European Council

The Permanent Representatives Committee on 4 June 2015 approved, on behalf of the Council, a compromise agreed with the European Parliament on a directive aimed at further developing an EU-wide market for electronic payments. 

The directive incorporates and repeals an existing payment services directive (directive 2007/64/EC), which provided the legal basis for the creation of an EU-wide single market for payments. 

The revised directive adapts existing rules to emerging and innovative payment services, including internet and mobile payments. It establishes a comprehensive set of rules with the aim of ensuring a more secure environment for payments, in particular for those using remote channels. The directive also sets up a more harmonised and effective framework for supervision by national authorities.  

Since adoption of the original payment services directive in 2007, innovative methods for the initiation of payments in the field of e-commerce have evolved. They usually form a software "bridge" between the website of the merchant and the online banking platform of the payer's bank in order to initiate internet payments on the basis of a credit transfer. These services will now be covered by the directive. They enable the payment initiation service provider (who never holds the user's funds) to give assurance to the payee that the funds necessary for a specific payment transaction are available on the account and the payment has been initiated.  

A regulatory regime to cover the activities of account information services will also be provided for. These services offer the payment service user, for example, with aggregated online information on one or more payment accounts held with one or more other payment service providers. This enables the payment service user to have an overall view of his/her financial situation at any given moment, within a secure environment.  

At the same time, the directive promotes the strengthening of security measures for internet payments and for the use of services provided by new market players. It will ensure strong customer authentication to identify the client for each transaction. The new and strengthened supervisory regime will further increase the security level and consumer protection in this field. 

The Council presidency reached a compromise with the Parliament on 5 May 2015. The Council had set out its position in December 2014. The directive will now have to be approved by the Parliament at first reading, so as to allow adoption by the Council once the texts have been finalised in all languages. 

Once adopted, member states will have two years to transpose the directive into their national laws and regulations. 

In the context of EU sanctions related to the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds, the Council decided on 5 June to extend the asset freeze for three of the four persons covered by measures applying until 6 June 2015. The measures are extended by 9 months for two of the persons concerned and by 4 months for the third. 

This decision was taken in the light of ongoing judicial proceedings in Ukraine with regard to these persons. EU restrictive measures focusing on the freezing and recovery of misappropriated assets now apply to a total of 17 persons. 

The legal acts are available in the Official Journal of 6 June 2015.

The ninth EU-Algeria Association Council took place this morning in Brussels.

The Association Council was chaired by Ms Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission. Algeria was represented by H.E. Mr Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

This latest meeting of the Association Council enabled the two parties to renew their intention to consolidate the bilateral relationship, not only through the implementation of the Association Agreement, but also through an ambitious political dialogue.

In this connection, the Association Council was an opportunity to reflect on common challenges.  The two parties reviewed the latest developments on Libya, the Malian crisis and combatting terrorism and preventing radicalisation. They also discussed migration and energy cooperation, marked this year by the holding of the first high-level dialogue on energy. The progress of integration in the Maghreb region was also discussed.

The EU and Algeria noted a convergence of views on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy and reiterated their commitment to concluding negotiations on the action plan in 2015. In this context, both parties expressed their interest in the continuation of political, institutional and socio-economic reforms in Algeria aimed at strengthening democracy and good governance, through an inclusive dialogue with all elements of civil society. To that end, the two parties reviewed bilateral cooperation priorities, including the diversification of the economy and the strengthening of citizen participation in public life.

The parties also addressed the subject of the protection and defence of human rights. The EU welcomed the recent reforms adopted on the advancement of women. Concerning the right of association, the right to assembly and the freedom of assembly, the EU encouraged Algeria to strengthen its cooperation with the United Nations system in order to align itself more closely with the international standards in this field.

As regards technical cooperation, the two parties signed a protocol to the Association Agreement allowing Algeria to participate in Euro-Mediterranean programmes. Algeria will consequently be able to take part in 20 EU programmes, such as COSME (SMEs), Horizon 2020 (research) and Creative Europe (culture and media).

Place:        KIRCHBERG building (KCC), Luxembourg
Chair(s):    Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Minister for Economics of Latvia  

All times are approximate and subject to change  

+/- 09.30     Doorstep by Minister Reizniece-Ozola
+/- 10.00     Beginning of Transport, Telecommunications and ENERGY Council meeting
                     Adoption of the agenda
+/- 10.15     Energy Security Strategy
+/- 12.15     Energy Union - Council conclusions
+/- 12.30     AOB
                     External energy relations: information from the Commission
                     European Nuclear Energy Forum: information from the CZ delegation
                     Work programme of the incoming Presidency
+/- 15.00     Press conference

The EU-Algeria Association Council will be held on Thursday 4 June at 8.30. It will be co‑chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.

8.30     Round table
(photo/TV opportunities - meeting point: VIP entrance, level 02 at 8.15)

9.30     Signature of the protocol to the Association Agreement on the general principles for the participation of Algeria in Union programmes and of the memorandum of understanding between the European Union and Algeria concerning the 2014-2017 single support framework (photo/TV opportunities - meeting point: info point, level 00 at 9.15)

Plenipotentiaries:

EU:     Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy, Vice‑President of the Commission

Algeria:    Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

9.40     Press point - Press room, level 00

Access to the press centre will be subject to the usual conditions (presentation of your EU interinstitutional press card or national press card and ID).

Video coverage in broadcast quality (MPEG 4) and photo gallery: www.eucouncil.tv

Held on the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the Association Agreement, the ninth meeting of the Association Council will take stock and review the prospects of relations between the EU and Algeria. It is expected that the EU, which is following political developments in Algeria with interest, will encourage the government to intensify reforms, including the revision of the Constitution announced in 2011. Respect for fundamental rights and civil liberties is at the heart of the political dialogue between the EU and Algeria. In that context, it is expected that the EU will welcome the reforms adopted, in particular to protect and promote women's rights, while encouraging Algeria to align itself more closely with international standards on the right of association, the right to assembly and freedom of assembly.

The Association Council is also due to discuss trade and economic issues. The EU will call on Algeria to reduce trade-restrictive measures and to continue improving the business climate to facilitate foreign investment. As regards sectoral cooperation, the EU will welcome the recent establishment of a high-level dialogue on energy. The EU will encourage Algeria to enter into a bilateral dialogue on migration and mobility, which is an absolute priority, today more than ever. The EU also wishes to establish a dialogue with a view to cooperation on security and the fight against terrorism.  

At the Association Council, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will sign a protocol to the Association Agreement enabling the participation of Algeria in 20 Euro-Mediterranean programmes, such as COSME (SMEs), Horizon 2020 (research) and Creative Europe (culture and media). They will also sign a memorandum of understanding between the EU and Algeria concerning the single support framework for the period 2014‑2017. The single support framework defines three priority sectors of intervention for the EU in Algeria: justice reform and strengthening of citizen participation in public life; labour market reform and job creation; and support for the management and diversification of the economy.