On 24 August, Ukraine’s Independence Day was celebrated. This occasion embodies the courage, resistance and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s vicious war of aggression. It also symbolises the journey Ukraine has undertaken over the past thirty-five years to become a modern, democratic and European country. To mark the occasion, the […]
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The Commission approves €74 million in Spanish state aid to support shipping companies affected by rising fuel prices
The European Commission has approved a Spanish state aid scheme worth €74 million to support shipping companies affected by rising fuel prices due to the crisis in the Middle East. The scheme has been approved under the Temporary Framework for State Aid in Response to the Middle East Crisis (METSAF), adopted by the Commission on […]
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European Union and Seychelles renew agreement granting EU fishing vessels access to Seychelles’ waters
Last July 27, the EU and Seychelles signed a new protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement granting EU vessels access to Seychelles’ waters for a period of four years to fish 55,000 tonnes of tuna and other migratory species per year. Tuna is the most consumed aquatic product in the European Union, at 2.68 […]
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The EU’s trade relations with developing countries continue to drive sustainable economic growth
On 16 July, the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy published anew joint report on the implementation of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), the EU’s main trade policy instrument for supporting exports from developing countries to the bloc. The report confirms that the scheme continues to contribute to […]
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The EU and India strengthen their strategic partnership with the third Trade and Technology Council
On 15 July, the European Union and India held the third meeting of their Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Brussels, thereby reaffirming the TTC as a key platform for cooperation on trade, technology and security. Highlighting the growing ambition oftheEU-India strategic partnership, both sides agreed to focus on strengthening strategic value chains and deepening […]
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The EU begins accession negotiations with Ukraine on foreign policy
The EU and Ukraine took another important step in the accession process by launching negotiations on the so-called ‘external relations’ thematic group (Group 6). This is a key thematic group within the EU’s accession negotiation framework, which sets out the parameters for how candidate countries must align their international, trade and defence policies with those […]
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The EU is stepping up its international support for the Palestinians through an initiative for the swift recovery of Gaza and greater international coordination
On 13 July, the European Commission held the second meeting of the Donors’ Group for Palestine, co-chaired by the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, and the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa. Sixty-five delegations gathered in Brussels to launch a new early recovery initiative in Gaza and discuss the Palestinian Authority’s reform […]
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The EU and South Africa launch an intergovernmental dialogue on the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership
On 9 July, the EU and South Africa held their first intergovernmental dialogue at senior official level to take forward the implementation of their Clean Trade and Investment Partnership. Collaboration between the two regions will strengthen clean and resilient supply chains, support local strategic industries and accelerate investment in green hydrogen and critical raw materials. […]
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Serbia and enlargement: MEPs expect a genuine commitment to EU values
The Serbian government continues to assert that EU accession is its strategic objective, but MEPs warn that this is often not reflected in its actions. Progress towards EU accession involves not only adopting reforms, but also their thorough and comprehensive implementation, MEPs warn in a report on Serbia adopted on Wednesday with 468 votes in […]
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