Migration: new rules on screening of irregular migrants and faster asylum procedures

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On Tuesday, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted its position on new rules for checks at EU borders and updated its negotiating mandate on asylum procedures. With 41 votes in favour, 17 against, and 7 abstentions, MEPs backed a new regulation on screening at EU […]

First green light given to the reform of EU asylum and migration management

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Civil Liberties Committee endorsed on Tuesday a new approach to manage asylum and migration flows into the EU and specific rules to tackle crises. With 47 votes in favour, 17 against, and 1 abstention, MEPs adopted their position on the proposed update of […]

European Green Deal: ambitious new law agreed to deploy sufficient alternative fuels infrastructure  

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council to boost the number of publicly accessible electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling stations in particular across the European Union’s main transport corridors and hubs. This is a landmark agreement that […]

Greater Horn of Africa: EU allocates €331 million in humanitarian aid

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Greater Horn of Africa region is facing multiple and overlapping humanitarian crises with more than 50 million people in urgent need of food assistance. To help, the Commission will provide some €331 million in humanitarian aid primarily targeting food insecurity as well as […]

EU Drugs Agency: Commission welcomes political agreement on new fully-fledged Agency

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s political agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on a stronger mandate which establishes a new EU Drugs Agency. The new Agency builds on the achievements of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Illicit drugs pose […]

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Photomath by Google

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved unconditionally, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Photomath, Inc. (‘Photomath’) by Google LLC (‘Google’). The Commission concluded that the transaction would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’). Google is a technology company […]

Non-transposition of EU legislation: Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directives

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Commission has adopted a package of infringement decisions due to the absence of communication by Member States of measures taken to transpose EU directives into national law. The Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to those Member States who have failed […]

How competitive is your region? Commission publishes the Regional Competitiveness Index

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today the Commission has published the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI), a fully revised version of a now long-established tool that measures different competitiveness dimensions for all EU regions. The fully revised RCI 2.0 shows that there are still large differences between EU regions, but […]

Fit for 55: deal on charging and fuelling stations for alternative fuels

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs and the Swedish Presidency of the Council agreed on mandatory national targets for the deployment of infrastructure for alternative fuels for cars and trucks. A provisional agreement was reached on Tuesday between Parliament and Council negotiators that updates EU rules on infrastructure for […]

Investment Committee paves way for first InvestEU projects by EBRD to support green mobility and energy

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. More than €1.1 billion in finance to be mobilised in sustainable projects, supported by €150 million in InvestEU guarantees On Friday, 24 March 2023, the InvestEU Investment Committee has approved guarantees worth up to around €150 million in the form of framework agreements for […]

Space: Commission invites the industry to submit proposals to deploy the new EU secure connectivity satellite constellation, IRIS²

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission launches an invitation to tender to procure a concession contract to implement the EU satellite constellation called IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite). The public-private partnership between the Commission and the private sector will ensure common investment into the […]

Metsola to European Council: We are strongest when we act together

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. We need to strengthen our solidarity with Ukraine, and boost Europe’s investments and competitiveness”, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the European Council. On Ukraine: “We must keep pushing for solidarity with Ukraine – in political, economic, humanitarian and military terms. We need […]

MEPs back an improved single work and residence permit for non-EU nationals

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs backed on Thursday draft EU legislation to issue work and residence permits more quickly for nationals of third countries and to improve their rights With 47 votes in favour, 13 against, and no abstentions, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted a report updating the […]

Updated Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. A new joint assessment released today by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, and the United Nations, estimates that the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine has grown to US $411 billion (equivalent of €383 billion). The estimate […]

World Water Day: Joint Statement by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, on the occasion of World Water Day and the UN Water Conference, we call for a bold global water action to protect the global sources and supply of water.  Now more than ever, the world is facing a water stress crisis due to […]

Fit for 55: deal on new EU rules for cleaner maritime fuels

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Parliament and Council reached a deal on cleaner maritime fuels, asking to cut ship emissions by 2% as of 2025 and by 80% as of 2050, to help the EU become climate neutral. A provisional agreement reached on early Thursday morning between the European […]

European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission decides to register initiative that calls for better protection of horses

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission decided to register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘End The Horse Slaughter Age’. The organisers of the initiative call on the Commission to propose a law banning the slaughter of horses, including also their breeding and export for the […]

Recovery and resilience plans: Commission must tighten checks and oversight

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Budgetary Control Committee recommended signing off the Commission’s budget, while voicing concerns on the limited options to check the use of recovery funding. By 19 votes in favour to six against, the Budgetary Control Committee recommended on Wednesday that Parliament grants discharge to […]

Education in Emergencies: EU and UNICEF call for increased commitments to invest in safe and quality education for children in crisis

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Growing levels of displacement and protracted conflicts are having a severe impact on children and youth worldwide, with an estimated 222 million school-aged children and adolescents in need of education. This figure includes 78 million who are out of school. Given this, the European […]

Right to repair: Commission introduces new consumer rights for easy and attractive repairs

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a new proposal on common rules promoting the repair of goods, which will result in savings for consumers and support the objectives of the European Green Deal by reducing waste, among others. Over the last decades, replacement has often […]

Antitrust: Commission carries out unannounced inspections in the energy drinks sector

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On 20 March 2023, the European Commission has started unannounced inspections at the premises of a company active in the energy drinks sector in various Member States. The Commission has concerns that the inspected company may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels […]

EU, AU and UN push for urgent action to address the pressing needs of migrants and refugees in Libya

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Joint press release by the European Union, the African Union and the United Nations. On 20 March, the EU-AU-UN Tripartite Taskforce on the Situation of Migrants and Refugees in Libya met in Brussels. The international community and Libyan authorities must work together to improve […]

EU and international donors’ pledge €7 billion in support of the people in Türkiye and Syria following the recent devastating earthquakes

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, a total of €7 billion were pledged by the international community at the ‘Together for the people of Türkiye and Syria’ International Donors’ Conference, co-hosted by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf […]

Mergers: Commission clears the acquisition of VOO and Brutélé by Orange, subject to conditions

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of VOO and Brutélé by Orange. The approval is conditional on full compliance with a commitments package offered by Orange.  Today’s decision follows an in-depth investigation of the proposed acquisition of […]

Venezuelan crisis: Commission releases €75 million in humanitarian funding during 2023 International Solidarity Conference

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the international community is gathering for the second day of the 2023 ‘International Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants and their Host Countries and Communities’, co-organised by the European Union and Canada, to reaffirm its support for Venezuelans in need affected […]

Single Market at 30: Statement by IMCO Chair on Commission communication

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Chair of Parliament’s committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection reacts to the new EC communication on the 30th anniversary of the Single Market. Today, European Commission published two communications celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Single Market and setting out how […]

Human rights breaches in Iran, Tunisia and Cambodia

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the respect for human rights in Iran, Tunisia and Cambodia. Iran: in particular the poisoning of hundreds of schoolgirls Referring to numerous incidents since November 2022, where thousands of girls and women across Iran have […]

Parliament ready to negotiate with Council for an EU-wide digital wallet

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The new digital identity framework would provide EU citizens with digital access to key public services across EU borders. Parliament on Thursday confirmed -with 418 votes to 103, with 24 abstentions- the negotiating mandate for talks with the EU member states on the revision […]

New European Bauhaus: launch of capacity-building programme to start Ukraine’s reconstruction

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission is launching the New European Bauhaus capacity-building programme for the reconstruction of Ukraine in partnership with Ukrainian organisations. This follows the meeting between the College and the Ukrainian Government held in Kyiv on 2 February, the EU–Ukraine Summit of 3 February, […]

€1.2 million from European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to support 300 dismissed workers in Spain

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission proposed to support 303 workers dismissed by aluminium producer Alu Ibérica in the region of Galicia in Spain with €1.2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The funding will help them find new jobs through […]

Critical Raw Materials: ensuring secure and sustainable supply chains for EU’s green and digital future

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission proposes a comprehensive set of actions to ensure the EU’s access to a secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. Critical raw materials are indispensable for a wide set of strategic sectors including the net zero industry, the […]

Launch of the EU-NATO Task Force: Strengthening our resilience and protection of critical infrastructure

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The challenges to the European Union’s security and resilience are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. A range of actors constantly test our resilience, seeking to exploit the openness, interdependence and connectivity of our societies and economies. The weaponisation of energy and the acts of […]

Minimum Income Schemes: Increasing support, accessibility and inclusion

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs want to address the current cost of living crisis with a new law to modernise and strengthen national minimum income schemes in EU countries. On Wednesday, plenary adopted a resolution noting that an EU directive on an adequate minimum income would make minimum […]