DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 06 November 2023
Commissioner Kyriakides in Bulgaria to discuss European Health Union and Food Safety priorities
On Tuesday 7 November, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, will be in Sofia to discuss cooperation on key priorities of the European Health Union, including Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and the EU's comprehensive approach to mental health.
Commissioner Kyriakides will hold a meeting with Minister of Health, Hristo Hinkov, to discuss shared objectives on these important priorities.
The Commissioner will also meet with Minister of Agriculture, Kiril Vatev, to discuss key priorities relating to the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, and will also hold a meeting with representatives of local cancer associations with discussions primarily focusing on Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.
(For more information: Stefan de Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 2 298 46 80; Laetitia Close – Tel.: +32 2 296 70 73)
Speech by President von der Leyen at the EU Ambassadors Conference 2023
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_5581
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Speech by the President: EU Ambassadors Conference 2023
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EU increases humanitarian aid to Gaza by €25 million
As part of the EU's continued support to people in Gaza, the Commission will provide a further €25 million in humanitarian aid. This quadruples EU humanitarian assistance to over €100 million for Gaza this year.
The new assistance will be provided to humanitarian organisations to provide life-saving assistance, in particular focusing on water and sanitation, health, food and other essential items.
Announcing the funding today, President von der Leyen said: “Today, I can announce that we are further increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza by another €25 million. By doing so, the European Union would spend a total of €100 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. At the same time, we are working with Israel, Egypt, and the United Nations, to let more convoys into Gaza, including through corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.”
Background
The EU has been providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine since 2000.
The European Council Conclusions, adopted on 26 October, called for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.
The EU has launched a Humanitarian Air Bridge operation in aid to the people affected by the crisis, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian cargo supplied by partners such as UNICEF and international organisations
Since 16 October, 6 flights carrying over 263 tonnes of aid reached Egypt. The operations aim to facilitate the prepositioning of aid in support of fast delivery of assistance to people in need in Gaza.
Furthermore, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated to offer support for repatriation flights from Israel.
Quote(s)
Today, I can announce that we are further increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza by another €25 million. By doing so, the European Union would spend a total of €100 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. At the same time, we are working with Israel, Egypt, and the United Nations, to let more convoys into Gaza, including through corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission - 06/11/2023
Commission sends request for information to AliExpress under the Digital Services Act
Today, the European Commission has formally sent AliExpress a request for information under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission is requesting AliExpress to provide more information on the measures it has taken to comply with obligations related to risk assessments and mitigation measures to protect consumers online, in particular with regard to the dissemination of illegal products online such as fake medicines.
Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “The Digital Services Act is not just about hate speech, disinformation and cyberbullying. It is also there to ensure removal of illegal or unsafe products sold in the EU via e-commerce platforms, including the growing number of fake and potentially life-threatening medicines and pharmaceuticals sold online.”
AliExpress must provide the requested information to the Commission by 27 November 2023. Based on the assessment of AliExpress' replies, the Commission will assess next steps. This could entail the formal opening of proceedings pursuant to Article 66 of the DSA.
Pursuant to Article 74 (2) of the DSA, the Commission can impose fines for incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information in response to a request for information. In case of failure to reply by AliExpress, the Commission may decide to request the information by decision. In this case, failure to reply by the deadline could lead to the imposition of periodic penalty payments.
Following its designation as a Very Large Online Platform, AliExpress is required to comply with the full set of provisions introduced by the DSA, including the assessment and mitigation of risks related to the dissemination of illegal and harmful content and any negative effects on the exercise of fundamental rights.
(For more information: Johanna Bernsel - Tel.: + 32 2 298 66; Thomas Regnier - Tel: +32 2 291 33 91)
High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell travels to Japan
High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell will travel to Japan on 7-9 November to participate at the second full-fledged G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting under the Japanese Presidency of 2023. This visit will provide an opportunity to reconfirm the solid partnership with G7 members, as well as to strengthen EU-Japan relations.
During the meeting, High Representative Borrell and the Foreign Ministers of Japan, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom will hold in-depth discussions on a number of topical foreign policy and security issues – notably, the situation in the Middle East, the G7's continued support to Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression, and the main developments in the Indo-Pacific region. Ministers will also have the opportunity to discuss current and future engagement of the G7 with international partners, including with their counterparts of the five Central Asian states.
During his visit, the High Representative will hold a series of bilateral meetings, including with the recently appointed Foreign Minister of Japan, Yoko Kamikawa, as well as with other G7 counterparts.
Press engagements, pictures and videos will be available on EbS. Follow @JosepBorrellF, @eu_eeas for live updates.
(For more information: Peter Stano – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 53; Joséphine Moreau – Tel.: +32 229-68529)
European Commission Statement on antisemitic incidents in Europe
The spike of antisemitic incidents across Europe has reached extraordinary levels in the last few days, reminiscent of some of the darkest times in history. European Jews today are again living in fear.
We have seen a resurgence of antisemitic incidents and rhetoric in the European Union and worldwide: Molotov cocktails thrown on a synagogue in Germany, stars of David sprayed on residential buildings in France, a Jewish cemetery desecrated in Austria, Jewish stores and synagogues attacked in Spain, demonstrators chanting hate slogans against Jews.
In these difficult times the EU stands by its Jewish communities.
We condemn these despicable acts in the strongest possible terms.
They go against everything that Europe stands for.
Against our core values and our way of life.
Against the model of society we represent: one based on equality, inclusiveness and the full respect of human rights. Jewish, Muslim, Christian – no one should live in fear of discrimination or violence because of their religion or their identity. The EU is determined to protect the wellbeing of all its communities, ethnic, religious or other.
We have to push back against this rise in antisemitism, as well as the rise in anti-Muslim hatred that we have been witnessing over the past weeks – which has no place in Europe. We already have powerful tools at our disposal to address such incidents: EU law criminalises public incitement to hatred and violence and sets out a common approach to tackling racist and xenophobic hate speech and hate crimes.
Ensuring its rigorous enforcement is now more imperative than ever. And since 2021, the European Union has in place its first-ever comprehensive strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life as well as since 2020 an EU anti-racism action plan.
In cooperation with Member States, we will continue to step up security measures. We have already increased EU funding to protect places of worship and other premises and are working to make more support available. In parallel, we are stepping up the enforcement of relevant legislation to ensure online platforms react swiftly and effectively to antisemitic or anti-Muslim content online, be it terrorist content, hate speech or disinformation.
It is our shared responsibility as Europeans to call out hate in all its forms and stand up against it.
EU delivers more than 370 buses as part of the “School buses for Ukraine” solidarity campaign
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska attended the handover ceremony of the EU solidarity campaign “School buses for Ukraine”. More than 370 school buses have been delivered to Ukrainian communities. This solidarity campaign was launched by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska in November 2022.
The school buses were officially handed over to representatives of local authorities from the Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Chernihiv regions.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: "This cruel war has robbed thousands of Ukrainian children of their innocence and childhood. But it will not deprive them of the bright and happy future they deserve. That's why I am happy that we can help bringing Ukrainian children safely to school. The donation of more than 370 school buses by the Commission and Member States demonstrates our joint commitment to the next generations of Ukrainians."
"Last year, during a visit to the European Parliament, I discussed this with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. And now Ukrainian communities are receiving more than 370 buses. This is a great display of solidarity. This is a path towards our children's future - theirs and the entire country's, in the midst of war. This is what school buses mean, this is why they are important," First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska said.
In the spirit of solidarity and commitment to support Ukraine, the European Commission purchased 100 school buses, worth approximately €14 million. In addition, public and private entities in EU Member States donated 271 school buses via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, managed by the European Commission.
Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine has severely impacted the education system, leading to the destruction or damage of over 2,800 education facilities, and affecting approximately 5.7 million school-aged children.
In November 2022, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, launched the “School Buses for Ukraine” campaign – a new EU solidarity campaign to support Ukraine and get Ukrainian children safely back to their schools. The Commission called on public and private entities in the EU and beyond to join forces and show solidarity, by donating buses that are essential to bringing Ukrainian children safely back to their schools.
The European Commission's funding of €14 million made it possible to purchase, deliver and distribute 100 school buses, with the support of Solidarity Fund Poland (SFPL). Authorities, cities, regions, and transport organisations from 11 EU Member States (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden) donated 271 school buses, which reached Ukraine through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
In the 2022 State of the Union speech, President von der Leyen announced a €100 million package to support the rehabilitation of Ukrainian schools. €66 million of that funding was disbursed directly to Ukraine's budget in 2022 and the rest of the funding was implemented by the Commission's humanitarian partners on the ground. In addition, Commission President von der Leyen launched two initiatives worth €12 million that support childcare reform and trauma-informed care for children in Ukraine.
More information is available in this factsheet
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Athanasios ATHANASIOU
Press Officer / Political Reporter
European Commission
Representation in Cyprus
EU House, 30 Vyronos Avenue, 1096 Nicosia
Tel: +357 22 81 75 76 Mob: +357 99 363753
Twitter: @aathans