Photo by Christian Dubovan on Unsplash At its annual conference in Brussels, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) said that the EU must do more to tackle energy poverty and protect its vulnerable citizens. The time has come to set out a clear strategy with an unequivocal commitment at all levels, was its message. The third energy poverty…
Commission
Macro Finance for Ukraine
Photo by Omid Armin on Unsplash The European Commission has agreed to pay a sixth tranche of €1.5 billion under the macro financial assistance Plus package for Ukraine worth up to €18 billion. With this instrument, the EU says it seeks to help Ukraine cover its immediate funding needs, with “stable, predictable and sizeable” financial support in 2023. With the latest payment, Ukraine has received…
Protection from Plant Pests
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash A new initiative has been launched to help promote protection from “plant pests.” EFSA, the European Commission (EC) and their partners in Member States of the European Union are launching the #PlantHealth4Life campaign. Among other things,the campaign promotes awareness of plant health and its link with our everyday life. Plants are…
Safeguarding Supplies of Crucial Medicines
Photo by CDC on Unsplash The EU has moved to ensure that “crucial medicinal products” are available in the future. This comes in the wake of the crippling pandemic that killed tens of thousands of EU citizens and devastated economies throughout Europe. Following recommendations to ensure sufficient supply of antibiotics published earlier this week, the EU Commission, through the European…
EU-Tunisia Agreement
Photo by Ryan Spencer on Unsplash The EU and Tunisia have signed what both sides call a “comprehensive” new agreement. It was penned by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, alongside the President of Tunisia, Kaïs Saied. They have agreed to…
Morocco-EU Fisheries Agreement
Photo by Elisa Schmidt on Unsplash Morocco will decide on the future of cooperation with the European Union (EU) in the field of fisheries in the light of the government’s own assessments and in consultation with European partners, said, on Wednesday in Rabat, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita. “The Morocco-EU fisheries Agreement…
Youth is Europe’s Future
Photo by Ryan Jacobson on Unsplash The EESC has decided to start a pilot project to implement the EU Youth Test in its opinions and to set up a new Youth Group, thus delivering on important priorities of its president’s political manifesto. On Wednesday, EESC President Olivier Röpke said: “I have made it my political priority to open the doors of…
Subsidised Telephone Calls for Ukraine
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash Operators have extended a special agreement that allows “affordable” phone calls to and from Ukraine. The EU Commission welcomed the twelve-month prolongation of the operators’ agreement allowing displaced refugees from Ukraine to stay connected across borders. The Commission has facilitated the agreement between 22 European and seven Ukrainian operators to prolong…
Ammunition for Ukraine’s Defence
Photo by Ian Betley on Unsplash Following the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the Regulation on supporting ammunition production (ASAP) with a budget of €500 million, ASAP will now ensure that the EU can efficiently ramp up its production capacity of ammunitions and missiles. It means, says the…
National Energy and Climate Plans
Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash EU Member States have submitted their revised draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The NECPs are key documents for determining how each Member State foresees to meet its 2030 climate and energy targets, and a central governance instrument for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 under the European Green Deal. Campaigners say,…