European Commission - Daily News

European Commission - Daily News

Daily News 02 / 06 / 2021
Brussels, 2 June 2021
RÉUNION DU COLLÈGE: Vers un espace Schengen plus fort et plus résilient
La Commission européenne présente aujourd'hui une nouvelle Stratégie visant à rendre la plus
grande zone de libre circulation au monde — l'espace Schengen — plus fort et plus résilient. L'espace
Schengen abrite plus de 420 millions de personnes dans 26 pays. La suppression des contrôles aux
frontières intérieures entre les États Schengen fait partie intégrante du mode de vie européen: près
de 1,7 million de personnes résident dans un État Schengen et travaillent dans un autre. Nombre
d'Européens ont construit leurs vies autour des libertés offertes par l'espace Schengen, avec 3,5
millions de personnes qui se déplacent chaque jour entre les États Schengen. Le libre flot des
personnes, des biens et des services est au cœur de l'Union européenne et est essentiel à la reprise
en Europe après la crise du coronavirus. Avec la stratégie présentée aujourd'hui, la Commission
dresse le bilan des défis auxquels l'espace Schengen a été confronté ces dernières années et définit
une voie à suivre qui préserve les avantages de Schengen. Une action commune est nécessaire au
niveau de l'Union pour permettre aux États membres de relever les défis d'aujourd'hui. Le bon
fonctionnement de l'espace Schengen repose sur trois piliers: la gestion efficace des frontières
extérieures de l'UE, le renforcement des mesures internes visant à compenser l'absence de contrôles
aux frontières intérieures, en particulier en ce qui concerne la coopération policière, la sécurité et la
gestion des migrations, et la garantie d'une préparation et d'une gouvernance solides, incluant
l'achèvement de Schengen. Afin de renforcer la confiance mutuelle dans la mise en œuvre des règles
de Schengen, la Commission présente également aujourd'hui une proposition visant à réviser le
mécanisme d'évaluation et de contrôle Schengen. Un communiqué de presse, des questions et
réponses ainsi qu'une page d'information expliquant certains éléments du paquet sont disponibles en
ligne. Vous pouvez suivre à la conférence de presse avec Margaritis Schinas, vice-président chargé
de la promotion de notre mode de vie européen, et Ylva Johansson, commissaire chargée des
affaires intérieures, en direct sur EbS. (Pour plus d'informations: Adalbert Jahnz — tél. + 32 229
53156; Ciara Bottomley — Tél.: + 32 229 69971; Laura Bérard — Tél.: + 32 229 55721)

Commission and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst announce new partnership to support
investments in clean technologies for low-carbon industries
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Bill Gates have today announced a pioneering
partnership between the European Commission and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst to boost
investments in the critical climate technologies that will enable the net-zero economy. Presented on
the occasion of the sixth Mission Innovation Ministerial meeting, the new partnership aims to
mobilise new investments of up to €820 million/$1 billion between 2022-26 to build large-scale,
commercial demonstration projects for clean technologies – lowering their costs, accelerating their
deployment, and delivering significant reductions in CO2 emissions in line with the Paris
Agreement. This new partnership intends to invest in a portfolio of high-impact EU-based projects
initially in four sectors with a high potential to help deliver on the economic and climate ambitions of
the European Green Deal: green hydrogen; sustainable aviation fuels; direct air capture; and long-
duration energy storage. In doing so, it seeks to scale up key climate-smart technologies and speed
up the transition towards sustainable industries in Europe. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the
European Commission, said: “With our European Green Deal, Europe wants to become the first
climate-neutral continent by 2050. And Europe has also the great opportunity to become the
continent of climate innovation. For this, the European Commission will mobilise massive
investments in new and transforming industries over the next decade. This is why I'm glad to join
forces with Breakthrough Energy. Our partnership will support EU businesses and innovators to reap
the benefits of emission-reducing technologies and create the jobs of tomorrow.” A press release is
available online. (For more information: Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615; Marietta
Grammenou – Tel.: +32 229 83583)

President von der Leyen at the 2021 Digital Assembly
Yesterday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took part in the opening session of the 2021
Digital Assembly, which this year takes place under the motto ‘Leading the Digital Decade'. Referring
to the Digital Compass, the Commission's vision for Europe's digital transformation by 2030, the
President outlined the four priorities that guide our action: “Our European strategy has four cardinal
points: Digital skills, Infrastructures, Businesses, and e-Government. To master the challenges of the
digital age we must make progress on all four fronts.” President von der Leyen also talked about
the Commission's upcoming e-identity proposal as a way to ensure trust, protect users online, and
offer an alternative to the models of big online platforms. On global cooperation and the way forward,
the President emphasised that Europe's digital leadership also depends on strong connectivity with
the rest of the world: “We are determined to live up to our principles at home, and in our work on
the international scene. As Europeans, we want to be the global leader of a digital transformation
that puts people at its heart.” The full speech is available online, and you can watch it here. More
information on the Digital Assembly is available here. (For more information: Eric Mamer – Tel.: +32
229 94073; Dana Spinant – Tel.: +32 229 90150; Johannes Bahrke – Tel.: +32 229 58615)

European Commission announces an Economic Recovery Plan for the Republic of Moldova
Today, the European Commission announced an Economic Recovery Plan for the Republic of Moldova,
which will mobilise up to €600 million in macro-financial assistance, grants and investments,
supported by blending and financial guarantees. This new funding will be mobilised over the next
three years to promote investment that underpin a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the
COVID-19 crisis in the country. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “The
Republic of Moldova is at a crossroads. The EU's Economic Recovery Plan constitutes an
unprecedented effort to help the country on its path to recovery and drive an ambitious reform
agenda forward, in the interest of its citizens. Ultimately, this plan illustrates the strength of our
association and solidarity to fight together the COVID-19 pandemic.” Commissioner for
Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, added: “With this ambitious Economic Recovery
Plan we want to stimulate long-term socio-economic recovery and unleash the untapped economic
potential of Moldova for the benefit of its citizens. We will invest in the economy, in connectivity, in
education and employability. The Plan will support indispensable structural reforms, including in the
key areas of justice and the fight against corruption.” The Plan builds on five pillars: public finance
management and economic governance; competitive economy, trade & SMEs; infrastructure;
education & employability; and the rule of law & justice reform. For more information, see the press
release, a factsheet on EU-Moldova relations and on the EU's COVID-19 response in the Eastern
Partnership region, and the webpage of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova. (For more
information: Ana Pisonero – Tel.: +32 229 54320; Adam Kaznowski – Tel.: +32 229 89359)

Recovery and Resilience Facility: Czechia submits official recovery and resilience plan
The Commission has received an official recovery and resilience plan from Czechia. This plan sets out
the reforms and public investment projects that Czechia plans to implement with the support of the
Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The RRF is the key instrument at the heart of
NextGenerationEU, the EU's plan for emerging stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide
up to €672.5 billion to support investments and reforms (in 2018 prices). This breaks down into
grants worth a total of €312.5 billion and €360 billion in loans. The RRF will play a crucial role in
helping Europe emerge stronger from the crisis, and securing the green and digital transitions. The
presentation of Czechia's plan follows intensive dialogue between the Commission and the Czech
authorities over the past number of months. The Commission will now assess Czechia's plan within
the next two months based on the eleven criteria set out in the Regulation and translate their
contents into legally binding acts. The Commission has now received 23 recovery and resilience plans
from Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia,
Finland, and Sweden. It will continue to engage intensively with the remaining Member States to
help them deliver high quality plans. A press release and a Q&A are available online. (For more
information: Marta Wieczorek – Tel.: +32 229 58197; Enda McNamara – Tel.: +32 229 64976)

EU Cohesion policy: €310.5 million for Poland to tackle the social and economic impact of
the coronavirus crisis
The Commission has approved the modification of the European Regional and Development Fund
‘Smart Growth' Operational Programme (OP) in Poland under REACT-EU to increase by €310.5 million

the funding available to help tackle the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and prepare the
recovery. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, commented: “I am glad to
approve Poland's first OP amendment under REACT-EU. Cohesion policy is providing support to
European citizens when they need it most, allowing them to recover their lives stronger than before.
I encourage all Member States to make full use of the advantages that REACT-EU offers.” €273.6
million will reinvigorate the ‘Loan Fund', which will provide advantageous loans for small and
medium-sized enterprises. The loans may be used to cover current financing needs, such as payment
of employees' salaries, repayment of short-term liabilities, as well as optional investment
expenditure. Furthermore, €25 million will be dedicated to vouchers for new solutions in the area of
digitalisation in companies with the aim to help accelerate the digital transformation of the economy.
Finally, €11.9 million will be dedicated to a new REACT-EU technical assistance priority axis to
ensure the fullest possible range of assistance to entrepreneurs. REACT-EU is part of
NextGenerationEU and provides €50.6 billion additional funding (in current prices) over the course of
2021 and 2022 to Cohesion policy programmes. Measures focus on supporting labour market
resilience, jobs, SMEs and low-income families, as well as setting future-proof foundations for the
green and digital transitions and a sustainable socio-economic recovery. (For more information:
Vivian Loonela - Tel.: +32 229 66712; Veronica Favalli - Tel.: +32 229 87269)

Fighting against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing: Commission notifies the
Republic of Ghana with a yellow card
The Commission, leading the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
worldwide, has issued a warning (so-called yellow card) to the Republic of Ghana that it risks being
identified as a non-cooperating country in the fight against IUU fishing. Today's Decision is based on
various shortcomings in Ghana's ability to comply with its duties under international law as flag,
port, coastal or market State. Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,
Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: “The Commission stands for zero tolerance for IUU fishing. Ghana plays
an important role in fisheries governance in West Africa. Therefore, we stand ready to work with
Ghana to address the threats IUU fishing poses to the sustainability of fish stocks, coastal
communities, food security and the profits of those fishermen and – women who follow the rules.
Sustainable fisheries is key to better ocean governance.” Ghana is encouraged to take the necessary
actions in order to abide by its international obligations in the fight against illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing. The yellow card is a warning and offers Ghana the opportunity to react and take
measures to rectify the situation within a reasonable time. Illegal, unreported and unregulated
fishing is jeopardising the very foundation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the EU's
international efforts to promote better ocean governance. The Commission has committed to a zero-
tolerance approach to IUU fishing under the European Green Deal. More information is in our press
release and Questions and Answers are available online. (For more information: Vivian Loonela - Tel.:
+32 229 66712; Daniela Stoycheva – Tel.: +32 229 53664)

Customs Union: EU steps up its rules on cash controls to fight money laundering and
terrorist financing
New rules come into force tomorrow, 3 June, which will improve the EU's system of controls of cash
entering and leaving the EU. As part of the EU's efforts to tackle money laundering and to cut off
sources of terrorist financing, all travellers entering or leaving EU territory are already obliged to
complete a cash declaration when carrying €10,000 or more in currency, or its equivalent in other
currencies, or other means of payment, such as travellers' cheques, promissory notes, etc. As of this
Thursday, however, a number of changes will be implemented that will further tighten the rules and
make it even more difficult to move large amounts of undetected cash. First, the definition of ‘cash'
under the new rules will be extended and will now cover gold coins and certain other gold items.
Second, customs authorities will be able to act on amounts lower than €10,000 when there are
indications that cash is linked to criminal activity. Finally, customs authorities may also now request
that a cash disclosure declaration be lodged when they detect €10,000 or more in cash being sent
unaccompanied via post, freight or courier. The new rules will also ensure that the competent
authorities and national Financial Intelligence Unit in each Member State have the information they
need to track and tackle movements of cash that could be used to fund illegal activity. The
implementation of the updated rules mean that the latest developments in the Financial Action Task
Force's (FATF) international standards on combating money laundering and terrorism financing are
reflected in EU legislation. Full details and a factsheet on the new system are available here. (For
more information: Daniel Ferrie - Tel: +32 229 86500; Nerea Artamendi Erro – Tel: +32 229 90964)

NextGenerationEU: European Commission to issue around €80 billion in long-term bonds as
part of funding plan for 2021
Following the approval of the Own Resources Decision by all EU Member States, the Commission can
now start raising resources to finance Europe's recovery through NextGenerationEU. To that end, the
European Commission announced yesterday its estimates to issue around €80 billion of long-term
bonds in 2021, to be topped up by tens of billions of euro of short-term EU-Bills to cover the
remaining financing requirements. The exact amount of both EU-Bonds and EU-Bills will depend on
the precise funding needs, and the Commission will revise today's assessment in the autumn. In this
way, the Commission will be able to fund, over the second half of the year, all planned grants and
loans to Member States under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as well as cover the needs of the
EU policies that receive NextGenerationEU funding. This funding plan is based on an initial estimate
of the needs of Member States in terms of loans and grants. The Commission will update the funding
plan in September, when it has a more precise overview of the funding needs of the EU Member
States for the last months of the year. The full press release and Q&A is available online. (For more
information: Balazs Ujvari — Tel.: +32 229 54578; Claire Joawn - Tel.: +32 229 56859)

State aid: Commission approves €800 million Polish receivables insurance scheme to
support domestic trade credit in context of coronavirus outbreak
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an approximately €800 million
(PLN 3.7 billion) Polish receivables insurance scheme to support domestic trade credit in the context
of the coronavirus outbreak. Trade credit insurance protects companies supplying goods and services
against the risk of non-payment by their clients. Given the uncertainties caused by the prolonged
economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, private insurers became more reluctant to offer
sufficient insurance coverage to Polish sellers. The Polish scheme ensures that trade credit insurance
continues to be available to all companies, avoiding the need for buyers of goods or services to pay
in advance, therefore reducing their immediate liquidity needs. The Commission assessed the
measure under Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),
which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures implemented by Member States to
remedy a serious disturbance in their economy. The Commission found that the scheme notified by
Poland is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy
of a Member State, in line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the general principles set out in the State
aid Temporary Framework. On this basis, the Commission has approved the measure under EU State
aid rules. More information on the Temporary Framework and other actions taken by the Commission
to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential
version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.59800 in the State aid
register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been
resolved. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32
229 55344; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

State aid: Commission approves modifications of Polish scheme to support companies in
the tourism and cultural sectors affected by coronavirus outbreak, resulting in €593 million
budget increase
The European Commission has found the modifications of an existing Polish scheme to support
companies operating in the tourism and cultural sectors in the context of the coronavirus outbreak to
be in line with the State aid Temporary Framework. The estimated additional budget needed for all
amendments combined amounts to PLN 2.7 billion (approximately €593 million). The existing
scheme was approved by the Commission on 21 September 2020 (SA.58102). Under the existing
scheme, the support takes the form of, respectively, direct grants, exemptions from the obligation to
pay certain social contributions and subsidised interest rates on loans for tour operators. With
respect to the first two measures, Poland notified the following main modifications: (i) the
broadening of the scope of the eligible beneficiaries; (ii) an increase in the maximum amount of aid
that can be granted to each beneficiary; and (iii) the prolongation of the measures until 31
December 2021. With respect to the subsidised interest rates measure, Poland notified the following
modifications: (i) the postponement of the date for the beneficiaries to start repaying the loans to 31
December 2021; and (ii) a new aid measure in the form of grants to cover the additional interests
resulting from that postponement. The Commission found that the amendments are in line with the
conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. In particular, (i) the grants and exemptions from the
obligation to pay certain social contributions, as well as the additional grant offsetting the interest
linked to the postponement of the starting date to repay loans, will not exceed €1.8 million per
company as provided by the Temporary Framework; and (ii) the aid will be granted no later than 31
December 2021. The Commission concluded that the scheme, as amended, remains necessary,

appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State, in
line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the conditions of the Temporary Framework. On this basis, the
Commission approved the measure under EU State aid rules. More information on the Temporary
Framework and other actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of the
coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made
available under the case number SA.62231 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition
website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. (For more information: Arianna Podesta
– Tel.: +32 229 87024; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Enverus by Hellmann & Friedman
and Genstar
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint
control of the whole of Titan DI Holdings, Inc., by Hellmann & Friedman LLC and Genstar Capital
Partners, all of the U.S. Titan DI Holdings is the holding company of the Enverus group, which is a
software-as-a-service provider of business-critical insights to the energy, power and commodities
industries. It is currently solely controlled by Genstar. Hellman & Friedman is a private equity firm
with investments in a variety of sectors worldwide, focused on market-leading firms with growth
potential. Genstar is a private equity firm specialising in investments in middle market companies in
financial services, healthcare, industrial technology and software industries. The Commission
concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given that the joint
venture has negligible actual or foreseen activities within the European Economic Area and that the
proposed acquisition does not create horizontal overlaps or vertical links between the activities of the
companies. The 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.10267. (For more information: Arianna Podesta – Tel.: +32 229 87024; Maria
Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

APPOINTMENTS

COLLEGE MEETING: The European Commission appoints a new Deputy Director-General to
steer its borrowing and lending operations
Today, the European Commission has appointed Iliyana Tsanova, a Bulgarian national, as Deputy
Director-General of the Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG). She will be responsible for
ensuring the sound governance and effective risk management of the borrowing and lending and
other financial operations and activities undertaken by DG BUDG. She should take up her new
functions on 1 September 2021. Iliyana Tsanova has 20 years of outstanding experience in
international development and investment banking, a strong leadership and management experience
along with excellent negotiations skills which make her very well suited to play a key role in
managing the financing of the Union's budgetary support for the Union recovery plan in the context
of COVID-19 crisis. In her new capacity, she will act as Chief Risk Officer at the Commission, which
will allow her to draw, in particular, on the robust experience she has previously gained as Deputy
Managing Director of European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and in various senior positions
at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Iliyana Tsanova is currently
working as the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of SofConnect. Until 2020, she was holding the
position of Deputy Managing Director of EFSI, a €26 billion guarantee facility provided by the
European Union to the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group to support strategic investments in
the EU. She was responsible for the management and implementation of EFSI and the achievement
of its strategic objectives through close cooperation with the EIB Group and EFSI Steering Board. In
addition, she has also obtained over a ten-year development banking and sustainable finance
experience with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Among the several
senior positions she occupied at the institution is the function of Director for “EU Co-financing and
Financial Engineering”. In this capacity, she was in charge of developing strategic cooperation with
the European Commission for devising and managing blended financial and risk-sharing instruments
to support investments in the field of research and innovation, energy efficiency and urban
development, environment and climate finance, SME financing. Previously, she was also Associate
Director, leading a team in charge of business origination, execution and implementation of debt and
equity infrastructure investments in South Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia in EBRD. Ms

Tsanova's broad professional experience is diversified further by her former engagements in
commercial banks and consultancy while also assuming governmental responsibilities for brief
periods in caretaker capacity as a Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds management in
Bulgaria. (For more information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 229 54578; Claire Joawn - Tel.: +32 229
56859)

College meeting: The European Commission appoints a new Head of Representation in
Romania
Today, Ms Ramona Iulia Chiriac has been appointed as Head of the European Commission's
Representation in Bucharest. In this function, she will act as the official representative of the
European Commission in Romania under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen.
She will take office on 1 July 2021. Ms Chiriac, a Romanian national, is a career diplomat with nearly
20 years of experience in EU affairs, including at local level in Romania. Owing to her former
positions, she has acquired strong strategic communication and political representation skills along
with a thorough knowledge of the political context in Romania, making her highly suitable for leading
the Commission's Representation in the country. Ms Chiriac has been a Consul General of Romania in
the German federal state of Bavaria since 2016 and has been part of the Romanian diplomatic
service since 2008. Prior to her over a decade-long experience in diplomatic functions, she worked in
Romania's central and local public administration, in particular on preparing the Romanian local
authorities for the country's accession to the EU. In the Romanian Ministry of European Integration,
she was most notably responsible for the promotion of EU values, providing information on funding
opportunities as well as disseminating knowledge about the EU through the organisation of
conferences, seminars, campaigns and workshops. The full press release is available online (For more
information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 229 54578; Claire Joawn - Tel.: +32 229 56859)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fight against corruption: Commissioner Johansson delivers a statement to the first UN
General Assembly session on corruption
Today, Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson is delivering a statement on behalf of the
European Union during the first United Nations General Assembly special session against corruption.
The 3-day special session will be an opportunity to discuss the current challenges in the prevention
and fight against corruption and the role of strengthened international cooperation in this area.
Commissioner Johansson's statement will be available here. The fight against corruption is a priority
for the Commission. In addition to the strong mandate of the European Anti-Fraud Office, further
important progress has been made to protect taxpayer's money with the recent launch of the
European Public Prosecutor's Office which can investigate and prosecute crimes against the EU
budget. Moreover, EU funds that support recovery from the pandemic incorporate built-in
mechanisms to prevent fraud, corruption and conflict of interests. The EU Rule of Law Mechanism and
its annual report highlight the fight against corruption as one of the fundamental pillars for
upholding the rule of law. (For more information: Adalbert Jahnz - Tel.: +32 229 53156; Ciara
Bottomley - Tel.: +32 229 69971; Laura Bérard - Tel.: +32 229 55721)

Commissioner Kyriakides participates in the G7 Health Ministers Meeting in Oxford on 3-4
June
Tomorrow, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides will participate in the G7
Health Ministers Meeting. Under the UK G7 Presidency, the ministerial meeting will take place at
Mansfield College on the premises of the University of Oxford on 3-4 June. The meeting represents a
unique opportunity to discuss how the world's major economies can commit to protecting lives
across the world from current and future global health threats, one of the EU's top priorities. In
particular, the participants will address the issues of global health security, antimicrobial resistance,
clinical trials, and digital health. Ahead of the meeting, Commissioner Kyriakides said: “We as the
G7 need to stand united and advocate for substantial changes in the global health architecture. We
need to use the momentum, we have no time to lose, and the main priorities for the EU are clear. We
need to continue our vaccine rollout and support to COVAX, develop Digital COVID-19 Certificates,
and prepare for new variants – to just name the most urgent ones. But I also strongly believe that

we should start looking beyond COVID-19 and take immediate steps to build strong global structures
and tackle other crucial issues such as antimicrobial resistance.” The Commissioner will hold bilateral
meetings with US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, UK Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care Matt Hancock, Canada's Minister of Health Patty Hajdu and Italy's Minister of
Health Roberto Speranza. Japan's State Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Hiroshi Yamamoto
and the Canada's Minister of Health Patty Hajdu will participate virtually. Guest countries Australia,
Brazil, India, South Africa and the Republic of Korea will also participate virtually and discuss how to
strengthen cooperation, vaccine sharing and manufacturing. (For more information: Stefan de
Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 229 84680; Stephan Meder – Tel.: +32 2 291 39 17)

Les compétences pour les emplois : la Commission et le Comité des régions organisent une
conférence conjointe sur le rôle des régions et des villes assurant un apprentissage de
qualité pour tous
Les 3 et 4 juin, Nicolas Schmit, le commissaire à l'emploi et aux droits sociaux, et Anne Karjalainen,
la présidente de la commission de la politique sociale, de l'éducation, de l'emploi, de la recherche et
de la culture du Comité européen des régions, organiseront une conférence de haut niveau en ligne.
La conférence soulignera le rôle central des régions et des villes dans la mise en place
d'apprentissages efficaces et de qualité. Lors d'un apprentissage, l'emploi du temps est partagé
entre une formation dans une école et une formation sur le tas dans une entreprise. Ceci permet
d'acquérir une expérience professionnelle importante qui prépare les personnes au monde du travail.
Dans le cadre du train de mesures de soutien à l'emploi des jeunes de 1 juillet 2020, la Commission
a lancé une alliance européenne pour l'apprentissage renouvelée, qui inclut de nouveaux
engagements en matière d'apprentissages verts et numériques. La conférence sera une occasion
pour les régions et les villes de partager des bonnes pratiques acquises lors de la pandémie de
COVID-19. Dans le cadre de discussions thématiques, les participants discuteront du renforcement
des compétences et de la reconversion professionnelle des adultes, de la dimension internationale de
l'apprentissage, de la mobilisation des acteurs régionaux locaux et régionaux, et de l'encouragement
de la coopération transfrontalière. Vous trouverez de plus amples informations et les modalités
d'inscription sur le site web de la conférence. (Pour plus d'informations: Marta Wieczorek – Tél.: +32
229 58197; Flora Matthaes – Tél.: +32 229 83951)

Eurostat: communiqués de presse
                                                                                             MEX/21/2825