The EU Council today established a new framework for restrictive measures in response to Russia’s destabilising actions in Europe and abroad. This new framework will allow the EU to target individuals and entities engaged in actions and policies by the government of the Russian Federation, undermining fundamental EU values, European security, independence, and integrity.
Hungary’s National Card Scheme is a new type of resident permit that allows easy entry into the EU for work. At first only open to Ukrainians and Serbians. In July extended to citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. But also to Belarus and Russia. The EU Commissioner expresses her concern.
The Commission has today opened a call for evidence and a public consultation inviting input into current EU regulations related to the security of energy supply and broader energy security issues.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen received today the final report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, handed over by the group’s chair, Professor Peter Strohschneider. Entitled “A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe”, the report assesses challenges and opportunities and contains a set of recommendations.
The EU Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of the shopping center Planet Koper, located in Slovenia, by ALFI RE of Slovenia and ERSTE of Croatia.
The Commission disbursed to Greece the fourth payment for €2.3 billion in loans (net of pre-financing) under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). As for all Member States, payments made to Greece under the RRF are performance-based and depend on the implementation by Greece of the investments and reforms described in its recovery and resilience plan.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, has today published an Opinion on the Sustainable Finance Regulatory Framework, setting out possible long-term improvements.
The European Commission has today adopted a delegated act that postpones by one year (i.e. until 1 January 2026) the date of application of one part the Basel III standards in the EU – the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB). The FRTB incorporates more sophisticated risk measurement techniques that aim to align capital charges more closely to the actual risks banks are facing in their activities in capital markets.
According to the EU Commission, most Member States and the EU as a whole are much better prepared to detect, prevent and address rule of law challenges. This contributes to a highter degree of resilience of EU democracies. It also contributes to the functioning of the single market and benefits a business environment fostering competitiveness and sustainable growth.
Lithuania has experienced fast income convergence over the past two decades and the economy is projected to return to growth this year after a shallow recession. However, higher inflation differentials following the shock triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have had an impact on competitiveness, even though Lithuania entered this crisis with an undervalued real effective exchange rate. At the same time, global fragmentation, long-term spending pressures, eroded corporate profitability, and pre-existing structural challenges in education, healthcare and the labor market continue weighing on productivity and growth.
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Italy. Italy’s economy has recovered well from the COVID and energy price shocks. Activity expanded by 0.9 percent in 2023 and, by the first quarter of 2024, real GDP had exceeded the pre-global financial crisis level.
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an amendment to Finland’s map for granting regional aid until 31 December 2027, within the framework of the Regional aid Guidelines.
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Denmark’s compensation to postal operator Post Danmark for its universal postal service obligation during the period 2021-2023.
Today, the Commission has given a positive assessment of Luxembourg’s modified recovery and resilience (RRF) plan, which includes a REPowerEU chapter. The plan is now worth €241.1 million in grants and covers 10 reforms and 13 investments.
The EU Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether Delivery Hero and Glovo have breached EU competition rules by participating in a cartel in the sector of online ordering and delivery of food, grocery and other daily consumer goods in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’).
All of Parliament’s 20 standing committees and four subcommittees held their constitutive meetings on Tuesday to elect their Chair and Vice-Chairs. Here is the overview.
A committee bureau (Chair and up to four Vice-chairs) is elected for a two and a half year mandate. Committees deal with legislative proposals, appoint negotiating teams to conduct talks with EU ministers, adopt reports, organise hearings and scrutinise other EU bodies and institutions.
The EU wants to showcase European digital solutions, healthcare and medical equipment, as well as green and low-carbon technologies in South Korea.
Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) announces the successful evaluation of the submitted innovative semiconductor pilot line proposals and has started negotiations with four consortia, aiming at signing the relevant agreements later this year.
The EU Commission encourages Member States to develop and implement a harmonised approach as the EU transitions to post-quantum cryptography. This will help to ensure that the EU’s digital infrastructures and services are secure in the next digital era.
Brussels, 11 April 2024 The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the names of 255 research
According to EU Advocate General Pikamäe, the supervisory authority has an obligation to act when it finds a breach in the course of investigating a complaint. However, the decision as to what corrective action to take depends on the specific circumstances of each individual case (English & German versions)
The package targets two emerging areas in aviation: manned aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing, as well as higher-risk unmanned drone operations.
Economic indicators show that the USA are the front-runner for both private investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and venture capital in generative AI, followed by China. US companies are also developing most of the large languages models (LLMs) underpinning AI innovation. EU starts-up are beginning to scale up.
“Over the last decade, we shaped our own model of digitisation. A model based on a simple idea: tech to serve humans. No matter how fast technology evolves, we must make sure it serves us as humans, as opposed to us serving technology. Today, this model positions Europe at the forefront of the global efforts to govern tech. But we need a much broader range of democratic partners to do this” – Margrethe Vestager.
Under the scheme, the aid will take form of direct grants. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial support to telecommunication operators in Italy to compensate the exceptional increase in electricity prices.
The EU Commission President spoke at the Clean Transition Dialogue on Transport and Mobility, gathering stakeholders and representatives from ports and shipyards, trains and airlines, cars, busses, trucks, the recharging infrastructure and the alternative fuels producers.
The EU, the United States, and other Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) partners, joined by Kazakhstan, Namibia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, announced the launch of a Minerals Security Partnership Forum.
China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Tuesday that it will impose temporary anti-dumping measures on brandy originating in the EU by requiring importers to pay a cash deposit on purchase. The EU Commmission sees this as an abuse of trade defence for inappropriate reasons and a clear breach of WTO rules.
“Our support and this peace Summit here bring real peace closer. The goal is a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. This would finally bring an end to the oppression and suffering of the Ukrainian people. This would reaffirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This would restore the primacy of international law and the UN Charter” – Ursula von der Leyen.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating two individuals and five entities that have facilitated weapons procurement for Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis. OFAC is also designating one individual and one company, as well as identifying one vessel, that have facilitated the shipment of commodities, the sale of which provides an important funding stream to the Houthis that aids in their weapons procurement.
This week, the United States Government participated in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, Germany. The conference convened over 1,500 representatives from governments, businesses, and civil society to mobilize support for the recovery, reconstruction, reform, and modernization of Ukraine.
At the close of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on Sunday, 16 June, the vast majority of participating states agreed on jointly formulated positions and next steps with a view to a future peace process. 92 states from all regions of the world took part in the summit, 57 of which were represented by heads of state and government.
“This full-scale war is more than an attack on the security of Europe, on the idea of Europe. This is an attempt to drag us all back to a darker past, a world of nuclear confrontation and major food insecurity, with all the ensuing economic consequences” – President Charles Michel.
“Our work is grounded in our commitment to respect the UN Charter, safeguard international peace and security, and uphold the free and open rules-based international order. We will support more effective, inclusive and equitable global governance that reflects our changing world. We reaffirm our commitment to uphold human dignity and the rule of law in all parts of the world.”
Swiss President Viola Amherd will open the summit on peace in Ukraine on Saturday, 15 June. 100 delegations will attend the summit, including 57 heads of state and government from around the world. The aim of the summit is to initiate a peace process, generate trust and outline ideas for the next steps towards such a process.
The European Commission and the High Representative have today adopted the 26th annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on political and economic developments in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This report covers developments in 2023.
Belgian Customs took part in the European control days (UNDA) organised from 8 to 12 April 2024. ‘Unda’ is the Latin word for ‘wave’ – the name symbolises the deluge of cocaine flooding Europe via maritime traffic.
The United States remains deeply concerned about the racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist (REMVE) threat worldwide and is committed to countering the transnational components of violent white supremacy. Today, the Department of State is designating Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) rotated its teams at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Since the Agency established a continued presence at the site in September 2022, 20 teams of experts have crossed the frontline of the conflict in Ukraine to reach the plant.
The Belgian EU presidency informed ministers about one of its political priorities, the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime, and the state of play of the 10 priority actions that it had identified. See the other issues discussed at the EU Justice Council.
The aim of the scheme is to promote the shift of freight and passenger transport from road to rail and to improve the security and efficiency of rail transport. The scheme will be fully funded through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF’), following the Commission’s positive assessment of Poland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and its adoption by the Council.
“Generation after generation have made Europe, have chosen a strong Europe. And now that responsibility is up to us. The last five years have shown what we can do together. Let us do it again. Let us make the choice of strength. Let us make the choice of leadership. Let us make the choice of Europe” – Ursula von der Leyen.
Europe now faces a clear choice. A choice to either face up to the uncertain world around us alone. Or to unite our societies and unite around our values. A choice to be dependent, to let the divisions weaken us. Or to be bold in our ambition and sovereign in our action, working with our partners around the world. A choice to ignore new realities or the speed of change. Or to be clear-eyed about the world and threats around us as they really are. A choice to let the extremists and appeasers prevail. Or to ensure our democratic forces stay strong.
International Roundtable for Scaling Up Climate Finance for Benin: Speech by Tobias Adrian, Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The European Investment Bank has confirmed its largest water financing in Jordan to improve water availability, security and sustainability across the country and increase access to water supply, improve sanitation and reduce water losses.
The following is a transcript of UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell’s video message from his home island of Carriacou, speaking about the devastating impacts of hurricane Beryl and why governments everywhere need to urgently step up climate action.
The EU Commission has published a clarification today of how suppliers and retailers of energy-labelled products should show energy label classes in their visual advertising and promotional material.
Today, the Commission has given a positive assessment for the first regular payment of close to €4.2 billion under the EU’s Ukraine Facility, to support Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and the functioning of its public administration.
The EU Commission has selected 134 transport projects to receive over €7 billion in EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU’s instrument for strategic investment in infrastructure. This represents the largest call under the current CEF Transport programme.
The EU General Court judged today that the EU Commission did not give the public sufficiently wide access to the purchase agreements for Covid-19 vaccines. That infringement concerns, inter alia, those agreements’ provisions on indemnification, and concerns the declarations that there was no conflict of interest on the part of the members of the team who negotiated the purchase of the vaccines. Read how the EU Commission reacts.
The EU has had mixed success in providing the building blocks for the emerging renewable hydrogen market, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. While the EU Commission has taken a number of positive steps, challenges remain all along the hydrogen value chain, and the EU is unlikely to meet its 2030 targets for the production and import of renewable hydrogen.
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