In the EU, discrimination based on any grounds is prohibited by law. Yet for many people this is still a daily reality. To tackle this, the Commission has since 2020 put forward novel initiatives against racism, antisemitism, but also for LGBTIQ people and Roma communities. Progress reports on all four have recently been published. The first […]
First EU-Gulf Cooperation Council summit
The first summit between the leaders of the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will take place today, 16 October, in Brussels. The summit will be co-chaired by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the Emir of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as the rotating President of […]
High Representative, on behalf of the European Union, condemns recent attacks on UNIFIL
The European Union expresses its grave concern about the recent escalation along the Blue Line. The EU condemns all attacks against UN missions. It expresses particularly grave concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which left several peacekeepers wounded. Such attacks against UN […]
Council urges action against desertification in the EU
The Council of the European Union has adopted conclusions addressing the urgent challenges posed by desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD), underscoring the critical need for a cohesive and integrated approach to environmental management across the EU. These conclusions highlight the increasing frequency and severity of droughts, alongside the exacerbation of desertification and land degradation both globally […]
InvestEU is playing a key role in making the EU more sustainable and competitive
The Commission has presented the mid-term evaluation of InvestEU, the EU’s flagship investment programme to facilitate better access to finance for businesses across Europe, in support of common priorities. Halfway through its duration, InvestEU has already unlocked ¤218 billion in additional investment, and 90% of the EU guarantee has been allocated. The programme consists of […]
Joint statement by the EU and other countries on the situation in Lebanon
The European Union, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States have signed a joint statement in the following terms: “The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023 is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation. This […]
EU invests €65 million in quantum chips
The Joint Undertaking for Chips has today opened calls to support research and innovation initiatives in semiconductors. This is the first call of its kind in quantum technologies to increase investment in cutting-edge technologies, in particular quantum chips for computing and sensing. The EU funding for this call is €65 million and is expected to […]
Rail market opening: competition leads to lower ticket prices, EU study finds
A study released by the European Commission today highlights the user benefits of competition in both passenger rail and rail freight services. It reveals that increased competition in the EU rail market has resulted in significant reductions in ticket prices for rail passengers and in freight transportation costs. Efficiency gains are evident across all segments – passenger open access, public […]
Commission opens WTO consultations on China’s anti-subsidy investigation on EU dairy products
The Commission has today launched a request for consultation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), challenging China’s initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation against imports of certain EU dairy products. This is the first time that the EU has decided to challenge an investigation at its initial stage. The EU’s action has been prompted by an […]