EUROPEAN COMMISSION -
DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 13 December 2022
Security Union: Commission proposes new rules on Advance Passenger Information to facilitate external border management and increase internal security
Today, the Commission is proposing new rules to strengthen the use of Advance Passenger Information (API) data. This proposal is one of the key actions identified in the EU Security Union Strategy. The EU continues its progress in strengthening its overall security architecture, which aims to enhance EU citizens' protection, as shown also in the Fifth Security Union Progress Report. The report highlights three years of solid progress in implementing the Security Union Strategy. It shows that significant steps have been made in strengthening the protection of critical infrastructures from physical, cyber and hybrid attacks, in fighting terrorism and radicalisation, as well as in the fight against organised crime.
Information on travellers has helped to improve border controls, reduce irregular migration, and identify persons posing security risks. Every year, over a billion passengers enter, leave or travel within the EU. The new rules will improve the use of API data to perform checks on passengers prior to their arrival at the external borders. The new rules will also enhance the fight against serious crime and terrorism within the EU. This will close an important gap in the current legal framework, while upholding EU standards for data protection and transmission.
The Commission is also today reporting on three years of solid progress in implementing the Security Union Strategy and proposing a new Action Plan on Trafficking in Cultural Goods, which remains one of the most lucrative forms of business for organised crime groups.
The new rules on API will introduce:
Uniform rules on API data collection. The new rules include a closed list of API data elements, the means to collect API data, and a single point for the transfer of the data.
Mandatory API data collection for the purposes of border management and combating irregular immigration on all flights entering the Schengen area. This will facilitate the travel of people travelling to the Schengen area, with reduced times at disembarkation and at the physical border checks. Mandatory API data collection for law enforcement purposes for all flights to and from the EU, as well as on selected flights within the EU. API data for such purposes is collected in full respect of EU personal data protection rules.
Better quality API data, as air carriers will have to collect API data by automated means only.
Streamlined transmission of API data by air carriers to national authorities through a new router, which will be managed by an EU Agency, eu-LISA. This technical solution is compliant with personal data protection safeguards as it will only transmit and not store any API data.
Next steps
It is now for the European Parliament and the Council to examine the proposal. Once adopted, the rules will be directly applicable across the EU. These proposals complete other EU systems and initiatives in the area of border management and security, and that are being rolled out in the course of 2023 (such as the Entry Exit System and the European Travel Information Authorisation System). The new rules on the collection and transfer of API data are expected to be applied in full as of 2028. Once the router is developed, which is expected to be the case by 2026, public authorities and air carriers will have two years to adjust to the new requirements and test the router, before it becomes mandatory.
Background
The processing of API data provides an effective tool for advance checks of air travellers, allowing to expedite procedures upon arrival and allocating more resources and time to identify travellers who need further attention.
In the EU, the API Directive imposes obligations on air carriers to transmit, upon request, API data to the EU Member State of destination prior to the flight's take-off. This concerns inbound flights from a third country and aims to improve border control and fight irregular migration. The revision of the Directive was announced in the Commission Work Programme 2022 and the June 2021 Schengen Communication. The two new Regulations will replace the 2004 Advance Passenger Information Directive.
Results of the 2020 evaluation of the API Directive showed that the current rules on the collection of API data in the EU are no longer fit for purpose. Today's proposals address the need to harmonise and clarify the way API data is collected throughout the EU. It also highlights the usefulness to combine API and PNR data in order to strengthen the reliability and effectiveness of PNR data as a law enforcement tool.
In addition to API data that is collected by air carriers at the moment of check-in and boarding of the plane, air carriers also collect passenger name records (PNR) data at the moment of reservation or booking of a flight ticket. These are a separate set of information, collected by airlines in the normal course of their business. The transmission of PNR data to national authorities and the subsequent use of this data is regulated in the EU by a separate legal framework, the PNR Directive adopted in 2016.
For More Information
Q&A: Revised rules on Advance Passenger Information
Factsheet
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information (API) for facilitating external border controls
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information (API) for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime
Webpage on Advanced Passenger Information
Action Plan on Trafficking in Cultural Goods
5th Security Union Progress Report
EU Security Union Strategy
Quote(s)
From improving cybersecurity, to tackling radicalisation to fighting organised crime, three years into the mandate, the European Union continues to deliver on building an effective and genuine Security Union. Today we are presenting new rules on advance passenger data that will further strengthen external border management and help national law enforcement authorities prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute terrorist offences and serious crime. We are also presenting a new Action Plan on trafficking in cultural goods to crack down on this lucrative crime and protect cultural heritage.
Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life - 13/12/2022
Today we are making a further step to making our borders smarter, and fighting criminals. Through the new API system border guards will know who is on the plane coming into the European Union and police officers will be able to close the gap between the purchase of the ticket and the actual flight, preventing criminals from exploiting grey areas. A new transparent system, grounded on protecting the Union and the personal data of our citizens
Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs, said: - 13/12/2022
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·Anitta HIPPER
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·Andrea MASINI
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·Fiorella BELCIU
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Pharmaceuticals: Commission proposes updated EMA fees
Today, the Commission proposes to update and simplify the legislation on fees charged by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The main objective is to ensure that these fees reflect better the underlying costs of the work done and coordinated by EMA.
When companies make a request related to a marketing authorisation for a medicine, they have to pay a fee to EMA for the agency's assessment. This fee also includes the remuneration paid by EMA to national authorities involved in the assessment. The Commission proposal revises the entire EMA fee structure to ensure that the fees reflect better the relevant costs. The proposal also includes a cost monitoring mechanism and more flexibility to adjust fees to significant changes in costs. The proposal takes into account the specificities of the veterinary pharmaceutical sector by offering targeted fee reductions to support the availability of veterinary medicinal products.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner in charge of Health and Food safety, said: “The European Medicines Agency is one of the key pillars of a stronger European Health Union. Today's proposal will allow EMA to claim fees which better cover its important work, including the remuneration of national competent authorities for their scientific contributions. The proposal also makes future adjustments of the fee system easier, and more sustainable. I expect the European Parliament and the Council to firmly support that proposal”.
For more information, please consult this page.
(For more information: Stefan De Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 2 298 46 80; Célia Dejond – Tel.: +32 2 298 81 99)
COLLEGE MEETING: EU appoints an International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions to reinforce ongoing international action and contacts with third countries
The College has today decided to create a new role of International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions to ensure continuous, high-level discussions with third countries to avoid the evasion or even the circumvention of the unprecedented restrictive measures that have been imposed on Russia since the start of its war against Ukraine. David O'Sullivan, a former Secretary-General of the Commission and senior EU diplomat, has been appointed as EU Sanctions Envoy and will formally take up this role in the second half of January.
David O'Sullivan has had a long and distinguished career in the European Public Service, spanning over three decades and culminating in five years as Ambassador of the European Union to the United States.
Prior to this he was notably the Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service, responsible for establishing the new EU diplomatic service (2010-2015); Director General for Trade (2005-2010) where he was Chief Negotiator for the Doha Development Round and responsible for overseeing the launch of a number of free trade agreements and concluding the EU's agreement with South Korea; Secretary General of the European Commission (2000-2005); Head of Cabinet of Commission President Romano Prodi (1999-2000) and Director-General for Education and Culture.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 229 54578; Claire Joawn - Tel.: +32 229 56859)
Innovation Fund: EU invests €62 million in small-scale clean tech projects
Today, the EU is investing over €62 million in 17 small-scale innovative clean-tech projects with a fourth round of awards under the EU Innovation Fund. Grants disbursed help bring breakthrough technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, hydrogen, and energy storage. This will accelerate Europe's clean energy transition and decarbonisation, across a large geographic spread and a wide variety of industrial sectors. Selected projects are located in eleven EU Member States: Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and, for the first time, Czechia, Cyprus, Lithuania, and Slovenia. Sectors covered include production of renewable hydrogen, wind energy, and glass manufacturing.
The 17 projects will each receive grants between €2.5 and €7.5 million, funded by revenues from emissions trading. They were evaluated by independent experts based on their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based technologies and to innovate well beyond the state-of-the-art, while being sufficiently mature for deployment. Other selection criteria included the projects' potential to grow to scale as well as cost effectiveness.
In addition, a small number of projects that are promising but not yet sufficiently mature for a grant will be considered for project development assistance by the European Investment Bank. These will be announced in the second quarter of 2023.
Projects in brief
Energy-intensive industries:
Glass, ceramics, and construction materials (5 projects): A project in Belgium will use waste from steel production and sequester CO2 in an innovative construction material for cement-free buildings. Another project in Slovenia will demonstrate a first-of-a-kind regenerative glass furnace that will reduce natural gas consumption thanks to partial electrification of the melting process. A third project will develop a hybrid furnace for glass wool production in the Netherlands. Finally, two projects in Italy will reduce emissions from the production of high-quality glass through the hybrid use of electricity and gas in the melting furnace and through heat recovery in manufacturing.
Refineries and hydrogen (4 projects): A project in the Netherlands will use a breakthrough technology to produce crude sugar oil from forestry and agricultural residues to fuel ship engines. Thanks to the combination of solar photovoltaic (PV) and biomass, a project in Czechia will produce green hydrogen to supply local bus, train and truck operators. Another project will use a 2 MW electrolyser to produce green hydrogen in Cyprus for transport use. A fourth project in Poland will create an installation to produce green hydrogen, powered by renewable energy and a heat recovery system.
Cement and lime (1 project): To decarbonise part of the cement production process, a project in Spain will produce synthesis gas from waste residues to replace a large amount of fossil fuels used during production.
Other energy-intensive industries (1 project): A project in Spain will develop a highly scalable compression heat pump system to increase heat waste recovery in energy-intensive industries.
Renewable energy (4 projects): A project in France will demonstrate an innovative PV structure, compatible with agriculture production. In Spain, a project will use an autonomous wing sail technology to reduce fuel consumption in maritime transport. A project in Finland will use geothermal heating and cooling system in a building complex to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, in France, a project will demonstrate a highly innovative hydrogen-powered pusher boat for bulk transports in the Paris metropolitan region.
Energy storage (1 project): In Lithuania, a project will showcase a novel solar PV and storage system that will allow commercial and industrial electricity consumers to meet 100% of their needs with cost-effective and locally produced electricity.
Manufacturing of components for energy storage or renewables production (1 project): A project will start the production of a new battery cooler technology for electric vehicles that reduces costs and CO2 emissions. The project will be implemented simultaneously in Czechia, France and Spain.
The Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest funding programmes for the demonstration and commercialisation of innovative low-carbon technologies. Financed by revenues from the auctioning of allowances from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) it has a currently estimated revenue of approximately €38 billion until 2030. The Innovation Fund aims to create the right financial incentives for companies and public bodies to invest now in the next generation of low-carbon technologies and give EU companies a first-mover advantage to become global technology leaders.
Successful projects under this second call will now start preparing their individual grant agreements with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), the implementing agency of the Fund. These are expected to be finalised in the second quarter of 2023, allowing the Commission to adopt the corresponding grant award decision and start distributing the grants.
On 19 January 2023, policy makers, investors, and industry leaders will gather at the Financing Innovative Clean Tech Conference to discuss with public and private financiers about the many business opportunities brought about by the Innovation Fund. The projects from the second call for large-scale proposals that successfully finalised their grant agreements will sign their agreements during the event.
On 3 November, the Commission launched the third call for large-scale projects. As announced in the REPowerEU Plan, the funding available was doubled to €3 billion to further support the EU's independence from Russian fossil fuels, with specific RePowerEU topics on electrification of industry and hydrogen, manufacturing and mid-size pilots. Projects that were not successful in the previous calls are encouraged to re-apply. The call will remain open until 16 March 2023.
Project description of selected scale-scale projects
Innovation Fund website
Proposal for revised EU ETS Directive
Delivering the European Green Deal
Innovation Fund Project Portfolio Dashboard
The Innovation Fund uses revenues from emissions trading to empower innovative, forward-thinking businesses to develop the game-changing technologies needed to decarbonise our industry. The projects selected today will have a concrete impact on the ground, speeding up our transition to climate neutrality and giving a further boost to European industry's position as global leaders in clean-tech.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal - 13/12/2022
EU invests €62 million in small-scale clean tech projects
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·Tim McPHIE
+ 32 2 295 86 02
tim.mcphie@ec.europa.eu
·Ana CRESPO PARRONDO
+32 2 298 13 25
ana.crespo-parrondo@ec.europa.eu
Data protection: Commission starts process to adopt adequacy decision for safe data flows with the US
Today, the European Commission launched the process towards the adoption of an adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, which will foster safe trans-Atlantic data flows and address the concerns raised by the Court of Justice of the European Union in its Schrems II decision of July 2020.
Today's draft decision follows the signature of a US Executive Order by President Biden on 7 October 2022, along with the regulations issued by the US Attorney General Merrick Garland. These two instruments implemented into US law the agreement in principle announced by President von der Leyen and President Biden in March 2022.
The draft adequacy decision, which reflects the assessment by the Commission of the US legal framework and concludes that it provides comparable safeguards to those of the EU, has now been published and transmitted to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) for its opinion. The draft decision concluded that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies.
Key elements
US companies will be able to join the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework by committing to comply with a detailed set of privacy obligations, for instance, the requirement to delete personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and to ensure continuity of protection when personal data is shared with third parties. EU citizens will benefit from several redress avenues if their personal data is handled in violation of the Framework, including free of charge before independent dispute resolution mechanisms and an arbitration panel.
In addition, the US legal framework provides for a number of limitations and safeguards regarding the access to data by US public authorities, in particular for criminal law enforcement and national security purposes. This includes the new rules introduced by the US Executive Order, which addressed the issues raised by the Court of Justice of the EU in the Schrems II judgment:
Access to European data by US intelligence agencies will be limited to what is necessary and proportionate to protect national security;
EU individuals will have the possibility to obtain redress regarding the collection and use of their data by US intelligence agencies before an independent and impartial redress mechanism, which includes a newly created Data Protection Review Court. The Court will independently investigate and resolve complaints from Europeans, including by adopting binding remedial measures.
European companies will be able to rely on these safeguards for trans-Atlantic data transfers, also when using other transfer mechanisms, such as standard contractual clauses and binding corporate rules.
The draft adequacy decision will now go through its adoption procedure. As a first step, the Commission submitted its draft decision to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). Afterwards, the Commission will seek approval from a committee composed of representatives of the EU Member States. In addition, the European Parliament has a right of scrutiny over adequacy decisions. Once this procedure is completed, the Commission can proceed to adopting the final adequacy decision.
The functioning of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework will be subject to periodic reviews, which will be carried out by the European Commission, together with European data protection authorities, and the competent US authorities. The first review will take place within one year after the entry into force of the adequacy decision, to verify whether all relevant elements of the US legal framework have been fully implemented and are functioning effectively in practice.
Article 45(3) of the General Data Protection Regulation grants the Commission the power to decide, by means of an implementing act, that a non-EU country ensures ‘an adequate level of protection', i.e. a level of protection for personal data that is essentially equivalent to the level of protection within the EU. The effect of adequacy decisions is that personal data can flow freely from the EU (and Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) to a third country without further obstacles.
After the invalidation of the previous adequacy decision on the EU-US Privacy Shield by the Court of Justice of the EU, the European Commission and the US government entered into discussions on a new framework that addressed the issues raised by the Court.
In March 2022, following intense negotiations between the lead negociators, Commissioner Reynders and Secretary Raimondo, President von der Leyen and President Biden announced an agreement in principle on a new transatlantic data transfer framework. In October 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order on ‘Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities', which was complemented by regulations adopted by the US Attorney General. Together, these two instruments implemented the US commitments into US law, as well as complemented the obligations for US companies. On this basis, the Commission is now proposing a draft adequacy decision on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework.
Once the adequacy decision is adopted, European entities will be able to transfer personal data to participating companies in the United States, without having to put in place additional data protection safeguards.
Draft adequacy decision
Factsheet – Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework
Joint Statement on Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework
Questions & Answers: Executive Order, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
EU-US data transfers | European Commission
Intensifying Negotiations on transatlantic Data Privacy Flow
Data protection | European Commission
Our talks with the US have resulted in proposing a Framework that will further improve safety of personal data of Europeans transferred to the US. It builds on our good cooperation and progress we have made over the years. The future Framework is also good for businesses and it will strengthen Transatlantic cooperation. As democracies, we need to stand up for fundamental rights, including data protection. This is necessity, not a luxury in the increasingly digitalised and data driven economy
Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency - 13/12/2022
Today’s draft decision is the outcome of more than one year of intense negotiations with the US that I led together with my US counterpart Secretary of Commerce Raimondo. Over the past months, we assessed the US legal framework provided by the Executive Order as regards the protection of personal data. We are now confident to move to the next step of the adoption procedure. Our analysis has showed that strong safeguards are now in place in the U.S. to allow the safe transfers of personal data between the two sides of the Altlantic. The future Framework will help protect the citizens’ privacy, while providing legal certainty for businesses. We now await for the feedback from the European Data Protection Board, Member States’ experts and the European Parliament
Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice - 13/12/2022
Commission publishes draft adequacy decision for the EU-US
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·Christian WIGAND
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christian.wigand@ec.europa.eu
·Katarzyna KOLANKO
+ 32 2 296 34 44
katarzyna.kolanko@ec.europa.eu
·Cristina TORRES CASTILLO
+32 2 29 90679
Cristina.TORRES-CASTILLO@ec.europa.eu
Industrial investments in research and development in the EU again on the rise
The 2022 edition of the EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, published by the Commission today, shows that Europe's industry is back on track in research and development investments with an increase of 8.9% in 2021 compared to the -2.2 % pandemic-related dip in 2020.
The EU remains the global leader in R&D investments by the automotive sector, where the transformation towards electric vehicles and digitalisation is fully underway in both established companies and younger firms. The Scoreboard also shows a broad sectoral diversification for the EU, especially compared to the US, where R&D investment is highly concentrated in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
Globally the private sector R&D investment grew strongly beyond pre-pandemic levels (by 14.8% in 2021 vs. 2020). For the first time since the 2004 Scoreboard, total R&D investment by the world's top 2500 firms passed above one trillion euros (€1094 billion). An important change is that all Chinese Scoreboard firms together now have a slightly bigger share of the global total than the EU companies (17.9% Chinese and 17.6% EU, respectively). The leading share of US firms increased to 40.2% of the global total.
Further deepening of the global technology race
The Scoreboard highlights the intensification of the global tech race in the four key sectors which account for more than three-quarters of the total company R&D reported: ICT producers (22.6%), health industries (21.5%), ICT services (19.8%) and automotive (13.9%).
The R&D growth rates of US and Chinese companies - 16.5% and 24.9%, respectively - continued to outpace that of EU counterparts, due to the fact that US Scoreboard companies are leading R&D investors in ICT (both as producers and service providers) and health sectors, while Chinese Scoreboard firms are ahead of the EU not only as ICT producers, but also in ICT services. The number of Chinese Scoreboard companies more than tripled over the past decade (from 176 in 2011 to 678 in 2021), displacing EU and Japanese firms from more traditional manufacturing sectors.
Encouraging trends and policies
Many EU Member States have significant R&D players in sectors such as aerospace, defence and chemicals industries, in addition to the automotive, ICT and health industries. The top 1000 EU companies include a substantial number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in health and ICT sectors with encouraging R&D growth in 2021. This is a welcome signal for important target groups of the New European Innovation Agenda, which among others addresses scale-up and growth in emerging deep tech and breakthrough technologies and triggers spillovers between sectors with the support of the European Innovation Council. The updated Industrial Strategy also promotes innovation policies in the broad industrial base in Europe including the high-technology sectors.
A patent-based positioning of Scoreboard companies in green technologies and circular economy technologies shows that EU and US companies lead in high-value patents, and the EU also leads in inventions relevant to circularity.
The 2022 report also analyses performance in relevant UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EU companies achieved the highest scores in most SDGs and showed progress since last year. From a sectoral perspective, companies in the automotive and chemical sectors achieved on average high progress in SDGs. The review also reveals the high potential of deep technological solutions to tackle global challenges.
Corporate venture capital
As a new aspect of corporate innovation strategies, Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) has also been analysed. CVC has been increasing over the past 20 years and is now used by two-thirds of Scoreboard companies. R&D and CVC complement and support each other, especially in ICT and health. CVC by EU companies amounts to around half of that by US companies. Moreover, 80% of funds from EU-based companies go to US-based start-ups, which triggers important spill-overs.
The EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard has been published annually since 2004 – this is its 19th edition. It provides the most recent economic and financial information based on the latest published audited accounts of the world's top 2500 R&D investors, including the top 1000 EU-based ones.
Together with the Scoreboard, the Commission publishes the 2022 Survey on EU Industrial R&D Investment Trends. While the Scoreboard data do not yet show an impact from the war in Ukraine, the survey report mentions some early feedback such as delays of some existing R&D projects in aerospace and defence, construction, health industries and automobiles. Some companies also said that they started new R&D projects as a direct impact of the war. The 2022 Survey on EU Industrial R&D Investment Trends was sent to the top 1 000 EU R&D investors in the Scoreboard 2021 and has taken place between June and September 2022.
The 2022 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard
Interactive report
Video: The 2022 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard
We aim to further strengthen the solid EU industrial basis and be the protagonist in the global race for technological leadership. That is why, with the New European Innovation Agenda, we are helping young small- and medium-sized enterprises to scale up and emerge in deep tech and breakthrough technologies while triggering spill-overs between sectors.
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth - 13/12/2022
Industrial investments in R&D in the EU again on the rise
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·Johannes BAHRKE
+32 2 295 86 15
johannes.bahrke@ec.europa.eu
·Marietta GRAMMENOU
+32 2 298 35 83
marietta.grammenou@ec.europa.eu
Fair Taxation: Commission welcomes agreement on minimum taxation of multinationals
The Commission welcomes the unanimous agreement announced last night by the Czech Presidency of the EU Council on the Commission's proposal for a Directive ensuring a minimum effective tax rate for large multinational groups. With this historic agreement, the EU's pledge to be among the first to implement the OECD tax reform, comes closer to fruition. Once implemented, this agreement will bring fairness, transparency and stability to the international corporate tax framework.
The Council Directive, to be formally adopted by Council written procedure, includes a common set of rules on how to calculate the 15% effective minimum tax rate– so that this is properly and consistently applied across the EU. The minimum tax rate of 15% has been agreed at global level by 137 countries.
The rules will apply to multinational enterprise groups and large-scale domestic groups in the EU, with combined financial revenues of more than €750 million a year. They will apply to any large group, both domestic and international, with a parent company or a subsidiary situated in an EU Member State. If the minimum effective rate is not imposed by the country where the subsidiary company is based, there are provisions for the Member State of the parent company to apply a “top-up” tax. This Directive also ensures effective taxation in situations where the parent company is situated outside the EU in a low-tax country which does not apply equivalent rules.
Member States must implement the new rules by 31 December 2023.
Ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for Minimum corporate taxation is one of the two work streams of the global OECD agreement (Pillar 2) - the other is the partial re-allocation of taxing rights (known as Pillar 1). The latter will adapt the international rules on how the taxation of corporate profits of the largest and most profitable multinationals is shared amongst countries, to reflect the changing nature of business models and the ability of companies to do business without a physical presence.
This agreement on minimum corporate taxation is a win for fairness, a win for diplomacy and a win for multilateralism. The European Commission never gave up on this deal, and I am proud to see it become reality. The common European interest has prevailed and I want to pay tribute to the French and Czech Presidencies for all their efforts that have led us to this point. We must now concentrate our efforts on finalising the discussions on the other pillar of the global agreement, which focuses on taxing the largest multinational groups, and bringing it into EU law.
Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy - 13/12/2022
Fair Taxation: Commission welcomes agreement
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·Daniel FERRIE
+32 2 298 65 00
daniel.ferrie@ec.europa.eu
·Francesca DALBONI
+32 2 298 81 70
Francesca.DALBONI@ec.europa.eu
Standing with the Ukrainian people: EU delivers further energy support for the winter
At a time when temperatures across Ukraine have dropped to below zero, Russian attacks have left millions without reliable access to electricity, central heating and water. To help those most in need, at the conference ‘Standing with the Ukrainian people' in Paris today, President Ursula von der Leyen made three important announcements: 1) a new EU delivery of urgently needed power generators, 2) the setting up of a rescEU health and energy hub in Poland opened to any third country donors, 3) the donations of energy saving lightbulbs.
Today the President announced that the EU has mobilised around 800 power generators to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.
Latest energy assistance channelled through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism includes:
40 new large generators from the rescEU reserve to provide uninterrupted power to 30 hospitals across the country.
100 small – medium power generators from France. 19 generators from Slovakia, 23 generators from Germany, 52 transformers from Lithuania and 4 emergency power systems from Poland as well as 252 transformers from Lithuania.
Furthermore, President von der Leyen announced the Commission will mobilise around €30 million for the purchase of up to 30 million energy saving lightbulbs for Ukraine.
The EU is also currently setting up a new rescEU energy hub in Poland to facilitate the transport and warehousing of donations from third parties and help with their delivery to Ukraine. This is done in cooperation with our G7 partners and can greatly increase supplies of emergency aid to Ukraine.
Overall, the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre has channelled more than 76,677 tonnes of assistance to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since February and also continues to coordinate medical evacuations of wounded or ill Ukrainians to hospitals across Europe. With weekly flights departing from the EU Medical Evacuations Hub in Poland, over 1600 patients have been successfully transferred to 18 European countries.
The Commission also continues to work closely with the Energy Community to support the Ukrainian energy system. The Ukraine Energy Support Fund has so far collected €32 million to cover the most urgent needs.
In response to the Russia's military aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the European Commission is coordinating its largest ever operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. All 27 EU countries, plus Norway, Türkiye, North Macedonia and Iceland, have offered in-kind assistance ranging from medical supplies and shelter items to vehicles and energy equipment.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism's assistance goes beyond generators and transformers, with a wide variety of items such as circuit breakers, wiring and cables, supplies and equipment necessary for the repair, maintenance and functioning of the energy infrastructure. Around 56,500 different items have been sent to Ukraine.
Since 24 February, the European Commission has allocated €523 million for humanitarian aid programmes to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine. This includes respectively €485 million for Ukraine and €38 million for Moldova. This is part of the overall €19.7 billion in financial, humanitarian, emergency and budget support mobilised so far from the EU and Member States since the beginning of the war.
Factsheet: the European Union and Ukraine
Factsheet on winterisation
EU civil protection and humanitarian aid in Ukraine
rescEU
Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)
EU Civil Protection Mechanism
The Ukrainian spirit remains unbroken and unyielding. We must help Ukrainians through the winter, and for as long as necessary. This is what brings us to Paris today. Europe is providing more support to Ukraine as temperatures drop. We are providing 800 power generators, for example, and soon, up to 30 million of LED light bulbs, which can help make precious energy savings. In addition, we are creating a new EU hub in Poland to deliver energy and health assistance to Ukraine. It will be up and running as of next week – and opened to any third country donor.
President Ursula von der Leyen - 13/12/2022
The EU has been supporting the repair and replacement of Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the beginning of the Russian invasion by providing coordination, logistics and financial help. As Russia has ramped up the cynical attacks on power plants and transmission lines, we have ramped up the support. At the moment, generators as well as transformers and other specialised energy equipment are crucial for both immediate support and to ensure that the energy system remains functional.
Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy - 13/12/2022
As Russia continues to deliberately attack Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure putting millions of vulnerable people at risk, we are making considerable number of offers in support of the country's energy sector. We continue to work around the clock to help sustain the electricity supply in Ukraine. I am grateful to all European countries that continue to support our largest and most complex operation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to date.
Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management - 13/12/2022
Ukraine
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Balazs UJVARI
+32 2 295 45 78
balazs.ujvari@ec.europa.eu
Daniel PUGLISI
+32 2 296 91 40
daniel.puglisi@ec.europa.eu
Skills Pact: a new partnership to promote skills in the health sector
Today, with the support of the Commission, the European Health Management Association (EHMA) and other partners have launched a large-scale skills partnership to retrain and upskill health workers in the EU. 15 million people work in the health sector, representing more than 7% of the workforce and nearly 4% of the EU population. The partnership will develop and implement a European health workforce strategy and pilot training programs for health professionals, with a focus on green and digital skills.
Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, said: "The new health partnership under the Skills Pact brings together different actors to identify the skills that are in demand and how workers can be trained in these skills. High levels of investment in continuing professional development are urgently needed to upgrade the skills of the existing workforce and support the training of the next generation of healthcare professionals. With the announcement of the European Year of Skills for 2023, I hope we can tackle the problem of labor and skills shortages faced by many sectors, including healthcare.”
Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, said: “Health professionals are at the heart of our health systems. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, under the most difficult circumstances, they have carried out life-saving work on a daily basis. Their dedication and resilience are an example for all of us. This essential partnership that we are announcing today comes at a time when we see a growing shortage of health workers across Europe, which is putting additional pressure on health systems. This initiative will go a long way in equipping healthcare personnel with the skills required to manage new challenges and innovation in healthcare and help improve patient care. A skilled workforce is an essential element of a strong European Health Union.”
The Skills Pact is one of the flagship initiatives of the European Skills Agenda. Including the partnership launched today, the Commission is already supporting 14 large-scale partnerships in different industrial sectors. Since its launch, more than 1,000 organizations have pledged to retrain more than 6 million people in Europe. This initiative also contributes to ensuring that, by 2030, at least 60% of all adults participate in training every year.
(For more information: Stefan De Keersmaecker — Tel.: + 32 229 84680; Célia Dejond — Tel.: + 32 229 88199)
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Athanasios ATHANASIOU
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European Commission
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