Eurojust has assisted authorities in the Czech Republic, Belgium, Poland, Germany and Hungary in dismantling an organised crime group (OCG) that was involved in migrant smuggling. During an action, nine suspects were arrested and nine locations were searched. Eurojust provided financial support and assisted the authorities in setting up a joint investigation team (JIT). According […]
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Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Alcogroup and Agroetanol over alleged ethanol benchmarks cartel
The European Commission has informed Alcogroup S.A. and its subsidiary Alcodis S.A. (together ‘Alcogroup’) as well as Lantmännen ek för and its subsidiary Lantmännen Agroetanol AB (together ‘Agroetanol’) of its preliminary view that, together with Abengoa S.A. (‘Abengoa’), which settled the case in December 2021, they have breached EU antitrust rules. The Commission considers that […]
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EU and UNDP support launch of psychological assistance hotline for Ukrainians affected by war
With EU funding, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine has supported the launch of a hotline to provide psychological assistance to Ukrainians affected by the war. The initiative to establish this hotline for the provision of first-hand psychological care came from the National Psychological Association of Ukraine, which is implementing it. The line […]
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Kremlin’s Never-Ending Thirst for Death and Devastation
Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets continue to call immense human suffering liberation and the ruins temporarily fallen into Russian hands tokens of glorious victory. Similarly, without any hesitation, Kremlin spin-doctors turn a terror strike against a shopping mall with Soviet-era cruise missiles loaded with one-ton warheads a surgical precision attack against a justified military target. Russian mouthpieces […]
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Ukraine: Commission waives customs duties and VAT
The European Commission has today adopted a Decision enabling Member States to temporarily waive customs duties and VAT on the importation from third countries of food, blankets, tents, electric generators and other life-saving equipment destined for Ukrainians affected by the war. This measure, which was requested by Member States, will apply retroactively from 24 February […]
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G7 summit, Schloss Elmau, 26-28 June 2022
Main results Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, represented the EU at this year’s G7 summit hosted in Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany. The G7 summit was an opportunity to send out a powerful signal of unity in these turbulent times. The EU and the G7 share […]
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New EU Authority for Anti-money laundering: Council agrees its partial position
In order to boost the efficient functioning of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CTF) framework of the Union the EU will create a dedicated Anti-money laundering Authority (AMLA). Today, the Council agreed its partial position on the proposal. Given the cross-border nature of crime, the new Authority is expected to make a […]
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EU agrees on new rules to strengthen the security and resilience of critical entities
The Council presidency and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the directive on the resilience of critical entities. Work will now continue at technical level to finalise the provisional agreement on the full legal text. This agreement is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before going through the formal […]
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EU starts delivery of more than 90 off-road trucks to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces
The logistical equipment is part of a broader Assistance Measure worth EUR 31 million adopted on 2 December to support Ukraine. The EU has started to deliver more than 90 off-road trucks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the European Peace Facility. The trucks will support medical, engineering and logistic units of the Ukrainian […]
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