Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs will visit the European Parliament today to promote France’s priorities with respect to the European PNR system.

President Hollande reaffirmed to the Congress of the French Parliament that it was essential to adopt a European PNR system by the end of the year in order to monitor the movements of foreign terrorist fighters. In order for the system to be effective and operational, France believes that it should include flights within the EU, that its use should not just be limited to serious transnational crimes and that it should make provision for a sufficiently long data retention period.

Harlem Désir will meet with Timothy Kirkhope, Parliament rapporteur on the PNR bill, as well as with various members of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and representatives of the European Parliament’s main political groups.

Climate – Annick Girardin to attend the presentation of UNICEF’s climate mapping initiative (Paris - November 25, 2015)

On November 25, Annick Girardin, Minister of State for Development and Francophonie, will attend, alongside Jean-Marie Dru, Chairman of UNICEF France, the presentation by young French, Chadian, Nigerien, Malaysian and Guatemalan citizens of UNICEF’s climate mapping initiative.

With just a few days left until the opening of the Paris Climate Conference, UNICEF France will present, at the Lycée Turgot in Paris, a digital climate change map produced by more than 100 young people from more than 60 different countries.

This collaborative platform, which is an educational tool aimed at raising awareness among young generations about climate change, provides an overview of environmental issues and outlines best practices all over the world.

Security / Tourism – Matthias Fekl presides over the ceremony to mark the signing of the partnership agreement with the Selectour Afat travel agency network focusing on the promotion of the ARIANE information tool (November 24, 2015)

Matthias Fekl, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the Promotion of Tourism and Foreign Nationals Abroad, today presided over the ceremony to mark the signing of a partnership agreement with the president of the Selectour Afat travel agency network focusing on the promotion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development’s ARIANE information tool.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development crisis and support center and Selectour Afat will work together to raise awareness of the ARIANE information tool among the employees and customers of this travel agency network. This agreement reflects the close relationship between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and French tourism professionals.

All French citizens traveling abroad are urged to register in advance on the ARIANE system, which will enable travelers to receive information and security alerts in their destination country by email, text or phone, if the situation should warrant it. This free service affords the highest level of data privacy and security.

Attacks of November 13 – Interministerial Victim Support Unit

Victims injured in the November 13 terrorist attacks who have not yet been in touch with the Interministerial Victim Support Unit (CIAV) are asked to contact the unit as soon as possible in order to receive support.

The number for the CIAV is 0800-40-60-FREE-05.

Egypt – Attack (November 24, 2015)

France condemns the attack carried out on November 24 in front of a hotel in al-Arish, in the Sinai, which took the lives of at least two police officers and a judge overseeing the Parliamentary election.

We offer our condolences to the victims’ families.

France reaffirms its solidarity with the Egyptian people and government and stands by their side in the fight against terrorism.

Health – Signing of a license by the Medicines Patent Pool for a hepatitis C medication (November 23, 2015)

We applaud the royalty-free license just signed by the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers-Squibb and the Medicines Patent Pool established by UNITAID. Daclastavir, an effective antiviral for hepatitis C, can now be manufactured as a generic drug in 112 low- and middle-income countries that are home to nearly two-thirds of those living with this disease.

In 2010, UNITAID, to which France is the leading donor, created the patent pool to lower the cost of HIV treatments and facilitate the development of appropriate drugs through voluntary agreements and patent-sharing.

Coming less than three weeks after UNITAID’s decision to use the patent pool to combat hepatitis C and tuberculosis, this agreement represents a major step forward in helping patients on all continents.