EIT Raw Materials

EIT Raw Materials was designated as an EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) by the EIT Governing Board on 09 December 2014. The below provides some information about the challenges the KIC will address in the field of raw materials (sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution) and the impact it will generate.

Goals and impact

EIT Raw Materials has the ambitious vision of turning the challenge of raw materials dependence into a strategic strength for Europe. Its mission is to boost the competitiveness, growth and attractiveness of the European raw materials sector via radical innovation and entrepreneurship. This KIC will integrate multiple disciplines, diversity and complementarity along the three sides of the knowledge triangle (business, education and research) and across the whole raw materials value chain.

EIT Raw Materials will be the strongest consortium ever created in the world in the raw materials field. The approach will pay particular attention to systemic thinking and de-siloing across the value chain. Novel service offerings will be implemented to empower the EIT Raw Materials community and other stakeholders, including four customised tracks focusing on growth and job creation by boosting start-ups, SMEs, radical innovation and education.

EIT Raw Materials will generate significant impact on European competitiveness and employment. This will be realised through the introduction of innovative and sustainable products, processes and services and well-educated people that will deliver increased economic, environmental and social sustainability to European society.

EIT Raw Materials aims to, among others:

• Support and develop over 40 incubated ideas by 2018
• By 2018 create 16 start-ups
• More than 1000 Masters and PhD EIT Label graduates by 2018
• By 2022, EIT Raw materials aims to have commercialised already 70 patents

EIT Raw Materials Co-location Centres

EIT Raw Materials will set up six Co-location Centres:

• Baltic Sea Co-location Centre (in Espoo, Finland)
• Central Co-location Centre (in Metz, France)
• Eastern Co-location Centre (in Wroclaw, Poland)
• Nordic Co-location Centre (in Luleå, Sweden)
• Southern Co-location Centre (in Rome, Italy)
• Western Co-location Centre (in Leuven, Belgium)

Contact Details

• Address: EIT Raw Materials Headquarters, Spreepalais c/o Helmholtz HQ, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2, 10178 Berlin, Germany
• Website: http://www.eitrawmaterials.eu/
• Email: info@eitrawmaterials.eu

On the occasion of the ACI Airport Economics & Finance Conference in London from 7 to 9 March 2016, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London, we would like to invite members of the media to register for the conference and as well attend a special media luncheon on Tuesday, 8 March at 13:00 with:

·         Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE

·         Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World

·         Patti Chau, Regional Director, ACI Asia-Pacific

This year’s event will also see the release of an all new reportThe Ownership of Europe’s Airports, by ACI EUROPE, as well as the 2015 ACI Airport Economics Report and Key Performance Indicators by ACI World.

Other topics under discussion at this year’s conference include:

·         State of the Airport Industry in Europe, Asia-Pacific and at global level

·         Airport Competition, Connectivity & Creative Destruction

·         Airport Economic Regulation

·         Airports Infrastructure, Capital Expenditure & Finance

·         Managing Risk

·         Clash of LCCs and Network Carriers

This press lunch is a well-established feature of the conference and is well attended each year. To register for the event as a journalist, please contactalison@airportconference.com

About ACI EUROPE

ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International, the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents close to 500 airports in 45 European countries. In 2014, our member airports handled over 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe, welcoming more than 1.8 billion passengers, 18.4 million tonnes of freight and 21.2 million aircraft movements. These airports contribute to the employment of 12.3 million people, generating €675 billion each year (4.1%) of GDP in Europe. Based in Brussels, we lead and serve the European airport industry and maintain strong links with other ACI regions throughout the world. www.aci-europe.org

About ACI World

Airports Council International (ACI) World, the global airport trade association, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. www.aci.aero

About ACI Asia-Pacific

ACI Asia-Pacific, one of the five regions of the Airports Council International (ACI), is based in Hong Kong and represents 100 members operating 573 airports in 47 countries in Asia-Pacific and the Middle-East.  In 2014, ACI Asia-Pacific airports have handled 2.48 billion passengers and 46.3 million tonnes of cargo. www.aci-asiapac.aero

Robert O’MEARA

Director, Media & Communications

ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International)

10, Rue Montoyer (box No 9), 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 2 552 09 82    Website: www.aci-europe.org          

Fax: +32 2 502 56 37   Twitter: @ACI_EUROPE

For information on airports & their carbon emissions: http://airportCO2.org

ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International (ACI), the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents close to 500 airports in 45 European countries. In 2014, our member airports handled over 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe, welcoming more than 1.8 billion passengers, 18.4million tonnes of freight and 21.2 million aircraft movements. These airports contribute to the employment of 12.3 million people, generating €675 billion each year (4.1%) of GDP in Europe. 

18th February 2016

Cold@Home

A journalistic investigation of fuel poverty

Across Europe and North America, fuel poverty is on the rise: nearly 100 million people are estimated to be unable to afford to keep their homes adequately warm during winter months.  EnAct (The Energy Action Project), in association with the Renovate Europe Campaign (REC), presents Cold@ Home, a multimedia project that investigates the underlying causes of fuel poverty, it impacts on people and society, and the measures being taken by diverse actors to address it.

The project launched this week with a web documentary from Ukraine, where people are facing their first winter after the government put in place a sevenfold increase in natural gas prices overnight (1st April 2015).  Over the next 12 weeks (until 7th May), diverse multimedia elements will explore specific aspects of fuel poverty (see the attached editorial calendar).

Cold@Home's underlying message is that fuel poverty is not about being poor.  In most cases, the combination of low quality housing and high energy prices drives people into financial hardship, ultimately compromising their health and well-being.

The project integrates diverse media to highlight different types of content:

Features range from personal stories (e.g. web documentaries and feature articles) to interactive elements and expert interviews via podcast.

Inside is the project's core element.  This daily blog has two parallel streams: The Basics covers one sub-topic in a short entry (~400 words); readers who wish can link to Indepth, where energy experts offer deeper insights, in plain language.  

The Energy Diary is a social media element through which EnAct allows people to give glimpses of their own daily struggles.  This aims to give people a voice and help reduce the stigma associated with fuel poverty also providing insights for those working on solutions. 

In keeping with EnAct's mission, Reporting that seeks to empower, Cold@Home has a section called Act Now, which includes tips on how people living in fuel poverty can take small steps to improve their situation or where they can go for help. It will also suggest how others can help those in need. 

Cold@Home will evolve as it unfolds: EnAct will welcome questions from it audiences, accept ideas for new stories or angles, and engage with additional experts as needed.

Background information

EnAct is an online platform investigating the causes and impacts of energy poverty worldwide, as well as solutions to address it.  Jointly developed by seasoned journalists and energy experts, EnAct capitalizes on the power of multimedia to engage, inform, influence and empower.

To get a sense of EnAct's work, view their trailer video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmCO2Zb4mBw

Renovate Europe is an initiative of the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroACE).  Its headline ambition is to reduce the energy demand of the building stock in the EU by 80% by 2050 as compared to 2005 levels.  The REC is calling for ambitious renovation strategies to be drawn up all across the EU in order to triple the annual renovation rate of buildings in the EU from 1% to 3% by 2020 and to ensure that all renovations are deep or staged deep renovations.                                                    

Learn more about the Campaign: www.renovate-europe.eu

Contacts

EnAct

REC

Europe:  Marilyn Smith

§  marilyn.smith@en-act.org

§  +33 6 1601 8932

USA:  Stephen Mayes

§  stephen.mayes@en-act.org

§  +1 646 329 4751

Campaign Director: Adrian Joyce

·         info@renovate-europe.eu

·         +32 2 639 1010

It is my pleasure to invite you to a workshop on sustainability and skills in the machine tool and robotics sectors in Munich & Augsburg on 2-3 February 2016.

EUnited is a partner in a project called "Effects of sustainability policies on employment & skills in the Machine tools & Robotics sector".  The aim of the project is to generate policy recommendations by anticipating the long-term effects of environmental sustainability policies on skills requirements and on employment volumes in the Machine tools & Robotics sector. The project is funded by the European Commission (Directorate General Employment) and led by industriAll European trade union with the participation of EUnited,  CECIMO, the industrial association of machine tools manufacturers, and Ceemet, the employers' association in the Metalworking, Engineering and Technology-based industries.

The workshop will be held in the NH München Ost Conference Center - Einsteinring 20 DE- 85609 Munich, starting on 02 February 2016 at 10:00 hours.

Interpretation will be available in EN, FR and DE. On the 3rd February in the afternoon, conference delegates can visit the industrial facilities of Kuka in Augsburg.

The workshop highlights are:

·         Presentation of the study undertaken by consultants VVA & TNO (draft reports attached)

·         interactive sessions on

intra-sector mobility

additional ‘new’ skills

assessment of impact of new market opportunities

For registration including hotel accommodation, please note this is managed by Annette Paternostre at IndustriAll in email cc, so please respond by email to annette.paternostre@industriall-europe.eu

If you require hotel accommodation, please also complete attached ‘Hotel Munich booking form’; travel (economy) and accommodation expenses are reimbursable for all participants.

******

Konferenz & Workshop: Projekt "Sustainability & skills in Machine tools & robotics sectors" München, 02. – 03. Februar 2016

An:        Mitglieder und stellvertretenden Mitglieder des Sektorausschusses Maschinenbau von industriAll European Trade Union

               Mitglieder und stellvertretenden Mitglieder des Industriepolitischen Ausschusses von industriAll European Trade Union

Das EU-finanzierte Sozialdialogprojekt "Effects of sustainability policies on employment & skills in the Machine tools & Robotics sector" zielt auf die Antizipation langfristiger Effekte von ökologischen Nachhaltigkeitspolitiken auf Kompetenzanforderungen und Beschäftigungsvolumen im Werkezugmaschinen- und Robotiksektor ab. Das Projekt wird von industriAll European Trade Union, Cecimo (Industrieverband der Werkzeugmaschinenhersteller), EUnited (Industrieverband fuer Maschinen inkl. Roboterhersteller) und Ceemet (Arbeitgebervereinigung der metallverarbeitenden und technologiebasierten Industrien) unterstützt.

Ziel ist die Ausarbeitung von Politikempfehlungen, um folgendes zu erreichen:

·         einen reibungslosen Übergang zu Nachhaltigkeit für die Beschäftigten,

eine auf Qualität basierende Wettbewerbsfähigkeit für Unternehmen, insbesondere durch die Gewährleistung, dass sie rechtzeitigen Zugang  zu den benötigten Kompetenzen, verkörpert in einer ausreichenden Anzahl von Beschäftigten, haben.

Der Betrachtungsumfang dieses Projektes geht weit über den kleinen Sektor der Werkzeugmaschinen und Robotik hinaus: Das Projekt ist in der Realität ein Pilotprojekt, dessen Methodik in der Zukunft von vielen anderen Sektoren verallgemeinert werden kann.  

Reise- und Hotelkosten werden erstattet. Verdolmetschung wird in den folgenden Sprachen zur Verfügung stehen: EN, FR und DE. 

[Barcelona, Spain, February 22, 2016] Huawei Deputy Chairman and Rotating CEO Guo Ping gave a keynote speech at Mobile World Congress 2016. Along with the CEOs of Ford and PayPal, Guo shared his thoughts on "mobile is connected living". In his keynote speech "what should we do before 5G", Guo commented that it will be a long time before 5G is deployed on a large scale, and industry players must ensure they do not miss out on opportunities. Guo also said that three things should be done before 5G arrives: increase connectivity, enable verticals, and redefine network capabilities. These initiatives will help address the uncertainties brought about by new technologies and new business models.

Huawei Deputy Chairman and Rotating CEO Guo Ping gave a keynote speech at Mobile World Congress 2016.

According to Guo, by 2025, there will be 100 billion connections globally, and the connections among the 7 billion people on earth will only account for 10% of the total. The majority of connections will be between people and things, and between things and things. Guo highlighted a case from the manufacturing sector, pointing out that 99% of equipment with sensors has yet to be connected to the Internet. Therefore, the first thing to do before 5G arrives is to increase connectivity. Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is the key technology supporting large-scale IoT. It will make static things smart and interactive, which means many things in the world will begin to "talk". As sensors and cameras are widely deployed, their connection to the Internet will turn the physical world into a smart, digital world. This will enable people to better observe, analyze, and use data from the physical world so as to better understand this world. Then, time and space will no longer be an issue when it comes to communication. Full connectivity will lead to a better digital life and create huge business opportunities.

Guo continued, saying that the second thing to do before 5G arrives is to enable verticals. According to a UN report released in 2010, the ICT industry has long been supply- rather than demand-driven. Vendors previously provided services based on available technologies. However, things have now changed. The ICT industry has already seen its business model shift from being supply-to demand-driven. As various smart city applications emerge in areas such as power grids and transportation, consumers will demand more from networks. ICT has become a new tool that verticals can use to increase their competitiveness. The ICT industry should seize this opportunity, develop a deeper understanding of verticals' needs, and help them go digital.

Increasing connectivity and enabling verticals have both led to higher requirements for networks. Guo added that the third thing to do before 5G arrives is to redefine network capabilities. As the hub of connections, carriers need to establish software-defined architecture, achieve agile operations, and significantly improve user experience, for example, by providing minute-level service provisioning. They also need to develop Big Data operation capabilities to effectively increase operating efficiency and explore ways to monetize Big Data. In addition, carriers need to choose a strategic partner that possesses integration capabilities. They also need to develop their own integration capabilities and help establish a more open and innovative ecosystem.

Based on one forecast, the total digital transformation market will grow to US$15 trillion by 2025. "We must not wait for the future to come; instead, we should work together to create the future," Guo was quoted as saying. "Before 5G arrives, we need to get started. We need to increase connectivity, and create new business models and new business value. This is necessary to support the integration of verticals and enable the digitization of traditional industries, thus driving forward the digital revolution."

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei’s 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world’s population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei

http://www.twitter.com/Huawei

http://www.facebook.com/Huawei

http://www.google.com/+Huawei

http://www.youtube.com/Huawei

Die Europäische Akademie Berlin sucht zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt eine 

                                                                              Projektassistenz

in Vollzeit (39 Wochenstunden), zunächst befristet auf ein Jahr, eine Verlängerung ist angestrebt.

Tätigkeitsprofil

[Düsseldorf, Germany. 23 February 2016] Huawei today announced the appointment of Walter Ji as President of Huawei's Consumer Business Group for the Western European Region. In his new role, Walter Ji will be responsible for leading the Consumer Business Group in the region.

The new President of Huawei's Consumer Business Group in Western Europe, Walter Ji

In his new role as President of Consumer Business Group, Huawei Western Europe, Walter Ji will continue to ensure that Premium products are offered to the market, and developed in a consumer-centric way; building a trusted and beloved premium brand image and cooperating with local partners to build the ecosystem in order to establish the best customer experience in the region.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, believes Walter Ji will excel in this new role after already having held various positions at Huawei over the last 14 years : "Walter Ji is an outstanding talent, with in-depth industry knowledge, who will drive our consumer business in Western Europe. Not only has he obtained valuable experience in two of Huawei’s most successful markets in Europe, but he also has a proven track record in management and business operations at the international level. With Western Europe being one of our key markets, we are certain that he will be instrumental in building on our success by significantly increasing our market share and furthering our brand perception.”

"I am very proud to play a role in Huawei’s development to become a truly premium brand” said Walter Ji. “At Huawei, we focus on creating innovative products through consumer-centricity, technological craftsmanship and establishing the right partnerships.” With Huawei’s new premium flagship products such as the P- and M-series, the company is continuously striving to improve the user experience. Innovations such as Knuckle Control or the VIP Service for Huawei customers are proof points of Huawei’s commitment to putting the consumer first. “We believe the expertise, craftsmanship and innovation connected to our products is resonating positively with consumers. We are glad to see that our brand awareness has already increased significantly over the past few years to over 80% in five countries, and look forward to building on this success,” adds Walter Ji.

Walter started his career with Huawei back in 2001 when he joined the R&D department. He was appointed CEO of Huawei Nigeria in 2007. In 2011, he became CEO of Huawei Technologies Spain and Portugal. Following this role, Walter Ji was appointed Vice President of Western Europe, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, as well as President of the Carrier Network Business Group in Western Europe in 2015 to oversee growth in the region.

About Huawei Consumer BG

Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and are used by a third of the world’s population, ranking third in the world in mobile phone shipments in 2014. Sixteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India, and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei’s three business units and covers smartphones, mobile broadband devices, home devices and cloud services. Huawei’s global network is built on 20 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.

For more information, please visit: http://consumer.Huawei.com/

Barcelona, February25^th 2016.-Huawei Spain and the Spanish National Institute of Cyber security (INCIBE) have signed, within the framework of the Mobile World Congress, held these days in Barcelona, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in which both organizations are committed to promote cyber security in Spain. This is the first agreement in this regard, signed by the company in a European country.

Tony Jin Yong, CEO of Huawei Spain, and Miguel Rego, General Manager of INCIBE, during the Signing Ceremony.

The document has been signed by Tony Jin Yong, CEO of Huawei Spain, and Miguel Rego, General Manager of INCIBE, an organization within the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism via the Secretary of State of Telecommunications and Information Society (SETSI).

Tony Jin Yong highlighted: "Huawei proactively advocates for the protection of cyber security. We are aware of the importance of ICT in the global economy and therefore remain fully committed to ensure their safety. Cyber security is a challenge that we must address in a coordinated and precisely for this reason we have formalized our commitment through this partnership".

Miguel Rego has stressed the importance of developing cooperation lines between public and private level and at international level, so that together we can achieve a more cyber secure space and contribute to the development of society and the digital economy.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) includes Huawei Spain and INCIBE commitment to establish a collaboration scenario that will promote the best practices and information exchange regarding cyber security actions and protection measures. In addition, both organizations will foster users’ awareness on this matter. The aim is to improve and optimize the existing capabilities within this scope, and promote the implementation and development of cyber security.

In this sense, by virtue of the agreement signed by both organizations, Huawei Spain and INCIBE establish in their joint roadmap the following targets: to create mechanisms for a periodic information exchange related to issues or other relevant aspects in cyber security matters; to foster the sharing of methodologies to improve cyber security; to share knowledge within this area and support the training and qualification of the Spanish companies and professionals in this area.

Likewise, the collaboration areas included in the agreement signed by Huawei and INCIBE are detailed in the promotion of a cyber security culture and its benefits within the scope of Corporate Social Responsibility, and in fostering an open, transparent and nondiscriminatory environment in Internet.

Commitment to Cyber security

In its efforts to guarantee the cyber security in an open and transparent way and to jointly face this global challenge, Huawei collaborates with public organizations, companies and users at international level in the interchange of the acquired experiences due to its position as a world-wide leading supplier of secure and reliable communications solutions in more than 170 countries. Within this commitment, Huawei is member of many industry standards organizations, including 3GPP, ETSI, IETF, IEEE or the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), and it sponsors initiatives such as the International Day of Information Society - ISMS Forum, a world-wide forum of cyber security experts.

Also, Huawei has taken multiple measures to guarantee the security of its operations, as well as the reliability of its networks and devices. In this sense, the company has started up an end-to-end global cybersecurity system based on its own procedures and focused on the consumer, which integrates the security requirements in all its business processes. In addition, at European level, it has taken all the necessary measures to comply with EU laws and regulations.

About Huawei

By the end of 2015, Huawei products and services were deployed in more than 170 countries, providing services to more than one third of the world-wide population. In 2015, Huawei was ranked third in worldwide smartphones sales. In addition, the company has established around the world more than 17 R&D centers in countries such as the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. The Consumer Business Unit of Huawei offers a wide range of products that includes Mobile Broadband (MBB) devices, home devices, telephones and Cloud services. With more than 20 years of experience in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector, a wide global network and numerous business operations and partners, Huawei, and concretely its Consumer Unit, takes the last technologies closer to the consumers, offering a new world of possibilities and creating extraordinary experiences for the people anywhere. For more information, visit Huawei online. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

APPEL D'OFFRE

En 2011, la Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur a souhaite faire évoluer ses outils de soutien financier aux PME et crée Paca Investissement, fonds de co-investissement dédié aux PME régionales innovantes en amorçage et en développement. En 5 ans, ce sont plus de 45 entreprises qui ont été soutenues par le fonds, grâce à des conventions de partenariat passées avec plus d'une trentaire d'investisseurs privés véhicules décisionnels. Depuis, d'autres outils complémentaires ont été mis en place par la Région pour soutenir les entreprises et soutenir fortement l'innovation sur le territoire. 

Forte de ce succès, la Région Provence-Alpes- Côte d'Azur souhaite que la SAS Paca Investissement puisse poursuivre et amplifier le travail accompli en mobilisant des fonds européens (fonds FEDER) dans le cadre de la nouvelle programmation 2014-2020. La Région a ainsi augumenté le capital de la SAS Paca Investissement, qui permettra de mobiliser des fonds européens. 

La SAS Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur Investissement a fait évoluer sa stratégie d'investissement et lance un appel d'offre afin de sélectionner la société gestionnaire du fonds pour la période 2016-2020.

Les organismes intéressés sont informés du lancement par SAS Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Investissement de cet appel d'offre pour la gestion du fonds de co-investissement. Toutes les pièces de l'appel d'offre sont disponibles sur le support suivant pendant la durée de la consultation du 14/03/2016 au 04/04/2016 à 16h00 précises. : 

• Plateforme Klekoon www.klekoon.com (profil acheteur)

Ce marché sera co-financé par l'Union Européenne avec le soutien du Fonds Européen de Développement Régional

How Much “Sustainability” is in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement?

28 April 2016

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CEST

The webinar will explore the strong sustainability chapter in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. The session will offer first-hand experiences of the impact on the supply chain at company level and outline the various sustainability initiatives that the EU and European companies are implementing in the country. Attendees will also learn about the expectations European businesses have from the sustainability chapter, as well as best practice insights.

Speakers will include:

Monique Ansink, Owner – Excellent Products bv
Since 1999, Monique has been the Director Excellent Products bv, a manufacturer of cargo securing products (tie downs, bungees, trailernets and towropes) under the brand name JUMBO and CROSSAFE based in the Netherlands and Vietnam. Excellent Products has been an FTA member since 2012 and Monique has been a member of the BSCI Steering Committee since 2014.

Pierre Gröning, Head of International Trade Policy, FTA
Pierre is responsible for developing FTA’s international trade policy strategy and representing the association’s interest at the EU level and towards the WTO. Pierre holds a Master’s degree from the College of Europe and a PhD from the University of Münster and has published a number of articles on international trade issues and free trade agreements.

Frauke Sommer, DG TRADE, European Commission
Since 2011, Frauke Sommer is in charge of the EU’s bilateral trade relations with Vietnam in the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission. Over the last three years, she has coordinated the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Vietnam which were concluded last December. 
 

REGISTER HERE

Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s leading social action organization, mobilizing a network of 60 chapters across the country.

Through our campaigns we advocate for clean water, fair trade, green energy, public health care, and a vibrant democracy. We educate and empower people to hold our governments and corporations accountable.

Join us and be part of a global movement working for social and environmental justice. We believe a better Canada and a fairer world are possible. Together, we turn that belief into action.

The Council of Canadians is a registered non-profit organization and does not accept money from corporations or governments. Our work is sustained by the volunteer energy and generous donations of people like you.

Ottawa, Canada and Berlin, Germany – A new video is set to spark debate on CETA (the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) with the deal on the verge of a vote this year in the European Parliament, where opponents hope it will be defeated.

Today, the Council of Canadians, in partnership with the European Initiative Stop TTIP, is launching CETA: Lessons from Canada, a five-minute animation. Using a technique known as "handimation," the short video gives a comprehensive background on the controversial deal, known to many as TTIP 1.0.

The video is narrated by Maude Barlow, alternative Nobel Prize recipient and anti-globalization leader. Barlow is also an acclaimed author and chairperson of the Council of Canadians. It is based on her report: Fighting TTIP, CETA and ISDS: Lessons from Canada, which has been revised and reissued.  The video and report can be found here in  English, German, French, Spanish, and Polish (report only).

“For many Europeans, this is their first experience with this kind of “new” trade deal that gives extraordinary powers to foreign corporations. Unfortunately, we in Canada have had over 20 years of experience of NAFTA, so this is not new to us,” says Barlow. “We want to share our experience with Europeans. Like NAFTA, CETA other deals like it are destructive to public services, the environment, food safety, the local economy, and labour regulations on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Barlow is currently in Europe for an 11-day speaking tour to help strengthen opposition to the ratification of CETA among both elected officials and the general public. 

The new video also enters into the debate on the proposed changes to the controversial Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism. On the rebranding of ISDS, the video says, “But didn’t we hear that the EU Commission changed ISDS? Well, they changed the name. Now, they are calling the three arbitrators judges. And they will be selected differently. But a fresh coat of paint… doesn’t change the basic problem. Foreign corporations would still have rights that no one else has. “

The European Initiative Stop TTIP has been a major critic of the agreement, garnering almost 3.5 million signatures on their petition asking the European Parliament to reject CETA and TTIP. The petition can be found in several different languages at: https:/stop-ttip.org/

“This video shows people exactly what we in Europe have feared about CETA. Our Canadian friends remind us that what they say is true: Canadians and Europeans have similar values. What the commission doesn’t realize is that these values are being attacked by this type of so called ‘free trade’ agreement,” concludes Michael Efler, Campaign Coordinator of the European Initiative Stop TTIP.

The video was made possible through the generous support of the JMG Foundation.  It was made by Hand on a Whiteboard. 

Contacts:

The Council of Canadians:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, +1 613-795-8685, dpenner@canadians.org or 
Sujata Dey +33 7 86 40 32 00, sdey@canadians.org.

Stop TTIP: Anne Dänner, Press Officer, +49 178 8163017, press@stop-ttip.org

Click here for the tour itinerary.

Economic expectations for Central and Eastern Europe including Turkey (CEE region) have deteriorated in April 2016. In the current survey, the ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for the CEE region has decreased by 13.1 points to a level of minus 8.4 points. Among the individual countries, the indicators for the Czech Republic (down by 16.0 points) and Hungary (down by 12.8 points) have seen the largest decreases.
 

The ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for Central and Eastern Europe reflects financial market experts’ expectations for the CEE region on a six-month time horizon. The indicator has been compiled on a monthly basis together with further financial market data by the Mannheim Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) with the support of Erste Group Bank, Vienna, since 2007.

Information concerning further indicators for the CEE region, the Eurozone, the individual CEE countries covered by the analysis, and Austria can be found in the table at the bottom of the press release. The answers of all survey participants are taken into account for the calculation of the indicators for the CEE region, the Eurozone, and Turkey. The answers of the Turkish survey participants are not incorporated into the calculation of the indicators for individual CEE countries and Austria, because their high participation share in the survey could cause significant biases in the survey results.

For further information please contact:
Zwetelina Iliewa, Phone +49 (0)621/1235-346, E-mail iliewa@zew.de

Join the consultation before 12 June  →

The ENTSO for gas and electricity invite you to participate in their joint Consultation on scenarios for the TYNDPs 2018. This is a web based consultation running from 12 May until close of business 12 June.

What we assume today sets the frame under which the future is analysed. This is the reason why when developing the electricity and gas TYNDPs we are looking into what the future may look like.

The electricity and gas are independent systems but they are interlinked with each other. Therefore today the ENTSOs, are asking you both as electricity and gas stakeholders to give us your vision of the future.

Your feedback will be used by the ENTSOs in drafting the scenarios for the TYNDPs 2018. We will look into every feedback we’ll receive when drafting the final scenarios storylines. Based on them ENTSOs will complete the picture with the associated data so that the scenarios turn into palpable results. Along the way ENTSOs will continue asking your feedback during the coming stakeholder engagement process.
 

To whom is this addressed?

ENTSO-E and ENTSOG invite all the stakeholders interested in the gas and electricity infrastructure development and in particular scenario development to participate to this joint consultation.
 

How to answer?

In order to answer to this consultation we kindly invite you to click on the button below and follow the instructions.

The consultation will close on 12 June COB.

For further information including a complete list of all consultation questions please continue reading on our website →

Wir suchen für unsere Konzernrepräsentanz in Brüssel

zum nächsten möglichen Zeitpunkt

Referent/in Public Affairs

Sie unterstützen die Interessenvertretung des DEKRA e.V./SE an der Schnittstelle zu den Europäischen Mitgliedstaaten und der europäischen Politik.

Unter Beachtung der strategischen Vorgaben erstellen Sie Positionspapiere betreiben Monitoring von EU Themen und stehen begleitend im Kontakt zu Europäischen Parlament, Europäischer Kommission und anderen Institutionen.

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