In Brussels, EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, and US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the US Department of State, Erin Barclay, co-chaired the 2023 EU-US Human Rights Consultations. The EU and United States reaffirmed their strong mutual commitment to the transatlantic partnership and underscored its […]
LIFE: Implementation of the Ecodesign, Energy labelling and Tyre labelling policy
The project aims to provide support to environmental and consumer NGOs for their representation in the preparatory process for ecodesign and energy labelling legislation. The tasks to be undertaken under this grant agreement are focused on two areas: 1) Identifying, elaborating and channelling the contribution of consumer and environmental NGOs to the preparatory work for […]
Do you know how the European Union promotes reading?
International Book Day is celebrated every 23 April. The date coincides with the deaths of William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The initiative was launched by UNESCO in 1995 and aims to promote reading and protect copyright. This date is celebrated all over the world by book lovers. A cultural […]
Electronic and electrical waste in the European Union
WEEE represents one of the fastest growing waste streams in the EU, and less than 40% of it is recycled. Electronic and electrical devices define modern life: from washing machines and hoovers to smartphones and computers, it is hard to imagine life without them. Yet the waste they generate has become an obstacle to the […]
European Commission takes steps to cut red tape in merger cases
The European Commission has adopted a number of measures to further simplify its merger review procedures under the EU Merger Regulation. The package of measures includes: (i) a revised version of the Merger Implementing Regulation (“Implementing Regulation”), (ii) a Notice on simplified procedure (“Procedural Notice”), and (iii) a Notice on the transmission of documents (“Notice […]
European Parliament approves Europe’s first ever rules on crypto-assets
Parliament endorsed the first EU rules to trace crypto-asset transfers, prevent money laundering, as well as common rules on supervision and customer protection. On Thursday, MEPs approved with 529 votes in favour to 29 against and 14 abstentions, the first piece of EU legislation for tracing transfers of crypto-assets like bitcoins and electronic money tokens. The text […]
MEPs support establishment of EU rapid reaction force
The EU military instrument for rapid reaction to crises would consist of up to 5000 troops and should reach full operational capability by 2025 at the latest. In a resolution adopted on Wednesday by 444 votes in favour, 96 against and 86 abstentions, MEPs support the proposal to establish the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU […]
European Parliament adopts three resolutions on respect for Human Rights in Russia, Afghanistan and Nigeria
There have been human rights violations in Russia, Afghanistan and Nigeria. The European Parliament takes action. Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny Following the recent sentencing of Russian-British journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for having criticised Vladimir Putin’s regime, MEPs strongly condemn this politically motivated […]
Ukraine joins EU Civil Protection Mechanism
On 20th April, Ukraine becomes a Participating State of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism – the European solidarity framework that helps countries overwhelmed by a disaster. Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, is in Kyiv to officially sign an agreement on behalf of the European Union granting Ukraine full membership of the Mechanism. During his visit, he will […]