The Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether Meta, the provider of Facebook and Instagram, may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to the protection of minors. The Commission is concerned that the systems of both Facebook and Instagram, including their algorithms, may stimulate behavioural addictions in children, as well as […]
International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU
Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world. Ensuring that no one is left behind requires us to focus on fighting inequalities and multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Equality, freedom and justice must apply to everyone regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender […]
EU expands scope of sanctions against Iran
The Council has decided to broaden the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This framework, adopted in July 2023, currently prohibits the export of components used in the construction and production of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from the EU to Iran, and […]
The European Commission approves a €120 million Spanish scheme to support investments in strategic sectors of the Asturias region
The European Commission has approved a €120 million Spanish scheme to support investments in strategic sectors in the Asturias region to foster the transition to a zero net emission economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework for state aid, adopted by the […]
Council calls for more support to promote the positive impact of influencers in the EU
The Council has approved conclusions on ways to support influencers as online content creators in the EU. ‘Influencers’ – online creators who post content on social media and video-sharing platforms – are having an increasing impact on the online content and information that people consume on a daily basis in the EU. While this impact is […]
Commission designates Booking as a gatekeeper and opens a market investigation into X
The European Commission has designated under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Booking as a gatekeeper for its online intermediation service Booking.com and decided not to designate X Ads and TikTok Ads. In parallel, the Commission has opened a market investigation to further assess the rebuttal submitted in relation to the online social networking service X. This decisions follow a […]
European Court of Auditors: It takes too long to recover misspent EU money
The EU auditors found that, while the European Commission ensures that irregular expenditure is recorded accurately and promptly, getting this money back often takes too long. For jointly managed agricultural funds where member states have primary responsibility, recovery rates are generally low, but with significant differences between EU countries. From 2014-2022, €14 billion of such […]
What is the relationship between gender equality and financial independence?
Social media platforms currently are witnessing a growing and concerning trend that sees traditional gender roles glorified while questioning the need for women’s financial independence. EIGE’s new report ‘Financial independence and gender equality: joining the dots on income, wealth and power’ offers a compelling perspective into why financial independence remains critical for women and men. And what we […]
Artificial intelligence: is the EU’s grand plan succeeding?
Imagine we asked a chatbot what would determine the path of the EU’s future economic development. Its answer would likely be “AI”. Politicians and experts might struggle to come up with a better answer. In 2018, the European Commission adopted a coordinated plan with the member states ‒ reviewed in 2021 ‒ to scale up investment in AI and […]