Daily News 23 / 08 / 2024

Daily News 23 / 08 / 2024

Commission authorises mRNA vaccine against common respiratory virus

Today, the Commission has authorised the mRNA vaccine ‘mResvia', to immunise adults over 60 years of age against lower respiratory tract disease, which is caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. RSV is a common respiratory virus, usually with mild symptoms but has potential serious consequences for vulnerable people, including older adults.

Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said: “Vaccination saves lives. In a strong European Health Union, we are determined to ensure that everyone has access to the protection that they need against serious diseases. This approval of the first mRNA vaccine against RSV clearly shows the importance of innovation when it comes to protecting the health of our citizens.”

The authorisation of mResvia comes ahead of the autumn/winter season, when respiratory infections such as RSV tend to peak across the EU. It follows a positive scientific assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in June 2024. It is now up to national authorities in each Member State to decide if and how they will use the vaccine, in line with their national vaccination plans.

mResvia, which was developed by Moderna, is the first mRNA vaccine to be authorised in the EU for a disease other than COVID-19. Other vaccines against RSV were also authorised by the Commission in 2023, to protect vulnerable groups, including infants.

(For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 2 295 86 02; Laetitia Close – Tel.: +32 2 296 70 73)

L'UE accorde une enveloppe supplémentaire d'aide humanitaire de plus de 35 millions d'euros à l'Afrique de l'Ouest

Face à la situation humanitaire désastreuse qui sévit toujours en Afrique de l'Ouest, l'UE a débloqué une enveloppe supplémentaire d'aide humanitaire de 35 millions d'euros en faveur de cette région. Le Burkina Faso, le Mali, le Niger, la Mauritanie, les pays côtiers du golfe de Guinée et le Nigeria sont frappés par l'insécurité alimentaire et les déplacements de population provoqués par l'instabilité politique croissante, la persistance et l'intensification des conflits et la violence généralisée.

Ce financement contribuera à répondre aux besoins urgents des personnes les plus vulnérables, notamment en matière d'aide alimentaire, de nutrition, de santé, d'eau, d'assainissement, d'abris et de protection.

En particulier, le financement sera alloué aux partenaires humanitaires travaillant au Burkina Faso (10 millions d'euros), au Mali (8 millions d'euros), au Niger (8 millions d'euros), en Mauritanie (1 million d'euros), au Nigeria (5 millions d'euros) et dans les pays du golfe de Guinée (3 millions d'euros).

L'Afrique occidentale et centrale, l'une des régions les plus pauvres et les plus fragiles du monde, fait face à une multitude de crises humanitaires provoquées par des conflits, l'insécurité et le changement climatique.

Plus de détails figurent dans le communiqué de presse.

(Pour plus d'informations: Balazs Ujvari - Tél.: +32 2 295 45 78; Daniel Puglisi - Tél.: +32 2 296 91 40).

Commission approves €50 million Dutch State aid scheme to reduce nitrogen deposition on nature conservation areas

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €50 million Dutch scheme to compensate livestock farmers for voluntarily closing livestock husbandry sites in nature conservation areas in the Netherlands. The objective of the scheme is to reduce nitrogen deposition caused by farming activities in overburdened Natura 2000 sites, in the light of the conservation objectives and requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives.

The scheme, which will have a duration of five years, will be open to small and medium-sized livestock farmers in the Netherlands that voluntarily and irrevocably close their livestock husbandry sites, where these sites' nitrogen deposition load exceeds certain minimum levels. Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of direct grants and will cover up to 120% of the eligible costs, including the compensation for the loss of production capacity and for the costs of dismantling and disposing of the production capacity.

The scheme complements three existing Dutch closure schemes (LBV, LBV-plus and MGB) approved by the Commission in May 2023 and in August 2024 to reduce nitrogen depositions on nature conservation areas. It concerns livestock husbandry sites with specific categories of animals and nitrate deposition ceilings which are not previously covered by the existing schemes. Livestock farmers can only participate in one of those closure schemes.

The Commission assessed this scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular under Art.107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which allows Member States to support the development of certain economic activities under certain conditions, and the 2022 Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. The Commission found that the scheme is necessary and appropriate to achieve the objective pursued, namely the sustainable and environmentally friendly development of livestock farming, while also supporting the objectives of the European Green Deal. Furthermore, the Commission concluded that the scheme is proportionate, as it is limited to the minimum necessary, and will have a limited impact on competition and trade in the EU. On this basis, the Commission approved the Dutch scheme under EU State aid rules.

The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.114713 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 joint control of Immedica Pharma by Impilo and KKR

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Immedica Pharma by Impilo, both of Sweden, and by KKR of the US.

The transaction relates primarily to the commercialization of medicines for rare diseases and specialty care products.

The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies' limited market positions resulting from the proposed transaction. 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.11609.

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

Calendrier — Activités hebdomadaires des commissaires

Liste des points prévus à l'ordre du jour des prochaines réunions de la Commission

Veuillez noter que ces informations sont données sous réserve de modifications.

Prochains événements de la Commission européenne

Eurostat: communiqués de presse