The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether Meta, the provider of Facebook and Instagram, may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA). Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared on 30 April: “This Commission has created means to protect European citizens from targeted disinformation and manipulation by third countries. If we suspect […]
European Commission sends Statement of Objections on proposed takeover of Air Europa by IAG
The European Commission has informed International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A. (‘IAG‘) of the Commission’s preliminary view that IAG’s proposed acquisition of sole control of Air Europa Holding, S.L. (‘Air Europa‘) may restrict competition in the market for passenger air transport services, in particular for routes within, to and from Spain. The Commission is concerned that […]
EU and Türkiye deepen cooperation on green and digital transition
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, held the second EU-Türkiye High-Level Dialogue on science, research, technology and innovation in Istanbul. This marks a significant milestone in EU-Türkiye research and innovation cooperation. The two sides have announced that three […]
Lobbying lawmakers: EU audit reveals transparency blind spots
Lobbying EU lawmakers can still slip under the radar, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. The EU transparency register, which provides information on who lobbies the Commission, Parliament, and Council, has positive features and informs citizens about the potential influence of lobbyists. However, it suffers from weaknesses and information gaps that make […]
The European Commission proposes to facilitate the mobility of young people between the EU and the United Kingdom.
The Commission has proposed to the Council to open negotiations with the United Kingdom on an agreement to facilitate youth mobility. Such an agreement would make it easier for young EU and UK citizens to study, work and live in the UK and the EU respectively. The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has […]
European Commission mobilises unallocated European Horizon funds to accelerate green and digital transitions
The Commission has adopted an amendment to the 2023-24 work programme of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. The amendment mobilises previously unallocated Horizon Europe funds to increase the 2024 budget by almost €1.4 billion to a total of €7.3 billion. This amendment includes an investment of almost €650 million in EU missions […]
EU requests consultations under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on UK permanent closure of sandeel fisheries
The European Union requested consultations with the United Kingdom under the dispute settlement mechanism of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) regarding the United Kingdom’s decision to prohibit the fishing of sandeel, with the aim of reaching a mutually agreeable solution. Effective since 26 March 2024, the closure of the sandeel fishery covers English […]
Europe’s focus on semiconductor innovation with new test facilities
The Public Authorities Board of the Chips Joint Undertaking selected the consortia that will implement four pilot lines for semiconductor technology. It is a major step in the implementation of the European Chips Act, in particular for its Chips for Europe Initiative. These pilot lines are pioneering, state-of-the-art facilities to test, experiment, and validate semiconductor […]
Interoperable 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 […]