On 29 April 2022, we mark the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC). With 193 States Parties, the Convention today enshrines the international norm against the use of chemical weapons. Since it entered into […]
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Josep Borrell’s statement on the alignment of some countries regarding measures threatening Ukraine’s independence
On 21 April 2022, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/6601. The Council decided to add two individuals to the list of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision 2014/145/CFSP. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania2, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and […]
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Commission tackles abusive lawsuits against journalists and human rights defenders ‘SLAPPs’
27th April, the European Commission took action to improve protection of journalists and human rights defenders from abusive court proceedings. Strategic lawsuits against public participation, commonly known as ‘SLAPPs’, are a particular form of harassment used primarily against journalists and human rights defenders to prevent or penalise speaking up on issues of public interest. The […]
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Ukraine’s reconstruction: the messages of Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel
Both European leaders sent messages of encouragement to both the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people, hoping for a speedy recovery and restoration of the country after the Russian-initiated conflict. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began her remarks to the Ukrainian leader by referring to him by both his presidential title and his […]
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Commission proposes strengthening Eurojust’s mandate to collect and preserve war crimes evidence
25th April the Commission proposed to amend the Eurojust Regulation to give the Agency the legal possibility to collect, preserve and share evidence on war crimes. Due to the ongoing conflict, it is difficult to store and preserve evidence securely in Ukraine. To ensure accountability for the crimes committed in Ukraine, it is crucial to […]
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EU proposes to suspend duties on imports from Ukraine
The European Commission has proposed to suspend for one year import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union. The proposal, which is an unprecedented gesture of support for a country at war, would also see the suspension for one year of all EU anti-dumping and safeguard measures in place on Ukrainian steel exports. […]
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China’S Balancing Act On The Ukraine War
Chinese media and officials have made it clear: it is not Russia that is to blame for the military aggression against Ukraine, but the West and NATO’s eastward expansion of the past 20 years, ignoring Russia’s ‘legitimate security concerns’. At the same time, China ‘respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries’. Over the […]
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Anniversary of the Chornobyl accident: Joint statement by Borrell and Simson
“Thirty-six years ago, the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant led to one of the most horrific nuclear incidents in history. This long-lasting tragedy has had widespread consequences in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and in other parts of Europe, causing fatalities, human suffering, long-term health damage, food shortages, and polluting the environment. Some 350,000 people […]
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The war in Ukraine: protection for refugee women from violence and sexual exploitation
The EU should protect women fleeing Ukraine from violence and trafficking, and women should have access to essential health services, say Gender Equality Committee MEPs. In a resolution adopted by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality on Monday by 29 votes in favour, 2 against and 3 abstentions, MEPs strongly condemn the use of sexual […]
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