Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in Kyiv for the 24th summit between the European Union and Ukraine. The EU will be with you and your people tomorrow and for as long as it takes. We will be right […]
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International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Today, February 6, 2023, marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Demography and Democracy, Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, and Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, joined together to reaffirm […]
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Parliament waives immunity for Cozzolino and Tarabella MEPs
MEPs on Thursday backed the decision to waive the immunities of Andrea Cozzolino and Marc Tarabella, following requests by the Belgian authorities for being involved in a bribery scheme in exchange for political influence in the European Parliament allegedly linked to Qatar and Morocco. Endorsing a proposal adopted by the Legal Affairs Committee on Tuesday, MEPs […]
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EU and Singapore step up cooperation as strategic partners and launch Digital Partnership
The EU and Singapore are strengthening their cooperation as strategic partners. Following the announcement of a new Digital Partnership between the EU and Singapore by President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Lee at the EU-ASEAN summit in December 2022, Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton and Singapore Minister of Industry and Trade S Iswaran signed a Digital Partnership […]
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The European Structural and Investment Funds supported more than 4 million SMEs between 2014 and 2020
In 2014-2020, the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) unleashed a total investment of €731 billion, of which €535 billion was funded by the EU, fostering lasting socio–economic convergence, territorial cohesion, social Europe and a smooth green and digital transition. This is explained in the 2022 Summary Report on the Implementation of the ESI Funds adopted by the Commission. The […]
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January infringement procedures for Spain
Brussels, 26 January 2023. The following are the main decisions taken by the Commission in its infringement package. The Commission will also close 221 cases that the Member States concerned have settled without the Commission having to pursue the procedure further. 1. Environment and fisheries (For more information: Adalbert Jahnz – Tel. +32 229 53156, […]
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EU agrees 24 new guarantee programmes to boost investments in enlargement and neighbourhood regions
The Operational Board of the European Fund for Sustainable Development plus (EFSD+) has endorsed a further package of 24 guarantee programmes to support investments in the EU’s neighbourhood and enlargement countries. Together with the three guarantees for the Western Balkans to support SMEs approved in December, the new guarantees, worth €2.4 billion, are expected to […]
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European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans arrives in Colombia to prepare for the upcoming climate negotiations
The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the Green Pact, Frans Timmermans, continues his Latin American climate diplomacy mission to Colombia from 25-27 January. He will meet with President Gustavo Petro, several ministers, government representatives and representatives of civil society, with whom he will discuss the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) and the steps […]
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Parliament’s Petitions Committee looks at complaints in Spain: Madrid, Catalonia and Elche
This week’s meeting of the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee will vote on whether to keep open a complaint about insecurity in neighbourhoods in Catalonia and debate a petition calling for compensation for those affected by the works on line 7 of the Madrid metro and another on the employment situation of shoe workers in Elche. […]
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