(AGENPARL) – lun 24 luglio 2023 [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/notiftemplate/img/espressobanner.jpg]
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[Daily News 24 / 07 / 2023](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_23_3983)
NextGenerationEU: Commission receives third payment request from Croatia for €700 million in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Croatia’s third payment request for €700 million (net of pre-financing) relates to 32 milestones and 13 targets. They cover investments in areas such as flood protection, recycling of municipal waste, digitalisation of administrative, medical and judicial services, energy renovation of buildings, sustainable, green and digital tourism, the purchase of seismic equipment and the construction of the cable ferry Križnica. The payment request also includes a series of reforms to promote the uptake of renewable energy sources, and improve the management in the water, waste, maritime and tourism sectors, the latter with the emphasis on sustainability. Further reforms relate to the areas of public procurement, higher education, health, the labour market, including tackling of undeclared work, and the setting up of an online one-stop-shop which covers both post-earthquake reconstruction and energy efficiency of buildings.
Croatia’s overall recovery and resilience plan will be financed by €5.51 billion in grants.
Payments under the RRF are performance-based and contingent on Croatia implementing the investments and reforms outlined in its recovery and resilience plan.
The Commission will now assess the request and will then send its preliminary assessment of Croatia’s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the Council’s Economic and Financial Committee.
More information on the process of the payment requests under the RRF is available in this [Q&A](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_1870). More information on the Croatia recovery and resilience plan is available [here](https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resilience-facility/croatias-recovery-and-resilience-plan_en).
Commission gathers views on how to make the agri-food industrial ecosystem greener, more digital and resilient
The Commission published [an analysis](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/consultations/transition-pathway-more-resilient-sustainable-and-digital-agri-food-ecosystem_en) of the existing EU policies supporting the agri-food sector to become greener, more digital and resilient. With it, the Commission is launching a public consultation inviting interested parties to propose actions to accelerate the twin transition of the sector. The consultation is open to the whole industrial value chain, as well as public authorities, social partners, research organizations and others.
In parallel, the Commission plans to organise workshops to discuss and collect views on how to make this industrial ecosystem more competitive. The objective is to co-create a Transition Pathway for the agri-food sector by the end of 2023.
The Commission proposed to develop transition pathways in different industrial ecosystems in the May 2021 [Industrial Strategy Update](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1884). The Update was accompanied by the first [Annual Single Market Report](https://commission.europa.eu/select-language?destination=/media/24218), which offers an analysis of the challenges faced by different ecosystems and serves as a starting point for preparation of the transition pathways.
The [targeted public consultation](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/consultations/transition-pathway-more-resilient-sustainable-and-digital-agri-food-ecosystem_en) on the transition pathway for the agri-food industry will last until 19 September.
Tchad : l’UE alloue 10 millions d’euros supplémentaires d’aide humanitaire et lance de nouvelles opérations aériennes pour faire face à la crise au Soudan
L’Union européenne a alloué 10 millions d’euros supplémentaires d’aide humanitaire au Tchad, afin d’aider le pays à faire face aux besoins du grand nombre de personnes fuyant le conflit au Soudan voisin. Ce nouveau financement vient s’ajouter aux 7 millions d’euros d’aide humanitaire déjà promis pour des actions au Tchad lors de la réunion de haut niveau qui s’est tenue à Genève le mois dernier, en réponse à la crise au Soudan. Les fonds seront utilisés pour répondre aux besoins les plus urgents des populations réfugiées vivant dans des situations extrêmement précaires.
Le commissaire à la gestion des crises, Janez Lenar?i?, a déclaré : « Le conflit au Soudan, qui n’a malheureusement pas perdu de son intensité après trois mois de combats, a une incidence de plus en plus préoccupante sur le Tchad voisin. Les Tchadiens ont fait preuve d’une solidarité remarquable les personnes qui cherchent refuge à l’intérieur de leurs frontières, et l’UE reste pleinement déterminée à soutenir le Tchad dans le cadre de la réponse à cette crise. L’UE mobilise toutes les ressources dont elle dispose, d’un point de vue tant financier que logistique, pour venir en aide aux populations qui en ont le plus besoin.”
En outre, un nouveau vol du pont aérien humanitaire de l’UE (HAB) à destination de N’Djamena est parti pendant le week-end. Ce vol, le troisième depuis le lancement du HAB à la fin du mois de mai, a transporté près de 90 tonnes de fournitures destinées à différents partenaires humanitaires. Sur le chargement total, 52 tonnes ont été données par l’UE à partir de son stock prépositionné à Brindisi et seront livrées à des partenaires humanitaires.
Les deux vols précédents ont permis de livrer environ 180 tonnes de fournitures essentielles à plusieurs partenaires, notamment des médicaments, des abris, de l’eau et du matériel sanitaire, des fournitures scolaires et d’autres articles non alimentaires.
Plus de détails figurent dans le [communiqué de presse](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/fr/IP_23_3968).
Aides d’État : la Commission autorise un régime d’aides français de 195,6 millions d’euros mettant en place un fonds de garantie pour les opérations de géothermie profonde
La Commission européenne a autorisé, en vertu des règles de l’UE en matière d’aides d’État, un régime d’aides français pour mettre en place un fonds de garantie pour les opérations de géothermie profonde. En particulier, la Commission a autorisé une contribution de l’Agence de l’environnement et de la maîtrise de l’énergie (« ADEME ») de maximum 140 millions d’euros, pour la constitution du fonds de garantie. Les contributions (sous forme de cotisations) des porteurs de projets souhaitant bénéficier de la garantie s’élèveront à 55,6 millions d’euros.
Ce fonds, qui sera mis en œuvre pour une durée de 10 ans, accordera des garanties pour les opérations de forage de projets de géothermie profonde ayant une capacité d’environ 30 MW. Ces garanties auront pour objet de couvrir le risque lié au degré élevé d’incertitude de la ressource géothermale profonde lors de forages, étant donné que le marché n’est pas actuellement en mesure de garantir la couverture de ce risque dans des conditions acceptables pour les investisseurs. Le montant maximum d’indemnisation par projet s’élèvera à 17 millions d’euros et sera payé aux porteurs de projets en cas d’échec sur la qualité ou la quantité de la ressource géothermale.
La version non-confidentielle de la décision sera publiée sous le numéro SA.101109 dans le [registre des aides d’État](http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/register/) sur le site web de la [DG Concurrence](http://ec.europa.eu/competition/index_en.html), dès que les éventuels problèmes de confidentialité auront été résolus.
State aid: Commission approves €47 million Polish scheme to support agricultural producers in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine
Under the scheme, the aid will consist in limited amounts of aid in the form of direct grants. The purpose of the measure is to support agricultural producers that are currently facing liquidity shortages due to the cost increase of seeds, a key input for agricultural production, and thus ensure food security.
The Commission found that the Polish scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Crisis Framework. In particular, the aid (i) will not exceed €250,000 per beneficiary; and (ii) will be granted no later than 31 December 2023. The Commission concluded that the scheme 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 conditions set out in the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. On this basis, the Commission approved the scheme under EU State aid rules.
More information on the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework and other actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine and foster the transition towards a net-zero economy can be found [here](https://ec.europa.eu/competition-policy/state-aid/ukraine_en). The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.108198 in the [State aid register](https://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/index.cfm?clear=1&policy_area_id=3) on the Commission’s competition [website](https://ec.europa.eu/competition-policy/index_en) once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
Mergers: Commission clears creation of joint venture by PORR, Rigips and Saubermacher
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by PORR Umwelttechnik GmbH (‘PORR’), Saint-Gobain Austria GmbH (‘Rigips’) and Saubermacher Bau Recycling und Entsorgung GmbH (‘Saubermacher’), all of Austria.
The joint venture will build and operate a new gypsum recycling plant in Austria. PORR is a subsidiary of the PORR Group, which is active in the construction sector. Rigips is part of the Saint-Gobain Group, which produces innovative materials and construction products. Saubermacher provides construction waste services. It is part of the Saubermacher Group, which provides a range of services along the waste value chain, from collection and treatment to recycling and disposal.
The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns, given that the joint venture has negligible actual and foreseen activities in the European Economic Area. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s [competition](https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/index_en) website, in the public [case register](https://competition-cases.ec.europa.eu/search) under the case number [M.11135](https://competition-cases.ec.europa.eu/cases/M.11135).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner Reynders participates in Informal Meeting of Consumer Ministers in Bilbao
Today, Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders will participate in an Informal Consumer Ministerial Meeting in Bilbao, Spain, hosted by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Commissioner Reynders and ministers will exchange on the state of play of the implementation of the New Consumer Agenda 2020-25. They will take stock of the progress made to date on measures to protect consumers in the digital transition, empower consumers to access their rights, and ensure high-level consumer protection worldwide.
They will also discuss the next steps to ensuring sustainable consumption in Europe. Commissioner Reynders and the ministers will consider the long-term challenges in this area, with a view to empowering consumers in the green transition and tackling greenwashing at the national and European level.
[Tentative agendas](https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/documents-register/search?query=eyJjYXRlZ29yeU9iamVjdHMiOltdLCJjYXRlZ29yaWVzIjpbXSwidHlwZU9iamVjdHMiOltdLCJ0eXBlcyI6W10sImRlcGFydG1lbnRPYmplY3RzIjpbXSwiZGVwYXJ0bWVudHMiOltdLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImVuIiwia2V5d29yZHNTZWFyY2hUeXBlIjoiQUxMIiwidGFyZ2V0IjoiVElUTEVfQU5EX0NPTlRFTlQiLCJzb3J0QnkiOiJET0NVTUVOVF9EQVRFX0RFU0MiLCJpc1JlZ3VsYXIiOnRydWUsImtleXdvcmRzIjoibGlzdGUgZGVzIHBvaW50cyBwcsOpdnVzIiwicmVmZXJlbmNlIjoiIiwicGFnZSI6MX0%3D) for forthcoming Commission meetings
Note that these items can be subject to changes.
[Upcoming events](https://ec.europa.eu/info/events_en) of the European Commission
[Eurostat](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/main/news/news-articles) press releases
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