As Europe is fighting wildfires in several Member States, the Commission is swiftly mobilising assistance via the EU civil protection mechanism (UCPM). Over the weekend, Portugal and France have activated the UCPM due to devastating wildfires, with several of them active simultaneously and burning thousands of hectares. France activated the UCPM on 5 July. The European Commission […]
Specialist prosecutors step up the fight against human trafficking
On 17 and 18 June, the Working Group of Prosecutors Specialising in Human Trafficking met at Eurojust’s headquarters in The Hague. The meeting was co-chaired by the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and focused on recent developments in the fight against human trafficking. This fifth meeting of the Working Group addressed the practical challenges of applying the […]
The EU has pledged more than 338 million euros for the global protection of the oceans at the ‘Our Ocean’ conference held in Kenya
The European Union has pledged 338.35 million euros to support ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries and maritime safety at the Our Ocean 2026 Conference. Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, announced the news at the event, which is taking place today and tomorrow in Mombasa, Kenya. The EU funding will help to ensure safe, clean, healthy […]
The Commission is stepping up its efforts in the field of the European bioeconomy
The European Commission is stepping up the implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategyby launching three complementary initiatives. These include the Bio-based Alliance (BEA) to support market expansion, the Bioeconomy Investment Deployment Group (BIDG) to improve access to finance,and the Bioeconomy Expert Group to support implementation by Member States. Call for alliance members In this context, […]
The EU launches the Trans-Mediterranean Cooperation on Renewable Energy and Clean Technology
On 9 June, the European Union launched the Trans-Mediterranean Cooperation on Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (T-MED), a flagship initiative under the Pact for the Mediterranean. T-MED aims to accelerate the development of renewable energy, hydrogen, clean technology manufacturing and modern electricity grids across the Mediterranean region, with a view to fostering a more integrated, […]
The Commission has decided to refer Spain and Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose agreed legislation
The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the revised EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) Directive [Directive (EU) 2023/959] into national law. The Commission has also decided to refer Spain and Poland to the Court for failing to transpose the revised […]
The Commission is launching the OceanEye initiative to put the EU at the forefront of ocean observation.
The European Commission has adopted OceanEye to expand the EU’s role in ocean observation. This initiative aims to position the EU as the world’s leading provider of ocean information, contributing 35% of the global ocean observation system by 2035 and securing 35% of the ocean observation technology market. The ocean covers 70% of the Earth’s […]
Stricter anti-corruption rules come into force
On 31 May, more harmonised anti-corruption rules came into force across the EU under the new Anti-Corruption Directive. The Directive introduces modern rules to better prevent, detect and punish corruption throughout the EU, thereby helping to safeguard democratic institutions, the rule of law and public trust, whilst promoting competitiveness across the European Union. The new […]
The Commission is accelerating the transition away from the use of animals in chemical safety assessments
The European Commission has presented a roadmap for the phasing out of animal testing in chemical safety assessments, setting out clear and concrete steps to ensure the transition to innovative, non-animal approaches. This roadmap will also safeguard the integrity of safety assessments, which ensure a high level of protection for human and animal health, as […]