COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Meetings Thursday, 10 October 2024

● Council of the EU   10/10/2024 19:39 | Meetings | Main results - Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home affairs), 10 October 2024   Ministers of home affairs met in Luxembourg to discuss how to improve the EU's return system. Also on the agenda was the entry/exit system and a draft law to prevent and combat child sexual abuse.     Meetings Thursday, 10 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   10/10/2024 16:48 | Meetings | Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 15 October 2024   Background brief - T   Meetings Thursday, 10 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   10/10/2024 16:27 | Meetings | Environment Council, 14 October 2024   Background brief - Environment Council of 14 October 2024   Press material Thursday, 10 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   10/10/2024 15:01 | Press release | EU brings product liability rules in line with digital age and circular economy   Today the Council adopted a directive to update the EU’s civil liability law. The new liability rules better take into account that nowadays many products have digital features and that the economy is becoming increasingly circular. “The product liability rules that the Council adopted today are good news for consumers and producers. It will become easier for an injured person to claim damages in court. Manufacturers on the other hand will benefit from clear rules related to digital product and circular economy business models.” — Bence Tuzson, Hungarian Minister of Justice Consumer protection and single market gains Because of technologial developments, new circular economy business models and ever more global supply chains the EU has decided to improve its liability rulebook. The update also tackles the difficulty faced by injured persons in gathering evidence to prove liability, especially when it comes to new technologies. New product liability rules do not only benefit consumers but also encourage the roll-out and uptake of new technologies and give legal clarity and a level playing field to producers. Main elements Digital economy: The new law extends the definition of “product” to digital manufacturing files and software. Also online platforms can be held liable for a defective product sold on their platform just like any other economic operators if they act like one. Circular economy: When a product is repaired and upgraded outside the original manufacturer’s control, the company or person that modified the product should be held liable. Disclosure of evidence: The right to compensation has been made easier by ensuring that an injured person who claims compensation before a national court can request access to relevant evidence at the disposal of the manufacturer in order to be able to prove their claim. Products bought from non-EU manufacturers: Under the new rules, to make sure that consumers are compensated for damages caused by a product manufactured outside of the EU, the company importing the product or the EU-based representative of the foreign manufacturer can be held liable for damages. Burden of proof: When the injured consumer is faced with excessive difficulties to prove the defectiveness of the product or the causal link between its defectiveness and the damage, a court may decide that the claimant is only required to prove the likelihood that the product was defective or that its defectiveness is a likely cause of the damage. Next steps The directive will enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member states have two years to transpose the directive into national law. Background The EU’s product liability regime was established in 1985. Its purpose was to compensate injured persons for physical injury or damages of property that they have suffered due to a defective product, simply by proving that a product was defective and that the defect caused the injury or damage. Directive on liability for defective products   Press material Wednesday, 09 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   09/10/2024 11:00 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Foreign Affairs Council of 14 October 2024   The press briefing ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council will take place on Friday, 11 October 2024 at 14.30. This press briefing will be "off the record" and will be given by a senior EEAS official 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 Foreign Affairs Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Friday, 11 October 2024, 13.30 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.   Press material Tuesday, 08 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   08/10/2024 10:17 | Press release | Listings on European stock exchanges: Council adopts the listing act   The Council today adopted the listing act, a legislative package that will make EU public capital markets more attractive for EU companies and facilitate the listing of companies of all sizes, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), on European stock exchanges. This marks the final step in the decision-making process. “The adoption of the listing act will simplify the regulatory landscape. We will create more opportunities for businesses to grow and access capital, while ensuring investor protection and market integrity. This is a concrete contribution to the success of the Capital Markets Union, and I am confident it will have lasting positive effects on European economies.” — Mihály Varga, Hungarian minister of finance The measures seek to streamline the rules applicable to companies going through a listing process or companies already listed on EU public markets. The aim is to simplify the process for companies by alleviating administrative burdens and costs, while preserving a sufficient degree of transparency, investor protection and market integrity. Easier access to public markets will allow companies, and SMEs in particular, to better diversify and complement available sources of funding. A directive on multiple-vote shares was also adopted by the Council today. The directive introduces a framework to facilitate the issuance and use of multiple-vote shares. It aims to attract and retain high-growth companies in the EU while safeguarding shareholder protection. Next steps Following the Council's adoption, the different measures of the listing act will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and enter into force 20 days later. Member states will have 18 months to transpose the directive amending the markets in financial instruments directive into national legislation and two years to transpose directive on multiple-vote shares. Background On 7 December 2022, the Commission put forward the listing act package consisting of: a regulation amending the prospectus regulation, market abuse regulation and the markets in financial instruments regulation; a directive amending the markets in financial instruments directive and repealing the listing directive; a directive on multiple-vote shares. Listing act Regulation Listing act Directive European capital markets (background information) Support to small and medium-sized enterprises (background information) What the EU is doing to deepen its capital markets (background information)   Jobs Tuesday, 08 October 2024     ● Council of the EU   Career opportunities at the General Secretariat, 08/10/2024   Director-General (AD15) for Directorate-General “Communication and Information”  Reference: CONS/AD/195/24 The deadline for applications: 29 October 2024 at 12:00 noon (Brussels time)