The European Investment Fund (EIF) has signed guarantee agreements with Soria Futuro, Treball Solidari and Fundación Seira to facilitate access to finance for microenterprises and entrepreneurs in the Spanish social sector. The EIF guarantee will enable these organisations to mobilise up to EUR 12 million in favour of the Spanish social sector and reduce the […]
Teresa Anjinho elected as new European Ombudsman
The last Tuesday, Parliament backed Teresa Anjinho (Portugal) as the European Ombudsman for a five-year mandate, with the support of 344 MEPs in a secret plenary vote. The new European Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho is an independent human rights expert and academic researcher, serving as a member of the Supervisory Committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office […]
Commission endorses the integration of the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation into the Digital Services Act
The Commission and the European Board for Digital Services endorsed the integration of the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation into the framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This integration will make the Code a benchmark for determining platforms’ compliance with the DSA. In January 2025, the signatories of the Code – including companies designated under the […]
Commission authorizes the acquisition of BISA by Repsol and Bunge
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of BISA (from Spain) by Repsol (from Spain) and Bunge (from Switzerland). The transaction mainly relates to the processing of oilseeds and the production of biodiesel. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given its […]
The 2025 SME Fund is now operational
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 […]
Bauhaus 2025 European Awards and the new NEB Boost for Small Municipalities open for applications
A couple of days ago we announced the new European Bauhaus Prizes 2025 and the new NEB Boost for Small Municipalities. The call for applications is now open. Entries can be submitted until 14 February 2015, 19.00 CET via the website New European Bauhaus Prizes 2025 | New European Bauhaus Prizes. […]
Erasmus+ annual report: 1.3 million beneficiaries and 32 000 projects supported by 2023
The Erasmus+ Annual Report 2023 published yesterday presents the programme’s achievements in supporting lifelong learning and cooperation, with a particular focus on social inclusion, green and digital transitions and the promotion of EU values. The report also explains how the programme has supported projects addressing the consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, […]
Axencia Galega de Infraestruturas, among the winners of the Excellence i Road Safety Awards
On 15 november, the Commission announced the winners of the 2024 Road Safety Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding and innovative contributions to road safety across Europe. Each year, the awards reward the most outstanding contributions from the European Road Safety Charter platform – made up of organisations, authorities and companies – that have had a significant […]
EU launches call for EU companies to invest in Ukraine recovery and reconstruction
At the first EU-Ukraine Investment Conference, which started on 13 November, the European Union has launched a call for expressions of interest to mobilise EU private investment in critical areas to support Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts. Proposals will be reviewed and matched with the most suitable investment projects funded under the Ukraine Investment Framework, which is […]