The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for the creation of an international alliance to strengthen and expand ocean monitoring and observation. This alliance will support OceanEye, the European ocean observation initiative, to consolidate efforts and collaboration in ocean observation on a global scale. President von der Leyen also announced an […]
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EU and Switzerland signed a broad package of agreements to deepen its relationship
On 2 March 2026, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin signed a broad package of agreements aiming to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship. The package establishes a modern framework for the EU and Switzerland, enabling frictionless access to a market of […]
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Simplified rules for small mid-cap companies
New laws seek to boost the competitiveness of so-called small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU as they grow beyond SME status with specific measures. On Wednesday 25 February, three European Parliament committees voted in favour of proposals introducing the concept of small mid-cap companies (SMEs) and extending various exemptions to them that have […]
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Commission approves €1.1 billion French State aid scheme to support clean technology manufacturing capacity
The European Commission has approved a €1.1 billion French programme to support strategic investments that increase clean technology manufacturing capacity, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Pact. This measure will contribute to the transition to a net-zero emissions economy. The programme was approvedunder the Clean Industrial Pact State Aid Framework (CISAF),adopted by […]
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Commission aims to strenghten the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displace Workers
The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and EU Member States on its proposal to strengthen the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The EGF is an EU solidarity instrument for workers who have lost their job due to major restructuring, for instance the closing of a factory or the bankruptcy of […]
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Commission response to the European citizens’ initiative on reducing unsafe abortion in the EU
The European Commission adopted a Communication in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “My voice, my choice: for safe and accessible abortion”. This is the twelfth initiative to receive a formal response from the Commission since European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) were launched in 2012. According to the World Health Organisation, around 483,000 unsafe abortions […]
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The Commission proposes to open negotiations to extend EU roaming to the Western Balkans
The European Commission has proposedopening negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to integrate them into the EU’s “Roam Like at Home” regime. Once agreements with each of the partners have been finalised and they are all fully aligned with EU roaming rules, people travelling between the EU and the […]
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Commission proposes EU-wide rules against the trafficking of illicit firearms
The European Commission has presented a proposal for a directive to combat firearms trafficking and other firearms-related offences in the EU. This is the first legislative initiative to be adopted under the European Internal Security Strategy, ProtectEU. Illicit firearms pose a serious threat to public security, enabling terrorism, organised crime, gang violence and other serious offences. […]
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Commission presents new counterterrorism agenda
Last February 26, the European Commission presented a new agenda to prevent and counter terrorism, setting out the way forward to reinforce Europe’s collective response to evolving terrorist and violent extremist threats. The EU has strengthened its response to terrorism and violent extremism over the past decade. However, the evolving nature of these threats requires […]
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