During the first quarter of 2021, COVID-19 cases continued to increase steadily. The European continent started the year with a total of 27,552,498 people infected with COVID-19 and 585,110 deaths from COVID-19. As of 31 March, the number of reported cases in Europe grew by 63.74% to 45,115,099 positive cases. Unfortunately, deaths also rose by […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 vaccination developments in Europe – 1st four-month period 2021
Vaccination against COVID-19 started on 27 December 2020 across the European Union, in a moment of unity. To date, 4 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines have been licensed for use in the EU, following positive scientific recommendations from the European Medicines Agency: BioNTech-Pfizer: On 21 December 2020, the European Commission granted conditional marketing authorisation to […]
Read MoreHuman rights breaches in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Iran
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the human rights situation in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Hong Kong, notably the case of Apple Daily Parliament condemns in the strongest terms the recent forced closure of the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong, the continued freezing of its assets and the arrests […]
Read MoreIs a cow’s stomach the answer to breaking down hard-to-recycle plastic?
There’s no questioning whether plastic is an important material in our daily lives. However, European citizens generate about 25 million tonnes of plastic waste, but under 30 % is collected for recycling. Plastic waste is mostly burned, so more eco-friendly processes are being sought. The waste is having serious negative effects on our health and […]
Read MoreAndalusia for the Future of Europe
The Andalusia for the Future of Europe initiative, led by the Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and the Interior, with the collaboration of the European Information Network of Andalusia, aims to promote the participation of Andalusian society in the Conference on the Future of Europe promoted by the institutions of the European Union. […]
Read MoreEuropean Parliament vehemently opposed to Hungarian anti-LGBTIQ law
New rules in Hungary in “clear breach of EU values, principles and law” Political censorship and gradual dismantling of fundamental rights in Hungary Commission and member states should take urgent legal action Cut funding where European budget is affected by national legislation that clashes with EU values Parliament “condemns in the strongest possible terms” the […]
Read MoreEducation for a greener, more sustainable Europe: Share your ideas!
The aim of the consultation is to gather input and ideas for a proposal for a Council Recommendation on education for environmental sustainability, to be adopted by the Commission in late 2021. Are learners in Europe being equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to act on the climate emergency and biodiversity loss? Are […]
Read MoreSharp decrease in CO2 emissions of new cars in 2020
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its provisional data about the emissions of newly registered passenger cars and vans in Europe in 2020. For cars, the data show a 12 % decrease in average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared with 2019. Average van emissions also decreased slightly, by about 1.5 %. According to the […]
Read MoreLong-term vision for rural areas: stronger, connected, resilient, and prosperous
The European Commission has today put forward a long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas, identifying the challenges and concerns that they are facing, as well as highlighting some of the most promising opportunities that are available to these regions. Based on foresight and wide consultations with citizens and other actors in rural areas, today’s Vision […]
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