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In the framework of the European Union’s Strategy for the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Third Countries, the European Commission (DG Trade) is launching a public consultation in order to gather information on the state of intellectual property protection and enforcement in third countries.

The main objective of this public consultation is to identify third countries in which the state of IPR protection and enforcement gives rise to the highest level of concern and to update the list of the so called “priority countries”. The public consultation will be one of the tools used to help improve the IPR systems in third countries, including plant variety rights. It will help the European Commission focus its efforts and resources on the priority countries and on the specific areas of concern, with the aim of improving IPR protection and enforcement worldwide.

The results of this public consultation will also enable rightholders to gain awareness of potential risks to their IP when engaging in business activities in the priority countries and thus allow them to design business strategies and operations to protect their IP rights.

All interested CPVO stakeholders have until 16 November to provide their comments and observations by taking part in this public consultation in either English, French or German.

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• The Bank will increase the financing provided at the beginning of last year to €67.5 million.
• The funds will support the company’s modernisation plans and the construction of the Process Innovation and Scaling Centre.
• Both loan agreements are backed by an EFSI guarantee under the Investment Plan for Europe

On 28 September 2020, PCC Rokita SA signed an annex to the loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB), under which the Bank has granted the company additional financing for €22.5 million, increasing the loan granted to PCC Rokita at the beginning of last year from €45 million to €67.5 million.

The funds obtained from the financing will support the company in the implementation of investments of a total estimated value of €110.5 million. These include the further expansion and modernisation of chemical plants, such as the pilot plant for the development of polyols and the pilot plant for the production of phosphates and phosphites. They also include investments related to the expansion and optimisation of electrolysis production and the propylene oxide plant, the construction of the Process Innovation and Scaling Centre, and other investments aimed at adapting the existing infrastructure to the increased scale of operations.

Teresa Czerwińska, EIB Vice-President who oversees operations in Poland, said: “The EIB as an institution has been consistently supporting projects with great potential for achieving EU policy goals, both in terms of economic development and employment growth. PCC Rokita is a trustworthy partner for us, and is valued as a reliable beneficiary of funds obtained as part of financing. This additional loan is intended to support the company at a time when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are most severely hitting the economy. The EIB intends to help PCC Rokita invest in innovation and low-carbon technologies and increase the company’s competitiveness when the economy recovers.”

Wiesław Klimkowski, President of the Management Board of PCC Rokita, said: “The increase in EIB financing is a recognition of its positive assessment of the company’s financial and economic situation. It is worth recalling that the EIB supports innovative projects that are not only environmentally friendly, but that also create prospects for long-term growth and new jobs.”

Rafał Zdon, Vice-President of the Management Board, said: “An important element of our financing structure is the loan granted by the EIB at the beginning of 2019. Considering the currently available sources of financing and the further development of the Company, we decided to expand our cooperation with the European Investment Bank. This cooperation is long-standing and the EIB is a stable financial partner.”

Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the Economy, said: “Thanks to the Investment Plan for Europe, the EIB will build on its successful cooperation with Polish chemical company PCC Rokita. The additional funding will help the company to continue shifting its production towards renewable and low-emission materials and expanding its innovation and development activities. In short, yet another European investment that is good for the climate and good for jobs.”

The annex does not result in other significant changes to the loan agreement with the EIB, which – under the original provisions – contains a number of obligations, such as maintaining the level of financial indices specified in the agreement, as well as limitations regarding the payment of dividends. Both loan agreements benefit from the support of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the financial pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe (the Juncker Plan).

PCC Rokita is the parent company of a Capital Group comprising several companies operating mainly in the chemical and service industries.

The Commission’s post-2020 EU Forest Strategy, due out at the beginning of 2021, should be independent and self-standing, properly aligned with the European Green Deal, and ensure that forests can continue to play a multifunctional role, MEPs say in a non-legislative resolution adopted by 462 votes in favour to 176 against, with 59 abstention.

Keeping the sector economically viable and environmentally sound

Sustainable forest management (SFM) should make forests more adaptable to changing climate conditions and promote their environmental, but also societal and economic sustainability, MEPs say. Forest owners who apply SFM principles should get better financial support including new specific aid for Natura 2000 areas and receive fair compensation for economic losses caused by putting in place protection measures.

Disasters: EU forests need to be more resilient

The new strategy, MEPs say, should help to bolster European disaster resilience and early warning tools to increase prevention and preparedness e.g. for fires, floods or pest infestations. They call for the impact of climate change on forest fires to be effectively mitigated and insist on proper funding for research and innovation to make forests more climate-resistant. Forest owners should receive more support for applying preventive measures, dealing with crises and restoring affected forest areas, e.g. through a new EU emergency mechanism, they add.

Build with wood and fight illegal logging

MEPs also push for wood to be promoted more widely as a sustainable construction and renewable raw material, call for the fight against illegal logging to be stepped up, demand that imported products should be easier to trace and insist that EU should do more to promote sustainable forestry globally.

Quote

“Forests are of enormous importance to all of us. We must therefore accept nothing less than an ambitious and self-standing EU strategy that strikes a balance between the economic, ecological and social sustainability of our forests and woodlands, fosters their resilience and helps us move towards a circular economy”, said rapporteur Petri Sarvamaa (EPP, FI).

Background

Forests and other wooded areas currently cover around 43% of the EU’s surface, reaching at least 182 million hectares and comprising 5% of the world’s total forests. In Europe, 23% of all forests are within Natura 2000 sites. Forests absorb over 10% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Around 60% of EU forests are privately owned, and a large proportion are small size forest holdings (less than three hectares). Over 60% of the productive forests in the EU are certified to fulfil sustainable forest management voluntary standards. The sector employs at least 500,000 people directly and 2.6 million indirectly in the EU.

The first objection concerns the Commission’s proposed amendment to the legislation laying down specifications for food additives as regards titanium dioxide (E 171). It was approved with 443 votes to 118 and 135 abstentions.

Parliament calls on the Commission to apply the precautionary principle and to remove E171 from the EU list of permitted food additives that are currently used mainly to colour confectionery, bakery and pastry products as well as chewing gum, candies, chocolates, and ice cream. As these products are very popular with children, MEPs are particularly concerned about them being potentially very exposed to the additive. They underline that France banned sales of food products containing titanium dioxide as of 1 January 2020 and that 85 000 citizens across Europe have signed a petition to support the French ban.

The second objection concerning the Commission’s proposal to amend the rules setting maximum levels of acrylamide in certain foodstuffs for infants and young children was also approved with 469 votes to 137 and 90 abstentions.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) previously confirmed that acrylamide, which is a processing contaminant that occurs naturally when some foods are heated, potentially increases the risk of developing cancer in all age groups. In the resolution, MEPs request that the Commission lower the proposed maximum level allowed for two food products often given to infants and young children, as they are the most exposed, based on their body weight. They also underline that biscuits and rusks that are not specifically produced for infants and young children, but are often given to or even marketed to them, should face the same, more stringent demands.

Next steps

As Parliament has adopted these two objections, the Commission cannot approve the proposed actions and is now obliged to amend or withdraw them.