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, […]
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€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 […]
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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 – […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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EU Commission accelerates work to strengthen the resilience of EU critical infrastructure
The sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines and other recent incidents made it clear that the resilience of the EU critical infrastructure is under threat. Action is urgently needed to step up the EU’s capacity to protect itself against attacks on critical infrastructure, both in the EU and its direct neighbourhood. The Commission is […]
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MEPs refuse to discharge EU border agency over its management in 2020
MEPs refused to discharge the 2020 budgets for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the Council, and granted discharge to the European Economic and Social Committee. 45 MEPs voted in favour of the committee recommendation to refuse discharge to Frontex, 284 voted against (in favour of granting discharge) and 8 abstained. MEPs criticised the “magnitude […]
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