At present, many of the material streams from demolition and renovation works are not suitable for reuse or high-grade recycling. This is stalling efforts in shifting to a circular economy. The EEA briefing ‘Construction and demolition waste: challenges and opportunities in a circular economy,’ says more must be done in preventing or recycling the large […]
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VET mobility scheme selects three projects for funding
The results of the pilot Vocational Education and Training mobility (VET) mobility scheme for the Enlargement Countries and Africa have now been published. The European Commission has made available €8.5 million for two pilot projects with Africa and one with the Western Balkans in the vocational education and training (VET) sector, confirming its commitment to invest in young […]
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ECB launches review of its monetary policy strategy
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) today launched a review of its monetary policy strategy. The monetary policy strategy was adopted in 1998 and some of its elements were clarified in 2003. Since 2003 the euro area and the world economy have been undergoing profound structural changes. Declining trend growth, on the […]
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External action: videoconference between Josep Borrell and the heads of EU missions and operations
“The EU has around 5,000 women and men working for 16 crisis management missions and operations deployed on three continents – soon to become 17 with the new civilian mission to be launched in the Central African Republic. They are the beating heart of the EU’s common security and defence policy and often the face […]
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Laments and longing: folk music and emigration in Europe
Music can evoke memories, transporting us to another time and place. Migration and music are intrinsically linked, mirroring the movement of people from place to place and country to country. Musical styles have been influenced by migration, with communities telling their migration stories through music. How folk music has reflected migration, introducing examples from Ireland, […]
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The Court confirms the right of access to documents contained in the file of a marketing authorisation application for a medicinal product
An objection to such access must explain the nature, purpose and scope of the data whose disclosure would undermine commercial interests In the judgments in PTC Therapeutics International v EMA (C-175/18 P) and MSD Animal Health Innovation and Intervet International v EMA (C-178/18 P), delivered on 22 January 2020, the Court of Justice was required to […]
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Artificial intelligence presents new challenges for the EU
MEPs want a strong set of rights to protect consumers in the context of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making. Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee approved recently a resolution addressing several challenges arising from the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making (ADM) technologies. Those systems should only use high-quality and unbiased data […]
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Pet trafficking: measures against the illegal puppy business
MEPs want action to tackle the illegal trade in pets in order to better protect animals and punish rule breakers. Many pets are traded illegally across the EU generating high profit at a low risk, often providing a profitable source of income for criminal networks. To clamp down on the illegal trade in pets, the […]
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Shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe
The European Commission set out its ideas for shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe, which should be launched on Europe Day, 9 May 2020 and run for two years. The Communication adopted is the Commission’s contribution to the already lively debate around the Conference on the Future of Europe – a project announced by President […]
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