Day: March 24, 2023

French home improvement chain Leroy Merlin is transferring its business in Russia to local management, parent company ADEO announced on Friday.

ADEO began preparations for the move several months ago to comply with international regulations, a press release stated. It added that the transaction will be subject to approval by the relevant authorities in Russia.

“After more than 18 years of activity in Russia, transferring control of Leroy Merlin to the local management should preserve the jobs of the 45,000 employees and ensure that the company’s activity remains at the service of the inhabitants,” the company said.

Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade described Leroy Merlin’s decision as “rational” and promised to provide assistance, RIA Novosti reported.

The Leroy Merlin chain has over 100 stores in more than 60 Russian cities, and the retailer is one of the 10 largest trading companies in the country.

Source: Russia Today

Ryan Hart is a five-time Guinness World Record holder and multiple world champion who has spent more than two decades competing in combat tournaments around the world.

The 44-year-old speaks of “destroying” opponents, leaving them “mentally broken” with defeats that can “haunt for weeks, months, even years”.

But Hart’s battles are not physical – he is a champion in fight-based video games.

And while he happily admits he wouldn’t fancy his chances inside the Octagon with an MMA champion, he would certainly back himself with a controller in hand.

“It’s about being cunning, sly, using skulduggery,” he says.

“Hand-to-hand combat isn’t different, apart from the physical training. The matches are 90% cerebral.

“It’s like a musical instrument. You might have a tune in your head, but if your hands don’t know how to utilise the strings on a guitar – how to combine the snare drum and bass drum on a drumkit – it doesn’t matter.

“You might have the knowledge, but if you can’t translate that, it won’t work. The MMA champion, they’ll fall short because they don’t have the physical know-how on the controller to utilise the moves to get out the strategy that they want to deliver.”

Speaking to 5 Live’s Winners Enclosure, Hart said things can get pretty heated in gaming battles.

“Just like in boxing or UFC, you have serious rivalries,” he said. “People don’t like each other. Some of the beefs are really serious.”

Hart’s love for video games blossomed during the 1990s, when he played Street Fighter. Gaming gave him solace during some turbulent formative years – and helped him to “weather the storm”.

“I grew up without a dad,” he says. “I was alone a lot of the time. I found myself in all kinds of difficult situations.”

Hart won his first major tournament – the King of Fighters UK Championship – in 1996. He successfully defended the title a year later, but around that time he also had a period of homelessness.

“Juggling those two lives was very, very challenging,” he says. “It was a very, very dark place I was entering into – a life of solitude, very difficult to manage.”

Hart kept working, and in 1998 travelled to Japan to play in a competitive gaming competition. He won his first World Championship in Japan in 1998 and went on to win his second World Championship for Tekken 3 in 1999.

“I’d never had a passport in my life,” he says. “I was on a plane going to Tokyo, 18 years of age. I didn’t speak a word of Japanese.

“It was just such a surreal experience. It was crazy. On day one, there were 12 reporters outside waiting to interview me. I had no idea about this following I had.”

Though overseas success was not instant, Hart did win the King of Fighters 1998 World Championship in Japan.

Indeed, between 1995 and 2018 he racked up an incredible number of titles.

He holds five Guinness World Records, including most consecutive opponents on Street Fighter V, most tournament wins for different fighting games and most countries tournaments have been won in. He has numerous national, European and world titles, and is a two-time winner of the Evolution Championship Series – an esports event that focuses exclusively on fighting games.

Hart became a pro gamer in 2009, playing for a team – the Low Land Lions – for the first time.

Prior to that, he funded all of his own travel and accommodation for tournaments.

These days, he is Twitch partner, commentator, pro player and Creative Production Editor at ESL – the world’s largest esports organisation in a sector expected to be worth $1.9bn (£1.4bn) by 2025.

That wasn’t always the case, of course.

“Back in the 90s/noughties, it wasn’t established as a full-time career,” he says.

“You used to get laughed out of the room if you said you got paid to play video games.”

Source: BBC

With a view to making the EU a leader in our data-driven society, member states’ representatives (Coreper) reached a common position (“negotiating mandate”) allowing the Council to enter negotiations with the European Parliament on the proposed legislation regarding harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (data act).

Erik Slottner, Swedish minister for public administration

Today’s agreement will facilitate the digital transformation of our societies and economies. The data act will unlock the economic and societal potential of data and technologies in line with EU rules and values. It will contribute to creating a single market to allow data to flow freely within the EU and across sectors for the benefit of businesses, researchers, public administrations, and society at large.

Erik Slottner, Swedish minister for public administration

The data act will give both individuals and businesses more control over their data through a reinforced portability right, copying or transferring data easily from across different services, where the data are generated through smart objects, machines, and devices. The new legislation will empower consumers and companies by giving them a say on what can be done with the data generated by their connected products.

Main issues maintaining the general thrust of Commission’s proposal

The regulation proposes new rules on who can use and access data generated in the EU across all economic sectors. It aims to ensure fairness in the digital environment, stimulate a competitive data market, open opportunities for data-driven innovation and make data more accessible to all.

The proposal also aims to ease the switching of providers of data processing services, puts in place safeguards against unlawful data transfer by cloud service providers and provides for the development of interoperability standards for data to be reused between sectors.

The Council’s common position maintains the general thrust of the Commission’s proposal, namely as regards:

measures to allow users of connected devices, ranging from smart home appliances to smart industrial machinery, to gain access to data generated by them, which is often exclusively harvested by manufacturers

measures to prevent abuse of contractual imbalances in data sharing contracts due to unfair contractual terms imposed by a party with significantly stronger bargaining position

means for public sector bodies to access and use data held by the private sector that is necessary in exceptional circumstances, particularly in case of a public emergency, such as floods and wildfires, or to implement a legal mandate if data are not otherwise available

new rules allowing customers to effectively switch between different cloud data-processing service providers and putting in place safeguards against unlawful data transfer

Main amendments to the Commission’s proposal

The Council’s text amends various parts of the Commission’s proposal, including on the following aspects:

a clearer definition of the scope of the regulation, especially with regard to Internet of Things (IoT) data, where focus was moved to the functionalities of the data collected by connected products instead of the products themselves

some clarifications on the interplay between the data act and existing horizontal and sectoral legislation, such as the data governance act and the general data protection regulation (GDPR)

the protection of trade secrets and intellectual property rights, accompanied by appropriate safeguards against abusive behaviour

additional guidance with regard to reasonable compensation for making the data available and dispute settlement mechanisms

some fine-tuning on data sharing requests by public sector bodies based on exceptional needs

clearer and more widely applicable provisions with regard to effective switching between data processing services

Next steps

Today’s agreement on the Council’s common position will allow the Swedish presidency to enter negotiations with the European Parliament (“trilogues”) on the final version of the proposed legislation.

Background

Following the data governance act adopted by the co-legislators in 2022, the data act regulation is the second main legislative initiative resulting from the Commission’s February 2020 European strategy for data, which aims to make the EU a leader in our data-driven society.

While the data governance act creates the processes and structures to facilitate data sharing by companies, individuals and the public sector, the data act clarifies who can create value from data and under which conditions. This is a key digital principle that will contribute to creating a solid and fair data-driven economy and guide the EU’s digital transformation by 2030. It will lead to new, innovative services and more competitive prices for aftermarket services and repairs of connected objects (“Internet of Things” / IoT).

In its conclusions of 25 March 2021, the European Council underlined the importance of digital transformation for EU’s growth, prosperity, security, and competitiveness, as well as for the well-being of our societies. In light of these ambitions and challenges, the Commission proposed on 23 February 2022 measures for a fair and innovative data economy (Data Act), as a follow-up to its communication of February 2020 on the European strategy for data.

Source: EMM/ European Council

EU leaders discussed the latest developments in relation to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and continued EU support for Ukraine.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joined the EU leaders via video conference.

Competitiveness, single market and the economy, energy, external relations and other topics, including migration, were also discussed.

European Council conclusions, 23 March 2023

EU response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

The European Council reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s actions and unwavering support for Ukraine and its people.

EU leaders welcomed a resolution by the UN General Assembly on ‘Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine’, which was adopted in February and received broad support from the international community. EU leaders reiterated their support for President Zelenskyy’s peace plan.

Accountability of perpetrators

The European Council called for:

an immediate, complete and unconditional stop to Russia’s aggression

full respect for international humanitarian law, including the treatment of prisoners of war

the safe return of Ukrainians deported to Russia, in particular children

EU leaders took note of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Russia’s President and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights for war crimes.

They also welcomed the agreement to create the new international centre in The Hague for the prosecution of the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The European Union is firmly committed to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

European Council conclusions, 23 March 2023

Sanctions against Russia

Since the start of Russia’s war, the EU and its member states have made available around €67 billion to Ukraine and its people. They also adopted an unprecedented set of restrictive measures against Russia, which visibly affected its regime and its economy.

The EU remains committed to maintaining and increasing collective pressure on Russia through:

possible further restrictive measures

work on the oil price cap with partners

EU leaders underlined the importance of ensuring the effective implementation of restrictive measures and preventing and countering their circumvention.

The European Union will intensify its work with partners to counter false Russian narratives and disinformation.

EU response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (background information)

EU solidarity with Ukraine (background information)

Military and defence needs

The European Council welcomed the agreement in the Council to provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within a year.

European Peace Facility (background information)

Recovery and reconstruction

EU leaders remain committed to supporting, along with partners, Ukraine’s repair, recovery and reconstruction by:

stepping up work towards the use of Russia’s frozen assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine

supporting the establishment of an international mechanism to register the damage Russia has inflicted

Moldova

The European Union will continue to provide all relevant support to the Republic of Moldova to strengthen the country’s resilience, security, stability and economy and help it on its path to EU accession.

The European Council invited the Commission to present a support package ahead of its next meeting.

Moldova (background information)

Global food security

The European Council took note of the recent extension of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative, underlining the substantial EU contribution to efforts to support the export of Ukrainian food through the EU solidarity lanes.

Food security and affordability (background information)

Food for the world (feature story)

A robust and future-proof economy

The European Union is building a robust and future-proof economy that secures long-term prosperity. This requires a deepening of the single market and reinforcing industrial, agricultural and trade policies.

Infographic – 30th anniversary of the EU single market

Illustration of a woman and two men, with a map showing the member countries of the EU single market in the backgroundSee full infographic

The EU single market

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, EU leaders highlighted the benefits of the single market and supported a renewed focus on enforcing rules and removing barriers to cross-border business.

A well-functioning single market remains fundamental for the success of the green and digital transitions, for our future growth and for economic, social and territorial cohesion.

European Council conclusions, 23 March 2023

EU leaders called for ambitious action to:

complete the single market, in particular for digital and services

address the vulnerabilities exposed by recent crises

EU single market (background information)

Competitiveness

With the aim of boosting the EU’s long-term competitiveness, the European Council called for work to be taken forward on:

strengthening the EU’s resilience and productivity

simplifying rules and procedures and reducing the administrative burden

allowing for easier access to private capital and investment (in particular for small and medium-sized entreprises) and ensuring targeted support in strategic sectors

reducing the EU’s strategic dependencies

encouraging innovation and increasing investment in research and development

strengthening the digitalisation of the economy, unlocking the value of data, and ensuring the EU stays at the forefront of new and emerging technologies

investing in the skills of the future

fostering the transition towards a more circular economy

Capital markets union (background information)

Industrial policy

EU leaders called for work to be taken forward on the European critical raw materials act and the net-zero industry act and took note of the revised state aid framework.

EU industrial policy (background information)

Trade

The European Council held a strategic discussion on the geopolitical aspects of trade and underlined the contribution of trade policy to the EU’s competitiveness.

Infographic – Council orientations for a reform of the EU economic governance framework

An illustration of the Council building surrounded by different icons that symbolise the economic governance frameworkSee full infographic

Economic policy coordination

Leaders endorsed Council orientations for a reform of the EU economic governance framework to make it fitter for current challenges. They were adopted on 14 March 2023.

Towards a reform of the Economic governance framework (background information)

Economic governance framework: Council agrees its orientations for a reform (press release, 14 March 2023)

In the framework of the 2023 European Semester, which is the annual cycle of economic, fiscal, labour and social policy coordination within the EU, leaders endorsed the draft Council recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area.

The European Council also endorsed the policy priorities of the annual sustainable growth survey and invited member states to reflect them in their national reform programmes and stability or convergence programmes.

The European Semester explained (background information)

European Semester (infographic)

Energy

EU leaders took stock of actions taken at EU level to address high energy prices, reduce gas demand, ensure security of supply and phase out dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

Leaders called on the Commission and the member states to ensure preparedness and contingency planning in view of the next gas storage filling and heating seasons. They urged all stakeholders to make full use of the EU Energy Platform to further improve the security of gas supplies at affordable prices.

The European Council invited the Commission to promptly finalise the assessment of the emergency measures adopted in 2022 and, where necessary, to propose the extension of their application.

Leaders asked the Council and the European Parliament to quickly agree on all relevant proposals to accelerate the green transition, and to take work forward without delay on the proposed revision of the EU’s internal electricity market design with a view to ensuring its adoption by the end of 2023.

Energy prices and security of supply (background information)

EU-UN relations

Leaders also held an exchange of views with António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

They agreed on the importance of EU-UN cooperation to tackle global challenges and stressed their shared commitment to multilateralism.

Readout of the working session of the European Council with the UN Secretary General (press release, 23 March 2023)

Migration

The Council presidency and the Commission informed the European Council about progress in the implementation of its February conclusions on migration.

Leaders called for the swift implementation of those conclusions and will review it again in June.

EU migration and asylum policy (background information)

Special European Council, 9 February 2023

External relations

EU leaders welcomed the:

outcome of the latest Donors’ Conference in support of people in Türkiye and Syria following the tragic earthquake on 6 February

agreement on the path to normalisation of relations between Kosovo* and Serbia through EU-facilitated dialogue

agreement on the Windsor Framework

The Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland explained (background information)

Donors’ conference for Türkiye and Syria (European Commission)

The European Council also condemned the sentencing of prominent representatives of the Belarusian democratic opposition.

Water security

The European Council welcomed the UN 2023 Water Conference and its Water Action Agenda.

EU leaders acknowledged the need for enhanced EU and global action on water and underlined the importance of a strategic EU approach to water security.

Euro Summit

In the margins of the European Council, a Euro Summit in inclusive format, with all 27 leaders, was held on 24 March.

Source: EMM/ European Council