The Commission allocated the €500 million foreseen under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP). This will allow the European defence industry to ramp up its ammunition production capacity to 2 million shells per year by the end of 2025. The Commission also launched the Work Programme for the instrument for the reinforcement of the European defence […]
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Russian voters had no real choice, says the EU
The presidential elections held by Russia on 15-17 March took place in a highly restricted environment exacerbated also by Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Russian authorities have continued to increase the systematic internal repression by cracking down on opposition politicians, civil society organisations, independent media and other critical voices with the use of […]
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New measures by the European Commission in favour of EU farmers
Delivering on its commitment to ease administrative burden for EU farmers, the European Commission has proposed to review certain provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), aiming to deliver simplifications while maintaining a strong, sustainable and competitive policy for EU agriculture and food. These proposals, related to conditionality and CAP Strategic Plans, aim to reduce the burden […]
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European Health Data Space: Council and Parliament strike deal
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a new law making it easier to exchange and access health data at EU level. The agreement will now need to be endorsed by both the Council and the Parliament. The proposed regulation for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to improve individuals’ […]
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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 […]
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The Community of Madrid is the EU region with the highest life expectancy at birth
In 2022, the life expectancy at birth in the EU was 80.6 years, up by 0.5 years from 2021. Over two decades, since 2002, the highest value was recorded in 2019 when life expectancy at birth reached 81.3 years (up 3.7 years compared with 2002). However, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this indicator declined to 80.4 in […]
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Commission initiates formal proceedings against AliExpress under the Digital Services Act
The Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether AliExpress may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to the management and mitigation of risks, to content moderation and the internal complaint handling mechanism, to the transparency of advertising and recommender systems, to the traceability of traders and to data access for researchers. On the basis […]
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Europol: 13 victims of human trafficking rescued in Spain
Europol has supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Polish Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) in an operation targeting a criminal organisation trafficking human beings for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation in Spain. The investigation has resulted in 17 arrests and the safeguarding of 13 victims. The suspects were arrested in Madrid, […]
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European Parliament Passes Landmark Artificial Intelligence Act
In a significant legislative stride, the European Parliament has approved the Artificial Intelligence Act, marking a pivotal moment in regulating AI technologies across the continent. Endorsed with a resounding 523 votes in favor, 46 against, and 49 abstentions, this regulation, forged through negotiations with member states in December 2023, sets forth a comprehensive framework aimed […]
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