European Commission

EU mobilises €13 billion from Cohesion Funds to respond to coronavirus pandemic

The European Commission has announced the first provisional results of the implementation of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) and Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus (CRII+). From the beginning of…

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McGuinness and Dombrovskis confirmed by EP as finance, trade commissioners

The European Parliament confirmed Mairead McGuinness and Valdis Dombrovskis to new positions in the European Commission. McGuinness won the support of the European Parliament to join the EU executive body…

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EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel in self-isolation

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel said on Twitter that she is self-isolating after she was notified that a member of her team tested positive…

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Powerbroker Aguila Saleh removed from EU’s Libya Sanction List

The European Union on Friday removed an east Libyan powerbroker from its sanctions blacklist to encourage peace efforts and ensure the EU plays a central role in any negotiated settlement…

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EU Commission seeks to strengthen role of education in recovery

The European Commission adopted two initiatives that will strengthen the contribution of education and training to the EU's recovery from the coronavirus crisis, and help build a green and digital…

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EU launches new Customs Union Action Plan

The European Commission has launched a new Customs Union Action Plan setting out a series of measures to make EU customs smarter, more innovative and more efficient over the next…

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Hungary PM calls for resignation of European Commissioner over ‘derogatory’ remarks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for the resignation of European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova over what he described as her "derogatory public statements" about democracy in Hungary.…

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Financial Services: EU seeks to boost Capital Markets Union

The European Commission has published a new, ambitious Action Plan to boost the European Union's Capital Markets Union (CMU) over the coming years. Developing the EU's capital markets, and ensuring…

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Upgrade of Single European Sky regulations on the cards

The European Commission is proposing an upgrade of the Single European Sky regulatory framework which comes on the heels of the European Green Deal. The objective is to modernise the management of…

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EU migration pact ‘bows to’ anti-migration governments

Anti-poverty organisation Oxfam said that the EU has bowed to pressure from anti-migration governments. “The tragic fire, which completely destroyed Moria refugee camp in Greece, has exposed Europe’s failure to uphold…

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EU Commission sets out new ambitious mission to lead on supercomputing

The Commission is pushing forward new legislation to maintain and advance Europe's leading role in supercomputing and quantum computing. It will support research and innovation activities for new supercomputing technologies,…

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CDE Viewpoint – Let’s make change happen – Ursula Von Der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Throughout history, pandemics have changed the destiny of people. They make us see the world in a different light and remind…

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Conte welcomes von der Leyen’s announcement on Dublin Regulation overhaul

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement that the Dublin Regulation, whereby migrants must register in the EU country they arrive,…

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European Commission recommends green energy, transport, digital investment for recovery

The European Commission recommended on Thursday that EU governments spend money from the 750 billion euro EU recovery package to boost the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic on green energy,…

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LIVE: Commission President delivers State of the European Union Speech

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is addressing the European Parliament in her first State of the European Union address. The annual event will see von der Leyen update…

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Could you imagine Malta without the EU during the pandemic?

EU member states were frozen when the Coronavirus pandemic first hit, European Commission Representation head Elena Grech said. The European Commission was now ensuring that the EU is better prepared…

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European Commission to propose more ambitious 2030 climate goal

The European Commission will propose that the European Union sets a 2030 target of cutting its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% against 1990 levels, according to an internal document…

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EU Commission charters course towards a more resilient Europe

The European Commission has adopted its first-ever Strategic Foresight Report, aiming to identify emerging challenges and opportunities to better steer the European Union's strategic choices. Strategic foresight will inform major…

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Mairead McGuinness set to be appointed Irish EU Commissioner

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will name Mairead McGuinness as the new Irish commissioner in charge of financial stability and capital markets, and hand over the prominent trade portfolio to…

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EU Commission prepares new initiatives to boost the organic farming sector

The European Commission has launched a consultation process on the future Action Plan on Organic Farming. In a statement, it said that this sector will play an important role in…

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Ireland nominates two contrasting candidates to replace former EU commissioner Hogan

Ireland’s government on Friday nominated two contrasting personalities to replace Phil Hogan, after the Irish politician resigned as EU trade chief last week. POLITICO reports that it is not certain that Ireland will retain…

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EU demanding potential veto on Britain’s post-Brexit laws, regulations

The European Union is demanding a potential veto on Britain's post-Brexit laws and regulations, The Times (UK) newspaper reported on Saturday, citing senior government officials. The British daily reported that…

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European Commission language events to go online this year

The Language Office at the European Commission Representation in Malta will be holding its annual flagship events online due to the COVID-19 health protocols related to public gatherings and the…

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EU delivers additional assistance following explosion in Lebanon

A second EU Humanitarian Air bridge flight landed in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday. The aircraft delivered 12 tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies and medical equipment, including a mobile hospital and face…

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Borell calls for fresh elections in Belarus

The EU’s foreign policy chief has called for a new election in Belarus under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The “best solution would be…

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Irish Taoiseach ask EU Commisioner Phil Hogan to consider his position for breaching coronavirus restrictions

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar have asked EU Commissioner Phil Hogan to consider his position, following his attendance at a golf dinner for 81 people in Clifden last…

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Irish EU Commissioner Hogan ‘regrets and apologises’ breaking rules only after pressure from PM

EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan is standing his ground in a spiraling Irish political scandal that centers on a packed golf society soirée attended by top politicians in an apparent…

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EU commission to support 23 new research projects on coronavirus pandemic

The Commission will support 23 new research projects with €128 million in response to the continuing coronavirus pandemic. The funding under Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programme, is…

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EU pledges additional 30 million euros to Lebanon

At the international conference on assistance and support to Beirut and the Lebanese people, the European Commission has pledged a new funding worth €30 million to help address the immediate…

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Greening Aviation: Commission launches public consultation on sustainable aviation fuels

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation sector. The Commission is currently assessing different policy options to boost the development…

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EU approves five new cross-border projects for Erasmus+ funding to develop excellence in vocational training in Europe

The Commission has proposed today Erasmus+ funding for five new Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence, to meet the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy. Funded through Erasmus+ for a…

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EIF and European Commission launch new Covid-19 measures supporting micro- and social enterprises

The EIF and the European Commission have launched new COVID-19 support measures under the EaSI Guarantee Instrument (EaSI) to enhance access to finance for micro-borrowers, micro- and social enterprises. The new…

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WTO ruling in EU-Russia dispute confirms legality of some EU rules – EU

The European Commission said on Friday a World Trade Organisation ruling on the European Union's dispute with Russia confirmed the legality of specific EU anti-dumping rules, but raised issues about their practical application. A…

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EU countries must urgently diversify 5G suppliers, Commission says

EU countries must take urgent action to diversify their 5G suppliers, the European Commission said on Friday, a move set to shrink Huawei's presence in Europe as the United States pressured the…

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EU approves renewable energy generation in Ireland

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a scheme to support electricity production from renewable sources in Ireland. The measure will contribute to the EU environmental objectives…

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European Commission calls for action in protecting seasonal workers

The European Commission has presented guidelines to ensure the protection of seasonal workers in the EU in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. It provides guidance to national authorities, labour…

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EU wants to ascertain Google will not use Fitbit data for advertising

EU antitrust enforcers are asking interested parties whether Google's pledge not to use fitness tracker maker Fitbit's health data for its advertising, and to separate the dataset from its own,…

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Coronavirus: Commission strengthens preparedness for future outbreaks

The Commission has presented immediate short-term measures to strengthen EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks. The Commission has from the outset coordinated the exchange of information and recommendations with regard to…

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EU plans clampdown on pro-corporate tax systems to aid recovery

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans to clamp down on tax regimes seen as unduly beneficial to big corporations in a move it said would aid Europe's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. European…

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Positive developments in the efficiency of justice systems in the EU while trust in judicial independence decreases

The EU has seen a continued improvement in the efficiency of justice systems in a large number of Member States. At the same time, according to the results of a…

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Towards a climate-neutral economy: EU Commission sets out plans for the energy system of the future

To become climate-neutral by 2050, Europe needs to transform its energy system, which accounts for 75% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions. The EU strategies for energy system integration and…

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Italy PM Conte says won’t accept “weak compromise” on EU recovery fund

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday the European Union must provide a strong response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that support measures must be activated rapidly.…

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Shipping industry must contribute to climate neutrality, say MEPs

The Commission has put forward a proposal to revise the EU system for monitoring, reporting and verifying CO2 emissions from maritime transport (the “EU MRV Regulation”) and bring it in line…

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Competition rules should not stand in the way of collective bargaining – EU

The European Commission has launched a process to ensure that the EU competition rules do not stand in the way of collective bargaining for those who need it. The initiative…

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EU invites citizens to share views on upcoming legislation

The European Commission has launched a revamped version of the ‘Have Your Say' portal. This online platform invites all citizens, (including businesses and non-governmental organisations), to share their views on…

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EU sues Austria, Belgium, Netherlands over anti-money laundering rules

The European Commission said it was suing Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands because the three countries had not fully integrated EU rules on anti-money laundering into their national laws. The 27-nation bloc's…

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EU Commission presents European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience

The European Commission has launched the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. It sets ambitious, quantitative objectives for upskilling (improving existing skills) and reskilling (training in…

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Commission launches Youth Employment Support: a bridge to jobs for the next generation

The European Commission is taking action to give young people all possible opportunities to develop their full potential to shape the future of the EU, and thrive in the green…

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EU countries agree their green transition fund will not pay for move to nuclear or fossil gas

European Union countries agreed that the bloc's flagship fund to wean regions off fossil fuels should not finance nuclear or natural gas projects, despite calls from some Eastern countries for gas…

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EU Commission tackles companies investing in Europe with state support

State-backed foreign firms will have a harder time buying European Union companies under a proposal by the the European Commission. New measures were needed because the existing foreign direct investment screening…

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EU adopts legislation to boost private sector investment in green and sustainable projects

The European Commission has today welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament of the Taxonomy Regulation – a key piece of legislation that will contribute to the European Green Deal…

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Britain, EU to miss deadline for future financial market access

Britain and the European Union are set to miss their end-June deadline for assessing future cross-border trade in financial services, leaving just six months before a potentially messy UK exit,…

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Ireland, Luxembourg need more muscle to police tech giants, EU report says

Ireland and Luxembourg, European headquarters to Google, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon, need a substantial boost in resources to deal with data breaches by U.S. tech giants, a European Union report said. The report by the European Commission,…

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EU and Japan sign agreement on civil aviation safety

The European Commission and Japan have signed an agreement on civil aviation safety, which will further boost the EU's already strong cooperation with Japan and reinforce the competitiveness of the…

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EU claims breakthrough in battle against online hate speech speech

The EU's battle against illegal hate speech made important strides forward during the past year, with 90% of all flagged content being assessed within 24 hours, while 71% of the…

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Competing vaccine strategies and alliances create concern in Europe

As a growing number of pharmaceutical companies worldwide announce important breakthrough in the development of vaccines against the coronavirus, the global race for procuring these vaccines is now heating up.…

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EU President: no post-Brexit deal without ‘level playing field’

he European Union's chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday that the bloc will do its best to seal an agreement on new ties with Britain by the end of…

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