Today, the European Commission proposes a set of measures to improve the working conditions in platform work and to support the sustainable growth of digital labour platforms in the EU. The new rules will ensure that people working through digital labour platforms can enjoy the labour rights and social benefits they are entitled to. They […]
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The European Commission proposes a reform of the Schengen Area
The Commission is proposing updated rules to reinforce the governance of the Schengen area. The targeted changes will bring greater EU coordination and better equip Member States to deal with emerging challenges when managing both the EU’s common external border and internal borders within the Schengen area. The update seeks to ensure that reintroducing internal […]
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Greenhouses join plants in the energy conversion business
Until recently, there were opaque photovoltaic panels, and there was transparent glass. Innovative nanomaterials bring photovoltaics and transparency together in greenhouse panels that convert the sun’s light into electricity, while augmenting plant photosynthesis. Meeting the world’s growing food and energy demands while mitigating climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Agriculture […]
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Environmental taxes in the EU
In 2020, environmental tax revenue in the EU amounted to €299.9 billion, corresponding to 2.2% of GDP. For the first COVID-19 crisis year of 2020, the majority of the countries reported significant decreases in energy taxes compared with 2019. The typical range of decrease was between 5% and 15%. EU environmental taxes accounted for 5.4% of the revenue […]
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COVID-19 Evolution in Europe during November
This news item shows the evolution of the COVID-19 virus in Europe during November. The data for this article have been obtained from several official sources (Johns Hopkins University, Reuters, WHO…), concerning the incidence of diagnosed cases and deaths due to the COVID-19 virus. In November, Europe ended with a total of 87,859,651 diagnosed […]
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Spain rejects Mediterranean fisheries adjustments
The EU finalises the distribution of fishing rights for next year. Brussels cuts fishing days for the Mediterranean fleet by 6% and puts thousands of jobs at risk. Ministers have reached an agreement on fishing rights in the Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean and Black Sea for 2022. The agreement, reached today at the Agriculture and […]
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Lend a helping hand with drying river networks
What is happening to our drying river networks? A new app helps scientists find out. An EU-funded project has launched the first open-source smartphone app that helps scientists monitor drying events in Europe’s and South America’s rivers and streams. A new app is giving citizens the power to help scientists understand drying river networks. Developed […]
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Spain’s top maritime freight transport and commerce in Algeciras, Valencia, and Barcelona
Weight of goods handled by EU ports dropped by 7% in 2020. In 2020, EU ports handled around 3.3 billion tonnes of goods in gross weight, a substantial decrease compared with 2019 (-7%). This fall can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions put in place across the Member States and worldwide. After reaching a new […]
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Commission fines former ethanol producer Abengoa € 20 million in cartel settlement
The Commission has fined the Spanish company Abengoa S.A. and its subsidiary Abengoa Bionenergía S.A. (together ‘Abengoa’) € 20 million for participating in a cartel concerning the wholesale price formation mechanism in the European ethanol market. Abengoa admitted its involvement in the cartel and agreed to settle the case. Abengoa, formerly one of the biggest […]
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