The Hague, 10 September 2018

​The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Anders Samuelsen, met today at Eurojust’s headquarters in The Hague with Eurojust’s Vice President and National Member for Germany, Klaus Meyer-Cabri. The discussion centred on the future relationship between Denmark and Eurojust in view of the adoption and implementation of the new Eurojust Regulation.

The Minister praised Eurojust’s contribution to the fight against serious cross-border organised crime, especially in the areas of counter-terrorism, cybercrime and migrant smuggling. The Minister further stressed Eurojust’s importance for Denmark in combating transnational criminality. Special emphasis was given to Denmark’s future involvement in Eurojust when the new Eurojust Regulation will enter into force at the end of 2019. According to the Danish Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty, Denmark will not participate in any new measure in the criminal justice field and, as a consequence, it will not participate in the new Eurojust Regulation. However, Denmark wishes to continue to work in close cooperation with Eurojust.

Mr Meyer-Cabri said: Denmark is making valuable contributions to the work of Eurojust, closely cooperating with the judicial and law enforcement authorities in other Member States, therefore enhancing security at EU level. This work needs to be maintained, while respecting the rules of the Protocol and Denmark’s position as an EU Member State. We need to quickly negotiate a new and effective partnership to allow Denmark to remain a member of the Eurojust family, thus avoiding security gaps.

From left to right: Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Anders Samuelsen, National Member for Germany, Klaus Meyer-Cabri, National Member for Denmark, Jesper Hjortenberg and the Danish Ambassador in the Netherlands, Mr Jens-Otto Horslund. © Eurojust
 

The Hague, 10 September 2018

​The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Anders Samuelsen, met today at Eurojust’s headquarters in The Hague with Eurojust’s Vice President and National Member for Germany, Klaus Meyer-Cabri. The discussion centred on the future relationship between Denmark and Eurojust in view of the adoption and implementation of the new Eurojust Regulation.

The Minister praised Eurojust’s contribution to the fight against serious cross-border organised crime, especially in the areas of counter-terrorism, cybercrime and migrant smuggling. The Minister further stressed Eurojust’s importance for Denmark in combating transnational criminality. Special emphasis was given to Denmark’s future involvement in Eurojust when the new Eurojust Regulation will enter into force at the end of 2019. According to the Danish Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty, Denmark will not participate in any new measure in the criminal justice field and, as a consequence, it will not participate in the new Eurojust Regulation. However, Denmark wishes to continue to work in close cooperation with Eurojust.

Mr Meyer-Cabri said: Denmark is making valuable contributions to the work of Eurojust, closely cooperating with the judicial and law enforcement authorities in other Member States, therefore enhancing security at EU level. This work needs to be maintained, while respecting the rules of the Protocol and Denmark’s position as an EU Member State. We need to quickly negotiate a new and effective partnership to allow Denmark to remain a member of the Eurojust family, thus avoiding security gaps.

From left to right: Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Anders Samuelsen, National Member for Germany, Klaus Meyer-Cabri, National Member for Denmark, Jesper Hjortenberg and the Danish Ambassador in the Netherlands, Mr Jens-Otto Horslund. © Eurojust
 

La Commission propose près de 4,7 millions d’euros du Fonds d’ajustement à la mondialisation afin d’aider des travailleurs licenciés dans le secteur de la confection au Portugal

La Commission européenne a proposé aujourd’hui de fournir au Portugal près de 4,7 millions d’euros du Fonds européen d’ajustement à la mondialisation (FEM) pour aider les anciens travailleurs du secteur de l’habillement et plusieurs centaines de jeunes sans emploi, éducation ou formation (NEET) à trouver un nouvel emploi. Marianne Thyssen, commissaire européenne chargée de l’emploi, des affaires sociales, des compétences et de la mobilité du travail, a déclaré: “Les travailleurs portugais ont été durement touchés par la concurrence mondiale. Les 4,7 millions d’euros du Fonds européen d’ajustement à la mondialisation aideront 730 travailleurs ayant perdu leurs emplois, ainsi qu’un nombre équivalent de jeunes sans emploi, éducation ou formation, afin d’adapter leurs compétences et de faciliter leur transition vers de nouvelles opportunités.” Le Portugal a demandé le soutien du FEM suite au licenciement de 1 161 travailleurs de deux entreprises fabricant des vêtements dans les régions de Norte, Centro et Lisboa. Les mesures cofinancées par le FEM pourraient fournir aux 730 travailleurs, confrontés aux plus grandes difficultés, ainsi qu’à 730 jeunes sans emploi, éducation ou formation (NEET) de moins de 30 ans, différentes possibilités visant à améliorer leurs compétences, y compris la formation professionnelle, ainsi qu’une aide à ceux qui veulent créer une entreprise. Ces mesures seraient complétées par des indemnités, telles que la contribution aux frais de déplacement et de formation. Le coût total estimé de l’ensemble des mesures s’élève à environ 7,7 millions d’euros, dont 4,7 millions d’euros proviendraient du Fonds d’ajustement à la mondialisation. La proposition est maintenant soumise au Parlement européen et au Conseil des ministres de l’Union européenne pour approbation.(Pour plus d’informations:Christian Wigand– Tél.: +32 229 62253; Sara Soumillion – Tél.: + 32 229 67094)

EU grants further €7.5 million to help 50 scientists bring their research findings to market

The EU keeps acting to turn Europe’s world-class research into success. Today, the European Research Council (ERC) is awarding 50 ERC grant holders with additional funding of up to €150,000 each to test the commercial or societal potential of their original projects. Commissioner Carlos Moedas said: “The grants awarded today show how we can transform top science into practical innovations that will benefit everyone. Investing in research and innovation means we’re investing in EU’s future. That’s why we’ve proposed to switch our ambition to even higher gear in creating Horizon Europe, EU’s next research and innovation programme, boosting its funding up to an unprecedented EUR 100 billion and completing the European Innovation Council.” The ERC ‘Proof of Concept’ grants awarded today help researchers explore new business opportunities, prepare patent applications or verify the practical viability of scientific concepts. The grants cover research on a variety of topics. Rewarded projects include for instance, one uncovering how social media algorithms actually work, developing organoid tests for late stage cancer, and creating low-cost greener batteries. The grants, awarded three times a year, are part of the EU’s research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020. A full press release and project examples are available on theERC website. (For more information:Lucía Caudet– Tel.: +32 229 56182; Mirna Talko – Tel.: + 32 229 87278)                          

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of joint control over AKOFS by Akastor, Mitsui and MOL

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of joint control over AKOFS Offshore 1 AS (“AKOFS”) of Norway by Akastor AS (“Akastor”), also of Norway, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (“Mitsui”) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (“MOL”), both of Japan. AKOFS provides vessel-based installation and construction and well intervention services for subsea oil and gas developments. Akastor is a public limited investment company whose portfolio includes companies mainly active in the oilfield services sector. Mitsui is trading company group engaged in a range of global business activities including in the offshore oil and gas industry. MOL is a multi-modal transport group specialising in a number of categories of global ocean shipping and related markets. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns as the companies’ activities do not overlap in the European Economic Area. 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.9065. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of the W&B Rail Franchise by Keolis and Amey

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of the Wales and Borders Rail Franchise (“W&B Rail Franchise”) by Keolis (UK) Limited (“Keolis”) and Amey Rail Limited (“Amey”), all of the UK. The W&B Rail Franchise provides passenger rail services across Wales, as well as services to destinations in England. Keolis provides public transportation services in 16 countries across the world. Amey provides infrastructure asset management services to private and public sectors, mainly in the UK. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because none of the companies are engaged in business activities in the same product and geographic 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.9042. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

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

Thank you Minister and thank you for yet another productive day in Vienna.

First of all, I would like to make few points on the proposals linked to the new Multiannual financial framework and the euro area reform.

We discussed InvestEU, which builds on the success of the European Fund for Strategic Investment and aims to leverage EUR 650 billion in investment.

InvestEU is a major simplification – we propose one investment instrument instead of 14, which will lead to more efficiency and less bureaucracy. This effort was recognised by the Member States today.

InvestEU will also be more policy driven: it is designed to target market gaps in sectors relevant to our policy objectives.

Our discussion today focused on how to take public support for investment to a more ambitious level through InvestEU.

Member States confirmed that the EIB should remain the privileged but not exclusive partner for implementing InvestEU. National Promotional Institutions must play an important role in the implementation as well. We are determined to help them to build capacity where need be and we expect the larger and more experienced institutions to support this effort. We believe that such an approach would foster investment flow to smaller projects, support innovation and contribute to the geographical balance.

We also discussed the Reform Support Programme, which has for the main objective to incentivise and support structural reforms at Member State level.

There is a shared understanding that structural reforms are fundamental to improve the performance and resilience of our economies. There is also a common understanding that reforms are not purely a national issue, but a matter of common concern.

Our discussion focused on the main innovation of the Reform Support Programme, which is the Reform Delivery Tool.

The Reform Delivery Tool is carefully designed to incentivise timely reforms while preventing moral hazard and deadweight loss. The financial support would be paid out upon timely and full implementation of the reforms agreed. And the funds can be claimed back if the reforms are reversed.

And it’s not about imposing the reforms. The use of this instrument would be voluntary.

Many Member States underlined the necessity to ensure national ownership of reforms. I agree that the ownership is key.

The spirit of our proposal is that reforms under the Reform Delivery Tool will be proposed by Member States, then negotiated and agreed in open partnership with Member States. And we agree that there are good synergies to be found between political objectives pursued under the EU economic convergence, regional development and economic and social challenges that Member States face.

Having said that, we are open to further discussions on the Reform Delivery Tool and looking forward to improving our proposals further.

We also discussed the fiscal stabilisation function for the euro area.

Two points here:

Although buffers built up in national budgets should be the first line of defence, in a single currency union a stabilisation function is certainly needed to face major asymmetric shocks.

The Commission’s European Investment Stabilisation Function is a carefully weighted and pragmatic proposal. It is based on the concept of protecting the public investment in times of economic downturns.

So we believe that our proposals can frame future discussions, of course, taking into account proposals and ideas from the Member States to further improve them.

On the taxation of the digital economy, let me thank the Austrian Presidency for keeping this file high on the agenda and for the progress that is being achieved. I would also like to thank Angel Gurría who was also present today for his personal commitment to driving tax agenda at the OECD.

The European Union needs a modern taxation system, which reflects the developments in our economies. One of the main developments is that companies and entrepreneurs are increasingly operating in the digital environment. All speakers today agreed that it is important that digital companies pay their fair share of tax.

While we have to work towards a long-term solution on digital taxation, preferably in the OECD or at G20 level, the Commission fully supports the Austrian Presidency in its efforts to swiftly adopt our proposal for an interim solution – a digital services tax.

We therefore welcome the positive signals from many Member States, here in Vienna, and look forward to turning words into deeds. 

Thank you.