Are PFAS the most worrying pollutants of our time, and can we rid ourselves of them? Invisible but ubiquitous, PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in everything from non-stick pans to smartphones. While these chemicals are essential to modern industry, their “eternal” nature means that they accumulate in our environment and in our bodies, […]
Commission approves second wave of SAFE defence funding for eight Member States
Following the approval of the first wave of defence funding, the European Commission has cleared a second group of national defence plans under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, marking another major step in making the Union safer. The Commission submitted a proposal to the Council to approve financial assistance for Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and […]
25 years of the European Union Military Staff
For the past 25 years, the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) has served as the primary source of the European Union’s military expertise, providing essential support across all Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) domains at the political-strategic and military-strategic levels. As an integral component of the EU’s Integrated Approach to conflict and crisis and […]
Commission strengthens EU cybersecurity resilience and capabilities
Europe faces daily cyber and hybrid attacks on essential services and democratic institutions, carried out by sophisticated state and criminal groups. The European Commission has proposed a new cybersecurity package to further strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity resilience and capabilities in the face of these growing threats. The package includes a proposal for a revised Cybersecurity Act, which […]
Commission approves first wave of defence funding for eight Member States under SAFE
The European Commission has endorsed the national defence plans of eight Member States, marking a milestone in Europe’s push to strengthen its security. The Commission submitted a proposal to the Council to approve financial assistance for Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal and Romania. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Last year, the EU has made more progress […]
Europol signs Working Arrangement with the Argentine Republic
In December, the Ministry of National Security of the Argentine Republic and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) signed a Working Arrangement in order to support the Member States of the European Union and Argentina in preventing and combating serious and organised crime and terrorism. The Working Arrangement provides for a structured legal framework […]
EP group leaders express unequivocal support to Greenland and Denmark
This Wednesday, the Conference of Presidents adopted the following statement in support of multilateralism and the rules-based international order and supporting Greenland and Denmark. The European Parliament stands firmly in support of multilateralism and the rules-based international order. Any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland, violates international law […]
EU agriculture ministers meet to focus on securing EU food security and sovereignty
Last January 7, EU agricultural ministers met in an extraordinary meeting, on the invitation of the European Commission and Minister Maria Panayiotou for the Cypriot Presidency of the Council. The Commission was represented at this meeting by Commissioners Hansen, Šefčovič and Várhelyi. Recognising that agriculture is crucial for European sovereignty and that the EU agri-food sector is key […]
EU boosts funding to protect aid workers with €4.35 million
The European Union is significantly reinforcing its efforts to protect humanitarian personnel operating in high-danger zones by allocating an additional €4.35 million to the ‘Protect Aid Workers’ initiative. The decision comes at a time when the work of humanitarian personnel is becoming more and more dangerous. This new funding will support humanitarian staff who experience […]