President Metsola presented the Sakharov Prize 2025 to representatives of the journalists, imprisoned in Belarus and Georgia, at a ceremony in Strasbourg on Tuesday. Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud to award this year’s Sakharov Prize to journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli in recognition of their courageous struggle for freedom of expression […]
Enlargement Package 2025 shows progress towards EU membership by the main enlargement partners
On 4 November, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, which presents a comprehensive assessment of the progress made by the enlargement partners over the last twelve months. This year’s package reaffirms that the momentum of enlargement is high on the EU’s agenda of priorities. It also confirms that the accession of new Member […]
Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli, winners of Sakharov Prize 2025
The two journalists, imprisoned in Belarus and Georgia, are the winners of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2025, which they will receive at a ceremony in the EP on 16 December. Announcing the award in the Chamber on Wednesday, EP President Roberta Metsola said: “By awarding this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of […]
Building Resilience in the Black Sea: The EU’s Strategic Vision
Yesterday the EU is putting forward a new strategy for a stable and secure Black Sea region. This Strategy aims to boost connections and growth, by linking Europe with the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond. Amidst Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the strategy will also reinforce the EU’s geopolitical role as a reliable actor in the Black Sea region. The […]
Georgia: Council suspends visa-free travel for diplomats and officials
Today, the Council decided to suspend parts of the EU-Georgia visa facilitation agreement. This may lead to Georgian diplomats and officials having to apply for visa when travelling to the EU. “Fundamental rights and democratic values are core principles of EU integration. Officials that represent a country which trample down these values should not […]
Parliament calls for new elections in Georgia
Due to significant irregularities, MEPs reject the outcome of the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia and call for them to be re-run within a year. On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, an EU candidate country, for being neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation […]
Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell with the European Commission on the adoption of the “transparency of foreign influence” law in Georgia
The EU stands with the Georgian people and their choice in favour of democracy and of Georgia’s European future. The intimidation, threats and physical assaults on civil society representatives, political leaders and journalists, as well as their families is unacceptable. We call on the Georgian authorities to investigate these documented acts. The European Council granted Georgia the status of […]
Eurojust: Criminal network that stole 170 historical books worth 2.5 million euros across Europe dismantled
Eurojust and Europol have supported the competent authorities in Lithuania, France, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland and Georgia in an international operation against an organised crime group (OCG) that allegedly stole 170 books of high historical and cultural value across several European countries. The stolen books have an estimated value of EUR 2.5 million and were written […]
Immigration law enforcement in the EU: 2023 figures
In 2023, 118 935 non-EU citizens were refused entry into the EU territory at one of its external borders, a 16% decrease compared with 142 420 in the previous year. An additional 1.27 million people were found to be illegally present in one of the EU countries, indicating a 13% increase compared with 1.12 million in 2022. This information […]