Provisional agreement between Council and European Parliament to reinforce European Medicines Agency

 

Thursday 28 October 2021

● Council of the EU   28/10/2021 16:13 | Press release | Provisional agreement between Council and European Parliament to reinforce European Medicines Agency   Today, the Council presidency and European Parliament negotiators reached a provisional agreement on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices. "EU-level preparation and coordination are two essential ingredients to fight future health crises. Thanks to this deal we are adding an essential new building block to upgrade the EU’s health architecture. It will allow the EU’s medicines agency to make sure we have the medicines needed to deal with public health emergencies." Janez Poklukar, the Slovenian minister for health The Council and Parliament negotiators agreed amongst other things: on what constitutes a major event (an event that is likely to pose a serious risk to public health in relation to medicinal products) and how it is being recognised (following a positive opinion from the Medicines Shortages Steering Group), with a view to triggering actions such as adopting a list of critical medicinal products to ensure solid funding from the Union budget for the work of the steering groups, task force, working parties and expert panels that are to be established to improve the data protection provisions, so as to ensure that transfers of personal data in the context of the new EMA mandate (e.g. data resulting from clinical trials) will be subject to EU data protection rules, including the General Data Protection Regulation This draft update of the EMA mandate is part of a broader European Health Union package (which also includes a reinforced mandate for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and a draft law on cross-border health threats). All three proposals were put forward by the European Commission on 11 November 2020. On 16 September 2021, the Health Union package was supplemented by a proposal for the establishment of a Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

AHEPA E-News Volume 15, Issue 34 | Wednesday, October 27, 2021 AHEPA Honors His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) hosted its 45th Biennial Congressional banquet in honor of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and to mark the commencement of his historic third Apostolic Visit to the United States, at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C., Oct. 24, 2021. His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon represented His All-Holiness, who felt unwell Sunday morning and was hospitalized overnight for observation. His All-Holiness was released from the hospital Monday morning. “AHEPA promotes all the values and principles that are the rich legacy of Hellenism – Ancient, Byzantine, and Modern,” His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel said during his toast. “And the Holy Archdiocese, as the daughter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, embodies these values and principles as they have been baptized into Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. For the Omogeneia, the Archdiocese and AHEPA are two hands of one body, and we are grateful for their cooperative spirit.” In his tribute to His All-Holiness, Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas spoke about the effectiveness and meaning of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s message of unity, love, and compassion, and Kokotas pledged AHEPA can do more to amplify his message. “We also must make sure His All-Holiness’s ministry, his message and his spiritual home—the Ecumenical Patriarchate—are safeguarded from the plight they face daily," Kokotas added. "They must be sustained…they must flourish.” His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America received AHEPA’s presentation of $100,000 to become a Founding Member of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation: For the Sacred See of Saint Andrew. Supreme President Kokotas and Chairman of the Board Nicholas A. Karacostas, PSP, made the presentation, along with a gift to His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel. Ahepan, Archon and Prominent Businessman Michael Psaros delivered the Keynote Address. Several members of Congress addressed the audience: U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues and co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus; U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues; U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), and U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Daughters of Penelope Grand President Kathy Bizoukas presented a gift to His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel. Mike Emanuel, Fox News Chief Washington correspondent, served as the Master of Ceremonies. Chairman of the Board Karacostas, PSP, delivered welcome remarks. photo album | The National Herald Top (L-R): Psaros, Rep. Malliotakis, Rep. Maloney, Metropolitan Emmanuel, Grand President Bizoukas, DOP Executive Director Saviolakis, Rep. Sarbanes, Senator and Mrs. Van Hollen. Top Right: Metropolitan Emmanuel looks on as Supreme President Kokotas delivers remarks. Photo Credit: Bill Petros AHEPA Service Dogs Program Chair to be Recognized AHEPA Service Dogs for Warriors Program Chairman George Karatzia, PSG, will be recognized as the "Man of the Year" by Canine Companions, a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs at no charge to the recipient, on November 11, 2021, 10 a.m. Chairman Karatzia will accept the award on behalf of the entire AHEPA family. "Congratulations to Brother Karatzia on this well-deserved honor," Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas said. "We commend the entire AHEPA family for its overwhelming support for a worthy program that serves veterans who are suffering from PTSD." AHEPA Responds to Call to Action, Opens Emergency Relief Fund Shortly after concluding business at our Athens Supreme Convention, an onslaught of wildfires devastated Greece. Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas immediately opened the Emergency Relief Fund and called on Ahepans from across the globe to mobilize. As they have in the past, Ahepans heeded the call and stepped up to assist in any way possible. As monetary donations continue to pour in, Ahepans also have volunteered their time and resources by donating bottles of water or by contributing to actual fire relief. Stateside, Hurricane Ida came barreling through the Gulf, leaving devastation in her wake in Louisiana and causing severe flooding and tornado damage in the mid-Atlantic up to parts of New England. AHEPA is working with the District 16 AHEPA family to determine how we can assist those affected by the hurricane to help them recover as quickly as possible. Click Here to make a tax-deductible Donation to the AHEPA Emergency Fund Upcoming Events & Deadlines October 28 | Oxi Day November 1 | Deadline: Winter 2021-22 The Ahepan 2 | Thyranoixia - Opening of the Doors Ceremony of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at World Trade Center 8-12 | AHEPA Golf Tournament, Daytona Beach, Fla. (For more information, contact Supreme Athletic Director, Chris Atsaves.) 20 | Testimonial Dinner for PSP George G. Horiates, Philadelphia, 6 p.m. The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA (Proceeds to benefit the AHEPA Capital Campaign Fund. Contact 856.986.8972 for information.) Greek American News Digest  Editor's Note: Editorials, commentaries, opinion pieces, and articles are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members Orthodox Patriarch Praises Biden After Meeting VOA News (Oct. 25) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians, resumed a busy American visit Monday after an overnight hospital stay, meeting with President Joe Biden after earlier meetings with the Turkish ambassador and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. read more White House Readout Beware of Greeks Riding American Ships The National Interest (Oct. 23) Lockheed Martin is building a specialized kind of frigate for the Greek navy. read more Pope to visit Cyprus and Greece, including Lesbos island, Dec. 2-6 Reuters (Oct. 26) Pope Francis will visit Cyprus and Greece, including the Greek island of Lesbos to meet migrants, from December 2-6, a Vatican source said on Tuesday. read more Greek Socialist leader Gennimata dies after long illness Ekathimerini (Oct. 25) The leader of Greece’s third-largest political party, Fofi Gennimata, has died after being hospitalized for treatment for a long-term illness earlier this month. She was 56. Gennimata had served as leader of the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement, or PASOK, since 2015. It was later made part of a center-left umbrella group known as the Movement for Change. read more  Cyprus aims for Mars with X-Ray rock dating instrument Associated Press (Oct. 21) Tiny Cyprus aims to join the global space exploration drive by developing a compact, X-Ray instrument capable of dating Martian soil and rock samples relatively accurately to potentially reveal more about the Red Planet’s geological history and offer a glimpse of Earth’s own future. read more

EUROPEAN BANK,update

EBRD and EU support waste recycling company in Kosovo

28-10-2021 12:49 PM BST

Plastika boosts production and competitiveness with a new recycling line

The EBRD goes to COP26

28-10-2021 10:00 AM BST

EBRD aims to strengthen the delivery of climate finance

EBRD, EU and Sweden support Moldova’s first blueberry producer

27-10-2021 12:55 PM BST

EBRD and donors help Lolly Berry prepare for business growth and expansion

EBRD €4 million loan to Partner microfinance institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina

27-10-2021 12:01 PM BST

Boosting energy efficiency through Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility II

EBRD accelerates trade-finance digitalisation with National Bank of Greece, TBC Bank and Nordea

27-10-2021 08:01 AM BST

Partners complete test transactions on the we.trade digital trade platform

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

Meetings Thursday 28 October 2021

● Council of the EU 28/10/2021 11:44 | MEETING | Main results - Informal video conference of economy and finance ministers, 28 October 2021 Economy and finance ministers discussed the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility and exchanged views on the recovery and resilience plans for Estonia, Finland and Romania. The plans will be adopted on 29 October by written procedure. Council of the EU Informal video conference of economy and finance ministers, 28 October 2021 Main results Ministers took stock of the implementation of the EU’s recovery fund. They exchanged views on the Council implementing decisions on the approval of national recovery and resilience plans for Estonia, Finland and Romania and welcomed the Commission's positive assessments of all three plans. The decisions will be adopted via written procedure by 29 October, which will allow these countries to obtain their requested 13% pre-financing. Our work on the European recovery continues. We are progressing with the approval of the recovery plans. With the planned investments and reforms, we can become more resilient as the EU economy and society. Their successful implementation is now the key to ensuring a strong and sustained recovery.Andrej Šircelj, Slovenia’s Minister for Finance Once the decisions on Estonia’s, Finland’s and Romania’s plans are formally approved this week, 22 member states will have received the green light for their recovery spending plans. The plans lay down the measures that will be taken at national level to foster the economic recovery with the help of the EU’s unprecedented €672.5 billion in support (in 2018 prices). To ensure a sustainable European recovery, a strong focus is put on green and digital targets, which account for at least 37% and 20% of the expenditure respectively. A recovery plan for Europe (background information) Meeting information Meeting n°VC-ECOFIN-281021 Video conference 28 October 2021 Preparatory documents Background brief Economic and Financial Affairs Council: Other meetings Previous 10-11 September 2021 5 October 2021 28 October 2021 9 November 2021 12 November 2021Next ● Council of the EU 28/10/2021 10:48 | Press release | Recovery fund: ministers welcome assessment of Estonia’s, Finland’s and Romania’s plans Economy and finance ministers today welcomed the assessment of national recovery and resilience plans for Estonia, Finland and Romania. Council implementing decisions on the approval of these plans will be adopted by written procedure shortly after today’s ministers’ video conference. Recovery fund: ministers welcome assessment of Estonia’s, Finland’s and Romania’s plans Economy and finance ministers today welcomed the assessment of national recovery and resilience plans for Estonia, Finland and Romania. Council implementing decisions on the approval of these plans will be adopted by written procedure shortly after today’s ministers’ video conference. Following the formal adoption of the decisions, those member states will be able to receive the requested 13% pre-financing and begin making use of the EU’s large-scale financial support to overcome the adverse impact of the pandemic on their economies. The EU’s recovery fund makes €672.5 billion (in 2018 prices) available to support reforms and investments member states make to stimulate their economies, while prioritising green and digital spending. I’m happy to be able to share good news for three more member states. We have just confirmed the positive assessments for the recovery and resilience plans of Estonia, Finland, and Romania. They will soon be able to receive their pre-financing payment from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The reforms and investments outlined in their plans strongly support the European green and digital agenda. By addressing the key challenges, the overall European recovery will be more sustainable and more resilient.Andrej Šircelj, Slovenia’s Minister for Finance Key measures Estonia’s €969.3 million plan includes efforts to decarbonise the economy and aims at developing innovative green technologies such as green hydrogen. It also facilitates the green transition for businesses and improves access to green finance for SMEs. In terms of digital transformation, the plan centres on the competitiveness of Estonian companies and includes financial support to SMEs and microenterprises across all sectors to help them on their digital path. Finland’s €2.1 billion will contribute to its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2035. The measures Finland outlined in its recovery plan encompass increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, decarbonising industry, reducing emissions of buildings and promoting low-emission transport systems. The plan’s digital component includes investments in high-speed broadband networks and supports the digitalization of businesses and the public sector. Phasing out coal and lignite power production and deploying renewables, as well as making investments and reforms in the areas of buildings renovation, railways modernisation, water and waste management, and afforestation and reforestation are measures Romania plans to implement to reach its climate objectives. Its €14.2 billion in grants and €14.9 billion in loans will also be used, among other things, to digitalise the country’s public services and strengthen the resilience of the healthcare system. Background and next steps The measures approved in the national plans focus on six key policy areas (‘pillars’) and address 2019 and 2020 country-specific recommendations. Reaching milestones and targets set for the planned measures is the precondition for the payment of the EU’s financial contributions. Once Estonia's, Finland's and Romania's plans have been formally approved, 22 member states will have had their national recovery plans adopted. 17 member states have received their requested pre-financing. The total amount disbursed so far is around €52.4 billion. Council gives go-ahead to Malta’s recovery plan (press release, 5 October 2021) A recovery plan for Europe (background information) The Recovery and Resilience Facility (European Commission)

 

Thursday, October 28, 2021 From the Desk of Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas Contact: supremepresident@ahepa.org AHEPA Commemorates Oxi Day Today, we commemorate the 81st anniversary of "Oxi Day." On this date in 1940, Greece issued a defiant "No" to the fascism of the Axis Powers, opting instead to state an emphatic "Yes" to freedom. In defense of their autonomy, the Greeks took a courageous stand against tyranny and fought heroically against the Italian army, pushing the invaders back into Albania after one week. It would prove to be a costly military campaign for the Axis Powers. About Greece’s stand against the Axis Powers, we proudly recall the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt during an April 25, 1941, meeting with the AHEPA Supreme Lodge. Roosevelt, an AHEPA member of Delphi Chapter 25 in Manhattan, New York, since 1932, took note of the gutsy defensive stand the Greeks made of their beloved homeland against the Italians, and eventually, the Germans. He said: “The heroic struggle of the Greek people to defend their liberties and their homes against the aggression of Germany after they had so signally defeated the Italian attempt at invasion has stirred the hearts and aroused the sympathy of the whole American people.” As we mark Oxi Day, it is also important to recall that many Ahepans, including members of our Junior Order, the Sons of Pericles, fought heroically behind enemy lines in Greece during World War II. It is a day to celebrate freedom, justice, liberty, and the passion of the Hellenic spirit that burned within all who fought and defied fascism. AHEPA applauds and proudly supports the Oxi Day resolution to be introduced by Congressman Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, along with the bipartisan support of several Hellenic Caucus members, including Co-Chairs Representatives Carolyn Maloney of New York and Gus Bilirakis of Florida. I commend their leadership to commemorate the anniversary of Oxi Day and to recognize the historical significance of Greece’s role during World War II. Greece’s denial of fascism set the tone for the Allied response and does not garner the attention it deserves in the annals of history. Please take a moment to pause and reflect on this remarkable moment in our Hellenic history and grant consideration to how its spirit and message is still very relevant today.  Fraternally, Jimmy Kokotas Supreme President

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politics | October 28, 2021 at 1:41 pm