EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 13 July 2023
EU and Japan boost strategic cooperation on digital and on critical raw materials supply chains
The strategic partnership between the EU and Japan continues to grow and to become even more dynamic, as the two partners are strengthening their cooperation in areas of high economic potential, which contribute to economic resilience and security in the current geopolitical context and accelerated technological shifts.
Today, in the context of the EU-Japan summit, the leaders welcomed:
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Economic security is a common concern for Japan and the EU. We share similar dependencies, and we both need to de-risk our supply chains. One of our objectives is to reduce overreliance for products that are vital for our economies, like critical raw materials and semiconductors on a handful of suppliers – many of them based in China. I am very pleased that we have concluded cooperation arrangements on both topics. We have so much to gain by working together on this.”
Key outcomes of the first Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council
At the first Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council meeting on 3 July, the two partners signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to support secure, resilient and sustainable submarine connectivity. In particular, they will jointly promote actions to develop submarine cable connectivity via the Arctic, providing secure and high-quality connectivity between the EU and Japan, with the potential to extend it to Southeast Asia and the wider Pacific region.
The EU and Japan also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on semiconductors, paving the way for in-depth cooperation in research and development; an early warning mechanism of critical disruptions in the semiconductors supply chain; and cooperating on advanced skills for the semiconductor industry.
Beyond these two Memoranda of Cooperation, the EU and Japan agreed on enhancing cooperation in a wide range of topics of common interest such as artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI; cooperation on quantum and high-performance computing, including reciprocal access for researchers to their supercomputers – Fugaku on the Japanese side, and LUMI, Leonardo and Mare Nostrum 5 on the EU side; research and standardisation in 5G and beyond; data governance and promoting best practices to enable free flow of data with trust; and cybersecurity, including information sharing and joint training. Both sides decided to explore future common actions in areas with high economic potential such as digital transformation of SMEs and interoperability of digital identities, and electronic signatures to boost digital trade exchanges.
The Council meeting was co-chaired by the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, the Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation, Taro Kono, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, Takeaki Matsumoto, and the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Fusae Ota.
The Japan – EU Joint Statement of the first meeting of the Japan – EU Digital Partnership Council is available online.
Reinforcing cooperation on critical raw materials supply chains
Last week, ahead of the EU-Japan Summit the Commission and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) signed an 'Administrative Arrangement on Cooperation in Critical Raw Materials Supply Chains', at the occasion of the visit of the President Hajime Wakuda of JOGMEC to Brussels on 6 July.
The agreement is part of the EU's objective to strengthen its global engagement with reliable partners at the multilateral level and through mutually beneficial partnerships, as outlined in the recent Critical Raw Materials Act proposed by the Commission.
The agreement is an opportunity to deepen cooperation with a forward-looking and ambitious EU partner like Japan on issues that are essential for the green and digital transition of our industries. It will allow to share information and deepen respective understandings in supply chain risk management, innovation, and recycling and circularity frameworks and exchanging information on projects and relevant support instruments.
Next Steps
The EU and Japanese co-chairs of the Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council intend to meet again in 2024 in Brussels to review progress and take further steps to deepen the Partnership.
Meetings and information exchange under the heading of the Administrative Arrangement on Cooperation in Critical Raw Materials Supply Chains have already started taking place. JOGMEC will also be invited to participate in dedicated workshops at the next EU Raw Materials Week on 13-16 November 2023.
Background
Japan and the EU launched the first ever Digital Partnership on 12 May 2022 during the 29th Japan-EU summit in Tokyo. The aim of the Digital Partnership is to advance cooperation on digital issues mainly through enhanced collaborative research on cutting-edge technologies, regulatory dialogue and convergence and shaping common positions in international fora.
The EU and Japan work closely together in the area of supply chain resilience and particularly on critical raw materials value chains. This cooperation takes place in multilateral contexts – notably under the Japanese Presidency of the G7, the EU-US-JP-AU-CA Conference on Critical Materials and Minerals or the Minerals Security Partnership. The Administrative Arrangement provides an opportunity to deepen the bilateral cooperation between the two public administrations.
For More Information
Japan – EU Joint Statement of the first meeting of the Japan – EU Digital Partnership Council
Memorandum of Cooperation on submarine cables
Memorandum of Cooperation on Semiconductors
News article - Enhancing cooperation with Japan on critical raw materials supply chains through a new Administrative Arrangement
Quote(s)
Economic security is a common concern for Japan and the EU. We share similar dependencies, and we both need to de-risk our supply chains. One of our objectives is to reduce overreliance for products that are vital for our economies, like critical raw materials and semiconductors on a handful of suppliers – many of them based in China. I am very pleased that we have concluded cooperation arrangements on both topics. We have so much to gain by working together on this.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission - 13/07/2023
Together, the EU and Japan are advancing work in crucial areas for our future prosperity and resilience in critical raw materials, semiconductors, secure digital connectivity infrastructure and trustworthy AI. This is part of a broader agenda of reinforced cooperation between EU and partner countries, securing supply chains to the mutual benefits of our respective industries.
Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market - 13/07/2023
EU-Japan Summit: Commission lifts the Fukushima restrictions on food imports
Today, at the EU-Japan Summit, President von der Leyen announced that the Commission is lifting the import restrictions for food following the nuclear accident at Fukushima. The lifting of the measures stems from positive results from controls done on the products by the Japanese authorities and the Member States.
Shortly after the accident, the EU took the necessary measures to protect human health against possible radioactive contamination from food and feed imported from Japan and imposed thorough pre-export testing of food products for radioactivity.
Since the adoption of these restrictions in 2011, the measures have been reviewed by the Commission every second year and have been progressively eased as risks declined. The last review took place in September 2021 and limited the pre-export testing restrictions to wild mushrooms, some fish species and wild edible plants.
A strict maximum level of 100 Bq/kg has been in place in the EU for food from Japan since June 2011. This maximum has always been fully respected, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Japanese control and monitoring systems.
Now that the restrictions have been fully lifted, it is however important that the Japanese government continues to monitor domestic production for radioactivity. This includes in particular fish, fishery products and seaweed close to the release site of the contaminated cooling water. They should be monitored for the presence of radionuclides, including tritium. It is also important that the Japanese government makes all the results publicly available.
The Member States endorsed the Regulation lifting the restrictions, which was adopted today by the Commission.
We have one of the world’s highest food safety standards in the world in the EU, upholding them is the key priority of our work. This is why, following the diligent work of the Japanese authorities and the close collaboration with our experts over the past years, we are now in the position to lift the import restrictions for food from Fukushima. The favorable control results of the recent years demonstrate the strong commitment and cooperation of our Japanese partners, and I am very grateful to everyone who has made this possible.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety - 13/07/2023
Circular economy: improving design and end-of-life management of cars for more resource-efficient automotive sector
Today, the Commission is proposing measures to enhance the circularity of the automotive sector, covering the design, production and end-of-life treatment of vehicles. This initiative will improve access to resources for the EU's economy, contribute to the EU's environmental and climate objectives, while reinforcing the single market and contributing to address the challenges associated with the ongoing transformation of the automotive industry.
The proposed actions are expected to generate €1.8 billion net revenue by 2035, with additional jobs created and enhanced revenue streams for the waste management and recycling industry. Moreover, they will contribute to better road safety in third countries by preventing the export of non-roadworthy vehicles and reducing harmful pollution and health risks in countries importing used vehicles from the EU.
The proposed regulation, replacing the current Directives on end-of-life vehicles and on reusability, recyclability and recoverability, is expected to have substantial environmental benefits, including an annual reduction of 12.3 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2035, better valorisation of 5.4 million tons of materials, and increased recovery of critical raw materials. The implementation of the regulation will lead to long-term energy savings at the manufacturing stage, reduced dependency on imported raw materials, and the promotion of sustainable and circular business models.
Actions for circular transition and more resilience in automotive sector
It is projected that automotive sector will become the largest consumer of critical raw materials used in permanent magnets of e-drive motors in Europe. Enhancing the EU's resilience against supply chain disruptions and reducing its dependency on critical raw materials imports is key to the transition to zero-emission vehicles. To facilitate the sector's transition, the Commission has revised the existing legislation and proposes a single regulation that focuses on several key elements to improve quality in design, collection, and recycling, while facilitating reporting obligations:
Next steps
The Commission proposal for a regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on management of end-of-life vehicles will now be considered by the European Parliament and the Council in the ordinary legislative procedure.
Every year, over six million vehicles in Europe reach the end of their life. Inadequate handling of vehicles at the end of their life results in lost value and pollution. The recent evaluation of the existing EU legislation regulating the area - Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles (“ELV Directive”, adopted in 2000) and Directive 2005/64/EC on the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to their reusability, recyclability and recoverability (“3R type-approval Directive”, adopted in 2005) - has shown that considerable improvements were needed to boost the transition of the automotive sector to a circular economy, thereby reducing the environmental impact linked to the production and end-of-life treatment of vehicles, and strengthening the sustainability of the automotive and recycling industry in Europe.
The proposed regulation is in line with the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan objective to achieve a more sustainable and resilient automotive industry. It is closely linked to and supports the implementation of several important legislative initiatives, including the Critical Raw Materials Act, Batteries Regulation, Waste Framework Directive, WEEE Directive and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
Questions and Answers: rules on circular design of vehicles and end-of-life management
Commission's proposal for a Regulation on End-of-Life Vehicles
Web page on proposed rules on ELV
Everyone in Europe should be able to get from A to B in the most sustainable way possible. In the next years, more and more zero-emission cars will come to the market, increasing the demand for valuable, primary materials. Our proposal today will make sure that we recycle and reuse as many of these materials as possible, giving new life to our cars’ components, and greatly reducing the environmental footprint of our road transport.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal - 13/07/2023
The automotive industry plays an important role in accelerating the transition to the circular economy. Building on the life-cycle approach that we agreed for batteries, today we are proposing rules to make vehicles circular by design and to ensure that at the end of their life vehicles are a source of valuable spare parts, critical raw materials and other key resources such as high-quality recycled plastic and steel. This new approach will make the European vehicle industry more sustainable and resilient, reduce dependence on primary raw materials and energy, boost EU’s recycling sector and enhance the markets for used spare parts and secondary materials.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries - 13/07/2023
Our new proposal will support the automotive industrial ecosystem’s transition to circularity, boost the recycling industry while creating more than 22,000 jobs and improve the functioning of the single market. Improving recycling and circularity, in particular by recovering more critical raw materials, will help create more resilient supply chains and reduce exposure to price volatility.
New initiatives to empower research careers and to strengthen the European Research Area
Today, the Commission unveiled a comprehensive set of measures targeted at strengthening the European Research Area (ERA) and making it more resilient, appealing, and competitive. These will contribute to a priority action of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, namely to promote attractive and sustainable research careers.
These initiatives will bring substantial benefits to 2 million researchers across Europe by supporting stable and well-paid work opportunities. Early-career researchers and other European research talents, in particular, will be encouraged to stay in Europe while addressing issues of precariousness in their careers. Simultaneously, efforts will be made to position Europe as an enticing destination for international talents, further bolstering its attractiveness on the global stage.
The set of measures includes:
Through its support for research talents, the Commission aims to fortify the entire research and innovation system in Europe. By enhancing the attractiveness and effectiveness of research careers, the foundation is laid for ground-breaking research and the development of cutting-edge technologies. This, in turn, ensures Europe's competitiveness in vital sectors, including health, defence, digital technologies, and green technologies.
A European framework for research careers
Strengthening research careers is the most pursued objective of Member States in the ERA Policy Agenda. The proposed Council Recommendation addresses challenges of research careers in Europe with an all-sector approach, in line with the May 2021 Council Conclusions on research careers and based on consultations with all relevant stakeholders. Aspects covered include:
A new Charter for Researchers
The proposed Council Recommendation introduces a new Charter for Researchers, addressed to researchers, employers, funders and policy makers. This is an evolution of the previous (2005) European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
The European Charter for Researchers was a set of general principles and requirements which specified the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers as well as of employers and/or funders of researchers. The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers consisted of a set of general principles and requirements that should be followed by employers and/or funders when appointing or recruiting researchers, complementary to those outlined in the European Charter for Researchers. 1444 organisations across Europe have endorsed the previous Charter and Code principles.
The new Charter builds on the above, with updated principles and a streamlined structure. It is addressed to researchers as well as research employers and funders in the public and private sectors. It will be a key instrument of EU's policy to boost attractive researchers' careers and it will facilitate implementation by research performing and research funding organisations, fostering good working conditions for researchers at all career stages.
ResearchComp
ResearchComp is the first EU Competence Framework for Researchers, and a key initiative in the context of the European Year of Skills. In line with the new ERA Communication and the European Skills Agenda adopted by the Commission in 2020, it will promote equipping researchers with a set of transversal skills necessary for careers in all sectors of the society, including academia, businesses and industry, public administration, or the development of own start-ups. The new website will support the development of adapted doctoral training and of targeted training opportunities, including via micro-credentials. It will also allow researchers to have a clear overview of their transversal skills and to upskill where necessary.
ResearchComp is the first new tool developed by the Commission to further strengthen research careers. New instruments are in the pipeline, equally supported by the Council Recommendation proposed today. This includes the ERA Talent Platform as an online one-stop-shop for researchers acting as entry point to a number of services; a Research and Innovation Careers Observatory to monitor careers with updated data and evidence, contributing to improve the research and innovation system and develop evidence-based policies; and an investment strategy to support organisational change, calling research and innovation labour market players to join forces for more attractive research careers.
Member States will discuss the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation, including the new Charter for Researchers, with a view to the final adoption by the Council.
The Commission will follow up on the implementation of the provisions of the Council Recommendation once adopted, and it will support the uptake and use of ResearchComp to maximise its benefits. The Commission is already working on the improvement and development of other initiatives in support of research careers, including EURAXESS, an ERA Talent Platform, RESAVER, and an observatory on research and innovation careers which will allow to monitor effects of the implementation of the Council Recommendation proposed today. In addition, the Commission is developing a pilot, anticipated in 2024, testing principles for an investment strategy to support organisations throughout the ERA territory with implementing the European framework for research careers and the Charter for Researchers.
The 2020 Commission Communication on ‘A New ERA for Research and Innovation' underlined the importance of adequate framework conditions to support research careers in Europe. It referred to a toolbox of measures, including the development of a European Competence Framework for Researchers, which is also an action of the new Skills Agenda.
The Council Conclusions of May 2021 on ‘Deepening the European Research Area: Providing researchers with attractive and sustainable careers and working conditions and making brain circulation a reality' requested the Commission to make a proposal based on a comprehensive framework addressing challenges related to research careers in all sectors, as a possible evolution of the Charter and Code for Researchers.
Today's set of measures is the result of years of consultations with Member States and stakeholders, including as of 2022 in the context of the ERA Forum. It is also based on studies contracted by the Commission or by third parties, including the OECD.
For More information
European research area (ERA)
European Research Area Policy Agenda (2022 – 2024)
Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe
Annexes
This commitment will bring benefits to 2 million researchers. It supports research careers and strengthens the European Research Area for a competitive innovation landscape. By acting together with the Member States, academic sector and industry, we can improve working conditions to ensure that this generation of scientists and innovators stays and thrives in Europe.
Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age - 13/07/2023
Innovation Fund: EU invests €3.6 billion of emissions trading revenues in innovative clean tech projects
Today, the Commission is awarding over €3.6 billion to 41 large-scale clean tech projects, to be financed through the EU Innovation Fund. With a focus on the REPowerEU Plan and phasing out Europe's imports of Russian fossil fuels, these projects cover a wide range of industries, such as cement, steel, advanced biofuels, sustainable aviation fuels, wind and solar energy, and renewable hydrogen and its derivatives. The funding will contribute to the greening of significant sectors of the European economy, in particular those that are difficult to decarbonise.
The selected projects are located in 15 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden; as well as Norway. The supported projects will all enter into operation before 2030, and have the potential to avoid 221 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in their first 10 years of operation.
The 41 projects were selected following the third call for large-scale projects, covering four topics: “general” decarbonisation; “industry electrification and hydrogen”; “clean tech manufacturing”; and “mid-sized pilots”.
Projects in brief
They include 3 projects from refineries and 5 projects in the cement and lime sector, and are located in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.
They include 6 projects on renewable hydrogen production as well as 7 projects on hydrogen use in different sectors: chemical industry, refineries and steel. The projects are located in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Norway.
They include 4 projects on electrolyser manufacturing, 4 projects on batteries (including recycling) and 3 projects on photovoltaic panels and modules, located in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Spain, Sweden and Norway.
They include 2 projects on wind energy, 2 on ocean energy, 2 on chemicals, and projects in the glass sector, on carbon capture and on e-fuels. The projects are located in Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Norway.
The selected projects were evaluated by independent experts against five award criteria: ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional technologies; level of innovation; operational, financial and technical maturity; scalability; and cost effectiveness. In addition to the 41 projects selected for funding today, other promising but insufficiently mature projects will receive project development assistance from the European Investment Bank. These will be announced in the fourth quarter of 2023. At the end of the year, the Commission will launch the next call for proposals for large-scale projects under the Innovation Fund, with an increased budget of €4 billion.
The EU ETS Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest funding programmes for the deployment of net-zero and innovative technologies. It is one of the key tools of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan. Financed by revenues from the auctioning of allowances from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), it has already held two large-scale calls awarding €1.1 billion and €1.8 billion in grants to 7 and 16 projects respectively.
With a currently estimated revenue of approximately €40 billion until 2030[1], the Innovation Fund aims to help businesses invest in clean energy and bring to market technologies that can decarbonise European industry while fostering its competitiveness. Grants are awarded to cover the cost gap between such innovative technologies and conventional ones. The Innovation Fund awards grants through regular calls for proposals and in the future through competitive bidding procedures (auctions).
In 2023, the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System Directive strengthened the Innovation Fund to lead the way in clean tech and set the example on a global stage to contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal by increasing its budget and introducing new auctioning tools. As announced in the REPowerEU Plan, the projects under this call will provide further support towards the EU's phasing out of Russian fossil fuel imports.
The Innovation Fund is implemented by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), while the European Investment Bank (EIB) provides the project development assistance to promising projects that are not sufficiently mature for Innovation Fund grants.
This call for projects attracted 239 applications. About 196 were eligible and admissible for evaluation. Over 40% of the eligible projects passed all the evaluation thresholds and could be considered for the ‘Sovereignty Seal', the EU's new quality label to be awarded to high-quality projects contributing to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
More information
Project description of selected large-scale projects
Innovation Fund large-scale projects
Innovation Fund website
Innovation Fund Project Portfolio Dashboard
EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)
Delivering the European Green Deal
[1] Calculated with a carbon price of €75 per tonne of CO2
Today, the European Union is making an unprecedented investment of € 3.6 billion in 41 clean tech projects across the continent. With investments in innovative solutions like these, we deliver on Europe’s green transition goals, support our industry, and bring energy security, safety and prosperity to future generations. Because we have put a price on carbon emissions, Europe is getting the additional financial firepower that enables these transformative investments.
Remarks by Vice-President Šefčovič on the Second gas tender results of the EU Energy Platform
"Check against delivery"
Good morning,
You will remember that just last April, we launched the first call for companies to jointly buy gas via the EU Energy Platform, a mechanism established in record time.
Two and a half weeks ago on 26 June, we launched the second round of joint purchasing of gas under the EU Energy Platform.
Today, I am pleased to announce the positive results of this second call.
We have gathered demand for almost 16 billion cubic meters. This is over 4 bcm more compared to the first round. Together, the first two rounds alone doubled the objective set by the Council for the whole year.
Reliable international suppliers have responded to our aggregated demand of gas with bids to supply a total volume of 15.19 billion cubic metres. I want to thank all 25 suppliers who have submitted their offers.
Thanks to these offers we have matched the most attractive offers with customer demands and an overall volume of 11.98 billion cubic metres have been matched. And the volumes matched in the second round were also higher by 1 bcm than in the first round.
Out of this volume, LNG accounts for 5.5 billion cubic metres and the remaining 6.4 billion cubic metres covers pipeline gas.
I have to underline that these results exceed our expectations.
We had made some improvements to further facilitate the participation of industry and increase the effectiveness of joint purchasing.
In particular, prospective buyers were able to submit their demand for gas to be delivered between August 2023 and March 2025, meaning 20 months. This was meant to cover the entire gas year and accommodate the purchasing patterns of some energy-intensive industries which buy gas over longer periods of time.
The positive results of this second call shows that there is a need and a clear added-value in joining forces, pooling our demand and working together to guarantee stable and affordable gas supplies to the EU market.
We will hold the third round of the joint purchase after the summer break. We will again consider making further improvements to the system based on the received feedback.
It is now important to ensure that a model that works can be a model that stays.
Beyond the next round for joing purchasing of gas, I believe that we should make sure that the EU Energy Platform and the joint purchase mechanism is kept, so that this new marketplace becomes a regular rendez-vous point for European industry and suppliers.
I also believe that we should now work towards expanding this model to other commodities, including renewable gases, hydrogen and strategic raw materials.
Thank you
European Commission and UN leaders to discuss closer cooperation at High-level dialogue in Brussels
On 13 and 14 July, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, together with 11 members of the College, will participate in a 2nd working retreat with the United Nations' Secretary-General, António Guterres, and other senior UN officials in Brussels.
The Commission and the UN will discuss the key challenges and priority areas for joint action, in particular the global consequences of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and other crises, food security and well-functioning supply chains, climate action, energy and protection of biodiversity, all time high humanitarian needs, the acceleration of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), reform of the international financial architecture, and digital cooperation. It will provide an opportunity to identify practical actions to implement the UN Secretary-General's ‘Our Common Agenda' towards a more effective and inclusive global governance, and to strengthen cooperation to uphold and advance human rights around the world.
The meeting will also be an occasion to prepare for the upcoming High-level week of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, including the SDG Summit.
President von der Leyen will be accompanied by Executive Vice-Presidents Frans Timmermans, Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-Presidents Věra Jourová and Dubravka Šuica, as well as Commissioners Ylva Johansson, Janez Lenarčič, Adina Vălean, Jutta Urpilainen, Kadri Simson, and Virginijus Sinkevičius.
President von der Leyen and UN Secretary General António Guterres will deliver a press statement today at 19:00 CEST. You can follow it live on Ebs.
(For more information: Dana Spinant — Tel.: +32 229 90150; Xavier Cifre Quatresols – Tel.: +32 229 73582)
Day for Victims of the Global Climate Crisis: Executive Vice-President Timmermans to sign inter-institutional declaration with Parliament and Council
Today, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans will sign a joint declaration to inaugurate 15 July as the Annual EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis, together with the Deputy Prime Minister of Spain, Teresa Ribera on behalf of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Marc Angel.
At a ceremony in Brussels, the three signatories will deliver remarks to pay tribute to all victims of climate-related disasters. The annual day will serve to commemorate victims in Europe as well as worldwide and to raise awareness of concrete steps that people can take at their level to help prevent disasters from happening and to be better prepared for and respond to climate disasters. The Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action, Selwin Hart, will also make remarks during the ceremony. There will be a musical performance including a part of the Rain Requiem of composer Jef Neve and writer David Van Reybrouck, their tribute to those who lost their lives in the floods on and around 15 July 2021 that affected several European countries and over 200 lives were lost.
To mark the first Annual EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis, on Saturday 15 July 2023, Executive Vice-President Timmermans will visit sites in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany affected by the 2021 floods, and meet with citizens and local community representatives.
Today's ceremony will start at 17h00 CET, and will be broadcast on EbS here. The declaration will be available here at the start of the ceremony.
(For more information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 2 295 86 02; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 2 298 13 25)
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