Mr Margaritis Schinas participates in the memorial ceremony commemorating the one year anniversary of the 7/10.
Ms Stella Kyriakides delivers pre-recorded remarks at the High-Level policy dialogue on ‘Mental health and the triple planetary crisis: a call for action’ organised by the Hungarian EU Presidency and the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Tuesday 08 October
Ms Stella Kyriakides in Strasbourg, France: participates in a European Parliament plenary debate on the situation of animal health in Europe.
Wednesday 09 October
Mr Margaritis Schinas participates via videoconference in the EPP Ministers of Interior meeting.
Thursday 10 October
Ms Stella Kyriakides in Ancona, Italy (until 11/10): participates in the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Health.
Friday 11 October
President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the Summit of Southern European Union countries (MED-9).
Ms Stella Kyriakides in Ancona, Italy: participates in the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Health.
Commission proposal to impose tariffs on im
ports of battery electric vehicles from China obtains necessary support from EU Member States
Today, the European Commission’s proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China has obtained the necessary support from EU Member States for the adoption of tariffs. This represents another step towards the conclusion of the Commission’s anti-subsidy investigation.
In parallel, the EU and China continue to work hard to explore an alternative solution that would have to be fully WTO-compatible, adequate in addressing the injurious subsidization established by the Commission’s investigation, monitorable and enforceable.
A Commission Implementing Regulation including the definitive findings in the investigation must be published in the Official Journal by 30 October 2024, at the latest.
Today’s vote by EU Member States took place under the Examination Procedure of EU Comitology rules, at the Trade Defence Instruments Committee.
The statement is also ava
ilable online. More information on the case is available on the Commission’s Trade website, in the public register under case number AS689.
(For more information: Olof Gill – Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66; Ana Apse-Paese – Tel.: +32 2 298 73 48)
European Commission and Canada sign agreement on transfer of passenger name records data
Today, in the margins of G7, Commissioner Johansson has signed an agreement for the transfer of passenger name records (PNR) data on flights between the EU and Canada, together with the Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic Leblanc. PNR data is information provided by passengers and gathered by airlines in the normal course of their business. Its use and analysis are an essential tool to fight terrorism, serious and organised crime, including drug trafficking and child exploitation.
It is now for the European Parliament and Council to give their consent before the conclusion of this Agreement. Once the agreement is concluded
and will have entered into force, it will allow Canada and EU Member States to exchange passenger information by air carriers operating between them. This exchange of information will strengthen law enforcement cooperation between the EU and Canada. At the same time, the new agreement sets high standards for security, privacy and data protection.
The EU has already signed agreements allowing EU carriers to transfer PNR data to the United States and Australia. This agreement is another step in the European Commission’s commitment to strengthen law enforcement cooperation based on shared values of fundamental rights.
The signing ceremony will be broadcasted live on EbS+ at 13:15 CEST.
(For more information: Anitta Hipper – Tel.: +32 2 298 56 91; Elettra Di Massa – Tel.: +32 2 298 21 61)
Commission approves new geographical indication ‘Agros Rosewater’ from Cyprus
The Commission has approved the addition of the product ‘??d?sta?µa ????? / Rodostagma Agrou / Agros Rosewater’ from Cyprus to the register of Pr
otected Geographical Indications (PGI).
‘Agros Rosewater’ is an aromatic water produced from whole flowers of a species of aromatic rose that grows in the community of Agros, in southwest Cyprus. The product is characterised by a particularly intense aroma, which resembles the scent of fresh roses.
‘Agros Rosewater’ has been produced in the community since the beginning of the 20th century and the traditional way of producing the aromatic water is still used today. From an early age, the local people learn from their parents how to cultivate and harvest the roses. This long and continuous tradition of production, from harvesting to distillation, guarantees the quality of the product, particularly the intense aromatic fragrance that makes it so distinctive. The special characteristics of the product are also the result of the use of highly aromatic roses that grow around Agros, thanks to the favourable climatic and geographical conditions of the area.
This new denomination will be added to the list of 3,629
agricultural products already protected. The list of all protected geographical indications can be found in the eAmbrosia database. More information is available online at Quality Schemes and on our GIView portal.
(For more information: Olof Gill – Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66; Thérèse Lerebours – Tel.: +32 2 296 33 03)
Commission evaluation shows the benefits and limitations of online consumer protection laws
Today, the Commission published the findings of the Digital Fairness Fitness Check, which evaluates whether the current EU consumer protection laws are fit for purpose to ensure a high level of protection in the digital environment. The Fitness Check covered three core Directives: the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, the Consumer Rights Directive, and the Unfair Contract Terms Directive. The results show that these rules remain both relevant and necessary to ensure a high level of consumer protection and effective functioning of the Digital Single Market. However, it also shows that consumers behave d
ifferently online than offline. Moreover, technological developments and increased tracking of online behaviour enable businesses to more effectively persuade consumers online. This highlights the need for rules that are better adapted to the specific harmful practices and challenges that consumers face online.
Key findings
The three Directives have provided a degree of regulatory certainty and consumer trust to support the development of a diverse digital market, but consumers do not always feel fully in control of their online experience due to practices such as:
dark patterns in online interfaces that can unfairly influence their decisions, for example, by putting unnecessary pressure on consumers through false urgency claims;
addictive design of digital services that pushes consumers to keep using the service or spending more money, such as, gambling-like features in video games;
personalised targeting that takes advantage of consumers’ vulnerabilities, such as showing targeted advertising that explo
its personal problems, financial challenges or negative mental states;
difficulties with managing digital subscriptions, for example, when companies make it excessively hard to unsubscribe;
problematic commercial practices of social media influencers. Some of these practices may already go against existing EU consumer law and other EU law, for example, the Digital Services Act and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Consumers are losing time and money – the various harmful commercial practices online cost EU consumers at least pound 7.9 billion per year. At the same time, the cost for businesses to comply with EU consumer law is much lower, not exceeding pound 737 million per year.
Fragmented national laws: The effectiveness of EU consumer protection is undermined by insufficient enforcement , legal uncertainty, the increasing risk of regulatory fragmentation across Member States’ national approaches, and the lack of incentives for businesses to aim for the highest standard of protection.
The Fitne
ss Check shows that we need to take further action to make the digital environment fair for consumers. This includes tackling the most harmful practices such as dark patterns. Increased legal certainty could prevent regulatory fragmentation and promote fair growth. There is scope for simplifying existing rules, without compromising the level of protection. It is also fundamental to ensure the coherent application and effective enforcement of EU consumer law and the EU digital rulebook, including the Digital Services Act, which prohibits several unfair practices on online platforms. All of this will be on the Commission’s agenda in the upcoming mandate.
Next steps
The Fitness Check provides a state of play and points to areas for improvement, which can be further analysed and built upon in the future. It does not establish recommendations on the exact format and content of future Commission action. The Commission consulted the public through several consultation activities, including a?Call for Evidence?and
a public consultation.
In the mission letter addressed to Commissioner-designate for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, President von der Leyen refers to the need to develop ‘a Digital Fairness Act to tackle unethical techniques and commercial practices related to dark patterns, marketing by social media influencers, the addictive design of digital products and online profiling especially when consumer vulnerabilities are exploited for commercial purposes’.
Background
EU consumers are among the most protected in the world, online and offline. EU consumer protection laws aim at empowering consumers to play an active role and fully benefit from the Digital Single Market.
In response to the emerging concerns about the lack of digital fairness for consumers, the Commission announced in the New Consumer Agenda that it will analyse whether additional legislation or other action is needed in the medium-term in order to ensure equal fairness online and offline. In 2022, the Commission launched a Fitness Chec
k of EU consumer law on digital fairness in order to evaluate the situation.
For More Information
Digital Fairness Fitness Check report
Digital Fairness Fitness Check – MEMO
Study to support the Fitness Check and report on Modernisation Directive
Review of EU consumer law
Unfair Commercial Practices Directive
Consumer Rights Directive
Unfair Contract Terms Directive
New Consumer Agenda
Fitness Check of EU consumer law on digital fairness
Quote(s)
Consumers must be able to rely on the same conditions for protection either they buy online or in the shop in their street. To further protect them in the digital age, our laws must evolve as swiftly as the technology we use. The findings of the Digital Fairness Fitness Check show that while our current rules are strong, they must be adapted to the technology to shield consumers from the unique risks they might be facing while shopping online.
Vera Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency
The increased scale, speed, and potency of digital tec
hnologies has fundamentally changed the relation between consumers and traders. We know that there can be power imbalance or confusion about one’s responsibilities. Over the past years, we have accomplished a lot for consumers to better regulate the digital sphere, but our efforts cannot stop here. Our Fitness Check shows that we must step up action at the European level to achieve a fair digital economy where consumers are empowered and businesses can rely on a level playing field that fosters fair growth.
Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice
Enforcement of trade policy delivers prosperity and growth for EU companies
The value of EU trade covered by the vast network of 42 agreements with 74 partners in place in 2023 was more than pound 2.3 trillion, having risen by over 30% over the past five years, according to the Annual Report on the implementation and enforcement of EU trade policy published today.
EU exports to preferential trade partners are increasing more steadily than our overall exports –
our preferential agreements with South Korea with Canada, for example, each deliver an average export growth of 7% annually – and have made the EU more resilient in the face of global challenges by providing safer, more diverse sources of supply for our imports and markets for our exports.
The European Commission has also removed 140 barriers to EU exports in more than 40 countries over the past five years. The removal of barriers between 2018-2022 unlocked an additional pound 6.2 billion of EU exports in 2023 alone.
Opening up EU export opportunities through trade deals and effective enforcement and implementation of trade policy benefit EU consumers and businesses, including the 680,000 EU SMEs who rely on them for growth markets. They are part and parcel of the EU’s long-term strategy to strengthen its companies’ competitiveness and safeguard its economic security.
The implementation of agreements such as the sustainable investment facilitation agreement concluded with Angola and the enforcement of trad
e and sustainable development provisions in existing agreements play a critical role in supporting the external side of the European Union’s digital and green transition. On TSD technical cooperation, the Commission agreed on concrete activities with Peru and proposed a technical cooperation program to Colombia to ensure that labour rights are respected and upheld.
Background
The Report, along with a Staff Working Document, details the main developments in the EU’s preferential trade partnerships. It showcases the impacts of the removal of trade barriers and resolution of disputes with the help of the EU’s strengthened toolbox of autonomous enforcement instruments. It also highlights the efforts to promote the advantages of the EU’s trade agreements among stakeholders, notably the Access2Markets portal.
For more information
Key facts
The Report and the Staff Working Document
Brochure on the report
Further resources:
General trade statistics for FTA partners
Preference utilisation on EU imports
Prefe
rence utilisation and duty savings on EU exports
Utilisation rate of TRQs opened by the EU to third countries
Utilisation rate of TRQs opened by third countries to the EU
FAQ on preference utilisation and tariff rate quotas
Previous versions of the EU’s FTA implementation reports
Quote(s)
EU trade agreements and effective enforcement helped EU trade with the world grow substantially under this mandate, despite the global health pandemic and rising geopolitical tensions. Our work to open new export opportunities, break down barriers and diversify our sources of supply is paying off, bringing direct benefits to EU producers, farmers, and consumers. Open, rules-based and fair trade is essential for our prosperity, competitiveness and economic security, in an increasingly dynamic and changing world.
Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade
The 22nd European Week of Regions and Cities kicks off next week to take stock of achievements under cohesion policy
Next week, the 22nd
European Week of Regions and Cities, the largest annual event dedicated to cohesion policy, will kick off in Brussels. The event will provide an opportunity to take stock of the success of cohesion policy during the current Commission mandate and to look ahead to its future.
The four-day event will host almost 200 sessions, bringing together around 5,000 participants, including EU, national, regional and local officials, project promoters and practitioners, academics, researchers and journalists.
Driven by the motto ‘Empowering communities’, this year’s programme will focus on the contribution of cohesion policy to strengthening competitiveness and convergence in European regions and cities, improving smart and sustainable growth, and strengthening European democracy.
Other highlights of the week include the Regiostars Awards ceremony, which recognises EU-funded projects that highlight the impact and inclusiveness of regional development, and the Megalizzi-Niedzelski Awards ceremony for budding candidates.
Following a competition, three journalists will be recognised for their dedication to quality journalism and commitment to EU values.
The Week will be opened by a press conference by Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira and President of the Committee of the Regions Vasco Alves Cordeiro on 7 October at 11:00 CEST. Follow the press conference live on EbS. Commissioner Ferreira and President Cordeiro will also close the Week on Thursday 10 October at 15:00 CEST.
(For more information: Stefan De Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 2 298 46 80; Laetitia Close – Tel.: +32 2 296 70 73)
The European Commission is committed to personal data protection. Any personal data is processed in line with Regulation (EC) 2018/1725. All personal information processed by the Directorate-General for Communication / European Commission Representations is treated accordingly. If you do not work for a media organisation, you are welcome to contact the EU through Europe Direct in writing or by calling 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11.
S
ource: Cyprus News Agency