Tomorrow, 1 July 2022, the new improved Roaming regulation enters into force. It extends “Roam-like-at-home” until 2032 – the scheme thanks to which travellers in the EU and the EEA can call, text and surf abroad without extra charges. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said: “With our roaming regulation we have all benefitted from Roam-like-at-home. We can call, text and use the Internet without extra costs when we travel in the EU. This is a very tangible benefit of our European Single Market. Prolonging these rules will keep inter-operator prices competitive, and allow consumers to continue enjoying free-of-charge roaming services for the next ten years.” Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said: “Remember when we had to switch off mobile data when travelling in Europe — to avoid ending up with a massive roaming bill? Well this is history. And we intend to keep it this way for at least the next 10 years. Better speed, more transparency: we keep improving EU citizens’ lives.” The new rules will also bring about significant benefits for EU businesses and citizens, who will enjoy a better roaming experience, with the same quality of mobile service abroad as they have at home. The new rules also improve access to emergency communications across the EU and guarantee clear information about services that may be subject to extra charges. For further information, please consult the press release and Q&A.
NextGenerationEU: European Commission updates Member States’ grant allocation key based on Eurostat outturn data for 2020 and 2021
Today, the European Commission published the updated grant allocation key for Member States under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), in line with the RRF Regulation requirements. The update takes into account the difference between the real GDP growth estimated in the 2020 Autumn Economic Forecast, which at the time of the adoption of the Regulation was the most recent economic forecast available, and the update based on actual outturn data provided by Eurostat. The update will lead to some changes in the available RRF grants for Member States. To enter into effect, the changes in the allocation of grants will have to be reflected in an updated Council Implementing Decision for the relevant Member States. More information is available online.
Ukraine: Commission supports Member States to include refugee children in their education systems for the next school year
Today, the Commission publishes a practical manual to help Ukrainian children and young people to continue their education in the EU, from early childhood education and care to upper secondary education (0-18 years). The document gathers essential education principles and practices for supporting the inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in education. It is addressed to all relevant parties, including teachers and national authorities. The concrete insights build on the lessons Member States have collectively learnt since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February. On occasion of the publication, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Welcoming so many Ukrainian refugees into European schools and universities is a tremendous opportunity to prepare Ukraine’s youth on their European path. Ukraine can count on the EU to support and protect their children, so that they can rebuild their country. Our solidarity is a pillar of our partnership – present and future.” Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said: “As this school year ends, we can confidently say that we are ready for the autumn. We have been helping educators to provide education under the best possible conditions. And we have ensured that our schools will remain a safe haven for all pupils, whether they are refugees or EU nationals.” Today’s Staff Working Document was prepared in consultation with UNHCR and UNICEF, representatives of ministries of education, partner organisations that met in peer learning events between March and June 2022, and with experts from the Network working on the social dimension of education and training (NESET). More information is available here and on the School Education Gateway.
Supporting Ukrainian exports and improving connections to the EU: Commission strengthens cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova
Yesterday, Commissioner for transport Adina Valean together with Ukrainian minister for infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, and Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu, signed road freight transport agreements between the EU and each country. The agreements will help secure supply chains, including food security following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its blockage of traditional transport routes. In addition, Commissioner Valean and Minister Kubrakov signed an understanding on updating Ukraine’s indicative TEN-T network to improve infrastructure connections between the EU and Ukraine. The signatures took place during the Connecting Europe Days in Lyon. Commissioner Valean said: “These two agreements are another example of the concrete ways through which the EU supports Ukraine. We are partly liberalising road transport for Ukrainian and Moldovan hauliers in the EU to keeping up export flows and ensuring that Ukraine can import the goods it needs. They will also provide relief to Moldova, which has lost essential transport routes through Ukraine for its own exports, and whose economy has been heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine. We have also taken steps to tie Ukraine closer to the EU in terms of infrastructure, which will help guide the reconstruction effort once Ukraine has fended off Russia’s war of aggression.” The road transport agreements will facilitate the carriage of goods between the EU, Ukraine and Moldova allowing hauliers to transit through and operate between each other’s territories without the need for permits for these types of operations. The agreement between EU and Ukraine also provides for the recognition of Ukrainian driving licences and certificates of professional competence to further support Ukrainian drivers. Following the high-level understanding on the TEN-T network, the EU will include Ukraine’s updated TEN-T maps in its legislation with the aim to improve connections. The understanding underlines the shared intention to promote adequate planning and development of sustainable and resource-efficient transport connectivity between the two sides. Both actions are part of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Action Plan, a large set of activities in the field of transport policy in support of Ukraine.
EU Digital COVID Certificate: Commission adopts equivalence decisions for Bahrain, Ecuador, the Republic of Korea, Kosovo and Madagascar
The Commission adopted five new equivalence decisions certifying that COVID-19 certificates issued by Bahrain, Ecuador, the Republic of Korea, Kosovo and Madagascar are equivalent to the EU Digital COVID Certificate. As a result, the five of them will be connected to the EU’s system. The EU will accept their COVID certificates under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate. This means that holders of certificates issued by Bahrain, Ecuador, the Republic of Korea, Kosovo and Madagascar, will be able to use them under the same conditions as holders of an EU Digital COVID Certificate do. Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders said: “With the start of the summer, people start thinking about holiday plans and I’m happy to announce that Bahrain, Ecuador, the Republic of Korea, Kosovo and Madagascar are joining our system, which now has 72 connected countries and territories”. The Commission’s decisions will enter into force on 1 July 2022. All decisions are available online. In February 2022, the Commission proposed to the European Parliament and the Council to extend the EU Digital COVID Certificate system by a year, until 30 June 2023. The amended Regulation, the text of which is available online, also enters into force today. More information on the EU Digital COVID Certificate can be found on the dedicated website.
294 organisations join the EIT Higher Education Initiative to unlock the innovation potential of higher education institutions
Today, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) announced the 26 winning consortia selected to take part in the second round of the EIT HEI Initiative. 294 organisations from 38 countries will receive up to €31.2 million in total. They will join a network of over 270 organisations that are all geared to strengthen their innovation and entrepreneurial capacity. Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Over the past year, the EIT HEI Initiative has built up great momentum to make higher education institutions more innovative and entrepreneurial by linking them with businesses and research centres. 294 additional organisations will benefit from expertise, coaching and knowledge exchange. This support will help them to build local innovation ecosystems and achieve real institutional change.” The second call under the EIT HEI Initiative, which closed in March 2022, attracted 56 applications including over 680 organisations from across Europe. 26 projects were selected, comprising 147 HEIs and 147 non-academic organisations (companies, research centres, public authorities, and associations). The composition of the winning consortia has the potential to deliver on the important goal of creating strong collaborations between industry and HEIs to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe. The EIT HEI Initiative aims to reach 550 higher education institutions by 2027 to boost innovation in the higher education sector and to support the twin transition towards a more sustainable, digital and competitive Europe.
Antitrust: Commission accepts commitments by Insurance Ireland to ensure access to its data sharing platform
The European Commission has made commitments offered by Insurance Ireland, an association of Irish insurers, legally binding under EU antitrust rules. Insurance Ireland must ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to its Insurance Link information exchange system, which contains important data for companies offering motor vehicle insurance services in Ireland. In the Statement of Objections issued in June 2021, the Commission outlined its preliminary view that Insurance Ireland arbitrarily delayed or in practice denied access of non-members to its Insurance Link information exchange system, thereby restricting competition in the Irish motor vehicle insurance market. To address the Commission’s concerns, Insurance Ireland offered certain commitments. Between 4 March and 4 April 2022, the Commission market tested them and consulted interested third parties to ascertain that they would remove the competition concerns. The Commission found that Insurance Ireland’s final commitments will ensure market participants’ access to the Insurance Link platform, and decided to make them legally binding on Insurance Ireland. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “Insurance Ireland has offered commitments which will ensure access to its data sharing system on a fair, transparent, objective and non-discriminatory basis. Today, the Commission has made this binding. The commitments will restore the level playing field in the Irish motor insurance market and ease the entry of new players. As a result, consumers may benefit from a larger choice of suppliers. This is a good result since today’s economy increasingly relies on data sharing and access to data has become key in many markets.” A press release is available online.
Antitrust: Commission seeks feedback on performance of EU antitrust enforcement framework
The European Commission has launched today a call for evidence and a public consultation inviting feedback on the performance of the EU Regulations which lay out the procedures for the application of EU competition rules (Regulation 1/2003 and Regulation 773/2004). Interested parties can respond to the public consultation for 14 weeks, until 6 October 2022. Today’s consultation is part of a broader review exercise aimed at ensuring that the EU’s antitrust rules remain fit for purpose. The information collected through the consultation will provide part of the evidence to be used in the Commission’s evaluation. The evaluation will help the Commission decide whether the current EU antitrust procedural framework should be maintained or changed. The Commission will summarise the results of the evaluation exercise in a Staff Working Document that is planned to be published in the second quarter of 2024. All details about the evaluation are available here. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “Effective enforcement of EU antitrust rules is crucial to ensure that markets perform at their best. For almost two decades, the current procedural antitrust regulations have served us well. But in light of the challenges brought about by the digitisation of our economy, there may well be certain areas where improvements are possible or needed. Now is the time to take stock of the gained experience to ensure that the current rules remain up to date. We therefore invite all interested parties to share their views on whether the existing EU antitrust enforcement framework is still fit for purpose.” A press release is available online.
State aid: phase out of COVID Temporary Framework
As announced in May 2022, the State aid COVID Temporary Framework will not be extended beyond the current expiry date of 30 June 2022, for most of the tools provided. On 19 March 2020, following the coronavirus outbreak, the Commission promptly adopted the COVID Temporary Framework to enable Member States to use the full flexibility foreseen under State aid rules to support the economy and the most severely affected companies and sectors in a timely, targeted and proportionate way, while protecting the level playing field in the Single Market. Since its adoption, the Temporary Framework has been amended six times, last on 18 November 2021. As of today, the Commission has taken over 1350 decisions approving around 980 national measures notified by all 27 Member States for an estimate total State aid amount approved of approximately €3.2 trillion. In light of the improvement of the sanitary crisis in Europe and the progressive lifting of the related restrictive measures, the Temporary Framework will not be extended beyond 30 June 2022, with some exceptions. In particular, investment and solvency support measures may still be put in place until 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2023 respectively, as already provided for under the existing rules. In addition, the Temporary Framework already provides for a flexible transition, under clear safeguards, in particular for the conversion and restructuring options of debt instruments, such as loans and guarantees, into other forms of aid, such as direct grants, until 30 June 2023. The Commission will continue to closely monitor future developments and will act fast again if the need arises. In addition, the Commission is well aware that the positive signals of recovery from the sanitary crisis are now being overshadowed by Putin’s cruel and unlawful war of aggression against Ukraine. This is why, on 23 March 2022, we have adopted a Temporary Crisis Framework providing Member States with the right toolbox to address the consequences of the current crisis and to support severely impacted companies and sectors. Finally, under existing EU State aid rules, there are many other possibilities constantly available to Member States, such as measures providing compensation to companies for damages directly suffered due to exceptional circumstances or measures helping companies cope with liquidity shortages and needing urgent rescue aid. A summary infographic will be soon available here.
Source: Cyprus News Agency