The Council took note of the eighth progress report on the implementation of the 74 common proposals endorsed by the EU and NATO Councils on 6 December 2016 and 5 December 2017. The report highlights and elaborates on the tangible progress achieved between June 2022 and May 2023, across all areas of cooperation. Whilst tackling the gravest […]
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EU support to member states to fight forest fires
The Council adopted its position on a draft law that extends the deadline that will allow the Commission to provide financing of firefighting planes and helicopters to support member states in fighting forest fires. rescEU In 2019, rescEU was created as a reserve of European civil protection capacities which would step in to help member […]
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Tracking breaches of the 1.5⁰C global warming threshold
Global-mean surface air temperatures for the first days of June 2023 were the highest in the ERA5 data record for early June by a substantial margin, following a May during which sea-surface temperatures were at unprecedented levels for the time of year. Also in May, the World Meteorological Organization published a report highlighting a 66% […]
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EIB and Grupo Cajamar will direct €980 million in new financing to SMEs and mid-caps in rural areas and to green projects
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Grupo Cooperativo Cajamar have signed a purchase agreement of a €350 million covered bond issue. The transaction enables the cooperative bank Cajamar to make up to €784 million in financing available to support investment in projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps, especially those operating in rural […]
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European Commission approves €680M in aid for the deployment of 5G mobile networks in Spanish rural areas
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €680 million Spanish scheme made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF’) to roll out equipment and infrastructure for high-performing 5G standalone networks in underserved rural areas. The measure is part of Spain’s strategy to address the needs of citizens and businesses in […]
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Human rights breaches by Russia, in Sudan and in Hong Kong
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the respect for human rights by Russia, in Sudan and in Hong Kong. Torture and criminal prosecution of Ukrainian minors Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov by the Russian Federation Parliament demands that the proceedings against Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov should end and the charges against […]
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Priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Spain assumes the Presidency in the second half of 2023, from July 1 to December 31, in a period of great challenges for the Member States and the European Union as a whole. The Spanish Presidency has established four priorities for its semester. Reindustrialise the EU and ensure its open strategic autonomy The international openness […]
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How many MEPs will each EU country get in 2024?
Parliament wants to increase the number of MEPs to reflect demographic changes since 2019. In June 2023, a year ahead of the European elections planned for 6-9 June 2024, MEPs proposed the allocation of seats for each country in the next Parliament. The proposal is to increase the number of MEPs, from the current 705 […]
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MEPs see “strong indications” that the governments of Morocco and Rwanda have spied on high-profile EU citizens
Based on a year-long investigation into the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware, MEPs argue that the illicit use of spyware has put “democracy itself at stake” and call for credible investigations, legislative changes and better enforcement of existing rules to tackle abuse. The resolution was adopted with 411 votes in favour, 97 against, […]
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