Juncker Plan supports energy solutions company in Spain and energy-efficient social housing in Germany
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has signed two agreements under the Juncker Plan’s European Fund for Strategic Investments. The EIB is providing real estate company Vivawest with €300 million to build around 2,300 energy-efficient homes across North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Almost a fifth of these homes will be for social and affordable housing. Vivawest will also use the funds to build student housing and nurseries. The EIB is lending Spanish energy solutions company Ingeteam €70 million to invest in research, development and innovation for new solutions to meet the needs of the energy transition. Its RDI programme will focus on renewable energy generation, energy storage and electric mobility. Commenting on the Vivawest project, Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, said: “Having a place to live is one of people’s basic needs. Housing should be accessible for all, and therefore it needs to be both affordable and adequate. This is also one of the key principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. I can only applaud this agreement which will create more social and affordable homes in Germany – homes that, to top it off, will be energy efficient and in line with the EU’s efforts on the climate action front.” Press releases are available here. As of September 2019, the Juncker Plan has mobilised €433.2 billion of additional investment, including €46.7 billion in Spain and €34 billion in Germany. The Plan is currently supporting 972,000 small and medium businesses across Europe. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 56153; Siobhan Millbright – Tel.: +32 229 57361)
Index sur l’égalité des genres 2019 : davantage de travail nécessaire malgré les progrès accomplis
L’Institut européen pour l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes (EIGE) publie aujourd’hui l’édition 2019 de son index sur l’égalité des genres. L’édition de cette année montre que les progrès réalisés pour une égalité effective sont très lents, malgré les accomplissements de la dernière décennie ainsi que les mesures prises par la Commission au long de son mandat. Selon l’index, le score de l’Union européenne en matière d’égalité des genres est en hausse d’un point par rapport à l’édition 2017, atteignant ainsi 67,4 points. Věra Jourová, Commissaire européen à la Justice, aux Consommateurs et à l’égalité des genres, a déclaré : « Nous avançons à petits pas. Je suis cependant fière de ce que nous avons accompli, en particulier avec les nouvelles règles sur l’équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée. Les résultats d’aujourd’hui confirment que c’est le changement qu’il faut accélérer sur le marché du travail. Notre directive sur l’équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée adoptée cette année peut changer la donne pour les femmes et les hommes au sein de l’Union européenne. » L’index mesure l’égalité des genres au sein des Etats membres de l’Union européenne, et met en lumière les domaines qui nécessitent du progrès. Il se concentre sur six thèmes : le travail, l’argent, la connaissance, le temps, le pouvoir et la santé, ainsi que sur deux thèmes additionnels qui sont la violence faite à l’encontre des femmes et les inégalités transversales. De plus, l’édition de cette année met l’accent sur l’équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée, ainsi que l’impact de ce dernier sur l’égalité des genres. Plus d’informations sur l’index sont disponibles en ligne dans le communiqué de presse publié par l’EIGE. (Pour plus d’informations: Christian Wigand – Tél.: +32 229 62253; Sara Soumillion – Tél: +32 229 67094; Athina Reuter – Tél.: + 32 229 82390)
Europe créative-MEDIA: une chance de remporter un voyage aux« European Films Awards » à Berlin
Avant les « European Film Awards 2019 », Europe Créative-MEDIA – le programme de l’UE visant à soutenir le cinéma européen et les autres secteurs audiovisuels – a lancé un questionnaire pour les cinéphiles européens. La deuxième édition du #EFAquiz donne une chance de gagner un voyage du 6 au 8 décembre lors du 32ème « European Films Awards » à Berlin. Les participants doivent répondre à 10 questions sur le cinéma européen d’ici au 3 novembre. Les huit gagnants auront la chance d’assister à la projection des films en lice ainsi qu’à la cérémonie officielle de remise des prix. Le quiz est disponible ici. Vous trouverez plus de détails sur le programme Europe créative ainsi que MEDIA ici et dans une fiche d’informations. (Pour plus d’informations : Nathalie Vandystadt – Tél. +32 229 67 083; Johannes Bahrke – Tél.: +32 229 58 615; Inga Höglund – Tél.: +32 229 50 698)
Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of CRH European distribution business by Blackstone
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of parts of CRH plc of Ireland, which constitute the CRH European distribution business with activities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, by The Blackstone Group Inc. (“Blackstone”) of the U.S. The CRH European distribution business is active in distribution of building, sanitary, heating and plumbing materials through general builders merchants, specialist builders merchants, as well as DIY stores. Blackstone is a global alternative asset management company. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given the limited vertical relationships between the activities of the companies. The 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.9504. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström visits the port of Rotterdam
Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is in Rotterdam today to meet with customs officials and food safety inspectors and take a closer look at the facilities at the EU’s largest port. The Netherlands is the entry point for 40% of goods entering the continent. Commissioner Malmström said: “Everything we import has to abide by our strict food standards. Nothing in any trade agreement will change this. I am in Rotterdam today to learn more about how the port uses risk assessments and physical searches to keep our citizens safe from illegal and unsafe products.” Following presentations by experts on customs, and food and consumer product safety, Commissioner Malmström took a tour of port facilities. First, she visited the State Inspection Terminal, where customs authorities use the latest technology to scan the containers entering the port. Secondly, the Commissioner was shown around the training centre for customs officials. The facility also has a specific dog-handling centre, where staff train the dogs to detect illegal substances. Photos are available on EbS. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 229 56185; Kinga Malinowska – Tel.: +32 229 51383)
Commissioner Navracsics at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology annual forum in Budapest
Commissioner Tibor Navracsics, responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, is in Budapest today to give the introductory speech at INNOVEIT 2019, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) annual innovation forum. He will also attend the EIT Awards ceremony where he will present the EIT PUBLIC Award following a vote by the public and participants present at the forum. This is one of five prizes to be awarded that recognise successful entrepreneurs and innovators who have graduated from an EIT-labelled education programme or benefitted from support through the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). The other awards are the EIT CHANGE Award, the EIT Innovators Award, the EIT Venture Award and the EIT Woman Award. The EIT’s KICs create networks of businesses, education institutions and research institutes that offer innovators targeted support, legal advice, training and coaching or office space to help them bring their ideas to the market and turn them into successful ventures.The innovations presented by this year’s award nominees include wave energy converter technology, food waste management solutions for commercial kitchens and energy-efficient transport networks. The conference will be streamed live here, a press release is available on the EIT’s website and a second press release on the award winners will be published there around 20.00 CET tonight. More information on the EIT is available in this factsheet and infographic. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Joseph Waldstein – Tel: +32 229 13 261)
Commissioner Stylianides at Oxford Brookes University delivers a keynote speech on migration [Updated on 15-10-19, 12:20]
Today, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, will deliver a keynote speech at the symposium ‘The Zero-Sum Game of Migration in Europe: 20 years after Tampere’, organised by the Law School and the Centre for Business, Society, and Global Challenges of the Oxford Brookes University. In his keynote address, Commissioner Stylianides will present the EU’s response to the refugee and migration crisis in Europe and the neighbourhood with a special reference to the EU’s flagship programs Emergency Social Safety Net and the Emergency Support Instrument. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)
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