The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a pound 400 million (RON 2 billion) Romanian scheme to compensate farmers for damages suffered due to the severe drought in the period between September 2023 and August 2024.
The scheme is open to agricultural producers of 39 selected crops (such as wheat, triticale, rye, barley, oats, rapeseed, peas, sunflower and maize) that were directly affected by the severe drought. To benefit from the aid, the agricultural producers must have lost more than 30% of their autumn 2023 – summer 2024 crops as a result of the drought. Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of direct grants. The maximum amount of aid is pound 200 (RON 1,000) per hectare for a 100% loss, not exceeding 30% of the eligible costs. The scheme will run until 31 December 2024.
The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular under Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows Member States to support the develop
ment of certain economic activities under certain conditions, and the 2023 Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. The Commission found that the scheme is necessary and appropriate to compensate Romanian farmers for the losses incurred due to this extreme climatic event. Furthermore, the Commission found that the scheme is proportionate, as it is limited to the minimum necessary, and has a limited impact on competition and trade between Member States. On this basis, the Commission approved the Romanian scheme under EU State aid rules.
The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.116052 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
(For more information: Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Nina Ferreira – Tel.: +32 2 299 81 63)
Speech by President von der Leyen at the inauguration ceremony for the College of Europe campus in Tirana
“Check again
st delivery”
Prime Minister Rama, dear Edi,
Rector Mogherini, dear Federica,
Dear students,
Today marks a new beginning for all of you. New friends, new city, new dreams. But this ceremony is also much more than the opening of a new academic year or a new campus. Because the College of Europe is much more than an ordinary university.
When our continent still lay in ruins after World War II, a group of European pioneers came up with a visionary idea: Let us build an academy, to raise the leaders of tomorrow, that will unite Europe – a new generation, for a new beginning. That was one of the first building blocks of European integration. Before coal and steel, it all started with a college. And then forty years later, when the Iron Curtain finally collapsed, it was the patron of your promotion, the great Jacques Delors, who took the next step. He cut the ribbon of the Natolin campus in Poland, to raise a new generation of leaders in Central and Eastern Europe. But as they say, good things always come in th
rees. After Bruges and Natolin, here we are in Tirana. Once again, we are at a watershed moment for Europe. And once again, our family is preparing for a reunification. It could bring together all the people living between the Adriatic and the Black Sea. Just last week, for instance, Albania’s accession negotiations to join our Union have entered a new phase. Together, we opened the cluster on fundamentals.
It is at this decisive time that the beautiful city of Tirana welcomes the College of Europe. This is the vanguard of European integration. And you, dear students, are the pioneers of the Europe of tomorrow. This year will be like a window into the future, when the Western Balkans will finally be full members of our Union. Just like after 1989, European history is on the move. But there is something new about the times we live in. Back then, it felt like the unification of our continent was inevitable. One of the unstoppable forces of history. My generation called it the wind of change. And you cannot sto
p the wind from blowing.
Today, the wind of change is blowing again, here in the Western Balkans, as well as in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and across our continent. But there are also other winds that blow in the opposite direction, towards division, nationalism and suppression. Russia has invaded Ukraine precisely for Ukraine’s desire to join our Union. And just last weekend in Moldova, we have seen the massive interference in the referendum on the country’s European future. These forces are constantly at work to destabilise the countries who make the choice of Europe. Whenever there is progress towards reconciliation and regional integration in the Western Balkans, they stir up old conflicts. This is today’s reality. This is what your generation of young Europeans is up against.
So how should Europe respond to this new reality? I believe that we must be more proactive than ever before. ‘Sit and wait’ is simply not an option. This is the fundamental truth that must drive our actions today: We either fall
back or move forward. And I know that your generation, here in the Western Balkans, wants to move forward. Most of you were born after the wars of the 1990s. You are more connected to the rest of Europe than any generation before. You believe in Europe. So, you deserve to know that Europe also believes in you. We believe that you will be citizens of our Union, and that you will bring new energy and enthusiasm into our family.
This region is home to so much talent and ingenuity. If you want proof of that, you only have to look at the incredible city that hosts us today. Tirana is teeming with life, and it is no surprise that it attracts bright minds like you. It is young and diverse. It is well connected, with the fastest-growing airport in Europe. It is a paradise for artists and innovators. And I hear that the nightlife is also quite amazing. Just do not stay up too late if you have classes in the morning. The Western Balkans can contribute so much to our Union’s future. And our Union can contribute so much
to this region’s future, too. So let us make it happen. It is time to move forward at maximum speed.
This has been my goal ever since I took office five years ago. Our Union is no longer only the destination of your travel, but we are also your travel companion. This is the logic of our Western Balkans Growth Plan. Every reform that Western Balkan partners approve will unlock new investments. It has been just over one year since we announced the Growth Plan, and the results are already showing. The Western Balkans are joining now our Single Euro Payments Area, to cut the cost of sending money; our network of digital start-up hubs; our Critical Medicines Alliance; our transport corridors like the Blue Lane to Italy; and much more.
Why does it matter? This will not only speed up the regions’ economic growth. It also means that the people of the Western Balkans will start to experience our Union in their life. Your European future begins today. And this brings me back to the reason why we are all here. In this
new campus, you will not only learn about Europe. You will live it. I know that you come from both the Western Balkans and the rest of the continent. And you are now studying together to be the future leaders of our Union. This year will be special, not only for the things you will learn about the European institutions, but also for the things you will learn about each other. You will make friendships that will last forever. And you will build a network that will shape your personal and professional life.
This experience will change all of you. But it can also change the future of our Union. Because this is how Europe has always been built. One of the founders of the College, Denis de Rougemont, once wrote: ‘Can Europe only be a market? Or an alliance? Europe has to be the community of all Europeans, their countries, their problems, their memories and their aspirations, shaped by centuries of common history and millennia of mixed cultures. The real Europe is made of living people and their hopes.’ The histor
y of Europe is not only written in the great halls of Summits and Treaties. But also in the classrooms, where a new generation of Europeans is born. And the next chapter is for you to write.
Let me wish you all an amazing year at the College of Europe in Tirana. And long live Europe.
Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Rama
Thank you so much Prime Minister, dear Edi,
I am very happy to be back here in Tirana. And I am very glad to see how much Albania has already achieved on its way to our Union. Indeed, we finally opened negotiations on the fundamentals’ cluster. Dear Edi, what a success. It is the result of many years of hard work but also dedication to the common goal. You have shown both vision and patience. And this is now paying off. I would like to take the opportunity to also thank the teams behind it who have been working day and night tirelessly, highly dedicated to reach that goal, and they will now go on to work for the big goal that
we both want to achieve. Rest assured that enlargement will remain a top in my next mandate too. We now have all the necessary tools and all the instruments that we need in place.
I want to highlight three points. My first point is on our Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. We discussed it last week at the Berlin Summit. You know the approach. We open the door to specific sectors in the Single Market of the European Union to the companies of our Western Balkan partners. In turn, our partners in the Western Balkans are implementing important reforms to have a level playing field. And these reforms are supported by us, by additional European investments. It has now been a year since we started, and most Western Balkan countries have their reform agenda ready. So does Albania. Dear Edi, you and your team have done a great job on this Reform Agenda. It is perfect. We can start now, we can work. Now we should also be able to start with a pre-financing of EUR 64 million by the end of the year. Overall, Albania wi
ll receive more than EUR 920 million under this Growth Plan. The Plan will deliver very concrete results. For example, you are on a good track to become part of the Single Euro Payments Area as of next year, a long term. It means that transfers of money between Albania and the European Union will be faster, more secure and free. It will benefit both your citizens and your companies.
The second initiative I want to mention is our Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. There we started four years ago, and it is on track. In Albania, the Plan has already mobilised EUR 1.4 billion of investment, with a strong focus on the clean energy transition. You know that the European Union has set the course towards climate neutrality by 2050. It is important that our Western Balkan partners join us on this journey. This will certainly not be a challenge for Albania. Because you are a frontrunner. When clean energy is concerned, you are a trailblazer. So we are working with you on projects that can strengthen the leaders
hip you have anyway in this topic, in renewable energy. We have the floating solar power plant in Vau i Dejës for example. It is the first of its kind in the region. We also have a EUR 50 million programme on energy efficiency that we also use to install charging facilities for electric cars. And we are investing in clean transport for better connectivity across the region here in Albania but of course also with the European Union. This includes Albania’s railway connections to the European Union and plans for Tirana’s first electric bus system.
My third point, dear Edi, is a very special project here in Tirana. I am talking of course about the campus of the College of Europe. You came up with this brilliant idea two years ago – only two years ago I must say. We had to make it happen. It was such a fantastic idea. In a few moments, we will formally open the academic year for the first cohort of students. I am very much looking forward to meeting these young people studying European law and integration here i
n Tirana. They are the leaders of tomorrow. So it means the future of Europe is being shaped here, in Tirana, with this College and the young people.
My last point is another very important aspect of our cooperation. This summer, Albania, like several of our European Member States, was hit very hard by wildfires that were raging through Albania. Natural disasters are occurring more and more frequently all over our continent. We all know, this is the harsh reality of climate change. But we are fighting it with our best asset – which is European solidarity. We are extending to our Western Balkan partners the very same solidarity measures that we are using inside our Union. So we activated our Civil Protection Mechanism four times over the summer. We mobilised firefighting planes from Greece, Romania and Italy, for example. Because for us it is important to be a neighbour, a partner and a future member of the European Union.
Dear Edi, Albania is on track to join the European Union. I thank you very much for yo
ur hard work, your commitment and your friendship.
Commission clears acquisition of MV Credit by Clearlake
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of MV Credit Limited (‘MV Credit’) of the United Kingdom by Clearlake Clearlake Capital Group L.P. (‘Clearlake’) of the United States.
The transaction relates primarily to the provision of direct lending and asset management services.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies’ limited combined market position resulting from the proposed transaction. The notified 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.11726.
(For more information : Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)
Statement by the European Commission and High Representative Josep Borrel
l on the Presidential Election and the Constitutional Referendum in Moldova
The first round of the presidential election and a constitutional referendum on EU accession were held in the Republic of Moldova on 20 October.
According to the preliminary findings and conclusions of OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) International Election Observation Mission, both voting processes were well-managed. Contestants campaigned freely in an environment characterised by concerns over illicit foreign interference and active disinformation efforts.
Law enforcement authorities, many international actors and civil society have proclaimed that Moldova is the target of an ongoing ‘hybrid war’ directed from abroad that include various forms of manipulative interference to destabilise the country, illicit financing of political actors, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks, according to the report published by ODIHR/OSCE, the European Parliament, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Parliame
ntary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Russia and its proxies actively tried to undermine the democratic and voting process in Moldova. We commend the Moldovan authorities for successfully organising the election and constitutional referendum, nevertheless.
We welcome the results of the constitutional referendum, in which the Moldovan people have expressed their desire to anchor their future in the EU.
The EU will closely follow developments during the second round of the presidential election on 3 November and in the run up to the parliamentary elections in 2025.
We are committed to continue supporting Moldova’s democratic development, reforms and economic growth, as well as strengthening Moldova’s resilience, in particular on its path towards the European Union. The EU and Moldova share a common future.
Joint Statement by European Commission President von der Leyen and European Parliament President Metsola on the revision of the Interinstitutional Framework Agreement
Today we have agreed on a set of
new principles that will strengthen the cooperation between the European Parliament and the European Commission. The revision of the Interinstitutional Framework Agreement will reinforce relations between our Institutions, ensure greater transparency and better dialogue. It will help our institutions to work seamlessly and deliver for our citizens. Following our political agreement, work at technical level will start immediately.
ANNEX
Political principles agreed between the President of the European Parliament and the President of the European Commission that would form the basis of a revision of the 2010 Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission.
The principle of equal treatment of the Parliament and the Council and the role of the Commission as an honest broker, especially through ensuring the flow of comprehensive, timely and detailed information to Parliament.
The strengthening of the political responsibility of the Commission by ensuring the presenc
e of Commissioners in Parliament (plenary, committees).
The commitment to provide comprehensive justification and information on the exceptional cases where the proposals by the Commission are based on Article 122 TFEU.
Commitment to define a clear mechanism for the use of the urgent/fast-track decision-making.
Commission commits to further strengthening interinstitutional cooperation on budgetary matters; and is ready to put forward, as part of the next MFF, a proposal for a new Interinstitutional Agreement. The exact content of this agreement will need to be agreed by the three institutions.
Commitment to explore how to improve the information flow regarding international agreements and, within its competences, CFSP/CSDP.
Predictable process to consult Commission on amendments to Parliament Rules of Procedure affecting the Commission’s rights and prerogatives.
The strengthening of Parliament’s right of initiative under Article 225 TFEU by enhancing the follow-up by the Commission to corresponding reso
lutions.
Modernisation of the provisions on the exchange of confidential information.
CALENDAR
Monday 21/10
Mr Margaritis Schinas in Hanoi, Vietnam (until 23/10): delivers opening remarks at the Green Economy Forum and Exhibition 2024.
Tuesday 22/10
Mr Margaritis Schinas in Hanoi, Vietnam: delivers opening remarks at the Erasmus+ day; participates in the ceremonial signing with World Vision and Red Cross.
Friday 25/10
Ms Stella Kyriakides delivers a speech via videoconference at an event on the EU’s policies on child cancer organised by MEP Giorgos Georgiou; delivers a speech via videoconference to present Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan at the Breast Cancer Awareness event organised by Ms Evanthia Savva, Mayoress of Aradippou.
Source: Cyprus News Agency