Featured news

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.

A new campaign is promoting closing the gender gap in climate leadership. If women are underrepresented in decision-making, we risk overlooking climate policies that disproportionately affect them. For example, fewer than 1 in 3 senior ministers responsible for Green Deal policies are women.

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. The prize honours the memory of Jina Mahsa Amini, who was murdered last year in Iran, and all the women struggling for equality and freedom in Iran.

A Greek, German and British consortium has won the 2023 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for investigating the Adriana shipwreck, which left over 600 migrants dead off Pylos, Greece. The investigation revealed how the shipwreck in June happened as a result of the actions taken by the Greek Coast Guard.

The Commission has put forward an EU counter-drone policy. Actions include community-building and information-sharing among Member States, as well as clear guidance, support, training, funding and operational procedures.

The Commission has proposed measures to help the EU step up its fight against drug trafficking and criminal networks, which are a major EU security threat. A new plan sets out 17 actions in 4 priority areas, including a European Ports Alliance to beat criminal infiltration in ports.

The horrific terrorist attack by Hamas terrorists against Israel and the aftermath have led to a disastrous humanitarian situation for the people of Gaza. The EU is now sending several flights to Egypt to bring lifesaving supplies to humanitarian organisations on the ground in Gaza.