access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with iPhones in stores (‘Near-Field-Communication (NFC)' or ‘tap and go').

The Commission preliminarily found that Apple has significant market power in the market for smart mobile devices and a dominant position on the in-store mobile wallet market on iOS. Apple Pay is the only mobile wallet that may access the NFC hardware and software (‘NFC input') on iOS to make payments in stores, as Apple does not make it available to third-party mobile wallet developers. In its investigation, the Commission preliminarily concluded that Apple abused its dominant position by refusing to supply the NFC input on iOS to competing mobile wallet developers, while reserving such access only to Apple Pay.

To address the Commission's competition concerns, Apple offered a number of commitments, including to allow third-party wallet providers access to the NFC input on iOS devices free of charge, without having to use Apple Pay or Apple Wallet. The Commission concluded that Apple's commitments would address its competition concerns and therefore decided to make them legally binding on Apple. The commitments will remain in force for ten years and apply throughout the European Economic Area. Their implementation will be monitored by a monitoring trustee.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “It is safe and convenient to pay with your phone. Apple has committed to allow rivals to access the 'tap and go' technology of iPhones. Today's decision makes Apple' commitments binding. It opens up competition in this crucial sector, by preventing Apple from excluding other mobile wallets from the iPhone's ecosystem. From now on, competitors will be able to effectively compete with Apple Pay for mobile payments with the iPhone in shops. So consumers will have a wider range of safe and innovative mobile wallets to choose from.”

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 approves €50 million Austrian State aid scheme to support primary agricultural producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine

The European Commission has approved an approximately €50 million Austrian scheme to support primary agricultural producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (“TCTF”), adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 and on 2 May 2024.

Under the scheme, the aid will consist in limited amounts of aid in the form of direct grants. The measure will be open to primary agricultural producers that are at risk of losing financial liquidity due to the difficulties in the agricultural market provoked by the Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Commission found that the Austrian scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the TCTF. In particular, the aid (i) will not exceed €280,000 per beneficiary; and (ii) will be granted no later than 31 December 2024. The Commission concluded that the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State, in line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the conditions set out in the TCTF. On this basis, the Commission approved the scheme under EU State aid rules.

More information on the TCTF can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.1141763 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.

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

Commission clears acquisition of Bucherer by Rolex

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Bucherer Holding AG and Bucherer Immobilien AG (‘Bucherer') by Rolex Holding SA (‘Rolex'), all of Switzerland.

The transaction relates primarily to the manufacturing, supply and retail of luxury watches.

The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, in particular because of the presence of alternative suppliers and retailers in the countries of the European Economic Area where both parties are active. The notified transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure.

More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.11246.

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

Commission clears acquisition of Allied by Blackstone and Stone Point

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Allied Benefit Systems, LLC (‘Allied') by Blackstone Inc. and Stone Point Capital LLC (‘Stone Point'), all of the US.

The transaction relates primarily to the administration of group health benefits to self-insured employers across the US.

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.11617.

(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