Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang meets with European Council President Michel
China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang met with European Council President Michel during the East Asia Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Vientiane, Laos.
11/10/2024
ON THE TOP
AI risks under scrutiny: The European Artificial Intelligence Act enters into force
The EU regulation aims to establish a harmonised internal market for AI solutions, encouraging the uptake of this technology and creating a supportive environment for innovation and investment. But it also introduces a forward-looking definition of AI, based on a product safety and risk-based approach in the EU, including AI technology bans.
01/08/2024
Silk Road spirit: Chinese President Xi meets Italian prime minister Meloni
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Beijing on Monday. Noting that China and Italy are at the two ends of the ancient Silk Road, Xi said the exchanges between the two countries have made significant contributions to the overall exchanges and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations, and to the progress of humanity.
01/08/2024
ESMA delivers opinion on global crypto firms using their non-EU execution venues
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued an Opinion to address the risks presented by global crypto firms seeking authorization under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) Regulation for crypto brokerage while keeping a substantial part of their group activities at intra-group execution venues outside the EU’s regulatory scope.
31/07/2024
LATEST NEWS TICKER
BUSINESS
Illegal products: EU Commission requests clarification from Temu
Today, the EU Commission has sent a request for information (RFI) to Temu requesting the platform to provide detailed information and internal documents on the mitigation measures taken against the presence and reappearance of traders selling illegal products on its online marketplace.
11/10/2024
Greece: EU Commission endorses assessment of Greece’s 4th RRF payment request
The EU Commission has endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Greece’s fourth payment request for €2.3 billion in loans (net of pre-financing) under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU.
14/06/2024
Saudi Arabia: Concluding IMF statement of the 2024 Article IV Mission
Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented economic transformation is progressing well. Prudent macroeconomic policies, transformative changes—including through fiscal reforms and in the regulatory business environment—and strong domestic demand have helped prop up non-oil growth.
14/06/2024
Switzerland: IMF Executive Board concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation
Swiss risks are broadly balanced amid high uncertainty. In the short term, downside risks arise from intensification of regional conflicts and an abrupt global slowdown, which could result in slower growth and trigger safe haven flows. Downside risks may also arise from the ongoing integration of CS and UBS and the large size of the combined bank.
14/06/2024
Macro-Regional and Sea Basin Strategies Days: Speech by Commissioner Ferreira
“This event has been a landmark. Bringing together, for the first time, the three sea-basin strategies and the four macro-regional strategies. Bringing together our synergies, and common interests. Through these strategies we promote coordination, and cooperation across borders, where action at national level is simply not enough” – EU Commissioner Ferreira.
14/06/2024
Main results of the EU Justice Council, updated 14 June 2024
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.
14/06/2024
Election 2024: Updated seat projection for new European Parliament
The projection above is based onfinal results from 17 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Slovakia; and provisional results from 10 countries: Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
14/06/2024
EBA publishes regulatory package under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation
The European Banking Authority (EBA) publishes today the package of technical standards and guidelines under MiCAR on prudential matters, namely own funds, liquidity requirements, and recovery plans. These products are part of the EBA’s ongoing efforts to foster a well-regulated market for asset-referenced and e-money tokens in the EU.
14/06/2024
G7 Partnership for global infrastructure and investment event co-chair Statement
The President of the Council of Ministers of Italy and G7 President, Giorgia Meloni, and the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, met with the other Leaders of the G7 and Italian and U.S. private sector representing the financial, energy and digital/technology sectors on the sidelines of the 2024 G7 Leaders’ Summit on June 13th, in Borgo Egnazia, Italy.
14/06/2024
EP Research Service: Social and labour market impact of the green transition
This briefing explores and maps out some of the social consequences of the Green Deal, focusing in particular on the effect the green transition will have on labour markets. It also touches briefly on the housing and transport sectors.
14/06/2024
Bulgaria: IMF Executive Board concludes 2024 Article IV consultation
Growth is expected to rebound this year thanks to the recovery in demand from key trading partners, which will spur exports and private investment, while public investment is to be supported by EU funds.
14/06/2024
EU Council wants to facilitate recruitment of third-country jobseekers
The Talent Pool will be set up as an EU-wide online platform that will match profiles of jobseekers from outside the EU with job vacancies for shortage occupations of EU employers. Its aim is to facilitate the recruitment of talent from third countries who live outside the EU, to make the EU labour market more competitive and to tackle shortages on the European labour market.
13/06/2024
WestVerkehr: EU Commission opens in-depth state aid investigation into German support
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether certain support measures to German local public transport company WestVerkehr GmbH (‘WestVerkehr’) are in line with EU State aid rules.
13/06/2024
DIGITIZATION
Illegal products: EU Commission requests clarification from Temu
Today, the EU Commission has sent a request for information (RFI) to Temu requesting the platform to provide detailed information and internal documents on the mitigation measures taken against the presence and reappearance of traders selling illegal products on its online marketplace.
11/10/2024
Honduras: MoU on bilateral consultations with the EU signed in Brussels
On Monday 17 July, on the margins of the EU-CELAC Summit, the High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras, Enrique Reina, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations between the EU and the Republic of Honduras.
17/07/2023
El Salvador: MoU on bilateral consultations with the EU signed in Brussels
On Monday 17 July, on the margins of the EU-CELAC Summit, the High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, Alexandra Hill Tinoco, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations between the EU and the Republic of El Salvador.
17/07/2023
Ecuador: Signature of MoU for stronger bilateral relations with the EU
Today, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Foreign Minister of Ecuador Gustavo Manrique, signed in Brussels, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso, and on the occasion of the EU-CELAC Summit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the agenda for enhanced political and sectoral dialogue and cooperation for the next decade.
17/07/2023
EU Commission presents Global Gateway Investment Agenda with Latin America and Caribbean
During today’s EU-LAC Business Round Table as part of the EU-CELAC Summit, President Ursula von der Leyen has presented the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA), which revolves around the following pillars: a fair green transition, an inclusive digital transformation, human development and health resilience and vaccines.
17/07/2023
EU Commission: Key decisions on July infringements package
In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses.
15/07/2023
Insight EU Smart Cities Monitoring 12 July 2023
Site under construction: Digital management of EU funds is behind schedule +++ DUT Call 2023 – First Information Available: People-centred Urban Transformation – Mobility, Energy, Circularity +++ Smart City Update from Turku: Turku Recognizes potential in AI: Revolutionizing City Operations and Enhancing Citizen Services.
14/07/2023
Price parity clause – Bundeskartellamt terminates proceeding against Lieferando
Germany’s Bundeskartellamt has decided for discretionary reasons to terminate its proceeding against Yd. Yourdelivery GmbH, a Berlin-based platform providing online food ordering services, for the time being. In Germany, the platform operates under the name Lieferando. The proceeding was initiated to examine a price parity clause in Lieferando’s general terms and conditions with restaurants.
12/07/2023
SLAPPs against journalists and activists: MEPs back rules to stop abusive legal cases
Under draft legislation endorsed on Tuesday in plenary, journalists, media organisations, human rights defenders, activists, researchers and artists will be protected in the EU from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), the aim of which are to intimidate and penalise them. With 498 votes to 33 and 105 abstentions, MEPs adopted their negotiating position on new rules to protect those working on matters of public interest like fundamental rights, the activities of public officials or corruption allegations.
12/07/2023
Technological transition: EU Commission presents EU strategy to lead on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds
The outlook of the EU economy beyond 2030, published in March, highlights digitalisation as one of its key drivers and Web 4.0 as a major technological transition bringing a seamlessly interconnected, intelligent and immersive world. The global virtual worlds market size is estimated to grow from €27 billion in 2022 to over €800 billion by 2030.
11/07/2023
Insight EU Dossier: Design in Government and Society – Issue 3/2023
OECD: New approaches to behavioural science in government +++ OECD: Government at a Glance 2023 +++ Estonians Donate a Speech: Preserving language and driving digital service delivery +++ Democratic Innovation and Citizen Participation: The French example +++ Behavioural Science for Sustainable Tourism: Insights and policy considerations for greener tourism +++ Global Trends in Government Innovation 2023
11/07/2023
SECURITY
NATO holds annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon”
NATO will begin its annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon” on Monday, 14 October 2024, with more than 60 aircraft taking part in training flights over western Europe. Steadfast Noon runs for two weeks and involves fighter jets capable of carrying U.S. nuclear warheads, but does not involve any live weapons.
11/10/2024
EU Commission answer on concerns over introduction of cash limit
According to EU Commissioner McGuinness, the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) deals with criminal behaviours. It is therefore not possible to provide conclusive evidence of effectiveness of a cash limit. Get more details inside.
01/04/2024
IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine – Update 218
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine is continuing to endanger nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, with military activity taking place near the country’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in the south, air raid alarms sounding at several sites, and shelling knocking out off-site power at a research facility in the north-east.
30/03/2024
EU-China conclude the 6th High-Level People-to-People Dialogue
The theme of this 6th edition of the HLPPD was “working together for a greener and more sustainable future”, and the key role of education in underpinning the transition towards a greener society was one of the main topics of discussion.
30/03/2024
Schengen area: Bulgaria and Romania join at the end of March
The Schengen accession of these two Member States will make the common area more attractive by significantly expanding the world’s largest common area without internal border controls.
30/03/2024
Russia: Putin meets with permanent members of the Security Council
Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.
29/03/2024
US: Statement from President Biden on the wrongful detention of Evan Gershkovich
As I have told Evan’s parents, I will never give up hope either. We will continue working every day to secure his release. We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips. And we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists—the pillars of free society.
29/03/2024
Russiagate: Renew Europe calls for urgent investigation into Russian interference in the EU Parliament
The President of Renew Europe, Valérie Hayer, is calling for an immediate and transparent investigation, in cooperation with national authorities, to uncover the scale of the influence operation conducted by Russia within the EU Parliament and allegations of potential corruption. Disciplinary action must be swiftly taken against any MEPs or candidates involved.
29/03/2024
EU-China conclude the 6th HLPPD on education, culture, youth and sport
The theme of this 6th edition of the HLPPD was “working together for a greener and more sustainable future”, and the key role of education in underpinning the transition towards a greener society was one of the main topics of discussion. The need for a more balanced student mobility, which experienced a major set-back during the COVID-19 period was highlighted. The Commissioner also underlined the key importance of providing an open, welcoming and inclusive academic environment for European students.
29/03/2024
Russia: Mikhail Mishustin’s meeting with deputies of the A Just Russia – For Truth parliamentary party in the State Duma
“A Just Russia Party is doing much to safeguard human rights in other areas as well. I am referring to the social, housing and economic sectors. I would like to make special mention of the law on the amendments in the national payment system. Many people have to counter telephone scammers. There are victims who lost their savings and are now in debt. Of course, the initiative on protecting people against criminals in banking is very much in demand.”
29/03/2024
Ukrainian President met with a delegation of the EU Parliament’s Renew Europe political group
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with a delegation of the European Parliament’s Renew Europe political group headed by the group’s President Valérie Hayer. The Head of State expressed gratitude to the European Parliament for the significant support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. During the meeting, the parties discussed in detail the issue of expediting military assistance to Ukraine from European capitals. The interlocutors paid special attention to Ukraine’s European integration. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need to start the negotiation process during the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU in June this year.
29/03/2024
Ukraine: We are doing everything to provide our warriors with more opportunities – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Russia spends billions and billions of dollars each year on influence operations in other countries. They spread chaos, undermine the work of established institutions, fund disinformation, and bribe civil and political leaders. This concerns different regions of the planet – sensitive regions. Africa, various parts of Asia, and Europe, which is particularly vulnerable to destabilization provoked and fueled by Putin’s system. Both North and Latin America are also targets of Russian intelligence and disruptive activities. In many ways, this influence works against our country and our defense.
29/03/2024
Gaza: World court issues fresh measures for Israel as crisis deepens
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday issued new provisional measures for Israel as the humanitarian situation in bombarded and besieged Gaza continues to deteriorate. The world court issued the new order in response to a recent request made by South Africa, which submitted a case in December accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, based on its continuing offensive following Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel which left almost 1,200 dead and more than 240 taken hostage.
29/03/2024
SUSTAINABILITY
Summary of this week’s EU Parliament debate about the automotive industries
With investments of €73 billion in research and development, the automotive industries account for a third of the EU’s private R&D investments. The industry has a positive trade balance in motor vehicles that has risen to almost €100 billion. But it is undergoing a profound transformation which was debated at the EU Parliament, this week. Here is what politicians said.
11/10/2024
Net-Zero Industry Act: EU Council gives final green light
The EU regulation aims to boost the industrial deployment of net-zero technologies that are needed to achieve the EU’s climate goals, using the strength of the single market to reinforce Europe’s position as a leader in industrial green technologies.
27/05/2024
Ecodesign Regulation: EU Council gives its final approval
The Council has today adopted the ecodesign regulation, which sets requirements for sustainable products. The regulation replaces the existing ecodesign directive and enlarges its scope, beyond energy products, to all kind of goods placed in the EU market.
27/05/2024
Substances of human origin: EU Council adopts new rules
The EU Council has adopted new rules aimed at improving the safety and quality of blood, tissues, cells, mother milk, and intestinal microbiota used in healthcare. The new rule shall facilitate cross-border circulation of these substances in the EU.
27/05/2024
Outcome of the G7 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
The G7 meeting was dedicated to a broad range of issues: Global outlook and developments, Support for Ukraine, Financial Sector Issues, Artificial Intelligence, Health and Finance, Green Transition, International Tax Cooperation, Multilateral Development banks and support for Low-income Countries, and several Initiatives for Development with a focus on Africa.
25/05/2024
EHPA: Financing heat pumps: barriers and solutions
Heat pumps are an efficient, renewable replacement for fossil fuel-based boilers. Not only do they heat and provide hot water, they can also offer cooling for those hot summer days and nights.
25/05/2024
DIW: Versorgung mit Erdgas ist auch ohne Importe aus Russland gesichert
Eine Modellanalyse untersucht, ob EU-Länder Lieferausfall von russischem Erdgas kompensieren könnten – selbst wenn Gasnachfrage bis 2030 hoch bliebe.
25/05/2024
IAEA chief Grossi met Finland’s President Stubb and spoke to the Nordic Nuclear Forum
Mr Grossi addressed the Nordic Nuclear Forum with a speech on nuclear energy’s role in tackling climate change, and the importance of the IAEA’s role in promoting the safe and secure deployment of nuclear technology: “As the environmental crisis escalates, nuclear power stands as a sustainable energy source that can significantly reduce emissions.”
24/05/2024
IAEA Director General statement on the nuclear situation in Ukraine on 23 May 2024
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) temporarily lost the connection to its sole remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) off-site power line this afternoon due to a reported short-circuit, leaving it reliant on a single back-up line for more than three hours, according to Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
24/05/2024
Corporate sustainability: EU Council gives its final approval to new due diligence rules
The directive introduces obligations for large companies regarding adverse impacts of their activities on human rights and environmental protection. The rules concern not only the companies’ operations, but also their subsidiaries, and those of their business partners along the companies’ chain of activities.
24/05/2024
Future of industrial policy: Conclusions of the EU Competitiveness Council
Boosting the competitiveness of European industry should be high on the political agenda of the next European Commission and these conclusions provide the way forward towards a new European competitiveness deal.
24/05/2024