The Council approved conclusions in view of the Conference of Parties on the Convention on biological diversity (COP16) and the meetings on the Cartagena protocol and the Nagoya protocol, to be held in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 1 November 2024. The conclusions will serve as the EU’s general negotiating position at the meetings. […]
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First EU-Gulf Cooperation Council summit
The first summit between the leaders of the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will take place today, 16 October, in Brussels. The summit will be co-chaired by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the Emir of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as the rotating President of […]
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Trade Committee approves financial aid to Ukraine backed by Russian assets
MEPs in the Trade Committee voted on Monday to support a loan of up to €35 billion to Ukraine as the EU’s contribution to the G7’s support initiative. The Trade Committee voted by 31 in favour, 4 against and no abstentions on the Commission proposal to support Ukraine with an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan […]
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High Representative, on behalf of the European Union, condemns recent attacks on UNIFIL
The European Union expresses its grave concern about the recent escalation along the Blue Line. The EU condemns all attacks against UN missions. It expresses particularly grave concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which left several peacekeepers wounded. Such attacks against UN […]
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Disabled people will find it easier to travel within the EU
The Council has adopted two new directives that will make it easier for persons with disabilities to travel within the EU. The directive establishing the European disability card and the European parking card for persons with disabilities will ensure equal access to special conditions or preferential treatment for persons with disabilities during short stays throughout the EU. Examples include reduced or zero entry […]
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Council urges action against desertification in the EU
The Council of the European Union has adopted conclusions addressing the urgent challenges posed by desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD), underscoring the critical need for a cohesive and integrated approach to environmental management across the EU. These conclusions highlight the increasing frequency and severity of droughts, alongside the exacerbation of desertification and land degradation both globally […]
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Commission to invest €865 million to support fast and secure digital connectivity networks
the Commission has adopted the second Work Programme for the digital part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital, which defines the scope and objectives of EU-funded actions to improve Europe’s digital connectivity infrastructures. These actions will receive around €865 million of funding from 2024 to 2027. Improving Europe’s connectivity infrastructure is fundamental for achieving Europe’s 2030 Digital Decade objectives […]
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Council improves the protection of industrial designs
The Council adopts the two legislative acts in the framework of the design package: The texts adopted update the existing design legislation in order to improve the protection of industrial designs in the era of digital designs and 3D printing. Better protection for designs and models The directive and regulation adopted will make the procedure […]
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Nearly 100 000 certified products and services use the European Ecolabel
The latest figures for products and licences certified by the European Ecolabel published today show a steady upward trend for most product groups. The growing use of the EU Ecolabel is accelerating compared to previous years. Europeans can choose from almost 100,000 EU Ecolabel certified products and services, 10,000 more than last year. Tourist accommodation […]
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