The Representation of the European Commission in Spain and the Association of European Journalists, with the support of the European Parliament’s Information Office in Spain, announce the 30th edition of the “Salvador de Madariaga” European Journalism Prize. Journalists’ associations, media, journalism faculties and centres and professionals in the humanities can submit candidates for each […]
The Commission decides to refer SPAIN to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to complete the revision of its hydrological plans.
The European Commission decided to refer Bulgaria , Ireland , Spain , Malta , Portugal and Slovakia to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failure to finalise the revision of their river basin management plans, as required under the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) and/or of their flood risk management plans as required under the Floods Directive (Directive 2007/60/EC). The Water Framework Directive […]
Fight against child sexual abuse gets new impetus thanks to updated criminal law rules
The Commission is adopting a proposal to update the criminal law rules on child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. Child sexual abuse is a heinous crime which has evolved significantly over the past years. These revised rules expand the definitions of offences and introduce higher penalties and more specific requirements for prevention and assistance to […]
Easier access to EU funding for rural areas thanks to EU Rural Toolkit
The Commission launched a new interactive guide mapping all funding opportunities available at EU level for rural areas. EU funds and programmes that can foster sustainable growth and well-being in rural areas abound. However, identifying the most appropriate option is not always straightforward for potential beneficiaries. The Rural toolkit gathers funding opportunities from 26 different […]
European Commission disburses €1.4 billion in pre-financing to Spain for implementation of its REPowerEU plan
Last Thursday, the Commission disbursed €1.4 billion to Spain in pre-financing grants related to the REPowerEU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM). This second and final REPowerEU pre-financing tranche complements the €340 million of loans previously disbursed to Spain on 25 January 2024. This pre-financing will help accelerate the implementation of the key […]
27 January: Holocaust Remembrance Day: “Hitler did not win!”
27 January marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. On Thursday, Irene Shashar, a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto, addressed MEPs in a plenary session in Brussels to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. “We pay tribute today to the victims of the Holocaust […]
Commission launches AI innovation package to support Artificial Intelligence startups and SMEs
The Commission has launched a package of measures to support European startups and SMEs in the development of trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) that respects EU values and rules. This follows the political agreement reached in December 2023 on the EU AI Act – the world’s first comprehensive law on Artificial Intelligence – which will support the […]
Statement by the European Commission and the High Representative on International Day of Education
Ahead of the International Day of Education on 24 January, the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell made the following statement: “Education and lifelong learning are essential to achieve a just and sustainable development, and tackle inequalities, through dialogue, solidarity, mutual understanding and cooperation, inclusive, democratic and participatory governance, and gender equality. At the same time, they are key to […]
European Commission and EIF join forces to boost investment in defence innovation
The European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have joined forces to step up their support to EU’s defence and security through the launch of the Defence Equity Facility. The initiative, consisting of €100 million from the European Defence Fund and an additional €75 million from the European Investment Fund, will significantly expand EIF’s investment capacity to support, […]