Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President responsible for the Promotion of our European way of life, will visit the Canary Islands in view of the migratory challenges facing the archipelago. He will meet the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo Battle. The Vice-President will travel tomorrow to Tenerife, where he will visit, together with President Clavijo Batlle, […]
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More than 3.7 million first residence permits in 2023
More than 3.7 million first residence permits were issued in the EU to non-EU citizens in 2023, a 4.7% increase compared with 2022, and the highest number recorded to date. Employment remained the main reason for issuing residence permits in 2023, accounting for 33.8% (1.3 million) of all first residence permits issued, indicating a modest decrease compared with 2022 […]
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Eurostat: EU population increases again in 2024
After a decline in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU’s population has increased for the second consecutive year, rising from 447.6 million on 1 January 2023 to 449.2 million people on 1 January 2024. The negative natural change (more deaths than births) was outnumbered by the positive net migration. […]
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European Commission presents the Common Implementation Plan of the Pact on Migration and Asylum
After a historic agreement was reached on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, work has started to translate the large and complex set of legislative acts into an operational reality over the next two years. This will be a common endeavour, with the Commission supporting Member States every step of the way. The Common Implementation Plan […]
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EU Justice Scoreboard 2024 shows that perception of judicial independence has improved
The European Commission has published the twelfth edition of the EU Justice Scoreboard, an annual overview providing comparative data on the efficiency, quality, and independence of justice systems among the EU Member States. Compared to last year, the public’s perception of judicial independence has improved, also in countries that had experienced systemic challenges. This year’s […]
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Increase in tourist overnight stays in the European Union in 2024
In the first quarter of 2024, there were 452.6 million overnight stays in tourist accommodations across the EU, marking a 7% increase compared with the same quarter of 2023. January recorded 133.9 million nights (+3% compared with January 2023), February 149.2 million (+6%) and March 169.5 million (+9%). This information comes from monthly data on tourist accommodation up to […]
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Eurostat: do you know in which EU country people work the longest hours?
In 2023, the actual weekly working hours for people aged 20-64 in their main job, in the EU, averaged 36.1 hours. A closer look at EU countries reveals notable differences. The longest working weeks were recorded in Greece (39.8 hours), Romania (39.5), Poland (39.3) and Bulgaria (39.0). By contrast, the Netherlands had the shortest working […]
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Joint statement of the parties to the European Economic Area Agreement on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its entry into force
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement. The EEA Agreement, which unites our States in the internal market, has been the bedrock of our close and special partnership. It has greatly contributed to the prosperity of our societies and economies. This exceptional milestone invites […]
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Council adopts updated Schengen Borders Code
The Council has given its final approval to a new Schengen Borders Code, the EU’s rulebook that deals with the management of internal and external borders as well as the rules governing border control of persons crossing the external EU borders. The reform is instrumental in making the Schengen area more resilient to present and […]
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