In 2023, the number of people travelling abroad for tourism had fully recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, with restrictions lifted for all destinations. The 3 EU regions at level 2 of the nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS 2) with the highest number of nights spent by foreign tourists were the Spanish island regions of […]
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EU adopts new rules to strengthen cybersecurity
The Commission has adopted the first implementing rules on cybersecurity of critical entities and networks under the Directive on measures for high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (NIS2 Directive). This implementing act details cybersecurity risk management measures as well as the cases in which an incident should be considered significant and companies providing […]
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2024 Sakharov Prize finalists shortlisted by MEPs
Members of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Development committees have chosen the three finalists for the 2024 Sakharov Prize in a vote on Thursday. Following the secret ballot, MEPs selected the three finalists for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. These are, in alphabetical order: – Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, academic and anti-corruption activist in Azerbaijan; […]
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34% of non-EU citizens live in overcrowded households
In 2023, 34.2% of non-EU citizens in the EU lived in overcrowded households, meaning they did not have the number of rooms appropriate for the size of the household. The year before, 32.9% of non-EU citizens lived in overcrowded households. For nationals, the rate was 13.7% in 2023 (down from 13.9% the year before) and 20.8% for […]
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The Commission does not designate X as a core platform service.
The Commission has today found that X’s online social networking service should not be designated as a core platform service under the Digital Markets Regulation. Today’s decision follows an in-depth market investigation initiated on 13 May 2024 following notification by X of its potential gatekeeper status. Along with the notification, X also submitted counter-arguments, explaining […]
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Council extends deadline for implementation of EU deforestation law
The Council agreed on its position on the targeted amendment of the EU deforestation regulation, postponing its date of application by 12 months. This postponement will allow third countries, member states, operators and traders to be fully prepared in their due diligence obligations, which is to ensure that certain commodities and products sold in the […]
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Independent experts call for increased investment to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation leadership
More excellent research, impactful innovation and technology scale-ups are needed to make Europe more globally competitive, secure and sustainable. These are among the twelve expert recommendations presented today to the Commission to strengthen Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, and its successor. The recommendations have been drafted by an independent group of 15 […]
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EU calls for efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 °C
Climate change is an existential threat to humanity, ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as to peace and security. At the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), the EU will support an effective, achievable and ambitious global goal on climate finance and will call for ambitious climate plans in order to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C […]
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Are we making progress on ending discrimination in the EU?
In the EU, discrimination based on any grounds is prohibited by law. Yet for many people this is still a daily reality. To tackle this, the Commission has since 2020 put forward novel initiatives against racism, antisemitism, but also for LGBTIQ people and Roma communities. Progress reports on all four have recently been published. The first […]
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