The Commission has adopted the second strategic plan for Horizon Europe. The plan, announced at the flagship Research and Innovation Days, sets out three key strategic orientations for EU’s research and innovation funding for the last three years of the programme (2025-2027): Green transition; Digital transition; A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe. These orientations […]
EU and Switzerland launch negotiations to deepen bilateral relations
President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd launched the negotiations on a broad package of measures to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship. This follows the adoption of the Swiss and EU negotiating mandates on 8 and 12 March 2024, respectively. The two mandates authorise the Commission and Switzerland to […]
A Spaniard among the three winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators
The Commission has announced the winners of the 10th edition of the EU Prize for Women Innovators. The winner of the “Emerging Innovators” category is María González Manso, CEO and co-founder of tucuvi, which automates follow-up phone consultations using empathic artificial intelligence. In the Women Innovators category, the winner Rana Sanyal (Turkey) is the Chief […]
EU approves extra €5 billion in military support for Ukraine
The Council decided to increase the financial ceiling of the European Peace Facility (EPF) by €5 billion in current prices, and ringfence this top-up for Ukraine, by establishing a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund (UAF) within the EPF. The newly established UAF will allow the EU to further support the evolving needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the […]
The Commission allocates €500 million to ramp up ammunition production
The Commission allocated the €500 million foreseen under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP). This will allow the European defence industry to ramp up its ammunition production capacity to 2 million shells per year by the end of 2025. The Commission also launched the Work Programme for the instrument for the reinforcement of the European defence […]
European Health Data Space: Council and Parliament strike deal
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a new law making it easier to exchange and access health data at EU level. The agreement will now need to be endorsed by both the Council and the Parliament. The proposed regulation for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to improve individuals’ […]
Budget 2025: Council agrees on guidelines for next year’s EU budget
The Council reached an agreement on its guidelines for the 2025 EU budget. The approved guidelines will provide political guidance to the Commission in preparing the budget for next year. In its conclusions, the Council underlines that the EU budget for 2025 has a key role in the development and delivery of the long-term objectives […]
Energy efficiency of buildings: MEPs adopt plans to decarbonise the sector
On Tuesday, MEPs adopted plans, already agreed upon with Council, to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions from the buildings sector. The proposed revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive aims to progressively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector, and make it climate neutral by 2050. […]
Platform workers: Council confirms agreement on new rules to improve their working conditions
EU employment and social affairs ministers confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 8 February 2024 between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the platform work directive. This EU legal act aims to improve working conditions and regulate the use of algorithms by digital labour platforms. The directive will make the use of […]