Vaccination against COVID-19 started on 27 December 2020 across the European Union, in a moment of unity. To date, 4 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines have been licensed for use in the EU, following positive scientific recommendations from the European Medicines Agency: BioNTech-Pfizer: On 21 December 2020, the European Commission granted conditional marketing authorisation to […]
Andalusia for the Future of Europe
The Andalusia for the Future of Europe initiative, led by the Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and the Interior, with the collaboration of the European Information Network of Andalusia, aims to promote the participation of Andalusian society in the Conference on the Future of Europe promoted by the institutions of the European Union. […]
Conference on the Future of Europe: what is it and how will it work?
In a world fighting a pandemic and looking for solutions to long-term challenges such as climate change, the EU is committed to an open, democratic debate with people about what it should focus on. Inclusive, democratic process A recent Eurobarometer survey showed that 92% of Europeans want people’s voices “taken more into account in decisions relating […]
Why are morning people happier?
Scientists claim one sleep habit can lead to more happiness. Feeling the blues? It’s time to reset your alarm clock. According to a study published in the journal ‘JAMA Psychiatry’, adjusting your sleep schedule could be good for your mental health. The research concluded that waking up just an hour earlier than usual could lower […]
Slovenia takes up presidency of the Council
1 July 2021 marks the start of Slovenia’s presidency of the Council of the EU, which will last for the next six months. The presidency will strive to facilitate the EU’s recovery and reinforce its resilience, reflect on the future of Europe, strengthen the rule of law and European values, and increase security and stability […]
Average car emissions kept increasing in 2019, final data show
Average emissions from new passenger cars in Europe increased for the third consecutive year in 2019, reaching 122.3 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g CO2/km), according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) final data. Data about newly registered vans show a stable trend. New EEA data set baseline for emission reductions in heavy-duty vehicles. The EEA […]
“The Hungarian bill is a shame”, Von der Leyen
Statement by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, on the new Hungarian bill that discriminates against people based on their sexual orientation: This Hungarian bill is a shame. I have instructed the responsible commissioners to send a letter to express our legal concerns before the bill enters into force. This bill clearly discriminates against […]
HORIZON EUROPE: Increasing the reproducibility of scientific results
Expected Outcome Projects are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Structured understanding of the underlying drivers, of concrete and effective interventions – funding, community-based, technical and policy – to increase reproducibility of the results of R&I; and of their benefits; Effective solutions, policy-, technical- and practice-based, to increase the reproducibility of R&I results […]
Independent national advisory bodies can reinforce the role of science in climate policy
Efforts in tackling climate change at national level across Europe can be made more effective by robust governance frameworks as well as well-functioning, well-resourced advisory bodies. A European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published today analyses the institutional settings for climate policy making at the national level in Europe, the role played by advisory bodies in […]