COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,latest

 

Meetings Friday 9 February 2024

● Council of the EU   09/02/2024 09:06 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - EU-Armenia Partnership Council, 13 February 2024   The fifth meeting of the EU-Armenia Partnership Council will take place in Brussels and touch on bilateral relations and political matters.

Press material Thursday 8 February 2024

● Council of the EU   08/02/2024 18:33 | Press release | Asylum and migration reform: EU member states’ representatives green light deal with European Parliament   Today, EU member states’ representatives (Coreper) approved the provisional deal that was reached between the Council presidency and the European Parliament on 20 December 2023, constituting a pact of five key laws which will reform the EU’s asylum and migration system. "The member states today confirmed their commitment to improve the European asylum and migration system. These new rules will make the European asylum system more effective and increase solidarity between member states. This agreement will fundamentally change the way in which we deal with migration and asylum on the ground, at the borders and within our territories. The agreement will not change the situation on the ground from day one after its adoption, but now we have to be fully committed to implement what we have decided." Nicole de Moor, Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Pact on asylum and migration The five EU laws of the pact touch upon all stages of asylum and migration management. The update of the Eurodac regulation (the EU fingerprint database) will make it possible to better tackle irregular movements and monitor the paths of asylum seekers and persons in an irregular situation throughout the EU. The screening regulation’s aim is to strengthen controls of persons at external borders. It also ensures fast identification of the correct procedure – such as return to their country of origin or start of an asylum procedure – when a person enters the EU without fulfilling the right entry conditions. The asylum procedure regulation (APR) establishes a common procedure that member states need to follow when people seek international protection. It streamlines the procedural arrangements and sets standards for the rights of the asylum seeker. It introduces a mandatory border procedure, with the aim of quickly assessing at the EU’s external borders whether applications for asylum are unfounded or inadmissible. The asylum and migration management regulation (AMMR) will replace the current Dublin regulation. It sets out rules determining which member state is responsible for the examination of an asylum application. To balance the current system whereby a few member states are responsible for the vast majority of asylum applications, a new solidarity mechanism will be established. The new rules combine mandatory solidarity to support member states who cannot cope with the number of irregular arrivals into their territory with flexibility for member states as regards the choice of their contributions The fifth leg of the Pact is a new law that establishes a framework allowing member states to address situations of crisis in the field of asylum and migration. They would be authorised to adjust certain rules, for instance concerning the registration of asylum applications or the asylum border procedure. On the other hand these countries would be able to request solidarity and support measures from the EU and its member states. Reception conditions, qualification and resettlement The permanent representatives committee also gave the thumbs up to three asylum and migration laws on which Council and Parliament had already reached agreement in 2022. These three laws comprise a revision of the reception conditions directive, an update of the qualification regulation and a regulation establishing an EU resettlement framework. A return border regulation was also approved which allows the pact to apply to those European countries with differing Schengen rules. Next steps The laws approved today will have to be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Background The asylum procedure regulation, asylum and migration management regulation, Eurodac regulation, screening regulation and crisis regulation are components of the new pact on migration and asylum, which the Commission proposed on 23 September 2020. The reception conditions directive, qualification regulation and EU resettlement framework were proposed in 2016. The Council and the European Parliament reach breakthrough in reform of EU asylum and migration system (press release, 20 December 2023) EU migration and asylum policy (background information) EU asylum rules (background information)

Press material Thursday 8 February 2024

● Council of the EU   08/02/2024 16:07 | Press release | Council and Parliament pave the way for a European disability card and a European parking card for persons with disabilities   Today, the Council’s presidency reached an agreement with the European Parliament’s negotiators on the directive establishing the European disability card and the European parking card for persons with disabilities. National authorities will be responsible for issuing physical and digital European disability cards, in an accessible format. The cards will be recognised throughout the EU as proof of disability or entitlement to specific services based on a disability. "Today’s agreement, reached in record time during the Belgian presidency, marks a transformative step towards a more accessible and equitable society. It reaffirms the EU’s commitment to fostering inclusivity for all citizens within our diverse Union." Karine Lalieux, Minister for Pensions and Social Integration, with responsibility for Persons with Disabilities, the Fight against Poverty and for Beliris Main elements of the compromise text The provisionally agreed text maintains and reinforces the aim of the directive, which is to ensure equal access to special conditions or preferential treatment provided to persons with disabilities during short stays across the EU, such as reduced or zero entry fees, priority access, assistance and reserved parking spaces. Further elements agreed upon during interinstitutional negotiations include the following: member states shall extend the usage of the European disability card for periods longer than a short stay in the context of EU mobility programmes, and may also choose to do so in other instances the European Disability card will be issued and renewed free of charge, except in cases of loss or damage; member states may choose to charge a fee relating to the administrative costs for the issuance or renewal of the European Parking Card the letter A can be added to the European Disability Card for persons with disabilities with an increased need for support or who are entitled to support by a personal assistant both cards will contain a QR code to prevent fraud an EU website, available in all languages and in accessible formats, will provide relevant information on the two cards; member states will also have to provide information on the cards to the public in accessible formats the digital format of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities will remain optional for member states

Press material Thursday 8 February 2024

● Council of the EU   08/02/2024 15:02 | Press release | Mercury: Council and Parliament strike a deal to completely phase out mercury in the EU   The Council and European Parliament’s negotiators today reached a provisional political agreement on a proposal to phase out the use of dental amalgam and prohibit the manufacturing, import and export of a number of mercury-added products, including certain lamps. The proposal addresses the residual remaining uses of mercury in products in the EU, with a view to establishing a mercury-free Europe. The deal is provisional pending formal adoption by both institutions. "When released into the environment, mercury can severely endanger our lungs, brain, and kidneys. EU policies so far have been instrumental in significantly reducing the use of and exposure to this highly toxic chemical. With today’s agreement with the Parliament, we are targeting the remaining use of mercury to make the EU mercury-free." Alain Maron, minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for climate change, environment, energy and participatory democracy Main elements of the agreement While current rules already forbid the use of dental amalgam for treating teeth in children under 15 years old and pregnant or breastfeeding women, the amendments extend the prohibition to include everybody in the EU. The co-legislators maintained the Commission’s proposed date for the total phase-out in the EU, 1 January 2025, except when the use of dental amalgam is deemed strictly necessary by the dental practitioner to address specific medical needs of the patient. However, they introduced an eighteen-month derogation for those member states where low-income individuals would otherwise be socio-economically disproportionally affected. No later than one month after the entry into force of the revised regulation, those member states will have to well justify their use of the derogation and notify the Commission of the measures they intend to implement to achieve the phase-out by 30 June 2026. While the Council and Parliament maintained the prohibition to export dental amalgam from 1 January 2025 as proposed by the Commission, they agreed to introduce a ban on the manufacturing and import in the EU from 30 June 2026. The text of the amendment provides for a derogation to allow the import and manufacturing of dental amalgam that is used for patients with specific medical needs. A general review of the exemptions for the use of dental amalgam will be performed by the Commission by 31 December 2029, taking into account the availability of mercury-free alternatives. Additionally, the amendments address the release of mercury into the atmosphere by crematoria. By 31 December 2029, the Commission will carry out a review of the implementation and impact of guidelines in member states on how to abate emissions from crematoria. The review should also include an assessment of the need to phase out remaining mercury uses and to expand the list of mercury waste sources. Six additional mercury-containing lamps will also be made subject to a manufacturing, import and export ban as from 1 January 2026 and 1 July 2027, depending on the type of lamps.

Υλικό τύπου Πέμπτη 8 Φεβρουαρίου 2024

● Συμβούλιο της Ε.Ε   08/02/2024 15:02 | Δελτίο τύπου | Υδράργυρος: Συμβούλιο και Κοινοβούλιο συνάπτουν συμφωνία για την πλήρη κατάργηση του υδραργύρου στην ΕΕ   Το Συμβούλιο και οι διαπραγματευτές του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου κατέληξαν σήμερα σε προσωρινή πολιτική συμφωνία σχετικά με πρόταση για τη σταδιακή κατάργηση της χρήσης οδοντιατρικού αμαλγάματος και την απαγόρευση της κατασκευής, εισαγωγής και εξαγωγής ορισμένων προϊόντων με προσθήκη υδραργύρου, συμπεριλαμβανομένων ορισμένων λαμπτήρων. Η πρόταση αφορά τις υπολειπόμενες χρήσεις υδραργύρου σε προϊόντα στην ΕΕ, με σκοπό τη δημιουργία μιας Ευρώπης χωρίς υδράργυρο. Η συμφωνία είναι προσωρινή εν αναμονή επίσημης έγκρισης και από τα δύο θεσμικά όργανα. "Όταν απελευθερωθεί στο περιβάλλον, ο υδράργυρος μπορεί να θέσει σε σοβαρό κίνδυνο τους πνεύμονες, τον εγκέφαλο και τα νεφρά μας. Οι μέχρι τώρα πολιτικές της ΕΕ έχουν συμβάλει καθοριστικά στη σημαντική μείωση της χρήσης και της έκθεσης σε αυτό το εξαιρετικά τοξικό χημικό. Με τη σημερινή συμφωνία με το Κοινοβούλιο, στοχεύουμε η υπόλοιπη χρήση υδραργύρου για να καταστεί η ΕΕ απαλλαγμένη από υδράργυρο». Alain Maron, υπουργός της κυβέρνησης της Περιφέρειας των Βρυξελλών-Πρωτεύουσας, υπεύθυνος για την κλιματική αλλαγή, το περιβάλλον, την ενέργεια και τη συμμετοχική δημοκρατία Κύρια στοιχεία της συμφωνίας Ενώ οι ισχύοντες κανόνες ήδη απαγορεύουν τη χρήση οδοντικού αμαλγάματος για τη θεραπεία δοντιών σε παιδιά κάτω των 15 ετών και έγκυες ή θηλάζουσες γυναίκες, οι τροπολογίες επεκτείνουν την απαγόρευση ώστε να συμπεριλάβει όλους στην ΕΕ. Οι συννομοθέτες διατήρησαν την προτεινόμενη ημερομηνία της Επιτροπής για τη συνολική σταδιακή κατάργηση στην ΕΕ, την 1η Ιανουαρίου 2025 , εκτός εάν η χρήση οδοντιατρικού αμαλγάματος κρίνεται απολύτως απαραίτητη από τον οδοντίατρο για την αντιμετώπιση συγκεκριμένων ιατρικών αναγκών του ασθενούς. Ωστόσο, εισήγαγαν μια παρέκκλιση δεκαοκτώ μηνών για εκείνα τα κράτη μέλη όπου διαφορετικά άτομα με χαμηλό εισόδημα θα επηρεάζονταν δυσανάλογα κοινωνικά και οικονομικά. Το αργότερο ένα μήνα μετά την έναρξη ισχύος του αναθεωρημένου κανονισμού, αυτά τα κράτη μέλη θα πρέπει να αιτιολογήσουν επαρκώς τη χρήση της παρέκκλισης και να κοινοποιήσουν στην Επιτροπή τα μέτρα που σκοπεύουν να εφαρμόσουν για την επίτευξη της σταδιακής κατάργησης έως τις 30 Ιουνίου 2026. Ενώ το Συμβούλιο και το Κοινοβούλιο διατήρησαν την απαγόρευση εξαγωγής οδοντιατρικού αμαλγάματος από την 1η Ιανουαρίου 2025, όπως πρότεινε η Επιτροπή, συμφώνησαν να απαγορεύσουν την παραγωγή και εισαγωγή στην ΕΕ από τις 30 Ιουνίου 2026 . Το κείμενο της τροπολογίας προβλέπει παρέκκλιση για να επιτρέπεται η εισαγωγή και η κατασκευή οδοντιατρικού αμαλγάματος που χρησιμοποιείται για ασθενείς με ειδικές ιατρικές ανάγκες. Μια γενική αναθεώρηση των εξαιρέσεων για τη χρήση οδοντικού αμαλγάματος θα πραγματοποιηθεί από την Επιτροπή έως τις 31 Δεκεμβρίου 2029, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη διαθεσιμότητα εναλλακτικών λύσεων χωρίς υδράργυρο. Επιπλέον, οι τροπολογίες αφορούν την απελευθέρωση υδραργύρου στην ατμόσφαιρα από τα κρεματόρια . Έως τις 31 Δεκεμβρίου 2029, η Επιτροπή θα πραγματοποιήσει επανεξέταση της εφαρμογής και του αντίκτυπου των κατευθυντήριων γραμμών στα κράτη μέλη σχετικά με τον τρόπο μείωσης των εκπομπών από τα κρεματόρια. Η επανεξέταση θα πρέπει επίσης να περιλαμβάνει αξιολόγηση της ανάγκης να καταργηθούν σταδιακά οι υπόλοιπες χρήσεις υδραργύρου και να επεκταθεί ο κατάλογος των πηγών αποβλήτων υδραργύρου. Έξι επιπλέον λαμπτήρες που περιέχουν υδράργυρο θα υπόκεινται επίσης σε απαγόρευση κατασκευής, εισαγωγής και εξαγωγής από την 1η Ιανουαρίου 2026 και την 1η Ιουλίου 2027, ανάλογα με τον τύπο των λαμπτήρων.