The EU has struck a deal on a law that would better protect journalists and human rights defenders against strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs. These are increasingly being used to silence people who speak out on public interest issues.

The European Solidarity Corps will get new funding worth €145 million in 2024. Thanks to this money, young people across the EU and beyond will be able to volunteer in projects on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, democratic participation and health.

Passenger rights will be reinforced, thanks to new Commission proposals. The updates to existing travel legislation would reaffirm the right of passengers to get refunded within 14 days; give them more clarity on who will reimburse their airline tickets and access to better information.

Judicial and law enforcement authorities from seven countries joined forces with Europol and Eurojust to dismantle a criminal network responsible for significant ransomware attacks against large corporations in 71 countries. They arrested the ringleader and detained 4 suspects in Ukraine.

Every year, thousands of lives are lost because of migrant smuggling. To fight this deadly criminal activity, the Commission has launched the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling and proposed updating EU rules to prevent and fight migrant smuggling.

In 2022, the European Union detained around 86 million counterfeit items. The estimated value of these items exceeded €2 billion, reflecting a 3% increase from the previous year. The top five detained products included games, packaging material, toys, cigarettes, and recorded CDs/DVDs.

On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the EU renews its commitment to eradicate violence against women and girls in the EU and beyond. More than 3,000 women are killed each year in Europe by partners or family members, and countless more are harmed and harassed.

New EU ecodesign rules will reduce the energy consumption of household tumble dryers and make it easier to repair them. A new energy label will apply to household tumble dryers placed on the market from 1 July 2025.

According to a new report, 2022 was the second-worst year for wildfires in the EU with over 900 000 ha of land being burnt. These wildfires cause large environmental and economic damage and tragic loss of life. While most are caused by humans, they are aggravated by climate change.

A new agreement on waste shipments will ensure that the EU takes greater responsibility for its waste. Export of plastic waste to third countries will be prohibited while shipping waste for recycling within the EU will be easier.

A newly agreed EU law will help investigate and prosecute environmental crime in the EU. It defines environmental crime more precisely, adds new offences and harmonises penalties across the EU.

Less methane will be emitted by the energy sector in Europe and globally, thanks a new EU law. It will oblige the fossil gas, oil and coal industry to properly measure, monitor and report their methane emissions, and take action to reduce them. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.

The EU has revised the limit values for workers’ exposure to lead, and for the first time ever introduced limit values for the dangerous chemical, diisocyanates. The update will help prevent health issues like asthma.

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.

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 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.