Events to look out for
Virtual info day: 2019-2 Connected Europe Facility Telecom calls - 10 July, from 09:30 CET. Learn more about currently open calls in the fields of cybersecurity, eHealth, eProcurement and more. Send in your questions in advance via Twitter or email.
Funds available
Horizon 2020: European Commission to invest €11 billion in new ways to address societal challenges. In the final year of the Horizon 2020 innovation programme, the Commission will focus on fewer and crucial topics such as climate change, clean energy, plastics, cybersecurity and the digital economy.
EU policies for better business
EU signed trade agreements with Vietnam. Last week, the EU and Vietnam have signed a Trade Agreement and an Investment Protection Agreement. Once in force, the new agreements will provide opportunities to increase trade and support jobs and growth on both sides, through the elimination of 99% of all tariffs and reduction of regulatory barriers to trade.
EU and Mercosur reach agreement on trade. The European Union and Mercosur - a bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay - reached a political agreement for a comprehensive trade deal last week. The new trade framework - part of a wider Association Agreement between the two regions – will consolidate a strategic political and economic partnership and create significant opportunities for sustainable growth on both sides. Once approved, the region-to-region agreement will remove the majority of tariffs on EU exports to Mercosur, making EU companies more competitive by saving them €4 billion worth of duties per year.
New dispute resolution for double taxation enters into force. New EU rules came into force last week to ensure quicker and more effective resolution of tax disputes between EU Member States. The new rules will offer much more tax certainty for businesses and individuals experiencing double taxation issues. The new directive applies to complaints submitted from 1 July 2019 onwards, relating to questions of dispute in matters of capital earned in the tax year commencing on or after 1 January 2018.
Get involved
Public consultation: have your say on the revision of the EU directive on machinery. This open consultation is targeted at all actors dealing with the use and safety of mechanical tools, including small businesses. Fill in the online questionnaire until 30 August.
Sustainable Finance: European Commission's technical expert group launches a call for feedback. Last week, the EC launched a call for feedback on a classification system – or “taxonomy” – for environmentally-sustainable economic activities. This is part of the work to develop a unified EU-wide classification system for such activities. Interested stakeholders are invited to provide feedback by 13 September.