Midday press briefing of 09/01/2024
Summary
TLDRIn a midday briefing, the agenda for the European College of Youth was announced, focusing on youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing their concerns. Concerns were raised about EU funds potentially financing Russian propaganda in Italy. The European Commission emphasized the importance of member states in managing and supervising funded projects and stressed that there is no place for propaganda in cohesion policy. Additionally, the EU's stance on the legality of the Republic Sska day in Bosnia was discussed, with the EU firmly supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Takeaways
- đ The midday briefing took place on Tuesday, the 9th of January, with short announcements and a focus on the European Year of Youth 2022.
- đ The European Commission will adopt a communication on the achievements and future steps for the European Year of Youth 2022, emphasizing youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing concerns across EU policies.
- đ€ The Press Room will host a presentation by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova regarding the European Year of Youth 2022 after the college meeting.
- đȘđș Concerns were raised about EU funds potentially financing Russian propaganda in Europe, specifically mentioning an event in Italy that involved far-right militants and pro-Russian individuals.
- đ The European Commission is in touch with national authorities to obtain more information about the project in question, emphasizing that cohesion policy is managed under shared management with member states.
- đ« The Commission stressed that there is no place for financing disinformation or propaganda activities at the behest of third countries under cohesion policy.
- đ§đŠ The EU maintains a firm stance on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, urging political actors to refrain from provocative actions.
- đïž The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has ruled that the legislation about Republica Srpska Day is not in line with the country's constitution.
- đ€ The EU emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation and good neighborly relations, especially for Western Balkan countries aspiring to join the EU.
- đ The EU expects full delivery on the Brussels agreement and the implementation plan, considering the commitment made legally binding and urging all parties to work on substance over formalities.
- đ The EU supports the International Court of Justice as the highest UN court and respects international law and the UN Charter, but it is not part of the lawsuit regarding Israel and South Africa.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the European Year of Youth 2022?
-The main focus of the European Year of Youth 2022 is on the inclusion of youth in decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies.
Who will present the communication on the European Year of Youth 2022?
-The communication will be presented by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova after the college meeting in the Press Room.
What was the concern raised about EU funds financing an event in Italy?
-The concern raised was that EU funds may have financed an event considered as Russian propaganda, specifically in the context of a project called 'a bridge for peace', which involved a cultural link between schools and included participants with far-right and pro-Russian affiliations.
How does the European Commission respond to the misuse of EU funds for propaganda?
-The European Commission emphasized that there is no place for financing disinformation or propaganda activities under cohesion policy. It also highlighted that member states are responsible for selecting, supervising, and monitoring the projects, and they must ensure that projects align with the objectives of the programs and cohesion policy.
What is the European Union's position on the celebration of Republic Sska day in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
-The European Union maintains a firm and clear position that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and international personality of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be maintained. Any action against these principles will lead to serious consequences.
How does the EU ensure that its funds are not used for propaganda or disinformation activities?
-The EU ensures this by investing in areas such as infrastructure, research, innovation parks, schools, education, and human capital development, with a focus on social, economic, and territorial cohesion. The EU also works with member states to monitor and evaluate projects to prevent misuse of funds.
What is the status of the implementation of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia?
-The parties committed to delivering on the Brussels agreement and the implementation plan. The EU considers this commitment legally binding and expects full delivery on the substance of the agreement.
What is the EU's stance on the International Court of Justice case regarding Israel and South Africa?
-The EU supports the International Court of Justice as the highest UN court and respects international law and the UN Charter. However, since the EU is not part of the lawsuit, it does not comment on the specifics of the case.
How does the EU propose to counter the ideological basis of groups like Hamas?
-The EU proposes the idea of peace and stability, specifically through the two-state solution, which offers a perspective of a better life for both Palestinians and Israelis and an exit from the cycle of violence.
What is the EU doing to address the issue of microplastics pollution?
-The EU is working on medium and long-term policies to better manage the issue of microplastics pollution at the EU level, including a proposed regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses and reduce microplastic pollution.
What is the current status of the budget support agreement for Tunisia?
-The 150 million in budget support was adopted by the European Commission, but the agreement and financing decision still need to be signed by the Tunisian authorities, and conditions have to be agreed upon before any payment is made.
Can you provide an update on the progress of integrating the Convention of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms of the Council of Europe into EU Affairs?
-The negotiations have advanced on most open points, and efforts are being made to close the process. More information will be provided once it becomes available.
Outlines
đą European Commission's Midday Briefing Highlights
The European Commission's midday briefing on January 9th focused on the agenda for the college meeting, where a communication on the achievements and future directions of the European Year of Youth 2022 would be presented. This year emphasized youth inclusion in EU decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies. Additionally, a concern was raised about EU funds potentially financing an event linked to Russian propaganda in Italy, involving cultural exchanges between schools in Lazio and an area occupied by Russia. The Commission is in touch with national authorities for more details, emphasizing the role of member states in managing and monitoring cohesion policy funds.
đ EU's Firm Stance on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Territorial Integrity
During the European Commission's briefing, a question was raised about the celebration of Republika Srpska Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with concerns over statements made by Republika Srpska's leader regarding independence. The EU reaffirmed its longstanding position on Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order, highlighting the need for all political actors to avoid actions and rhetoric that question the country's unity. The EU also emphasized the importance of respecting decisions by the country's Constitutional Court and the potential for serious consequences if principles are violated.
đȘđș EU Commitment to Good Neighborly Relations in the Balkans
The discussion also touched on the importance of regional cooperation and good neighborly relations among Western Balkan countries for their EU integration path. Actions or statements that negatively impact these relations are discouraged. The EU expects international partners, including Serbia, to support Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU perspective as a united and sovereign country. The conversation also covered potential consequences for actions against EU principles in the region, highlighting the unanimity required among member states to implement measures.
đ Scrutiny over Legality of Kosovo-Serbia Agreement
A question regarding the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia highlighted concerns about its legally binding nature and implementation. The EU considers the commitments made in Brussels and Ohrid as legally binding, expecting full delivery from both parties. The focus is on working towards substance rather than dwelling on formalities, with the European Commission encouraging progress in alignment with agreed conditions.
đ EU's Position on Israel-Palestine Conflict and Two-State Solution
The European Commission addressed inquiries about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing the need for a competing idea against Hamas' ideology through the promotion of peace and stability via a two-state solution. This solution, supporting both Israel's security and Palestinian dignity, is seen as the only viable counteroffer to the endless cycle of violence and as the basis for a better future for both parties.
đ European Commission on Environmental Concerns and Microplastic Pollution
A question about a plastic pellets spill on the coast of Spain led to a discussion on the EU's efforts to tackle microplastic pollution. The Commission highlighted its proposed regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses and its work on the enforcement of environmental obligations, emphasizing that immediate actions are generally managed by national authorities. The EU is committed to addressing microplastic pollution through medium and long-term policy initiatives.
đ¶ EU's Financial Support to Tunisia Under Scrutiny
The European Commission clarified the status of the âŹ150 million budget support adopted for Tunisia, noting that an agreement and financing decision are still being finalized with Tunisian authorities. Disbursement will proceed once conditions are met and agreed upon, with no payments made thus far. This financial support is part of the EU's broader engagement with Tunisia to support economic stabilization and reforms.
đȘđș EU's Ongoing Efforts to Integrate the Council of Europe's Human Rights Convention
The European Commission provided an update on the long-standing initiative to affirm the Council of Europe's Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms within the EU. Negotiations have advanced on key open points, with the Commission working towards concluding the process. This effort underscores the EU's commitment to human rights and democratic principles.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄEuropean Year of Youth 2022
đĄRussian Propaganda
đĄCohesion Policy
đĄRepublic of Srpska
đĄInternational Court of Justice
đĄTwo-State Solution
đĄMicroplastic Pollution
đĄShrinkflation
đĄTunisia Memorandum
đĄConvention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
đĄEuropean Recognition of Parenthood
Highlights
Announcement of the agenda and press event for the European Commission college meeting.
Adoption of a communication on the achievements and way forward for the European Year of Youth 2022.
Focus on youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies.
Presentation of the communication by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova after the college meeting.
Question about Russian propaganda in Europe funded by EU funds, specifically in Italy.
Concerns about far-right militants and pro-Russian individuals being involved in EU-funded cultural events.
The European Commission's response to allegations of EU funds financing Russian propaganda.
The role of member states in selecting, supervising, and monitoring funded projects under shared management.
The European Union's stance on the legality and consequences of the Republic Srpska day celebration.
The EU's emphasis on respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Discussion on the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia and its legal binding nature.
The EU's commitment to the two-state solution as a counter-idea to Hamas' theocratic ideology.
The EU's support for the International Court of Justice and respect for international law.
The EU's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for a peaceful resolution.
The EU's work on amending the negotiating framework for Serbia to include the obligation of implementation.
The EU's efforts to reduce microplastic pollution, including the prevention of plastic pellet losses.
The EU's support for the two-state solution as a means to guarantee peace, stability, and security for both Israel and Palestine.
The EU's commitment to the Peace Day effort for the benefit of Palestinians and Israelis.
The EU's approach to managing the environmental impact and marine life affected by the plastic pallet spill in Spain.
The EU's plans for the 2040 communication and the expected release of an impact assessment.
The EU's response to the practice of 'shrinkflation' and the notification received from France regarding new rules for retailers.
The status of the 150 million euro budget support agreement for Tunisia and the conditions for its dispersal.
The EU's update on the integration of the Council of Europe's convention into EU affairs to address human rights and democratic deficit issues.
The EU's proposal for European recognition of parenthood and its progress under the current presidency.
Transcripts
right good morning Welcome to our midday
briefing today is Tuesday the 9th of
January very short announcements uh
today following the meeting of the heads
of cabinet yesterday I can announce the
agenda and the Press event for the
college tomorrow the college will adopt
a communication on the achievements and
the way forward um for the European year
of Youth 2022 which focuses on the
inclusion or which focused on the
inclusion of Youth in you decision-
making and on addressing youth concerns
across EU
policies this communication will be
presented to you here in The Press Room
after the college meeting by vice
president skas and commissioner
Ivanova that's all for announcements
today we can now pass on to your
questions okay David start us
off
thank you thank you Eric um is is a
question on uh uh in fact Ukraine
Ukraine propaganda Uh Russian propaganda
in uh in in Europe and EU
funds uh because there has been a case
in
Italy uh
where uh EU funds have financed an
event uh of Russian
propaganda uh uh it was uh in the
context uh uh of uh uh a
project uh
[Music]
callede a bridge for
peace uh one of the event of this
project financed uh I guess by the
erdf um was a link cultural link between
a school in AI in latio and a school in
luans uh occupied by
Russia and uh some of the participant of
this event uh are in fact uh far rights
uh uh uh militants or um Russian Italian
pro-russian uh people uh I can mention
Andrea Luchi and the organization linked
to this event is vent to the left which
is a far right and pro Russia
organization I'm wondering if you are
aware of this case if the money can
Finance Pro Russia propaganda in Europe
and uh what would be the reaction by the
European commission if confirm that the
EU money is financing in a member State
Russian propaganda thank you thank you
Stefan thank you very much David I think
there's two things I would like to say
first on the project itself and second
on the more General issue of propaganda
and and cohesion policy first as far as
this uh project is concerned that you're
referring to the commission is in touch
with the national authorities to uh
obtain some more detailed information
but I would in any case also recommend
you to contact the National authorities
for the very simple reason that cohesion
policy is managed under what we call
shared management it basically means
that it's the member states that select
the operations for funding they
supervise them they monor them they
follow the project it's not a commission
that's doing that you know for instance
we have a database called cesio where we
have more than two million projects so
it's out of the question that the
commission can manage or Implement all
these projects the commission is in
charge of the overall supervision of the
programs so it is first and foremost
with the member states to make sure that
the projects are in line with the
objectives of the programs and of cion
policy which brings me to the second uh
issue I wanted to stress which is about
propaganda and clearly
there is in cohesion policy no place to
finance disinformation or propaganda uh
activities at the Beast of third
countries cohesion policy has as its
main objective to ensure to have more
social economic territorial cohesion
across the European Union trying to
correct imbalances between countries of
the European Union with a strong focus
on of course the European Union's
priorities for instance in the area of
green transition digitalization and so
on and we do that by investing in
infrastructure research Innovation Parks
schools education or in human capital
training people fighting against
exclusion and So within this very
important policy area one of the main
EUR investment tools of the European
Union almost 400 billion euros there is
therefore no place for propaganda or
disinformation activities at the behest
of third countries but again as far as
the specific project is concerned I
would also advise you to also contact
the National authorities in in Italy
thank
you thank you very much um any other
questions on
[Music]
this
me
rep
uh thank you I have a question for Peter
uh it's on the celebration of the uh
Republica sska day in BOS heroina in
Serb
entity uh the leader of uh that entity
dodig is repeating uh his announcement
that they will declare independence of
Republic sska and the messages that were
heard yesterday were about the Serbian
World which is a new name for the
greater Serbia or the idea that all all
serbs in the region should join in one
state uh what is your position on this
and what is anyway position of EU on the
legality of this celebration thank
you yeah thank you Augustine first of
all I will recall a very firm and clear
position of the European Union when it
comes to bosnan heroina and this
position has not changed for years and
uh the European Union has been always
emphasizing the sere that the
sovereignity territ torial Integrity
constitutional order and international
personality of Bosnia heroina need to be
maintained any action against these
principles will lead to Serious
consequences now the European Union has
been uh also consistant urging all
political actors in the country to
refrain from provocative rhetorics or
actions in particular those in republ
sska who call into question Count's
sovereignity territory integrity and
unity and when it comes to legality of
the of the Republic Sera day the
Constitutional Court of the country
already ruled twice in 2015 and 2019
that uh the legislation in Republic Sera
about Republica sska day is not in line
with the constitution of bosnan and
Herzegovina and again I can only repeat
the European Union emphasiz it that
emphasizes the need to respect the
sovereignity territorial integrity
constitutional order including Decisions
by the Constitutional Court uh by All
actors in bosnan heroina and as we said
any action going against these
principles will lead to Serious
consequences take a go
ahead Peter since this it's not the
first time that EU insists that it's
illegal uh celebration of of this day of
Republica sska however it's not also the
first time that delegation or
delegations of neighboring states
participate in this celebration how do
you comment and are these in in in the
spirit of good neighborly
relations uh in the whole region of the
western Balkans the fact that there are
delegations from other state
participating in the celebration that is
considered illegal not only in Bosnia
heroina but elsewhere in the region
thank you thank you well Regional
cooperation and good neighborly
relations are principles which are very
important for the European Union and for
all the countries uh who want to join
join the European Union that means the
the Western Balkan countries so this is
essential part of the progress of these
countries on their European path and
actions statements or or gestures which
negatively impact good neighborly
relations uh and uh and Regional
cooperation only and that add tol itical
divisions need to be avoided and on this
we were very clear and we expect
International Partners including in
Serbia to be equally committed to Bosnia
heroin's EU perspective as a single
United and sovereign country which
territorial Integrity sovereignty and
unity is not being put in
question
wa but I mean this this integrity and S
is put into question almost on a daily
basis I mean you speak about the severe
consequences um as this is not the first
provocation or or um yes um I mean what
are these consequences I mean we know
that for example also people were
brought from Republic to vote in Serbia
um so what are these consequences thank
you thanks the consequences can be
anything what the member States agree on
there are possibilities to take
political measures there are
possibilities to take economic or
financial measures there are
possibilities to take restrict measures
we already have a sanctions framework
for example for bosnan and heroina so
when member states decide enough is
enough and they have enough U enough
political willingness uh and proof for
uh taking concrete steps they would do
it the steps in these areas are subject
to
unanimity
yeah sorry to insist but I mean isn't
this threat an empty threat if it's I
mean if if not there is nothing nothing
nothing happening after so many uh
actions and provocations from mainly
from Van Lua thank you the actions of
the European Union in the domain of
external relations which is the case
also in in this particular situation are
subject to unanimity of the member
states and until now there might not
have been many visible steps but again
when member states decide enough is
enough then they will take an action
that needs to be agreed by all 27 of
them thank you I think we've exhausted
what we could say on this is it on this
MOS go
ahead yes I wonder if I can come back to
the question yesterday we discussed
about the normalization agreement
between Kosovo and Serbia and whether it
really has become legally
binding as you said yesterday according
to the Vienna convention on
International
agreements because uh it seems to me
that um
uh let's say an agreement can be say
legal bonding in different ways but but
that should be stated inside the
agreement itself and didn't find it in
in this agreement on the contrary
article six if I might say uh refers to
this agreement as a kind of precursor to
a a later legally binding agreement
that's one thing and the other thing I
wonder is about the so-called Annex on
implementation Arrangements
taken in orid in March last year because
there you have some reference about the
adoption of agreement which would lead
uh to changes in the chapter you know 35
and other issues with Serbia which
hasn't been done yet I understand so it
hasn't been
adopted so so what is the explanation to
this I
mean thank you Mo on the second part of
your question work is proceeding in line
with the conclusions from the general
affairs Council from last December on
the first part of your question again I
mean we discussed it thoroughly for for
for weeks or months uh the parties um
committed to deliver on the Brussels
agreement or on the agreement reached in
Brussels in February and in Orit in in
March and they made a commitment and we
consider this commitment to be legally
binding this commitment was expressed by
the statement of high representative
which accompanied the publication of uh
of the implementation uh Act or
implementation plan of this agreement so
everyone knows where we stand everyone
knows what they need to do and we expect
the full delivery this year offers a
good opportunity to really start working
hard not discussing
formalities but working on delivering on
the
substance I I really think we have sorry
I really think we have exhausted this
issue of the legally binding nature of
the agreement the question has been
asked I don't know how many times in The
Press Room I understand why you are
while you're asking those questions but
I think Peter has stated our position in
an unequivocal way um based on our
understanding of the situation so please
let's refrain from going again into the
issue once you know what is exactly the
position that we are going to express
here on the podium not withstanding this
I happy to pass the floor to Augustine
again on a slightly different angle I
hope yes thank you yes it's different uh
Peter um the member states in general
affairs Council uh tossed European
commission and uh external Action
Service uh to come with a proposal to
amend negotiating framework for Serbia
in order to include in chapter 20 35 uh
the obligation of the
implementation uh and they mentioned no
later than end of January so we are 9th
of January already uh how far are you
with preparation and are you going to uh
present it on time as asked by member
states thank you thank thank you
Augustine as I already said uh the work
is ongoing in line with the tasking from
the member
states well I think we've exhausted this
issue for today any other Foreign
Affairs issues for Peter
yeah thanks Eric uh Alex from feature
story news I want to ask about South
Africa's case at the international court
of justice Thursday and Friday uh
claiming that the Israeli operations in
Gaza amount to genocide Israel calls
that case blood liable the US says it
has no basis in fact does the commission
have a position on this thanks thanks
for this the position of European Union
in general is uh the one saying that we
are supporting the international court
of justice because this is the highest
un court and uh since we are a community
based on rule of law and in respect for
international law and un chter of course
we are supporting the international
court of justice regarding this specific
case countries have the right to submit
cases or lawsuits uh the European Union
is not part of this lawsuit so this is
not really for us to to comment uh
because this is a pending case in front
of international court so this is not
for us to to comment at all I can only I
can only repeat that we are committed to
international law to respect for un
Charter and rules-based
order thank you David you have a
question on Foreign
Affairs thank you Eric and David Price
your democracy um it's on the statement
of yesterday of high representative
Burell um he said uh Hamas is an idea
the only way to kill an idea is to
propose a better one now the the basis
of Hamas ideology is is religious it's
Theocratic um which means that U the
suicide bombers are willing to give
their lives because they will find a
better place in heaven with luxury and
so on um there are now and I'm just
wondering what sort of idea is going to
be proposed because we're in a dangerous
situation we have tens of thousands of
people who are demonstrating in European
Union in favor of uh Hamas and and uh
the events that took place uh
immediately after the the murders the
rapes the the pillages of of uh in
Israel um so what sort of ideas are
being proposed that can actually be
better than some sort of uh uh religious
idea which is based on uh rewards in the
next life um so that the present life
doesn't make any
difference thank you David this is this
is an issue we discussed already at the
end of November or start of the December
when we were discussing exactly the the
issue of idea and counter idea that you
can defeat Hamas militarily but you
will't be able to defeat the idea Hamas
represents and it's not not only idea uh
rooted in in religious aspects of of
their ideology it's also an idea of what
they are offering the ways how they want
to deal with the with the situation etc
etc and this is something what we of
course don't agree with and that's why
High representative is saying that the
idea the competing idea that needs to be
offered to the Palestinian people is the
idea of peace and stability and what
brings them peace and stability is the
two-state solution there is already a
wide International consensus that the
counter offer should be based on the
idea of the two-state solution not in
declarations but in concrete actions to
fill this idea with substance because
only this offers the people in Palestine
but in Israel as well a perspective of a
better life and an exit from the endless
cycle of violence which is being which
is being uh intensified in this horrific
Dimensions nowadays so the short answer
is the two-state solution is the idea or
the counter idea especially for the
Palestinian people to look for something
else than the Twisted ideology of
Hamas follow up David but let's not get
into a philosophical discussion
okay no it's it's not philosophical it's
a matter of life and death and it's also
a matter of the uh continuation of uh
the European Union
um some there are some people who may be
influenced by the prospect of Peace but
the there are people uh in Hamas
who and and others in the Palestinian
Authority look to two-state solution as
an intermediary step for the destruction
of
Israel um and so the idea of Peace has
got two sides to it so you need to
create a situation where you're not just
facilitating uh further um events like
we had on October 7th so how can you
deal with a Theocratic idea in Practical
terms to avoid death murder and and and
various other uh things that took place
uh in the past thanks David again the
answer is the two-state solution because
the two-state solution uh comprises or
encompasses the notion of two state
living side by side in peace and
stability so if we manage together with
our partners in International Community
and of course with the Israelis and
Palestinians because without them it
will not be possible uh if we manage to
achieve this that should be the answer
and the guarantee for the state of
Israel because Israel is here to stay I
mean this is one of the cornerstones of
our po policy and uh of the policy of
our International Partners the security
of the state of Israel needs to be
guaranteed the same way as dignity and
and prosperous lives life for the
Palestinian people and this is what we
are working on together with
International Partners to fill the two
State idea with a Content uh that will
bring this uh this solution hopefully
sooner than
later thank you other questions on this
MOS I'm not going to let this go on for
very long people who have been waiting
for the floor for quite some time now of
course it's very brief question uh uh
related to high representative Bo's
visit in the region last week and U uh I
haven't seen any statement about the
results yet but I think he tweeted U
recently of this meeting in Saudi Arabia
that will be a kind of conference here M
Brussels
soon I just wonder if that the idea
about the so-called you know uh Peace
Day effort the uh which was discussed I
mean uh before before the was started in
uh in October in September I think in
United Nations thank
you thanks MOS there was a statement or
press statement by high representative
published uh late last uh night so it's
out we published also the transcript is
on the es website the whole morning
today so you can read the output from
from his uh from his Regional uh Journey
where indeed High representative goes
back to this idea of the Peace Day
effort and we continue and this was also
discussed uh during his meetings in
Saudi Arabia yesterday so we continue to
work on this Saudi Arabia was an
important partner when we were launching
launching this so we continue these
discussions we continue the engagement
this is a process that hopefully will
lead to to the possibility that we will
be able to implement it fully for the
benefit of the Palestinians and the
Israelis so this is ongoing process that
will be further worked on by by the
European Union by the European
institutions and member states in
cooperation with our
partners okay I'm closing this chapter
now any other Foreign Affairs issues for
Peter
today that is not the case thank you
Peter you can ask for this
one for the Spanish news agency e Happy
New Year I think it's a question for ad
Albert is regarding this plastic pallets
spill in the coast of
Spain so I wanted to know a little okay
I want to know a little bit what did you
take if you're concern if you're
providing some assistance some guidance
or something and then how to what extent
your concern or you you have some
information of the impact that could
have both for environmental impact and
marine life and so on and also for uh
human health if that ends up in the
supply chain of food thank
you hi Javier thank you very much um so
generally speaking this kind of uh
situation is rather to be managed by
national authorities they would be
responsible for uh any immediate actions
and to follow up on uh um sorry for any
assessment of the situation and for any
immediate actions that may be required
whether it's from the perspective of
managing the environmental situation or
to investigate the causes of it and if
there are any um any suspicions of
environmental crime to investigate uh
and to uh take any appropriate measures
more generally uh the commission is of
course uh very much aware of the aders
impacts caused by microplastics
pollution and in particular the losses
of plastic pellets in the environment
and you may recall that we proposed a
regulation on um preventing plastic
pellet losses to reduce microplastic
pollution uh in October last year um we
also uh have been working on this on the
uh enforcement of environmental
obligations and specifically about the
protection of the environment through
criminal law and you may also recall
that there was a political agreement
reached in November about a relevant EU
directive um on this issue so while the
immediate uh situation is to be managed
by the national authorities as is
usually the case the commission is
working on Medi medium and long-term
policy in order to manage um this situ
this issue in general um better on the
EU
level thank you very much any other
questions on environmental or transport
issues for Alber
today
that is not the case thank you daff I
think you had asked for the floor
no uh it's not environmental climate I
see Tim go ahead um so it's just it's
just reconfirmation of the 6th of
February date for presentation of the
2040
communication um and if there's any
anything you can say in terms of uh what
we can expect on the that day I suppose
there's there's the impact assessment
that should be released on that day if
you could just confirm that thanks sorry
that's not a question for Tim that's a
question for me and dfid you're an old
hand here in The Press Room you know
that uh there are two things we've got
the least Point preview which is out a
tentative agenda for uh for college
debates and then we confirm the agenda
of college meetings uh after the uh the
weekly meeting of heads of cabinet so
you know what's out there what we have
published in the Le Point preview we
will confirm the agendas uh on a rolling
basis um once heads of cabinet have
approved and in terms of exactly what
will be U on the agenda that day that
depends on those discussions during the
hebo meeting of heads of cabinet so
there's nothing further we can say at
this St but you're you're right to point
out that we have in the Le a specific
date for a discussion on uh 20 uh on
2040
all right
um I had some issue I had had some
questions or hands raised rather in uh
the on the interactual platform so I go
to
camia hello happy New Year will you hear
me yes yes Happy New Year to you too go
ahead uh my question is about a practice
called shrink flation at the end of
December France sent a not ification to
the European commission that it plans to
adopt a new rule will will force the
retailers to alert their C customers if
products are sold at the same price but
in smaller
quantities what could you tell us about
this notification what are the steps
have you received similar notification
from other states and what is the
position of European commission about
the shrink flation thank you very much
good question I'm looking to my
colleagues uh I I think this would be an
internal Market question but I'm not
entirely sure um listen we will um
investigate this and come back because I
have no specific position that I can
give you at this point in time but we
will uh we will look for information and
come back to
you okay I go
to hi hello everybody and happy New Year
I have a question about something that
you announced right before the win break
it's about tunisha the memorandum this
agreement uh uh worth 150 million in
budget support I want to know uh is the
agreement fully uh finalized uh have
there been any uh payments uh to the
Tunisian Treasury and is the amount
going to be dispersed all at once or
gradually across this year thank you
thank you that's a question for
Anna
um thanks a lot for um the
question um what I can tell you is that
indeed uh the 150 million in budget
support was adopted uh by the European
commission at the end of last year um
how it works is that um this afterwards
you need to do um an agreement and a
financing decision uh that needs to be
signed by the Tunisian authorities uh
conditions have to be agreed and this is
all still in the making so um to cut it
short um no uh there has still been um
no payment on this um and um as always I
mean the idea is that this money will be
dispersed uh once the commission has
checked that the conditions are met uh
this is all still um also being
discussed and further fine-tuned with
the Tunisian
authorities thank you very much any
other question for Anna on
this no or on other uh neighborhoods
related files or enlargement related
files no thank you Anna any other
questions for us today
David
on
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on this David go
ahead the same subject of the Council of
Europe uh the
um the Treaty of Lisbon uh says that uh
the European Union should uh be uh
Affirmed the convention of Human Rights
and fundamental freedoms of the Council
of Europe and there's been negotiations
going on uh to do this uh and the
president was in Iceland to discuss it
at one stage last year uh I just
wondering if you give us an update on
what the program is for integrating the
uh the convention into uh EU Affairs and
uh because this would help enormously in
human rights and Dem ratic deficit
problems yeah I think that's a question
for Christian while I was looking for
him
Christian yes thank you David for
reminding us of this uh subject that's
been ongoing for for quite a while um so
what I can say at this stage is that the
negotiations have uh well ad Advanced um
and um on yeah that have advanced on the
most most open uh points and we are
working towards closing this process so
this is where we stand at this stage
once once we have more we will of course
inform thank you very
much any other questions for Christian
rule of law
issues
MOS
one another question I would like to ask
you Christian about this issue we
discussed last year about the
commission's proposal for
European recognition of
Parenthood uh because it hasn't been
Advanced at all during the previous two
presidencies that you know and I didn't
find it either in the Bion a
presidencies program so I wonder if you
have any news whether there is a a
chance that it will be promoted during
this this
presidency thanks for the question Mo
but I think that's rather a question for
the for the Belgian
presidency indeed could not have said it
better myself any other questions on
rule of
law no on any other issues for us
today that is not the case thank you
very much see you tomorrow for the
college
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