Good afternoon everyone,

In a few days, the COP24 climate conference will start in Katowice in Poland.

The European Union played a decisive role in securing the adoption of the Paris Agreement. And it will do so in Katowice as well.

It is essential that COP 24 delivers the rulebook for the Paris Agreement and takes stock of our collective efforts to meet the threat of climate change.

It is in this context that the Commission has today adopted its long-term climate strategy.

We are today kicking off a process to determine how Europe’s energy and climate policy will evolve between now and 2050.

True, there are many challenges on the road. But status quo is not an option.

We have all seen – not later than this summer – that the implications of not getting climate change under control are profound and costly. We cannot afford the price of inaction.

In October, the IPCC special report on 1.5°C made it clear that emissions need to be reduced with far more urgency than previously anticipated and that limiting climate change to 1.5°C is necessary to reduce the likelihood of extreme weather events. This has been a wake-up call.

Today, we are responding to this call. We arepresenting a strategy that can lead to achieving climate neutrality in Europe by 2050 through a socially fair transition and in a cost-efficient manner. The strategy does not intend to launch new policies, nor does this Commission intend to revise 2030 targets. It is meant to set the direction of travel of EU climate and energy policy and to frame what the EU considers as its long-term contribution to the objectives of the Paris Agreement.  

With this plan, Europe will be the world’s first major economy to go for net-zero emissions by 2050.

Europe already has the world’s most ambitious climate and clean energy policies. With the new 2030 renewables and energy efficiency targets, we will cut emissions by 45% by 2030. This is the starting point for our long-term planning.

But without further action, we will only reach 60% reductions by 2050. This is clearly not sufficient for the EU to contribute to the long-term temperature goals set in the Paris Agreement.

Our strategic vision is the result of extensive scientific and economic analysis, as well as feedback and contributions from stakeholders and citizens. This confirms that climate neutrality is feasible, even with current technologies and those that are close to deployment.

This analysis builds on eight scenarios – modelling different technological solutions to achieve our objectives. They look at reductions ranging from -80% to net-zero emissions.

They cover all key sectors, including energy, buildings, transport, industry, agriculture, and wider use of land.

And they examine economic and employment impacts, including for regions that could be most affected by this transformation, and the implications for air pollution and other environmental and social issues.

There are seven common building blocks present in all scenarios:

• First, the European energy system will need to decarbonise. By 2050, 80% of electricity will be coming from renewable energy sources. Together with nuclear power, this will be the backbone of a carbon-free European power system. We will also see a substantial electrification of the European economy – at least a doubling of its share in final energy demand by 2050 – with electricity spreading to more uses, such as heating and transport. 
• Second, energy efficiency plays a key role. This covers industry but maybe even more so the renovation of buildings, both for housing and for services. By 2050, energy consumption is likely to be halved. 
• Third, transport needs to contribute more. Today, it represents a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. This covers electrification of transport, the switch to alternative fuels – notably synthetic fuels – and better and smarter transport management. 
• Fourth, industry has already reduced emissions but some parts, notably process-related emissions, are difficult to address. Here too, we will need to look at a different set of fuels, carbon sequestration and use. 
• Fifth, sustainable use of land is central if the EU is to reach net-zero emissions. We will need to use more biomass – but we should ensure that the sink that forests and land constitute is maintained and possibly even enhanced.
• Sixth, infrastructure will be essential to facilitate the integration of European energy systems, digitalisation and the use of low-carbon fuels. 
• And seventh, carbon capture and storage, despite its current problems, will be necessary notably to decarbonise industry.  

The conclusion of our assessment is clear: going climate neutral is the right choice for Europe. 

It is the right choice for our economy. It is the right choice for our society. And it is the right choice for our global impact. 

• Firstly, it is the right economic choice:
• It will give businesses and investors a clear sense of direction; 
• It will help stimulate new thinking, a competitive spirit and innovative, creative solutions; 
• It will create new economic sectors and employment opportunities; 
• It will spur investments in European clean energy solutions. Today, around 2% of GDP is invested in our energy system. This would have to increase to 2.8% in order to achieve climate neutrality – in other words additional investments in the range of 175 to 290 billion € annually.   
• And overall, a trajectory towards climate neutrality is expected to have a positive impact on Europe’s GDP, with benefits of up to 2% by 2050 compared to business-as-usual.

Let me put it differently. Today, Europe pays € 266 billion a year in energy imports. In a climate neutral Europe, energy imports will fall by over 70%. So the money we save (€ 2-3 trillion up to 2050) could be invested into the modernisation of our economy instead. 

Second, going climate neutral will deliver what Europeans want most of all: meaningful improvements to their daily lives.

Energy-efficient homes will become the norm in a climate neutral Europe. 

Transport will be clean and adapted to a modern sustainable lifestyle. 

Today, air pollution in the EU causes severe diseases and almost half a million pre-mature deaths annually. Achieving a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy on top of existing air pollution measures will reduce pre-mature deaths caused by fine particulate matter by more than 40% and health damage by around € 200 billion per annum. 

Let me make a final point: the benefits of the transition to a climate neutral economy must be enjoyed by all. This must be a socially just transition, with nobody left behind

Overall, the European economy will benefit from the transition. But there also some sectors for which it is a challenge. I think mainly of the mining and fossil extraction sector, but also some energy-intensive industries.

I want to reassure these sectors – and EU citizens working there – that their call is heard. The EU will take them into account, notably by reskilling and upskilling the workforce and ensure that all are ready to adapt to the new requirements of the climate neutral economy.  And our EU budget, employment and cohesion policies are there to reduce economic disparities across Europe.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today we have shown there are a number of different pathways to achieving mid-century carbon neutrality.

By being the first major economy to go for climate neutrality, Europe will be able to gain first-mover advantage – and shape the future.

The focus must not be on the whether, but on the how. 

The Commission will now take the debate in an open and inclusive manner to all EU Member States, the European Parliament, national parliaments, business, NGOs, cities and communities as well as citizens at large, discussing the EU’s fair contribution to the goals of the Paris Agreement and the key building blocks of this transformation.

This EU-wide debate should allow the EU to adopt and submit an ambitious strategy by early 2020 to the UNFCCC as requested under the Paris Agreement.

Today, the European Commission has shown the way to a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050.

We can do it, and if we succeed, others will follow.  

Thank you.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe release the latest data on the HIV epidemic in the European Region, marking the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day. 

Vytenis Andriukaitis, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “Despite our efforts, HIV still damages the lives of so many people, and causes not only much suffering and illness, but also discrimination and stigmatisation. A lot of progress has been made, but there is still much more we must do. We need to capitalise on the full potential of our joint and sustained actions, as well as increased collaboration with our partners across borders if we want to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of eliminating HIV – in Europe and worldwide – by 2030. We must overcome the stigma of HIV infection and treatment and continue our efforts in dispelling false beliefs about how HIV and AIDS are spread. It is important for our public health services to support easy and affordable access to testing and medical care for vulnerable groups at risk of HIV infection”.  

“It is an important signal for Europe’s HIV response that we see a decline in new HIV diagnoses in the EU/EEA. Especially since we see this drop among men who have sex with men. This was the only population in the EU/EEA that experienced constant increases in reported HIV cases during the past decade”, stresses ECDC Director Andrea Ammon. “There are several reasons that can explain the decline across the EU/EEA. They include successful programmes to offer more frequent and targeted HIV testing to promote earlier diagnosis. This allows rapid linkage to care and immediate start of antiretroviral treatment for those tested positive and wider uptake of evidencebased prevention such as pre-exposure prophylaxis. This decline also shows that a stronger focus on addressing and including vulnerable populations in the HIV response, as outlined in new ECDC testing guidance, makes the difference.” 

“It’s hard to talk about good news in the face of another year of unacceptably high numbers of people infected with HIV. While efforts to prevent new HIV infections are gradually showing signs of progress, we are not on course to meet the 90–90–90 targets by the 2020 deadline. My call to governments, ministers of health and decision-makers is bold: scale up your response now,” says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “To support people living with HIV and protect those at higher risk of infection, we need to fast track action by tailoring interventions. This means investing wisely in prevention, testing and treatment particularly in key populations to end the AIDS epidemic as we promised.” 

Key findings

• The increase in new HIV diagnoses continued for the WHO European Region as a whole, but its pace was slower than in previous years. One reason for the persistent HIV epidemic in Europe is that late diagnosis remains a challenge across the whole Region. Every second person diagnosed with HIV has already reached an advanced stage in the infection.  
   
• With over 130 000 new HIV diagnoses in 2017, the eastern part of the Region observed a rate of increase of 68% in 2008–2017, compared with 95% in 2007–2016. In the central part of the Region, the increase was 121% compared with 142% respectively.
   
• Of new HIV diagnoses in the eastern part of the Region, 59% are reported to be from heterosexual transmission. Data need to be carefully considered as they depend on the transmission mode reported by the individuals.
   
• Men are suffering disproportionately from HIV across the entire Region: 70% of new HIV diagnoses are in men.  
   
• In 2017, over 25 000 people were diagnosed with HIV in 30 of the 31 countries of the EU/EEA. This translates into a decline from a rate of 6.9 per 100 000 population in 2008, to 6.2 per 100 000 in 2017.  
   
• The overall decline in the EU/EEA resulted primarily from a 20% drop in new diagnoses among men who have sex with men between 2015 and 2017, which remains the predominant mode of HIV transmission (38% in 2017) in this part of Europe. There was also a reduction in diagnoses attributed to heterosexual transmissions involving people from countries with generalised HIV epidemics.
   
• Despite this measurable progress in reducing the number of new HIV diagnoses, overall rates continue to increase in about one third of EU/EEA countries.
   
• The number of AIDS cases continued to decline in the Region as a whole. In the eastern part, the situation has begun to stabilise, and numbers of AIDS cases between 2012 and 2017 declined by 7%. In the EU/EEA, 9 out of 10 (89%) AIDS diagnoses in 2017 happened within only 90 days of the HIV diagnosis, indicating that the majority of AIDS cases in the EU/EEA could have been avoided with early diagnosis.

Revamping political commitment: the game changers

The momentum to revamp political commitment to end AIDS by 2030 has never been so strong in the European Region. 

The ministerial policy dialogue on HIV organized by WHO in cooperation with the Government of the Netherlands and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Amsterdam in July 2018, registered the highest ministerial attendance ever recorded at such a meeting, with 11 ministers or deputy ministers of health attending. Participants expressed governments’ firm commitment to scale up efforts to implement the Action Plan for the Health Sector Response to HIV in the WHO European Region and achieve the 90-90-90 targets. As a result, country-specific roadmaps are in development to reinforce a common agenda among key policy-makers, partners, funders and implementers. 

Another recent milestone towards ending AIDS is the United Nations Common Position on Ending HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis through Intersectoral Collaboration launched at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on 27 September 2018. For the first time, 14 United Nations agencies have joined forces to end the epidemics of the European Region deadliest communicable diseases. The Common Position, coordinated by WHO, is an unprecedented step by the United Nations to scale up efforts by 2030, as demanded by SDG 3. 

COLLEGE MEETING: Commission reports on progress in risk reduction in the Banking Union and calls for faster progress on Capital Markets Union ahead of EU Leaders’ meetings

Today, the Commission takes stock of the latest developments as regards risk reduction in the banking sector and progress towards an even more integrated and stable EU financial system, ahead of the December European Council and Euro Summit, where decisions on deepening Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union should be taken. In its third progress report on the reduction of non-performing loans (NPLs) the Commission highlights that NPLs in the European banking sector have declined further, now standing at an EU average of 3.4%. While efforts need to continue to address legacy issues still weighing on the sector since the financial crisis, this development is very encouraging. In a separate Communication, the Commission also calls for renewed political engagement and efforts to complete key building blocks of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) ahead of the European elections next May. Together with the completion of the Banking Union, this is essential for the development of Economic and Monetary Union and strengthening the international role of the euro. “Working out the high stocks of non-performing loans is part of efforts to reduce risks in the European banking sector. We are also expecting swift agreements on the Banking and NPL packages. On the basis of the progress achieved on the risk-reduction side, I invite EU Finance Ministers and leaders to agree on concrete risk-sharing measures in December. Stronger Economic and Monetary Union is in the interest of each and every one“, said Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President responsible for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness said: “Capital Markets Union is about broadening access to finance for small and medium size companies, and to increase investment opportunities in Europe. We want businesses and citizens to fully benefit from the potential of the Single Markets for banking and financial services. This is why we count on the support of the European Parliament and the Council to agree swiftly on the outstanding measures we proposed under the Banking Union and Capital Markets Union agenda.” Further information is available in a press release. (For more information: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 85615; Letizia Lupini – Tel.: +32 229 51958)

RÉUNION DU COLLÈGE: La Commission appelle de ses vœux une Europe neutre pour le climat d’ici à 2050

La Commission européenne a adopté aujourd’hui une vision stratégique à long terme pour une économie prospère, moderne, compétitive et neutre pour le climat d’ici à 2050 – Une planète propre pour tous. La stratégie montre comment l’Europe peut ouvrir la voie pour atteindre la neutralité climatique en investissant dans des solutions technologiques réalistes, en responsabilisant les citoyens et en adaptant les actions sur des domaines clés tels que la politique industrielle, la finance ou encore la recherche, tout en garantissant l’équité sociale pour une transition juste. À la suite de l’invitation du Conseil européen de mars 2018, la vision de la Commission pour un avenir neutre pour le climat couvre la quasi-totalité des politiques de l’UE et est conforme à l’objectif de l’accord de Paris de maintenir la hausse de la température bien en dessous de 2 °C et de poursuivre les efforts visant à maintenir la hausse de température à 1,5 °C. Pour que l’Union européenne puisse mener le monde vers la neutralité climatique, il faut y parvenir d’ici à 2050. Le communiqué de presse complet ainsi que les questions et réponses sont disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tél.: +32 229 56186; Lynn Rietdorf – Tél.: +32 229 74959)

COLLEGE MEETING: European Citizens’ Initiative: European Commission declares as inadmissible request for EU referendum on the United Kingdom remaining or leaving

The European Commission has today decided not to register a European Citizens’ Initiative entitled ‘EU wide referendum whether the European Citizens want the United Kingdom to remain or to leave!’. The Commission found that that the conditions for registration of this initiative were not met as the matter falls outside of the EU’s field of competence. The initiative states that: “All European Citizens should have the possibility to express their political opinion, whether they wish the United Kingdom to stay in the European Union.“ The organisers call on the European Commission to “support this public opinion poll giving all European Citizens in all 28 member states, the possibility to express their wish whether the Brexit should happen or not.” Article 50(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) explicitly allows any Member State to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements. While the European Commission regrets the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, it respects the outcome of the referendum. The full press release is available online. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229 67456; Kasia Kolanko – Tel.: +32 229 63444)

COLLEGE MEETING: Commission proposes to change composition of the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee [updated on 28/11/2018 at 12:43]

The European Commission has today made two proposals to change the composition of the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee. The European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee currently each have 350 seats and their term of office will come to an end on 25 January 2020 and 20 September 2020, respectively. It is, therefore, necessary that the Council adopts a decision on the composition of the two Committees, also as the UK’s withdrawal will result in 24 vacant seats, as of 30 March 2019. The Commission proposes to give Cyprus, Estonia, and Luxembourg an extra seat in both Committees, as these three Member States lost a seat after the previous decision in 2015 on the composition of the Committees, due to Croatia’s accession. The remaining seats would be left vacant, as a reserve for possible future enlargements. This would mean that for the period 2020-2025, both Committees would be composed of 329 members each. It is now for the Council, acting unanimously, to adopt this proposal. The texts of the proposals will be available here shortly. (For more information: Mina Andreeva – Tel.: +32 229 91382; Daniel Ferrie – Tel.: +32 229 86500)

New €474 million co-operation package for Afghanistan

The European Commission has announced a financial package worth €474 million to support state building and public sector reforms, health, justice, and elections, as well as to address migration and displacement challenges in Afghanistan. This announcement was made by Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica at yesterday’s Geneva Conference on Afghanistan. Through a State and Resilience Building Contract, the EU will support the Government of Afghanistan in pursuing its reform agenda with an allocation of €311 million. Further €31 million will facilitate justice reform by supporting the Attorney General’s office to become more effective and Afghan civil society to ensure that the Afghan justice system is accountable to citizens. With a new €80 million support package, the EU will work in partnership with the Government of Afghanistan to improve the health and nutrition of the population, in line with the national plans and strategies until 2020. €15.5 million will support the presidential and provincial council elections in 2019. Furthermore, the European Union and the Government of Afghanistan signed a new commitment worth €37 million, which reinforces EU assistance to Afghanistan in addressing migration and forced displacement challenges, in particular the reintegration of people on the move and returnees in Afghanistan. Read the full press release here. (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Christina Wunder – Tel.: +32 229 92256)

Commission launches Knowledge Centre to fight malnutrition

Today, the European Commission will launch a new Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security. This Knowledge Centre, led by the Commission’s in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre, will act as a reference point for scientific data supporting the EU’s global commitment to end hunger in third countries. Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, Tibor Navracsics said: “To end hunger and fight malnutrition, we need to do more together, using the very best knowledge at our disposal within the Commission and beyond. In most cases, we are not short of data or information – rather, the challenge is making sense of the unprecedented volume of knowledge we have. The Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security will help identify where crucial information and knowledge gaps exist, and indicate how to fill them.” The new centre will be launched in Brussels in the presence of Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management and Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. The Joint Research Centre coordinates knowledge and competence centres, processing science-based evidence to inform policy-makers and providing tools and services for all EU policy areas. The Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security is the sixth to be launched under the leadership of the Joint Research Centre after those on the Bioeconomy, Territorial Policies, Migration and Demography,Disaster Risk Management and Food Fraud and Quality. A full press release and factsheet is available online. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel.: +32 229 67083; Joseph Waldstein – Tel.: +32 229 56184)

Commission welcomes provisional political agreement on a multi-annual fisheries management plan for the Western Waters

The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council on a multi-annual plan for fisheries in the Western Waters. The plan covers fisheries from the North and West of Scotland over the Gulf of Cadiz down to Madeira in the South. The agreement is based on the Commission’s proposal from March 2018 and will help restore and maintain stocks at sustainable levels, while ensuring social and economic viability for the fishermen operating in the region. Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella stated: “I am very pleased with today’s political agreement as it signals the EU’s determination to protect the future of our fisheries in the Western Waters on the long term. We have already seen an increasing number of stocks being fished sustainably in this sea basin. This has translated into higher income for the fishing industry and the local communities. With this multi-annual plan, we continue towards our goal to reach sustainable fisheries for all stocks, with solutions that are adapted to the specific needs of the fishermen in the Western Waters.” The plan concerns the fleets of Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the UK in this part of the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent waters. Thanks to joint EU efforts over recent years, many of the fish stocks in Western Waters are already being fished sustainably. For these stocks, the multi-annual plan will enable Member State groups to recommend measures tailored to their particular fisheries. This will ensure both economic growth and continued sustainability. For other stocks, the plan will support recovery efforts to ensure that they are fished sustainably in the coming years. More information is online. (For more information: Enrico Brivio – Tel.: + 32 229 56172; Daniela Stoycheva – Tel.: +32 229 53664)

Eurostat: La fiscalité en 2017: Le ratio recettes fiscales/PIB dans l’UE atteint 40,2% – Un rapport de 1 à 2 entre États membres

Le ratio global recettes fiscales/PIB, autrement dit la somme des impôts et des cotisations sociales nettes en pourcentage du produit intérieur brut, s’est élevé à 40,2% dans l’Union européenne (UE) en 2017, en hausse par rapport à 2016 (39,9%). Dans la zone euro, les recettes fiscales représentaient 41,4% du PIB en 2017, soit légèrement au-dessus du taux de 41,2% de 2016. Les indicateurs fiscaux sont compilés dans un cadre harmonisé sur la base du système européen des comptes (SEC 2010), permettant une comparaison précise des systèmes fiscaux et politiques fiscales entre États membres de l’UE. Un communiqué de presse est à votre disposition en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Johannes Bahrke – Tél.: +32 229 85615; Patrick McCullough – Tél.: +32 229 87183)

€444 million to be reimbursed to European farmers

The European Commission will reimburse €444 million to European farmers originally deducted from direct payments for 2018 under the common agricultural policy (CAP) to create this year’s so-called agricultural crisis reserve. The amounts concerned will be reimbursed to farmers as of 1 December 2018.  Even though the agricultural sector faced critical situations this year, such as extreme weather during the summer, it has not been necessary to unblock the crisis reserve in 2018 to provide adequate support to European farmers. Additional support measures taken to deal with the difficult market situation for certain sectors financed from the available CAP budget. The damages caused by adverse weather conditions during this spring and summer have been addressed by other measures available to help farmers overcome the consequences. This includes derogations from certain conditions related to greening payments and higher advanced payments for 2019. More information is online. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: + 32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tel.: +32 229 52509)

Commission welcomes agreement on new rules for spirit drinks

The negotiators of the Council and the European Parliament with the presence of the European Commission reached yesterday a political agreement on the new rules for the production and labelling of spirit drinks and for the registration and protection of spirit drinks registered as geographical indications (GI). Attending the conclusive negotiation meeting, Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan said: “We welcome the successful conclusion to today’s trilogue and the agreement reached on the new Spirit Drinks Regulation. I am confident that the new Spirit Drink Regulation, resulting from today’s negotiations, will provide for a legislative framework that meets the needs of the sector and will continue to support its continuing and substantial growth. The modernised rules will also ensure that consumers are accurately informed on the methods used to produce spirit drinks.” Today’s agreement means that a clearer labelling of spirit drinks will be guaranteed across the EU and that their composition will be harmonised at EU level. The creation of a register of Member States’ control authorities will also facilitate the work of the national enforcement forces to make sure that consumers get the genuine products. Terms of spirit drinks registered as GIs such as Cognac, Irish Cream, Genever or Ouzo will also be better protected against misuse as ingredients and against the registration of similar trademarks. More information is online. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: + 32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tel.: +32 229 52509)

European Commission publishes guidance for Member States on Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the EU Framework on combating racism and xenophobia. The European Commission is publishing guidance for national authorities to help them improve how EU rules on fighting hate crime and hate speech are implemented on the ground. The guidance gives advice on how to address common issues when it comes to the practical application of these rules, and how to ensure effective investigation, prosecution and sentencing of hate crime and hate speech. The EU’s Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia obliges all EU countries to put in place legislation to penalise the most serious manifestations of racism and xenophobia, and in particular the public incitement to racist violence or hatred as well as racist and xenophobic hate crime. The European Commission supports Member States through the EU High Level Group on combating racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance, which regularly brings together experts from Member States, civil society and community-based organisations, EU agencies in particular the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, as well as international organisations including the United Nations, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. The Commission has also been working closely with IT companies for them to quickly remove illegal hate speech online. For more information and the guidance published today see here. (For more information: Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 229 62253; Maja Kocijancic– Tel.: +32 229 86570; Mélanie Voin – Tel.: +32 229 5865)

La Commission approuve deux nouvelles indications géographiques protégées d’Allemagne et de Bulgarie

La Commission européenne a approuvé la demande d’inscription du «Bayrisch Blockmalz» (les termes «Bayrischer Blockmalz»/«Echt Bayrisch Blockmalz»/«Aecht Bayrischer Blockmalz» sont également protégés) et du «Гроздова ракия от Търговище»/«Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte» dans le registre des indications géographiques protégées (IGP). Fabriqué en Bavière dans le sud de l’Allemagne, le «Bayrisch Blockmalz» est un caramel dur à base de sucre, sirop de sucre caramélisé et extrait de malt. Ce bonbon a été fait pour la première fois par un pharmacien à Nuremberg en 1899. Encore largement vendu en pharmacie et parapharmacie, le «Bayrisch Blockmalz» a reçu un label de qualité de l’association allemande des médecins homéopathes. Produit dans la province de Targovishte dans le nord-est de la Bulgarie, le «Гроздова ракия от Търговище»/«Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte» est une eau-de-vie avec un degré d’alcool d’au moins 40%. De couleur jaune pâle, cette eau-de-vie a une saveur douce avec un arôme de vanille, dû entre autres à l’eau minérale utilisée pour la diluer. Ces nouvelles appellations vont rejoindre plus de 1440 produits déjà protégés dont la liste est disponible dans la base de données DOOR. Pour plus d’informations, voir aussi les pages sur la politique de qualité. (Pour plus d’informations: Daniel Rosario – Tél.: + 32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tél.: +32 229 52509)

Mergers: Commission clears T-Mobile NL’s acquisition of Tele2 NL

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Tele2 NL by T-Mobile NL. The Commission concluded that the merger would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. Today’s decision follows an in-depth investigation of T-Mobile NL’s proposed acquisition of Tele2 NL. First, the investigation found that the proposed merger was unlikely to lead to significant price increases because of the limited combined market position (around 25% market share) and the relatively small increment brought by Tele2 NL (around 5%). Furthermore, there are uncertainties concerning Tele2 NL’s role as an important competitive force in the Dutch market. Second, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not increase the likelihood of coordinated behaviour between mobile network operators. Third, the investigation showed that any potential change inconditions for virtual mobile network operatorsdue to the proposed merger would not have a serious impact on the level of competition in the Dutch mobile telecoms market. Taking into account these findings, the Commission’s investigation concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns in the EEA or any substantial part of it and cleared the case unconditionally. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “Access to affordable and good quality mobile telecom services is essential in a modern society.  After thoroughly analysing the specific role of T-Mobile NL and the smaller Tele2 NL in the Dutch retail mobile market, our investigation found that the proposed acquisition would not significantly change the prices or quality of mobile services for Dutch consumers”. The full press release is available online in EN, FR, DE, NL. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of MBT by Rehau

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control over MB Barter & Trading Holding AG (“MBT”) by REHAU Verwaltungszentrale AG (“Rehau”), both of Switzerland. MBT is active in the production and supply of standard polymers, PET and other petrochemical products such as rubber. Rehau is a system and service provider for polymer-based solutions for construction, automotive and industrial applications. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given the limited vertical overlaps between the companies’ activities.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.9137. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears the acquisition of joint control over Simba Holdings by IFM and Trafigura

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control over Simba Holding S.à r.l of Luxembourg by IFM Investors Pty Ltd. (“IFM”) of Australia and Trafigura Group Pte Ltd (“Trafigura”) of Singapore. Simba Holdings owns and operates marine terminal facilities for dry bulk cargo and provides transport services for liquid bulk cargo, as well as global freight forwarding and logistics services. Simba Holdings is currently solely controlled by Trafigura. IFM is a global provider of investment services across infrastructure, debt investments, listed equities and private equity. Trafigura is an independent commodity trading and logistics group. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because of the limited impact it would have on the market. 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.9151. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

La commissaire Jourova participe aux Assises des Consommateurs

Aujourd’hui, Vĕra Jourová, la commissaire européenne chargée de la justice, des consommateurs et de l’égalité des genres, participe aux Assises des Consommateurs qui concluront une série de 27 dialogues citoyens dédiés aux consommateurs. De mai à novembre, ceux-ci ont rassemblé plus de 2500 participants issus des autorités nationales de protection des consommateurs ainsi que des organisations professionnelles pour discuter de la “nouvelle donne pour les consommateurs“, présentée par la Commission européenne en avril dernier.  La commissaire Vĕra Jourová a déclaré: “Les dialogues citoyens ont permis d’entendre les demandes nationales en matière de protection des consommateurs. Ils ont confirmé que la nouvelle donne pour les citoyens est la bonne réponse aux défis auxquels font face les consommateurs aujourd’hui. Nous souhaitons que les discussions législatives sur cette proposition soient conclues au plus vite, avant les élections européennes de 2019.” Les Assises des consommateurs, co-organisées par le Comité économique et social européen, rassemble  plus de 200 personnes de tous les pays européens pour discuter des défis actuels en terme de protection des consommateurs: 1/ adaptation des droits des consommateurs au monde digital; 2/ amélioration des possibilités de recours individuels ou collectifs; 3/ futures priorités pour la protection des consommateurs en Europe. L’évènement peut être suivi en ligne.  Tous les documents sur la proposition de la Commission sur la “nouvelle donne pour les consommateurs” sont disponibles en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations: Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 229 62253; Mélanie Voin – Tel.: +32 229 58659)

Commissioner Andriukaitis and Commissioner Bulc discuss health, food, transport and the future of Europe in Ljubljana 

On 29 November 2018, in the context of a visit to Slovenia, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis and Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc will attend the 11^th European Public Health Conference in Ljubljana. They will give a joint presentation during the opening ceremony of the conference, as well as contributing to a roundtable debate. Whilst in Ljubljana, they will also host a “University” Citizens’ Dialogue, organised by three different natural science faculties of Ljubljana. The Commissioners will discuss the issues of health, safe food, transport and more, with a particular focus on how these will affect the quality of life in Europe. “I look forward to a highly constructive dialogue alongside my colleague Commissioner Bulc on the important topics of health, food safety and the environment, which are intrinsically linked in defining the quality of life of our populations. It is only through this type of constant collaboration and exchange of ideas that we will be able to strengthen our efforts and make tangible changes in the future of the EU” said Commissioner Andriukaitis ahead of the event. Commissioner Bulc said: “Transport has a strong impact on food, health and environment, on the one hand through negative externalities such as air pollution, noise pollution and road accidents. However, it is also a positive story in a sustainable manner, with green logistics, clean mobility and inclusive connectivity. This dialogue is a great opportunity for a wider debate, to talk to young people and get engaged in an important debate about the ‘Future of Europe'”.The event will be web-streamed via facebook from 10:00 CET here. (For more information: Anca Paduraru – Tel.: +32 229  91269; Aikaterini Apostola – Tel.: +32 229 87624, Enrico Brivio – Tel.: +32 229 56172, Stephan Meder – Tel.: +32 229 13917 )

Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)