The Council decided to impose additional restrictive measures in view of the continued threat posed by the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. The new listings target ten individuals and one entity linked to the poisoning of Alexei Navalny with a Novichok-type nerve agent on 20 August 2020, and the productions of chemical weapons delivery systems in Syria. As concerns the Navalny […]
Read More
European Council adds more people to sanctions list on serious human rights violations
The Council added 29 individuals and three entities to the list of those subject to restrictive measures in the context of the existing Iran human rights sanctions regime. This is in view of their role in the death of Mahsa Amini and the violent response to the recent demonstrations in Iran. New’s designations include: the four members of the […]
Read More
EDA project helps improve communication with underwater robots
Underwater robots, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), have the potential to take over lengthy and labour-intensive missions in dangerous areas from navy ship crews and special forces. As a result, the role of mobile unmanned platforms in military scenarios is becoming more and more important. But their integration into the network of surface ships, […]
Read More
€18 billion support package to Ukraine for 2023
Following the European Council meeting of 20-21 October 2022, the Commission has today proposed an unprecedented support package for Ukraine of up to €18 billion for 2023. This will come in the form of highly concessional loans, disbursed in regular instalments as of 2023. This stable, regular and predictable financial assistance – averaging €1.5 billion […]
Read More
Smoke, mirrors and gas: the Kremlin deflects blame for the energy crisis
The phrase ‘smoke and mirrors’ refers to a 19th-century illusion that magicians used to project an image in the air. Since then, it has come to mean chicanery and deception. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russian state and pro-Kremlin outlets have been active in spreading disinformation related to energy – […]
Read More
Josep Borrell on the recent launch of multiple missiles
The EU strongly condemns the significant increase of illegal missile launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), including, an intercontinental ballistic missile and the short-range ballistic missile that landed south of the Northern Limit Line. These actions represent a dangerous escalation in the DPRK’s repeated violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The unprecedented […]
Read More
Firearms: Updated rules to increase security and facilitate legal trade
The Commission is proposing to update EU rules on the import, export and transit of firearms for civilian use. As many as 35 million illicit firearms are estimated to be in the hands of civilians in the EU, and around 630,000 firearms are listed as stolen or lost in the Schengen Information System. The updated […]
Read More
The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) was held on October 24-25, 2022.
Emphasising the sense of urgency of achieving the fundamental and ambitious goals set out in the Strategic Compass without delay, CHODs committed themselves to building a militarily strong and capable EU, now. The agenda covered all most pressing issues in the defence and security domain, starting with the implementation of the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity […]
Read More
Commission disburses further €2 billion in exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine
The Commission has disbursed a first instalment of €2 billion under the €5 billion exceptional macro-financial assistance (MFA) operation for Ukraine. This is part of an MFA package of up to €9 billion, announced in the Commission’s 18 May Communication on Ukraine Relief and Reconstruction and endorsed by the European Council of 23-24 June 2022. It is part […]
Read More