CDE News - World News

Commission launches consultation and discussion on EU digital principles

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the formulation of a set of principles to promote and uphold EU values in the digital space. The consultation, open until…

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Coronavirus: EU helps Nepal to tackle infections surge

Nepal has requested EU assistance to help contain the explosion in COVID-19 cases. In response, the EU has mobilised an initial €2 million in humanitarian funding, which will support monitoring…

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Commission aims for zero pollution in air, water and soil in Green Deal

Today, the European Commission adopted the EU Action Plan: “Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil” – a key deliverable of the European Green Deal and the main topic of this year's EU Green…

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UPDATED: EU seals new Pfizer deal for 1.8 bln COVID-19 vaccines

The European Union signed a new contract with Pfizer-Biontech to receive 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 2021-2023, to cover booster shots, donations and reselling of doses, the European…

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EU plans faster approval, new joint purchases of COVID-19 drugs

The European Commission wants to speed up the approval in the European Union of experimental COVID-19 drugs, according to a document released by the EU executive, with the aim of…

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Commission proposes new Regulation to address distortions caused by foreign subsidies in the Single Market

The European Commission proposes today a new instrument to address potential distortive effects of foreign subsidies in the Single Market. Today's legislative proposal follows the adoption of the White Paper in June 2020…

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Commission extends flexibilities of Common Agricultural Policy checks for 2021

With restrictions still in place across the EU, the Commission adopted today rules to extend to 2021 flexibilities for carrying out checks required for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support. The…

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EU Agenda

Tuesday 04 May- Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi holds a conference call with Executive Director of FRONTEX, Fabrice Leggeri. Wednesday 05 May- Commissioner Helena Dalli holds a videoconference call with representatives of…

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Commission launches new learning portal for tax and customs professionals across the EU

The European Commission has launched a new EU learning portal offering tax and customs professionals across the EU an opportunity to build, upscale or share their knowledge on important topics…

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UPDATED: EU aims to open up to foreign tourists this summer amidst COVID-19

BRUSSELS, May 3 (Reuters) - The European Union's executive has recommended easing COVID-19 travel restrictions next month to let foreign travellers from more countries enter the bloc, hoping to boost…

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Commission fines investment banks €28 million for participating in cartel

The European Commission has fined Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Crédit Agricole, and Credit Suisse a total of €28,494,000 for breaching EU antitrust rules. Deutsche Bank was not fined as…

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Record €1.8 billion funding for projects promoting rights and values in the EU

The European Parliament gave its final approval for two new funding programmes: the Justice programme and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme. The budget for both amounts to €1.8…

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EU channels critical support to India amid coronavirus spike

A shipment of urgently needed oxygen, medicine and equipment will be delivered over the coming days by EU Member States to India, following the country's request for support through the…

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Commission approves €462 million Portuguese coronavirus support

The European Commission has found a €462 million Portuguese support measure in favour of Transportes Aéreos Portugueses, S.A. (“TAP”) to be in line with EU State aid rules. The measure…

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Trust in EU has increased since last summer, Eurobarometer shows

The Commission has published the results of the latest Standard Eurobarometer survey conducted in February-March 2021. It shows that while the coronavirus pandemic has affected Europeans' daily lives for more…

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EU allocates over €43 million in humanitarian aid to South Sudan

Commissioner Lenarčič, who is currently in South Sudan, has announced today new funding of €43.5 million in humanitarian aid in the country. The funds will be used, among others, to help…

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Member States agree on Digital Green Certificate technical specifications

One month after the Commission's proposal for a Digital Green Certificate, Member States representatives in the eHealth Network agreed on guidelines describing the main technical specifications for the implementation of the system. This is a…

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EU Commission takes further steps to channel money towards sustainable activities

The European Commission has today adopted an ambitious and comprehensive package of measures to help improve the flow of money towards sustainable activities across the European Union. By enabling investors…

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EU Commission proposes new rules and actions for excellence and trust in AI

The Commission proposes today new rules and actions aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI). The combination of the first-ever legal framework on AI and a…

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EU Commission launches public consultation on electoral rights of mobile EU citizens

Today, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the electoral rights of mobile EU citizens, as part of the follow-up of the 2020 Citizenship Report. The electoral rights of…

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EU continues to address humanitarian needs in Ethiopia by allocating over €53 million

The EU has announced today new funding of €53.7 million in humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable people in Ethiopia, including those affected by the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region.…

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EU to borrow around 150 bln euros annually for recovery fund

The European Commission plans to borrow around 150 billion euros annually until 2026 to finance the bloc's unprecedented plan to make its economy greener and more digitalised, making it the…

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Team Europe continues to deliver with more than €26 billion disbursed in support to partner countries in one year

One year ago today, the European Commission and the High Representative set out plans for a targeted EU response to support partner countries' efforts in tackling the Coronavirus pandemic combining…

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Europe should invest in chip design, not a mega-fab – think tank

Europe's ambition to make the most powerful computer chips risks wasting billions of euros, a German think tank said in a report on Thursday, urging policy makers to focus instead…

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Commission disburses further €13 billion under SURE to six Member States

The European Commission has disbursed €13 billion to six EU Member States in the sixth instalment of financial support under the SURE instrument. This is the third disbursement in 2021.…

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Commission approves modified German support scheme for offshore wind energy

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a German operating aid scheme to further develop offshore wind energy generation in Germany (modified ‘WindSeeG'). The scheme, that will…

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Commission hosts first EU matchmaking event to mobilise Europe’s full potential for the production of COVID-19 vaccines

Today, the Commission is hosting the first pan-European matchmaking event with over 300 participating companies from 25 Member States to expand COVID-19 vaccine production capacities across Europe and address production…

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EU rescue funds agreement compatible with EU treaties, ECB’s de Cos says

The European Union agreement to disburse rescue funds to member countries funded by common debt is compatible with EU treaties, European Central Bank Governing Council member Pablo Hernandez de Cos…

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Commission approves modification of Spanish schemes to support economy due to covid

The European Commission has found the modification of three existing Spanish schemes to support the economy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak to be in in line with the…

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EU’s Breton: EU has absolutely no need for Sputnik V vaccine

PARIS, March 21 (Reuters) - The European Union has absolutely no need for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 and will be able to reach immunity by July 14 with…

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EU sustainable finance advisers say green means green

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Economic activities should be labelled as green investments only if they truly contribute to science-based goals to fight climate change, European Union advisers said on Friday, as…

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‘EU is late on Covid-19 vaccine distribution – European Commission

The European Parliament discussed the Covid-19 vaccine in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month. During the debate, the European Commission President admitted that the…

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Commission sends letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom for breach of its obligations under the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland

The European Commission has sent today a letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom for breaching the substantive provisions of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well…

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EU defends vaccine distribution as nations complain it is uneven

VIENNA (Reuters) - The European Commission on Saturday defended its policy of distributing COVID-19 vaccines evenly in the bloc after Austria and five other member states complained that doses were not…

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Photo Story – Selfie Time

European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli uses takes a selfie ahead of addressing a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, 10 March 2021. EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON / POOL

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AstraZeneca vaccine batch which Austria stopped using was distributed to 17 EU countries – UPDATE

Austria was one of 17 European countries to receive doses from a batch of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine that Austrian authorities have stopped using while investigating a death and an illness following their use, a…

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EU Commission considering emergency approvals for COVID-19 vaccines

BRUSSELS, March 2 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Tuesday that it was considering emergency approvals for COVID-19 vaccines as a faster alternative to more rigorous conditional marketing authorisations…

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EU Agenda

23 February: Mr Josep Borrell holds a videoconference call with Ms Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway 24 February: Mr Frans Timmermans participates via videoconference call in the…

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European Commission publishes additional State aid guiding template on support for cloud capabilities

The European Commission has today published a new State aid guiding template to assist Member States in the design of their national recovery and resilience plans in line with EU State aid…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that Moody’s and the European Commission’s economic analysis should give rise to optimism with a hefty dose of caution. MaltaToday says that we should not lower…

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EU adds anti-variant clauses to new COVID vaccine supply deals – sources

The European Union is adding clauses to contracts with COVID-19 vaccine makers which would allow the bloc to gain access to possible upgraded shots that may offer better protection against variants…

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EU to launch study programme for COVID-19 variants: von der Leyen

The European Union will this week kick off a new programme to study mutations in the COVID-19 virus, in a bid to prepare for the next generation of vaccines that…

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EU approves all requests for COVID-19 vaccine export to UK, U.S., Japan, China

BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The European Commission has so far approved all requests for the export of COVID-19 vaccines, including to Britain, the United States, China and Japan, since…

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ANALYSIS-In a harsher trade world, EU arms itself for future conflicts

Hardened by the pain of Brexit, clashes with the Trump presidency and a new realism over China, a bruised European Union is due next week to set out a future trade policy designed…

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Von der Leyen defends delays in securing vaccinations, defends need to ensure European unity

The European Union has underestimated how hard it would be for pharmaceutical companies to manufacture coronavirus vaccines on a vast scale, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, adding…

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€61 million to support research and innovation for innovative applications in economy and society in Croatia

Today, the European Commission has approved an investment of more than €61 million from the European Regional Development Fund to modernise and expand the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) in Zagreb, Croatia, to…

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Euro should be global standard for hydrogen trades, EU says

BRUSSELS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - The European Union will seek to establish the euro as the reference currency for international hydrogen trading as it makes a dash for clean energy…

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EU Commission proposes harsher travel restrictions

The European Commission is pushing for further travel restrictions both within its borders as well as for passengers coming from third countries. This plan builds on proposals announced by President…

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Commission approves €300 million Austrian scheme to support organisers of events affected by coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €300 million Austrian scheme to support organisers of events affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under…

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EU to strengthen plans to promote euro as international trading currency – reports

The European Commission is expected to strengthen plans to establish the euro as the leading international currency through financial markets, trade and foreign policy. Political news portal Politico revealed today…

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EU Agenda: 19 January-22 January

Tuesday 19 January: European Parliament debate on the EU global strategy on Covid-19 vaccinations Wednesday 20 January: Commissioner Sinkevičius holds a virtual meeting with Mr Costel Alexe, Minister of Environment…

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EU Agenda

Tuesday 12 January: Vice-President Schinas meets via videoconference Mr Jean-Michel Blanquer, French Minister of Education. Wednesday 13 January: Ms. Stella Kyriakides delivers a keynote speech to the EPP Group Health…

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EU countries may not start vaccinations at the same time

Some EU countries do not plan on starting vaccination programmes together, despite European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisting on otherwise. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on…

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COVID-19 vaccinations in EU to start from Dec. 27, Commission chief says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union countries will begin inoculating people against the new coronavirus from Dec. 27, the head of the EU commission said on Thursday, assuming the EU regulator…

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Equality on Commissioner Dalli’s first country mission to Malta

European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli was in Malta on a two-day mission on 10 and 11 December 2020. In her first ‘country mission’ to Malta, following an invitation from…

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EU Commission launches European Democracy Action Plan

The European Commission announced its European Democracy Action Plan to empower citizens and build more resilient democracies across the EU. Standing up to challenges to our democratic systems from rising…

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Commission renews its commitment to strengthen fundamental rights in the EU

Today, the European Commission presents a new Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU. Fundamental rights cannot be taken for granted. The new Strategy confirms…

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