| ● Council of the EU | | | 10/10/2024 13:42 | Press release | | | | | The Council has today adopted the two legislative acts under the design package: the revised directive on the legal protection of designs and the amended regulation on community designs. The texts adopted today update the current design legislation to improve the protection of industrial designs in the era of digital designs and 3D printing. This is the last step in the decision-making procedure. Better design protectionThe directive and regulation adopted today will make the procedure to register designs at EU level cheaper and easier and will harmonise procedures between European and national systems. They also introduce the so-called “repair clause” with new rules to exempt from design protection the spare parts used for repair of complex products (such as spare parts for the car-repair sector). There will be a harmonised transitional period to allow that existing designs of component parts are protected during the transition from the existing legal framework to the legislation adopted today. Next stepsFollowing the Council’s approval today, the legislative act has been adopted. After being signed by the President of the European Parliament and the President of the Council, the directive on the legal protection of designs will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force on the 20th day following its publication. Member States will have a period of 36 months to take the necessary measures to transpose the directive. The regulation amending the regulation on Community designs will enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will apply 4 months later. BackgroundDesign-intensive industries represent almost 16% of GDP and 14% of all jobs in the Union. On 10 November 2020, the Council asked the Commission to present proposals to modernise the EU design protection provisions, which were almost 20 years old. On 28 November 2022, the Commission published a package of measures containing two proposals: a regulation amending Council regulation (EC) No 6/2002 on Community designs and a directive on the legal protection of designs (recast of directive 98/71/EC). The Council adopted its position on 25 September 2023. |
| 09/10/2024 | Media advisory | | Press briefings - Environment Council of 14 October 2024 and Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy) of 15 October 2024 | The press briefing ahead of the Environment Council will take place on Friday, 11 October starting at 10.00, followed by the press briefing ahead of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy). 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 Justus Lipsius 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 Environment Council or the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy) do not need to do it again. - Deadline for registration: Friday, 11 October 2024 at 9.00
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 09/10/2024 12:07 | Media advisory | | | | | The press briefing ahead of the General Affairs Council will take place on Friday, 11 October 2024 at 13.00 at the ECCL building press room, Luxembourg. 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. 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 General Affairs Council do not need to do it again. - Deadline for registration: Friday, 11 October 2024 at 12.00
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 09/10/2024 11:41 | Meetings | | | | | EU environment ministers will meet in Luxembourg to approve conclusions on the EU’s position in view of the upcoming UN conferences on climate change and biodiversity. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 13:28 | Meetings | | | | | The Council discussed the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Ministers discussed the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Council approved conclusions on climate finance and on the revision of the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 13:06 | Press release | | | | | Today, the Council approved conclusions on climate finance ahead of the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024 (COP 29). In its conclusions, the Council underlines that the EU and its member states are committed to the current goal of developed countries to collectively mobilise $100 billion per year in climate finance until 2025. This goal was met for the first time in 2022. The Council also highlights its strong commitment to continue delivering on climate finance in the future and its intention to support reaching ambitious new collective quantitative goals after 2025. The EU and its member states are the world’s largest contributor to international public climate finance, and since 2013 have more than doubled their contribution to climate finance to support developing countries. As in previous years, the conclusions do not yet include the figure of the EU contribution for the year 2023. It will be made available by the Commission and to be approved by the Council separately, in time before the start of COP29. BackgroundThe main objective for the upcoming COP29 will be to negotiate the new collective quantitative goals (NCQGs) after 2025. Every year, the conference of the parties (COP) to the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) meets to determine ambition and responsibilities, and identify and assess climate measures. The EU and its member states are parties to the Convention, which has 198 Parties (197 countries plus the European Union) in total. The rotating presidency of the Council, together with the European Commission, represent the EU at these international climate summits. Later in October 2024, the Council is expected to approve conclusions that set the general mandate for the EU's negotiators at the COP29 climate conference. The conclusions approved today will complement the EU’s general mandate. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 12:03 | Press release | | | | | The European Union and its Member States strongly condemn Russia’s intensifying campaign of hybrid activities against the EU, its Member States and partners. These activities again illustrate Russia’s reckless and irresponsible behaviour and its disregard for the rules-based international order and international law. We have detected an increasing number of a broad range of activities against the EU and its Member States, including cyber-attacks, information manipulation and interference campaigns, cases of arson, vandalism and sabotage, including against our critical infrastructure as well as instrumentalisation of migration and other disruptive actions. Russia also continues to disrupt satellite communications, violate European airspace and conduct physical attacks against individuals on the territory of the EU. These malicious activities are part of a broad coordinated hybrid campaign directed by Russia as an attempt to divide our society, destabilise and weaken the EU and its Member States and our resilience as well as to undermine our support to Ukraine and its ability to defend itself. This will not succeed: we will act united and determined to address these activities and hold perpetrators accountable. Our support to Ukraine will remain solid and unwavering for as long as it takes. With today’s decision to establish a dedicated framework of restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities, the EU takes another decisive step. Under the new legal framework, the EU can target those who are responsible for, implement, support or benefit from Russia’s destabilising actions worldwide, as well as their associates and supporters. We will continue to strengthen our resilience, work closely with our partners, and make full use of the EU Hybrid Toolbox, including diplomatic and restrictive measures, as well as all available instruments, to prevent, deter and respond to Russia’s hybrid activities. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 11:22 | Press release | | | | | The Council today established a new framework for restrictive measures in response to Russia’s destabilising actions abroad. This new framework will allow the EU to target individuals and entities engaged in actions and policies by the government of the Russian Federation, which undermine the fundamental values of the EU and its Member States, their security, independence and integrity, as well as those of international organisations and third countries. The EU will as of now be able to address a variety of hybrid threats, such as: the undermining electoral processes and the functioning of democratic institutions; threats against and sabotage of economic activities, services of public interest or critical infrastructure; the use of coordinated disinformation, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); malicious cyber activities, the instrumentalisation of migrants, and other destabilizing activities. Today’s decision, based on a proposal by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, is part of the EU’s response to the continued campaign of hybrid activities by Russia, which has recently increased through new operations on European soil. Under this newly established framework, those designated will be subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies will be forbidden from making funds available to them. In addition, natural persons will also be subject to a travel ban, which will prevent them from entering or transiting through EU territories. BackgroundThe Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, approved by the Council in 2022, called for the development of an EU Hybrid Toolbox bringing together existing and possible new instruments to detect and respond to a broad range of hybrid threats. Such Toolbox has been operational since December 2022. On 21 May 2024, the Council approved conclusions acknowledging that state and non-state actors were increasingly using hybrid tactics, posing a growing threat to the security of the EU, its member states and partners, and called on EU institutions and the member states to step up action to monitor attempts by foreign actors to interfere in the EU's democratic process. In its conclusions of 27 June 2024, the European Council strongly condemned all types of hybrid activities, which are on the rise and target the EU, its member states and partners. Furthermore, the European Council called, inter alia, for work to be taken forward in the Council to establish a new sanctions regime in view of hybrid threats. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 10:42 | Press release | | | | | The Council today approved the Commission’s positive assessment of Lithuania’s and Portugal’s amended recovery and resilience plans. According to the analysis by the Commission, the targeted modifications put forward by both member states do not affect the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of their recovery and resilience plans. LithuaniaThe targeted amendments submitted by Lithuania concern investments for green transition and public sector efficiency. The modified plan continues to have a strong focus on the green transition, devoting 37.4% of the available funds to measures that support climate objectives. The plan is now worth €3.849 billion, with €2.297 billion in Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) grants and €1.551 billion in RRF loans. PortugalThe targeted amendments submitted by Portugal concern investments for green and digital transition, as well as economical and social resilience. The plan allocates 40.6% of funds to support climate objectives, while 21.1% of funds will be used to underpin the country's digital transition. The plan is now worth €22.215 billion, with €16.325 billion in Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) grants and €5.890 billion in RRF loans. BackgroundOn 25 July 2024, Lithuania presented a modified recovery and resilience plan. On 1 and 12 August 2024, Portugal presented a modified recovery and resilience plan. The Commission submitted a positive assessment of both plans on 17 September 2024. The RRF is the EU’s large-scale financial support programme in response to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has posed to the European economy. It is the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU, a temporary recovery instrument that allows the Commission to raise funds to help repair the immediate economic and social damage caused by the pandemic. To benefit from the facility, member states must submit recovery and resilience plans (RRPs) to the Commission, setting out the reforms and investments they intend to implement by the end of 2026. So far, €648 billion have been committed to this end. To date, all RRPs have been approved, 69 payment requests have been received and €267 billion have been disbursed. |
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 08/10/2024 10:38 | Press release | | | | | The Council today renewed the autonomous restrictive measures against ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them, prolonging their duration for a further year, until 31 October 2025. The autonomous list in place currently applies to 15 persons and 6 groups. All those designated are subject to an asset freeze, while the individuals are also under a travel ban to the EU. Additionally, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds, financial assets or economic resources available to those listed. These restrictive measures are complementary to those imposed by the UN Security Council against ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda. The EU remains committed to acting against those who threaten international peace and security by planning, financing, and executing terrorist attacks and by spreading terrorist propaganda around the world. BackgroundAs of September 2016, the EU can autonomously impose sanctions against ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them. The EU autonomous restrictive measures are complementary to those imposed by the UN Security Council against ISIL(Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda. |
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