Europol has supported the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) in taking down an illegal IPTV (Internet Protocol television) service serving over 1 000 000 users across Europe. On 23 May, a series of raids were carried out across the Netherlands as part of an illegal streaming crackdown. The officers from the FIOD searched […]
Read MoreMEPs vote to speed up the freezing and confiscation of criminal assets
The new legislation on seizing criminal assets would ensure fast and efficient freezing operations everywhere in the EU, and quicker compensation for victims. To speed up asset freezing and confiscations and close loopholes, MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee adopted on Tuesday a draft position on new rules with 50 votes […]
Read MoreForeign affairs ministers discuss situation in Ukraine
The Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine focusing on the various ongoing strands of work, in particular continued military assistance for Ukraine’s defence and measures to isolate Russia. The High Representative urged EU ministers to speed up the delivery and joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, and to finalise work for […]
Read MoreEU prisons: prison numbers and overcrowding
In 2021, there were 475 038 prisoners in the EU, equivalent to 106 prisoners per 100 000 people. The prisoner rate increased after a decline in 2020 (104 prisoners per 100 000 people) but remained the second-lowest figure since the turn of the century. The highest prisoner rates per 100 000 people in 2021 were […]
Read MoreThe King of Spain visits the European Union Satellite Centre
The European Union Satellite Centre was honoured to host His Majesty the King on a special visit to SatCen headquarters on 11 May 2023. It was the King’s first visit as Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to the Centre, coinciding with 30 years since the start of SatCen’s operational activities. […]
Read MoreTwelve ways to prevent and counter violent extremism according to CORDIS
The EU was established with the aim to provide common ground, literally and metaphorically, for its members to thrive in a stable and secure environment, being ‘united in diversity.’ The emergence of violent extremism, populism and radicalisation undermines European cohesion, unsettling the Union’s foundations and fostering insecurity among its citizens. For some, different ideological traditions […]
Read MorePress statement by President von der Leyen with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
Dear President Zelenskyy, dear Volodymyr, It is an honour and it is a privilege to be here on the 9 May. The 9 May is a day to celebrate peace and unity in Europe, to remember the lessons of our history and to commit to leave a better future for the next generations. So it […]
Read MoreEUVSDiSiNFO on Victory Day: May 9in the past in the USSR and Russia
Since 2008, Victory Day celebrations of the defeat over Nazi Germany have become yearly and has turned into what some Russian opposition observers call ‘Victory Madness’ (победобесие). The scale and intensity of World War II’s glorification and of the Kremlin as an eternal defender against ‘Nazism’ have become unprecedented. But that was not always the […]
Read MoreEuropean Parliament warns of risks to democracy from spyware, calls for reforms
EP spyware inquiry committee has adopted its final report and recommendations, condemning spyware abuses in several EU member states and setting out a way forward. On Monday evening, the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA) adopted its final report and recommendations following a year-long inquiry […]
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