The European Union has announced its decision to extend until 31 March 2025 the suspension of its rebalancing tariffs on US products in the context of the steel and aluminium dispute. Initially implemented during the Trump Presidency, the EU rebalancing tariffs on US exports were a response to the US “Section 232” tariffs on steel […]
EU to invest over EUR 65 million in clean technology projects
The Commission has today selected 17 small-scale innovative clean tech projects to receive over €65 million in project support under the EU Innovation Fund. These funds will help companies in Europe, including small businesses, to bring breakthrough technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, and energy storage. The selected projects cover a wide range […]
EU Council reaches agreement on new rules on packaging and packaging waste
The Council has reached an agreement (‘general approach’) on a proposal for a regulation on packaging and packaging waste. The aim is to tackle the increase in packaging waste generated in the EU, while harmonising the internal market for packaging and boosting the circular economy. The proposal considers the full life cycle of packaging. It […]
EU companies doubled R&D investment growth in 2022
Europe’s industry significantly increased its investment in research and development in 2022, according to the 2023 edition of the EU Industrial Research & Development (R&D) Investment Scoreboard. EU private R&D investment growth has reached the highest rate since 2015 and more than doubled compared to 2021, with 13.6% increase in 2022. In comparison, China has decreased […]
Council approves fishing opportunities for 2024 in EU and non-EU waters
Following three days of negotiations, fisheries ministers agreed on fishing opportunities in the Atlantic, the North Sea, and in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas for 2024. The political agreement reached by the Council is in line with the goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of fish stocks, while at the same time protecting the livelihoods of communities that […]
Enlargement: how do countries join the EU?
EU enlargement is a way to foster peace and stability in Europe, increase prosperity for Europeans and create opportunities for companies. Countries preparing to join benefit from closer ties with the EU, stronger support for fundamental rights as well as from funding and expertise from the EU to make the process easier. In November 2023, […]
New rules to boost energy efficiency in buildings across the EU
The Commission welcomes the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council to reduce the emissions and energy use of buildings across the EU. The strengthened Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) will support the EU’s efforts to decarbonise buildings across the whole Union. This is an area in which the concrete impact of […]
EU-China summit, 7 December 2023 – Main results
The 24th EU-China summit took place in Beijing, China. This was the first in-person EU-China summit since 2019. President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by High Representative Josep Borrell, represented the EU. They met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang at […]
EU expenditure on R&D reaches €352 billion in 2022
In 2022, the EU spent €352 billion on research & development (R&D), 6.34% more than in the previous year (€331 billion) and 48.52% more than in 2012 (€237 billion). When looking at R&D intensity, i.e. R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, data show a slight decrease from 2.27% in 2021 to 2.22% in 2022. […]