The wine observatory will provide periodic analysis for a sector that accounts for 65% of world wine production. The Commission officially launched the wine market observatory with an initial meeting on November 4 in Brussels. This new observatory will bring a short-term analysis and greater transparency to an important sector of the Union’s agriculture. The […]
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Blockchain – the EESC calls for a strategy to make the EU a world leader
Blockchain technology is a mathematical structure for storing data in a way that limits corruption and fake data. Blockchain technology has the potential to transform society, but there is a need for legal clarity and certainty and therefore a common EU approach. This is the key message of an own-initiative opinion adopted by the European […]
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A simpler solution to stop the death of bees
The EU-funded WarmHive project is using thermotherapy to fight the disease responsible for large losses in honeybee populations. About the mite Honeybee populations around the world are experiencing massive losses. This is primarily the result of varroosis, a disease caused by the varroa mite that, if it doesn’t kill the bee directly, causes other diseases […]
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Shoshana Zuboff winner of the Axel Springer Award
It is now more than three decades since Shoshana Zuboff published her book, The Age of the Smart Machine. It predicted many of the challenges, trends and ways in which technology has influenced our lives and careers. It was – like many of Shoshana Zuboff’s works – ahead of its time. Of course, the world around us and the technology we […]
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VAT: Council reaches provisional agreement on simplified rules for small businesses
The Council today reached a general approach on further simplification of the VAT rules applicable to small businesses. The purpose of the new rules is to reduce administrative burden and compliance costs for small enterprises and to help create a fiscal environment which will help small enterprises grow and trade cross-border more efficiently. Businesses have […]
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Strengthening cooperation to fight intellectual property crimes
Counterfeit goods are a significant problem that hits the EU particularly hard, accounting for about 5 % of imports. Organised criminal groups are often behind intellectual property crime and thus benefit financially from it. Fighting intellectual property crime is key to sustaining jobs and growth in the European economy, and to safeguarding consumers against dangerous and substandard […]
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Genocide Network meeting held at Eurojust
Prosecutors discuss combining of charges to get higher sentences for terrorists Suspects of terrorist activities can receive higher sentences if charges of terrorism are combined with acts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide or other offences. To prosecute for all acts committed and achieve an accumulation of charges at national level, better cooperation and […]
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COP25: MEPs push for CO2 neutrality by 2050
The EU should commit to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 at the UN Conference and step up its emissions’ reduction ambition for 2030, said the Environment Committee on Wednesday. Ahead of the COP25 UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid in December, the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee approved on Wednesday a resolution calling […]
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EU and China sign landmark agreement to protect 100 European Geographical Indications in China
The EU and China concluded the negotiations on a bilateral agreement to protect 100 European Geographical Indications (GI) in China and 100 Chinese GI in the EU against imitations and usurpation. This landmark agreement is expected to result in reciprocal trade benefits and demand for high-quality products on both sides. Delivering on the commitment made […]
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