The EU Council adopted today a new law on cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements with a view to ensuring that products, such as connected home cameras, fridges, TVs, and toys, are safe before they are placed on the market (cyber resilience act).
Today’s biggest cruise ships are twice as big as they were in 2000, a new Transport & Environment (T&E) report shows. If they continue to grow at this rate, the biggest cruise ships in 2050 could amount to a staggering 345,000 gross tonnage, making them almost eight times bigger than the Titanic.
The Government of Benjamin Netanyahu has revoked the diplomatic status for Norwegian diplomats dealing with the Palestinian Authority. The EU strongly condemns this unwarranted decision, which contradicts the spirit of Oslo Accords and disproportionately disrupts the normal relations and cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.
Four years ago, Belarus’ presidential election saw electoral fraud, mass protests and a brutal crackdown against the democratic opposition. Belarus moved further into isolation and dependence on Russia. It became complicit in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU continues to support Belarusian civil society and democratic forces, fighting for a free and democratic Belarus.
The EU Council has adopted the two legislative acts under the design package: the revised directive on the legal protection of designs and the amended regulation on community designs. The texts adopted today update the current design legislation to improve the protection of industrial designs in the era of digital designs and 3D printing.
The EU Commission has approved the acquisition of sole control of SAG Integration US LLC of the US (a special purpose vehicle comprising the webMethods and StreamSets software products of Software AG of Germany) by International Business Machines Corporation (‘IBM’) of the US.
The Commission has decided to close its antitrust investigation into allegedly anticompetitive behaviour by Apple over some of the terms it applies to certain app developers for use of its App Store in the European Economic Area.
Today, the EU Modernisation Fund has disbursed €2.967 billion to support 39 energy projects in 10 EU Member States. These investments will support the modernisation of energy systems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy, industry and transport sectors, and improving energy efficiency.
Swiss growth is expected to recover gradually to 1.3 percent in 2024 (1 percent adjusted for sports events) and 1.4 percent in 2025, but uncertainties remain. Inflation is projected to remain within the price stability range, at 1.5 percent on average in 2024. Medium-term growth hovers around 1.5 percent but faces headwinds from adverse demographics trends, skills gaps, and lower trading partners growth.
The EU Council today approved conclusions on the mid-term evaluation of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-Global Europe).
The EU Commission has fined International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and International Flavors & Fragrances IFF France SAS (together ‘IFF’) €15.9 million for obstructing a an EU Commission inspection in 2023. The EU Commission found that during the inspection, a senior employee of IFF intentionally deleted WhatsApp messages exchanged with a competitor.
The EU Commission’s DG FISMA is launching a call for tender for a study to identify barriers and solutions to support the scaling up and consolidation of investment funds, stock exchanges and post-trading infrastructure, enhancing the knowledge base, developing scale, creating deeper pools of liquidity and helping to lower the cost of financing for high-growth companies.
The latest package of economic and individual restrictions against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine increases the pressure on high-value sectors of the Russian economy, like energy, finance, and trade, and makes it ever more difficult to circumvent EU sanctions. The EU Commission explains the new sanctions in Q&A format.
ANO’s unwillingness to continue their commitment to liberal values have led to today’s outcome. They have turned their back to our firm pro-European convictions and values.
Türkiye has substantially increased available corporate fines for foreign bribery and made state-owned enterprises liable for this crime, but its failure to pursue foreign bribery cases raises serious concerns, according to the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions.
The EU Council discussed the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Ministers approved a report to the European Council on tax issues as well as conclusions on the progress achieved by the Code of Conduct Group during the Belgian presidency. They also exchanged views on the value added tax (VAT) in the digital age package.
The OECD’s Society at a Glance 2024 shows that the total fertility rate dropped from 3.3 children per woman in 1960 to just 1.5 children per woman in 2022, significantly below the “replacement level” of 2.1 children per woman needed to keep population constant in the absence of migration. The total fertility rate is low in Italy and Spain, at 1.2 children per woman in 2022, and lowest in Korea, at an estimated 0.7 children per woman in 2023.
The EU Council has adopted the two legislative acts under the design package: the revised directive on the legal protection of designs and the amended regulation on community designs. The texts adopted today update the current design legislation to improve the protection of industrial designs in the era of digital designs and 3D printing.
During the second quarter of 2023, guests spent almost 153 million nights in short-term rental accommodation in the EU, booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group or TripAdvisor. This corresponds to an increase of 15.8% compared with the same period in 2022.
UNECE: 3rd Forum of Mayors to gather 50 city leaders in push for networked and inclusive multilateralism +++ 84th session of the UNECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management +++ The Spanish Presidency stimulates debate on the future of EU Cohesion Policy +++ The network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) in full action +++ Digital Europe Programme: Commission opens calls to invest in data spaces for tourism and cultural heritage.
Senior cybersecurity representatives from EU Member States, the Commission, and the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) are taking part in a two-day ‘Blueprint Operational Level Exercise’, or Blue OLEx 2023, to test EU preparedness in the event of a cyber-related crisis.
Today’s payment of €2.76 billion in grants and loans was made possible by Romania’s fulfilment of 49 milestones and targets linked to the second instalment. They cover key reforms in the areas of the green and digital transition, such as the adoption of the decarbonisation law and the entry into force of the law for the governance of cloud services deployed in the public sector. Romania has also put forward reforms to improve its public policy delivery, promote tourism and culture, develop human resources in the health sector, improve tax collection and the sustainability of pensions, modernise the education system’s infrastructure, as well as to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption.
Switzerland and China exchanged experiences in the area of new forms of work and addressed in particular their impact on worker protection issues and the growing demand for highly skilled workers due to the digitalisation of the working environment. Switzerland expressed concern about reports of labour discrimination, arbitrary internment, and forced labour in Xinjiang and other Chinese regions.
Today, the Commission has opened new calls for proposals under the 2023-2024 Work Programmes of the Digital Europe Programme to strengthen digital capacities across the EU. The calls are open to businesses, public administrations, and other entities from the EU Member States, EFTA/EEA countries, and associated countries. Over €12 million allocated for projects under these calls focus on continuing support for the creation of data spaces, a cornerstone of the EU data strategy.
Consequence scanning: How to mitigate risks in your service – UK Design in Government +++ Redesigning the DDaT Capability Framework – Digital people +++ Call for applications to join the EIT Governing Board +++ Bundesregierung: Studie zu Aufgaben und Organisationsformen von Innovationseinheiten für die Verwaltung +++ Germany and Israel consolidate their cooperation on innovative startups and energy +++ Design Thinking Market Recent Innovations and Current Trends Analysis by 2030.
Today, the Commission has published the Special Eurobarometer on digitalisation of travel documents and facilitation of travel. The report explores EU citizens’ views and perceptions of travel policies, as well as the introduction and possible use of digital travel credentials.
The first report on the State of the Digital Decade, published today, provides a comprehensive look at progress towards achieving the digital transformation to empower a more digitally sovereign, resilient, and competitive EU. It includes an assessment of the EU’s performance towards Europe’s 2030 objectives and targets focusing on four main pillars: digital skills, digital infrastructure, digitalisation of businesses, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digitalisation of public services. It also includes the monitoring of the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, which reflects the EU’s commitment to a secure, safe and sustainable digital transformation, putting people at the centre.
Online video games: The EU General Court confirms that geo-blocking of activation keys for the Steam platform infringed EU competition law. In agreeing bilaterally to that geo-blocking, the operator of the Steam platform, Valve and five PC video games publishers unlawfully restricted cross-border sales of certain PC video games that are compatible with that platform.
EU Ministers of home affairs met in Luxembourg to discuss how to improve the EU’s return system. Also on the agenda was the entry/exit system and a draft law to prevent and combat child sexual abuse.
“The EU Commission took note of Israel’s commitments to open new humanitarian aid access points in Gaza, including Ashdod port and the Erez crossing, and to increase aid deliveries from Jordan. However, this must be followed by meaningful actions as a matter of priority. We want to make it clear that not facilitating aid delivery at the required volumes is a death sentence for Palestinians in desperate need of assistance”.”
“Only time and history will tell us whether this marks a definitive turning point. But what we can already see is that this attack marks a shift towards open confrontation. And it shows us the nature of modern warfare” – EU Commission President von der Leyen.
Die europäische und internationale Sicherheit hat nicht zuletzt durch Russlands Krieg in der Ukraine schweren Schaden genommen. Der aktuelle Jahresabrüstungsberich informiert über die deutsche Politik der Abrüstung, Nichtverbreitung und Rüstungskontrolle.
The Artemis Accords serve as a framework for international cooperation on space exploration and are based on the Outer Space Treaty and other relevant UN conventions.
The European conference on crime prevention is a biennial event organized by the European Crime Prevention Network and funded by the Commission. It allows policymakers, practitioners, and academics to share their experiences and best practices in crime prevention across the EU.
EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs held an informal video teleconference to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East in light of the recent attack with drones and missiles against Israel from Iran.
In June 2023, Mr Letta was appointed by the European Council to draft an independent high-level report on the future of the Single market, in consultation with member states. The final report is expected to be presented in April 2024.
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, nominated 44 Heads of Delegation, Heads of Office, Chargés d’affaires a.i. of the European Union for the upcoming diplomatic rotation at the EU delegations worldwide.
For the first time, the EU Commission has also put forward a proposal for a Council Recommendation for the next Schengen cycle to facilitate the implementation of priority actions identified in the Schengen report.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced today additional members of the executive leadership team of the U.S. AI Safety Institute (AISI), which is housed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Against a backdrop of conflict and global security concerns, 2023 may prove to have also been a pivotal year for automated nuclear weapons systems.
“Russia cannot divert attention from its illegal invasion of an independent country, its attempt to illegally annex Ukraine’s regions, or its attempts to normalise its illegal seizure of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Russia is fully responsible for the nuclear safety and security risks it is causing” – EU Statement
The EU’s product liability regime was established in 1985. Its purpose was to compensate injured persons for physical injury or damages of property that they have suffered due to a defective product, simply by proving that a product was defective and that the defect caused the injury or damage.
Nachdem für Strom aus erneuerbaren Energien bereits seit mehr als zehn Jahren ein HKN-Register beim Umweltbundesamt (UBA) etabliert ist, sollen nun für Gas/Wasserstoff und für Wärme/Kälte entsprechende Register beim UBA ihren Betrieb im Laufe des nächsten Jahres aufnehmen.
Through this vision, published in a report, the aviation ecosystem shows that it is determined to become more climate-friendly and to invest in the technologies of the future.
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of the joint venture Hydro Volt AS by Hydro Energi Invest AS (‘Hydro’), both of Norway, and Northvolt Revolt AB (‘Northvolt’) of Sweden.
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an Italian scheme to support a total of 4590 MW of new capacity for electricity production from renewable energy sources.
In 2023, there were more than 360 million SUVs on the roads worldwide, resulting in combustion-related CO2 emissions of 1 billion tonnes, an increase of around 100 million tonnes from the previous year. Get more details in the latest IEA commentary.
The latest IEA report finds countries’ ambitions and implementation plans are not yet in line with key goal set at COP28, but governments have tools to step up in coming months through NDC process.
Due to the concerning rise in sexually transmitted infection transmission across Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is urging everyone to keep informed and practice safer sex as they leave for holidays, festivals, and travel this summer season.
Two-day event in Baku ahead of COP29 will gather high-level participants from around the world to help make substantial promises from past year a reality.
Key task for governments is to make clean energy technologies more accessible to those that may otherwise struggle with the upfront costs, new IEA special report finds.
In a ground-breaking decision, Parties to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution agreed to revise the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone, as amended in the 2012 Gothenburg Protocol, which is expected to further strengthen efforts to reduce air pollution in Europe and North America.
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