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
EMCDDA drug report warns of new trends in Europe’s illicit drugs environment
Potent synthetic substances, new drug mixtures and changing patterns of use pose a growing threat in Europe. These are among the issues raised today by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) as it launches its European Drug Report 2024: Trends and Developments.
11/06/2024
UN Security Council adopts resolution on ceasefire in Gaza – EEAS welcomes adoption
The Resolution was adopted with 14 votes in favour and one abstention (Russian Federation).
10/06/2024
Encryption in criminal matters: 1st report by the Innovation Hub for Internal Security
The report stresses the balance that needs to be struck between securing private communications and fundamental rights, while enabling investigations and prosecutions to combat organised crime and terrorism.
10/06/2024
LATEST NEWS TICKER
BUSINESS
Serbia: IMF Staff reaches staff-level agreement on arrangement review and follow-up
The Serbian authorities and IMF staff reached an agreement on the fourth and final review under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) and on a successor 36-month Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) request. The PCI is a non-financing instrument designed to support strong economic policies. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board in December 2024.
17/10/2024
EU Commission sends Statement of Objections over proposed acquisition of a stake in ITA Airways by Lufthansa
The European Commission has informed Deutsche Lufthansa AG (‘Lufthansa’) and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (‘MEF’) of its preliminary view that their proposed acquisition of joint control of ITA Airways (‘ITA’) may restrict competition on certain routes in the market for passenger air transport services in and out of Italy. The Commission is concerned that customers may face increased prices or decreased quality of services after the transaction.
25/03/2024
Share of health and social work at 7.4% of all EU businesses in 2021
In 2021, the number of businesses in the EU’s health and social work sector amounted to 2.3 million, representing 7.4% of all the enterprises active in the EU’s business economy.
22/03/2024
Sweden invests in sustainable growth and mobilises new capital for green and digital transition
Sweden is a leading donor of development assistance, but meeting the funding needs for a green and digital transition requires closer cooperation between development assistance and trade, greater mobilisation of private capital and harnessing the business sector’s innovation capacity. A current example of this is Sweden’s partnership with Bangladesh, which HRH Crown Princess Victoria visited together with Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell on 18–21 March.
22/03/2024
Finland continues funding UNRWA— funds directed to prevention of misconduct
Finland suspended its annual five million euro payment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in January due to the alleged links to the Hamas terrorist group. In February, Finland allocated corresponding support of EUR 5 million through International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Food Programme (WFP). At the end of last year, Finland also granted EUR 4 million for relieving the suffering of civilians in Gaza.
22/03/2024
More effective joint regulation of illicit asset seizure in the EU
An amendment to the bill to seize illicit assets without a prior criminal conviction will be introduced. This is necessary to tie in with agreements made at European level in the Confiscation Directive at the end of 2023 on improving the effectiveness of seizing criminal assets in the European Union. Earlier in the Netherlands, advice was sought from the Council of State on a bill to seize criminal assets. That proposal allowed valuables and assets of criminal origin to be confiscated through civil law proceedings without a suspect’s prior conviction.
22/03/2024
EU Commission clears acquisition of Argal by SFH and existing shareholders
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Argal Alimentación, S.A. (‘Argal’) of Spain by Smithfield Foods Holding Limited (‘SFH’) of the UK and Manusian Family, S.L., Guembox Inversiones, S.L., Mr. Jordi Xavier Cagigós Negre and Mr. Antonio Cordero, all shareholders of Argal (‘existing shareholders’), all of Spain.
22/03/2024
Mergers: EU Commission clears creation of joint venture by DWS, Galaxy and Flow Traders
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA (‘DWS’) of Germany, Galaxy Digital Labs LLC (‘Galaxy’) and Flow Traders Holding LLC (‘Flow Traders’), both of the US. The transaction relates primarily to the issuance of Euro-denominated stablecoin. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the joint venture will have negligible activities in the European Economic Area.
22/03/2024
2024 Day of European Authors promotes reading among young people
To mark this occasion, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Iliana Ivanova, is attending a conference on reading promotion (25-26 March 2024). Hosted in Leuven, Belgium, the event will focus on tackling young people’s declining reading skills and habits. It will bring together representatives from ministries of culture and education from the 40 Creative Europe countries with the book, education and NGO sectors.
22/03/2024
Georgia: EEAS Spokesperson on the developments around judicial reform
A comprehensive reform of the judiciary, including a reform of the High Council of Justice, in line with the findings of the 2023 EU enlargement report on Georgia and with the Venice Commission’s recommendations, is one of the European Commission’s recommendations in the area of the “fundamentals” in Georgia’s EU accession path. This is also part of the nine steps listed in the latest EU enlargement communication of the European Commission, endorsed by all EU Member States, that recommended granting Georgia the status of candidate country.
22/03/2024
Statement of the Euro Summit, meeting in inclusive format
Open, well-functioning and integrated European capital markets are crucial to promote the Single Market, improve funding sources for growing companies, including SMEs, and to offer attractive saving opportunities to EU citizens. This is key to boosting EU investment, competitiveness and innovation, thereby ensuring sustainable growth and job creation. Taking note of the letter of the President of the Eurogroup of 18 March 2024, we are determined to urgently speed up the deepening of our Capital Markets Union, which will be key to mobilising the substantial financing needed for the green and digital transitions.
22/03/2024
EU Commission proposes increased tariffs on Russian and Belarusian grain products
The transit of cereals, oilseeds and derived products from Russia and Belarus to third countries is unaffected by today’s proposal. This shows that the European Union remains fully committed to promoting food security globally, especially when it comes to developing countries. More than two years after the start of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, Europe is united and determined to continue defending our values and founding principles. The EU stands firmly with Ukraine and its people, and will continue to strongly support Ukraine’s economy, as well as its society, armed forces, and future reconstruction, for as long as it takes.
22/03/2024
Mergers: EU Commission clears acquisition of Walki by Oji
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Walki Holding Oy (‘Walki’) of Finland by Oji Holdings Corporation (‘Oji’) of Japan. The transaction relates primarily to the sector of paper products and protective packaging materials. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the companies are not active in the same or vertically related markets.
22/03/2024
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
Digital Markets Act: EP IMCO Committee endorses agreement with EU Council
Brussels, 16 May 2022 The Digital Markets Act sets obligations for large online platforms acting
16/05/2022
Cyber security: EU Commission welcomes political agreement on NIS-2 (updated)
Brussels, 13 May 2022 The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached today between the European
13/05/2022
Renew Europe on NIS2: Deal ensures a modern European cybersecurity space
MAY 12, 2022 The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament welcomes today’s interinstitutional agreement
13/05/2022
European Chips Act: EU Staff Working documents published
Publication 12 May 2022 This Staff Working Document aims to explain why Europe needs to act
13/05/2022
EU Parliament: Foreign interference committee resumes its work
Brussels, 12 May 2022 The second Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes
12/05/2022
Joint Statement following the EU-Japan Summit 2022
Tokyo, 12 May 2022 1. We, the leaders of the European Union (EU) and Japan,
12/05/2022
The joint power of democracies – President von der Leyen after the EU-Japan Summit
Press statement by President von der Leyen following the EU-Japan Summit: Tokyo, 12 May 2022
12/05/2022
Path to the Digital Decade: EU Council adopts its position
11 May 2022 To ensure that the EU meets its objectives for a digital transformation
12/05/2022
New EU strategy to protect and empower children in the online world
Brussels, 11 May 2022 Today, the Commission has adopted a new European strategy for a Better
11/05/2022
Financial services online: EU Commission adopts stronger consumer rules
Brussels, 11 May 2022 Today, the European Commission has adopted a reform of the current EU
11/05/2022
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
United States: NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson on U.S. strikes in Iraq
President Biden was immediately briefed on the attack this morning, and he ordered the Department of Defense to prepare response options against those responsible. Those options were then presented to the President during a call this afternoon with Secretary of Defense Austin and members of the President’s national security team. During that call, the President directed strikes against three locations utilized by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities.
26/12/2023
Ukrainian pilots learn to fly F-16 fighter jets after completing basic training in the UK
The UK has been providing basic training to Ukraine’s combat air pilots as a contribution to the international Air Force Capability Coalition for Ukraine. The first cohort of Ukrainian pilots to receive training from the Royal Air Force are now learning to fly F-16 fighter jets in Denmark, having completed a basic programme of training in the UK.
26/12/2023
Ukraine: Switzerland expands sanctions listings
As part of a 12th package of sanctions adopted on 18 December, the EU imposed new measures in response to Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and continued acts of destabilisation, which undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. In turn, on 21 December the EAER imposed sanctions within its jurisdiction on a further 61 individuals and 86 entities. Among the newly sanctioned individuals are members of the Belarusian armed forces, leaders of companies supporting Russia’s military and industrial capabilities, and members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The newly sanctioned entities are primarily Russian companies operating in the defence sector.
22/12/2023
EU Commission provides over €118m to the Palestinian Authority
Through the EU’s PEGASE mechanism, the new financial assistance adopted will contribute to the payments of the salaries and pensions of civil servants in the West Bank, the social allowances for vulnerable families through the Cash Transfer Programme in the West Bank and Gaza, the payment for the medical referrals to the East Jerusalem Hospitals and support the administrative and technical capacity of the Palestinian Authority institutions.
22/12/2023
EU Commission provides additional funding to support security and protection of public spaces in the EU
The call will finance projects aimed at improving the overall security of public spaces with a focus on six different priorities: places of worship of all faiths, Jewish places of worship, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) threats, firearms trafficking, explosive detection dogs and non-cooperative drones. In light of the worrying upsurge of antisemitic incidents across the EU , following the heinous terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023, the Commission reserved EUR 5 million of the total budget exclusively for projects on the protection of Jewish places of worship, as announced in the Communication issued by the European Commission titled “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred”.
22/12/2023
EU Commission, Ukraine and Moldova sign High-Level Understandings to improve transport connectivity
The adapted maps will help step up connectivity between Ukraine and Moldova and with the EU, which will be particularly important now that the European Council has decided to launch accession negotiations with both countries. Following signature of associations agreements with the Commission earlier this year, Moldova and Ukraine will also be able to apply for funding from the Connecting Europe Facility for projects to develop TEN-T infrastructure.
22/12/2023
Finland to provide humanitarian aid to crisis areas
The power struggle in Sudan, which began in spring 2023, has led to a rapid increase in humanitarian needs both in Sudan and in its neighbouring areas. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the conflict in Sudan has forced 6.6 million people, 2.6 million of them children, to leave their homes. The UNHCR provides support such as emergency accommodation and emergency relief items to the refugees. Finland supports the work of the UNHCR in Sudan by EUR 10.4 million.
22/12/2023
Netherlands: First support package for Ukraine for 2024
For the first four months of 2024 the government has reserved €102 million to help Ukraine get through the winter and prepare for spring. During his visit to Ukraine on 15 December, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen detailed how the money will be allocated.
22/12/2023
Europol: Major bust of a notorious narcotics clan in Spain and Portugal
The investigation was initiated in February 2023, when law enforcement authorities gathered evidence of drug trafficking by known local narcotics clans along the Portuguese coast. The drug trafficking operations were carried out by retrieving cocaine shipments in the waters of the Atlantic. Portuguese authorities seized one such shipment of cocaine in Peniche (Portugal). The information gathered by law enforcement authorities indicated that the notorious Galician narcotics clan was deploying significant resources in terms of personnel, land and maritime equipment in Portugal to retrieve shipments of drugs on the high seas and then transport them to the Spanish region of Galicia.
22/12/2023
EU sends additional 500 power generators to Ukraine
Deployed from the EU’s emergency rescEU reserves hosted by Poland, the generators range from small 12.5 kVA to large 1000 kVA that are capable of suppling energy to entire hospitals in case of power cuts. The financial value of the 500 power generators being sent to Ukraine is €16.5 million. The generators will be provided to different Ukrainian ministries. The goal is to ensure sufficient supply of electricity during cold and dark months, but also to keep vital services like hospitals, wastewater treatments and heating stations up and running. For example, 40 of the 500 generators are designated for schools.
22/12/2023
Europol: Action against digital skimming reveals 443 compromised online merchants
Europol, law enforcement authorities from 17 countries and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) have joined forces with the private sector partners, including Group-IB and Sansec, to fight digital skimming attacks. With the support of national Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT), the two-month action has enabled Europol and its partners to notify 443 online merchants that their customers’ credit card or payment card data had been compromised. This action, led by Greece, falls under the EMPACT priority, which targets the criminals behind online fraud schemes.
22/12/2023
Child sexual abuse: EU Council paves the way for prolonging protection measure
In 2021, the EU adopted a law which allows providers of certain online services to derogate from data protection rules in the electronic communications sector. Providers of so-called number-independent interpersonal communications services (e.g. messaging services) were permitted to use specific technologies for the processing of personal and other data to detect online child sexual abuse on their services, to report and to remove it.
21/12/2023
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 Climate Monitoring 20 February 2024
CARBON REMOVAL: EU Council background on deal to establish an EU carbon removals certification framework +++ EU Parliament on deal with Council on carbon removals EU certification scheme +++ Europa-SPD zur Einigung auf Zertifizierung von Kohlenstoff-Entnahmen: “Weltweit erster Standard ebnet Weg zu europäischen Klimazielen” +++ EU-Abgeordnete Liese und Lins (CDU) zur Trilogeinigung bei Carbon Removals +++ COP28: At IEA event, COP28 President and other climate and energy leaders identify priority actions to deliver on Dubai outcomes.
21/02/2024
Insight EU Energy Monitoring 20 February 2024
HYDROGEN: Globaler Wasserstoffhochlauf: Deutschland und Niederlande bereiten internationale Wasserstoffankäufe vor – BMWK ermöglicht neue Ausschreibungsrunde +++ Hydrogen Europe manifesto puts energy transition front and centre +++ The case for global H2 trade: a factual response to T&E
21/02/2024
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. The Innovation Team Award goes to Altris (Sweden), a team specializing in sodium-ion batteries.
21/02/2024
RRF: Delivering ambitious reforms
Unprecedented in its scale and ambition, the RRF was established in February 2021 and has the two-fold objective of helping Member States to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as bolstering their resilience and making our economies and societies greener, more digital and more competitive. In short, fit for the future. It has also been vital in addressing urgent challenges, such as the knock-on impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
21/02/2024
Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner nominated new Director of ECDC
Each Management Board member had one vote, and the candidate required support from two-thirds of all voting members. The Board members cast their vote by secret ballot. The Management Board of ECDC is composed of one member designated by each Member State, two members designated by the European Parliament, and three members representing the European Commission, all with a right to vote. Before her appointment, Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner will be invited to make a statement before the European Parliament and to answer the questions of its Members.
21/02/2024
Medical devices: EU Council endorses new measures to help prevent shortages
Around two thirds of all clinical decisions are based on information provided by IVDs, which include tests for HIV, cancer, pregnancy and COVID-19. In 2017, new rules were introduced to modernise and update the EU framework for these products, guaranteeing their safety and effectiveness.
The far-reaching nature of these changes led to an increased need for scientific, technical and regulatory expertise and capacity, which take time to develop. As a result, many critical IVDs have yet to comply with the new rules, leading to a risk that – once the transition deadline has passed – they may be removed from the market without being replaced.
21/02/2024
Insight EU Environment Monitoring 19 February 2024
RAW MATERIALS: EU and Rwanda sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains +++ CHEMICAL POLLUTION: EEB: Chemical pollution victims’ voices ignored for a European Industrial Deal +++ UNECE
Crises are further slowing sustainable development in Europe, North America and Central Asia, warns UNECE report
21/02/2024
Insight EU Climate Monitoring 19 February 2024
CLIMATE TARGETS: Agora: EU policies for climate neutrality in the decisive decade +++ COP29:2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29)
21/02/2024
Insight EU Energy Monitoring 19 February 2024
HYDROGEN: European Hydrogen Bank pilot auction: 132 bids received from 17 European countries +++ Latest hydrogen industries’ headlines +++ Hydrogen Mining: The New Energy Transition Challenge +++ thyssenkrupp Steel issues call for tenders to supply hydrogen to the first direct reduction plant in the tkH2Steel decarbonization project +++ ENERGY REGULATION: First edition of the REMIT training: more is yet to come – Florence School of Regulation
21/02/2024
Improving air quality: EU legislators reach a political agreement
On Tuesday, negotiators from the Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on new measures to ensure air quality in the EU is not harmful to human health, natural ecosystems and biodiversity with the aim to eliminate air pollution by 2050.
20/02/2024