Simple and clear rules are vital for a strong European economy. They help businesses attract investment, grow and create quality jobs, while also saving citizens time and money. The European Commission has presented two new omnibus proposals as part of its wider efforts to cut red tape and boost Europe’s competitiveness: Energy products: this proposal […]
The Convergence Report examines Member States’ progress towards joining the euro area
On 24 June, the European Commission published the 2026 Convergence Report, which assesses the progress made by Member States outside the euro area towards adopting the euro. More than 27 years after the introduction of the single currency, the euro has become a powerful symbol of Europe’s identity in the world. It is now the […]
The Commission’s reports highlight the growth of European SMEs and the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs.
On 22 June 2026, the European Commission published the Annual Report on European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) 2025/2026 and a new report on women entrepreneurs in Europe. Both reports provide new data to support future policies, initiatives and funding measures for small and medium-sized enterprises. The Annual Report shows that Europe’s 34 million SMEs […]
The Commission presents a framework for AI literacy to educate students
The European Commission, together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), presented last Juen 16 an ‘AI Literacy Framework’ for primary and secondary education. The framework provides teachers, education leaders and policymakers with a shared vision of the skills pupils need to understand and use AI responsibly and ethically. It provides guidance and […]
Europe’s bathing waters remain safe for swimming
From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the vast majority of Europe’s bathing waters met the European Union’s strictest ‘excellent’ bathing water quality standards in 2025, according to the latest annual report on bathing waters published today. This represents 85% of Europe’s bathing areas, with 96% of all monitored EU bathing areas meeting the minimum quality […]
The Commission welcomes the political agreement on seeds and other plant reproductive material
The European Commission welcomes the political agreement reached last night by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament on the revision and simplification of EU legislation on plant reproductive material (PRM). Today’s agreement modernises the current legislation, enabling producers and businesses to benefit from the latest innovations, technologies and digitalisation in this field. […]
The Council sets out a new framework for science diplomacy
On 29 May, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the development of a new European Union framework for science diplomacy. The framework aims to strengthen the Union’s position as a global leader in science and technology and to use scientific cooperation to advance its foreign policy objectives. Science as a diplomatic tool The Recommendation emphasises […]
The EU is making good progress towards its 2030 CO₂ emissions reduction target
In 2024, the EU set a target of achieving an annual injection capacity of 50 million tonnes in the EU’s geological CO₂ storage sites by 2030, with the aim of supporting carbon capture and storage projects, reducing industrial emissions and increasing the availability of such storage sites in Europe. The published report shows that significant […]
The EU and Vietnam are strengthening their cooperation in science, technology and innovation
The European Commission and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology have signed a letter of intent to strengthen cooperation in science, technology and innovation. This initiative is expected to deepen collaboration between researchers, universities, start-ups, industry and public institutions. Signed during Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva’s mission to Hanoi, the letter of intent forms part of the […]