EUROGROUP,COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Wednesday 21 February 2024

● Eurogroup   21/02/2024 11:32 | Media advisory | CORRIGENDUM: Media advisory – Eurogroup meeting of 23 February 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Chair: Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup 08.00 Arrivals (live streaming) 08.30 Doorstep by Paschal Donohoe (live streaming) 09.00 Eurogroup meeting In inclusive format (roundtable): - The Future of European Capital and Financial Markets: discussion of the draft statement In regular format (+/- 11.00): - (poss.) Macroeconomic developments and prospects - Miscellaneous At the end of the meeting (+/- 11.45) - Press conference with Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe, Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, ECB President Christine Lagarde and ESM Managing Director Pierre Gramegna (live streaming). Videos and photos from the event

Press material Wednesday 21 February 2024

● Eurogroup   21/02/2024 11:26 | Media advisory | Media advisory – Eurogroup meeting of 13 February 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Chair: Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup 08.00 Arrivals (live streaming) 08.30 Doorstep by Paschal Donohoe (live streaming) 09.00 Eurogroup meeting In inclusive format (roundtable): - The Future of European Capital and Financial Markets: discussion of the draft statement In regular format (+/- 11.00): - (poss.) Macroeconomic developments and prospects - Miscellaneous At the end of the meeting (+/- 11.45) - Press conference with Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe, Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, ECB President Christine Lagarde and ESM Managing Director Pierre Gramegna (live streaming). Videos and photos from the event

Meetings Wednesday 21 February 2024

● Eurogroup   21/02/2024 14:24 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - Eurogroup, 23 February 2024   Ahead of the adoption of a statement in March, the Eurogroup (in inclusive format) will continue to exchange views on the future of European capital and financial markets. The Eurogroup (in regular format) will also discuss macroeconomic developments and prospects, based on the 2024 Commission winter forecast. Euro area finance ministers are also expected to reappoint Tuomas Saarenheimo as president of the Eurogroup Working Group.

Press material Wednesday 21 February 2024

● Council of the EU   21/02/2024 12:13 | Press release | Joint press statement following the 8th Association Council meeting between the EU and Georgia   On 20 February 2024, the European Union and Georgia held the 8th meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council in Brussels. The Association Council welcomed the historic decision of the European Council to grant Georgia the status of candidate country on the understanding that the nine steps set out in the European Commission recommendation of 8 November 2023 are taken. This took the EU-Georgia relations to a new strategic level. The EU took note of the adoption of the action plan to address the nine steps by the Government of Georgia in advance of the European Council decision and encouraged Georgia to further progress on reforms. It emphasized the importance of fulfilling the conditions specified by the European Commission through meaningful and irreversible reforms, prepared and implemented in consultation with the opposition and civil society. The EU stressed that Georgia’s progress towards the European Union will depend on its own merit in meeting the accession criteria. The Association Council reiterated the EU’s commitment to strengthening EU-Georgia relations, emphasising the importance of fully exploiting the potential of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, and the effective implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agenda 2021-2027. The Association Council recalled that the effective implementation of the Association Agreement and its DCFTA, linked to the broader process of regulatory approximation and related necessary reforms, contributes to establishing conditions for enhanced economic and trade relations with the EU leading to Georgia’s further gradual economic integration in the European Union Internal Market. The EU recognised that Georgia carried out significant reforms in a number of areas and successfully approximated its legislation with the EU acquis in many sectors as noted in the European Commission report on Georgia of 8 November 2023. It was noted that the objective of becoming an EU member, strongly supported by Georgia’s people, the Government and across political spectrum has been a key driver in this respect. The EU urged all political actors in Georgia to demonstrate constructive cross-party cooperation and dialogue, overcome polarisation and refrain from actions that could further deepen the political tensions and hamper the country’s reform agenda. The Association Council commended Georgia’s vibrant civil society and underlined the importance of inclusive, meaningful and systematic engagement with civil society in the policymaking processes. Emphasising the importance of fighting disinformation, anti-EU rhetoric and foreign information manipulation and interference, the EU called on Georgia to take meaningful steps in this regard, while noting the efforts made by the Government. The Association Council stressed that the full independence, accountability and impartiality of all State institutions need to be ensured, in line with European standards and the recommendations of the Venice Commission, in particular all judicial, prosecutorial, anti-corruption and monetary institutions. The EU underlined the need to further improve the implementation of parliamentary oversight notably of the security services. The Association Council recalled that the EU and Georgia are bound by a joint determination to further strengthen democracy and the rule of law in our societies. The EU noted the work undertaken to improve the legislative framework and the overall capacity and organisation of the justice system. The EU stressed that further efforts were needed to pursue a comprehensive judicial reform in particular to ensure the full independence, accountability and impartiality of all judicial and prosecutorial institutions. The Association Council noted the reforms undertaken to improve the electoral framework and called on Georgia to finalise electoral reform well ahead of the upcoming elections, in line with the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, and to ensure a free, fair and competitive electoral process. The EU welcomed Georgia’s invitation of the OSCE-ODIHR long-term observers ahead of the parliamentary elections of 2024. The Association Council took note of the adoption of the second National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights in Georgia 2022-2030 and the Human Rights Action Plan 2024-2026. The Association Council welcomed the work undertaken to ensure gender equality, to fight gender-based and domestic violence, as well as the work on legislation related to the European Court of Human Rights judgments and the appointment of the Public Defender. The EU underlined the need to continue this work and ensure enhanced respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including guaranteeing freedom of expression, assembly and media and ensure the full independence and effectiveness of human rights institutions. The Association Council noted the work undertaken on deoligarchisation, avoiding the excessive influence of vested interests in economic, political and public life in Georgia and stressed the need to implement the current Action Plan efficiently through a multi-sectorial, systemic approach. The EU welcomed the creation of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and stressed the importance to ensure the Bureau operates independently and effectively. The EU underlined that further efforts are needed to tackle all forms of corruption, including as part of deoligarchisation efforts. The EU welcomed Georgia’s continuous fulfilment of the visa liberalisation benchmarks and its actions to address European Commission recommendations. The Association Council underlined the strong expectation for Georgia to substantially increase its alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy positions and restrictive measures and called on Georgia to progress towards full alignment. The EU welcomed Georgia’s pro-active engagement and constructive cooperation on preventing circumvention of EU sanctions against Russia. The EU commended Georgia on its active engagement to the EU CSDP missions and operations since 2014 and encouraged it to further contribute to EU CSDP missions and operations; the Association Council also discussed possibilities for further cooperation in the security and defence field. The EU expressed its willingness to further support Georgia in addressing the challenges it faces as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and strengthen its resilience through increased cooperation on cyber and hybrid threats, as well as support to the Georgian Defence Forces through the European Peace Facility. Georgia expressed willingness to launch cooperation with the EU specialised agencies as well as participate in PESCO projects. The EU underlined its support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, emphasising EU’s firm commitment to conflict resolution and its policy of non-recognition and engagement in Georgia. The EU and Georgia reaffirmed their commitment to the Geneva International Discussions, including the upcoming 60th round, which, together with fully operational Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs), are crucial for addressing and resolving the challenges stemming from the conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008. The EU and Georgia expressed concern regarding Russia’s steps to incorporate the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia into Russia’s political, security, military, economic, and other spheres, in breach of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Council condemned the recent killing of a Georgian civilian Tamaz Ginturi by the Russian forces illegally stationed in Georgia. The Association Council expressed deep concern over the deteriorated situation in Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia in terms of security, humanitarian and human rights, including violations of the rights to freedom of movement, property, education in mother tongue, and ethnic discrimination of Georgians. The EU and Georgia reiterated the obligation for the Russian Federation to implement the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, inter alia to withdraw its military forces from Georgia’s territory and allow the establishment of international security mechanisms on the ground. The Council stressed the obligation to ensure safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes. The Association Council highlighted the important role of the EU Monitoring Mission and underlined the necessity of access of the EUMM to the whole territory of Georgia as per its mandate. The Association Council recalled the judgments of European Court of Human Rights and the investigation of the International Criminal Court confirming Russia’s responsibility as a State exercising effective control over the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. The Association Council stressed the importance of intensifying support to people-to-people contacts and increase confidence building measures across the divides as well as reiterated its support to the reconciliation and engagement efforts. The Association Council welcomed Georgia’s successful economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and its GDP growth. The EU commended Georgia’s sound fiscal and monetary policies which allowed to weather well the shock related to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. The EU recalled the instrumental role in safeguarding macroeconomic stability of the National Bank of Georgia and stressed the importance to guarantee its independence and credibility. The Association Council highlighted that the EU remains Georgia’s largest trading partner and welcomed Georgia’s growing exports to the EU. The EU underscored its continued commitment to support Georgia in further alleviating obstacles to trade and underlined the importance to continue implementing obligations under the DCFTA. The Association Council welcomed the agreement reached to start working towards setting up a Priority Action Plan (PAP), recognised the good progress made so far to agree on the content of the PAP and stressed the importance of properly implementing the actions listed therein to enhance the implementation of the DCFTA. The EU stressed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan, notably through its flagship projects, including those geared towards developing connectivity between Georgia and the EU as matters of mutual interest. The EU reiterated Georgia's role as a partner for European energy security, and notably its transit role for Caspian hydrocarbon resources. The EU welcomed the steps taken by Georgia and expressed willingness to support Georgia’s further efforts towards ensuring the necessary preparations and taking the required steps, especially in the area of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, to meet the criteria for joining the geographical scope of the Single Euro Payments Area schemes. The Association Council welcomed Georgia’s commitment and steps to harmonize its legislation aimed at integrating it into the EU’s "Roam like at Home" regime and EU’s readiness to adopt a decision on amending the Association Agreement to include related acquis. The Association Council appreciated Georgia’s strong involvement in Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and the Creative Europe programme. The Association Council welcomed Georgia’s efforts towards modernising its civil protection system and capacities and looks forward to Georgia adhering to the pathway document handed in the margins of the Council meeting, aimed at guiding Georgia’s integration into the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The Association Council emphasised that the Eastern Partnership and its resilience-oriented framework remain relevant and will continue in complementarity with the enlargement process, and highlighted the need for concrete deliverables for 2024. The meeting was chaired by Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze led the Georgian delegation. The Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Mr Olivér Várhelyi, also participated.

Review: Discover the presidency's provisional results 21/02/2024 | Article Review: Discover the presidency's provisional results After a flying start to the Belgian presidency, we are already taking stock with an interim review by means of a few examples. The presidency's six priorities form the guideline for the interim results below. Press material Wednesday 21 February 2024   ● Council of the EU   21/02/2024 11:27 | Press release | Medical devices: Council endorses new measures to help prevent shortages   The Council has endorsed key updates to the law on medical devices that will help prevent shortages and ease the transition to greater transparency and access to information. The regulation approved by EU member-state representatives today amends the legislation on medical devices, including in-vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs), by: further extending the transition period for certain IVDs (particularly those that are high-risk) enabling a gradual roll-out of EUDAMED, the new electronic database requiring manufacturers to flag up potential shortages of critical medical devices and IVDs Helping to guarantee supply of critical IVDs Around two thirds of all clinical decisions are based on information provided by IVDs, which include tests for HIV, cancer, pregnancy and COVID-19. In 2017, new rules were introduced to modernise and update the EU framework for these products, guaranteeing their safety and effectiveness. The far-reaching nature of these changes led to an increased need for scientific, technical and regulatory expertise and capacity, which take time to develop. As a result, many critical IVDs have yet to comply with the new rules, leading to a risk that – once the transition deadline has passed – they may be removed from the market without being replaced. The revision approved today extends the deadline for transitioning to the new system under certain conditions, to avoid shortages of critical IVDs without compromising on safety. Gradual roll-out of EUDAMED To improve transparency and access to information, the new rules adopted in 2017 provided for the creation of a European database on medical devices (EUDAMED), which would eventually contain comprehensive data about all medical devices available on the European market. Initially, manufacturers were not required to register their medical devices on EUDAMED until all of its six elements (‘modules’) had been set up. However, while three modules are already available, and two more are expected to become available in 2024, the final module is unlikely to be completed until late 2027. Therefore, in order to speed up the process of registering medical device data, manufacturers will be required under the new rules to provide information about their products via the completed EUDAMED modules. This mandatory registration is expected to take effect as of late 2025. Flagging up potential shortages The best way to prevent shortages of key medical devices is to catch them early. Today’s revision therefore introduces an obligation for manufacturers to give prior notice about any interruption of supply of certain critical medical devices or IVDs to relevant authorities, health institutions, healthcare professionals and economic operators to whom they supply the device. Next steps Today’s compromise agreement will be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council following legal-linguistic revision. Background The In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (IVDR) entered into force in 2017 and has been applicable since 26 May 2022. It was adopted together with the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), which has been applicable since 26 May 2021. The aim of these two regulations was to modernise the rules on medical devices, including IVDs, and improve patient safety. Due to the far-reaching nature of the changes set out in the IVDR, a large number of IVDs currently on the market have yet to comply with the new rules; the situation is particularly serious for high-risk IVDs such as certain blood tests. On 23 January 2024 the European Commission published a proposal to update the provisions of the IVDR and MDR with the aim of mitigating shortages of critical medical devices. The EU Council agreed on its mandate on 14 February 2024. Final text agreed with the European Parliament on amending the Medical Devices Regulation and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation The EU's role in health policy (background information) EUDAMED database Press material Wednesday 21 February 2024   ● Council of the EU   21/02/2024 10:50 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 26 February 2024   The press briefing ahead of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 10.30. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Europa building press room. To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions. Those who already registered for the previous press events of Agriculture and Fisheries Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 09.00 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants after the deadline.