EUROGROUP latest news

Meetings Monday 11 July 2022

● Eurogroup   11/07/2022 21:14 | MEETING | Main results - Eurogroup, 11 July 2022   The Eurogroup met in Brussels to discuss macro-economic developments and policy challenges in the euro area, the euro introduction by Croatia, a digital euro, and the fiscal policy orientations for 2023.

Meetings
Eurogroup
Eurogroup, 11 July 2022

Main results
Macro-economic developments

The Eurogroup discussed macro-economic developments and policy challenges in the euro area in the current global context, with input from the International Monetary Fund, which presented the outcome of its interim visit, carried out in the context of its Article IV consultation of the euro area.

The IMF Article IV review of the euro area is a regular exercise during which the IMF reviews economic developments, consults the euro area policy makers and provides targeted policy advice.

The discussions in the Eurogroup were an opportunity to exchange views on current developments and emerging challenges. These exchanges and the Fund's global perspective are particularly valuable at a time when international developments are generating uncertainty and policy challenges.
Budgetary situation in the euro area and fiscal policy orientations for 2023

Following up on the March Eurogroup statement on the fiscal guidance for 2023, ministers discussed the budgetary situation in the euro area and the fiscal policy orientations for 2023.

The Eurogroup adopted a statement on the fiscal policy orientations in view of the preparation of the national budgets for next year.



We succeeded in getting to a common view on fiscal policy orientations for 2023. In particular, there is consensus that supporting overall demand is not warranted and the focus should be on protecting the most vulnerable. We will aim to preserve debt sustainability and long-term growth prospects, and avoid adding to inflationary pressures that would complicate monetary policy transmission. There are many schemes in place to cushion the impact of high energy prices, but we cannot collectively spend our way out of high energy prices – that is why our statement emphasises the importance of targeting support for the most vulnerable and investing in durable solutions in terms of renewables and energy efficiency. Most importantly, the statement is testament to the continued commitment by euro area finance ministers to closely coordinate budgetary policies to ensure a coherent approach that can respond to different situations across member states and adapt to changes over time.Paschal Donohoe, President of the EurogroupEurogroup statement on fiscal policy orientations for 2023 (11 July 2022)
Eurogroup statement on the fiscal guidance for 2023 (press release, 14 March 2022)
Digital euro

Based on input from the ECB and the Commission, ministers discussed the potential impacts of a digital euro on the financial system and the use of cash. This discussion followed the work plan on the digital euro, agreed by the Eurogroup at its meeting on 12 July 2021.

In this context, ministers expressed their views on potential financial stability implications of the digital euro, and on ensuring the digital euro’s attractiveness as a means of payment.


The Eurogroup agreed that the issuance of a digital euro should not impede the ECB’s ability to fulfil its mandate and should not impair financial stability. At the same time, we need to make sure that the digital euro can be an attractive means of payment and support innovation in a digitalised economy. A clear outcome of the discussion was that a digital euro would only complement cash, not replace it.Paschal Donohoe, President of the EurogroupPotential impact of a digital euro on the financial system and the use of cash (presentation by the ECB)
Digital finance (background information)
Euro area enlargement - Croatia

Ministers discussed the proposal for a Council regulation on the conversion rate between the Croatian kuna and the euro, in preparation for the decision by the Ecofin Council expected on 12 July.Joining the euro area (background information)


Meeting information

Brussels
11 July 2022
15:00
Preparatory documentsDraft agenda, Eurogroup
Draft annotated agenda, Eurogroup
Outcome documentsList of participants


Press releasesRemarks by Paschal Donohoe following the Eurogroup meeting of 11 July 2022
11 July 2022, 21:00
Eurogroup statement on fiscal policy orientations for 2023
11 July 2022, 17:10

Press material Monday 11 July 2022   ● Eurogroup   11/07/2022 21:05 | Statements and remarks | Remarks by Paschal Donohoe following the Eurogroup meeting of 11 July 2022   Good evening everybody, we just had a very worthwhile Eurogroup meeting. We started our meeting with a discussion on the economic situation, which continues to be challenging due to the impact of Russia’s military aggression and all the global developments that arise from that. As always, our thoughts go out to all who are bearing the brunt of this war. We begun by the IMF giving us an overview of their most recent euro area staff visit. Listening to the Fund, to the Commission and to the ECB, it is clear that there is a common diagnosis on the challenges we face in terms of growth slowdown, inflation, shielding the most vulnerable, and getting back to a sustainable recovery. On the policies, the key part of our agenda today was to get to a common view on budget policy orientations for 2023. We achieved this, and we have issued a statement. You can read the statement in more detail and I want to outline a few points: First, the focus of fiscal policy in 2023 reflects the economic outlook and the nature of our risks – in particular, as conditions currently stand, there is consensus that supporting overall demand is not warranted and that our focus should be on protecting the most vulnerable; Second, we will aim to preserve debt sustainability and focus on how we can sustain growth in the long run. We will also avoid taking decisions that add to inflationary pressures and that complicate monetary policy transmission; There are already many schemes in place to cushion the impact of high energy prices, but we cannot collectively spend our way out of high energy prices – that is why we focused on the importance of targeting support and investing in durable solutions in terms of renewables and energy efficiency; And finally, the statement is testament to the continued commitment by euro area finance ministers to closely coordinate budgetary policies to ensure a coherent approach that can respond to different situations across member states and also to adapt to changes over time. We also had a very useful input from the European Fiscal Board and Professor Thygesen helped very much with our discussion. We then held a very constructive exchange of views on the digital euro. The ECB presented its recent work to us, on options to limit unwanted impacts on the financial sector, including outright limits or tools to disincentivise very large holdings of digital euros. We also discussed the issue of the continued use of physical cash alongside a digital euro. The Eurogroup agreed that the issuance of a digital euro should not impede the ECB’s ability to fulfil its mandate and should not impair financial stability. At the same time, we need to make sure that the digital euro can be an attractive means of payment and support innovation in a digitalised economy. A clear outcome of our discussion was that a digital euro would only complement cash, it would not replace it. In October we will discuss the fourth topic of our work plan: the business models of the various public and private actors in the future digital ecosystem. To round off the meeting, we briefly took stock on Croatia, since tomorrow the Council is set to adopt the regulation setting the conversion rate from the kuna to the euro. This is the last procedural step that is needed to allow Croatia to join the euro as of the 1st of January 2023. There was actually no need for significant discussion in our meeting – everything is going smoothly and I am very much looking forward to welcoming the Croatian Finance Minister as an observer to the Eurogroup meetings as from September. I’ll say a few words about the ESM. We took the opportunity today to convene the ESM Board of Governors to select a successor to Klaus when he reaches the end of his term. Italy decided to withdraw their excellent candidate and then we held a round of voting on the two remaining candidates, João Leão and Pierre Gramegna: they're both excellent candidates, they both have a lot of support, but none of them reached the 80% threshold. We will return to this issue again in September, when we will aim to make further progress and put in place a new managing director in time for the end of Mr. Regling’s mandate. So a wide variety of different topics discussed this evening. In particular, our agreement in a very constructive fashion on a budget statement for fiscal policy in the euro area for 2023. It's an important development and we will return to the digital euro in October, by which point we will have made further progress on the new managing director of the ESM. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in the wake of the global pandemic, has significantly altered the geopolitical and economic context. Thro… Press material Monday 11 July 2022   ● Eurogroup   11/07/2022 17:14 | Statements and remarks | Eurogroup statement on fiscal policy orientations for 2023   Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in the wake of the global pandemic, has significantly altered the geopolitical and economic context. Through the repercussions in international trade, the impact of the war on the economies of the euro area member states has been felt through higher prices for energy, and food and raw materials, adding inflationary pressures and dampening growth prospects. In March this year, the Eurogroup agreed on fiscal guidance for 2023, underlining the importance of continued coordination of fiscal policy in the euro area to weather the heightened risks and uncertainties, and their impact on our economy. We also concurred that our policies have to remain agile and flexible, and that we stand ready to adjust our policy stance to the rapidly evolving circumstances as needed. Since then, the macro-economic environment, including growth prospects and inflationary dynamics, has deteriorated, as confirmed by the latest forecasts of the European Commission and the ECB. While our economies remain resilient, supported by our sizable policy actions at the EU, euro area and national levels, global risk factors, including those related to the war, the pandemic and financial market volatility, remain elevated. Various supply-side constraints, including increasingly the availability of labour in some member states and sectors, could limit short-term growth. Although these developments and risks affect the entire euro area economy, the level of impact is heterogeneous across member states. The current economic situation and heightened uncertainty call for a careful design of fiscal policy, including the quality of measures, and coordination of fiscal policies in the euro area in 2023. In light of the current circumstances and as reflected in the country-specific recommendations, the Eurogroup considers that supporting overall demand through fiscal policies in 2023 is not warranted, the focus being instead on protecting the most vulnerable, while maintaining the agility to adjust, if needed. Fiscal policies in all countries should aim at preserving debt sustainability, as well as raising the growth potential in a sustainable manner to enhance the recovery, thus also facilitating the task of monetary policy to ensure price stability by not adding inflationary pressures. Fiscal policies should continue to be appropriately differentiated according to member states’ economic and fiscal situation, including as regards their exposure to the crisis and the inflow of displaced persons from Ukraine. Fiscal measures should focus on alleviating the supply-side constraints that are holding back our economies. Implementing structural reforms and supporting investment for the green and digital transitions remain priorities, while also structurally diversifying energy supplies and improving energy independence, taking into account the REPowerEU initiative and making efficient use of the RRF and other EU funds, where appropriate. Moreover, the Versailles Declaration defines an agenda to bolster our defence capabilities, reduce our energy dependencies, and build a more robust economic base that needs to be taken forward by all, individual member states and collectively at the European level. Broad-based fiscal measures, such as general reductions of taxes and excise duties, were aimed to mitigate the impact of rapidly rising energy prices at the national level, but these should be temporary and increasingly adjusted towards targeting the most vulnerable. As we prepare our national budgets for 2023, policy adjustments should preserve incentives for the energy transition. In this respect, income measures are, in principle, preferable to price measures. We will continue to coordinate our measures in this respect and take stock of our progress in the context of our Draft Budgetary Plan exercise towards the end of the year. We recognise that the negative effect on incomes due to high energy prices cannot be durably addressed through compensatory fiscal measures but will require investments over the medium term in energy efficiency and the development of environmentally sustainable local sources of energy. Although the current global context poses significant challenges, the Eurogroup has full confidence in the resilience of the euro area economies and remains fully committed to ensuring the conditions for high sustainable growth and achieving our policy objectives in a united manner. As agreed by the Leaders at the June Euro Summit, the Eurogroup will continue to closely monitor economic developments and ensure our policy response remains well-coordinated, determined and agile. Statement of the Euro Summit (24 June 2022)

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION latest

PRESS MATERIAL
Monday 11 July 2022

● Council of the EU

11/07/2022 | Press release |

Presidency press release - Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers (Home Affairs)
On 11 July 2022, Prague hosted an Informal Meeting of Home Affairs Ministers of EU Member States. Ministers discussed security consequences of the war in Ukraine as well as enhancing the fight against child sexual abuse.
Read the full presidency press release in EN, CS and FR.

Further information

Eva Hrnčířová
Czech presidency spokesperson (Coreper 2)

Tel. +32 2 2139 104

GSM +32 492 11 40 29

eva_hrncirova@mzv.cz

Czech presidency website

Readers of Europe 2022 – Spanish recommendation

Library blog Tuesday 12 July 2022   ● General Secretariat of the Council   Readers of Europe 2022 – Spanish recommendation   This summer the Council Library will shine a light on new and emerging European literary talent, with the third instalment of our Readers of Europe initiative. Through books recommended by the Brussels-based Permanent Representations to the EU, the literary pit stops on this tour will unearth some of Europe’s exciting new talent. Today’s selection is by the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU - Canto yo y la montaña baila by Irene Solà

• 12 July 2022
 
• Reading suggestion
 
• gsclibrary

Culture EU member states

© Henri Rousseau, known as le Douanier, The Snake Charmer, 1907 / Google Art Project / Public domain

Recommendation by the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU

Book selected:  Canto yo y la montaña baila by Irene Solà

It all begins with a lightning strike.

Poet and farmer Domènec Matavaques is struck high up on a ridge. His wife Siró is left living a rural life she never wanted, with her two children Mia and Hilari. Stuck on a farm high in the Pyrenees in Northern Catalonia.

This is a very basic synopsis of Irene Solà’s unconventional, genre defying work of art, Canto yo y la montaña baila. From here the novel unfolds to loosely follow the tragedies that engulf the family over the decades. It explores the interconnectedness of life of all kinds on this mountain. Between the natural world and humankind.

data.europa.eu newsletter - July 2022

 

data.europa.eu newsletter - July 2022

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION update

PRESS MATERIAL
Tuesday 12 July 2022

● Council of the EU
12/07/2022 | Press release |
Presidency press release - Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers (Justice)

On 12 July 2022, Prague hosted an Informal meeting of justice ministers of EU member states. The main topics of the meeting were a common response to current geopolitical challenges, especially in the context of Russian aggression in Ukraine, i.e. the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the digitization of international judicial cooperation and, finally, the protection of vulnerable persons and victims of crimes.
Read the full presidency press release in EN, CS and FR.
Further informatio
Eva Hrnčířová
Czech presidency spokesperson (Coreper 2)
Tel. +32 2 2139 104
GSM +32 492 11 40 29
eva_hrncirova@mzv.cz

Meetings Tuesday 12 July 2022

● Council of the EU   12/07/2022 15:56 | MEETING | Main results - Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 12 July 2022   The Council adopted the final three legal acts required for enabling Croatia to join the euro area. It exchanged views on the economic situation in Europe and approved conclusions on the 2022 in-depth reviews under the macroeconomic imbalance procedure.

Η Πανεπιστημιακή Αστυνομία είναι πλέον νόμος του κράτους

Η Πανεπιστημιακή Αστυνομία είναι πλέον νόμος του κράτους. Δημοσιεύθηκε το ΦΕΚ Α 132-7-7-2022 το εφαρμοστικό Προεδρικό Διάταγμα (Π.Δ.) 53/2022 για τη συγκρότηση, οργάνωση, λειτουργία, ρύθμιση θεμάτων προσωπικού και λοιπά θέματα των Ομάδων Προστασίας Πανεπιστημιακών Ιδρυμάτων (Ο.Π.Π.Ι.) (Πανεπιστημιακή Αστυνομία) με τροποποίηση διατάξεων του Π.Δ. 178/2014 “Οργάνωση Υπηρεσιών Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας” (Α΄281) και του Π.Δ. 7/2017 “Αναδιάταξη – αναδιοργάνωση, σύσταση και λειτουργία περιφερειακών υπηρεσιών Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας” (Α΄ 14)....

Aναγνώσατε πατώντας εδώ:

https://www.dikastiko.gr/eidhsh/nomos-toy-kratoys-i-panepistimiaki-astynomia-ti-exoplismo-tha-echoyn-ti-stoles-tha-forane-olo-to-fek/

CCBE-INFO Newsletter

CDC:Special Report Finds Resistant Infections Surged in Hospitals in 2020

 

Special Report Finds Resistant Infections Surged in Hospitals in 2020

Today, CDC released a new report finding that much of the progress made in the United States in previous years combating antimicrobial resistance (AR) was lost, in large part, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, COVID-19: U.S. Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance, Special Report 2022, concludes that the threat of antimicrobial-resistant infections is not only still present but has gotten worse—with resistant hospital-onset infections and deaths both increasing at least 15% during the first year of the pandemic. "These setbacks can and must be temporary," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH said in the report. “The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear—prevention is preparedness.”

	New @CDC_AR report shows #AntibioticResistance infections and antibiotic use surged in 2020—especially in U.S. hospitals. More prevention actions are needed. Read the report: https://bit.ly/3AlJxiF

κ. ΝΙΚΟΥ ΑΝΔΡΟΥΛΑΚΗ,Προέδρου ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ.,δήλωση..

Νίκος Ανδρουλάκης

Η ιταμή και ευθέως επιθετική κίνηση του Ντεβλέτ Μπαχτσελί, ηγέτη των Γκρίζων Λύκων και στρατηγικού συμμάχου του Ρετζέπ Ταγίπ Ερντογάν, να αναρτήσει χάρτη στον οποίο η Κρήτη, τα νησιά του Ανατολικού Αιγαίου και τα Δωδεκάνησα βαφτίζονται τουρκικά, αποτελεί ακραία πρόκληση που απαιτεί την άμεση διεθνή καταδίκη.

Διαπαιδαγωγούν την τουρκική κοινή γνώμη στον ακραίο εθνικισμό, τη μισαλλοδοξία και την ευθεία αμφισβήτηση της ελληνικής κυριαρχίας.

Υπονομεύουν τις σχέσεις καλής γειτονίας και θεωρούν το διεθνές δίκαιο κουρελόχαρτο.

Η εδαφική μας ακεραιότητα και η εθνική μας κυριαρχία είναι αδιαμφισβήτητες. Είναι πλέον εμφανές ότι η πολιτική του κατευνασμού και των ίσων αποστάσεων θρέφει και δεν αποκρούει τον τουρκικό αναθεωρητισμό.

Απαιτείται ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική αποτροπής. Με το εμπάργκο όπλων στην προμετωπίδα και από ευρωπαϊκά κράτη αλλά και από τις ΗΠΑ.

ΓΟΥΝΟΠΟΙΟΙ:Αναστολή συμβάσεων εργασίας

11 Ιουλίου, 2022

Από το Γραφείο Τύπου του Υπουργείου Εργασίας και Κοινωνικών Υποθέσεων εκδόθηκε η ακόλουθη ανακοίνωση:

Γνωστοποιείται ότι για τους μήνες Ιούλιο, Αύγουστο και Σεπτέμβριο 2022, οι επιχειρήσεις που δραστηριοποιούνται στον κλάδο της γουνοποιίας, οι οποίες πλήττονται από τις συνέπειες του πολέμου στην Ουκρανία, μπορούν να θέτουν σε αναστολή τις συμβάσεις εργασίας των εργαζόμενων τους οι οποίοι έχουν προσληφθεί μέχρι και την 31η Μαΐου 2022 και κατ’ ανώτατο όριο μέχρι του ποσοστού 80% επί του συνόλου αυτών.

Ειδικότερα, στο μέτρο της αναστολής συμβάσεων μπορούν να υπαχθούν οι επιχειρήσεις – εργοδότες που έχουν κύριο Κωδικό Αριθμό Δραστηριότητας (ΚΑΔ) την 30.4.2022 ή δευτερεύοντα ΚΑΔ με τα μεγαλύτερα έσοδα το φορολογικό έτος 2020 σύμφωνα με τις δηλώσεις φορολογίας εισοδήματος που έχουν υποβληθεί έως και την 31.12.2021, έναν από τους κάτωθι:

01.49.19.02 «Εκτροφή γουνοφόρων ζώων (αλεπούς, μινκ, μυοκάστορα, τσιντσιλά και άλλων)

01.49.3 «Παραγωγή ακατέργαστων γουνοδερμάτων και διάφορων ακατέργαστων προβιών και δερμάτων

14.20 «Κατασκευή γούνινων ειδών»

15.11 «Κατεργασία και δέψη δέρματος κατεργασία και βαφή γουναρικών»

46.42.11.27 «Χονδρικό εμπόριο δεψασμένων ή κατεργασμένων γουνοδερμάτων»

46.42.11.29 «Χονδρικό εμπόριο ειδών ένδυσης, εξαρτημάτων ρουχισμού και άλλων ειδών από γουνόδερμα (εκτός από καλύμματα κεφαλιού)»

46.42.11.36 «Χονδρικό εμπόριο εξαρτημάτων ρουχισμού από γουνόδερμα (εκτός από καλύμματα κεφαλιού)»

46.42.11.40 «Χονδρικό εμπόριο ημιέτοιμων γουναρικών»

46.42.11.58 «Χονδρικό εμπόριο χονδράδων (αποκομμάτων) γουναρικών».

Σημειώνεται ότι σε περίπτωση τετραψήφιου ΚΑΔ συμπεριλαμβάνονται όλες οι υποκατηγορίες πενταψήφιων, εξαψήφιων και οκταψήφιων ΚΑΔ και, σε περίπτωση πενταψήφιου ΚΑΔ συμπεριλαμβάνονται όλες οι υποκατηγορίες εξαψήφιων και οκταψήφιων ΚΑΔ.

Οι εργαζόμενοι των οποίων η σύμβαση εργασίας τελεί σε αναστολή, είναι δικαιούχοι αποζημίωσης ειδικού σκοπού, ποσού πεντακοσίων τριάντα τεσσάρων ευρώ (534 €) που αντιστοιχεί σε τριάντα ημέρες, κατ’ αναλογία των ημερών διάρκειας της αναστολής των συμβάσεων εργασίας τους. Για τη λήψη της αποζημίωσης, οι επιχειρήσεις ‐ εργοδότες υποχρεούνται να υποβάλλουν υπεύθυνη δήλωση ανά μήνα στο Π.Σ. «ΕΡΓΑΝΗ», με την οποία δηλώνουν τους εργαζόμενους των οποίων οι συμβάσεις εργασίας τίθενται σε αναστολή.

Η αναστολή συμβάσεων εργασίας των εργαζομένων προαναγγέλλεται, τουλάχιστον την προηγούμενη μέρα της έναρξης της αναστολής.

Προθεσμίες υποβολής δηλώσεων για τον μήνα Ιούλιο

Για τον μήνα Ιούλιο το ΠΣ ΕΡΓΑΝΗ θα είναι διαθέσιμο από 15/7/2022 έως και 31/7/2022 για την υποβολή δηλώσεων αναστολών συμβάσεων εργασίας των εργαζομένων.

Ειδικά για συμβάσεις εργασίας εργαζομένων που έχουν τεθεί σε αναστολή κατά το χρονικό διάστημα από 1/7/2022 έως και 19/7/2022, οι υπεύθυνες δηλώσεις των επιχειρήσεων υποβάλλονται απολογιστικά το αργότερο έως και την 19/7/2022. Για συμβάσεις εργασίας εργαζομένων που τίθενται σε αναστολή από 20/7/2022 και εντεύθεν, ισχύει η προαναγγελία της αναστολής.