AFS is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organisation with its own network in over 60 countries, providing intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. The AFS Intercultural Programmes involve intercultural learning by living as a resident of a community in Africa, […]
The Governing Council of the ECB decided today to reduce the interest rate on the deposit facility by 25 basis points
The Governing Council today decided to lower the deposit facility rate – the rate through which it steers the monetary policy stance – by 25 basis points. Based on the Governing Council’s updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission, it is now appropriate to […]
EU agriculture ministers meet in Budapest to discuss the farmer-centredness of the Common Agricultural Policy
An informal meeting of agriculture ministers in Budapest on 10 September kicked off the political debate on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy. The topic of the meeting was “Farm-centred EU agriculture: towards a competitive, crisis-resilient, sustainable, farmer-friendly, and knowledge-based future Common Agricultural Policy,” in line with the priorities of the Hungarian presidency. European farmers have […]
EU extends individual sanctions over Russia’s war on Ukraine for six months
The Council decided today to prolong the restrictive measures targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for another six months, until 15 March 2025. The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions for natural persons, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed […]
4.1 million people under temporary protection in July
On 31 July 2024, slightly more than 4.1 million non-EU citizens, who fled Ukraine as a consequence of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, had temporary protection status in the EU. The EU countries hosting the highest number of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine at the end of July 2024 were Germany (1 110 600 people; 26.9% […]
European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps
The European Solidarity Corps is open to the world bringing together volunteers and organisations from different countries, and offering cross-border volunteering activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries. Who can participate European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities are open to 18-35 year old people who legally reside in a EU Member State […]
European Commission issues €10 billion in its 8th syndicated transaction of 2024
The European Commission has today raised €10 billion of EU-Bonds in its 8th syndicated transaction for 2024, €5 billion of which in the form of NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bonds. The dual-tranche transaction concerned a new €5 billion bond due on 4 December 2031, and a €5 billion tap of the NGEU Green Bond maturing on 4 […]
Commission decides to register two new European Citizens’ Initiatives on water resilience and psychedelics assisted care
Today, the European Commission decided to register two European Citizens’ Initiatives, entitled ‘ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe’ and ‘PsychedeliCare’. The aims of the organisers of the ‘ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe’ include: advocating for an action plan for water; elevating water resilience to the same priority as decarbonisation; reducing society’s water footprint; accelerating a […]
State of the Energy Union Report 2024 shows EU progress to ensure secure, competitive and affordable energy for all
Today, the Commission has published the State of the Energy Union Report 2024 which describes how the EU has managed unprecedented challenges in the energy policy landscape during this Commission’s mandate, equipping the EU with a regulatory framework for pursuing the clean energy transition and laying the foundations for renewed economic growth and competitiveness. Crucially, over the past years, the EU has […]