In 2021, the EU set up the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) fund – worth around €800 billion – to prop up the economies of its member states during and following the COVID–19 pandemic. While the money has been flowing to member states, the flow is slow and set to end in 2026. There is also a catch – it is […]
Read More
EU and US continue strong trade and technology cooperation at a time of global challenges
The EU and the United States held the sixth meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Leuven, Belgium. The meeting allowed ministers to build on ongoing work and present new deliverables of the TTC after two and a half years of cooperation. The TTC is a key forum for close cooperation on transatlantic […]
Read More
Firefighting: EU earmarks €600m to reinforce EU rescue operations
The Commission is financing the purchase of new firefighting planes to increase the aerial firefighting capacity of rescEU, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism’s strategic crisis response reserve. €600 million in EU funds will be used to purchase 12 new planes, which will be hosted across 6 EU Member States: Croatia, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and […]
Read More
International trade in chocolate in 2023
In 2023, 867 000 tonnes of chocolate and chocolate bars were exported by EU members to countries outside the EU (extra-EU). This marks a 2% increase compared with 2022 (852 000 tonnes) and a 35% boost compared with 2013 (643 000 tonnes). The top chocolate and chocolate bar exporters to extra-EU countries were Germany, with 221 000 tonnes or 26% of the […]
Read More
Taking stock of the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan
The European Commission Representation in Spain organised the second annual conference on the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The event took stock of the Plan, analysing the opportunities it offers to achieve a greener, more digital and resilient Spain, as well as the challenges for its implementation. The event was opened by the acting […]
Read More
Budget 2025: Council agrees on guidelines for next year’s EU budget
The Council reached an agreement on its guidelines for the 2025 EU budget. The approved guidelines will provide political guidance to the Commission in preparing the budget for next year. In its conclusions, the Council underlines that the EU budget for 2025 has a key role in the development and delivery of the long-term objectives […]
Read More
Spain: EIB and Otua sign €40 million loan to back the construction of a waste recycling plant in the Basque Country
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Basque Country-based Otua Group have signed a €40 million loan to finance the construction of a new plant for recycling plastics from automotive waste and to upgrade existing facilities for processing metal waste. The EIB loan promotes the transition to circular economy – in which industrial materials get reused rather […]
Read More
EU trade in goods with China: Less deficit in 2023
In 2023, the EU trade in goods deficit with China stood at €291 billion, which was €106 billion lower when compared with 2022 (-27%). Between 2013 and 2023, the EU’s trade in goods deficit with China varied between €104 billion in 2013 and €397 billion in 2022, the highest value in the decade. In 2023, […]
Read More
European Commission proposes changes to the EU budget for 2024
The European Commission adopted a proposal to amend the EU budget for 2024 to reflect the changes made following the agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027. This amended budget will enable the Union to continue delivering this year on the EU’s common priorities, for the […]
Read More