The Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) as part of its mandate on preparedness, has signed on behalf of participating Member States, a joint procurement framework contract for the supply of up to 665,000 pre-pandemic vaccine doses of the up-to-date Zoonotic Influenza Vaccine Seqirus, as well as an option for a further 40 million doses […]
European Union signs aviation agreement with the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
The European Union and Bangladesh have signed a Horizontal Aviation Agreement . This agreement will allow any EU airline to operate flights between Bangladesh and any of the seven EU Member States whose bilateral air services agreements with Bangladesh does not already allow this. Previously, these bilateral air services agreements only permitted airlines owned and controlled […]
CJEU Judgment: the Court upholds the Commission’s decision authorising the solvency support fund for strategic Spanish undertakings
Ryanair had challenged that decision, relating to an aid scheme amounting to €10 billion. In July 2020, Spain notified the European Commission of an aid scheme to set up a solvency support fund. The beneficiaries were (non-financial) strategic Spanish undertakings experiencing temporary difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. That aid scheme provided for […]
Is the clock ticking on AI?
Renowned AI experts call on world governments and tech giants to take action now on AI risks. “Probably none of us will have a job,” Elon Musk stated about AI when speaking remotely at a leading tech conference in Paris on 23 May. The billionaire hasn’t been shy about referring to AI as his biggest […]
European Commission distributes 35 511 travel vouchers to young people under DiscoverEU programme
35 511 young people will receive travel vouchers from the Commission to travel around Europe for free, starting already this summer. The Commission announced today the outcome of the latest round of the DiscoverEU programme, which is part of the Erasmus+ programme. DiscoverEU, as part of the Erasmus+ programme, offers 18-year-old residents of EU Member […]
Commission kick-starts work on a new pilot mechanism to boost the hydrogen market
The Commission is taking further steps to support the development of the European hydrogen market by launching work on a pilot mechanism. The new mechanism was created under the recently-adopted decarbonised gases and hydrogen package, and aims to accelerate investments by providing a clearer picture of the market situation of both off-takers and suppliers and facilitating contacts between them. It will be in […]
European Commission designates Temu as Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act
The Commission has formally designated Temu as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). Temu is an online marketplace with an average of more than 45 million monthly users in the European Union. This user number, which Temu has communicated to the Commission, is above the DSA threshold for designation as a […]
European Commission approves up to €1.4 billion for fourth major project of common European interest in the hydrogen value chain
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a fourth Important Project of Common European Interest (‘IPCEI’) to support research, innovation and the first industrial deployment in the hydrogen value chain. The project contributes to the EU’s target of 90% reduction of emissions from the mobility and transport sectors, in order for the […]
Commission establishes AI Office to strengthen EU leadership in safe and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
The Commission has unveiled the AI Office, established within the Commission. The AI Office aims at enabling the future development, deployment and use of AI in a way that fosters societal and economic benefits and innovation, while mitigating risks. The Office will play a key role in the implementation of the AI Act, especially in relation […]