17.1.2019 – On 1 January 1999, 11 EU countries launched a common currency, the euro, and introduced a shared monetary policy under the European Central Bank. The historic moment was a milestone on a journey driven by the ambition of ensuring stability and prosperity in Europe. Today, still young, the euro is already the currency [...]
17.1.2019 – The Commission welcomes EU Member States’ commitments on the legal consequences of the Achmea judgement and in particular their commitment to terminate all bilateral investment treaties (BITs) between themselves. As the Commission has consistently stated, and as outlined in its July 2018 Communication on the Protection of intra-EU investment, the dispute settlement mechanisms provided in these [...]
15.1.2019 – British MPs rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal by a record-breaking 230 votes, shrouding the U.K.’s path out of the European Union with doubt. The vote in the House of Commons — 432 against and 202 for — means that the Withdrawal Agreement struck between May’s government and the EU in November [...]
15.1.2019 -The Commission has today kick-started the debate on reforming decision-making for areas of EU taxation policy, which currently requires unanimity among the Member States. This unanimity often cannot be achieved on crucial tax initiatives and can lead to costly delays and sub-optimal policies. The Communication published today suggests a roadmap for a progressive and [...]
10.1.2019 – The Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance set up by the Commission in July 2018 has today published its first report on companies’ disclosure of climate-related information. It contains recommendations that will allow the Commission to update its non-binding guidelines on non-financial reporting with specific reference to climate-related information, in line with the [...]
3.1.2018 – As of 1 January 2019, Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and Matera (Italy) will hold the title of European Capital of Culture for one year. Plovdiv is the first ever Bulgarian city to be chosen as European Capital of Culture. With a full programme under the motto “Together”, 2019 will bring new opportunities to the region [...]
1.1.2019 – Three people including a police officer injured in ‘frenzied’ New Year’s Eve attack. During a press conference, the GMP chief constable, Ian Hopkins, said: “Last night we experienced a horrific attack on people out to simply enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Manchester. My thoughts are with the couple who are still [...]
19.12.2018 – The United Kingdom will leave the European Union in 100 days’ time. Given the continued uncertainty in the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, as agreed between the EU and the UK on 25 November 2018 – and last week’s call by the European Council (Article 50) to intensify preparedness work at all levels [...]
18.12.2018 – Two months after the launch of the Africa–Europe Alliance, the European Commission is presenting first progress on boosting investment and creating jobs in Africa. At the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe today in Vienna, hosted jointly by the Austrian Presidency of the EU, notably by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, and Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda [...]
18.12.2018 – The Commission has today adopted a decision to restrict the use of four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP) – substances known to have toxic effects on human reproductive health – in consumer products on the EU market. The restriction decision has been adopted by amending the EU’s REACH regulation, the most advanced [...]
14.12.2018 – Oleg Sentsov is a Ukrainian film director and writer, an outspoken opponent of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. On 10 May 2014, he was arrested in Simferopol, Crimea, on charges of plotting acts of terrorism against the Russian ‘de facto’ rule in Crimea. In May 2014, Sentsov was arrested by the Russian security service [...]
12.12.2018 – The gunman who opened fire at a Christmas market in central Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, killing two people and wounding others, is still on the run and may no longer be in France. Counter-terrorism prosecutors said they had opened an investigation into the shooting. The suspect, who has been identified as Chérif Chekatt in [...]
10.12.2018 – The result will provide a boost to campaigners for a second vote on EU membership. The European Court of Justice ruled today that the U.K. can unilaterally withdraw its notification to leave the European Union without the permission of other EU countries. The ruling in the case — which was brought by a [...]
5.12.2018 – High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini met today in Brussels with Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Defence Radmila Šekerinska and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. They discussed the steps leading to the implementation of the Prespa agreement signed [...]
4.12.2018 – Taking stock of measures taken since 2015, the report highlights the main trends in trafficking in human beings and outlines remaining challenges that the EU and Member States must address as a matter of priority.The report shows that 20,532 men, women and children were registered as victims of trafficking in the EU in [...]