On 4 April, the EU learned with great dismay of the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working for the UN and its agencies, funds and programmes. The decision follows a series of previous bans and decrees targeting Afghan women and girls that reinforced and exacerbated the Taliban leadership’s continued denial of women’s […]
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European Defence Fund: €1.2 billion to boost EU defence capabilities and innovation
The European Commission has adopted the third annual Work Programme under the European Defence Fund (EDF), allocating €1.2 billion to defence collaborative research and development projects. With this new Work Programme, the Commission unlocks new funding for defence projects to jointly develop strategic defence capabilities and technologies. It also introduces a series of new measures […]
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New EU anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations
MEPs approved stricter rules to close existing gaps in the EU’s fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanction evasion. MEPs from the Economic and Monetary Affairs and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committees adopted their position on three pieces of draught legislation on the financing provisions of EU Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing […]
Read MoreFirst ever joint naval exercise conducted between the EU and U.S.
On 23 and 24 March, the European Union and the United States of America conducted a joint naval exercise, as decided at the last round of the EU-U.S. High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific on 2 December 2022. The joint naval exercise took place in the framework of the EU and U.S. patrolling and exercising high […]
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Spyware inquiry: MEPs finish visit to Madrid
Ten MEPs from the Inquiry Committee on Pegasus and other spyware visited Madrid from 20 to 21 March to speak with national and regional authorities, journalists and civil society actors. During their visit, the MEPs discussed spyware use with State Secretary for European Affairs Pascual Navarro and people who suspect they were targeted with spyware, […]
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EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence
The Commission and the High Representative present for the first time a Joint Communication on a European Space Strategy for Security and Defence. Space systems and services in the European Union are crucial for the functioning of our society and economy, as well as for security and defence. As such, the EU has identified space […]
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Agreement on naval cooperation reached between European Union and Japan
In a move aimed at further facilitating joint naval activities, on 15 March the European Union’s Naval Force Atalanta (EUNAVFOR Atalanta) and Japan’s Deployment Surface Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement off the Coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden (DPSA) signed a new Administrative Arrangement for communication and coordination on joint anti-piracy exercises. The document […]
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EU tests its response mechanism to space threats
The European Union enhances its response mechanism in view of new threats in space: Space Threat Response Architecture (STRA) 2023 and PSC Space Table-Top 2023 exercises From 6 to 10 March 2023, the EU conducted the Space Threat Response Architecture (STRA) 2023 exercise at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Headquarters in Brussels followed by […]
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EU renews individual sanctions against Russia
1 473 individuals and 205 entities are subject to an asset freeze and/or a travel ban because their actions have undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. The Council decided 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 […]
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