AGENDA/11/41
Brussels,Friday16December 2011
Top News from the European Commission
17December2011–20January2012
Background notes from the Spokespersons' service for journalists.
The European Commission reserves the right to make changes.
Monday 19 December:
Commission adopts proposals on the anti-fraud programmes Hercule III and Pericles 2020
Monday 19 December:
Commission modernises mobility rules for professionals
Tuesday 20 December:
Decisive action against youth unemployment: the Youth Opportunities Initiative
Tuesday 20 December:
Commission adopts new package on State aid rules for services of general economic interest (SGEI)
Tuesday 20 December (date to be confirmed):
Modernisation of EU Public Procurement Policy – Towards a more efficient European Procurement Market
Wednesday 21 December:
Commission presents programme for statistics for next 5 years
Wednesday 11 January:
Breaking down barriers to secure and innovative card, internet and mobile payments
Wednesday 11 January:
Action plan to double the share of the Internet economy in Europe by 2015
Monday 19 December: Commission adopts proposals on the anti-fraud programmes Hercule III and Pericles 2020
The news:
The European Commission will adopt two proposals for new programmes in the field of anti-fraud:
- Hercule III which promotes activities related to the protection of the EU’s financial interests.
- Pericles 2020 which aims to strengthen the protection of euro banknotes and coins in Europe and worldwide and the fight against counterfeit money.
The background:
These proposals are part of the Commission’s package linked to the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020 (MEMO/11/468).
The budget for the Hercule III programme is € 15 million per year or € 110 million for the whole period. The current programme includes the following measures: coordination of activities related to the protection of the EU's financial interests such as joint customs operations; training and development and supply of specific IT tools.
The Hercule III will among other things result in savings for the Member States as a result of collective procurement of specialised equipment and databases as well as an increased effectiveness of cross-border operations.
The budget for the Pericles 2020 programme is € 1.1 million per year or € 7.7 million in total. The actions organised under Pericles are addressed primarily to national law enforcement agencies, national central banks and banknote issuing institutions as well as judicial authorities, commercial banks, money exchange offices and the cash-operated industry (e.g. cash-machines). They focus on providing technical, scientific and operational assistance, delivering specialised professional training, improving cooperation between competent authorities and raising awareness on the counterfeiting of the euro.
The event:
Press material will be available on this day.
The sources:
Commissioner Algirdas Semeta's website:
OLAF’s website:
The contacts:
Emer Traynor+32 2 292 15
Natasja Bohez-Rubiano +32 2 298 15
Monday 19 December: Commission modernises mobility rules for professionals
The news:
On 19 December, the European Commission will present a proposal updating the EU system for the recognitionof professional qualifications. The update responds to the increasing need for a smooth system supporting the mobility of professionals across Europe, for example by providing a European professional card in the form of an electronic certificate. The working age population in many Member States is shrinking, but the demand for a highly qualified labour force remains an important source of future growth. Demand for highly skilled people is projected to rise by over 16 million jobs in the European Union between now and 2020.
The background:
While the primary objective of the 2005 Directive was to simplify the legislative framework by consolidating the separate directives adopted since the 1960s, the forthcoming proposal will focus on bringing the Directive into the 21st century and adapting it to an evolving labour market. The main objective of the initiative is to facilitate the mobility of professionals, addressing the challenges of filling vacancies for high-skilled jobs and offering more possibilities for job seekers. The modernisation would also cover existing rules on doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, veterinarians and architects and foresee changes where necessary. However, given its success in the past, automatic recognition for these professions is to be preserved.
Modernising the system of recognition of professional qualifications was identified in the Single Market Act (see IP/11/469) as one of the 12 key actions to boost growth and restoring people's trust in the Single Market.
The event:
11:30 Technical briefing by experts from the Commission's Internal Market and Services DG.
IP and MEMO will be available on the day.
- Available on EbS
The sources:
Web site of Commissioner Barnier:
For information on the Professional Qualifications Directive
- I070234 EU Professional qualifications 2011
The contacts:
Chantal Hughes +32 2 296 44
Carmel Dunne +32 2 299 88
Tuesday 20 December: Decisive action against youth unemployment: the Youth Opportunities Initiative
The news:
On 20 December, the European Commission will launch a Youth Opportunities Initiative to boost youth employment, in particular the access to a first job, apprenticeships and traineeships.
The background:
Referring to the dramatic situation where 1 in 5 young people cannot find work, President Barroso, in his State of the Union speech 2011, called on Member States to join forces with businesses, the social partners, national authorities and the Union level to work on a "YouthOpportunities Initiative" (YOI).
The Commission's proposal for a Youth Opportunities Initiative (YOI) will focus on:
- getting thosewho are neither in school, training nor employment and whohave not achieved upper secondary level back into to education or vocational training;
- and helping young jobseekers with a diploma find a first good job.
The Commission will do this by presenting a number of actions to help Member States tackle youth unemployment, in particular through the European Social Fund, but also by financing direct measures for youngsters that promote mobility, quality traineeships/apprenticeships, the transition into the labour market and informal learning.
The event:
The Commission will adopt a Communication on the 'Youth Opportunities Initiative'.
Press conference by Commissioner László Andor in the Berlaymont press room (time to be confirmed).
IP and MEMO will be available on the day.
- Available on EbS
The sources:
The text of the Communication will be made available online.
Commissioner Andor's website:
- I-069404Youth (un)employment
- I070907Youth @ work
The contacts:
Cristina Arigho: +32 2 2985399
Maria Javorova: +32 2 2998903
Tuesday 20 December: Commission adopts new package on State aid rules for services of general economic interest (SGEI)
The news:
On 20 December, the European Commission is expected to adopt the new package on State aid rules for services of general economic interest (SGEI): two Communications on application and compensation, one Decision on compensation granted to certain undertakings entrusted with SGEI operations and one Regulation on de minimis aid – see link below. The package would revise the so-called Monti-Kroes package of 2005 of rules applicable to services of general interest that are of economic nature. The main objective of the revision, as stated by Vice President Almunia in his numerous speeches, on the subject, is to have clearer and simpler rules, avoid having to review SGEI that are local in scope and often involve small compensation amounts and focus instead on economic services that have an important cross-border impact. The reform package has taken into account many of the comments received during the public consultation including in its last stage.
The background:
In March 2011, the Commission adopted a Communication setting out the broad political objectives of the reform: clarification, simplification and an increased focus on efficiency and competition considerations for large commercial SGEIs.
In September 2011, the Commission published drafts of the four new texts, which translate the broad objectives into concrete proposals. The Commission has consulted extensively on these draft texts and has received valuable contributions from Member States, European institutions and stakeholders. On 20 December, the Commission is expected to adopt the final texts for three out of the four documents. The fourth text, a Regulation, is subject to a longer procedure and is expected to be final in the spring of 2012.
The event:
Press conference by Vice President Joaquín Almunia in charge of Competition Policy.
Technical briefing (time to be confirmed).
IP + Memo.
- Available on EbS
The sources:
Vice-President Joaquín Almunia's speeches on this subject:
For the current rules on SGEI, the reform process and the draft texts of the new rules go to:
The contacts:
Amelia Torres: +32 2 295
Maria Madrid: +32 2 295 4530
Tuesday 20 December (date to be confirmed): Modernisation of EU Public Procurement Policy – Towards a more efficient European Procurement Market
The news:
On 20 December the Commission will present a package of measures aiming to modernise the EU rules on public procurement. This modernisation will take the form of two new procurement Directives expected to be adopted by the Council and the European Parliament end 2012 as well as a directive on the award of concession contracts.
In the context of economic crisis and severe budget restraints, public authorities must ensure the most efficient use of public funds. A modernisation of the current system of procurement procedures can considerably reduce transaction costs, enable a better use of public procurement in support of overall societal goals, facilitate access to public contracts, in particular for SMEs and improve the handling of procurement procedures on the ground.
On the same day, the Commission will present a directive on the award of concession contracts aiming to create an adequate legal framework favouring private investment in infrastructures and strategic services (notably through greater uptake of Public-Private partnerships). It will also aim to ensure effective access to the market for the European economic operators and a better judicial protection of the bidders and contracting authorities.
The background:
The package follows up on a number of commitments from the Commission, including the Single Market Act (see IP/11/469), in which the Commission laid out twelve levers to re-launch the Single Market for 2012 for sustainable, smart and inclusive growth.
Public procurement in general currently represents 18% of GDP to boost growth. It is an important channel for public finances and forms a vector for medium and long-term investment. The total value of public procurement contracts tendered at European level amount to 420 billion Euros each year.
Concession contracts are the most common form of public-private partnerships and represent an important share of economic activity in the EU, notably with regard to infrastructural projects and delivery of the services of general economic interest.
The event:
Press conference by Commissioner Michel Barnier, responsible for Internal Market and Services at the Berlaymont press room (date to be confirmed).
Press material will be available on the day.
The sources:
Commissioner Barnier's web site:
European Commission website on Internal Market and Services
The contacts:
Chantal Hughes +32 2 296 44
Carmel Dunne +32 2 299 88
Catherine Bunyan +32 2 299 65 12
Wednesday 21 December: Commission presents programme for statistics for next 5 years
The news:
The European Commission will adopt a proposal on the European statistical programme 2013-2017. The programme aims at
- providing high quality statistics to better design and evaluate EU policies,
- implementing more efficient methods of producing EU statistics
- and strengthening the role of official statistics worldwide
The background:
This proposals is part of the Commission's package linked to the next Multi-annual Financial Framework for 2014-2010 (MEMO/11/468).
The budget for the European statistical programme is €299.4 million for the whole period 2013-2017. The objective is to support policy-making by providing European Institutions and the governments of Member States with high quality statistics. In the current debate on how to enhance economic governance of the EU, European statistics need to be more widely and intensely used. Reliable European statistics and indicators are a key underpinning for policy decisions in economic and social reforms at national and EU levels.
The event:
Press material will be available on the day.
The sources:
Commissioner Algirdas Semeta's website:
The contacts:
Emer Traynor: +32 2 292 15
Natasja Bohez Rubiano: +32 2 296 64
Wednesday 11 January: Breaking down barriers to secure and innovative card, internet and mobile payments
The news:
On 11 January, the European Commission will present a Green Paper seeking the views of stakeholders on the obstacles hindering further integration in the European market for card, internet and mobile payments and how these could be resolved. The deadline for submitting contributions to the consultation will be 11 April 2012.
This Green Paper launching the consultation assesses the current landscape of card, internet and mobile payments in Europe, identifies the gaps between the current situation and the vision of a fully integrated payments market and the barriers which have created these gaps. The objective of the Green Paper is to launch a broad consultation process with stakeholders to validate and contribute to the Commission’s analysis and to help identify the right way to improve market integration and ensure effective competition in these promising payment technologies.
The main issues identified in the paper and on which the Commission is seeking views are:
- Market access and entry for existing and new service providers
- Payment security and data protection
- Transparent and efficient pricing of payment services
- Technical standardisation
- Inter-operability between service providers.
The background:
Electronic payments are essential for every consumer, either when buying something at the points-of-sale or while shopping on the internet. Throughout the EU, more than 700 million payment cards are in use, e-commerce is offering tremendous opportunities and the number of smart phones is increasing at a dramatic rate.The Green Paper is a joint initiative of Commissioners Barnier and Almunia.
The event:
Press conference by Commissioner Barnier in the Berlaymont press room.
IP and MEMO will be available on the day
- Available on EbS
The sources:
For information on Payments Services
The contacts:
Chantal Hughes:+32 2 296 44
Carmel Dunne:+32 2 299 88
Wednesday 11 January: Action plan to double the share of the Internet economy in Europe by 2015
The news:
In an effort to boost the digital Single market, the Commission will present an action plan on e-commerce and other online services with a target of doubling by 2015 the share of the Internet economy in the EU GDP, as well as that of online sales. Toattain these objectives, the Commission proposes actions to achieve:
-better access of consumers to products and services sold online across the EU (including music or films);
-an easier way to buy and pay for products online;
-more efficient and affordable delivery of products across Europe;
-more transparency on operators and prices on the internet;
-high speed internet and better communication infrastructure for more citizens;
-better information and protection against abuseson the internet.
The initiatives complement existing legislation on e-commerce in Europe, in particular the E-commerce Directive. One of the actions to be announced is an initiative on procedures for "notifying-and-action" on illegal content which in particular should contribute to combating online illegality and enhancing legal certainty for online intermediaries.
The background:
TheE-commerce Directive, adopted in 2000, sets up an Internal Market framework for electronic commerce, which provides legal certainty for business and consumers alike. It establishes harmonised rules on issues such as the transparency and information requirements for online service providers, commercial communications, electronic contracts and limitations of liability of intermediary service providers.
Examples of services covered by the Directive include online information services (such as online newspapers), online selling of products and services (books, financial services and travel services), online advertising, professional services (lawyers, doctors, estate agents), entertainment services and basic intermediary services (access to the Internet and transmission and hosting of information).
The event:
Press conference by Vice-President Kroes, Commissioner Barnier and Commissioner Dalli at in Berlaymont press room (time to be confirmed).
Press material will be available on the day.
The sources:
Vice-Président Kroes' web site:
Commissioner Barnier's web site:
Commissioner John Dalli's web site:
Commission's web site:
The contacts:
Chantal Hughes:+32 2 296 44
Carmel Dunne:+32 2 299 88
Ryan Heath +32 2 296 17
Linda Cain +32 2 299 90
Frédéric Vincent+32 2 298 71
Aikaterini Apostola+32 2 298 76
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