The European Commission has decided that the aid granted by France to the P.I.V.E.R.T. Institut d’Excellence en Énergies Décarbonées (IEED, institute of excellence in the field of low-carbon energy) to conduct the Genesys research and development programme complies with the EU rules on state aid. The aim of the project is to develop a new generation of biorefineries using biomass to produce, among other things, clean energy. The aid addresses a genuine market failure without giving rise to an undue distortion of competition.

Without prejudice to a future political decision on possible signature, the Commission adopted today the proposals for Council Decisions on (i) the signing and provisional application as well as (ii) the conclusion of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which will be transmitted to the Council for further processing. The Commission accompanied the two proposals with a political statement (see below).

"Despite difficult economic circumstances, the European Union has met and even surpassed its fast start finance pledge to developing countries by providing more than €7.3bn of climate finance. This is a very clear demonstration of the EU's commitment to finding a global solution to the benefit of all to the impacts of climate change," said Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action. The ECOFIN Council today adopted a report which shows that the EU provided about a third of the total commitment by developed countries for 2010–2012.

The European Commission has concluded that a modification to Banco CEISS' restructuring plan, opening the door for an acquisition of the bank by Unicaja Banco, is in line with EU state aid rules. In particular, the Commission found that the integration into Unicaja Banco, a Spanish bank that has received no state aid during the crisis, will ensure that Banco CEISS becomes viable in the long term. In December 2012, the Commission had approved a restructuring plan for Banco CEISS which did not foresee an acquisition by Unicaja (see IP/12/1432).

A declaration by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU committing Member States to developing eHealth ecosystems that could contribute to the reform of health systems has been welcomed by European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes and Health Commissioner Tonio Borg. The Irish Presidency presented the Declaration at the Ministerial eHealth High Level Conference in Dublin on May 13th.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a PLN 566m (some EUR 140m) loan to Elektrocieplownia Stalowa Wola for the construction of a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station with an electric capacity of 450 MWe and heating capacity of 240 MWth. This highly efficient power plant will be built on an existing industrial site within the boundaries of the Stalowa Wola power plant in South-Eastern Poland. It will provide electricity to the grid and heat to neighbouring towns as well as industrial off-takers.

Franchise deal with Finnish company Restel will create a nationwide network of Burger King restaurants.

Burger King, the world’s second largest fast food chain, is entering the Finnish market through a master franchise agreement with the Finnish hotel and restaurant chain Restel. Restel is planning to establish a nationwide network of Burger King restaurants in busy stations, shopping centres, event arenas and other good business locations. The first restaurant will open in Helsinki at the end of this year.

Cecilia Malmström

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs

Speech by Commissioner Malmström at the State of the Union Conference: Europe should give migrants the opportunities they deserve

State of the Union Conference/Florence, Italy

9 May 2013

Today is 9 May 2013. If we look 30 years ahead, on 30 May 2030, the world will look quite different. That is only 17 years away but many things – predictable and unpredictable - will have changed. But we can also be sure that other things will not have changed.

José Manuel Durão Barroso

President of the European Commission

Speech by President Barroso at the State of the Union conference: Restoring confidence

State of the Union conference/Florence

9 May 2013

Ladies and gentlemen,

First let me thank you for having invited me again to be here with you on Europe Day. It is always with a great pleasure that I come to Italy and to Florence where we can feel such a great European spirit.

The extractive industry represents a great opportunity for Finland, provided that it is developed in a sustainable way economically, socially and environmentally.

The extractive industry represents a great opportunity for Finland, provided that it is developed in a sustainable way economically, socially and environmentally. The objective is that Finland will become a forerunner in sustainable development in the extractive industry.

More than 1600 exchanges have so far been organised under the Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs programme and some 3200 businesses have been created or expanded (including numerous joint ventures and new cross border relations, see MEMO/13/412).