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EU Commission report: Half a million jobs protected by EU trade defence in 2023

A total of 182 trade defence measures were in place in the EU at the end of 2023, including 156 anti-dumping measures, 25 anti-subsidy measures, and one safeguard measure. This represents a nearly 40% increase compared to 2018. Twice as many new investigations were launched in 2023 compared to 2022. This significant increase in activity underlines the EU Commission’s resolve to robustly deal with rising instances of unfair trade.

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24/09/2024

EU Parliament wants to improve consumer protection against misleading claims

Parliament has adopted its position on establishing a verification and pre-approval system for environmental marketing claims to protect citizens from misleading ads. The green claims directive would oblige companies to submit evidence about their environmental marketing claims before advertising products as “biodegradable”, “less polluting”, “water saving” or having “bio based content”. EU countries would have to assign verifiers to pre-approve the use of such claims, to protect buyers from unfounded

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12/03/2024

EIT launches a UK Hub to bridge EU and UK innovation sectors

Today, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem and a part of the EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe aiming at supporting competitiveness and growth through innovation, is launching the EIT Hub UK. Following the United Kingdom’s recent association to Horizon Europe, the EIT Hub UK serves as a testament to the partnership between the EU and the UK in driving innovation and addressing

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12/03/2024

France: The right to abortion enshrined in the French Constitution

By enshrining women’s right to abortion in the French Constitution, which is a first in the world, France has sent an unprecedented signal of support for women’s rights and invites other countries to do the same. We are continuing our efforts to ensure that this right is also enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, as President Macron has proposed. Amid a backsliding of women and girls’ rights across

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11/03/2024

Platform workers: EU Council confirms agreement on new rules to improve their working conditions

Today, EU employment and social affairs ministers confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 8 February 2024 between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the platform work directive. This EU legal act aims to improve working conditions and regulate the use of algorithms by digital labour platforms. The directive will make the use of algorithms in human resources management more transparent, ensuring that automated systems are monitored by

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11/03/2024

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Equality between women and men is a fundamental value of the European Union enshrined in the Treaties. A great deal of progress has been made over the years – now we have a substantial body of legislation and other measures aimed at furthering equality between men and women. The EU is a global leader on gender equality, with 14 of the top 20 countries worldwide in terms of gender equality

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08/03/2024

Finland: New obligations proposed for providers of private employment services in maritime sector

On 7 March 2024, the Finnish Government submitted to Parliament a proposal concerning the implementation of the amendments made to the guidelines of the Maritime Labour Convention of the International Labour Organization in 2022. The proposal would adopt the amendments and bring them into force at the national level. The amendments to the guidelines made in 2022 concern private employment services in the maritime sector and annual reporting of the

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07/03/2024

Statement by EU Commission and the EU HR on International Women’s Day

The past four years were marked by several important legislative milestones advancing gender equality. Just one year after the adoption of the Gender Equality Strategy, in March 2021, the Commission put forward a proposal for a Directive strengthening the equal pay principle through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms. A political agreement on the Pay Transparency Directive, was reached in December 2022, in record time, paving the way for the adoption

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07/03/2024

Switzerland seen from abroad in 2023: Media focus on Credit Suisse and the war in Ukraine

In 2023, Switzerland received enormous attention in the international media due to the collapse of Credit Suisse and its consequences. As in 2022, Switzerland’s position regarding the war in Ukraine continued to receive regular media coverage. Switzerland’s image among the general public abroad remained very good overall. However, in a number of countries Switzerland also faced some criticism.

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05/03/2024

EU Council and Parliament strike a deal to ban products made with forced labour

The Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional deal on the regulation prohibiting in the EU market products made with forced labour. The provisional agreement reached today between the two co-legislators supports the main objective of the proposal to prohibit the placing and making available on the EU market, or the export from the EU market, of any product made using forced labour. The deal introduces significant modifications

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05/03/2024

Sweden: Inter-agency initiative to attract and retain international expertise

There is currently no clear coordination of the government agencies’ different processes and efforts to attract and establish foreign labour, a fact that has been highlighted by business representatives, government agencies and regions in several contexts. At the same time, many companies are facing challenges – partly due to the green and digital transition – that require strengthening the skills of existing employees. They also need to bring new expertise

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04/03/2024

Finland report: Labor market performance of migrants

According to a report commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the employment rate and average income vary strongly among people who have arrived in Finland for different reasons, especially in the early stages of their stay. The differences in the employment rate and income between immigrants and people with Finnish background narrow along with the length of stay in Finland. According to the report, the employment

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04/03/2024

Finland: Requirements for permanent residence permits to be tightened

In accordance with the Government Programme, the requirement for a six-year period of residence may be waived if the applicant fulfils certain conditions. A permanent residence permit can be granted after four years of residence if the applicant has an annual income of at least EUR 40,000 or a Master’s degree completed or recognised in Finland, as well as an uninterrupted work history of two years, without resorting to unemployment

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01/03/2024

EU and World Bank launch civil protection capacity facility

The Technical Assistance Financing Facility for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness supports projects, studies and trainings in disaster and climate resilience and promotes the sharing of knowledge among countries on disaster risk management. The World Bank will implement the activities with financing from the European Commission. As a result of this financing tool, civil protection authorities will increase their technical capacity to prevent disasters and will be better equipped when a

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29/02/2024

MEPs back plans for an EU-wide digital wallet

The new digital identity framework will provide EU citizens with cross border digital access to key public services. According to the regulation adopted on Thursday, and already agreed upon with EU ministers, this new Digital Identity Wallet will allow citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online without having to resort to commercial providers – a practice that raises trust, security and privacy concerns.

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29/02/2024

55th session of the UN Statistical Commission – Switzerland elected Chair of the UN Statistical Commission

The 55th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission opened on Monday 27 February 2024 with the election of its Bureau. The Director General of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Georges-Simon Ulrich, has been elected Chair for the coming year. Comprising five member countries (Switzerland, Mexico, Tunisia, Slovenia and South Corea), the Bureau moderates the Statistical Commission’s discussions and is responsible for reporting the results.

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28/02/2024
man, camera, press

World NGO Day: Statement by the EU HRVP Josep Borrell

NGO workers, human rights defenders, and journalists are increasingly threatened and attacked, often with impunity.
The work of civil society is often stigmatised, through “foreign agent” laws or other legislative and administrative measures which hamper legitimate NGO activities. The use of excessive force against peaceful protesters hinders democratic participation. The EU strongly condemns attacks on freedom of association and peaceful assembly.

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27/02/2024

Finland’s Foreign Minister consults civil society for UN Human Rights Council

In accordance with established practice, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs invited civil society organisations (CSOs) to comment on Finland’s activities at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 12 February. Representatives of more than 40 CSOs participated in a discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen. The discussion focused on the rights of children and the safety of civilians in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan as well

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26/02/2024

More than €425m in Cohesion Funds will ensure commuters in Warsaw a more efficient and frequent rail service

The project, funded under the 2014-2020 cohesion policy programming period, will involve the modernisation of railway tracks, overhead lines, telecommunications equipment, and water and sewage management. Stations will be upgraded, while flyovers, pedestrian bridges, and a pedestrian subway will be built. These features will allow passenger trains to travel at speeds up to 160 km/h at certain sections. The new rail infrastructure will ensure lower maintenance costs accompanied by a

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26/02/2024

EIT Summit: Winners of EIT Awards and 2024 prize finalists revealed

Yesterday, the winners of this year’s EIT Awards, as well as the ten finalists for the European Prize for Women Innovators were announced at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Summit. The EIT Awards reward Europe’s most promising and ground-breaking innovations in four categories. The Changemaker Award winner is Mohamed Elamir, the co-founder of Woamy (Finland), which specializes in cellulose-based biofoams, offering a sustainable alternative to plastic foams.

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21/02/2024
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