Daily News 22/01/2016 Brussels, 22 January 2016

European Commission - Daily News

EU joint mission to Turkey: together to discuss common challengesEU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the EuropeanCommission Federica Mogherini together with Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy andEnlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and CrisisManagement, Christos Stylianides will pay an official visit to Turkey. Commissioner Stylianides willarrive in Turkey this weekend, and will visit EU funded humanitarian aid projects assisting mainlyrefugees from Syria and Iraq in the regions most affected by the crisis. During the visit, HR/VPMogherini and Commissioner Hahn will attend the High-Level Political Dialogue Meeting with theTurkish counterparts, in Ankara. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss the common challengesahead as key partners and strategic allies in the region. In addition to dialogue with the authorities,HR/VP Mogherini and Commissioners Hahn and Stylianides will also meet with the representativesof the four main political parties and civil society representatives. HR/VP Mogherini and CommissionerStylianides will then travel to the South East of Turkey to meet representatives of the many religiousand ethnic communities living together in the region. Videos and photos of the visit will be available onEbS. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229-86570; Alexandre Polack – Tel.: +32229-90677; Alceo Smerilli - Tel.: +32 229-64887, Daniel Puglisi Tel.: +32 229-69140)

Commissioner Hogan welcomes improved market access to India for EU apple exportsEU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan welcomes the announcement onthe improved access to the Indian market for EU apple exports: "Improved access to the Indian marketrepresents another positive step in finding alternative markets for EU producers, in light of the ongoingdifficult market situation. Our efforts to break down any barriers to our agricultural exports and to openmarkets to our producers are ongoing, as part of the diplomatic offensive we are leading in 2016".While all access points were closed to apples imports since September 2015 with the exception of oneport, as of this week, European producers can get their apples into the Indian market through the seaports and airports in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Cochin, as well as the airport in Delhi. Theimportation of apples is also allowed through India’s land borders. The Indian market has hugepotential. EU exports of apples to India amounted to only around 7,000 tonnes in 2014, mainly fromItaly, France and Belgium. Although provisional figures for 2015 show a considerable increase toaround 11,000 tonnes, India has the potential to absorb a higher share of EU exports given itsmoderate domestic apple production (around 1.5 million tonnes in 2013, similar to Italy). While theRussian embargo on EU agri-food products lasts, European producers continue to actively seekalternative markets with the support of Member States and the European Commission. In this context,Poland reached an agreement with India and the first Polish apples entered the market in April 2015.(For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 229 56185; Clémence Robin – Tel.: +32 229 52509)

European Commission awards €20 million in top-up grants for most promising innovationprojectsToday, the European Research Council (ERC) has awarded 135 grants in the third round of its €20million Proof of Concept competition, which awards the most promising innovation projects by existingERC grantees with up to €150 000 in funding. Announcing the grants at the a press conference aboutattracting talent to Europe at the World Economic Forum in Davos EU Commissioner for Research,Innovation and Science Carlos Moedas said: "There can be no sustainable environment for Europeaninnovation without scientific excellence. Proof of Concept grants help researchers bridge the dividebetween academia and the market. They support the frontier science that leads to innovation with real-life applications, creating new opportunities for European jobs and products." The grants, which can beused to establish intellectual property rights, or look for business opportunities, will seek to developsuch innovative products like customised cancer treatments based on DNA information, develop super-hard graphene fibres weaved by bionic silkworms, and support the restoration of medieval architecturalprocesses. More information can be found in the ERC press release. The press conference in Davos will

start at 12:30 and will be web-streamed here. (For more information: Lucia Caudet – Tel.: +32 22956182; Mirna Talko – Tel.: +32 229 87278)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of UniCarriers Holdings by Mitsubishi HeavyIndustriesThe European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of UniCarriersHoldings Corporation ('UCHC') of Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. ('MHI') of Japan. MHI is amultinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics company active amongst others in theproduction and sale of forklifts and warehouse equipment in the European Economic Area (EEA). UCHCis a holding company active in the development, manufacture and marketing of forklifts, containerscarriers, transfer cranes and forklift engines. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisitionraises no competition concerns, as the companies' market shares are very low in the markets wheretheir activities overlap. The operation was examined under the simplified merger procedure. Moreinformation is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under thecase number M.7880. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel. +32 229 80100; Carolina LunaGordo – Tel.: +32 229 68386)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of TEN by Engie and RECThe European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition ofTransmisora Eléctrica del Norte S.A. (TEN) of Chile by Engie S.A. of France and Red EléctricaCorporación S.A. (REC) of Spain. Engie is a global energy player active in the areas of electricity,natural gas and energy services. REC operates the national electricity grid and power transmissionsystem in Spain and is also active in some countries in South America. TEN has currently no activity onthe market but will develop and operate an electricity transmission line in Chile. The companies'activities do not overlap. The Commission therefore concluded that the proposed acquisition wouldraise no competition concerns. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger reviewprocedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public caseregister under the case number M.7889. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel. +32 22980100; Carolina Luna Gordo – Tel.: +32 229 68386)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of HRA Pharma by Astorg Asset Management andGoldman Sachs. The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of HRAPharma, a French company that develops and sells pharmaceutical products and devices in womenhealth and endocrinology sectors, by Astorg Asset Management, a private equity investment firm andGoldman Sachs, a global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. TheCommission concluded that the transaction would raise no competition concerns, given thatthere are no overlaps between the activities of HRA Pharma on the one hand and the activities ofportfolio companies controlled by Astorg and Goldman Sachs, on the other hand. The transaction wasexamined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on theCommission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.7887. (Formore information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Yizhou Ren – Tel.: +32 229 94889)

GMOs: Commission withdraws authorisation of 4 GMOs for food/ feed usesThe Commission has withdrawn today the authorisation of 4 GMOs for food/feed uses, MON863 maize,MON863xMON810xNK603 maize, MON863xMON810 maize and MON863xNK603 maize. These GMOshave not been cultivated worldwide since 2011 and their commercial phase out is completed, thereforethe company has asked for their withdrawal. For more information, see here. (For more information:Daniel Rosario – Tel.: + 32 229 56185; Aikaterini Apostola - Tel.: +32 229 87624)

Eurostat: Government debt fell to 91.6% of GDP in euro areaAt the end of the third quarter of 2015, the government debt to GDP ratio in the euro area (EA19)stood at 91.6%, compared with 92.3% at the end of the second quarter of 2015. In the EU28, the ratiodecreased from 87.7% to 86.0%. This decrease in the EU28 government debt to GDP ratio is driven byexchange rate fluctuations of non-euro area Member States against the euro. Compared with the thirdquarter of 2014, the government debt to GDP ratio fell in the euro area (from 92.3% to 91.6%) and inthe EU28 (from 86.9% to 86.0%). A Eurostat press release is available here. (For more information:

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Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 229 56153; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151

Eurostat: Seasonally adjusted government deficit down to 1.8% of GDP in the euro areaIn the third quarter of 2015, the seasonally adjusted general government deficit to GDP ratio stood at1.8% in the euro area (EA19), a decrease compared with 2.2% in the second quarter of 2015. In theEU28, the deficit to GDP ratio stood at 2.3%, a decrease compared with 2.6% in the previous quarter.AEurostat press release is available here. (For more information: Annika Breidthardt – Tel.: +32 22956153; Annikky Lamp – Tel.: +32 229 56151)

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