Parliament’s leading MEPs endorsed Laura Codruţa Kövesi’s appointment as the first head of the new European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The decision by the Conference of Presidents (EP President David Sassoli and political group leaders) follows an agreement in September between Parliament and Council negotiators on the new European Chief Prosecutor. Parliament’s negotiating team backed Ms Kövesi throughout the negotiations. […]
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New challenges facing Europe’s waste water treatment plants present opportunities for improving sustainability
More investment is needed to make urban waste water treatment plants fit to meet the difficult challenges posed by the impacts of climate change, as well as the presence of antibiotics and other micro-pollutants in waste water, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). Current challenges Much has already been done in recent decades to […]
Read MoreChristine Lagarde appointed President of the European Central Bank
The European Council appointed Christine Lagarde to be the President of the European Central Bank for a non-renewable term of 8 years. Christine Lagarde will replace the outgoing President, Mario Draghi, as of 1 November 2019. Background On 2 July 2019, the European Council considered Christine Lagarde to be the appropriate candidate for President of […]
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European Council conclusions on Turkey, illegal drilling activities and flight MH17
The European Council met on October 17, 2019 to discuss Brexit, the enlargement of the EU and Turkey. The European Council adopted the EU’s strategic agenda for 2019-2024. Leaders also focused on climate, disinformation, the long-term EU budget, and external relations, including Russia and Turkey. Conclusiones TURKEY The European Council endorses the Council Conclusions of […]
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Commission opens investigation into proposed public support for Samsung plant in Hungary
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether Hungary’s plans to grant €108 million of public support to Samsung SDI for investing in the expansion of its battery cell production facility in Göd (Hungary) is in line with EU rules on regional State aid. Bakcground Samsung SDI is investing around €1.2 billion […]
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European Parliament President David Sassoli’s speech to the European Council
European Parliament President David Sassoli opened the European Council in Brussels on theh 17 of october 2019. This is the first time he has attended the Council in his role as President of the European Parliament. Brexit The agreement reached with the government of the United Kingdom is welcome. The European Parliament will examine closely […]
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Meet the winners of the 2019 EU Health Award for cities, NGOs and schools
For the 2019 edition of the EU Health Award, the European Commission rewarded outstanding initiatives by cities, NGOs and schools seeking to prevent and reduce obesity in children and young people (6-18 years old). Out of the more than 120 proposals received, three were shortlisted per category, for a total of nine initiatives. Of these, […]
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European Agenda on Migration four years on
Marked progress needs consolidating in face of volatile situation. Ahead of the October European Council, the Commission is today reporting on key progress under the European Agenda on Migration since 2015, with focus on steps taken by the EU since the last progress report in March 2019. The Commission also set out those areas where […]
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A minimally-invasive prognostic device for breast cancer
Dealing with suspected breast cancer is a traumatic experience, one that’s only worsened by how invasive current diagnostic and prognostic tools are. Surgical sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become the undisputed method for breast cancer prognosis since it was first reported in 1992. Steady improvements in survival rates have been observed over the past […]
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