Europe’s got talent. But talent needs to be nurtured, especially as the EU is going through important demographic transition. This is even more needed in regions that suffer from a shrinking labour force and a low share of persons with a tertiary education, and in regions hit by the departure of young people. If left unaddressed, […]
10 milestones of 2022 in the European Union
2022 was a difficult year, marked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the energy crisis. But there were also achievements at the European level that set the course for a 2023 that promises further progress along the history of the European Union. 1. Common Charger How many chargers do you have in your drawers? […]
European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission decides to register a new initiative on safeguarding fundamental rights at the EU’s borders
Today, the Commission decided to register a European citizens’ initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Article 4: Stop torture and inhuman treatment at Europe’s borders’. The Initiative calls for a framework ensuring compliance with the prohibition of violence and inhuman and degrading treatments enshrined in Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in relation to the EU […]
Commission analyses the impact of the European quality framework for traineeships
The Commission has published an evaluation of the 2014 Quality Framework for Traineeships, assessing its implementation and contribution across the EU to strengthen the quality of traineeships as well as possible scope for improvement. Traineeships play a key role in helping young people gain practical experience and facilitate their access to the labour market. 85% […]
The Commission has adopted a proposal to give more time to certify medical devices
The Commission adopted a proposal to give more time to certify medical devices to mitigate the risk of shortages. The proposal introduces a longer transition period to adapt to new rules, as foreseen under the Medical Devices Regulation. The new deadlines depend on the medical devices’ risk class and will ensure continued access to medical […]
First cooperation and monitoring cycle to reach EU 2030 Digital Decade targets kicks off
The Digital Decade policy programme 2030, a monitoring and cooperation mechanism to achieve common targets for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030, has entered into force. For the first time, the European Parliament, Member States and the Commission have jointly set concrete objectives and targets in the four key areas of digital skills, infrastructure including connectivity, […]
Croatia joins the Euro and Schengen areas
On 1 January 2023 Croatia adopted the euro as its currency and fully joined the Schengen area. This marks an important milestone in the history of Croatia, of the euro and Schengen areas and of the EU as a whole. It follows a period of intensive preparation and substantial efforts by Croatia to meet all […]
Antitrust: Commission accepts commitments by Amazon
The European Commission has made commitments offered by Amazon legally binding under EU antitrust rules. Amazon’s commitments address the Commission’s competition concerns over Amazon’s use of non-public marketplace seller data and over a possible bias in granting to sellers access to its Buy Box and its Prime programme. The Commission’s concerns In July 2019, the […]
REACT-EU: €1.8 billion to boost employment, healthcare and social inclusion in Spain
Spain will receive an additional €1.8 billion under REACT-EU to boost employment, healthcare and social inclusion. The funds will help maintain employment through short-time work measures, and support workers and jobseekers in acquiring the skills needed for a more digital and green economy. The funds will also reinforce the healthcare sector and support Spain’s economic recovery from […]