, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201126IPR92509/
Estonian e-Governance Academy leads digital transformation tasks of EU project in Ukraine
The Estonian e-Governance Academy leads the development of the Ukrainian digital state as part of an EU research project titled EU4DigitalUA, the total volume of which amounts to 25 million euros; the budget of the activities implemented by the e-Governance Academy totals 9.6 million euros, informs LETA/BNS.
The e-Governance Academy’s tasks in the project are focused on the development of digital government infrastructure, modernization of public e-services, and further development of cyber security and data protection capacities. All activities are conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, according to the e-Governance Academy.
“Ukraine is strongly committed to digital transformation. The EU supports Ukraine’s further digital development to raise the country’s competitiveness, improve electronic public services for Ukrainian citizens and businesses and foster approximation with the EU digital single market”, ambassador Matti Maasikas, head of delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, said.
Hannes Astok, executive director of the e-Governance Academy said that the academy has successfully implemented complex e-government projects in Ukraine since 2012.
“The data exchange system Trembita and the information system Vulyk for administrative service centers are the most remarkable fruits of our previous collaboration. We use our best practices of building the Estonian digital government to assist Ukrainian people in making their next leap towards a more transparent and efficient society,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov said that Ukraine is grateful for the EU supporting its digital transformation.
“For more than a year, the team of the Ministry of Digital Transformation has been building a digital state. One of our goals is to create convenient government services. We have already launched the mobile application and portal of electronic services Diya, introduced the world’s first digital passports and shortened business registration to 15 minutes. We are ready to share experiences with other countries and improve the projects we work on every day. Thanks to the EU assistance, Ukraine will raise the quality of digital changes,” he noted.
e-Governance Academy’s tasks include connecting primary registers to the data exchange system Trembita as well as developing a nation-wide personal identifier, a government-issued digital identity, and the address registry. The project will also visualize information about broadband access in Ukraine.
The task of public e-services development includes capacity-building to government organisations to design and implement modern and complex e-services.
Cyber security tasks are focused on improving the capacity of government institutions to tackle cyber threats and provide citizens with control over their data that is used by the government.
EU4DigitalUA is the largest bilateral EU e-governance and digital program in any EU partner country. The components of the program will be implemented by the e-Governance Academy and FIIAPP from Spain.
The project is a continuation of the EGOV4UKRAINE project activities of the U-LEAD with Europe program, implemented in 2016-2020 by the EU and the member states’ support. The EGOV4UKRAINE project developed and implemented a backbone for public e-services, the Trembita system, and the modern information system Vulyk for administrative service centers to support the provision of public services.
Future EU-Africa partnership: Local communities play a key role in building resilience and human security
Future EU-Africa partnership
Local communities play a key role in building resilience and human security
“The human dimension could still be further strengthened in the actions put forward by the European Union in its partnership with Africa, on peace and security in particular”, stated Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, on the occasion of the Webinar on the role of local communities in fostering human security and resilience in the future EU-Africa partnership, held on Thursday 15 October 2020. The report is available here.
In view of the upcoming EU-Africa Summit, COMECE and its partners gathered policy-makers, Church representatives and stakeholders from the EU and different African countries to discuss ways to foster the people-centred dimension of the EU-Africa framework.
The Webinar, entitled “Fostering human security and resilience in the future EU-Africa partnership”, shed light on the importance of supporting and promoting the role of local and faith actors and communities as significant contributors to these objectives.
“In order to be mutually reinforcing, development and security should be people-oriented and place persons, families and communities at the centre”, stated Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE. “We believe – he continued – that the human dimension could still be further strengthened in the actions put forward by the European Union for its partnership with Africa, on peace and security in particular”.
The digital event offered EU officials and the broader European civil society, the possibility to listen to testimonies from six different African countries illustrating ways in which local actors are playing a key role in building resilience and human security.
“In line with the UN 2030 Agenda – stressed Fr. Barrios Prieto – Sustainable Development can only be advanced through an inclusive global partnership, allowing the participation of all stakeholders”. As outlined in the recent COMECE-SECAM joint contribution, Churches, religious communities and faith-based organisations are deeply rooted in local realities and they are “among the frontline and long-standing actors for sustainable human development and peace”.
The event was co-organised by COMECE, Community of Sant’Egidio, CIDSE, Don Bosco International, Caritas Europa, AEFJN and the Jesuit Refugee Service.
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Eir boss backs plan for organic food ‘champion’
Three prominent French businessmen, including the telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel who own Eir, have joined forces to create a blank-cheque company that caters to the demand for organic food and more sustainable consumer goods.
<p class="no_name">They plan to raise €250 million-€300 million via a “special purpose acquisition company” that will be listed on the Euronext exchange in Paris.</p>
<p class="no_name">Mr Niel has teamed up with <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Centerview+Partners" rel="nofollow">Centerview Partners</a> banker <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Matthieu+Pigasse" rel="nofollow">Matthieu Pigasse</a>, although the sectoral expertise and strategic vision comes from their partner, <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Moez-Alexandre+Zouari" rel="nofollow">Moez-Alexandre Zouari</a>. The 49-year-old French entrepreneur has built a small empire in food retail as the franchise partner of supermarket chain <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Casino" rel="nofollow">Casino</a>, and also jointly owns frozen-food group <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Picard" rel="nofollow">Picard</a>. </p>
<p class="no_name">Their new shell company, or Spac, will be called <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=2MX+Organic" rel="nofollow">2MX Organic</a> in a nod to its founders’ initials and their target market.</p>
<p class="no_name">Like other Spacs, it plans to raise cash from investors on the basis that managers will buy a company or return the money after a certain date if they are unable to complete a purchase.</p>
<p class="no_name">“We want to build a European champion in organic food,” said Mr Zouari in an interview. “People want to consume differently nowadays, not only for their health and wellbeing but for that of the planet.”</p>
<p class="no_name">The men have mapped out a strategy to consolidate Europe’s fast-growing but fragmented organic food market. They want to create a “vertically integrated” group, so would consider acquisitions both in retail and in the production of organic foods or sustainable household products.</p>
<p class="no_name"><a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Deutsche+Bank" rel="nofollow">Deutsche Bank</a> and Société Générale will carry out the bookbuilding from Monday, with a target of selling 25 million shares for €10 each. The shares are expected to start trading by mid-December.</p>
<p class="no_name">The trio want to capitalise on the momentum among consumers and investors increasingly looking for companies built around environmental, social and governance (ESG) themes.</p>
<p class="no_name">“Our objective is to do the first acquisition as quickly as possible in 2021,” said Mr Pigasse. The first deal should be worth “around €2 billion” so as to serve as a platform for subsequent deals.</p>
<p class="no_name">“We have four or five targets in mind already, and want to be quite ambitious for the first acquisition,” said Mr Niel.</p>
<p class="no_name">Long a niche corner of finance, Spacs are one of the hottest trends on the US equity market because they offer a faster route to market without the cumbersome process of a traditional initial public offering. Hedge fund stars such as <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Bill+Ackman" rel="nofollow">Bill Ackman</a> and former banker <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Michael+Klein" rel="nofollow">Michael Klein</a> have adopted them, and banks reap lucrative fees from the transactions.</p>
<p class="no_name">Spacs have raised a record $64 billion in the US this year, according to Bloomberg, against $786 million in Europe.</p>
<p class="no_name">Mr Pigasse and Mr Niel created France’s first Spac in 2015 with the aim of consolidating the television production industry. Their company, <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Mediawan" rel="nofollow">Mediawan</a>, has since bought roughly 30 businesses to become a leader in scripted drama in Europe, highlighting how Spacs can be used to raise money quickly for dealmaking.</p>
<p class="no_name">The pair hope to repeat Mediawan’s experience in a new sector – consumer goods with a sustainable twist – by capitalising on Mr Zouari’s expertise. “He is the well-kept secret of French retail,” said Mr Niel.</p>
<p class="no_name">Mr Niel sought to distance the trio’s long-term approach from the get-rich-quick tactics used by some Spac sponsors in the US. At Mediawan, he and Mr Pigasse have not taken money out and have continued to back its expansion.</p>
<p class="no_name">“We are here to build up a real company that will operate and expand over time,” said Mr Niel of the new Spac.</p>
<p class="no_name">The three will buy at least €6 million worth of shares in a separate share sale reserved for them, and will collectively own roughly 30 per cent of the company after the listing.</p>
<p class="no_name">Mr Zouari said he would separately seek to buy up to €30 million worth of shares in the main rights offer, depending on availability. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2020</p>
EIB backs EUR 470 million Greek road safety scheme
- New investment to improve road safety at 7,000 accident black spots across the country
- Safety barriers, anti-skid surfaces, warning signs and markings in 11 Greek regions
- First EIB loan to Egnatia Odos S.A., providing 50% financing
The European Investment Bank has agreed to support a EUR 470 million nationwide programme to reduce death and injury caused by traffic accidents across Greece.
“Improving road safety across Greece is a national priority and the EIB a key partner to successful implementation of the National and Regional Road Safety Strategic Plan. The new EUR 235 million financial support agreed between the European Investment Bank and Egnatia Odos S.A. will reduce the risk of accidents in Greek cities, rural areas, mountain districts and on Greek islands. The close cooperation between Greek and EIB road experts during preparation of this project ensures that it will target the most dangerous sites on the national road network and allows best practice from Greece to strengthen future road investment by the EIB around the world” said Kostas Karamanlis, Greek Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.
Over the next three years, national road operator Egnatia Odos will improve road safety at 7,000 of the most dangerous sites, located across 11 regions of Greece. The small scale safety schemes will include installation of traffic barriers, provision of anti-skid surfaces and improved warning signs and markings on roads identified as high-risk.
The Project has benefitted from EIAH advisory services at its preparation phase through a preliminary economic analysis that derived the expected socio-economic benefits from road accidents reduction and proved the project to be technically and economically sound.
“This new financial and technical partnership between Egnatia Odos S.A. and the European Investment Bank will transform road safety across Greece and benefit road users for years to come. The EUR 235 million EIB loan, representing the first direct support for Egnatia Odos, demonstrates the EIB’s clear commitment to support road safety and back the National Road Safety Strategic Plan. The impact of this project will be strengthened following the technical cooperation between Greek and European road experts through the European Investment Advisory Hub and road safety best practice learnt from this project will be shared with similar schemes around the world” said Konstantinos Koutsoukos, chief executive officer of Egnatia Odos S.A.
First EIB loan to national road operator Egnatia Odos S.A.
The 15-year, EUR 235 million European Investment Bank loan, to be guaranteed by the Hellenic Republic, represents the first direct financing to Egnatia Odos. since the EIB first supported transport investment in Greece in 1963. The EIB loan will support half of the total EUR 470 million road safety investment under the programme.
“The European Investment Bank is committed to supporting transformational long-term transport investment in Greece. The EU Bank’s new EUR 235 million support to national road operator Egnatia Odos S.A. will help to reduce road accidents, fatalities and injuries across the country and improve the safety of road users for years to come. Over the next three years this project will implement best practice road safety measures in all regions of Greece. This project represents a milestone in the EIB’s 57 years of supporting road, rail, air and maritime transport investment in Greece” said Christian Kettel Thomsen, European Investment Bank Vice President responsible for Greece.
“I welcome the European Investment Bank’s first direct support for investment by Egnatia Odos S.A. that will be guaranteed by the Hellenic Republic. Long-term financing and technical expertise provided by the EIB that will strengthen the impact of this project and accelerate road safety investment across Greece. This project demonstrates how the EIB’s dedicated Investment Team for Greece and the European Investment Advisory Hub are working with Greek partners to support high-impact priority investment in Greece.” said Christos Staikouras, Greek Finance Minister and Governor of the European Investment Bank.
EIB supporting national and EU road safety goals
Improving road safety at 7,000 locations identified as the most dangerous accident black spots across the country will contribute to the Greek National Road Safety Strategic Plan and the European Union Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety.
Sharing technical expertise to improve road safety in Greece and around the world
There was a close cooperation between technical experts from Egnatia Odos S.A., the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the European Investment Advisory Hub during project preparation, to strengthen the road safety and economic impact of the EUR 470 million national investment programme. Lessons learnt from this scheme will benefit future EIB road investment around the world.
The European Investment Bank has agreed more than EUR 13 billion of long-term financing for road, rail, air and maritime transport investment across Greece since 1967. This includes support for the Athens Metro, airports in Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion, expansion of the Port of Piraeus and key national motorways.
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