August 1, 2017 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 01.08.2017, 19:45
ARMY SPENDING -
The Higher Defence Council of Romania convened on Tuesday to plan defence
spending in 2017-2026. The previous spending plan, submitted on 4th
of July, was withdrawn because it did not take into account the 2% of the GDP
commitment for defence made in 2015 by all political parties. Last week, the
Defence Minister Adrian Tutuianu had submitted to president Klaus Iohannis a
revised version of the plan, including that particular commitment and eight
specific investment programs worth over 100 million Euros each. Among them is
the purchase of Patriot missiles and 36 F-16 fighter jets.
COOPERATION – Romania’s Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has discussed with the
Ambassador of China to Bucharest Xu Feihong several projects in railway and
road infrastructure. One of these is a bridge over the Danube, at Braila, which
is included in the National Transportation Masterplan and for which the call
for tender has already been launched. Other projects include the building of a
motorway connecting Bucharest to the Bulgarian capital city Sofia and the
development of a high-speed rail network in a partnership with Bulgaria,
Serbia, and possibly Greece. All these projects may receive EU funding and may
be developed in a public-private partnership, in which Romania could benefit
from the know-how of major Chinese construction companies.
EMA – Romania’s
capital Bucharest is one of the 19 cities competing to become host of the
European Medicines Agency, after Brexit. The European Commission started
assessing the candidates on August 1st, and the result will be made
public on September 30th. Among competitors there are Amsterdam,
Bonn, Brussels, Dublin, Milan, Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw, Sofia and Zagreb.
With 900 employees, the Agency, currently based in London, is a decentralized
body of the EU, responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and
safety monitoring of medicines in the EU. The criteria used to assess the
applications include the possibility to start operating immediately,
accessibility, schools for employees’ children, access to the labour market and
medical care for their families.
HEALTH -
On Tuesday, the new European program to encourage healthier eating in schools
was launched, for which Romania will get 17 million Euros. EU authorities want
to introduce the program in the whole of the EU starting this school year,
allocating a total of 250 million Euro to promote healthy eating for children.
Half of the amount goes towards fruits and vegetables, and the rest to milk, on
condition no additional salt, sugar and fat be on the list of ingredients.
Although participation is optional, all member states have already announced
their intention to be part of it. Around 30 million European children benefited
from similar programs last year.
BUSINESS -
Limited liability companies, authorized natural persons and other types of
companies may apply for grants worth 2.5 million Euro for producing ice cream,
bread products, dairy products and craft beer, through the Rural Development
Program. Applications can be submitted on-line, between August 1 and October 31.
By mid August, the Ministry of the Business Environment will have introduced
two new programs for the business environment, one for commerce and another one
for small industries.
SWINE FEVER – Romania
has confirmed the first outbreak of African swine fever in the county of Satu
Mare, in the north. According to the Sanitary – Veterinary Directorate of Satu
Mare, circulation restrictions have imposed and inspectors are on high alert.
Seven animals have been sacrificed and proper disinfection was carried out. The
European Commission has been informed by the situation, and a decision will be
made for the area under restriction.
