COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 10:01 | Press release | Combatting corruption: Council adopts position on EU law   In order to step up efforts in the fight against corruption, the Council today agreed its position on an EU law that sets minimum standards for the definition and sanctioning of corruption offences, preventive measures and rules for more effective investigation and prosecution. The law’s main novelty is that, for the first time at EU level, it brings together in one legal act rules on corruption in the public and private sectors. Corruption corrodes trust in the public sector, harms the economy and damages the fabric of our societies. With this new law we increase our power to combat corruption.   Paul Van Tigchelt, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea One EU law for public and private sector corruption The new law will replace two separate EU laws – one law from 2003 dealing with corruption in the private sector and an EU Convention from 1997 on corruption involving EU officials or officials of EU member states. It will also amend the 2017 directive on fraud and other criminal offences that affect the EU’s financial interests. When adopted, the new directive will align measures to combat corruption in the private and public sectors. This will make fighting corruption more effective. Harmonised definition of offences Thanks to the new law, all EU countries will be obliged to criminalise the same acts of corruption and define these acts in the same manner. The following offences will now, throughout the EU, be punishable as a criminal offence: bribery in the public and private sectors, misappropriation, trading in influence, obstruction of justice and enrichment from corruption offences. Penalties for natural persons and companies The Council also agreed that member states must put in place effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties to sanction these crimes. The criminal offences that will become illegal under EU law will be punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least two to four years, depending on the offence. People convicted for corruption offences may incur additional penalties such as fines, removal from public office, disqualification from holding public office or exercising a public service function, the withdrawal of permits and exclusion from access to tender procedures and public funds. Legal persons (i.e. companies) will also face penalties in the form of fines ranging from at least 3% to 5% of their total worldwide turnover or at least €24 or €40 million, depending on the offence. Jurisdiction Member states have jurisdiction over offences committed within their territory, where the offender is a national. In addition, member states may decide to extend their jurisdiction to acts committed outside their territory, where the offender is an habitual resident in its territory, the offence is committed against one of its nationals or its habitual residents, the offence is committed for the benefit of a legal person established in its territory or the offence is committed for the benefit of a legal person in respect of any business done in whole or in part on its territory. Preventive measures The Council also agreed that member states must take action to raise public awareness regarding the harmfulness of corruption, and to ensure transparency and accountability in public administrations in the interest of preventing corruption.     The 27 must also make sure to put in place bodies that will be tasked with the prevention and repression of corruption. These bodies (or units) need to be able to operate without undue interference, and must be equipped with an adequate number of qualified staff and financial resources. Next steps On the basis of this general approach reached today, the Council will be able to enter into negotiations with the European Parliament, which already established its position in February 2024, in order to agree on a final legislative text. Background The EU is a party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which is the most comprehensive international legal instrument in this field. This legislative proposal will update the EU legislative framework and incorporate international standards that are binding on the EU, such as those in the UNCAC. A Eurobarometer survey from 2022 shows that 68% of people in the EU and 62% of companies based in the EU considered that corruption was widespread in their country. Directive on combating corruption (general approach), 24 May 2024

Press material Thursday, 13 June 2024

● Council of the EU   13/06/2024 19:11 | Press release | Ukrainian refugees: EU member states welcome the proposal to extend temporary protection   The Council welcomes the proposal to extend the temporary protection for the more than 4 million Ukrainians fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression until 4 March 2026. As long as bombs are falling in Ukraine, the situation there is not safe. Ministers today showed renewed solidarity and decided that they will continue to offer protection to the Ukrainian people in the EU. Nicole de Moore, Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration The temporary protection mechanism was triggered on 4 March 2022 – only a few days after Russian armed forces launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine – and is due to run until 4 March 2025. The proposal to further extend the temporary protection until 4 March 2026 comes in a context of volatility of the situation in Ukraine. The extension does not change the decision of March 2022 in terms of the categories of persons to whom the temporary protection applies. What is temporary protection? Temporary protection provides immediate and collective protection to a large group of displaced persons who arrive in the EU and who are not in a position to return to their country of origin. The system alleviates the pressure on national asylum systems because applications do not have to be examined individually. People benefitting from temporary protection enjoy the same rights across the EU. These rights include: residence access to the labour market and housing medical assistance social welfare assistance access to education for children The EU’s temporary protection law sets minimum standards of protection. The actual level of assistance can vary from one member state to another.  Next steps  The Council will formally adopt the decision to extend the temporary protection once the legal scrubbing and translation into all EU languages has taken place. Background Temporary protection is an EU emergency mechanism which is activated in exceptional circumstances involving a mass influx of refugees. The EU directive on temporary protection was adopted in 2001, in the aftermath of the large-scale displacement due to the armed conflict in the Western Balkans, in particular from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. It was triggered for the first time in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. EU temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees (background information) EU solidarity with Ukraine (background information)

Meetings Thursday, 13 June 2024

● Council of the EU   13/06/2024 21:37 | Meetings | Main results - Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home affairs), 13 June 2024   At their meeting in Luxembourg, the EU ministers of home affairs agreed to extend the temporary protection of Ukrainian refugees. They also discussed the implementation of the pact on asylum and migration.

Meetings Thursday, 13 June 2024

● Council of the EU   13/06/2024 16:23 | Meetings | Environment Council, 17 June 2024   Background brief - Environment Council of 17 June 2024