Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2126 of 29 September 2021 amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union (1), and in particular Article 8(4) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 8(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/452, projects or programmes of Union interest are to include those projects and programmes which involve a substantial amount or a significant share of Union funding, or which are covered by Union law regarding critical infrastructure, critical technologies or critical inputs which are essential for security or public order.

(2) The list of projects or programmes of Union interest referred to in Article 8(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/452 is set out in the Annex to that Regulation.

(3) The Commission has identified several other projects and programmes which are eligible to be included in the list annexed to Regulation (EU) 2019/452.

(4) The Space Programme (2) aims to ensure investment continuity in Union space activities, encourage scientific and technical progress and support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the Union space industry. It brings together the existing infrastructure and safeguards continuity and evolution of the EU’s Global Navigation Satellite System (Galileo), the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) as well as the Union’s free and openly accessible Earth Observation programme (Copernicus). It also aims at developing new security components, such as Space Situational Awareness (SSA), which includes a Space Surveillance and Tracking sub-component (SST) and new Governmental Satellite Communication service for Union and Member State authorities. It fosters a strong and innovative space industry and it aims at maintaining the Union’s autonomous access to space.

(5) Horizon Europe (3) is the Union’s key funding programme for research and innovation and it supports, inter alia, actions critical for security or public order in the Union.

(6) The Euratom Research and Training Programme 2021-25 (4) supports nuclear research and training activities with an emphasis on nuclear safety, security, radioactive waste and spent fuel management, radiation protection and fusion energy. It also aims at improvements in the areas of education, training and access to research infrastructures.

(7) The Connecting Europe Facility (5) funds key projects in the areas of transport, digital and energy. Its actions may provide funding for critical infrastructure, whether physical or virtual, and critical technologies.

(8) Digital Europe Programme (6) is the first financial instrument of the Union focused on bringing digital technology to businesses and citizens. It provides funding for projects in areas that may appear critical for security or public order in the Union, such as supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills.

(9) The European Defence Fund (7) is intended as an instrument to foster the competitiveness and innovativeness of the Union defence technological and industrial base thereby contributing to the Union’s security and strategic autonomy.

(10) The EU4Health Programme (8) is one of the Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore it plays an important role in ensuring public order through public health. It aims to make health systems more resilient to deal with cross-border health threats like COVID-19 and improve crisis management capacity and better pandemic preparedness; improving the availability, accessibility and affordability of medicinal products and medical devices and crisis-relevant products in the Union, supporting innovation; and advance digital transformation.

(11) Regulation (EU) 2019/452 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/452 is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 29 September 2021.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 79I, 21.3.2019, p. 1.

(2) Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Union Space Programme and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013 and (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision No 541/2014/EU (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 69).

(3) Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 1).

(4) Council Regulation (Euratom) 2021/765 of 10 May 2021 establishing the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-25 complementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and repealing Regulation (Euratom) 2018/1563 (OJ L 167I, 12.5.2021, p. 81).

(5) Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 (OJ L 249, 14.7.2021, p. 38).

(6) Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 (OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, p. 1).

(7) Regulation (EU) 2021/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the European Defence Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1092 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 149).

(8) Regulation (EU) 2021/522 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing a Programme for the Union’s action in the field of health (‘EU4Health Programme’) for the period 2021-27, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 282/2014 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, p. 1).