The Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office have launched the SME Fund 2025 to provide financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a grant scheme designed to help SMEs to better manage and protect their intangible assets. The SME Fund helps SMEs protect their intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, industrial designs […]
69 270 asylum applications in August 2024
In August 2024, 69 270 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, a fall of almost a quarter (24.8%) compared with August 2023 (92 055). There were also 6 285 subsequent applicants, representing a 4.6% increase compared with August 2023 (6 010). This information comes from the monthly asylum data published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the […]
Council extends deadline for implementation of EU deforestation law
The Council agreed on its position on the targeted amendment of the EU deforestation regulation, postponing its date of application by 12 months. This postponement will allow third countries, member states, operators and traders to be fully prepared in their due diligence obligations, which is to ensure that certain commodities and products sold in the […]
Commission proposes an EU Digital Travel application for easier and safer travel
Today, the European Commission adopted two proposals to digitalise passports and identity cards, also called ‘EU Digital Travel application’, for individuals travelling to and from the Schengen area. Both EU citizens and non-EU citizens are subject to systematic checks when crossing the EU’s external borders. Currently, these checks are made physically at the border crossing […]
Commission antitrust rules
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence and a public consultation inviting feedback on the performance of the EU Regulations which lay out the procedures for the application of EU competition rules (Regulation 1/2003 and Regulation 773/2004). Interested parties can respond to the public consultation for 14 weeks, until 6 October 2022. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge […]