On Tuesday 21th, the Council gave its green light to Switzerland joining Union programmes, such as Horizon Europe, Euratom Research and Training, ITER/Fusion for Energy (F4E), Digital Europe, Erasmus+, as well as EU4Health. Our partnership with Switzerland is longstanding and based on common values. In the current complex and evolving geopolitical context, our relationship needs to […]
Road Safety Statistics for 2024: Progress continues amid persistent challenges
In 2024, 19,940 people lost their lives in road crashes across the EU, according to latest statistics released by the European Commission today. This represents a 2% decrease compared to 2023 and marks continued, but slow, progress toward the EU’s Vision Zero goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and getting close […]
Co-Chairs Conclusions on Strengthening Cross-Regional Security and Connectivity
Today the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, and Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, met with representatives from EU Member States, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in Luxembourg for the Ministerial Meeting […]
EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific: Council approves conclusions
On Monday 20th, the Council approved conclusions on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific stressing that the EU should further intensify its strategic focus, presence, visibility and actions in the Indo-Pacific with the aim of contributing to our joint stability, security, prosperity and sustainable development, underpinned by the promotion of democracy, […]
Council agrees its position on rules to phase out Russian gas imports under REPowerEU
The Council today agreed on its negotiating position on the draft regulation to phase out imports of Russian natural gas. The regulation constitutes a central element of the EU’s REPowerEU roadmap to end dependency on Russian energy, following Russia’s weaponisation of gas supplies and repeated disruptions of gas supplies to the EU with significant effects on the European […]
New criteria for greener and healthier public canteen menus
The JRC has published a new report on how to achieve healthy and sustainable meals in public institutions, from schools to public workplaces and hospitals. More sustainable choices for public food A new JRC report outlines sustainable criteria for public food procurement: how schools, hospitals, or public institutions buy, source and manage food and drinks. The […]
Discover projects aiming to transform Europe’s public libraries
A new CORDIS Synergy Info Pack presents fourteen projects from different countries, sectors and funding programmes working together towards a common goal: making Europe’s public libraries fit for the future. Public libraries have long been a fundamental pillar of Europe’s social fabric. Once seen as quiet havens for reading, today they have reinvented themselves as […]
The first EU-Egypt summit will be held in Brussels on 22 October
The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will represent the EU at the first EU-Egypt summit, which will take place in Brussels on 22 October 2025. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi will represent Egypt. The summit will discuss bilateral relations and ways to further […]
Violence against women and domestic violence: EU equality ministers call for stronger focus on prevention, early detection and intervention
Recognising the vital role that ordinary citizens can play in preventing abuse, the Council has approved conclusions calling for greater efforts to empower bystanders to help combat violence against women and domestic violence. In their conclusions, EU equality ministers underline that awareness, education and societal support are key to ensuring that bystanders can recognise abuse, […]