The majority of pupils in primary and secondary education in the EU study at least one foreign language: in 2021, this consisted of 86.3% of pupils in primary education, 98.5% of students in lower secondary and 91.0% in upper secondary education. In 2021, 61.0% of students in upper secondary general education (ISCED level 34) studied […]
Read More
EU calls for greater market access and fair competition at EU-China High-Level Dialogue
European Commission Executive Vice-President, Valdis Dombrovskis, and Vice Premier of the State Council, He Lifeng, co-chaired today the 10th EU-China High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED). The HED is the main platform for the EU and China to discuss economic and financial matters, as well as trade and investment cooperation. Specifically, the two sides discussed […]
Read More
European Commission bans Booking’s takeover of eTraveli
The European Commission has prohibited, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Flugo Group Holdings AB (‘eTraveli’) by Booking Holdings (‘Booking’). The acquisition would have allowed Booking to strengthen its dominant position on the market for hotel online travel agencies (‘OTAs’) in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’). Booking did not offer remedies that were sufficient […]
Read More
Up to €1.7bn of EIB finance for new solar power plants in Spain, Italy and Portugal
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved framework financing of up to €1.7 billion for Solaria to support the construction of some 120 photovoltaic power plants. Mostly located in Spain, as well as Italy and Portugal, they will have a total capacity of approximately 5.6 GW and will produce an estimated 9.29 TWh a year. […]
Read More
European Media and Audiovisual Action Plan
The Media and Audiovisual Action Plan (MAAP) aims to boost European media and help maintain European cultural and technological autonomy in the Digital Decade. The Media and Audiovisual Action Plan focuses on the news media sector — printed and online press, radio, and audiovisual services — and the audiovisual entertainment sector — cinema, TV, video streaming, video games and […]
Read More
EU industry ministers agree new Euro 7 standards
The Council adopted yesterday its position (‘general approach’) on the proposed regulation for the type-approval of motor vehicles and engines, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability, better known as Euro 7. The new regulation, which for the first time covers cars, […]
Read More
Operations co-funded by the EU lead to 197 arrests in Spain
Europol has supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) in 29 investigations, co-funded by EU financial mechanism. The operations, in line with EU priorities against serious and organised crime, targeted a number of criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and corruption, among other crimes. The 29 criminal investigations, led by Spain and […]
Read More
European Day of Languages 2023
Today, 26 September, we would like to celebrate the European Day of Languages with all of you. The European Day of Languages (EDL) is an annual initiative held every 26 September involving numerous language institutions, associations, universities and, in particular, schools. This day, which has been celebrated since 2001, is a unique opportunity to raise […]
Read More
Can dumping iron in the sea slow climate change?
Scientists and entrepreneurs have proposed geoengineering projects to modify Earth’s environment. Our expert Marion Fourquez weighs in on the value of tipping metal shavings into the sea. “The answer is both yes and no, and it should not be tested again,” says Fourquez, a polar oceanographer at the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in France. The […]
Read More