On 14th June, the European Commission has approved a new bilateral allocation to Palestine worth €224.8 million. This new assistance package will support the Palestinian Authority and crucial projects in the occupied Palestinian territory. This package complements previous contributions, such as €92 million to support UNRWA, bringing the total EU assistance to the Palestinians in 2021 to €317 million. […]
State aid: Commission approves 500 million Finnish scheme
The European Commission has approved an €500 million scheme to support companies active in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted by the Commission on 23 March 2022, based on Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’), recognising that […]
EU budget 2023
The Commission has proposed an annual EU budget of €185.6 billion for 2023, to be complemented by an estimated €113.9 billion in grants under NextGenerationEU. The EU budget will continue to mobilise significant investments to boost Europe’s strategic autonomy, the ongoing economic recovery, safeguard sustainability and create jobs. The Commission will continue to prioritise green […]
Council and Parliament reach provisional agreement on minimum wages
The presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators reached a provisional political agreement on the draft directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU. The new law – once finally adopted – will promote the adequacy of statutory minimum wages and thus help to achieve decent working and living conditions for European employees. The […]
Commission approves 10 billion aid scheme for Spain
The European Commission has approved an up to €10 billion Spanish scheme (“National Guarantee Scheme”) to support self-employed and companies across sectors in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted by the Commission on 23 March 2022, based on Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on […]
Croatia prepares for euro adoption
As of 1 June, the European Commission has concluded that Croatia is ready to adopt the euro on 1 January 2023, bringing the number of euro area Member States to twenty. The conclusion is set out in the 2022 Convergence Report, which assesses the progress that Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden have […]
Suspension of EU import duties on Ukrainian exports set for fast-track approval
The International Trade Committee gave their green light on Monday for a one-year suspension of all EU import duties on Ukrainian exports to support the country’s economy. MEPs in the International Trade Committee approved a proposal of the temporary trade liberalisation of Ukrainian products, in the wake of Russia’s war of aggression that is hampering Ukraine’s ability […]
Commission will phase out State aid COVID Temporary Framework
The European Commission will phase out the State aid COVID Temporary Framework, adopted on 19 March 2020 and last amended on 18 November 2021, enabling Member States to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. The State aid COVID Temporary Framework will not be extended beyond the current expiry date, which is 30 […]
More efficient strategies needed to safeguard and protect the landscape
More efficient state aid and agro-forestry strategies are essential to close the cohesion gap in rural areas. Sustainable and efficient management of agriculture and forestry is essential to safeguard and protect the landscape, keep rural economies alive, fight depopulation and, in this way, combat development disparities. Regional and local leaders call on the European Union […]