Daily News 06 / 05 / 2024

Daily News 06 / 05 / 2024

Commission intends to close Article 7(1) TEU procedure for Poland

Today, the European Commission has finalised its analysis on the rule of law situation in Poland in the context of the Article 7(1) TEU procedure.

The Commission considers that there is no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Today, marks a new chapter for Poland. After more than 6 years, we believe that the Article 7(1) procedure can be closed. I congratulate Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his government on this important breakthrough.”

Poland has launched a series of legislative and non-legislative measures to address the concerns on independence of the justice system, it has recognised the primacy of EU law and is committed to implementing all the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights related to rule of law including judicial independence.

A press release is available online.

(For more information: Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 2 296 22 53; Jördis Ferroli - Tel.: +32 2 299 27 29)

Commission releases €14.9 million to Lithuania under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

The Commission has today authorised a disbursement to Lithuania of €14.9 million (net of pre-financing) under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

As for all Member States, payments made to Lithuania under the RRF are performance-based and depend on the implementation by Lithuania of the investments and reforms described in its recovery and resilience plan.

The disbursement corresponds to two milestones, namely milestones 142 and 144, that were part of the first payment request, which Lithuania submitted in November 2022. The Commission, in April 2023, concluded that two out of the 33 milestones included in this first payment request – that is, milestones 142 and 144 – relating to taxation reforms were not satisfactorily fulfilled. On that basis the Commission suspended €26.2 million (see, for more information, here).

Lithuania took additional policy action in the six months following the suspension and, in October 2023, submitted additional information to the Commission on these reforms.

In December 2023, the Commission concluded that one of these two milestones (milestone 144) was satisfactorily fulfilled. This finding was confirmed by the Economic and Financial Committee. Accordingly, the Commission has now unlocked €8.73 million, which is the amount suspended in April 2023 corresponding to this milestone.

In relation to the remaining milestone 142, the Commission notified Lithuania in December that it continued to consider the milestone as not satisfactorily fulfilled, while recognising the progress made by Lithuania towards achieving the milestone. Taking Lithuania's observations into account, the Commission has now concluded its assessment of milestone 142, unlocking another payment to Lithuania of €8.73 million from the previously suspended amount, in recognition of the progress made. However, at the same time, since this milestone was not considered satisfactorily fulfilled, the assessment Commission also reduces the RRF grant support for Lithuania by €8.73 million from the total quantity allocated to this milestone.

Overall, the Commission decision releases a gross amount of €17.47 million to Lithuania. After proportional clearing of pre-financing, which Lithuania has already received, €14.9 million will be disbursed to Lithuania.

Overall, Lithuania's recovery and resilience plan consists of €3.85 billion, of which €2.3 billion in grants and €1.55 billion in loans. It includes 208 milestones and targets. To date, the Commission has disbursed 35.2% of the funds allocated to Lithuania under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, i.e. more than €1.3 billion, which includes pre-financing and corresponds to the fulfilment of 37 milestones.

More information on the Lithuanian plan, including a map of projects financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility in Lithuania are available here

(For more information : Veerle Nuyts - Tel. : + 32 2 299 63 02 ; Quentin Cortès – Tel. : +32 2 291 32 83)

La Commission verse 58,9 millions d'euros à Malte au titre de la facilité pour la reprise et la résilience

Aujourd'hui, la Commission a effectué un second versement à Malte dans le cadre de la Facilité pour la reprise et la résilience (FRR), d'un montant de 58,9 millions d'euros (hors préfinancement)

Le 21 décembre 2023, Malte avait soumis à la Commission sa deuxième demande de paiement au titre de la FRR pour un montant de 58,9 millions d'euros (hors préfinancement), demande couvrant 29 jalons et 5 objectifs. Ces derniers concernent diverses réformes dans les domaines de la construction, de la gestion des déchets, des transports, de la santé, de l'éducation et de la formation, de la justice, de la lutte contre la corruption et de la fiscalité. Ils incluent également des investissements dans l'efficacité énergétique, les transports, la numérisation et les soins de santé.

La Commission avait ensuite adopté, le 26 mars 2024, une évaluation préliminaire positive de la demande de paiement de Malte. L'avis favorable du Comité économique et financier du Conseil qui a suivi a ouvert la voie à la Commission pour adopter une décision finale concernant le versement des fonds.

Le plan de relance et de résilience de Malte sera financé au total à hauteur de 328,2 millions d'euros de subventions. Les montants des paiements effectués aux États membres sont publiés dans le tableau de bord de la FRR, qui reflète les progrès réalisés dans la mise en œuvre de celle-ci, aussi bien d'un point de vue global qu'au niveau des plans nationaux de relance.

Cette demande de paiement portera le total des fonds versés à Malte dans le cadre de la FRR à 166,3 millions d'euros, ce qui correspond à 50 % de l'ensemble des fonds prévus dans le plan maltais, avec 39 % des jalons et objectifs atteints.

Vous trouverez plus d'informations sur le processus de demande de paiement de la FRR dans notre document de questions-réponses. Des détails supplémentaires sur le plan de relance maltais, ainsi qu'une carte interactive présentant réformes et investissements dans le cadre de la FRR, sont disponibles ici.

(Pour plus d'informations : Veerle Nuyts - Tél. : 32 2 299 63 02; Quentin Cortès - Tél. : +32 2 291 32 83)

Commission approves €25 million State aid Croatian measure under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support LNG terminal expansion on Krk

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €25 million Croatian measure to support the expansion of the liquefied natural gas (‘LNG') terminal on the island of Krk. The measure will be partly funded through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF'), following the Commission's positive assessment of the Croatian Recovery and Resilience Plan, as amended, and its adoption by the Council.

The measure will support the installation of an additional regasification module with a capacity of 250,000 m³/h on the existing LNG terminal on Krk. This will result in a new maximum regasification capacity of 700,000 cubic meters per hour, equivalent to 6.1 billion cubic meters per year. The aid will take the form of a direct grant, covering a share of the investment costs, to LNG Croatia, the promoter and operator of the terminal.

The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, which allows Member States to support the development of certain economic activities under certain conditions, and the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (‘CEEAG'). The Commission found that the measure is necessary and appropriate to enable the beneficiary to carry out the project. The Commission also considered that the project is needed to secure gas supply for Croatia and the South-Eastern Europe region, while helping to diversify energy supplies and end dependence on Russian fossil fuels in line with the REPowerEU Plan. Finally, the Commission concluded that the measure is proportionate, as it is limited to the minimum necessary, and its positive effects outweigh any possible negative effects on competition and trade in the EU. On this basis, the Commission approved the Croatian measure under EU State aid rules.

The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the number SA.106299 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel : + 32 2 299 63 02; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

Commission clears acquisition of US Steel by Nippon Steel

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of United States Steel Corporation of the US by Nippon Steel Corporation of Japan.

The transaction relates primarily to the manufacturing and sale of steel products.

The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies' limited market positions 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.11476.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel : + 32 2 299 63 02; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

Commission clears acquisition of Oona Energy by Stonepeak and Orsted

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of OONA Energy Partners 3, LLC (‘Oona Energy') by Stonepeak Partners LP (‘Stonepeak'), both of the US, and Ørsted A/S (‘Orsted') of Denmark.

The transaction relates primarily to the renewable energy sector, in particular to onshore wind farms.

The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. 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.11534.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts — Tel : + 32 2 299 63 02; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

La commissaire Dalli participera au Conseil « Emploi, politique sociale, santé et consommateurs »

Demain, Helena Dalli, commissaire chargée de l'égalité, participera au Conseil « Emploi, politique sociale, santé et consommateurs », qui sera entièrement consacré à l'égalité.

Les ministres devraient adopter deux actes législatifs dans ce domaine, à savoir la directive sur la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et la violence domestique, ainsi que des nouvelles normes contraignantes pour les organismes pour l'égalité de traitement. Cette directive criminalise certaines formes de violence physique, ainsi que les violences psychologiques, économiques et sexuelles à l'égard des femmes dans l'ensemble de l'UE, tant hors ligne qu'en ligne. Et ces nouvelles normes exigeront des États membres qu'ils garantissent l'indépendance des organismes pour l'égalité de traitement et qu'ils disposent de ressources humaines, financières et techniques suffisantes pour qu'ils puissent remplir leur mission, ce qui inclut la fourniture d'un soutien gratuit à toutes les victimes de discrimination.

Au cours de la réunion, la commissaire Dalli invitera les ministres à faire progresser la directive sur l'égalité de traitement, proposée pour la première fois par la Commission en 2008, et informera les ministres d'autres domaines des travaux de la Commission en matière d'égalité, y compris la mise en œuvre de la stratégie en faveur de l'égalité de traitement à l'égard des personnes LGBTIQ et du plan d'action de l'UE contre le racisme. La commissaire Dalli participera également à un débat d'orientation axé sur les femmes dans la vie publique et fera le point sur la campagne du comité des droits des personnes handicapées des Nations unies, pour laquelle l'UE a, pour la toute première fois, désigné un candidat.

La commissaire participera à une conférence de presse vers 15h00 HAEC. Suivez en direct sur EbS.

(Pour plus d'informations: Christian Wigand — Tél.: + 32 2 296 22 53; Jördis Ferroli — Tél.: + 32 2 299 27 29)

Liste des points prévus à l'ordre du jour des prochaines réunions de la Commission

Veuillez noter que ces informations sont données sous réserve de modifications.

Prochains événements de la Commission européenne

Eurostat: communiqués de presse