EC Report

The Joint Cyber Unit will act as a platform to ensure an EU coordinated response to large-scale cyber incidents and crises, as well as to offer assistance in recovering from these attacks. Today, the EU and its Member States have many entities involved in different fields and sectors. While the sectors may be specific, the threats are often common – hence, the need for coordination, sharing of knowledge and even advance warning.

The Commission is proposing to build the Joint Cyber Unit through a gradual and transparent process in four steps, in co-ownership with the Member States and the different entities active in the field. The aim is to ensure that the Joint Cyber Unit will move to the operational phase by 30 June 2022 and that it will be fully established one year later, by 30 June 2023. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA, will serve as secretariat for the preparatory phase and the Unit will operate close to their Brussels offices and the office of CERT-EU, the Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU institutions, bodies and agencies.

EU Digital COVID Certificate

The aim of the EU Digital COVID Certificate is to facilitate safe and free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. All Europeans have the right to free movement, also without the certificate, but the certificate will facilitate travel, exempting holders from restrictions like quarantine.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate will be accessible for everyone and it will:

• cover COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery;
• be free of charge and available in all EU languages;
• be available in a digital and paper-based format;
• be secure and include a digitally signed QR code;

Member States shall refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions on the holders of an EU Digital COVID Certificate, unless they are necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health.

In addition, the Commission committed to mobilising €100 million under the Emergency Support Instrument to support Member States in providing affordable tests.

The Regulation will apply for 12 months as of 1 July 2021.

This Flash Eurobarometer survey conducted at the end of May 2021 shows that 75% agree that COVID-19 vaccines are the only way to end the pandemic. 69% are either already vaccinated, or eager to be vaccinated as soon as possible. 79% intend to get vaccinated sometime this year. However, there are significant variations among Member States and by age group, people under 45 being more hesitant than people above that age. On average, 70% think that the EU is playing a key role in ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines in their country. A narrow majority of those who express a view are satisfied with the way the EU has handled the vaccination strategy (47% satisfied, 45% dissatisfied). Opinions on the way national governments have handled it are slightly more negative (46% satisfied, 49% dissatisfied). More information can be found here.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen outlined the key priorities and initiatives the EU will present in meetings with leaders of world's key economies.

The Summit participants are expected to discuss the economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis, including ways to build back better and create a greener, more prosperous future.

On this occasion Presidents David Sassoli and Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister António Costa said: “The EU Digital COVID Certificate is a symbol of what Europe stands for. Of a Europe that does not falter when put to the test. A Europe that unites and grows when faced with challenges. Our Union showed again that we work best when we work together. The EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation was agreed between our institutions in the record time of 62 days. While we worked through the legislative process, we also built the technical backbone of the system, the EU gateway, which is live since 1 June. We can be proud of this great achievement. The Europe that we all know and that we all want back is a Europe without barriers. The EU Certificate will again enable citizens to enjoy this most tangible and cherished of EU rights – the right to free movement. Signed into law today, it will enable us to travel more safely this summer. Today we reaffirm together that an open Europe prevails.”

In the Joint Statement adopted at the Summit, the EU and US committed to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and driving forward the global recovery, as well as fostering green growth, strengthening cooperation and building a more democratic and secure world.

To preserve and expand the unrivalled trade and investment between the two partners, President von der Leyen announced that an EU-US Trade and Technology Council would be established. “The Trade and Technology Council will be a forum to cooperate and align on global tech matters”, she explained. It will cover areas from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity, to environment.

President von der Leyen also commended the leadership of the US President Joe Biden with regard to international corporate taxation. “We jointly aim to build on the recent agreement at G7 Finance Ministers' level. And we fully stand behind the OECD process,” she said at the press conference following the Summit.

A number of other topics were addressed at the Summit, including the issue of fighting climate change, on which President von der Leyen ‘the EU and the US were natural partners'. “I am very pleased that we are establishing today an EU-US High-level Climate Action Group. The main focus is really to work together on the momentum that has been created by the Earth Summit and work on the climate diplomacy, forging the ambitious goals we want to achieve at COP26,” she noted.

The RRF will make €672.5 billion in grants and loans available for public investment and reforms in the Member States to help them address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to foster the green and digital transitions and to build resilient and inclusive societies. Ministers also adopted a recommendation under the excessive deficit procedure for Romania that sets a new deadline for Romania to improve its fiscal situation for 2024. In addition, the Council adopted the recommendations on the updated stability and convergence programmes of the Member States in the framework of the European Semester 2021 and approved conclusions on the fiscal sustainability challenges arising from an ageing population. Ministers also held an important policy debate on the direction to take regarding the key elements of the VAT rates proposal and discussed the 'buy and donate' proposal. The latter proposal would allow the Commission and other EU bodies to buy goods and services required to combat certain emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, with a VAT exemption and to distribute them free of charge to Member States. The ministers also reviewed progress on banking union and financial services legislative proposals. Lastly, they approved terms of reference for the meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors that will take place from 7 to 10 July 2021.

The Commission has assessed the plans of Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal and Slovakia. Further assessments will follow in the coming days. This is an important step towards disbursing funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to these Member States. This financing will support the implementation of the crucial investment and reform measures outlined in each Member State's recovery and resilience plan. The RRF will play an important role in enabling them to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission assessed the plans based on the criteria set forth in the RRF Regulation. The Council will now have, as a rule, four weeks to adopt the Commission's proposals. The RRF – at the heart of NextGenerationEU – will provide up to €672.5 billion to support investments and reforms across the EU.

This is the largest-ever institutional bond issuance in Europe, the largest-ever institutional single tranche transaction and the largest amount the EU has ever raised in a single transaction. Thanks to very strong interest among investors across Europe and the world, the Commission obtained very favourable pricing conditions, similar to those obtained in the repeatedly successful issuances under the SURE programme. The funds will be used for the first payments under NextGenerationEU, under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and various EU budget programmes. By the end of 2021, the Commission expects to raise some €80 billion in bonds, to be complemented by short-term EU-Bills, as per the funding plan published in June 2021. The exact amount of both EU-Bonds and EU-Bills will depend on the precise funding needs, and the Commission will revise its initial assessment in the autumn.

This online guide comes with new EU programmes working towards a more sustainable, inclusive and digital EU economy. The guide gathers information on EU funding sources with the highest potential to support investments in tourism.

It focuses on practical questions.

• Who can apply?
• Which actions are supported?
• What kind of funding is available?

The user-friendly guide contains links to the relevant EU programmes’ websites that publish the latest developments on annual work programmes or calls for proposals and technical details per programme. Finally, it points to examples of good projects co-funded by EU funds in the past.

Direct Link : Guide on EU funding for tourism