Following a significant 45% fall in the number of passengers embarking and disembarking in EU ports in 2020 (compared with 2019), 2021 was more positive, with data showing a partial recovery. Compared with 2020, the number of passengers increased by 16%, reaching 267.9 million passengers from 230 million in 2020. This is still considerably below the levels […]
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70 years of the European Parliament
The European Parliament is marking 70 years of democracy in action – from its first assembly in 1952 to being stronger than ever during challenging times today. Seventy years ago, the first session of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community took place in Strasbourg, marking the starting point of the European […]
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The Commission has approved a Spanish scheme worth 88.3 M € to support connectivity in rural areas
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an €88.3 million Spanish scheme made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF’) to support the provision of wholesale services and retail broadband services in remote rural areas in Spain. The measure is part of Spain’s strategy to address the needs of citizens and […]
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Algae can be part of healthier diets, reduce CO 2 emissions and fight water pollution
The Commission yesterday adopted the Communication “Towards a strong and sustainable EU seaweed sector”, a pioneering initiative to unlock the potential of seaweed in the European Union. The Communication proposes 23 actions to create the opportunities to turn this industry into a strong, sustainable and regenerative sector capable of meeting the EU’s growing demand. The […]
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Spanish authorities clamp down on lavish lifestyle of criminal group
Spanish authorities have arrested 10 persons suspected of being involved in drug trafficking and money laundering in the second phase of an operation supported by Europol. The Guardia Civil carried out house searches in a number of cities, which led to the disruption of a criminal network providing financial and technical support to other criminal […]
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Chemical weapons: EU imposes further restrictive measures on ten individuals and one entity
The Council decided to impose additional restrictive measures in view of the continued threat posed by the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. The new listings target ten individuals and one entity linked to the poisoning of Alexei Navalny with a Novichok-type nerve agent on 20 August 2020, and the productions of chemical weapons delivery systems in Syria. As concerns the Navalny […]
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EU’s landmark rules for online platforms enter into force
Yesterday, the Digital Services Act (DSA), a new set of EU rules for a safer and more responsible online environment, came into force. The DSA applies to all digital services that connect consumers to goods, services, or content. It creates comprehensive new obligations for online platforms to reduce harms and counter risks online, introduces strong […]
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Joint statement of NATO and G7 Leaders on the margins of the G20 Summit in Bali
Today, the Leaders of Canada, the European Council, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States met on the margins of the G20 Summit in Bali and released the following statement: We condemn the barbaric missile attacks that Russia perpetrated on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure […]
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EU budget for 2023: Council and Parliament reach agreement
The Council and the European Parliament have this week reached an agreement on the EU budget for 2023 that places particular emphasis on the EU’s main strategic priorities. Total commitments are set at €186.6 billion. This is an increase of 1.1% compared to the 2022 budget as amended. €0.4 billion have been kept available under […]
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