European Union

An important step towards incentivising and facilitating the launch of collaborative defence capability and research programmes in Europe was made today when Alexander Stubb, the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), signed the programme arrangement setting up a Cooperative Financial Mechanism (CFM). The signing took place during a meeting with EDA Chief Jorge Domecq at the Agency’s premises. Initiated by EDA, the CFM was negotiated over the past three years. It is designed to overcome the recurrent problem of unsynchronised defence budgets in participating Member States which can hinder or impede the launch of collaborative defence projects. 

So far, 10 participating Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain) have already signed the Programme Arrangement or declared their intention to join the programme. More countries signalled their willingness to join the programme in the coming weeks. Developed as a so-called ‘Category A’ programme of the Agency, the CFM is entirely voluntary. Member States can freely decide if they wish to participate, contribute and support projects. 

Today, the launch of collaborative defence capability and research projects is sometimes delayed or hampered by the fact that defence budgetary availabilities might differ among partners, for instance for an unexpected budgetary restriction or a shift in national priorities. As a result, it happens that countries interested in a collaborative project cannot join or have to postpone their participation because the required funding is not approved or available at a particular moment. The CFM, acting as trusted platform offering mutual inter-state help, or alternatively outside support from the EIB, was established to mitigate this problem. It will enter into force at the date of the signature of the last country having declared its intention to join.

EDA Chief Jorge Domecq stated: “The Agency’s role is to promote and incentivise collaborative defence projects in Europe and to help create the right conditions for that. The CFM adds a very powerful instrument to our toolbox in the context of an enhanced momentum for defence cooperation fostered by the EU defence initiatives. In future, mismatching budgetary cycles or provisional gaps in funding should no longer exclude member states from participating in multinational programmes”. 

EIB Vice-President Alexander Stubb commented: “Europe has to be at the forefront of the development of key strategic defence technologies, including AI and digitalisation. With cooperation we can improve EU efficiency and innovation ability and strengthen EU capacity to prevent and respond to hybrid threats. A lack of access to suitable financing solutions allowing to better synchronize joint resources is seen as one of the major impediments to the launch or implementation of defence related cooperative projects. This is where the EU bank comes into play. Via the CFM, the EIB can strengthen its lending in support of public sector projects, with, inter alia, potential investments in the fields of dual-use RDI of defence or cybersecurity technologies, including projects envisaged under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation PESCO.”
 

Two pillar structure

The CFM will be structured in two pillars:

• the first pillar foresees the European Investment Bank (EIB) as the sole lender through the conclusion of bilateral framework loan agreements between EIB and the interested Member State having joined the CFM arrangement (CFM Member). To obtain the EIB’s financial support, projects submitted must respect the eligibility requirements set by the Bank’s lending policy, while the volume of the lending facility and the interest rate applied are negotiated on a case-by-case basis by the EIB and the interested CFM Member. The EIB involvement is supported and facilitated by the EDA which will act as the ‘Facility Agent’ on behalf of EIB under its instructions and responsibility, serving as a primary point of contact between the EIB and the beneficiary CFM Member in the technical assessment of the feasibility of each project;

• the second pillar provides for a State-to-State support facility, through a system of reimbursable advances and deferred payments. It can be used to support any defence related project. The facility is structured as a set of individual bank accounts which are opened and managed by the EDA under the control of the CFM Members. Within that pillar, any CFM Member can submit a request for financial support to other CFM Members being part of a same collaborative project. While the Programme Arrangement provides the overarching legal framework setting the general requirements and conditions for State-to-State support, the specific conditions of each advance will be set out in separate agreements to be concluded between the supporting CFM Member, the beneficiary CFM Member and the EDA, as facilitator.
  The administrative and operational costs of the CFM will be covered by existing EDA resources meaning CFM Members will not have to bear additional costs for the management of the mechanism. Notwithstanding any financial support granted under the CFM, projects or programmes subject to such financial support will remain at all times governed and managed according to their own rules.
   

More information:

• European Defence Agency and European Investment Bank sign cooperation agreement (Feb 2018)

 

Austria's Green party is expected to join the government for the first time, with negotiations already underway. After Sebastian Kurz's ÖVP party governed alongside the Eurosceptic far-right group FPÖ from 2017-2019, this could now prompt a change in Austria's foreign and EU policy. EURACTIV Germany reports.

© European Union – EP, 2019

The European Parliament regularly receives questions from citizens about the European Youth Event. Are you interested too? Find out how you can take part!

The European Youth Event (also known as EYE) is a two-day event bringing thousands of young Europeans together in the European Parliament’s Strasbourg headquarters.

The EYE gives young people an opportunity to take part in political debates, workshops and other activities, and to interact with leading EU figures and decision-makers. Each event is also a venue for young people to voice their ideas on how to improve Europe and the world.

The event is organised by the European Parliament in cooperation with the European Youth Forum and other organisations.

Practical arrangements for EYE2020

The next edition of the European Youth Event will take place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 29-30 May 2020.

Groups of at least 10 people aged 16 to 30 – from the European Union and beyond – can sign up to the event. Registration opens in January 2020 on the European Parliament website.

Attending the EYE is free of charge. However, participants have to cover their own transport and accommodation costs and pay for their own meals.

The languages used at the event are English, French and German.

If you cannot attend the event in person, you will be able to follow some of the activities online and participate via social media.

Previous editions

The first edition of the European Youth Event (EYE2014) was held from 9-11 May 2014. It served as a platform for participants to share their ideas and opinions on issues such as youth unemployment, the digital revolution, the future of the EU, sustainability and European values.

EYE2016, held on 20 and 21 May 2016, gave over 7 500 young Europeans the opportunity to discuss a variety of themes under the event’s slogan: ‘Together we can make a change’.

At the latest edition of the event, EYE2018, held in Strasbourg on 1-2 June 2018, close to 9 000 young Europeans got together to discuss issues and came up with 100 ideas on how to improve Europe.

 

Keep sending your questions to the Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP)! We reply in the EU language that you use to write to us.

Further information

• European Youth Event, European Parliament.
• European Youth Event on Facebook and Twitter.

The Greek government is determined to take all necessary initiatives to ensure that the Western Balkan region’s EU ambition will become a reality soon, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias has said.

Russia was banned from the Olympics and other major world championships on Monday (9 December) after sporting officials decided to punish it for tampering with doping-related laboratory data in another blow to Russia’s already tarnished sporting reputation.

Three days before the British general election the Tories have a clear lead in the polls, despite inner-party turmoil over Prime Minister Johnson's Brexit policy. Columnists take stock of the factors hampering the efforts of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The EU issued a declaration on the recent protests in Iran.

The European commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said on Monday that Europe "should be able to move ahead and correct the mistake that was committed in October," when three member states (Denmark, France and the Netherlands) oppose opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. "We should be able to start accession negotiations with both countries in spring," Várhelyi told reporters, before the EU foreign affairs meeting.

The Greens are demanding an internal investigation by the European Parliament into Czech MEP Jan Zahradil following a story by this website on possible conflicts of interest in his role as lead negotiator on the EU trade deal with Vietnam. "These allegations reported by EUobserver are serious," said Belgian Green MEP Saskia Bricmont, in a statement, noting Zahradil should step down as rapporteur if the allegations are proven correct.

A delegation from the European Parliament arrives in Madrid today to participate in the COP25, where they will meet with key stakeholders in the negotiations.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

A delegation from the European Parliament arrives in Madrid today to participate in the COP25, where they will meet with key stakeholders in the negotiations.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Accessibility Act aims to ensure more products and services are accessible for elderly people and people living with a disability. Check out our video.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Accessibility Act aims to ensure more products and services are accessible for elderly people and people living with a disability. Check out our video.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Ukrainian President Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Putin will meet for the first time in Paris today. Measures aimed at solving the eastern Ukraine conflict are to be worked out together with Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel. Europe's media discuss whether and how there can be a breakthrough to the talks that have stalled until now. (((achtung: ich sehe die 2 links im dt. text nicht: bitte im eng. text verlinken)))