The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a grant agreement of EUR 16.3 million to support the implementation of the Deir Alla and Al-Karamah project. The project, which received EUR 65 million of EIB financing last February, will improve water supply systems in Deir Alla and Al-Karamah districts in the Jordan valley and involves the construction of a centralised sewage collection and treatment network in Deir Al Alla district.

The grant agreement was signed today during a ceremony hosted by the EU Delegation in Amman, by Mrs Flavia Palanza, EIB Director of Operations for Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood, and H.E. Ali Subah, General Secretary of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. 

The grant, which comes under the Economic Resilience Initiative Fund (ERIF) and complements the EIB’s financing of the project, will contribute to improving water supply and sanitation services for more than 85,000 inhabitants in the Jordan Valley area.

“I am pleased to sign this grant agreement with the Jordanian government. We strongly support the government’s plans to improve access to drinking water and sanitation services. The Deir Alla and Al-Karamah project will improve people’s access to these services. We are providing this grant funding to support the implementation of the project thanks to our European donors who contributed to the Economic Resilience Initiative Fund,” commented Flavia Palanza.

His Excellency Eng. Ali Subuh expressed his deep gratitude to EIU for their continuous support to Jordanian water sector that suffers from vast challenges especially after hosting like 1.3 Syrian refugees.

For her part, the EU Ambassador to Jordan, Maria Hadjitheodosiou, said: “The EU is proud to support the water sector in Jordan in a holistic manner, through our bilateral cooperation, regional projects, and direct technical advice in the framework of the Mediterranean Hot Spots Investment Programme (MeHSIP), from which the Deir Alla project has benefited.” She added: “The sustainable use of scarce water resources is of utmost importance to a country like Jordan and to the entire region; the Deir Alla project will play an important role in promoting the renewal of water supply networks”.

The EIB‘s support to the project will contribute to securing reliable and improved access to drinking water, which is also beneficial for health and agriculture, as well as to economic development and social stability in Jordan.

The project comes under the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI) designed to strengthen EU Southern Neighbouring countries’ ability to withstand shocks.  The Deir Alla and Al Karamah prject will have substantial benefits in terms of enhanced social infrastructure, regional development, and positive environmental impact.

The preparation and implementation of the “Deir Alla and Al-Karamah project” also reflects the strong cooperation between the EIB, donors and partners. The project has been financed by the External Lending Mandate (ELM) guarantee provided by the EU to the EIB. The feasibility study was prepared with the support of the EU-funded MeHSIP, while the Climate Action in the Middle East and North Africa (CAMENA) initiative provided the grant for the preparation of the feasibility study.

EIB in the region

The EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI), approved by the EU Member States in 2016, consists of an integrated package of loans, concessional finance and innovative instruments designed to enable financing of an additional EUR 15 billion of investments on top of schemes already planned.

Resilience Initiative Trust Fund (ERI TF), The Economic Resilience Initiative Trust Fund (ERIF) aims to support resilient and inclusive growth in Europe’s Southern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans. Donor contributions help unlock investments that can create new opportunities in the regions, especially for vulnerable groups, including young people and women.

CAMENA is a climate action envelope managed by the European Investment Bank within the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) Trust Fund. Its purpose is to help Mediterranean Partner Countries to fight climate change by providing grants targeted at  initiatives to identify, catalyse and prepare climate action investment projects which could subsequently benefit from EIB financing or to fund actions to improve the enabling environment for climate investments by public and private institutions. Grant support can be used to finance technical assistance, for example climate risk and vulnerability assessments, feasibility studies and environmental and social impact assessment studies, but also for targeted capacity-building activities or specific equity operations. The CAMENA envelope was created at the initiative and with the support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), which contributed GBP 15m for a five-year period (2015-2019).

This is the first time he has attended the Council in his role as President of the European Parliament.

Key extracts from the speech are below. The full text is available here.

Brexit

“We welcome the agreement reached with the government of the United Kingdom. The European Parliament will examine closely the terms and substance of the agreement to verify that it is consistent with the interests of the European Union and its citizens. Parliament will continue to act with the sense of responsibility that we have shown to date.”

Future of Europe

“The European Parliament is the basis of legitimacy for the European democratic system. Citizens issued a call for a new Europe, which is more attentive to their needs, greener, more resolute in safeguarding the rule of law, more protective of social rights, and more effective and transparent in its decision-making.”

“The start of this parliamentary term has been difficult. The will of the European Council not to take into account the “Spitzenkandidaten” process represented, for the European Parliament, a wound that will have to be healed.”

“For that reason, we have issued a call for a conference on the instruments of democracy in Europe to be convened.”

Hearings

“The hearings of the Commissioners-designate are still under way and the vote on the new Commission headed by President Von der Leyen is due to take place in November.”

“That vote has been delayed by roughly a month. The European Parliament cannot be blamed for this delay, as it has and will continue to carry out its duty conscientiously and in line with its prerogatives under the Treaties.”

“The European Parliament intends to assert its role as one of the main actors in the European decision-making process.”

Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)

“The European Parliament’s position is ready and is based on an ambitious budget, equal to 1.3% of gross national income and on the assumption that the decision on income and expenses is part of a “single package”.

“On the revenue side, we need to introduce a basket of new own resources which reflect the EU’s main political priorities and offer incentives to work towards achieving them.”

“On expenditure, it is crucial to boost the most successful programmes— for example in the fields of youth policy, research and innovation, environment and climate transition, infrastructure, SMEs, digitalisation and social rights — while maintaining in real terms the level of funding for traditional EU policies, in particular cohesion, agriculture, and fisheries.”

“We also need to respond to the difficulties and economic problems that so many EU citizens face. For that reason, we are convinced that the European social model must be strengthened. A minimum European income, European unemployment insurance, measures to combat child poverty, the Youth Guarantee, and an assistance fund for people in need are measures which must be properly funded.”

“We need a budget that is consistent with our values. A new budget protection mechanism that would penalise those who disregard the rule of law without affecting payments to final beneficiaries or recipients should be introduced.”

Climate change

“We urge those Member States that have not yet done so to increase their contributions to the Green Climate Fund and to support the establishment of a European Climate Bank.”

Enlargement

“We support the immediate opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. The European Commission is in favour of this and we would find it hard to explain to the people of those countries why we are delaying it.”

“When we call on neighbouring countries to make an extra effort to change and they do so, it is our duty to match this effort.”

Turkey

“For days, people throughout Europe have been following with dismay and anger events in our neighbourhood. The Kurdish population of north-eastern Syria, which fought bravely against the terrorists of the so-called Islamic State, is now under attack by a NATO country.”

“We emphatically and unreservedly condemn Turkey’s military action in north-eastern Syria. This constitutes a grave violation of international law, undermines the stability and security of the region as a whole, bringing further suffering to people already affected by war, as well as obstructing access to humanitarian assistance.”

“We welcome the decision to coordinate national embargoes on future sales of arms to Turkey, but regard this as just a first step. It is our duty to send an unambiguous message by promoting a joint EU embargo not just on future arms shipments, but also on those already on their way.”

“The EU’s decision to impose sanctions on Turkey for an unacceptable action such as offshore drilling in waters near Cyprus is positive, but it is difficult to understand why the military aggression in north-eastern Syria did not prompt a similar response.”

“We must do everything in our power to stop this act of aggression and launch an initiative that can be thrashed out within NATO and submitted to the UN Security Council. The European Union would show itself to be speaking with one voice when working for peace in multilateral fora.”

“Against this background, the European Parliament reiterates its call for the accession negotiations with Turkey to be suspended.”

“We consider it unacceptable and firmly reject any attempt by the Turkish authorities to establish a link between its military action in north-eastern Syria and the fate of Syrian refugees on Turkish territory.”

“It is worth reminding our citizens that the European Union is not funding the Turkish authorities, but contributing directly to assisting and improving refugee living conditions through the work of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations. Human beings in need must never be used as a bargaining chip to justify violations of international law.”

Migration

“The European Union has a duty to guarantee the protection of people who are entitled to it, including setting up a voluntary system of genuine humanitarian corridors. With the help of the relevant humanitarian agencies, such corridors would enable those in need to make the journey to Europe without having to entrust their lives to human traffickers.”

Brexit: European Commission recommends the European Council (Article 50) to endorse the agreement reached on the revised Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland and revised Political Declaration

The European Commission has today recommended the European Council (Article 50) to endorse the agreement reached at negotiator level on the Withdrawal Agreement, including a revised Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, and approve a revised Political Declaration on the framework of the future EU-UK relationship. The Commission also recommends that the European Parliament give its consent to this agreement. This follows a series of intensive negotiations between the European Commission and UK negotiators over the past few days. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said: “This agreement is a fair compromise between the EU and the UK. It is testament to the commitment and willingness of both sides to do what is best for EU and UK citizens. We now have a newly agreed Protocol that protects peace and stability on the island of Ireland and fully protects our Single Market. I hope that we can now bring this over the line and provide the certainty our citizens and businesses so deserve.” Michel Barnier, the European Commission’s Chief Negotiator, said: “We had difficult discussions over the past days. We have managed to find solutions that fully respect the integrity of the Single Market. We created a new and legally operative solution to avoid a hard border, and protect peace and stability on the island of Ireland. It is a solution that works for the EU, for the UK and for people and businesses in Northern Ireland.” The revised Protocol provides a legally operational solution that avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland, protects the all-island economy and the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement in all its dimensions and safeguards the integrity of the Single Market. This solution responds to the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland with the aim of protecting peace and stability. All other elements of the Withdrawal Agreement remain unchanged in substance, as per the agreement reached on 14 November 2018. Before attending the European Council Summit, President Juncker and Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, gave a press statement. The President’s opening remarks are available here. The letter from President Juncker to President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, a press release and Questions & Answers are available online. (For more information: Mina Andreeva – Tel.: +32 229 91382; Daniel Ferrie – Tel.:+32 2 299 86500)

Les citoyens de l’UE peuvent enregistrer un nom de domaine .eu partout dans le monde

À partir de ce samedi, le droit d’enregistrer un nom de domaine .eu est étendu à tous les citoyens de l’Union européenne, et ce où qu’ils se trouvent dans le monde. Les nouvelles règles faciliteront l’accès au marché unique numérique pour les personnes vivant en dehors de l’Europe et leur permettront d’exprimer leur identité européenne en ligne depuis l’étranger. Ce changement découle de la récente mise à jour du Règlement sur le domaine de premier niveau .eu, jusqu’alors limité aux résidents des pays de l’UE et de l’Espace économique européen, alors que, par exemple, près de 12 millions d’Européens vivent aux États-Unis, au Canada et en Australie. Le nom de domaine .eu est actuellement la septième plus grande extension de code de pays sur internet. Près de 3,7 millions de citoyens et d’entreprises de l’UE utilisent déjà le nom de domaine .eu, qui est fiable, digne de confiance et sécurisé. Ces nouvelles règles sont entrées en vigueur en avril 2019 et permettent des services de meilleure qualité et plus innovants sur .eu, dans un environnement numérique en constante évolution. L’ensemble de ces règles s’appliquera pleinement à compter du 13 octobre 2022 et offrira une flexibilité juridique permettant au domaine .eu de s’adapter aux évolutions du marché tout en modernisant sa structure de gouvernance. Le nom de domaine est déjà disponible au format .ею en caractères cyrilliques et le sera au format .ευ en caractères grecs à partir de novembre 2019, afin de créer une présence multilingue en ligne pour tous les Européens. Plus de détails sont disponibles ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tél. : +32 229 67 083; Johannes Bahrke – Tél.: +32 229 58615; Inga Höglund – Tél.: +32 229 50698)

European Commission and the OECD strengthen cooperation to advance structural reforms in EU Member States

The European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS) and the Office of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are stepping up their cooperation in providing support to EU Member States. Under the agreement signed yesterday, the SRSS and the OECD will work together on 34 reform projects in 18 EU Member States under the umbrella of the Structural Reform Support Programme. They will provide expertise to Member States’ authorities in various policy areas, including education, labour markets, tax management, governance, environment and transport infrastructure. Commenting on the cooperation, Vice-President Dombrovskis said: “Structural reforms contribute to unlocking economic growth potential, which is especially important in the current context of global economic slowdown. Our common goal is to support the implementation of such reforms and deliver the most suitable expertise to Member States.” The Structural Reform Support Service offers tailor-made expertise to all EU countries for the preparation, design and implementation of growth-enhancing reforms. The support is provided on the request of Member States, requires no co-financing and mobilises experts from all over Europe and beyond, from both the public and the private sector. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 56153; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151)

And the winners of the 2019 EU Health Award for cities, NGOs and schools are…

Today, the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis announced the winners of the 2019 EU Health Award for cities, NGOs and schools on the theme of preventing and reducing obesity in children and young people.  The winner in each category was awarded a prize of €100,000 to further their work, as well as a certificate. Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “At European level we take action to reverse the rising trends in the proportion of the population who are overweight or obese, yet the figures remain worryingly high both for adults and for children and young people. For the first time in the history of the EU Health Award, we extended eligibility to schools and cities as well as to NGOs. This is something I feel strongly about – because good health needs to be supported at all levels, and getting children and young people off to a good start in life is something that should concern us all. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all contestants for their efforts to help our children and young people.” The CITY category winner is Amsterdam. The ‘Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme’aims to improve children’s physical activity, diet and sleep and ultimately help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight through community-supported interventions and policies throughout the city. The NGO category winner is the Society ‘Our Children’ Zabok from Croatia for its project ‘Healthy and Tasty’which organises fun and educational workshops to encourage healthy eating and decrease consumption of unhealthy foods. The SCHOOL category winner is IES Guadalquivir from Spain for its “Be Active @IES Guadalquivir” programme. The initiative’s main goal is to create a School Health Action Plan aimed at educating and supporting pupils to incorporate healthy living habits into their everyday lives. The EU Health Policy Platform is a collaborative initiative to ease communication between European Commission services and health stakeholders. It is aimed to be inclusive and to reflect the geographical and professional diversity of the participants. The EU Health Policy Platform is a collaborative initiative to ease communication between European Commission services and health stakeholders. Please find the speech of the Commissioner here. (For more information: Anca Paduraru – Tel.: +32 229 91269; Aikaterini Apostola – Tel.: +32 229 87624)

Mergers: Commission clears the acquisition of joint control over PT Lintas Marga Sedaya by BUS and CPPIB

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control over PT Lintas Marga Sedaya of Indonesia by PT Baskhara Utama Sedaya (“BUS”) of Indonesia, belonging to the Jardines group of Bermuda, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB“) of Canada. PT Lintas Marga Sedaya is the concession holder and operator of the Cikopo-Palimanan toll road in West Java Province, Indonesia. BUS is active in the operation of toll roads in Indonesia. CPPIB is an investment management organisation, principally investing in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income investments. 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.9550. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears the acquisition of joint control over Mercer by Oak Hill Capital and Genstar

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of joint control over Mercer Advisors Inc. (“Mercer”) by Oak Hill Capital Management, LLC (“Oak Hill Capital”) and Genstar Capital Partners, LLC (“Genstar”), all three of the US. Mercer, previously solely controlled by Genstar, is an independent wealth management firm. Oak Hill and Genstar are both private equity firms. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns, because Mercer has no actual or foreseen activities within 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.9577. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Greene King by CKA

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of Greene King plc of the UK by CK Asset Holdings Limited (“CKA”) of the Cayman Islands. Greene King is the UK’s leading integrated pub retailer and brewer operating restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland. CKA is active in property development and investment, hotel and serviced suite operation, property and project management, investment in infrastructure and utility asset operation. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because there is no horizontal overlap or vertical link 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.9534. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526) 

Mergers: Commission clears the acquisition of Cypress by Infineon

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (“Cypress”) of the US by Infineon Technologies AG (“Infineon”) of Germany. Cypress is active in the manufacture and supply of embedded systems solutions for automotive, industrial, consumer and enterprise end markets. Infineon is active in the design, manufacture and distribution of a wide range of semiconductors and power semiconductors. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given the limited horizontal overlap between the activities of the companies and the existence of several credible alternative suppliers. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9466. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

First Vice-President Timmermans travels to the Valencian Autonomous Community, Spain

On Friday 18 October, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans will be in Spain for a series of activities and appointments with EU and Spanish authorities and organisations. In the morning he will meet the President and members of the government of the Valencian Autonomous Community, as well as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) management and staff, and then deliver a speech at the agency on environmental and climatic challenges in the Mediterranean region. First Vice-President Timmermans will then meet with the Mayors of the Vega at Orihuela Town Hall to discuss recent floods in the region, and visit the office for victims assistance of the floods. A press point will be arranged for local media at around 13.00 after the meeting with the Mayors. Finally, the First Vice-President will attend a meeting in Elche to discuss the city’s candidacy for the 2030 European Green Capital award. (For more information: Natasha Bertaud – Tel.: +32 229-67456; Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Katarzyna Kolanko – Tel.: +32 229 63444)

Drones: Commission hosts an international conference on drone threats and announces support for innovative projects

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc and Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King are today participating in an international conference in Brussels aimed at discussing ways to counter the threats posed by drones. While the EU is gradually introducing a robust framework for drones, their misuse – whether intentional or accidental – is of growing concern for stakeholders in aviation, law enforcement and many other sectors. Today’s event is organised by the European Commission and brings together national authorities, key international partners, industry, academics and civil society to exchange experiences and identify areas where further European action can be taken. This includes support in further developing viable counter-drone solutions, establishing closer ties between affected sectors and building greater public awareness. At the same time, the Commission recognises that drones have many legitimate uses that can benefit the European economy. As a reflection of this, Commissioner Bulc announced during the event the launch of a ‘Drone Investment Advisory Platform’, a joint project by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to support innovation and improve investment in European drone projects. More information on the ‘Drone Investment Advisory Platform’ is available here. You can also re-watch Commissioner Avramopoulos‘ and Commissioner Bulc‘s opening remarks from this morning via EbS+. (For more information: Enrico Brivio – Tel.: +32 229 56172; Stephan Meder – Tel.: +32 229 13917; Katarzyna Kolanko – Tel.: +32 229 63444)

Commissioner Stylianides inaugurates the International Hellenic University’s new network to mitigate European disaster risks

Today, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management,Christos Stylianides, delivers a keynote speech at the launch of the ‘Trans-European Network for Coordination, Education and Training for Natural Disasters and Technological Risk Mitigation’ and meets with representatives of the International Hellenic University in Kavala, Greece. Earlier, Commissioner Stylianides will visit the Integrated Research Centre of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki. On Friday, Commissioner Stylianides will launch the Virtual School Initiative by AETMA LAB (Augmented Reality Game for Raising Awareness at School for Natural Disaster Management). (For more information: Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela – Tel.: +32 229 65322; Daniel Puglisi – Tel.: +32 229 69140)

Eurostat: communiqués de presse

Prochains événements de la Commission européenne (ex-Top News)

Good to see you and good to see the Prime Minister, my friend Boris Johnson.

We have a deal. And this deal means that there is no need for any kind of prolongation.

This is a fair and balanced agreement. It is testament to our commitment to finding solutions.

It provides certainty where Brexit creates uncertainty. It protects the rights of our citizens and it protects peace and stability on the island of Ireland. There will be no border on the island of Ireland. And the Single Market will be protected.

This deal is not about us, the deal is about people and peace.

And I look forward to continue my conversations with Boris, because we will start the negotiations on the future relations immediately after the deal will have been approved.

We will start our debates on 1 November, without delay.

Tonight, together with Michel Barnier, I will explain the deal to the 27 Heads of State or Government.

And of course, it is for both our Parliaments to have the final say. It is not only Westminster having to approve the deal – the deal being in fact a Treaty – it is also up to the European Parliament to do the same.

So thank you, Boris for – I have to say – the excellent relations we had throughout the last weeks.

I have to say: I am happy about the deal, but I am sad about Brexit.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Aujourd’hui, nous avons trouvé un accord avec le gouvernement britannique sur le retrait ordonné du Royaume-Uni et le cadre de notre future relation.

C’est le résultat d’un travail intensif des deux équipes de négociateurs, l’équipe britannique et notre propre équipe, que je veux personnellement remercier pour leur ténacité et leur professionnalisme, mais aussi, du côté européen, d’un dialogue permanent avec les 27 Etats membres et le Parlement européen, avec qui nous avons réellement co-construit ce nouvel accord.

Cet accord est agréé au niveau des négociateurs. Avec le Président Juncker, qui a conclu ce matin avec le Premier ministre Johnson, nous le présenterons tout à l’heure au Conseil européen à 27. Je veux d’ailleurs remercier le Président Tusk pour sa confiance tout au long de ces trois années.

Ce texte, Mesdames et Messieurs, permet d’apporter de la sécurité juridique et de la certitude là où le Brexit crée de l’incertitude, en particulier et d’abord pour :

•       Les citoyens européens au Royaume-Uni et les Britanniques dans un Etat membre de l’Union. Ils ont toujours été, et ils resteront, notre priorité, celle des Etats membres et du Parlement européen. L’incertitude pour ces citoyens a trop duré. Grâce à cet accord, leurs droits seront enfin garantis dans la durée.
•       Les porteurs de projets financés par le budget de l’Union européenne, dans les 27 Etats membres et au Royaume-Uni puisque, grâce à cet accord, les engagements financiers déjà pris à 28 seront honorés à 28.
•       Toutes les personnes et entreprises concernées par tous les autres sujets de la séparation, comme Euratom, la protection des droits de propriété intellectuelle existants, la protection des indications géographiques ou la protection des données personnelles.
•       Cette proposition comprend aussi la période de transition, qui avait été demandée par le gouvernement britannique et qui durera jusqu’à la fin 2020 – 14 mois – et peut-être une ou deux années de plus en cas d’accord conjoint du Royaume-Uni et de l’Union européenne.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The UK government has wanted to open one point in the Withdrawal Agreement: the question of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Throughout these negotiations, the EU and the UK were fully committed to protect peace and stability on the island of Ireland.

We had to reconcile two objectives:

First, include a legally operative solution in the Withdrawal Agreement that would:

•       Avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland;
•       Preserve the all-island economy;
•       Protect the integrity of the Single Market.

Secondly, a point extremely important to Prime Minister Johnson and the UK was that Northern Ireland remains in the UK’s customs territory.

Discussions over the past days have at times been difficult.

But we have delivered. Together.

The solution that we found rests on four main elements

1/ First, Northern Ireland will remain aligned to a limited set of EU rules, notably related to goods.

•       This means that all applicable procedures on goods will take place at the points of entry into Northern Ireland and not across the island.
•       For this purpose, UK authorities will be in charge of applying the Union’s Customs Code in Northern Ireland.

2/ Secondly, beyond applicable procedures, there is also the question of customs duties.

•       Northern Ireland will remain in the UK’s customs territory. It will therefore benefit from the UK’s future trade policy.
•       But Northern Ireland will also remain an entry point into our Single Market.

So what have we done to square this circle?

•       UK authorities can apply UK tariffs on products coming from third countries, so long as those goods entering Northern Ireland are not at risk of entering our Single Market.
•       However, for goods at risk of entering the Single Market, UK authorities will apply the EU’s tariffs.

3/ Third, this night and this morning still, we were working on the issue of VAT.

It is an important subject to avoid distortion of competition within the Single Market for goods.

On this point also, we have managed to achieve two objectives:

•       Maintain the integrity of the Single Market
•       But also satisfy the UK’s legitimate wishes.

4/ Finally, Prime Minister Johnson and the Taoiseach wanted to ensure long-term democratic support for the application by UK authorities of relevant Union rules in Northern Ireland.

•       Four years after the entry into force of the Protocol, the elected representatives of Northern Ireland will be able to decide, by simple majority, whether to continue applying relevant Union rules in Northern Ireland or not.

This democratic support is a cornerstone of our newly agreed approach.

Why?

Because this newly agreed Protocol is no longer to be replaced by a subsequent agreement between the EU and the UK.  So it makes sense to ensure consent.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Obviously, when discussing Northern Ireland, we talk about the economy, about technical matters, about goods. But for me, since 3 years, what really matters are the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland.

What really matters is peace.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Enfin, au-delà de cette séparation et de l’accord de retrait, nous avons trouvé un accord pour réviser la déclaration politique, qui devra être adoptée par le Conseil européen et qui sera le cadre pour rebâtir un partenariat ambitieux avec le Royaume-Uni, pays ami, pays partenaire et pays allié.

Sur ce point, le gouvernement de Boris Johnson a fait le choix clair d’un accord de libre-échange.

Toute référence à d’autres options, notamment l’option de créer entre nous un territoire douanier unique a donc été éliminée.

Ce qui ne change pas, en revanche, est notre proximité géographique et notre interdépendance avec l’économie du Royaume-Uni, et nous nous sommes mis d’accord pour avoir des garanties solides de level playing field afin de permettre un accord de libre-échange ambitieux sans tarifs ni quotas.

Sur ce point, je peux témoigner, pour en avoir souvent parlé avec eux, que les Etats membres, le Parlement européen et les entreprises du marché unique sont extrêmement attentifs à l’existence d’un socle commun sur les standards applicables à la fin de la transition, en matière de droits sociaux, de protection de l’environnement, d’aides d’Etat et les questions de fiscalité.

Au total, le niveau d’ambition de notre futur accord de libre-échange sera proportionnel au niveau et à la qualité des règles du jeu économique entre nous.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Voilà l’accord que nous avons conclu au terme de ces journées intenses de négociation. Le texte juridique en est maintenant disponible.

Sur cette base, l’évaluation que nous présenterons tout à l’heure avec le Président Juncker au Conseil européen est que nous avons obtenu ensemble un résultat juste et raisonnable, qui correspond à nos principes.

Du côté européen, Il appartient maintenant au Conseil européen d’apprécier le contenu de cet accord. Et ensuite au Conseil de l’approuver, tout comme le Parlement européen, que je veux remercier pour sa confiance et qui aura le dernier mot.

Nous allons poursuivre ce processus dès aujourd’hui, dans le dialogue et le respect de nos institutions.

Nous avons aujourd’hui une base juste et raisonnable – fair and reasonable – pour un retrait ordonné du Royaume-Uni et surtout pour commencer – nous le souhaitons le plus tôt possible, dès le 1er novembre – à travailler à un nouveau partenariat avec le Royaume-Uni.