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Amidst an ageing EU population and more and more green and digital jobs that need new skills, European employers are struggling to find the workers they need. That is why the Commission has put forward three actions that will make it easier for EU countries to attract the best talent from abroad.

Share your views on the European Solidarity Corps – the EU programme helping young people take part in projects that benefit communities, either abroad or in their own country - in an EU public consultation which launched today. The consultation will stay open until February 5, 2024.

EU home affairs ministers have agreed to let Member States continue to benefit from EU funding for firefighting planes and helicopters until end 2027. This transitional measure will be in place until the permanent EU firefighting fleet becomes operational.

The European Parliament and the Council have agreed on the Nature Restoration Law, which once finally adopted, will be a key contribution to reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It will also set in motion a process for the sustained recovery of nature across the EU's land and sea.

The Council and the European Parliament have agreed on the framework for the new European digital identity wallet. It will let citizens prove their identity and share e-documents with a click of a button on their mobile phone, as well as access online services with their national eID across Europe.

MEPs have voted in favour of introducing new sources of income for the EU budget: revenue from emissions trading, the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, and on corporate profits. The new funds would repay debts from EU recovery fund borrowing. The Member States now have to endorse this proposal.

The Commission has adopted the 2023 Enlargement Package, where it recommends that the EU opens accession negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova, and on certain conditions, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Georgia should also be granted the status of a candidate country to join the EU.

Instant payments in euro look set to become more widely available in EU and EEA countries, after agreement was reached on the instant payments proposal. Instant payments allow people to transfer money within 10 seconds at any time of the day, within the same country but also to another EU country.

EU co-legislators have agreed on new rules on political advertising transparency and targeting, which will make it easier for citizens to recognise political adverts and understand who is behind them. The rules come amid concerns about information manipulation and foreign interference in elections.

A new report exploring links between drug markets and gun violence in the EU has found that on average in Europe, 28% of firearms are seized in the context of drug trafficking. It is even close to 44% in some EU Member States.

As part of the EU's continued support to people in Gaza, the Commission will provide a further €25 million in humanitarian aid. This quadruples EU humanitarian assistance to over €100 million for Gaza this year. The new assistance will provide life-saving assistance to civilians in Gaza.

Over 370 buses have been delivered to Ukrainian communities to help children make the journey to schools not damaged by Russian missiles. The buses were handed over to representatives of local authorities from the Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Chernihiv regions, during a ceremony.

EU leaders condemned Hamas' attack and recognised Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law. They called for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need. They also reiterated their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.

The EU Gender Equality Institute’s latest Gender Equality Index reveals the biggest annual jump in the overall score in the Index’s history: the EU is at 70.2 points out of 100. Sweden, The Netherlands, and Denmark still lead the way, but Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, and Malta also made progress.

The Commission has launched a set of actions to prevent and reduce the risk of critical medicine shortages in the EU. They will also help ensure the long-term security of supply of medicines. EU measures have already been put in place to ensure the availability of key antibiotics this winter.

The Commission has set out immediate actions to be taken to maintain a healthy and competitive wind energy supply chain. Speeding up the installation of wind power projects is just one action that is included in the plan that will help keep the EU on track for achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy are among the measures included in the Commission's new energy poverty recommendations. They are designed to address the root causes of energy poverty, which affects citizens in every EU country.

EU trade ministers have agreed on new rules to help the EU and its member states protect themselves from economic coercion by non-EU countries. A new instrument will help deter and de-escalate trade and investment actions or threats made by third countries through dialogue.

A Eurobarometer survey has revealed that protecting animal welfare is essential for Europeans. Some 84% believe that the welfare of farmed animals should be better protected in their country. And 74% also support better protection of pet welfare.