MEPs urge the Council to incorporate sexual and reproductive healthcare and the right to safe and legal abortion into the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. In a resolution adopted on Thursday by 336 votes in favour, 163 against and 39 abstentions, the House calls for enshrining abortion rights in the EU Charter of Fundamental […]
Read MoreInteroperable Europe Act enters into force for better connected public services for people and businesses
The Interoperable Europe Act, which enters into force today, will facilitate cross-border data exchange and accelerate the digital transformation of the public sector. The Act is essential to reaching the objectives of the EU’s Digital Decade, such as having 100% of key public services available online by 2030. Interoperability is a core feature of a […]
Read MoreMonetary policy decisions: ECB keeps interest rates unchanged at 4.5%.
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank decided to keep the three key ECB interest rates unchanged. The incoming information has broadly confirmed the Governing Council’s previous assessment of the medium-term inflation outlook. Inflation has continued to fall, led by lower food and goods price inflation. Most measures of underlying inflation are easing, wage […]
Read MoreThe Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste receives the European Heritage Label
The Commission has awarded the European Heritage Label 2023 to seven sites across the continent, recognising their key role in Europe’s history and culture. They are: “Cisterscapes – Cistercian Landscapes Connecting Europe” (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Slovenia); the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste (Spain); “Our Lord in the Attic” Museum (The Netherlands); […]
Read MoreSpanish was the second most studied foreign language in upper secondary education in the EU.
In 2022, 60.8% of students in general upper secondary education across the EU studied two or more foreign languages as compulsory subjects or as compulsory curricular options, a decrease of only 0.2 percentage points compared to 2021 (61.0%). In upper secondary vocational education, this percentage was 33.8 %, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points compared […]
Read MoreEuropean Parliament extends exemption to EU privacy rules that makes it easier to detect child sexual abuse content on the internet until 2026
On Wednesday Parliament backed prolonging an exemption to EU privacy rules facilitating the detection of child sexual abuse material online until 3 April 2026. With 469 in favour, 112 against and 37 abstentions, MEPs endorsed a temporary extension of the current e-Privacy derogation that allows the voluntary detection, by internet platforms, of […]
Read MoreNew rules on labelling of honey, juice, jam and marmalade adopted
The revision of the “breakfast directives” aims to help consumers make informed and healthier decisions on products such as honey, fruit juice, jam and marmalades. Parliament on Wednesday approved the provisional political agreement with Council on updated rules on the composition, name, labelling and presentation of certain ‘breakfast’ foodstuffs, the so-called “breakfast directives”, with 603 […]
Read MoreNew rules to improve the treatment and reuse of urban wastewater are given the green light by the European Parliament
Improved monitoring of chemical contaminants, pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. Drug and cosmetic manufacturers and Member States should finance additional treatment against micropollutants. Boosting the re-use of waste water to avoid water shortages MEPs on Wednesday gave the green light to new rules on the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water. The plenary […]
Read MoreEU agri-food trade achieved a record surplus in 2023
EU agri-food trade balance reached its record level in 2023, according to the latest report published by the European Commission. After a good performance of the EU agri-food trade in 2022, the most recent report released by the European Commission indicates that the EU agri-food trade balance reached its record level in 2023. EU exports reached […]
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