COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,latest

 

Ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy met in Mons 06/02/2024 | Press release Ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy met in Mons On Tuesday 6 February, the informal meeting of ministers responsible for cohesion policy was held in Mons. At the meeting, the Ministers agreed on ambitious and coherent guidelines for the future of cohesion policy in Europe post-2027. Press material Wednesday 7 February 2024   ● European Council   07/02/2024 16:01 | Speech | Keynote speech by President Charles Michel at the European Investment Bank Group Forum 2024   It is a great pleasure to join you today. I would like to start by congratulating you, dear Nadia (Calviño), on your appointment as head of the EIB. I wish you the very best. I have no doubt that you will build on the excellent work of your predecessor, Werner Hoyer. Dear Luc (Frieden), we are happy to be in your beautiful country. A bit disappointed with the weather, but you are new in the job and we don't want to blame you today for that. Climate change, the digital revolution, pandemics, conflicts, and wars in our direct neighbourhood. Europe, like the rest of world, is confronting greater uncertainties, and how we tackle these challenges will shape our Union for decades to come. That's why today I would like to focus on the need to invest more and better in our security and defence. We belong to a generation that has always seen the European Union as a project for peace and prosperity. Peace and prosperity - they are intrinsically linked at the heart of our Union, each a condition for the other. In his famous declaration, Robert Schuman envisioned a union of interests in the coal and steel sectors - even back then, it was already about energy and resources. But Schuman and the other founding fathers were also aware that peace could only be guaranteed through security, and this gave rise to Jean Monnet's ambitious plan for a European Defence Community. But after this was rejected in 1954, this notion of a genuine European security community faded from memory, while NATO continued to strengthen its role as the guarantor of security in Europe. Today peace and security are again under attack, in Europe and across the world. Russia’s war against Ukraine has served as a stark reminder. Peace within our EU borders is not enough to guarantee peace beyond our borders. Almost 70 years after the idea of a European Defence Community, the challenge of our generation is clearer than ever: we must build our European sovereignty, our open strategic autonomy, brick by brick, and faster. We must build a strong and influential Union with the power to promote our values, the power to defend our interests, and the power to make a positive impact on the world. This means being strong inside our borders and strong beyond our borders. To achieve this, we know what is needed. We must focus on two vital areas: first, reinforcing our economic base through investment, innovation, and technologies, and second, bolstering our security and defence, both anchored in our strong democratic values. Our single market is the backbone of our prosperity. For over 30 years, it has fuelled economic growth and improved the daily lives of millions of citizens across the EU. The rest of the world envies our quality of life and our social model but we need to complete the single market to get the most out of this powerful engine. Let me share two examples with you. Data sharing in the health sector is critical to improving care and fostering medical breakthroughs. Yet medical systems across the EU do not systematically recognise each other’s data. We must change that. And in the field of transportation, a simple road trip can get very complicated. For instance, a trip from Belgium to Slovakia. Only digital documents are needed in Belgium; paper documents are needed in Germany; digital documents can be shown in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. And in one Member State you will get a fine if you don’t have paper documents. This shows that we need to make it easier for our businesses and support them to grow and bring their ideas to the market. Access to capital is another example. The difference in business investment between Europe and America - as you point out in your annual investment report - should spur us to integrate our financial markets in Europe. A fully-fledged capital markets union would get investment and savings flowing through the veins of markets across our Union. And we need to speed this up. We all know stories of promising European start-ups bought by foreign companies because they couldn’t get capital here at home in Europe. Defence is a pillar for our European sovereignty. We must act more quickly and more decisively, and this will be my main message today. Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, we have broken countless taboos. We are doing what would have been unthinkable even a few days before the start of the war, delivering arms to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility for over €5 billion. The EU and Member States’ military support to Ukraine since the start of the war is roughly €28 billion. We are jointly procuring military equipment. Sixty framework contracts, negotiated in a few months by the European Defence Agency, will be used to place more joint orders. This will allow the procurement of parts and munition for deliveries in 2024 and 2025 totalling €1.5 billion. We are also ramping up our military production. Our production capacity of 155mm ammunition shells has increased by over 40% since the beginning of the war against Ukraine. These collective decisions have ushered in a new era in our common European defence, leading us towards a real Defence Union. I am convinced that a genuine single market for defence should underpin this new era of European security. Defence expenditure by European allies increased on average by more than 8% last year, and this was the ninth consecutive year of increased defence spending. In 2022, a quarter of total defence spending - or almost €60 billion - was allocated to defence investment. In other words, we could invest at least €600 billion in defence over the next ten years. This provides a unique opportunity to be more coherent and more efficient. This provides a unique opportunity to break the pattern of market fragmentation, fragmentation of demand and fragmentation of supply. We need to make progress improving our regulatory framework, making financing and orders more predictable for our defence industry. And that is why we welcome your decision at the EIB to contribute €8 billion to this financing. In December, at our European Council, we called for "an enhanced role of the European Investment Bank Group in support of European security and defence". We must guarantee peace while making our economies more innovative and competitive. This is a topic that we are discussing with leaders in the European Council, in the framework of our strategic agenda that will set our priorities for the years to come, including the role of the EIB and the different EU institutions in supporting defence investment. Investing in security and defence also has a positive impact on innovation, competitiveness, and job creation, primarily through civilian use of new technologies. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet some of you working at the EIB and I have seen firsthand your passion, your dedication, and your expertise. I would like to thank all of you for your work, your ambition, your service, which make our Union stronger. You build important partnerships here in Europe but also in Central Asia, in Africa and in many countries across the world. The European Union and the European Council count on you. You can count on us to work together to make our Union stronger and more sovereign.

Press material Wednesday 7 February 2024

● Council of the EU   07/02/2024 04:36 | Press release | Capital markets Union: Council and Parliament agree on improvements to EU clearing services   The Council and the Parliament reached a provisional political agreement today on a review of the European market infrastructure regulation and directive. The review aims to make the EU clearing landscape more attractive and resilient, to support the EU’s open strategic autonomy and to preserve the EU’s financial stability. "I’m glad that the we have found an agreement today on the review of European market infrastructure rules. This will bring more clearing services to Europe and enhance our strategic autonomy. It will also contribute to stabilising the market and make sure it functions efficiently, which is a prerequisite for a fully-fledged capital markets union." Vincent Van Peteghem Minister of Finance of Belgium The European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) lays down rules on over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, central counterparties (CCPs) and trade repositories. The proposed EMIR review contains several legislative measures to improve EU clearing services, notably by streamlining and shortening procedures, improving consistency between rules, strengthening CCP supervision and requiring market participants of substantial systemic importance, who are subject to a clearing obligation, to have an operationally active account at an EU CCP. Main elements of the provisional agreement The Council and Parliament ensured that in practice it is feasible for supervisory authorities to apply streamlined supervisory processes, such as authorisation and validation procedures. The provisional agreement strengthens cooperation, coordination and information sharing among supervisors and ESMA, while ensuring an appropriate division of tasks between national authorities and ESMA. The agreement also strengthens the role of ESMA providing it with a coordination role in emergency situations, while providing clarity that ultimate decision making powers are the responsibility of the national competent authorities. ESMA will also take the role of co-chair of supervisory colleges together with the relevant national competent authorities, who will keep ultimate decision making powers. Furthermore, ESMA will be informed about and may request to be invited to on-site examinations and provide opinions in an extended range of areas. The provisional agreement sets a solid active account requirement (AAR) that will require certain financial and non-financial counterparties to have an account at an EU CCP, which includes operational elements such as the ability to handle the counterparty’s transactions at short notice if need be and activity elements so that the account is effectively used. This is ensured by a number of requirements, which have to be fulfilled by these accounts, including requirements for counterparties above a certain threshold to clear trades in the most relevant sub-categories of derivatives of substantial systemic importance defined in terms of class of derivative, size and maturity. Furthermore, a Joint Monitoring Mechanism is created to keep track of this new requirement.

Press material Wednesday 7 February 2024

● Council of the EU   07/02/2024 04:04 | Press release | Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform: provisional agreement to boost investments in critical technologies   The Council presidency and European Parliament negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The platform will mobilise investments in the fields of digital and deep tech, cleantech and biotech, with the overall aim of strengthening the EU’s sovereignty and long-term competitiveness in critical technologies. Through a mix of financial incentives and measures to facilitate the financing of projects, it will leverage funding in support of critical technologies under existing EU programmes and funds, including cohesion policy funds, InvestEU, Horizon Europe, the European Defence Fund, the Innovation Fund and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. In order to boost defence investment capacity, an additional €1.5 billion will be allocated to the European Defence Fund. "In light of evolving geopolitical realities, the EU must step up its game on critical technologies. With today’s agreement, we will pool funding from the EU budget to mobilise investments in deep and digital tech, cleantech, and biotech, which are crucial for the EU to preserve its competitive edge in these strategic sectors." Hadja LAHBIB, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions Scope of support During the negotiations, the co-legislators clarified the scope of investments covered by STEP. Taking into consideration the differences between the member states, they have agreed to ensure support to the whole value chain of critical technologies, as proposed by the Commission, as well as to associated services. The Commission has been asked to issue guidance on how technologies will be assessed as critical for the purposes of STEP investments. Sovereignty Seal and Sovereignty Portal Under STEP, a Sovereignty Seal will be awarded to projects contributing to STEP objectives as a quality label helping them to access EU funding and attract other investments. A Sovereignty Portal will also be set up as a one-stop-shop on funding opportunities for STEP-related projects. During the negotiations, the Council and the Parliament have clarified the role of the Commission in implementing the platform and underlined its role in promoting the Sovereignty Seal and enhancing the visibility of the projects that have been awarded this quality label. Use of cohesion policy funds An important element of STEP are financial incentives for channelling cohesion policy funds towards investments in critical technologies. This will help all member states to develop their capacities and contribute to a level playing field for investments in critical technologies in the single market. For this purpose, a 100% co-financing rate and a 30% pre-financing rate will apply for STEP priorities under the 2021–2027 programming period. Investments in large companies will also be possible. Considering the continued budgetary pressure in member states, a 100% co-financing rate will also be applied retroactively to the 2014–2020 cohesion programmes in the final accounting year, while the deadline for submitting payment applications will be extended by 12 months. To further encourage the uptake of STEP under cohesion policy funds, the co-legislators have also given member states more flexibility to reach climate targets under the European Regional Development Fund (30%) and the Cohesion Fund (37%) by counting ‘excess projects’ under one fund towards the target of the other. At the same time, a 20% cap will apply to STEP investments from the European Regional Development Fund, to ensure the continued focus of this fund on its original objectives. Member states will have the possibility to amend programmes – and consequently Partnership Agreements – in 2024 through an expedited procedure, with a view to receiving pre-financing for STEP-related projects as early as this year, in addition to further amendments in 2025 within the timeline of the mid-term review. Evaluation of the platform The EU co-legislators have also asked the Commission to provide them with an interim evaluation report on the implementation of STEP by the end of 2025, as a basis for preparing new interventions to support sovereignty and competitiveness in strategic sectors in the future. Next steps The provisional agreement now needs to be endorsed by the Council and the Parliament before legal-linguistic revision and formal adoption by both institutions. Once adopted, the regulation establishing STEP will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force on the next day. Background The Commission proposed the creation of a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform on 20 June 2023 as part of its package of proposals related to the mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework 2021–2027. The package also included a proposal for the creation of the Ukraine Facility, on which the co-legislators reached a provisional agreement earlier this week. Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform: Council agrees its partial negotiating mandate (press release, 10 January 2024) Council’s partial negotiating mandate on STEP The EU long-term budget (background information)

Press material Tuesday 6 February 2024

● Council of the EU   06/02/2024 18:58 | Press release | Violence against women: Council and European Parliament reach deal on EU law   The Belgian presidency and European Parliament agreed on a first-ever EU law on violence against women and domestic violence. The new law lays down minimum rules concerning the definition of specific criminal offences and penalties to address this form of violence. It also sets out rights of victims of all forms of violence against women or domestic violence, and provides for their protection. "For many women in Europe, sexual violence, domestic violence, street harassment or online abuse are daily threats. Moreover, women all too often pay with their lives for relationship breakups. Even forced marriages and genital mutilation have not been completely eradicated from our society. We must put an end to this. With the new directive, the member states are taking important steps to collectively stand up against these severe crimes, both through an emphasis on prevention and consistent punishment." Paul Van Tigchelt, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea "This is a big step forward to better protect women and girls from violence, whether at home, at work, on our streets, off-line or on-line. The directive has a strong chapter on prevention to act against underlying patterns of coercion, power and control and takes specific rape prevention measures member states are sending a strong message: we no longer accept that if you are a woman you are more at risk than if you are a man." Marie-Colline Leroy, Belgian Secretary of State for Gender Equality Criminalisation of female genital mutilation, forced marriage and cyber crimes The new law would criminalise the following offences across the EU: female genital mutilation forced marriage non-consensual sharing of intimate images cyber stalking cyber harassment cyber incitement to hatred or violence Once adopted, the new law will set common rules on the definition of those offences and related penalties. The directive will also introduce aggravating circumstances such as the repeated exercise of violence against women, committing an act of violence against a vulnerable person or a child and using extreme levels of violence. Protection of victims and safe reporting procedures The new law will also make it easier for victims of these crimes to access justice and obliges member states to provide an appropriate level of specialised protection and support. Member states must for instance ensure that victims can report acts of violence against women or domestic violence through accessible and easy-to-use channels, including the possibility of online reporting, and to submit evidence online, at least for cybercrimes. When children are victims of such wrongdoings, EU countries will have to ensure that they are assisted by professionals trained to work with children. And if the act of violence involves the holder of parental responsibility, reporting must not be conditional upon this person’s consent. In fact, authorities will first have to take measures to protect the safety of the child before that person is informed about the reporting. Also, when a victim of sexual violence or domestic violence first makes contact with an authority the risk posed by the offender or suspect must be assessed. On this basis, authorities will need to provide adequate protection measures. These could include emergency barring and restraining or protection orders. Victims privacy and right to compensation In order to protect a victim’s privacy and prevent repeat victimisation, member states must also ensure that evidence relating to the victim’s past sexual conduct should only be permitted in criminal proceedings when it is relevant and necessary. The directive also foresees that victims will have the right to claim full compensation from offenders for damages resulting from the offence of violence against women or domestic violence. Victims should also be able to obtain compensation in the context of criminal proceedings where appropriate. Helplines and rape crisis centres According to today’s agreement, specialised support services, such as rape crisis centres, must be available to victims to offer advice and support, provide information about access to legal counselling, and provide help into finding shelters and medical care. Member states must furthermore make a national telephone helpline available that victims of violence can reach 24/7, free of charge. Prevention of rape The Council presidency and EU Parliament agreed that EU countries must take appropriate actions – such as targeted awareness-raising campaigns – to prevent violence against women and domestic violence. These preventive measures are geared towards increasing awareness and understanding among the general public of the different manifestations and root causes of all forms of violence against women and domestic violence, as well as towards challenging harmful gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality and mutual respect. Next steps Today’s agreement will have to be approved by the representatives of EU member states at the Council. The final law is also pending adoption in Council and European Parliament. Background Violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic and common human rights violations globally. The directive that presidency and European Parliament agreed on will be the first legal instrument which specifically targets violence against women and domestic violence at EU level.

Press material Tuesday 6 February 2024

● Council of the EU   06/02/2024 17:58 | Press release | Net-Zero Industry Act: Council and Parliament strike a deal to boost EU’s green industry   The Council and the European Parliament today reached a provisional deal on the regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem, better known as the ‘net-zero industry act’ (NZIA). The regulation aims at boosting the industrial deployment of net-zero technologies needed to achieve EU’s climate goals, using the strength of the single market to reinforce Europe’s leadership in industrial green technologies. Under today’s agreement, there will be a single list of net-zero technologies, with criteria for selecting strategic projects in those technologies that will contribute better to decarbonisation. "With the Net-Zero Industry Act we want to support our industry in its transition. The NZIA is an important step in creating the necessary ecosystem to boost the manufacturing of clean technologies. Europe launched a pathway towards a cleaner and sustainable future for the European industry. Now the time is ripe for Europe to take back the lead on the global scene for clean technologies and to build a competitive, green, and job-creating industrial sector." Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture

Library blog Wednesday 7 February 2024

● General Secretariat of the Council   Library guide to the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union   To help readers navigate the dynamic and complex landscape of the Belgian Presidency of the Council, the Council Library has compiled a guide providing relevant and authoritative resources. Discover more