EUROGROUP,COUNCIL OF THE EU,update

 

Press material Saturday, 15 June 2024

● European Council   15/06/2024 20:14 | Speech | Speech by President Charles Michel at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine   First, let me thank you for organising this important summit. I would like to briefly focus on four points. First, international law and the UN Charter must be the backbone of a 'just peace' in Ukraine. Whatever our continent, history, religion or skin colour, we all share the same guiding compass. This is the UN Charter and its principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, human dignity and the right to self-defence. These principles are universal, and we must uphold them.  Second, this war has one aggressor, Russia, and one victim, the people of Ukraine. They have the right to defend their children, their homes and their communities. It is our collective duty to protect a world based on the laws that govern how countries should live together.  This full-scale war is more than an attack on the security of Europe, on the idea of Europe. This is an attempt to drag us all back to a darker past, a world of nuclear confrontation and major food insecurity, with all the ensuing economic consequences.  This war is an odious attempt to replace the force of law with the law of force. We cannot give up. Russia's threats to use nuclear weapons are completely unacceptable and irresponsible. Russia's reckless actions are driving up the risk of a nuclear incident, which would have consequences for the entire world. This is why the EU strongly supports the work of the IAEA’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, and its staff on the ground.  Third, there is no room for double standards. International law must be protected always and everywhere, without ambiguity - in Ukraine, in the Middle East and throughout the world. This is our global responsibility.  Lastly, a word about the future. Peace requires dialogue. Any future dialogue with Russia must be based on international law and the UN Charter. And it is up to Ukraine to decide when this may be possible. This war is a direct attack on the global rules-based order; we therefore need a global response. We all have a choice to make. Do we let the world slide backwards, or do we stand strong and go forward in the direction of international law, fundamental principles and the UN Charter?  We have made our choice. The future is in our hands. You can count on the EU. Слава Україні!

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 15:55 | Media advisory | Press briefings - Eurogroup meeting of 20 June and Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 21 June 2024   The press briefings ahead of the Eurogroup meeting of 20 June 2024 and Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 21 June 2024 will take place on Tuesday, 18 June starting at: 14.30 on Eurogroup 18.00 on Economic and Financial Affairs Council These press briefings will be "off the record" and 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 previous press events of the Eurogroup or Economic and Financial Affairs Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Tuesday, 18 June 2024 at 13.00 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline. Eurogroup, 20 June 2024 (meeting page) Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 21 June 2024 (meeting page) Press material Friday, 14 June 2024   ● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 11:59 | Press release | Council adopts position on new rules for detergents in the internal market   The Council has adopted its negotiating mandate on the detergents regulation that aims to simplify the current rules for the sale and free movement of detergents in the EU. The revised regulation updates the requirements and labelling of these products to make them safer and adapted to bulk sales. It also introduces digital labelling and product passports. Detergents are part of daily life, and we want to make sure that they are safe for our families as well as for our environment. With this regulation we want to establish clear rules that allow us to keep on using detergents in a safe and well-informed way, to make it easier for our companies to develop innovative products and to make sure that they do not harm our ecosystems. Zakia Khattabi, Belgian Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal Commission proposal: updated digital, green and circular requirements The negotiating mandate adopted today sets out the Council position on the proposal that the European Commission presented on 28 April. In particular, the Commission proposal removed outdated or redundant requirements, introduced a voluntary digital labelling scheme, facilitated the placing on the market of new products (i.e. detergents with micro-organisms), clarified the rules for detergents sold in bulk and introduced product passports to make enforcement easier and more effective.  Council's mandate The Council position keeps the main elements of the regulation but introduces several improvements and modifications, in particular to ensure coherence with existing EU legislation. The negotiating mandate aligns the obligations of economic operators to the existing horizontal legislation that applies to the chemicals sector, such as the regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemical products (CLP). This will simplify certain procedures such as the communication of data sheets of hazardous mixtures to poison centres. For products not classified as hazardous in the CLP regulation, member states will be free to decide whether this information should be provided before the product is placed on the market or not, in line with the existing rules of that member state. Refilling stations Also in line with the CLP, the negotiating mandate of the Council requires that, when detergents are sold in bulk in refilling stations, consumers should receive a physical label rather than only digital information, as proposed by the Commission. This way, consumers who buy in bulk will have direct and permanent information both about the product itself and about its conditions of use.  Digital product passport In the same spirit of better regulation, the Council position aligns the provisions relating to the digital product passport (DPP) to the Ecodesign regulation and the Toy Safety Regulation. The DPP will be adjusted accordingly to reduce the administrative burden on manufacturers. Biodegradability, micro-organisms and phosphorus limits The negotiating mandate attaches particular importance to the biodegradability requirements for the organic ingredients of detergents. Therefore, the position includes biodegradability requirements for future products, and empowers the Commission to update these requirements by delegated acts. To prevent risks of respiratory sensitisation, the Council position also limits the sale of detergents in spray form, which contain micro-organisms. According to the mandate adopted today, only manufacturers who can prove that their product is safe, has the necessary label-warnings, and provides comprehensive instructions for their safe use will be allowed to sell this kind of products. Member states have also introduced a review clause calling the Commission to assess the need to reduce the content of phosphorus in detergents in the future, considering the impact of phosphorus on the environment, the availability of alternatives, and the socio-economic impact of a substitution. Allergenic fragrances and biocidal substances The Council position updates the list of allergenic fragrances that should be indicated on the label of detergents to align it with the cosmetics regulation. Fragrances that are banned for cosmetics will therefore also be banned for detergents. The Commission will be empowered to update this list in the future via delegated acts. The position also includes a revision clause that requires the Commission to assess the risks to health and the environment of the most harmful and biocidal substances to make sure that the detergents legislation is in line with new developments in the biocides’ regulation. A biocide is a chemical substance intended to exert a controlling effect (i.e. to destroy, deter or render harmless) against harmful organisms. If needed, the Commission can propose amendments to the detergents regulation in this sense. Labelling The Council position also reinforces the labelling requirements for preservatives (substances that prevent decomposition or undesired chemical changes in a substance) and aligns them with the CLP and the biocides regulations. Furthermore, it requires that industrial detergents should display a special warning label, indicating that such detergents are meant for professional use and cannot be sold to consumers. Third country producers Producers from third countries, who wish to sell detergents in the EU market, will need to have authorised representatives in the EU, who will verify whether these producers fulfil their legal obligations. Next steps The general approach agreed today formalises the Council's negotiating position. It provides the Council presidency with a mandate to start negotiations with the European Parliament. Background Even if detergents facilitate health and hygiene in our daily life, they are chemicals with intrinsic properties that may pose risks to human health and the environment. The 2004 Detergents Regulation laid down the rules that detergents need to comply with to be placed on the EU market. The detergents industry accounted for 4.2% of the production value of the total chemicals sector in 2018, with a market value of € 41.2 billion (in 2020). The manufacturing of products for the whole market that includes both consumer and professional products involves around 700 separate production sites. The Commission published its proposal on 28 April 2023. The European Parliament adopted its position on 14 February 2024. Commission’s proposal

Meetings Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 17:17 | Meetings | Main results - Justice and Home Affairs Council (Justice), 14 June 2024   Ministers held two policy debate: On the recognition of parenthood and on a proposed legislation on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. The Council also agreed on a negotiation mandate on a directive on combating corruption.

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 18:32 | Press release | Forward look: 17 - 30 June 2024   Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. Environment Council, 17 June 2024 EU environment ministers will meet in Luxembourg, with the aim of reaching a general approach on three directives: the green claims directive, the soil monitoring directive and the revised waste framework directive. Ministers will also approve conclusions on the 8th environment action programme. They will then hold a policy debate on the 2040 climate targets communication and an exchange of views on the communication on climate risks management. Read more General Affairs Council (Cohesion), 18 June 2024 Ministers will discuss the relationship between cohesion policy and the next Strategic Agenda. The Council is also expected to approve conclusions on the 9th Cohesion Report. Read more Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Transport), 18 June 2024 The Council will adopt its position (general approach) on the new regulation on the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the revised directive on river information services (RIS) and the new regulation on the use of railway infrastructure capacity in the single European railway area. Ministers will also approve conclusions on the European Court of Auditors’ special report on the EU’s efforts towards achieving its road safety objectives, and take note of progress reports on the combined transport directive, the directive on weights and dimensions for certain road vehicles, the regulation on passenger rights in the context of multimodal journeys and the directive on the EU-wide effect of certain driving disqualifications. Finally, over an informal lunch, ministers will hold a policy debate on the strategic priorities for transport during the next legislative mandate. Read more Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (social policy and health), 20 - 21 June 2024 Ministers of employment, social affairs and health will meet in Luxembourg for a two-day Council. On the first day, employment and social affairs ministers will seek to agree the Council’s position on the European Works Council Directive, and will hold a policy debate on the social dimension of the internal market. The European Semester Spring Package, the reinforced quality framework for traineeships and the equal treatment directive are also on the agenda. On the second day, health ministers will discuss the ways forward for the regulatory incentives set out in the pharmaceutical package. They will also aim to adopt a recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers and approve Council conclusions on the future of the European Health Union. Read more (Social policy) Read more (Health) Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 21 June 2024 The Council will be invited to reach a political agreement on the value added tax (VAT) in the digital age package. Ministers will discuss the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Ministers will be invited to approve a report to the European Council on tax issues as well as conclusions on the progress achieved by the Code of Conduct Group during the Belgian presidency. Read more Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 24 June 2024 The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will meet on Monday 24 June 2024 in Luxembourg, when agriculture ministers will seek to approve a set of conclusions on the future of agriculture in the EU. Following a presentation by the Commission on the state of play of the common fisheries policy and on the orientations for the fishing opportunities for 2025, fisheries ministers will express their views on the topic and highlight their priorities. The Belgian presidency will furthermore update the Council on the state of play of four current legislative proposals (plant reproductive material, forest reproductive material, forest monitoring framework, protection of animals during transport). Read more Foreign Affairs Council, 24 June 2024 The June Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. After an internal discussion, EU ministers will be joined by their counterparts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo* for an exchange of views on the Western Balkans. Lastly, the Council will discuss Georgia and the Great Lakes region. Read more General Affairs Council, 25 June 2024 Ministers will continue preparations for the June European Council. They will also exchange views on the directive on transparency of interest representation on behalf of third countries and hold a hearing under the Article 7 procedure concerning Hungary. Read more European Council, 27-28 June 2024 EU leaders will meet in Brussels to address the following topics: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the EU’s comprehensive support to Ukraine and its people; security and defence including Europe’s need to increase its overall defence readiness and options for mobilising more funding; review progress on actions to enhance the EU’s competitiveness; the next institutional cycle including the 2024-2029 Strategic Agenda and appointments; foreign policy issues including the situation in the Middle East. Read more Other meetings Informal meeting of leaders, 17 June 2024 Eurogroup, 20 June 2024   Indicative calendar of meetings under the Belgian presidency (1 January - 30 June 2024) Belgian presidency website

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 18:06 | Media advisory | Media advisory - Environment Council of 17 June 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Chair: Alain Maron, Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Climate change, Environment, Energy and Participative Democracy from 08.30 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 8.40 Doorstep by Alain Maron, Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Climate change, Environment, Energy and Participative Democracy (live streaming) 09.30 Beginning of the Environment Council Adoption of the agenda Approval of non-legislative A items Approval of legislative A items (public session) +/- 9.45 Nature restoration law (public session) +/- 10.15 Waste framework directive(public session) +/- 11.15 Green claims directive (public session) +/- 12.15 Soil monitoring law (public session) +/- 13.30 Working lunch debate on managing climate risks +/- 15.00  8th environment action programme (public session) +/- 16.15 EU 2040 climate target (public session) +/- 17.30 Any other business - Regulation on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution (public session) - Regulation on End-of-Life Vehicles (public session) - Report on a recent international meeting - fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4) (Ottawa, Canada, 23-29 April 2024) (public session) - Presentation on terms and conditions of the 2024 Innovation Fund Auction for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) hydrogen production (second round of auction H2) - Work programme of the incoming Presidency At the end of the meeting (+/- 17.55) press conference in live streaming.

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 14:46 | Media advisory | Media advisory - General Affairs Council (Cohesion) of 18 June 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Chair: Elio di Rupo, Minister-President of Wallonia, on behalf of the Belgian presidency from 08.30 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 09.15 Doorstep by Elio di Rupo (live streaming) +/- 10.00 Beginning of the General Affairs Council (Cohesion) Adoption of the agenda Approval of "A" items The relationship between cohesion policy and the new Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 Conclusions on the Communication on the 9th Cohesion Report Any other business a) Joint declaration by 11 ministers responsible for cohesion policy b) 'Karlovy Vary Annual Policy Dialogue Statement' and the need for strengthening just transition in regions affected by decarbonisation At the end of the meeting (+/- 12.15) press conference in live streaming. Videos and photos from the event

Press material Friday, 14 June 2024

● Council of the EU   14/06/2024 12:05 | Press release | Chemicals assessment: Council adopts mandate for forthcoming negotiations with the European Parliament   Today, the Council adopted its mandate for the forthcoming negotiations with the European Parliament on the so-called ‘one substance one assessment’ (OSOA) package. The aim is to improve the assessment and strengthen knowledge of chemicals across the EU. This will help to better protect human health and the environment through the development and use of safe and sustainable chemicals. The ‘one substance one assessment’ package comprises the following proposals: directive concerning the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks regulation aimed at enhancing cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals regulation establishing a common data platform on chemicals According to the ‘one substance, one assessment’ approach, technical and scientific work should be performed by the appropriate EU agency, building on its demonstrated experience and established tools in its field. Re-attribution of tasks to European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) The use of hazardous substances can be limited or banned in the European Union by including them on the EU list of restricted substances. The new rules aim to increase the transparency of the procedures already in place. According to the new rules, applications for exemption from the list will now be submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and not to the Commission, as ECHA has the necessary scientific and technical expertise and has developed capacities for this task. Following input from its committees with regard to risk assessment and socio-economic analysis, ECHA will then issue an opinion. In their negotiating mandate, member states concurred that the Commission should periodically review and amend the list of restricted substances (at least every five years) in order to ensure a high level of protection of human health, the environment and consumer safety. Member states also acknowledged that the committees would need stable resources and sufficient capacity to tackle this increasing number of additional tasks. This should be taken into account in future legislation on ECHA’s funding. Better cooperation among EU bodies The new rules require active cooperation between ECHA, other EU agencies and the Commission in order to ensure coherent assessment methods are used, including through data interoperability and easy exchange of data. A dedicated procedure is to be set up to resolve any divergence of scientific opinion amongst them. One-stop-shop for chemicals data The new rules aim to bring together data and information on chemicals through the creation of a common data platform, including human biomonitoring data. This platform, managed by ECHA, will also provide a complete overview of studies performed on chemicals. It will therefore be the widest possible scientific base for evidence-based policymaking on chemicals. The platform also sets an early warning and action system for emerging chemical risks. In order to improve chemical assessments in the EU and to strengthen public trust in scientific decision-making, EU agencies and the general public will have free and easy access to the common platform, with due respect to the principle of confidentiality. Member states clarified that all data relating to chemical products should appear on this platform, including data generated or submitted before the regulation came into force. The platform will also contain medical data on active substances and on environmental risk assessments. Member states introduced the obligation for the Commission to consider adding more medical data to the platform within six years of the entry into force of the legislation Next steps The Council is now ready to negotiate with the European Parliament on the final shape of the legislation following the negotiating mandate reached today. The European Parliament is expected to start examining the OSOA package after the European elections. Background On 7 December 2023, the Commission transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council these three proposals, aiming to streamline assessments of chemicals across relevant EU legislation, strengthen the knowledge base for chemicals, and ensure early detection of and action on emerging chemical risks. The ‘one substance, one assessment’ approach is part of the European Green Deal. It aims to simplify the existing legal framework on chemicals and improve the efficiency, effectiveness, coherence, and transparency of safety assessments of chemicals across Union legislation. An ad hoc working party on OSOA was set up under the Belgian presidency to effectively address the cross-sectoral matters covered by the proposed package. Chemicals (background information)