The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) suggests that the EU should develop a certification for trustworthy AI applications, to be delivered by an independent body after testing the products for key requirements such as resilience, safety, and absence of prejudice, discrimination or bias. The proposal has been put forward in two recent EESC opinions […]
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Parliament marks 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
Parliament commemorated the fall of the Berlin Wall during a ceremony in Brussels on 13 November. Parliament President David Sassoli and Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble paid tribute to the German citizens who gained independence when the wall fell in 1989, but warned of the danger of losing the hard-won values of freedom and democracy and […]
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GDP up by 0.2% and employment up by 0.1% in the euro area
GDP growth in the euro area and EU28 Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.2% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.3% in the EU28 during the third quarter of 2019, compared with the previous quarter, according to a flash estimate published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the second quarter […]
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Seeking energy efficiency in aircrafts
An emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of aircraft means EU-funded scientists have been researching ways to reduce drag using an aircraft’s small, active components to make them more energy-efficient and reduce emissions. Reductions in carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from aircraft are directly related to an aircraft’s fuel burn, drag and aircraft weight. […]
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Africa-Europe Alliance: two new financial guarantees under the EU External Investment Plan
The European Commission signed two guarantee agreements with two Member States’ development finance institution: the Dutch ‘Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V’ (FMO) and the Italian ‘Cassa Depositi e Prestiti’ (CDP). These guarantee agreements are part of the implementation of the EU External Investment Plan, the financial arm of the Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs. More […]
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Organised criminal group involved in THB and prostitution dismantled in Lithuania and Spain
A simultaneous operation by the Lithuanian Police and the National Police of Spain was carried out yesterday. The operation was led by the respective judicial authorities in both countries, in close cooperation with Eurojust and Europol, and led to the arrest of two alleged organisers in Spain and 13 alleged criminal group members in Lithuania. […]
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Capital Markets Union: Council adopts legislative reforms
The Council has adopted a set of legislative reforms which are part of progress towards the capital markets union. The texts concern: the creation of a new category of benchmarks contributing to sustainable finance; transparency obligations for sustainable investments; a new prudential framework for investment firms; a harmonised framework for covered bonds; rules promoting access […]
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EU emissions in 2018 are lower but still far from the 2030 target
The European Union (EU) cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2 % in 2018, according to preliminary estimates released by the European Environment Agency. However, rising energy consumption continues to hamper progress on energy efficiency. The EEA report ‘Trends and projections in Europe 2019 — Tracking progress towards Europe’s climate and energy targets’ presents analysis of […]
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EU Agencies join 10-year anniversary of EU´s fundamental rights charter
The nine EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies are marking the 10-year anniversary of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights by pledging to continue to respect and promote fundamental rights throughout the work. “Thanks to the Charter, a culture of fundamental rights has developed in the work of the European Union over the last ten […]
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