The Council has adopted the Euro 7 regulation, which lays down rules on emission limits for road vehicles and battery durability. This is the last step in the decision-making procedure. The text adopted covers cars, vans and heavy-duty vehicles in one single legal act and aims to further lower air pollutant emissions from exhaust fumes […]
Rwanda: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the occasion of the 30th commemoration of the Genocide Against the Tutsi
Last 7 April 2024 marked the 30th commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. On this solemn, tragic occasion, the European Union joins the Rwandan nation and its people in the remembrance of the over 1 million men, women and children who were murdered in a campaign of deliberate atrocities. The EU expresses […]
Lobbying EU lawmakers: fair game?
Lobbying is an essential democratic tool that allows organisations and individuals to provide input for policy and decision-making. However, without transparency mechanisms, it can result in undue influence, unfair competition, and even corruption. The EU’s lawmakers – the Commission, Parliament and Council – have signed up to the EU transparency register, a central entry point […]
Council gives green light to new legislation toughening penalties and extending the list of environmental offences
The Council formally adopted a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. The law will improve the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime offences. The directive establishes EU-wide minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and penalties. It replaces the previous law which dates back to 2008. The law will only […]
Budget 2025: Council agrees on guidelines for next year’s EU budget
The Council reached an agreement on its guidelines for the 2025 EU budget. The approved guidelines will provide political guidance to the Commission in preparing the budget for next year. In its conclusions, the Council underlines that the EU budget for 2025 has a key role in the development and delivery of the long-term objectives […]
Platform workers: Council confirms agreement on new rules to improve their working conditions
EU employment and social affairs ministers confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 8 February 2024 between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the platform work directive. This EU legal act aims to improve working conditions and regulate the use of algorithms by digital labour platforms. The directive will make the use of […]
United and prepared against energy supply disruptions
Ministers held an exchange of views on the state of play of security of supply and preparations for winter 2024-2025. Among other things, they addressed ways to avoid, both individually and collectively, new price shocks and to strengthen energy security, while achieving the established targets on decarbonisation and on phasing out Russian fossil fuels. Different […]
Council adopts regulation on instant payments in euro
The Council adopted a regulation that will make instant payments fully available in euro to consumers and businesses in the EU and in EEA countries. The new rules will improve the strategic autonomy of the European economic and financial sector as they will help reduce any excessive reliance on third-country financial institutions and infrastructures. Improving the possibilities […]
EU countries agree on migration and asylum pact
EU member states’ representatives (Coreper) approved the provisional deal that was reached between the Council presidency and the European Parliament on 20 December 2023, constituting a pact of five key laws which will reform the EU’s asylum and migration system. Pact on asylum and migration The five EU laws of the pact touch upon all […]