The European Commission has today proposed to Member States to authorise the opening of negotiations with Ukraine regarding its participation in the government satellite communications component (Govsatcom) of the EU Space Programme and the EU’s Secure Connectivity Programme. Govsatcom is designed to provide secure and resilient satellite communication capabilities by pooling and sharing existing satellite […]
Egypt becomes second African country to join Horizon Europe
On Tuesday 22nd, Egypt has officially joined Horizon Europe, becoming the second African country associated to the EU’s multibillion-euro research and innovation (R&I) programme. This grants Egyptian researchers, universities, innovators and entities access to all parts of the programme on similar terms to those of EU Member States. It enables them to lead projects, contribute […]
Modernising EU driving rules to improve road safety
MEPs back a review of EU rules on driving licences with new rules on novice drivers, digital licensing and driving disqualifications. On Tuesday, the European Parliament confirmed an update of the rules governing driving licences in the EU. The aim: to contribute to road safety and reduce the number of accidents that claim almost 20,000 […]
Council agrees its position on rules to phase out Russian gas imports under REPowerEU
The Council today agreed on its negotiating position on the draft regulation to phase out imports of Russian natural gas. The regulation constitutes a central element of the EU’s REPowerEU roadmap to end dependency on Russian energy, following Russia’s weaponisation of gas supplies and repeated disruptions of gas supplies to the EU with significant effects on the European […]
New chapter in the cooperation between Europe and Canada
The European Union and Canada have concluded a Security and Defence Partnership and launched cooperation initiatives in industrial policy and digital trade during a bilateral summit held yesterday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa welcomed Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney in Brussels, days after he hosted the G7 Summit in Kananaskis. With the new […]
Nearly one in four children in the EU (24%) faced the risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024.
In 2024, 19.5 million children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This figure represented 24.2% of children under the age of 18, down by 0.6 percentage points (pp) from 2023 (24.8%). At the country level, in 2024, the highest values were reported in Bulgaria (35.1%), Spain (34.6%) and Romania (33.8%). In contrast, Slovenia (11.8%), Cyprus (14.8%) […]
President Ursula von der Leyen in Uzbekistan to take the EU-Central Asia partnership to the next level
President Ursula von der Leyen, together with President António Costa, will attend the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday 4 April. This visit is a strong signal of the EU’s political commitment to a deeper and stronger partnership with Central Asia. European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are heading to Samarkand to […]
European Youth Goals Awards
The European Youth Goals Awards recognise young changemakers across Europe whose projects contribute to achieving the European Youth Goals. The awards are organised by the Cities of Learning Network, which fosters accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning experiences for young people. Eligibility criteria Teams of at least four young people aged 13 to 30, independent or supported […]
Volunteering – Service Civique – EU countries
The “Service Civique”, the French National Civil Service, offers projects lasting between 6 and 12 months worldwide. The weekly commitment is between 24 and 35 hours and makes the Civil Service compatible with study or part time work. The projects take place in public and private non-profit bodies working on solidarity, health, culture and leisure, […]