Today's grant payment to Croatia in the amount of EUR 700 million (not including pre-financing) was made after Croatia achieved 25 key milestones and targets associated with the second payment. This includes reforms and investments in the areas of public administration, justice, social policy, employment, education, skills, energy and energy efficiency, water management and connectivity.

As for all member states, payments under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism are performance-based and depend on whether Croatia implements reforms from the Recovery and Resilience Plans.

The overall plan for the recovery and resilience of Croatia will be financed with grants in the amount of 5.5 billion euros. On September 28, 2021, Croatia already received a pre-financing payment in the amount of EUR 818 million, followed by the first payment under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism in the amount of EUR 700 million on June 28, 2022. Amounts disbursed to Member States are published in the Recovery and Resilience Indicator Table which shows progress in the implementation of the overall Recovery Mechanism, as well as progress in individual Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Yesterday, on December 8, 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in Croatia.

From 1 January 2023, checks on persons at internal land and sea borders between Croatia and the other countries in the Schengen area will be lifted. Checks at internal air borders will be lifted from 26 March 2023, given the need for this to coincide with the dates of IATA summer/winter time schedule.

From 1 January 2023 Croatia will also start to issue Schengen visas and will be able to make full use of the Schengen Information System.

Since its accession to the EU, Croatia has applied parts of the Schengen acquis, including those related to the external border controls, police cooperation and the use of the Schengen Information System.

The remaining parts of the Schengen acquis, which include the lifting of controls at internal borders and related measures, can only become applicable following a unanimous decision by the Council after it has been verified, in accordance with the applicable Schengen evaluation procedures, that they fulfil the necessary conditions. In December 2021, the Council concluded that the necessary conditions were fulfilled by Croatia.

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals for the Erasmus+ programme for 2023. With the programme’s annual budget of EUR 4.2 billion, the focus is on inclusion, active citizenship and democratic participation, and the green and digital transformation in the EU and internationally.

As mobility is its main feature, Erasmus+ will continue to support the cross-border mobility of vocational education and training learners, adult learners, young people participating in non-formal learning programmes, educators and other educational professionals next year to gain European experience in education and training. As of 2023, the programme will include a new activity to support sport coaches to participate in mobility projects, thereby directly extending the opportunities for cross-border cooperation and learning to local sports organisations and their staff.

The program met the challenges we expect in 2023 and provides significant support to students and educational staff fleeing the war in Ukraine. In doing so, the programme continues to be as inclusive as possible and continues the work carried out in the framework of the European Year of Youth.

For 35 years, Erasmus+ has been one of the most recognizable EU programmes, involving almost 13 million people so far. Whereas the overall budget for Erasmus+ from 2021 to 2027 is as much as EUR 26.2 billion, in addition to around EUR 2.2 billion from the EU’s external instruments, the programme will be able to support even more participants and ideas in Europe and beyond.

The Commission is after the adoption of the 2023 annual work programme launched the Erasmus+ Call for Proposals for 2023.

More info is available at: Komisija objavila poziv za prijavu prijedloga za Erasmus+ u 2023. godini (europa.eu)..

An expert meeting called " Poljoprivreda budućnosti Karlovačke županije", organized by the Public Institution Regional Development Agency of Karlovac County and Europe Direct Karlovac, in cooperation with Regional Energy Agency of Northwest Croatia (REGEA), was held on November 4, 2022 in the congress hall of Public Institution Aquatika in Karlovac.

Bringing together eminent experts in the field of agriculture, the agriculture of Karlovac County was looked at from several different aspects. In addition to providing an insight into the current state of agriculture in our county, possible directions for future development were also presented, along with available modern technological solutions that are already successfully applied in the world, as well as those that are currently in the development phase and should be counted on in the future.

After welcoming speeches were given by the organizers and collaborators, Mr. Tomislav Sokol, Member of the European Parliament, presented the EU’s concept of developing rural areas through the development of smart communities. The mentioned concept is already being applied and giving results in the more developed countries of the European Union.

The agriculture development plan of the Republic of Croatia in the new programming period was presented on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture by Mr. Ivan Ciprijan, head of the service for local community development in the Sector for Implementation of Rural Development Measures, while Mrs. Branka Šeketa Karlović, gave an insight into the current state of agriculture in our county.

Professors Ante Galić, Dubravko Filipović, Stjepan Pliestić and Vladimir Poljančić from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb gave interesting presentations about new technological solutions and the future of their application in agriculture. For the first time, in public was shown a prototype of the autonomous robot cRobot for recognition and ecological treating weeds.

Professor Marijana Blažić from Karlovac University of Applied Sciences spoke about connecting the industrial transition with the agricultural production organization and presented several projects in preparation related to the local distribution center, reception and processing of milk, abattoir and meat processing.

The second part of the expert meeting was dedicated to the climate impact and digitization of the agricultural sector. The impact of climate change on the agricultural sector was discussed by Mr. Miljenko Sedlar, assistant director of REGEA, while prof. Božidar Benko from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb presented concrete solutions and equipment for reducing the impact of climate change in protected areas.

Professor Nikola Bilandžija from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb referred to renewable energy sources and the possibilities of collecting and using agricultural biomass as a contribution to green strategies and the concept of smart rural communities.

As an example of smart and sustainable solutions with the application of a communication platform, the pilot project of the Zagreb County called "Smart Agriculture" was presented by Mr. Tomislav Marić, director of the sales department from Odašiljači i veze d.o.o.

At the end of the event, a panel discussion entitled "Holistic approach to the development of smart and resilient rural communities" was held, in which professors Marijana Blažić and Stjepan Pliestić, Mr. Tomislav Marić and, as a representative of local family farm, Mrs. Snježana Kovač from OPG Kovač, first handedly presented to the gathered a realistic path from an entrepreneurial idea to a successful businessman, which nicely rounded off and put into context the entire topic of the held professional meeting.

The event was sovereignly and expertly moderated by Mr. Vlatko Grgurić, presenter and editor of the well-known agricultural show "Plodovi zemlje".

Schengen, the EU's passport-free travel area, covers 26 countries. Read on to learn which countries are members and who is likely to join next.

Free movement – the right to live, study, work and retire anywhere in the EU – is possibly the most tangible achievement of European integration. With the establishment of the Schengen area in 1995,checks were abolished at the EU's internal borders.

Today, the Schengen area encompasses most EU states, except for Ireland, which maintains an opt-out and operates its own common travel area with the UK, as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, which are obliged to join Schengen.
Four non-EU countries - Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein - have also joined the Schengen area.

 

Enlargement of Schengen

Despite Bulgaria and Romania fulfilling the necessary criteria for full membership, the Schengen area has not yet been expanded to these two countries, as EU national governments must unanimously decide to allow new states to enter the border-free zone. In a vote on 18 October 2022, MEPs reiterated their call for both countries to be admitted to the Schengen area as soon as possiblestressing that free movement is at the heart of the EU project.

Kada je u pitanju Hrvatska, očekuje se da će Parlament odobriti njezino pristupanje Schengenu prije kraja 2022., dok je pristupanje Cipra privremeno odgođeno.

What are the conditions for joining the Schengen area?

• Countries must take responsibility for controlling the EU’s external borders
• They must apply a common set of Schengen rules, such as controls of land, sea and air frontiers, as well as the issuing of uniform Schengen visas
• To ensure a high level of security within the Schengen area, states must cooperate with law enforcement agencies in other Schengen countries
• They must connect to and use the Schengen Information System (SIS)

 

Temporary border controls

More than 1.25 billion journeys are made within the Schengen area every year. Internal border controls have been abolished within the Schengen Area, but states have retained the right to reinstate temporary controls in case of serious threats to public policy or internal security.

Since 2015, in the wake of the migration crisis, as well as the increase of cross-border terrorist threats, a number of Schengen states reintroduced such controls and even prolonged them on a number of occasions. The Covid-19 pandemic also pushed many EU countries to reintroduce border controls in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

In December 2021, the European Commission proposed an update of the rules governing the Schengen area, aiming to ensure that reintroducing internal border controls remains a measure of last resort and promote the use of alternative measures instead such as targeted police checks and enhanced police cooperation.

The European Parliament is working on the proposal.MEPs have on several occasions argued against the frequent reintroduction of controls, which hampers free movement of people across the EU..

Find out more about the issues of the Schengen area and the measures taken to strengthen it.

Following the announcement by President Ursula von der Leyen in her 2022 State of the Union address, the Commission has adopted today its proposal to make 2023 the European Year of Skills.

The green and digital transitions are opening up new opportunities for people and the EU economy. Having the relevant skills empowers people to successfully navigate labour market changes and to fully engage in society and democracy. This will ensure that nobody is left behind and the economic recovery as well as the green and digital transitions are socially fair and just. A workforce with the skills that are in demand also contributes to sustainable growth, leads to more innovation and improves companies' competitiveness.

However, currently more than three quarters of companies in the EU report difficulties in finding workers with the necessary skills, and latest figures from Eurostat suggest that only 37% of adults undertake training on a regular basis. The Digital Economy and Society Index shows that 4 out of 10 adults and every third person who works in Europe lack basic digital skills. In addition, already in 2021, 28 occupations ranging from construction and healthcare to engineering and IT had shortages, showing a growing demand for both high and low-skilled workers. There is also low representation of women in tech-related professions and studies, with only 1 in 6 IT specialists and 1 in 3 STEM graduates being women.

To encourage lifelong learning, Member States have endorsed the EU 2030 social targets that at least 60% of adults should participate in training every year, already presenting their national contribution to meeting this target. This is also important to reach the employment rate target of at least 78% by 2030. The 2030 Digital Compass sets the EU target that by 2030, at least 80% of all adults should have at least basic digital skills, and there should be 20 million employed ICT specialists in the EU, while more women should be encouraged to take up such jobs.

The European Year of Skills – boosting competitiveness, participation and talent

With the European Year of Skills, in cooperation with the European Parliament, Member States, social partners, public and private employment services, chambers of commerce and industry, education and training providers, and workers and companies all together, the Commission proposes to give a fresh impetus to lifelong learning by:

• Promoting increased, and more effective and inclusive investment in training and upskilling to harness the full potential of the European workforce, and to support people in changing from one job to another.
• Making sure that skills are relevant for labour market needs, by also cooperating with social partners and companies.
• Matching people's aspirations and skill sets with opportunities on the job market, especially for the green and digital transition and the economic recovery. A special focus will be given to activate more people for the labour market, in particular women and young people, especially those not in education, employment or training.
• Attracting people from third countries with the skills needed by the EU, including by strengthening learning opportunities and mobility and facilitating the recognition of qualifications.

To meet these objectives, the Commission will promote upskilling and reskilling opportunities, for instance by highlighting relevant EU initiatives, including EU funding possibilities, to support their take-up, implementation and delivery on the ground. Events and awareness-raising campaigns will also be organised across the EU to support mutual learning of partners in up- and reskilling. The proposed Year also aims to help to further develop skills intelligence tools and promote tools and instruments for increased transparency and easier recognition of qualifications, including qualifications awarded outside the EU.

To ensure the coordination of relevant activities at national level, the Commission calls on Member States to appoint a national coordinator for the European Year of Skills.

EU initiatives to support skills development

Activities within the framework of the European Year of Skills can be built on a number of existing EU initiatives to support skills and increase their uptake. Here are some of them:

• The European Skills Agenda Agenda is the framework for EU skills policy cooperation and will continue to help individuals and businesses develop more and better skills and to apply them.
• As part of the Skills Agenda, under the Pact for Skills so far, more than 700 organisations have signed up and 12 large-scale partnerships in strategic sectors have been set up with pledges to help upskill up to 6 million people.
• The Structured Dialogue with the Member States on Digital Education and Skills.
• The Commission has also proposed new initiatives to address EU skills shortages and improve migration cooperation. The roll-out of an EU Talent Pool and and of Talent Partnerships with selected third partners will help match the skills of candidates to work in Europe with labour market needs. This is a key deliverable under the New Pact on Migration and Asylum.
• The The New European Innovation Agendaadopted in July, proposes a flagship initiative and set of actions to create the right framework conditions for our talents.
• The European strategy for universitiesadopted in January, proposes a series of 50 actions that are key to develop high level and future-proof skills for a wide range of learners, including lifelong learners, for them to become creative and critical thinkers, problem solvers and active and responsible citizens.
• The European Digital Skills and Jobs Platform is an initiative launched under the Connecting Europe Facility Programme. It offers information and resources on digital skills such as a digital skills self-assessment tool, as well as training and funding opportunities
• The EU Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition tackles the digital skills gap by bringing together Member States, social partners, companies, non-profit organisations and education providers to raise awareness and encourage organisations to take different actions to encourage digital skills training such as taking a pledge to boost digital skills.

More info can be found here: Commission kick-starts work on the European Year of Skills (europa.eu)..

 

 

On September 28, 2022, the European Commission called on Member States to modernise their minimum income schemes as part of the commitment to reduce poverty and social exclusion in Europe. The proposed Council Recommendation on an adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion sets out how Member States can modernise their minimum income schemes and increase their effectiveness, lifting citizens out of poverty while promoting the integration of those who can work into the labour market.

Although there is a minimum income in all Member States, these schemes vary considerably in terms of adequacy, reach and effectiveness in terms of providing support to citizens. Proposal for a Council Recommendation provides clear guidance to Member States on how to ensure the effectiveness of minimum income schemes in combating poverty and promoting active inclusion in society and in labour markets. EU funding is available to support Member States to improve their minimum income schemes and social infrastructure through reforms and investments.

Although there is a minimum income in all Member States, these schemes vary considerably in terms of adequacy, reach and effectiveness in terms of providing support to citizens. Proposal for a Council Recommendation provides clear guidance to Member States on how to ensure the effectiveness of minimum income schemes in combating poverty and promoting active inclusion in society and in labour markets. EU funding is available to support Member States to improve their minimum income schemes and social infrastructure through reforms and investments.

Although there is a minimum income in all Member States, these schemes vary considerably in terms of adequacy, reach and effectiveness in terms of providing support to citizens. Proposal for a Council Recommendation provides clear guidance to Member States on how to ensure the effectiveness of minimum income schemes in combating poverty and promoting active inclusion in society and in labour markets. EU funding is available to support Member States to improve their minimum income schemes and social infrastructure through reforms and investments.

The proposal will contribute to achieving the EU’s social target of at least 15 million fewer people at risk of poverty or exclusion by 2030, as set out in the Action Plan implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights. In addition, it will help Member States to reach the target of having at least 78 % of the population aged 20-64 in employment.

Better impact assessments for fair policies

The Commission also presented a Communication on a better assessment of the distributional impact of Member States’ reforms. It provides guidance on how to better target policies in a transparent manner, while ensuring that these policies contribute to tackling existing inequalities and taking into account the impact on different geographical areas and specific population groups, such as women, children and low-income households. The Communication provides guidance on policy areas, tools, indicators, timing, data and dissemination of information from the assessment. The presented guidance is also relevant for Member States when designing their minimum income schemes.

Find more information at: Minimalni dohodak: za borbu protiv siromaštva i veću zaposlenost potrebna je djelotvornija potpora (europa.eu)

In her State of the Union address on 14 September 2022, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen outlined flagship initiatives which the Commission plans to undertake in the coming year. Many of them are made in response to recommendations citizens made through the Conference on the Future of Europe.

The initiatives among others include:

• Continuing to strongly support Ukraine and its people, including by mobilising the full power of the EU’s Single Market
• Putting in place measures to support Europeans in weathering the energy crisis
• Supporting the business environment, particularly small and medium enterprises, to strengthen Europe’s future competitiveness
• Cutting the EU’s dependency on Russian fossil fuels, and working closely with reliable suppliers
• Investing further in renewable energy and hydrogen in particular
• Leading globally on climate adaptation and protecting our nature
• Continuing to stand up for democracy, at home and across the world, and for the rule of law

Solving the problem of high energy prices and reducing bills for Europeans

Europe has already diversified its supply so as not to depend on Russia and turned to reliable suppliers. We are expanding renewable energy sources, and our gas supplies for this winter are at 84% tank capacity.

But now we need to do more to reduce our energy bills. For this purpose, we suggest the following:

• Reducing electricity consumption:EU member states should reduce their total demand for electricity by at least 10% and their peak demand by at least 5%.
• Determining the upper limit of income for lower costs of energy production:In times like these, profits must be shared and directed towards those who need it most. This will allow EU member states to collect and redirect revenue to those who need it.
• Solidary Contribution of Companies in the Fossil Fuel Sector:Companies in the oil, gas, coal and refinery sectors have also recently made huge gains. A temporary solidarity contribution for surplus profits achieved in 2022 would help EU member states to directly cushion the blow.

 

Key new initiatives for 2023

On 14 September, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen also sent a Letter of Intent to Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, and Prime Minister Petr Fiala of Czech Republic, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council. In it she details the actions the Commission intends to take in the following year by means of legislation and other initiatives.

1. 1. A European Green Deal

• Revision of EU’s internal electricity market rules
• Proposal to create EU Hydrogen Bank
• Revision of waste framework to reduce waste, including food waste, and the environmental impact of waste management
• Legislative proposal on plants produced by certain new genomic techniques
• Revision of animal welfare EU legislation

2. A Europe fit for the digital age
   • European critical raw materials act
   • SME Relief Package, including Late Payment Directive
   • Initiative on virtual worlds, such as metaverse
   • Patent Licensing package
   • Legislative proposal on the screening and registration of asbestos in buildings
   • Proposal for European Year of Skills
3. An economy that works for people
   • Mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027
   • Economic Governance Review
   • Legislative proposal on a second set of new own resources
   • Legislative proposal on Business in Europe: a framework for income taxation ‘BEFIT’
   • Data Access in financial services
   • Legislative proposals on establishing the digital euro
4. A stronger Europe in the world
   • EU space strategy for security and defence
   • New Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean
   • Update of the EU maritime security strategy
   • Updating the human rights sanctions regime
5. Promoting our European way of life
   • A comprehensive approach to mental health
   • Recognition of qualifications of third country nationals
   • Legislative proposal on the digitalisation of travel documents and the facilitation of travel
   • Revision of the combating child sexual abuse Directive
   • Initiative on Cybersecurity Skills Academy
6. A new push for European democracy
   • Defence of democracy package, including an initiative on the protection of the EU democratic sphere from covert foreign influence
   • Anti-corruption package
   • Legislative proposal on a European disability card

European Commission proposes urgent market intervention to reduce bills for Europeans 

 

The Commission proposes to intervene urgently in European energy markets to address the recent dramatic price hike. The EU is facing the consequences of a serious mismatch between energy demand and supply, notably because Russia continues to use its energy resources as a weapon.

. In order to alleviate the increased pressure on European households and businesses, the Commission is now taking the next step to address this issue by proposing exceptional measures to reduce electricity demand which will help reduce electricity costs for consumers, and measures to redistribute energy sector surplus revenues to final customersThis builds on pre-agreed measures to store gas and reduce gas demand to prepare for the upcoming winter. The Commission also continues to work on improving the liquidity of market operators, lowering gas prices and reforming the electricity market design in the long term.

The first answer to the problem of high prices is to reduce demandThis can affect electricity prices and contribute to overall market de-escalation. In order to focus on the most expensive hours of electricity consumption, when gas-fired electricity production has a significant impact on the price, the Commission proposes a obvezu commitment to reduce electricity consumption by at least 5 % during selected peak hoursMember States will have to set 10 % of the hours with the highest expected price and reduce demand during these peak hours The Commission also proposes that Member States should aim to reduce aggregate electricity demand by at least 10 % by March 31st 2023. They can choose the appropriate measures to achieve this reduction in demand, which may include financial compensation. Reducing demand at peak times would lead to a reduction in gas consumption by 1.2 billion cubic meters during the winter. Increasing energy efficiency is also an essential part of delivering on our climate commitments under the European Green Deal.

The Commission also proposes a a temporary revenue ceiling for “inframarginal” electricityproducers, i.e., low-cost technologies such as renewables, nuclear and lignite, which deliver electricity to the grid at a price below the price set by more expensive ‘marginal’ producers. These inframarginal producers generate exceptional revenues at relatively stable operating costs, as expensive gas power plants have increased the wholesale price of electricity they receive. The Commission proposes to set the revenue cap of inframarginal producers at EUR 180/MWh. This will allow producers to cover their investment and operating costs without distorting investments in new capacities in line with our 2030 and 2050 energy and climate targets. Revenues above the ceiling will be collected by Member States’ governments and used to help energy consumers reduce their bills. Member States trading in electricity are encouraged to conclude, in a spirit of solidarity, bilateral agreements on the sharing of some of the inframarginal revenues collected by the country of production for the benefit of end-users in a Member State with low electricity production. Such agreements are to be concluded by December 1st 2022 if the net imports of electricity into a Member State from a neighbouring country amount to at least 100 %.

As a third measure, the Commission proposes a temporary solidarity contribution for excess generated by activities in the oil, gas, coal and refineries sectors not covered by the inframarginal revenue ceiling. This time-limited contribution would maintain incentives for investments in the green transition. It would be collected by Member States on the basis of 2022 profits that are at least 20 % higher than the average profit of the previous three years. Revenues would be collected by Member States and redirected to energy consumersin particular to vulnerable households, hard-hit businesses and energy-intensive industries. Member States may also finance cross-border projects in accordance with the objectives of REPowerEU or use part of the revenue to jointly finance employment protection measures or promote investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

As part of further intervention in electricity market rules the Commission is also proposing to extend the energy price toolbox available to help consumers. For the first time, the proposals would allowallow regulated electricity prices below cost levels and would extend regulated prices to SMEs..

As announced by Commission President von der Leyen on Wednesday September 7th, the Commission will continue to work on other ways of lowering prices for European consumers and industry and reducing market pressure. The Commission will discuss in detail with Member States how best to reduce gas prices, analyzing different ideas on price caps and strengthening the role of the EU’s energy platform in encouraging lower price agreements with suppliers through voluntary joint procurement. The Commission will also continue to work on tools to improve liquidity in the energy utilities market and review the temporary framework for state aid in crisis situations to ensure that it continues to allow Member States to provide the necessary and proportionate support to the economy while ensuring a level playing field. At the extraordinary meeting of the Energy Council on September 9th, member states’ energy ministers endorsed the Commission’s ongoing work in these areas.

Open competition European Commission's Juvenes Translatores for young translators  

 

Secondary schools in all EU countries can now enrol for Juvenes Translatores the European Commission's annual translation contest. From 12:00 CET on 2 September, schools can.for their students to compete with peers around the EU register onlineThis year, contestants will translate texts on the topic ‘European youth.'

Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Johannes Hahn saidWith this contest we want to inspire young people about a career in translation and promote language learning. 2022 is the European Year of Youth, and the contest will bring together young people from different countries, encourage them to pursue their love for languages and help them overcome barriers between people and cultures. Giving people the ability to communicate with and understand one another, regardless of differences, is essential for the EU to flourish.”

Participants can translate between any two of the EU's 24 official languages (552 possible language combinations). Entering the contest is a two-stage process. In the first stage, schools need to register by 12:00 CET on 20 October 2022. Teachers can complete the registration form in any of the EU's 24 official languages.
The Commission will then invite 705 schools — randomly selected by computer — to the next stage. The number of schools taking part in each country will be equal to the number of seats the country has in the European Parliament. The chosen schools then nominate up to five students to participate in the contest. They can be of any nationality, but all participants must have been born in 2005.The contest will be run online on 24 November 2022 in all participating schools.
The winners — one per country — will be announced by early February 2023. They will be invited to receive their prizes in spring 2023 at a ceremony in Brussels. They will have the chance to meet professional translators from the European Commission and find out more about the profession and about working with languages.
Context
The Commission's Directorate-General for Translation has organised Juvenes Translatores (Latin for ‘young translators') every year since 2007. It promotes language learning in schools and gives young people a taste of what it is like to be a translator. It is open to 17-year-old secondary school students and takes place simultaneously in all selected schools across the EU. The contest has inspired some participants to study languages at university and go on to become professional translators. In addition, it provides an opportunity to showcase the EU's rich linguistic diversity.
For more information

Juvenes Translatores website