The 24th meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro last December 16 provisionally closed accession negotiations on chapters 3 (right of establishment and freedom to provide services), 4 (free movement of capital), 6 (company law), 11 (agriculture and rural development) and 13 (fisheries). If necessary, the EU will revert to these chapters in due course. […]
Critical medicines: new measures to strengthen security of supply
On Monday evening, Parliament’s public health committee adopted its proposals to enhance the availability of key medicines in the EU. The draft bill, adopted with 27 votes in favour, one against and eight abstentions, aims to ensure a high level of public health protection for EU citizens by reducing the EU’s dependency on third countries […]
Commission approves Spanish state aid scheme to support decarbonisation
The European Commission has approved a Spanish scheme worth €408 million to support the decarbonisation of the manufacturing industry, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industry Pact. This measure, which will contribute to the transition towards a zero net emission economy, is financed under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism. The scheme has been […]
Internships – Eurodyssey Programme
Eurodyssey is a traineeship programme between European Regions. It allows young people aged 18-30 to benefit from a three to seven months paid vocational training course in a foreign business. The aim of the programme is to allow young people to gain work experience while improving their knowledge of a foreign language. Language training: the vast majority […]
Fishing opportunities for 2026 in EU and non-EU waters: Council secures agreement
Fisheries ministers have reached a political agreement on fishing opportunities in the Atlantic, the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and other waters for 2026 and for certain stocks for 2027 and 2028. The deal, reached following two days of negotiations, sets out fishing catch limits, known as ‘total allowable catches’ (TACs), and fishing effort […]
EU introduces customs duties on low-value e-commerce packages
The Commission welcomed last December 12’s decision by EU Member States to introduce a €3 customs duty per item on e-commerce parcels valued below €150, starting in July 2026. The new duty will help protect the competitiveness of European businesses by levelling the playing field between e-commerce and traditional retail. Given the rapid increase in e-commerce goods being imported into the EU, the Commission and Member States have together acknowledged the need for an urgent […]
Circular economy: deal on new EU rules for the automotive sector
Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on new EU circularity rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment. Improved vehicle design and use of recycled materials According to the agreed draft, all new vehicles should be designed so as to allow the easy removal of as many parts […]
Eurobarometer: Digital skills need equal priority in schools alongside reading, maths, and science
Nine in ten Europeans would include digital skills into education at all levels, according to a new Eurobarometer survey published last December 11. The ‘Future Needs in Digital Education’ survey reveals citizens’ views on the importance of digital skills in education, including the role of teachers, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), and the benefits and […]
EU becomes major Green Bond issuer
The EU has become one of the largest issuers of green bonds in the world, according to the 2025 edition of the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bonds Annual Allocation and Impact Report, published last December 9. It shows that, a total of €78.5 billion worth of NextGenerationEU Green Bonds have been issued to date, which will […]