A new EU directive to promote the repair of goods entered into force yesterday. The new rules promote more sustainable consumption by making it easier to repair faulty products and encouraging consumers to repair defective products instead of replacing them. The Directive will benefit consumers by avoiding the costs of buying new products and reducing […]
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Smart farming applications for more sustainable and efficient agriculture
The EU-funded SQAT project is developing a mapping service to tackle soil quality and sustainability issues in the agricultural industry. There has been a large uptake of precision agriculture applications in the past two decades. However, the way most farmers collect information about their soils remains mostly the same. Better data on soil properties would […]
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The EU most popular region for short-term rental accommodation booked via online platforms was Andalucía
During the first quarter of 2024, guests spent 123.7 million nights in short-term rental accommodation in the EU, booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group or TripAdvisor. This corresponds to an increase of 28.3% compared with the same period in 2023. Platform tourism continued to set new monthly record values: in January 2024, 33.3 million nights […]
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Commission disburses fourth payment of EUR 9.9 billion to Spain under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism
The Commission last week disbursed the fourth payment of EUR 9.9 billion (net of pre-financing) in grants to Spain under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM). As with the other Member States, payments made to Spain under the RRM are performance-based and depend on Spain’s implementation of the investments and reforms outlined in its recovery […]
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Commission enforcement of EU law in 2023 brings benefits to people and businesses
The European Commission adopted its Annual Report on Monitoring the Application of EU Law. The report outlines the enforcement actions taken by the Commission in 2023 to guarantee the protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals and businesses across the EU. It highlights also the areas where Member States successfully achieved compliance with EU […]
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Commission approves €1.2 billion Spanish State aid scheme to support investments in the production of renewable hydrogen to foster the transition to a net-zero economy
The European Commission has approved a €1.2 billion Spanish scheme to support investments in the production of renewable hydrogen to foster the transition to a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (‘TCTF’), adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 and on 2 May 2024. The Spanish […]
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Eurobarometer: Europeans see democracy and economic power as key strengths of the EU
A new Eurobarometer survey published today shows that Europeans identify respect for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law (38%) and economic, industrial, and trading power (34%) as the main strengths of the EU, followed by the good relationships and solidarity between the EU Member States (28%). As areas the EU should address as a priority, respondents most frequently mention the environment and […]
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EU’s first medical evacuation operation of Palestinians transfers children from Egypt to Spain
On 24 July, the first EU-coordinated medical evacuation operation of 16 Palestinian children and their family members took place from Egypt to Spain. The operation was financially and operationally supported by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), in close coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Palestine Childrens Relief Fund (PCRF) and authorities of […]
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Council adopts updated fisheries measures in the North-East Atlantic
The Council has formally adopted a set of updated fisheries measures in the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) area. This regulation implements into EU law new rules on management, conservation and control for the NEAFC area, as well as control measures for certain pelagic species in the North-East Atlantic which were agreed during coastal states consultations. The text also […]
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