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The European Parliament and the Council have struck a deal on new rules for the effective treatment and monitoring of urban wastewater. The rules will see new standards applied to micropollutants that will protect human health and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes, groundwater and seas in Europe.

Workers will be better represented in EU-based multinational companies thanks to new rules for so-called European Works Councils, which represent nearly 11.3 million EU employees on transnational issues. The new rules would give employees equal rights to request the creation of a new council.

The Council and the Parliament have reached an agreement to add forced marriage, illegal adoption and surrogacy as types of exploitation covered by the EU’s anti-trafficking law and criminalise them. The new rules will strengthen victims' support and assistance, and prevention.

Amidst growing geopolitical tensions and profound technological shifts, the Commission has put forward proposals to strengthen the EU's economic security in the areas of trade and research. It will do so while ensuring the EU remains an open and attractive destination for business and investment.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). Since 2004, the EDPS safeguards the privacy of EU citizens and guides EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies so that they are exemplary in upholding data protection principles.

The cities of Bad Ischl in Austria, Bodø in Norway and Tartu in Estonia are 2024’s European Capitals of Culture. They are showcasing their cities through their own cultural programmes filled with events, exhibitions and projects with a European angle.

To build a better future, Europe must listen to its youth. Building on the achievements of the 2022 European Year of Youth, the Commission has announced several actions that give young people a greater say in the decisions that affect them.

On 1 January 1999, the euro emerged as the official currency for a coalition of nations, fostering greater economic integration and stability across Europe. Over the years, the euro has facilitated seamless cross-border transactions, bolstered trade, and solidified the EU's economic unity.

The Belgian presidency will work towards better protecting European citizens, strengthening our cooperation, and preparing our shared future. It will focus on six thematic areas, and will provide particular attention to maintaining our unwavering support to Ukraine.

A supercomputer that can make 314 million billion calculations per second has been inaugurated at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain. Owned by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, MareNostrum 5 is also the greenest supercomputer in Europe.

Today, the EU has reached a long-awaited agreement to revamp the European asylum and migration legislation. The new rules touch upon all stages of asylum and migration management, making it more effective and increasing the solidarity and cooperation among EU countries.

The Commission proposes to change the status of wolves from ‘strictly protected' to ‘protected' based on new data on increased populations and impacts in some European regions. To manage critical wolf concentrations more actively, local authorities need more flexibility, funding and guidance.

The Council has agreed to extend emergency measures adopted last year following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. These measures enhance solidarity between Member States, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and protect EU citizens from excessively high energy prices.

The EU has imposed a 12th package of economic and individual sanctions on Russia in view of the country’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine. These sanctions, which include a ban on the purchase and import of diamonds from Russia, deliver a further blow to Putin’s ability to wage war.

At the EU summit in Brussels, leaders decided to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. They also agreed to start negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary conditions are met and granted Georgia candidate status.

Two new reports have been published showing that the EU is being successful in creating more forward-looking, resilient, robust and equitable health systems. At the same time, they also identify areas where further progress needs to be made, including on mental health.

The Commission has put forward new measures to ensure transparency of foreign interest representation, strengthen electoral processes and ensure citizens and civil society organisations can participate in policymaking.

The Commission has put forward solutions to ensure that 150 million European citizens who live in border regions in the European Union can access the services that they need in their daily lives.

The European Parliament has awarded the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. It serves as a tribute to all the brave and defiant women, men and young people in Iran who are fighting for their rights and pushing for change.