Updates from Cyprus
Cyprus Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, has warmly congratulated the newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly.
Kasoulides said in a post on Twitter that he looks forward “to continuing our bilateral exchange & to further strengthen & expand the existing partnership between Cyprus and the UK.”
Moreover, he wished all the best for the global challenges ahead.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Today, the European Commission presents the European Care Strategy to ensure quality, affordable and accessible care services across the European Union and improve the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally. The Strategy is accompanied by two Recommendations for Member States on the revision of the Barcelona targets on early childhood education and care, and on access to affordable high-quality long-term care.
High-quality, affordable and accessible care services with better working conditions and work-life balance for carers
Affordable and accessible care services of high quality offer clear benefits for all ages. Participation in early childhood education has a positive impact on a child’s development and helps reduce the risk of social exclusion and poverty, also later in life. Long-term care empowers people, who as a result of old age, illness and/or disability depend on help for daily activities, to maintain their autonomy and live with dignity. However, for many people these services are still not affordable, available or accessible.
Investing in care is important to attract and retain talents in the care sector, which is often characterised by difficult working conditions and low wages, as well as to address labour shortages and fulfil the sector’s economic and job creation potential.
Investing in high-quality care also means improving women’s participation in the labour market and gender equality, in particular gender pay and pension gaps. Women still bear the main brunt of care responsibilities, with 90% of the formal care workforce made up of women, and 7.7 million women out of employment because of care responsibilities.
To address these issues, the Commission is proposing concrete actions to support Member States in increasing access to high-quality and affordable care services, while improving working conditions and work-life balance for carers.
Early childhood education and care
The Commission is proposing that Member States revise the targets on early childhood education and care to enhance women’s labour market participation, also called ‘the Barcelona Targets’, set in 2002. The current targets call on Member States to provide childcare to 33% of children under 3 and to 90% of children from age 3 until mandatory school age. The Commission proposes to set new ambitious yet realistic targets so that by 2030 at least:
50% of children below the age of 3 are in early childhood education and care;
96% of children between the age of 3 and the starting age for compulsory primary education are in early childhood education and care, as already agreed in the European Education Area framework.
The Commission also recommends that, among others, Member States:
Ensure that childcare services are affordable, accessible and of high quality, available in urban as well as rural or disadvantaged areas;
Introduce a legal entitlement to early childhood education and care, ideally with no gap between the end of paid family leave and the legal entitlement; Have targeted measures in place to enable and increase participation of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, with disabilities or with special needs in education and care, to close the gap with the overall population of children;
Look at the number of hours children spend in childcare (‘time-intensity’) and ensure that childcare is available for a duration that allows parents to engage meaningfully in paid work; and
Encourage equal sharing of childcare between parents by combating gender stereotypes and support family-friendly working-time arrangements.
Long-term care
The Commission recommends that Member States draw up national action plans to make care in the EU more available, accessible and of better quality for all, for instance by:
Ensuring that long-term care is timely, comprehensive and affordable, allowing a decent standard of living for people with long-term care needs;
Increasing the offer and mix of professional long-term care services (homecare, community-based care and residential care), close territorial gaps in the access to long-term care, roll-out accessible digital solutions in the provision of care services, and ensure that long-term care services and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities;
Ensuring high-quality criteria and standards for long-term care providers;
Supporting informal carers, who are often women and relatives of care receivers, through training, counselling, psychological and financial support; and
Mobilising adequate and sustainable funding for long-term care, including by using EU funds.
Fair working conditions and training for care staff
To improve working conditions and attract more people – in particular men – to the care sector, Member States are recommended to:
Promote collective bargaining and social dialogue with a view to improving wages and working conditions;
Ensure the highest standards of occupational health and safety;
Design continuous education and training for care workers;
Tackle gender stereotypes around care and launch communication campaigns;
Ratify and implement ILO Convention 189 on domestic workers.
For its part, the Commission will:
Explore the creation of a new sectoral social dialogue for social services at EU level;
Promote the establishment of a skills partnership under the Pact for Skills for the long-term care sector;
Fund projects and research to assess the social and economic value of work and working conditions in the care sector;
Review the application of EU standards governing working conditions;
Map the current admission conditions and rights of long-term care workers from non-EU countries and explore the feasibility of developing EU-level schemes to attract care workers; and
Promote the opportunities available for early childhood education and care staff under the Erasmus+ programmes.
Members of the College said:
Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, said: “Demographic change entails that Europeans are living longer lives, but this also leads to an increased demand for accessible, affordable quality long-term care. At the other end of the life cycle, parents, to be able to fully participate in the labour market, need to ensure appropriate care for their children who need care to develop their cognitive, language, physical skills and competences. Care workers play an essential role in our society, yet their work is often undervalued today. The European Care Strategy we are presenting today sets out how to effectively and efficiently address these challenges. It is time to care about care.”
Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, said: “The European Care Strategy is about putting people first. The EU recognises the value of care work, which must be reflected in better working conditions and pay. People in need of long-term care must be guaranteed access to affordable services of good quality so they can live a dignified life. I hope that this Strategy will result in care – both professional and informal – being given the respect and investment it deserves.”
Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, said: “Investing in care is an investment in gender equality and social fairness. Our initiative is about ensuring that everyone with care responsibilities, especially women, has a real choice when combining private and professional life. Affordable and accessible quality care ensures that those who receive care, including children, older persons and persons with disabilities, are empowered and fully enjoy their rights. Investing in care is about ensuring equal choice, dignity and self-determination.”
Next steps
The Commission’s proposals for Council Recommendations will be discussed by Member States with a view to adoption by the Council. According to the Commission proposals, Member States should inform the Commission on measures to implement the Recommendations one year after adoption. For each Recommendation, the Commission will publish an in-depth report within five years to give an overview of the state of play of implementation. The Commission will also continue monitoring policy developments during the European Semester and supporting reforms and investment through available EU funding.
Background
The European Care Strategy will support the implementation of the principles enshrined in the European Pillar of Social Rights, in particular the principles on gender equality, work-life balance, childcare and support to children and long-term care. In March 2021, the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan announced an initiative on long-term care and the revision of the Barcelona targets for early childhood education and care. In her 2021 State of the Union Address, President Ursula von der Leyen announced a European Care Strategy to support women and men in finding the best care and work life balance for carers. This was later confirmed in the Commission Work Programme 2022.
The European Care Strategy will also contribute to achieving the three EU social headline targets on employment, skills and poverty reduction for 2030, welcomed by EU leaders at the Porto Summit in May 2021 and by the European Council. The Barcelona Targets Recommendation, as part of the 2020-2025 Gender Equality Strategy, builds on other EU initiatives such as the Recommendation on Early Childhood Education and Care, the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the Recommendation on the European Child Guarantee.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The Cyprus issue and Turkish provocations, energy and food crisis, bilateral cooperation and women’s representation were on the agenda of a meeting House President Annita Demetriou had with Bundestag President Bärbel Bas in Berlin on Tuesday.
Demetriou said in statements that she had the opportunity to brief Bas on the Cyprus issue and the Greek Cypriot positions, as well as Turkey’s provocative stance and negative approach as regards the resumption of settlement talks under the UN. She said that Bas reiterated that Germany is clearly against a two-state solution in Cyprus and condemned Turkish provocations in the fenced off city of Varosha.
According to Demetriou, the German official said that she will try to exert pressure on Turkey to return to the negotiating table.
They also discussed the energy crisis and the latest developments as regards Cyprus’ energy program adding that energy and food crisis and the high prices are issues that affect the citizens and solutions need to be found.
During the meeting Demetriou and Bas also agreed to promote parliamentary diplomacy and to take initiatives for women’s representation and protection of vulnerable groups, under the auspices of EP President Roberta Metsola.
Demetriou said that women heads of national parliaments have a very important role to play adding that she also briefed Bas on the recent law passed by the Cyprus House on femicides.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’.
UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.
The Turkish Cypriot leadership announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. A few months earlier, on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. The UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action, while the UN Secretary General, in his latest report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, reiterated his concern over developments in the fenced-off area, noting that the position of the UN on Varosha remains unchanged. The EU also expressed grave concern.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The public broadcaster should be a flexible and effective organisation responding to the challenges and the needs of the modern era, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades has said, addressing a ceremony for the first awards to former personalities of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CYBC).
“It our duty to render the public broadcaster and television as a flexible and effective organisation, one which would meet to the needs and challenges of the modern era, an organisation which would function to the benefit of its employees and of the citizens,” Anastasiades said, adding “this is our demand and aspiration for the CYBC and our common efforts move towards that end.”
The President noted that the CYBC is acknowledged as the organisation for registering, projecting and safeguarding events that sealed Cyprus’ historical, social and cultural course as well as significant international events.
He added that the mission of the state broadcaster warrants objective and valid information free from any interventions or any exclusions with full respect to the independence for the journalists and respect to any views, positions and critique made in good faith.
The President furthermore noted that the media and journalists create trends and standards and therefore should maintain a balanced approach, leaving citizens to make their own conclusions, through correct information and recording all views.
“If there is something to feel proud of is that after ten years in the country’s administration there is no one either in the CYBC or any other media who could claim there was an intervention in the way that news and comments, or a critique, however strict it may have been, should be published,” Anastasiades said, adding “the freedom of the press and the media is the backbone of every democracy.”
“And I have my own respect and honour towards accomplished journalists who either are judging or criticising me, even when they do not do me justice. They have every right to do so and the citizens of course have the judgement to decide,” he said.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
EIG, a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Repsol S.A. (“Repsol”) to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol Upstream, a newly-formed global exploration & production (“E&P”) company comprising Repsol’s entire global upstream oil and gas business. The strategic partnership delivers upfront capital to Repsol to increase its investment in the energy transition, specifically to support the growth of Repsol’s renewable power generation, renewable fuels, and circular products segments.
“Our ambition is to lead the energy transition, and this pioneering agreement allows us to maintain the strategic direction of the upstream unit and, at the same time, to boost the transformation of the company and its multi-energy profile to achieve zero net emissions by 2050”
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Under the terms of the agreement, a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary of EIG, Breakwater Energy, will acquire the 25% interest in Repsol Upstream for total consideration of approximately $4.8 billion, including debt, with Repsol holding the remaining 75%, indicating a total enterprise value of approximately $19.0 billion for Repsol Upstream. The company will be majority controlled by Repsol and will be consolidated in the accounts of Repsol.
Repsol Upstream is a leading, gas-weighted global E&P company that will own and operate Repsol’s globally diversified portfolio of upstream assets, delivering cash generative and resilient operations around key regional hubs, with a focus on the United States. Repsol Upstream is forecast to produce approximately 590,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day for 2H 2022 and has proved and probable reserves of 2.3 billion barrels equivalent as at December 31, 2021, approximately 70% of which is gas. Repsol Upstream also holds contingent resources of 3.8 billion barrels equivalent as at the same date.
The business has committed to leadership in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, initially adopting Repsol’s existing targets, including a 75% reduction of carbon intensity by 2025 from a 2016 baseline, and implementation of a decarbonization plan, including development of new short and medium-term GHG emissions reduction targets. The company also has a green exploration business targeting Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), geothermal and hydrogen storage projects.
Repsol Upstream will maintain the business’s current workforce and existing management team. The company is expected to benefit from Repsol’s expertise as a benchmark upstream operator, as well as from EIG’s knowledge of global debt and equity capital markets and upstream experience, particularly in the United States, the North Sea, Brazil and Asia Pacific. Repsol Upstream will also benefit from EIG’s recent expertise derived from its successful formation, transformation, and public listing of Harbour Energy. EIG believes the transaction puts Repsol Upstream on a pathway towards future market liquidity—both Repsol and EIG foresee the potential to list the business in the U.S. from 2026 onward, subject to favorable market conditions.
“Energy transition informs every decision we make, and we are thrilled to partner with a global leader of Repsol’s stature on this compelling opportunity to lead change in our industry,” said R. Blair Thomas, EIG’s Chairman and CEO. “Evaluation of ESG impact is integrated into EIG’s core investment and portfolio management functions, and we look forward to working with Repsol, a world-class operator and energy transition leader, to continue building on the business’s ESG best practices. As the world looks to meet the twin goals of decarbonization and reliability, we believe this partnership is well positioned to help meet the growing global demand for accessible, efficient and safe energy.”
“Our ambition is to lead the energy transition, and this pioneering agreement allows us to maintain the strategic direction of the upstream unit and, at the same time, to boost the transformation of the company and its multi-energy profile to achieve zero net emissions by 2050,” said Repsol CEO Josu Jon Imaz.
As part of the transaction, EIG will have the right to nominate two members to Repsol Upstream’s eight-member Board of Directors. Four will be nominated by Repsol, with the remaining two as Independents. EIG will also have the right to appoint two senior executives to the Repsol Upstream leadership team, one to serve as ESG Director and the other to lead special projects, including IPO preparedness.
The transaction is expected to close within the coming six months, subject to customary closing conditions.
Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisors to EIG in connection with the transaction. Goldman Sachs & Co LLC, J.P. Morgan and Lazard are acting as capital markets advisors in connection with the financing of the transaction. Latham & Watkins serves as EIG’s legal advisor.
About EIG
EIG is a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors with $24.0 billion under management as of June 30, 2022. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 40-year history, EIG has committed over $41.5 billion to the energy sector through over 387 projects or companies in 38 countries on six continents. EIG’s clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul.
About Repsol
Repsol is a global multi-energy company that is leading the energy transition with its ambition of achieving zero net emissions by 2050. Present throughout the energy value chain, the company employs 24,000 people worldwide and distributes its products in nearly 100 countries to around 24 million customers.
To achieve zero net emissions by 2050, Repsol is deploying an integrated model of decarbonization technologies based on enhanced efficiency, increased renewable power generation capacity, production of low-carbon fuels, development of new customer solutions, the circular economy, and by driving breakthrough projects to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Procore Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PCOR), a leading global provider of construction management software, today announced the opening of its new EMEA hub in Dublin, Ireland. This move demonstrates Procore’s continued commitment to the region and desire to support its expanding customer base as part of its mission to connect everyone in construction on a global platform.
“For the past 20 years, Procore has been working to connect everyone in construction on a global platform. Procore’s increasing presence across Europe, the Middle East and Africa speaks to our long-term goal to be the single platform which supports construction professionals across the world.”
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The EMEA hub, within Dublin’s South Point building on Harmony Row, occupies the 3rd floor penthouse and spans 15,000 square feet. Formulated to help drive Procore’s growth and better support customers in the region, the hub will aim to create hundreds of jobs in Dublin over the next few years with the company hiring for roles across sales, customer success and customer support, to name a few.
To lead this new office, Procore has appointed Ciaran Cushley as the Head of the EMEA Hub. With a track record of building and leading high-performing teams in Europe and North America for companies such as DocuSign, Cushley brings over 18 years of experience to the company.
“In this exciting time to join Procore, it is a privilege to lead the new hub which signifies our ambition for continued growth across EMEA. Not only will the hub cement our presence in the region, but it will enable customers to continue to efficiently connect their people, systems and data on one platform – allowing them to fully reap the benefits of construction technology,” comments Ciaran Cushley, Head of EMEA Hub at Procore.
Brandon Oliveri-O’Connor, VP of EMEA at Procore adds, “For the past 20 years, Procore has been working to connect everyone in construction on a global platform. Procore’s increasing presence across Europe, the Middle East and Africa speaks to our long-term goal to be the single platform which supports construction professionals across the world.”
About Procore
Procore is a leading global provider of construction management software. Over 1 million projects and more than $1 trillion USD in construction volume have run on Procore’s platform. Our platform connects every project stakeholder to solutions we’ve built specifically for the construction industry—for the owner, the general contractor, and the specialty contractor. Procore’s App Marketplace has a multitude of partner solutions that integrate seamlessly with our platform, giving construction professionals the freedom to connect with what works best for them. Headquartered in Carpinteria, California, Procore has offices in the United States, Canada, and around the globe.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Today, HERA, the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, has secured an additional 170,920 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s 3rd generation vaccine to respond to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak and to meet the more immediate needs. This brings the total number of doses directly purchased by the EU to 334,540 for Member States.
These additional doses will be available for delivery before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the EU-funded monkeypox vaccines already purchased continue to be delivered over the coming weeks and months to EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland.
Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, said: “While we have seen the number of monkeypox cases decreasing in the EU over the past weeks, the threat has not passed, and we cannot let down our guard. We must continue to keep up the pace of our efforts to protect our citizens, especially the most vulnerable. Preparedness is key to respond swiftly to health emergencies. With HERA, the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, we have purchased an additional 170,920 vaccine doses for Member States. This brings the total number of doses secured for Member States for urgent needs to over 330,000. This is HERA, a core pillar of our European Health Union, delivering on its mandate to protect our citizens.”
The Commission’s Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) has purchased the third-generation vaccine for and on behalf of HERA. HERA will then make the vaccines available to EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland.
Furthermore, to meet Member States’ medium-term needs, HERA launched joint procurement procedures for additional vaccines as well as for therapeutics. These actions, combined with EMA’s advice on the intradermal use of the monkeypox vaccine, will ensure quicker protection of the most vulnerable and speed up vaccination for citizens at risk.
Background
Since the start of the outbreak and as of 1 of September, around 18,463 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 29 EU/EEA countries. Monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals with symptoms very similar but less severe to those seen in the past in smallpox patients. The disease is endemic in West and Central Africa, and it is spreading for the first time in Europe.
The Commission is committed to build a stronger and active European Health Union that is prepared and able to respond to emerging health threats. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the importance of coordination among European countries and the added value of a common response in face of cross-border health threats.
The European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is a key pillar of the European Health Union and a fundamental asset to strengthen the EU’s health emergency response and preparedness. HERA was established in October 2021 to replace ad hoc approaches for pandemic response with a permanent structure with adequate tools and resources to plan ahead the EU action in case of health emergencies. HERA will anticipate threats and potential health crises, through intelligence gathering and building the necessary response capacities.
From the onset of the monkeypox outbreak, HERA has been, alongside other Commission services and Member States, closely following the evolution of the outbreak in Europe and supporting the preparedness and response efforts of all Member States.
HaDEA is the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, established by the Commission. HaDEA implements European programmes and funds actions and initiatives in the domains of health, food safety, digital technologies and networks, industry, and space.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, will welcome the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who arrives in Larnaca on Thursday 8 September for an official visit following an invitation by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
According to a Parliament press release, on Friday 9 September, the President of the European Parliament will have a meeting with Demetriou at the House of Representatives, followed by statements to the press, and then the President of the European Parliament will address a Special Session of the House Plenary, followed by a formal lunch in honour of Roberta Metsola.
Furthermore, it is noted that the President of the European Parliament and the President of the House of Representatives will participate in a debate with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth representatives at the University of Cyprus, organised by the European Parliament Office in Cyprus.
Finally, it is added that Metsola will visit the Famagusta Municipality Cultural Centre in Deryneia, where she will have a meeting with the Mayor and the Municipal Council of Famagusta Municipality, in the presence of Annita Demetriou.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The inclusion of messages in advertisements related to vehicles and alcohol will become mandatory, as a relevant proposal of the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Yiannis Karousos, was approved by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, through which the “Road Safety” Law is amended.
According to a Transport Ministry press release, Karousos said that “this is yet another tool that we will now have at our disposal in terms of road safety.”
“Just as a health warning message is placed on tobacco products, it will be mandatory to place a road safety related message on advertisements and products related to road safety, such as vehicles and the sale of alcohol. It is a practice that other countries abroad follow on various issues with success and now it will be applied in Cyprus as well,” he explained.
The Minister added that the bill will be immediately forwarded to Parliament.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Today, Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Public Health and Food Safety, takes part in the informal meeting of Health Ministers in Prague, under the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. The first session of the meeting focuses on the public health impact of the war in Ukraine. EU Health ministers will discuss in presence of Minister of Health of Ukraine, Viktor Liashko, immediate, but also long-term assistance to Ukraine. In July, the Commission and Ukraine signed an agreement for Ukraine’s association to EU4Health. The second session will address the importance of vaccination at large, especially with regard to the implementation of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 and the ongoing work on the monkeypox outbreak. In this context, the Commission issued a communication proposing concrete measures to avoid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the upcoming autumn and winter season. Ministers will also debate the future of the fight against pandemics. A third part of the meeting will focus on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and its implementation. Ministers will address early detection, screening, and the EU network of comprehensive cancer centres. The meeting finally includes a ministerial-level meeting of the HERA Board, where the future of (current and future) contracts for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines will be discussed. Representatives of the manufacturers and the Commission (BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna management) will attend this meeting. A press conference with Commissioner Kyriakides will take place at +/- 18:00 and can be followed live on EbS.
COLLEGE MEETING: The European Commission appoints two new Directors for its Joint Research Centre
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Alessandra Zampieri as Director ‘Sustainable Resources’ and Guy Van den Eede as Director ‘Health, Consumers and Reference Materials’ at the Joint Research Centre (JRC). As the science and knowledge service of the European Commission, the JRC’s mission is to support EU policies with independent evidence throughout the whole policy cycle. The date of effect of their appointments is to be determined later. Alessandra Zampieri, an Italian national, brings with her advanced leadership and negotiation skills, as well as rich experience in evidence based policy making. Being an experienced communicator, she also has an excellent track record of presenting complex technical or scientific files to non-specialised public. Alessandra Zampieri is currently Deputy Director and Head of the Disaster Risk Management Unit of the JRC, in charge of strengthening the EU’s capacity to cope with natural hazards and human-made disasters. She notably supervises research activities in support of the Green Deal, Digital Transformation, and a Stronger Europe in the World. Prior to that, she was responsible for the Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography providing EU migration policymakers with policy-relevant knowledge and evidence-based analysis. She joined the JRC in 2009 as Head of the Maritime Affairs Unit in charge of developing scientific and technological methodologies for EU policies related to the sea. Earlier in her career, she worked on maritime and aviation policies, also as Deputy and acting Head of the Unit ‘Air safety’ in the former Directorate-General for energy and transport and as a Member of Cabinet of Vice-President Loyola de Palacio. She joined the European Commission in 1993 after graduating in Economics, at the University of Genoa. Guy Van den Eede, a Belgian national, will draw on his recognised expertise in life sciences as an Engineer in Chemical and Agronomical Sciences and as an author of over one hundred scientific papers. In this role, he will benefit from his 22 years of managerial experience in the JRC as a specialist of public health, food and feed safety. Guy Van den Eede has been the acting Director of the Directorate for ‘Health, Consumers & Reference Materials’ and for the management of the Geel Site since 2019. He has provided independent scientific evidence for the development, implementation and evaluation of EU policies in the areas of public health, medical devices, consumer products, nanomaterials, food and feed safety and authenticity, standardisation and reference materials. Previously, he headed the Units ‘Knowledge for Health and Consumer Safety’ and ‘Biotechnology and GMOs’, covering life science-related files in the field of public health, food safety and security, toxicology, molecular biology and GMOs. Before joining the JRC in 1990 to provide technical support to the implementation of the EU policies on GMOs, he was a Professor Assistant at the University of Ghent, specialising in plant molecular biology and in bacterial molecular biology.
Commission and European Investment Bank unlock up to €10 billion to support public investments in the territories in transition towards a climate-neutral economy
The Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed an agreement on the Public Sector Loan Facility, the third pillar of the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM). The agreement paves the way for public sector entities in the EU territories and regions that need most support in Europe’s transition to a climate-neutral economy to benefit from €1.5 billion grants from the Commission and €10 billion of EIB loans. Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “The European Green Deal is our strategy to achieve a climate-neutral economy and Cohesion Policy will help delivering our green objectives in a fair way. Thanks to this agreement with the EIB, the Public Sector Loan Facility will offer public authorities in the regions and territories that most need support preferential lending conditions for projects that do not generate sufficient revenue to be financially viable. The European Commission and the EIB will keep working together to support a fair transition that will leave no one behind.” The agreement is expected to mobilise between €18-20 billion of investments over the next seven years and it follows the launch of the call for proposals by the Commission worth €1.5 billion of EU grants. The Public Sector Loan Facility is one of the three pillars of the JTM, which is part of the European Green Deal to achieve EU climate neutrality by 2050. To be eligible, projects must be located in, or benefit, territories that Member States have identified in their Territorial Just Transition Plans as facing the biggest challenges to move away from fossil fuels and carbon-intensive industries. Public sector entities in just transition regions are invited to consult the relevant documentation and submit their proposals on the Commission’s Funding and Tenders portal. Potential beneficiaries can also request advisory support from the InvestEU Advisory Hub. More details here.
Source: Cyprus News Agency