European Commission - Daily News

European Commission - Daily News

Daily News 20 / 10 / 2021
Brussels, 20 October 2021
Energy Prices: President von der Leyen sets out relief measures for consumers and
businesses and emphasizes importance of green energy transition
This morning, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed the European
Parliament Plenary on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 21-22 October, which
focused on the recent spike in energy prices. Recalling that we import 90% of the gas we consume,
the President underlined: “Europe today is too reliant on gas and too dependent on gas imports. This
makes us vulnerable. The answer has to do with diversifying our suppliers. But also keeping the role
of natural gas as transitional fuel and, crucially, with speeding up the transition to clean energy. The
European Green Deal is in the mid- and long-term a pillar of European energy sovereignty in the 21st
century.” She also described the measures that can be deployed to address the situation in the short
term, through the toolbox presented last week: “Our priority is to give relief to vulnerable families
and businesses. Some measures can be taken very swiftly, under current EU rules. This includes
relief for businesses – especially SMEs – through state aid, targeted support to consumers, and cuts
to energy taxes and levies. This is where Member States can act very quickly.” Through the EU's
recovery programme NextGenerationEU, €36 billion has already been earmarked for clean energy,
from hydrogen to offshore wind power. Only “true European teamwork” will be able to achieve this,
the President said. Looking ahead to the climate summit at the end of the month, she added: “The
upcoming COP26 in Glasgow will be the moment for the whole world to speed up action. Because the
world is not yet on track to match our commitments under the Paris Agreement. So much more
needs to be done to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees over pre-
industrial levels. The European Union will bring to Glasgow the highest level of ambition. We do it for
Europe. We do it for our planet. And we do it for all future generations.” Read the full speech in
English, French and German, and watch it back here. (For more information: Eric Mamer – Tel.: +32
229 94073; Dana Spinant – Tel.: +32 229 90150; Tim McPhie - Tel.: +32 229 58602)

Eurobarometer: Short-term rentals enrich EU tourism services offer but impact
communities
A Eurobarometer survey on short-term rentals published today reveals that short-term
accommodation rentals help to improve the attractiveness of the tourism services offer in the EU but
there is a need to consider the impacts on wider communities. The survey provides evidence
underscoring the need for a balanced development of the short-term accommodation rental sector.
This implies maintaining opportunities for innovative platforms and SME service providers while
respecting public policy objectives like available and affordable housing and protecting urban
centres. The survey, conducted in September 2021 across Europe, shows that 25% of Europeans
book short-term rentals through online platforms and that a large majority (89%) of those who have
ever booked a short-term rental consider it a positive experience that they would recommend to
others. Results also show how such services can lead to a more diversified accommodation offer,
providing better prices (63%), better facilities (49%) and better locations (43%). At the same time,
the rapid rise of these services can have an impact beyond the tourism ecosystem, showing that
almost half the people surveyed find that short-term rentals cause an increase in nuisance by
tourists, such as noise, congestion and waste (45% of respondents) and higher prices and pressure
on availability of housing (42% of respondents). The results of the survey will feed into the
Commission's assessment of the relevance of possible new regulatory measures, as announced in the
recent Commission staff paper outlining scenarios for a transition pathway in the tourism ecosystem.
The Eurobarometer data will also complement the stakeholder feedback from the currently ongoing
public consultation related to short-term rentals. The findings of today's Eurobarometer report will
also be presented at the first of two online workshops on the short-term rental economy this Friday.
 The full Eurobarometer report and a factsheet with key data from the Eurobarometer survey are
available here. (For more information: Sonya Gospodinova – Tel.: +32 229 66953; Federica Miccoli –
Tel.: +32 229 58300)

Economie bleue : de jeunes universitaires européens se mobilisent pour protéger nos
océans
Les 20 et 21 octobre, la Commission européenne accueille l'événement ‘Hack4Oceans' avec des
étudiants universitaires de toute l'Europe, afin de co-créer des solutions innovantes aux principaux
défis auxquels sont confrontés les océans et l'environnement marin. Les participants développeront
de nouvelles idées autour des déchets marins, d'une alimentation alternative issue des océans, du
changement climatique et de la protection et la restauration des écosystèmes côtiers. Cette initiative
s'inscrit dans le cadre du programme de culture océanique de la Commission, qui vise non seulement
à sensibiliser aux questions liées aux océans, mais aussi à exploiter les idées des jeunes européens.
Le commissaire à l'environnement, aux océans et à la pêche, Virginijus Sinkevičius, a déclaré : « On
ne soulignera jamais assez l'importance de nos mers et océans pour notre planète et leur impact sur
notre vie quotidienne. Ils régulent notre météo, stockent le CO2, fournissent de la nourriture, de
l'oxygène, de l'énergie, des transports, et ils abritent des centaines de milliers d'espèces animales et
végétales. Néanmoins, des décennies de surexploitation, de pollution et de changement climatique
menacent toutes ces fonctions. Il n'y a pas de véritable vert, sans véritable bleu. En associant de
jeunes universitaires, nous espérons non seulement trouver des solutions innovantes à certains de
nos défis les plus urgents, mais aussi sensibiliser davantage les Européens et leur faire prendre
conscience de l'urgence d'agir maintenant et de protéger nos océans. » L'événement accueille 75
étudiants de premier cycle universitaires de toute l'Europe, dont certains étudient dans des
disciplines en rapport avec l'économie bleue. Les étudiants seront assistés virtuellement par un
groupe de 30 professionnels issus de différents secteurs de l'économie bleue, notamment du monde
des affaires, de l'élaboration des politiques et du milieu universitaire, qui guideront et soutiendront
les jeunes participants dans leur parcours d'innovation sociale. Les résultats seront disponibles après
l'événement en ligne sur la page dédiée et sur les médias sociaux via #Hack4Oceans. (Pour plus
d'informations: Vivian Loonela - Tél.: +32 229 66712; Daniela Stoycheva – Tél.: +32 229 53664)

Marine protection: EU signs up to updated regional action plan for a clean and healthy
Baltic Sea
At a ministerial meeting held today in Lübeck, Germany, the contracting parties of the Convention on
the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (HELCOM) adopted an updated
Action Plan for a cleaner and healthier Baltic Sea. The EU, as a party, backed and participated in the
development of the Action Plan as it will support EU Member States in the region to achieve their
environmental obligations under EU law, thereby contributing to cleaner, healthier and more
productive seas. Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus
Sinkevičius, representing the European Union, said: “The Baltic Sea and its coasts face many
challenges, such as eutrophication, marine pollution, depletion of fish stocks and climate change
effects. HELCOM is an excellent example of ocean governance at regional level. It has historically
played a pioneering role by putting efforts to achieve a clean and healthy Baltic Sea. The adoption of
this updated action plan is a key step towards delivering on our common vision for a clean and
healthy Baltic Sea and boosts existing efforts to bring the Baltic to good environmental status.” The
updated Baltic Sea Action Plan adopted today contains more than 200 measures and aims to achieve
good environmental status of the Baltic Sea by 2030. It provides clear tools and direction to
effectively and concretely achieve the joint commitments taken one year ago by Ministers of
Fisheries, Agriculture and Environment of EU Baltic Sea Member States at the Our Baltic conference.
Some of the suggested measures aim at reducing eutrophication, hazardous substances and litter
and achieving ‘good environmental condition' for marine biodiversity and sea-based activities. The
Action Plan will assist the EU Baltic Member States to protect their marine waters and achieve
environmental commitments under the European Green Deal including as announced in the EU
Biodiversity Strategy, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, as well as the Farm to Fork strategy. More
information is in the news release. (For more information: Vivian Loonela - Tel.: +32 229 66712;
Daniela Stoycheva – Tel.: +32 229 53664)

COLLEGE MEETING: European Commission assesses and sets out reform priorities for the
Western Balkans and Turkey
Yesterday, the European Commission adopted its 2021 Enlargement Package, providing a detailed
assessment of the state of play and the progress made by the Western Balkans and Turkey, as well
as clear guidance on the reform priorities ahead. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said: “We have to
maintain a credible enlargement process. The new methodology is a merit based approach. It puts a

stronger focus on fundamental reforms, such as rule of law, fundamental freedoms, economy and
functioning of democratic institutions. Our partners need to address them, in the interest of their
citizens and to advance on the EU path. And they need put aside their differences. On the EU side,
we need to deliver on our commitments. It's time we come together and unite in building a stronger
Europe.” Presenting this year's Package, consisting of Communication on EU enlargement policy and
annual reports, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said:
“Enlargement policy is a geostrategic investment in peace, stability, security and economic growth
on our European continent. It's a merit based process, to which we provide a factual and fair
assessment as well as a clear roadmap to accelerate and deepen reforms in our partners. This is in
line with our revised enlargement methodology, enhancing the credibility of the process.” A press
release and a detailed findings and recommendations on each partner are available online. (For more
information: Ana Pisonero - Tel.: +32 229 54320; Zoï Muletier - Tel: +32 229 94306)

Conférence sur l'avenir de l'Europe: Séance plénière pour débattre des contributions des
citoyens
Ce week-end, la session plénière de la Conférence a pour objectif de discuter des rapports des panels
de citoyens européens, des panels et manifestations nationales, de la Rencontre des jeunes
européens (EYE2021) et de la plateforme numérique multilingue. Cette session plénière représente
deux grandes étapes dans le cadre de la Conférence. D'une part, les 80 représentants des panels de
citoyens européens qui ont été sélectionnés dans la réserve d'environ 800 citoyens qui se sont réunis
à Strasbourg en septembre et en octobre prendront leur place. D'autre part, pour la première fois, la
plénière débattra des contributions des citoyens découlant des différentes composantes de la
conférence telles qu'elles existent actuellement, tandis que les délibérations, les manifestations et le
débat en ligne se poursuivront. La réunion plénière sera ouverte par les coprésidents du conseil
exécutif de la Conférence : Guy Verhofstadt pour le Parlement européen, Gašper Dovžan, au nom de
la présidence slovène du Conseil de l'UE, et la vice-présidente Dubravka Šuica, au nom de la
Commission. Pour plus d'informations sur la manière de suivre la plénière ce week-end, veuillez
consulter cette page. De plus amples informations sur l'état d'avancement de la Conférence et sur
les derniers rapports publiés sont disponibles dans notre communiqué de presse. (Pour plus
d'informations: Arianna Podesta – Tél.: +32 229 87024; Célia Dejond – Tél.: +32 229 88199)

State aid: Commission approves €15 million Slovenian scheme to promote rail freight
transport in Slovenia
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €15 million Slovenian aid
scheme to support rail freight transport in Slovenia. The measure will support single wagon transport
and combined transport. Single wagon transport is a form of freight transport, which is smaller and
has less capacity than a full train. It requires the switching or shunting of wagons at departure or
destination stations and at any intermediate stations. Combined transport, on the other hand, is a
form of intermodal transport, where the main part of the transport is carried out by rail, inland
waterways or sea and the limited initial and/or final parts are carried out by road. Under the scheme,
which will run until 31 December 2023 and will be open to railway companies, the support will take
the form of direct grants. The aid aims at partially covering the external costs avoided, such as
accidents, pollution, congestion and climate change. The Commission assessed the measure under
EU State aid rules, in particular Article 93 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and
the 2008 Commission Guidelines on State aid for railway undertakings. The Commission found that
the scheme is necessary and proportionate to promote the use of rail transport, which is less
polluting than road transport and reduces road congestion. The measure will therefore be beneficial
both for the environment and for mobility. Furthermore, the Commission found that the aid will have
an 'incentive effect' as the beneficiaries would not engage in such transport activities in the absence
of the public support. The Commission concluded that the measure will contribute to transport
coordination and facilitate the shift of freight transport from road to rail in line with the EU policy
objectives, including those set out in the Green Deal, without unduly distorting competition in the
Single Market. On this basis, the Commission approved the scheme line with EU State aid rules. More
information will be available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register
under case number SA.62208 once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more
information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344)

Mergers: Commission refers to Germany the assessment of the creation of a joint venture
by K+S and REMEX
The European Commission has referred to the German national competition authority

(‘Bundeskartellamt') the assessment of the proposed creation of the joint venture REKS GmbH & Co.
KG (‘REKS') by K+S Minerals and Agriculture GmbH (‘K+S') and REMEX GmbH , all of Germany.
REKS will be active in the provision of waste disposal services, including underground storage (‘UTV')
of hazardous fly ashes. K+S is a mining company that provides disposal services and operates UTV
for the disposal of hazardous waste. REMEX, part of the Remondis Group, is active in mineral waste
disposal and recycling, holding 50% in Minex GmbH of Germany, which is also active in UTV. In
addition, REMEX, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Aurec Gesellschaft für Abfallverwertung und
Recycling mbH, is active in treatment of hazardous waste to prepare it for UTV disposal. The German
competition authority asked the Commission to refer the proposed concentration to it, since it
considers that the transaction may threaten to significantly affect competition in the markets for the
underground disposal of waste in Germany. The Commission's market investigation has confirmed
that the transaction gives rise to competition concerns in the market for the disposal of hazardous fly
ashes. K+S and REMEX proposed commitments to address these concerns. However, the
Commission considers that the proposed commitments are insufficient to address the serious doubts
about the compatibility of the transaction with the internal market. The evidence gathered by the
Commission confirmed that the conditions for a referral under Article 9 of the Merger Regulation were
fulfilled and that the German competition authority is best placed to assess the effects of the
proposed concentration in Germany. The Commission has therefore decided to refer the case to
Germany. The German competition authority will deal with the case under national law. More
information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under
the case number M.10144. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024; Maria
Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Concentrations: La Commission autorise l'acquisition de Pasubio par PAI Partners
La Commission européenne a approuvé, en vertu du règlement européen sur les concentrations,
l'acquisition du contrôle exclusif de Conceria Pasubio S.p.A., basée en Italie, par PAI Partners S.à r.l.,
basée en France. Pasubio, qui est actuellement controllée par CVC Capital Partners VI Limited, basée
au Royaume Uni, a pour activité le tannnage du cuir et la fabrication de produits finis en cuir
déstinés à être utilisés dans divers secteurs, notamment les intérieurs automobiles, le mobilier et les
articles de luxe. PAI Partners exerce des activités de gestion et/ou de conseil pour un certain nombre
de fonds détenant des entreprises actives dans divers secteurs d'activité, tels que les services aux
entreprises, l'alimentation et les biens de consommation, les industries généralistes, les soins de
santé, ainsi que le commerce de détail et la distribution. La Commission a conclu que l'acquisition
envisagée ne soulèverait aucun problème de concurrence, car les chevauchements entre Pasubio et
les sociétés appartenant au portefeuille de PAI Partners sont très limités. La transaction a été
examinée dans le cadre de la procédure simplifiée de contrôle des concentrations. De plus amples
informations sont disponibles sur le site internet concurrence de la Commission, dans le registre
public des affaires sous le numéro d'affaire M.10389. (Pour plus d'informations: Arianna Podesta –
Tél.: +32 229 87024; Maria Tsoni – Tél.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears creation of joint venture DX Intermodal JV by Hupac and
Kombiverkehr
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of DX
Intermodal JV, a new joint venture based in Germany, by Hupac SA of Switzerland and
Kombiverkehr Deutsche Gesellschaft für kombinierten Güterverkehr GmbH & Co. KG (‘Kombiverkehr')
of Germany. DX Intermodal will provide a data hub for integrated, end-to-end real-time transmission
of transport-related data and information for users of intermodal transport services in Europe. Hupac
and Kombiverkehr are both intermodal operators of combined transport by rail on various routes in
Europe. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition
concerns, given its limited impact on the market. The transaction was examined under the simplified
merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in
the public case register under the case number M.10054. (For more information: Arianna Podesta –
Tel.: +32 229 87024; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

La présidente von der Leyen copréside le sommet social tripartite sur comment transformer
la reprise en Europe en une croissance durable favorisant l'augmentation et l'amélioration
des emplois
Aujourd'hui, la présidente von der Leyen coprésidera la vidéoconférence tripartite du sommet social
avec le président du Conseil européen, Charles Michel. Le premier ministre de la Slovénie, Janez
Janša, participera aussi au sommet, en représentation de la présidence tournante du Conseil de l'UE.
La Commission sera également représentée par le vice-président exécutif Valdis Dombrovskis et le
commissaire Nicolas Schmit. Le thème principal de ce sommet portera sur la question de savoir
comment « transformer la reprise en Europe en une croissance durable à long terme favorisant
l'augmentation et l'amélioration des emplois. » Les débats seront principalement axés autour de trois
questions : comment assurer une reprise réussie, durable et socialement équitable et le rôle des
partenaires sociaux dans les plans nationaux pour la reprise et la résilience ; comment réussir la
double transition climatique et numérique tout en restant prospères, compétitifs et socialement
justes ; et comment assurer un travail durable, y compris en ce qui concerne les compétences, les
politiques actives du marché du travail et les systèmes de sécurité sociale. Le sommet social
tripartite a lieu deux fois par an avant les réunions du Conseil européen. C'est l'occasion pour un
échange de vues entre les dirigeants des institutions européennes avec les dirigeants des partenaires
sociaux européens et les organisations nationales des employés et des employeurs des pays assurant
la présidence du Conseil actuelle et à venir (la Slovénie, la France et la Tchéquie), et les ministres de
l'emploi et des affaires sociales de ces pays. Un communiqué de presse sera publié dans l'après-midi
après le sommet. (Pour plus d'informations: Veerle Nuyts — Tél.: + 32 229 96302; Flora Matthaes —
Tél.: + 32 229 83951)

Executive Vice-President Timmermans in India for climate talks ahead of COP26
Today, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans is in India for a three-day visit to discuss
climate action ahead of the COP26. He will speak today at the opening of the International Solar
Alliance Assembly. He will also participate in a public event with scientists and students, hosted by
the Director General of the Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), Dr Vibha Dhawan, to be
broadcasted here today at 12:15 CET. While in India, he will meet Bhupender Yadav, Minister for
Environment, Forest, Climate Change, Labour and Employment; Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for
Petroleum, Natural Gas, Housing and Urban Affairs; Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman of the National
Institution for Transforming India Aayog; Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs;
Raj Kumar Singh Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy; Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General,
International Solar Alliance; Kamal Kishore, member of the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) and Indian Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure. From the private sector and civil society, he will meet Seema Arora, Deputy Director
General, Confederation of Indian Industry; Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of the Council on Energy,
Environment and Water (CEEW); Chandra Bhushan, President and CEO of the International Forum
for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST); and Nitin Desai, Chairman of the TERI
and former Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs at the UN. (For more
information: Tim McPhie – Tel.: +32 229 58602; Lynn Rietdorf – Tel.: +32 229 74959)

Commissioner Schmit to visit Lithuania to discuss social and employment impact of the
pandemic
This Thursday and Friday, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, will visit
Lithuania to discuss the Commission's priorities in the field of jobs and social affairs and the social
impact of the pandemic. It will be an opportunity to exchange with Lithuanian representatives on
how to meet the challenges facing many Member States, such as the fight against social inequalities,
shortage in skilled workers and unemployment. The Commissioner will highlight the importance of
implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Porto Social Commitment, the European Child
Guarantee and the European Skills Agenda. Other topics discussed will be the Commission's proposal
for a Directive on adequate minimum wages, as well as issues of social housing, old-age pensions
and social dialogue. On 21 October, Commissioner Schmit will meet with Viktorija Čmilyte-Nielsen,
Speaker of the Seimas, Members of the Parliamentary Committees on Social Affairs and Labour and
EU Affairs as well as with Agne Kudarauskiene, Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Sport. The
Commissioner will also meet with social partners. On 22 October, Commissioner Schmit will deliver a
speech at the conference on “COVID-19 pandemic and chronic social policy diseases, achievements
and prescriptions” organised by the Vilnius University. Commissioner Schmit will also meet with
Monika Navickiene, Minister of Social Security and Labour, and will visit a European Social Fund
(ESF) co-funded project for the reintegration of people with addictions, called “I am”. (For more
information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel.: +32 229 96302; Flora Matthaes — Tel.: +32 229 83951)

Liste des points prévus à l'ordre du jour des prochaines réunions de la Commission
Veuillez noter que ces informations sont données sous réserve de modifications.

Eurostat: communiqués de presse

The Spokesperson's Service has re-opened the Berlaymont press room to a limited number
of journalists. For more information, please see here.
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