Events to look out for
Webinar: financing energy efficiency in the industry sector – 13 December, 11:00 CET. This webinar, organised in partnership with the UN Environment Finance Initiative, will discuss in particular the financing of investment into energy efficiency in the Industry sector.
Funds available
European Commission and 35 partner countries establish EUR 100 million partnership to boost research into rare diseases. The partnership will give millions of Europeans suffering from one of the many rare diseases a new hope for improved diagnostics and better treatments and care. The partnership will be officially launched on 1 January 2019 and will run over five years.
EUR 25 million for innovative Croatian SMEs and small mid-caps. The European Investment Fund (EIF) will provide a guarantee to Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ) for a EUR 25 million portfolio of new loans to innovative small and medium-sized and small mid-cap businesses. The guarantee enables innovative companies to benefit from more favourable financing terms than those currently available on the banking market in Croatia.
EU policies for better business
REACH: new criteria helps companies better assess safety and impact of nanomaterials. Last week, the European Commission adopted the revision of several Annexes of the EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), clarifying the registration requirements with regard to nanomaterials. REACH has always applied to nanomaterials, but did not contain specific provisions for them, which is why companies often did not know how to register these "substances in nanoform. The new registration requirements for nanomaterials will apply as of 1 January 2020.
Get involved
Sustainable Finance: EU expert group calls for feedback on EU-wide classification system. The Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance set up by the European Commission launched a call for feedback on EU action to develop a unified EU-wide classification system – or taxonomy – for environmentally sustainable economic activities. The aim is to develop a system that provides businesses and investors with clarity on which activities are considered sustainable so they take more informed decisions. Interested parties are invited to provide feedback until 22 February 2019.