European Commission

President von der Leyen heads to the Middle East

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, together with the President of the European Council, António Costa, will be in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon this week. Their visit…

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EU reiterates commitment to national sovereignty after Trump’s Greenland remarks

The European Union has issued a restrained response to renewed comments by former US president Donald Trump regarding Greenland, reiterating its commitment to the principles of national sovereignty. European Commission…

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Italy revises golden power rules to try to end spat with EU

Italy plans to revise its golden power rules designed to shield strategic assets, deferring its own review of major financial-sector M&A deals until the European Commission and European Central Bank…

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EU plans new intelligence ‘cell’ amid rising global threats

Ursula von der Leyen's European Commission is laying the groundwork for a new intelligence coordination cell in Brussels. The initiative is still at a “very early, conceptual stage,” but the…

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EU Commission to tackle street drug crisis with new package

he European Commission is set to publisha package of measures in December to further clamp down on the flow and production of street drugs in the EU, as drug-related violence…

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EU chief tells Serbia to act on reforms

The European Union’s top official on Wednesday told Serbia’s populist leader to “get concrete” about its proclaimed goal of joining the 27-nation bloc, including implementing sanctions against traditional ally Russia.…

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European Commission delays decision on migration assistance

The European Commission is set to miss its own legal deadline on announcing which EU countries should receive help with their migration issues — and it’s not particularly worried. A…

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Leadership Under Fire: Von der Leyen Targeted by Two Censure Efforts

Three months after surviving her first-ever motion of censure, Ursula von der Leyen faces not one but two simultaneous attempts to topple her European Commission. The debate in the European…

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EU Commission to ‘leave doors open’ for social media ban

The European Commission is “leaving all doors open” to shield children from the harmful effects of social media platforms including age restrictions at the EU level, spokesperson Thomas Regnier told…

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European Commission dismisses NGOs’ call to stop financing of Libyan Coast Guard

The European Commission has dismissed a call from 42 civil society organisations for it to stop financing the so-called Libyan Coast Guards whose agents are deployed on the country’s coast…

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EU to slash food and fast fashion waste

Following negotiations between its 27 member states, the EU has introduced 30% reduction targets on food waste generated by households, retailers and restaurants. The goals are to be met by…

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EU’s Kyiv base damaged in Russian drone attack

Russia's overnight drone and missile attack on Ukraine's capital damaged the EU delegation's building in the city, the EU Commission said on Thursday. The delegation's staff were safe, EU Commission…

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EU Commission labels alleged Libyan attack on NGO ship ‘worrying development’

The European Commission considers an alleged Libyan coast guard shooting on the NGO boat Ocean Viking, which occurred on Sunday, a “worrying development”. This is one of several documented occasions…

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Five EU states to test age verification app to protect children

France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Greece will test a blueprint for an age verification app to protect children online, the European Commission said, amid growing global concern about the impact…

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European Union Acts on Interpreter Concerns Linked to Zelenskyy’s Protection

The European Commission has dismissed an interpreter hired by the European Union to attend major summits alongside world leaders over concerns of a potential security breach. In a statement to…

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European Commission unveils strategy for storing food, medicine, generators and raw materials

The EU should develop stockpiles of food, medicine, generators and raw materials to be better prepared for a military invasion, pandemic or natural disaster, the European Commission has said. Outlining…

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EU received ‘latest’ trade proposal from US, von der Leyen says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday the EU had received the "latest U.S. document" for further negotiations on tariffs but did not reveal details of Washington's…

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EU puts Monaco on money laundering blacklist

The European Union has added Monaco to a list of countries it considers at high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing, putting the ultra-wealthy Mediterranean principality alongside the likes…

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Commission exempts 38,000 companies from 8 EU laws

The European Commission is creating a new category of “small mid-cap” companies that will be exempted from eight EU laws, it announced. Companies with up to 750 employees, and either…

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EU approves 5 billion euro French scheme for wine exports to US

The European Commission has approved a 5 billion euro ($5.6 billion) French scheme to facilitate the export of wines and spirits to the United States, it said. The Commission said…

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Apple, Meta fined hundreds of millions of euros for violating EU’s digital rulebook

In other European news elsewhere, the European Commission has just issued massive fines against US tech giants Apple and Meta for breaching its digital regulation, the Digital Markets Act. The…

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European pharma firms issue demands to stay in EU ahead of expected US tariffs

Nearly three dozen global pharmaceutical companies, in a letter to the head of the European Commission, demanded help to maintain operations in the EU despite threatened US tariffs on imports,…

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European Commission to Designate Egypt and Bangladesh as ‘Safe’ Countries’

The European Commission is poised to add Egypt and Bangladesh to its provisional list of safe countries for migrant repatriation, according to a draft document obtained by ANSA. The list,…

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EU Commission to discuss trade, US tariff strategy with industries

The European Commission has invited the sectors most impacted by US tariffs to an in-person meeting on Thursday, an invitation letter seen by Reuters showed, as the commission weighs new…

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UPDATED: EU Commission proposes €800 bln defense plan

A five-part plan to bolster Europe’s defence industry and increase its military capability could raise nearly €800bn (£660bn) and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine after the US suspended…

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EU looks to tighten controls on low-quality online imports

Earlier this month, the EU Commission set out a number of measures to tackle risks stemming from low-value imports sold via non-EU online retailers and marketplaces hosting non-EU traders. The…

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EU budget ‘will need more funds but aim for increased flexibility’ and boost competitiveness

The European Commission wants to revamp the next EU budget to help firms be more competitive, give more clout to EU foreign policy and influence the reforms and investments that…

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France, Germany, others urge EU Commission to protect elections in Europe from foreign interference

France, Germany and 10 other European Union countries want the European Commission to use its powers under the Digital Services Act to protect the integrity of European elections from foreign…

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EU to target AI, biotech, cheap energy in global competitiveness push

AI, biotech and affordable clean energy will be the focus of an EU drive to make the bloc globally competitive and ensure it keeps pace with rivals the United States…

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In a first, EU Court fines EU for breaching own data protection law

In a first, the EU General Court ruled on Wednesday that the European Commission must pay damages to a German citizen for failing to comply with its own data protection…

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European Commission plans to slash EU embassy staff around the world

The European Commission is pushing plans to dramatically cut the number of people working at many of its embassies to beef up staffing in countries where it feels the bloc…

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Home rentals group takes Barcelona’s ban to EU Commission

The European Holiday Home Association, which represents short-term rentals on online platforms such as Airbnb, has filed a complaint with the European Commission against the Spanish region of Catalonia for…

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European Commissioner Hearings Kick Off Today

Starting Monday 4th November and over the next eight days, the potential 26 European Commissioners (one from each European Union country, excluding the Commission chief herself) will appear in front…

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EU Needs Own Intelligence Agency, Says Finland’s Niinistö

As part of a sweeping review of the bloc’s readiness for war and crisis issued Wednesday, ex-Finnish President Sauli Niinistö reckons the EU needs its own intelligence agency to help…

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EU and Britain agree on cooperation in antitrust investigations

The European Commission on Tuesday said it had finalised discussions with Britain on an agreement that would allow both sides to cooperate directly in antitrust investigations. The agreement is the…

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European Parliament sets out time limits, evaluation process ahead of commissioner hearings

The European Parliament has divided up the 180 minutes available for each European commissioner hearing among the Parliament's various political factions based on the size of each respective group, according to documents…

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Ursula von der Leyen Updates Hiring Guidelines for Commissioners

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set new hiring rules for incoming commissioners as they form their top teams. The rules aim to ensure diversity in nationality, gender and…

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European Commission rolls out its own ChatGPT-like tool

The European Commission is known more for regulating artificial intelligence tools than deploying them — until now. The Commission's IT department, DG DIGIT, has rolled out an AI pilot project…

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Only 3 of 26 EU Commissioners Pass Financial Health Checks

Only three of the 26 incoming European commissioners who had backgrounds checks conducted by MEPs Thursday were given a clean bill of financial health in what was described as a…

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EU sues Spain, Cyprus, Poland, Portugal for failing to implement corporate tax

The EU Commission sued Spain, Cyprus, Poland and Portugal for failing to implement rules aimed at ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for multinational companies, it said on Thursday.…

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European commissioner hearings confirmed for November

The hearings for European commissioners will be held from Nov. 4 to Nov. 12, senior members of the European Parliament decided Wednesday. Holding the hearings in November means the earliest…

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EU warns of ‘dangerous regional war’

Iran's overnight attack on Israel could spiral into a far wider conflict, the EU has warned, as the two countries face off in an escalating exchange that threatens to engulf…

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Over 100 companies first to sign EU’s AI Pact

Over one hundred companies have become the first to sign the EU Pact on Artificial Intelligence, the European Commission announced in a note.The signatories include European multinationals and small and…

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Who’s who in top picks for European Commission

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday nominated her candidates for posts in the EU executive. Each of the EU's 27 member states gets a seat at the…

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Ursula von der Leyen reveals her new European Commission

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday handed out the top jobs in her team. There are now only two layers of command: executive vice presidents and commissioners. The previous third…

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Von der Leyen ‘hopes’ to announce top team on Tuesday

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen still hopes to present her new College of Commissioners in Strasbourg as planned, despite significant setbacks. According to her spokesperson, Arianna Podestà, von…

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Stéphane Séjourné replaces Thierry Breton as France’s nominee for European commissioner

Outgoing French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné will replace Thierry Breton as France’s nominee for European Commissioner, according to a statement by the Elysée. Séjourné, a close ally of President Emmanuel…

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Thierry Breton resigns as EU Commissioner over rift with Ursula von der Leyen

French European Commissioner Thierry Breton on Monday said he would step down as a member of the EU executive body over a rift with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,…

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Hungary ready to sue EU executive over border protection costs, PM aide says

Hungary is ready to sue the European Commission to reimburse the costs of protecting the European Union's external border, which Budapest says has cost it some 2 billion euros ($2.20…

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Von der Leyen delays unveiling of new European Commission until next week

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has delayed her 26 commissioner nominees’ portfolios until next week, according to three officials with knowledge of the decision. Initially, von der Leyen’s…

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Google loses fight against $2.7 billion EU antitrust fine

Alphabet's Google on Tuesday lost its fight against a 2.42 billion euro ($2.7 billion) fine levied by EU antitrust regulators seven years ago, one of a trio of hefty fines…

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Slovenia chooses new commissioner nominee

Slovenia confirmed Marta Kos as its next European commissioner nominee after the previous candidate withdrew his candidacy amid Ursula von der Leyen’s search for more women on her top team,…

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EU outlines €1.3m initiative to make nursing more attractive

The EU executive has unveiled a new initiative aimed at making the nursing profession more attractive to counter an ongoing nurse shortage across Europe. The initiative is a joint effort…

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Start date of the new European Commission is likely to be delayed

The start date of the new Commission is likely to be delayed until the beginning of December, eight EU lawmakers, parliamentary officials and European diplomats told POLITICO. The complicated inner…

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Von der Leyen pressures EU countries to swap women in as commissioner picks

Ursula von der Leyen is piling pressure on EU countries to nominate women for the next European Commission as she seeks to stave off the potential humiliation of presenting a…

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Belgium appoints FM Hadja Lahbib as EU commissioner

Belgium is set to appoint Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib as its pick for the next European Commission, said the president of the Francophone center-right liberal Reformist Movement (MR) — dealing…

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Romania changes EU commissioner pick, puts forward a woman

Romania has nominated MEP Roxana Mînzatu as its next European commissioner, after originally putting forward a man for the role. Romanian media reported that Mînzatu, a Socialist, will be the…

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