First EU-Gulf Cooperation Council: Remarks by EU leaders
The first EU-GCC Summit will take place in Brussels on 16 October 2024 under the theme: “Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”.
16/10/2024
ON THE TOP
EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: EU Commission presents Common Implementation Plan
The Common Implementation Plan provides a template for National Implementation Plans to be adopted by Member States by the end of this year. It groups legal, technical and operational work into 10 building blocks. What will they cover?
12/06/2024
Swiss Summit: A step towards peace in Ukraine – Blog post by EU HR Borrell
The Swiss Summit aims to develop among the participating countries common parameters for peace for Ukraine, grounded in international law and the UN Charter. The Summit will also focus on selected practical issues: How to enhance nuclear security, facilitate the exchange of captives, and ensure the return of the many thousands of Ukrainian children abducted to Russia.
12/06/2024
Chinese e-vehicles: EU Commission investigation pre-discloses unfair subsidies
An EU Commission investigation provisionally concludes that electric vehicle value chains in China benefit from unfair subsidies. The Commission has reached out to Chinese authorities to discuss these findings and explore possible ways to resolve the issues identified in a WTO-compatible manner. How politicians and stakeholders react.
12/06/2024
LATEST NEWS TICKER
BUSINESS
Kazakhstan: 21st Cooperation Council with the European Union
As Kazakhstan’s first trade partner and foreign investor, the EU expressed strong support for the country’s economic reform and political modernisation process.
17/10/2024
EU Commission probes Zoetis for anticompetitive behavior
The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether animal health company Zoetis may have breached EU competition rules by preventing the market launch of a competing novel biologic medicine used to treat chronic pain in dogs. Zoetis is a global animal health company headquartered in the US. Zoetis’ Librela is the first and only monoclonal antibody medicine approved in Europe to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. The medicine is administered monthly and offers a novel pain relief option, particularly relevant for older dogs.
26/03/2024
DSA: EU Commission issues guidelines for election security
Today, the Commission has published guidelines on recommended measures to Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines to mitigate systemic risks online that may impact the integrity of elections, with specific guidance for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), designated services with more than 45 million active users in the EU have the obligation to mitigate the risks related to electoral processes, while safeguarding fundamental rights, including the right to freedom of expression.
26/03/2024
Serbia: IMF staff agreement on 3rd review under the Stand-By Arrangement
The Serbian economy has been preforming well under the IMF-supported program, despite the challenging global and regional environment. Macroeconomic outcomes in 2023 exceeded expectations and are expected to remain strong in 2024. Growth is projected to increase to 3.5 percent in 2024, and to 4.5 percent in 2025, as domestic demand picks up.
26/03/2024
New Heads of Mission appointed for EUMM Georgia, EUPOL COPPS, and EUCAP Somalia
Major General Bettina Boughani was appointed as HoM of EUMM Georgia from 21 March 2024 until 14 December 2024. She is a commissioned officer of the French National Gendarmerie with extensive experience in international relations and stabilisation missions. She held various senior positions within the United Nations and the French Gendarmerie, as well as in the Ministry of the Interior. Most recently she was involved in conflict prevention, mediation, and peacekeeping in sensitive political and security contexts as MINUSMA’s Police Commissioner (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali). She will succeed Dimitrios Karabalis.
26/03/2024
EU Council adopts law to strengthen protection for geographical indications for foods and drinks
Geographical indications are intellectual property rights that protect the names of products with specific features or qualities or a specific reputation and which are linked to their area of production. Those products are protected against copying or fraud, while the geographical system guarantees that they have been manufactured in accordance with high standards in their region of origin.
26/03/2024
Technical Support Instrument: EU Commission updates approach with Q&A
The reforms will cover a wide range of areas impacting citizens’ lives in the EU, ranging from the application of Artificial Intelligence in businesses and public administrations, the implementation of the Green Deal Industrial Plan and other reforms.
26/03/2024
EMFA: EU Council adopts new rules to protect journalists and media providers
The Council has adopted a new law that will safeguard media freedom, media pluralism and editorial independence in the EU. The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) will establish a common framework for media services in the EU’s internal market and introduce measures aimed at protecting journalists and media providers from political interference, while also making it easier for them to operate across the EU’s internal borders.
26/03/2024
Environmental crime: EU Council clears new EU law with tougher sanctions and extended list of offences
Today, the Council formally adopted a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. The law will improve the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime offences. The directive establishes EU-wide minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and penalties. It replaces the previous law which dates back to 2008.
26/03/2024
Support for farmers: EU Council endorses targeted review of the CAP
Today member states’ representatives in the Special Committee on Agriculture endorsed a targeted review of certain basic acts of the common agricultural policy (CAP) proposed by the European Commission as a response to the concerns voiced by farmers. This review addresses issues encountered, for instance, with the implementation of the CAP strategic plans and aims to deliver simplification, reduce the administrative burden, and provide greater flexibility for complying with certain environmental conditionalities.
26/03/2024
Agustín Reyna appointed as BEUC Director General
The European Consumer Organisation’s Executive Board has appointed Agustín Reyna as the next Director General. He will be taking over from the current DG, Monique Goyens, who is retiring this year after having led the consumer group network for almost 17 years.
26/03/2024
U.S. Treasury designates Russian companies supporting sanctions evasion
The Department of the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned thirteen entities and two individuals for operating in the financial services and technology sectors of the Russian Federation economy.
26/03/2024
The EBA launches call for papers for its 2024 Policy Research Workshop
The European Banking Authority (EBA) today launched a call for papers in view of its 13th Policy Research Workshop taking place on 6-7 November 2024 and titled “Boundaries of Banking Regulation”. The deadline for submitting papers is 5 July 2024.
26/03/2024
DIGITIZATION
EU research and innovation leadership: Experts call for increased investment
More excellent research, impactful innovation and technology scale-ups are needed to make Europe more globally competitive, secure and sustainable. These are among the twelve expert recommendations presented today to the EU Commission to strengthen Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, and its successor.
16/10/2024
President von der Leyen: Special address at the World Economic Forum
Davos, 24 May 2022 “Check against delivery” Thank you Klaus, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is
24/05/2022
Intelligent road transport systems – EP Research Paper on Legislation in Progress
EP Members’ Research Service / May 24, 2022 at 08:32AM Written by Marketa Pape (1st edition). This
24/05/2022
Pegasus spyware and its interference in Europe – EU Commission answers
EN E-000713/2022 Answer given by Mr Breton on behalf of the European Commission (24.5.2022) While
24/05/2022
Insight EU Dossier Autonomous & Connected Driving – 2/2022
ISSUE 2/2022 European Commission adopts new initiatives for sustainable and smart mobility ITS EUROPEAN CONGRESS
24/05/2022
Main results of the General Affairs Council on 23 May 2022
Brussels, 23 May 2022 Conference on the Future of Europe On 9 May 2022, at the closing
24/05/2022
New EU study monitoring roaming tariffs in the Western Balkans
23 May 2022 The Commission has published a study monitoring the consumer tariffs for roaming
23/05/2022
Cyber posture: EU Council approves conclusions
Brussels, 23 may 2022 The EU Council today approved conclusions on developing the Union’s cyber
23/05/2022
EU Commission: “Media Invest” to boost Europe’s audiovisual industry
Brussels, 20 May 2022 Today, the Commission is launching “Media Invest”, a new financing tool
20/05/2022
Creative Renewal: defending competition in the face of disruption – EVP Vestager
Vienna, 19 May 2022 Speech by Executive Vice-President Vestager for the Schumpeter Award Acceptance: “Creative
20/05/2022
Audiovisual Media Services: Five EU Member States referred to Court of Justice
Brussels, 19 May 2022 The European Commission has today decided to refer Czechia [INFR 2020/0510], Ireland [INFR 2020/0531], Romania [INFR
19/05/2022
SECURITY
Kazakhstan: 21st Cooperation Council with the European Union
As Kazakhstan’s first trade partner and foreign investor, the EU expressed strong support for the country’s economic reform and political modernisation process.
17/10/2024
UN Security Council: UK on the Taliban responsibility to meet international commitments
As we’ve said multiple times in this chamber, we should seize the momentum of the independent assessment with the hope of changing Afghanistan’s current negative trajectory. At the same time, the Taliban has a responsibility to meet its international commitments, including via the immediate reversal of policies restricting women’s rights and fundamental freedoms.
29/12/2023
Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping (Accra, 6 December 2023)
I mention these numbers because we cannot remain indifferent when these soldiers who wear this very iconic blue helmet and who defend this very iconic blue flag of the United Nations are being physically attacked on the ground but are also the targets of hate speech, and I can only agree with the panellists and speakers who think that we need to take action collectively to stop these attacks on the safety and reputation of our Blue Helmets.
29/12/2023
Ukraine: French condemnation of Russian strikes (29 December 2023)
In launching more than 110 missiles and dozens of drones across Ukraine, as it has done almost daily over the past several months, Russia is continuing its strategy of terror aimed at destroying Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, in order to weaken the resilience of the Ukrainian people during the second winter of the conflict. As Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has repeatedly emphasized, France will continue to work closely with its partners to provide Ukraine with the aid it needs to ensure its legitimate defense.
29/12/2023
Israel/Palestine: Reception of injured Palestinian children in French hospitals
In line with President Macron’s commitments, France is welcoming an initial two injured Palestinian children, who arrived in France today, Thursday 28 December. They were taken into care in pediatric hospital services. The Ministry of Health and Prevention, and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through its Crisis and Support Centre and the French Embassy in Cairo, are working on a new operation to take in injured or seriously ill Palestinian children from next week onwards.
29/12/2023
Swedish Consulate-General opens in San Francisco
With a population of approximately 40 million, California has the world’s fifth largest economy. It has long been a hub for technological innovation, green transition, research, industrial development, and the IT and AI industries, etc. Moreover, it is an established centre for cultural and creative industries such as computer games, fashion, film, design and music. Sweden has significant and growing interests in California. Over 100 Swedish businesses are currently represented there, which has created more than 44 000 jobs in the state.
29/12/2023
Sweden: More people from Ukraine to be covered by the Temporary Protection Directive
Due to the war in Ukraine, the EU Temporary Protection Directive was activated by decision of the Council of the European Union on 4 March 2022. The decision provides certain Ukrainian citizens and their family members with the right to temporary protection if they were forced to flee Ukraine on 24 February 2022 or later as a result of the military invasion by the Russian armed forces. In April 2022, the Government adopted a legislative amendment that extended the protection for this group of people to also apply to those who entered and stayed in Sweden from 30 October 2021.
29/12/2023
Georgia: France on the transfer of land from Abkhazia
France reaffirms its total support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
Any decision undermining Georgia’s territorial integrity, such as the attempted transfer of land from the separatist region of Abkhazia to the Russian Federation, is illegal, null and void.
28/12/2023
Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy on new defense packages
For the next year, we have set ourselves crystal clear goals in terms of artillery, drones, missiles, and armored vehicles. One of our major political results this year is an agreement with our partners, particularly the United States, on co-production of weapons. Establishment of new production facilities. Localization in Ukraine. Expansion of the repair base. All this contributes to Ukraine’s defense and economic robustness, resulting in considerable GDP growth and good jobs. I am grateful to each and every person who develops our industry, to everyone who contributes their efforts and ideas to the development of the Ukrainian defense industry. And I am confident that our defense industry – given such continuous development – will eventually make it into the top 10 most productive and powerful defense complexes in the world. This is the true potential of Ukraine, and our country can definitely become one of the global security donors and one of the strongest members of NATO. We are working for this.
28/12/2023
UK takes lead of NATO Rapid Response Force
UK forces are taking lead of NATO’s rapid response force on 1 January 2024, placing thousands of soldiers on standby and ready to deploy within days. NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) was created after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and deployed for the first time for the collective defence of the Alliance after Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Taking leadership of the VJTF will see the UK provide the majority of forces in the task force. The United Kingdom’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps will serve as the land component command.
28/12/2023
Finnish Government decides on themes for strategic research in 2024
The Government decided on the main themes for strategic research based on a proposal from the Strategic Research Council. In its proposal submitted to the Government in June, the Strategic Research Council outlined two themes for 2024: ‘Water as an element of wellbeing, security and peace’ and ‘The interaction between migration, work and wellbeing in the Finland of the future’. The council also proposed ‘Democracy’ as a cross-cutting priority. Alongside the themes now decided on, preparations will continue independently on the migration theme so it can be selected as a theme for strategic research in 2025.
28/12/2023
Statement by EU Commission President von der Leyen on the passing of Jacques Delors
We are all the heirs of Jacques Delors’s work of life: a vibrant and prosperous European Union. Jacques Delors forged his vision of a united Europe and his commitment to peace during the dark hours of the Second World War. With remarkable intelligence and unparalleled humanity, he has been the tireless advocate of cooperation between European nations and then of the development of European identity. An idea he brought to life thanks, inter alia, to the establishment of the Single Market, the Erasmus programme and the early stages of a single currency, thus shaping a prosperous and influential European bloc.
28/12/2023
France and Azerbaijan exchange diplomatic expulsions
France notes the decision taken by Azerbaijan to declare two members of the French Embassy in Azerbaijan persona non grata. It categorically rejects the allegations presented by Azerbaijan to justify its decision. As a reciprocal measure, France has declared two employees of the Azerbaijani Embassy in France persona non grata.
27/12/2023
SUSTAINABILITY
EU Commission adopts rules to include offshore ships into emissions monitoring
As part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package, the MRV Maritime Regulation was revised in 2023 to include greenhouse gas emissions from offshore ships in its scope as of 1 January 2025. This should apply to all offshore ships of 400 gross tonnage and above.
17/10/2024
Insight EU Energy Monitoring 23 February 2024
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: European Citizens’ Panel to discuss Energy Efficiency +++ CLEAN ENERGY: Le cinquième dialogue sur la transition propre mettra l’accent sur le rôle clé de l’infrastructure énergétique dans la transition verte +++ ENERGY REGULATIONS: REMIT breach: Italian energy regulator (ARERA) fines ENET Energy S.A. €940,000 for gas market manipulation +++
Eurogas: National neutrality charges will fragment the EU market and are against the Union’s spirit of solidarity +++ ENERGY MERGERS: EU Commission clears acquisition of Progas by DCC
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 greener environmental footprint – it will reduce air and noise pollution and limit accidents.
26/02/2024
Protecting workers against lead and diisocyanates: EU Council signs off on new limit values
Workers are now better protected. For the first time in 40 years, the EU has revisited the limit values for occupational exposure to lead and its inorganic compounds, by reducing them fivefold. These reprotoxic substances can affect sexual function and fertility, and they may also damage the nervous system, among other things. In addition, the directive is the first-ever EU legislation to set limit values for diiosocyanates, a group of harmful substances to which 4.2 million workers are currently exposed and which can cause asthma and dermal diseases.
26/02/2024
Updated fisheries measures in the ICCAT area: EU Council gives final green light
Today the Council has formally adopted a regulation that transposes into EU law certain fisheries management, conservation and control measures in the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) convention area. The newly-adopted regulation also updates the multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
26/02/2024
Minutes of the meeting of EEAS SecGen Sannino and U.S. Under Secretary Nuland
Secretary General Sannino and Under Secretary Nuland discussed EU and US diplomacy with China and the trajectory of their respective bilateral relationships. They stressed the importance of recent high-level exchanges and keeping open channels of communication with China to manage competition responsibly.
24/02/2024
Belgium, Ireland, and Latvia need to improve their Climate Plans – EU Commission
The Commission has published its assessment of the draft updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of Belgium, Ireland and Latvia, which contain recommendations to assist the countries in raising their ambitions in line with EU targets for 2030.
24/02/2024
Insight EU Environment Monitoring 22 February 2024
UNEA: Start of the UN Environment Assembly 2024 +++ UN Environment Assembly opens at critical time for the planet +++ The International Resource Panel: the voice of reason on resource use +++ UNEP: Finding super solutions to super pollutants +++ Setting the stage for powerful decisions at the UN Environment Assembly +++ CHEMICALS:EP Think tank: At a Glance – Regulation on detergents and surfactants
24/02/2024
Insight EU Climate Monitoring 22 February 2024
CLIMATE FINANCE: EU Commission invests over €233 million in Strategic Environment and Climate Projects across Europe +++ Annex to our press release New LIFE Environment and Climate Strategic Projects – Project short summaries +++ CLIMATE TARGETS: ERCST – Climate Change Policy Priorities in the Next EU Political Cycle +++ DESERTIFICATION
Desertification and Drought Day 2024: “United for Land: Our Legacy. Our Future” – United Nations Sustainable Development
24/02/2024
Insight EU Energy Monitoring 22 February 2024
CLEAN ENERGY: Opening speech by President von der Leyen at the Clean Tech Industry Dialogue +++ UNEP: What are energy transition minerals and how can they unlock the clean energy age? +++ WIND ENERGY: Global Wind Energy Council opens new global headquarters in Lisbon +++ EU ENERGY PLATFORM: Statement by Executive Vice-President Šefčovič on the results of the first mid-term tender under the EU Energy Platform
23/02/2024
RRF: EU Commission approves €1.3bn German State aid to support ArcelorMittal decarbonise its steel production
The aid will take the form of a direct grant and will support the construction of a direct reduction plant and three new electric arc furnaces. The new installations will replace two of the three existing blast furnaces and two of the four existing oxygen furnaces. The new direct reduction plant will initially operate with natural gas. Natural gas will be gradually phased out of the steel production processes to be replaced by low-carbon and renewable hydrogen. Ultimately, the new installation will operate using exclusively renewable hydrogen.
23/02/2024