About: Maroš Šefčovič
Brussels approves €2.9 billion investment into battery innovation
Twelve EU countries will jointly invest almost three billion euros into innovation in battery cell technology for electric vehicles and energy storage, cementing the EU as a “global hotspot” for battery innovation, the European Commission announced on Tuesday (26 January).
UK scraps plan to break Withdrawal Agreement after cutting deal with EU
The UK government will drop controversial sections of its Internal Market Bill that would violate the deal regulating its withdrawal from the EU, it said after reaching an agreement with the European Commission on Tuesday (8 December).
EU says it could be self-sufficient in electric vehicle batteries by 2025
The European Union could produce enough batteries by 2025 to power its fast-growing fleet of electric vehicles without relying on imported cells, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Tuesday (24 November).
EU’s Sefcovic: Europe must be ‘much more strategic’ on raw materials
The European Union “cannot achieve” climate neutrality without critical raw materials like lithium and rare earths, says Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič. It now needs to be “much more strategic” in relations with supplier countries in order to ensure the bloc's “strategic autonomy,” he argues.
EU to launch legal action over Cyprus, Malta ‘golden passports’
The EU said Monday (19 October) it will begin legal action against Cyprus and Malta over their controversial "golden passport" schemes for foreign investors, which critics say have been exploited by criminals.
UK says door remains ‘ajar’ for post-Brexit trade deal
Britain still wants to reach a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union despite the current deadlock, a senior government minister insisted ahead of fresh talks Monday (19 October).
EU issues ultimatum to UK: withdraw bill or trade talks collapse
The EU issued a stern ultimatum to the UK on Thursday (10 September) to withdraw its bill overriding the Irish Protocol or talks on an EU-UK trade deal will collapse.
EU raw materials push aims to underpin Green Deal, digital ambitions
Increasing the EU’s domestic supply of critical raw materials and cutting external dependencies got top billing in a new European Commission strategy on Thursday (3 September), as the bloc started to get serious about its Green Deal and digital agenda.
EU to launch raw materials industry alliance
The European Commission will announce the launch of a new industry alliance this week, with a view to building a complete EU supply chain for raw materials like lithium, which are seen as critical for the bloc’s digital and green transitions.
Europe is ‘closing the gap’ on battery manufacturing, Northvolt says
Swedish battery maker Northvolt says Europe is catching up with Asian rivals in the manufacturing of car batteries but warns that more efforts are needed to build a complete supply chain “ecosystem” in the EU.
EU invests €350m in first domestic battery gigafactory
The European Investment Bank issued a €350 million loan on Thursday (30 July) to a Swedish company that hopes to corner a significant share of the global battery market by building the greenest power packs available.
EU’s battery mega-projects charge on despite virus
The European Union’s quest to corner a sizeable chunk of the globe’s battery market has batted off the worst effects of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the officials tasked with overseeing the mini-industrial strategy.
Sefcovic calls for fair EU market access in China to ‘increase trust’ after COVID-19
European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič has renewed calls for European firms to gain fair market access in China after the global public health crisis has been reigned in, in an effort to restore trust and confidence.
Macron cuts ribbon on first battery mega-project
French President Emmanuel Macron attended on Thursday (30 January) the ground-breaking ceremony for a new battery factory in southwest France: the first real result of an EU-led policy aimed at boosting the industry and helping it withstand global competitors.
EU eyes phasing out smallest euro cent coins
The European Commission is considering a proposal to phase out 1-euro cent and 2-euro cent coins, an EU document showed, in what would be a cost-saving move as the coins' production and handling costs often exceed their face value.
Russia, Ukraine agree ‘in principle’ new gas deal, signature expected in Minsk
Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission, after hours-long talks on Thursday, agreed in principle on a new gas deal starting after 1 January 2020, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič told a briefing. Ukraine is a key transit route for...
Bill sanctioning Nord Stream 2, Turkish Stream goes to White House, Russia cries foul
US sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project are a breach of international law and an example of unfair competition, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday (18 December).
A ‘startup mindset’ is behind battery strategy, says EU official
The European Commission has been driven into the uptake of a fresh startup mindset in its efforts to develop a value chain for batteries in the last two years, said the Head of Unit for Automotive and Mobility Industries at the DG GROW Joanna Szychowska.
31 December 2019: Will gas stop flowing?
The clock is ticking. The long-term gas transit contract between Russia and Ukraine is expiring on 31 December. Chances that the two sides would reach a comprehensive agreement before this date are slim. EURACTIV looks behind the scenes of the dispute.
EU could ban dirty battery imports, says Commission VP
Batteries that do not meet rigorous green standards could be banned from the European market, Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič warned on Monday (9 December), as the EU executive approved €3.2 billion of state aid for some home-grown projects.
China in focus as West debates critical minerals challenge
Western powers will attend talks in Brussels next week on curbing China's dominance of rare earths and other critical resources and EU officials will present their vision to create entire green supply chains.
Ukraine ready in case transit of Russian gas stops
Ukraine is ready for the gas transportation being stopped on the Ukrainian territory in case a new gas transit contract with Moscow is not negotiated, Ukraine's Energy Minister Oleksiy Orzhel announced on Monday (4 November). The current gas contract expires on 31 December.
EU to assess five critical minerals in low carbon quest
The European Commission is assessing five new minerals for possible inclusion in a revised list of critical raw materials to be published next year, as it seeks to bolster supply chains for a low emissions economy, a senior Commission official said.