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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.

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.

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.

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.

The Artificial Intelligence Act will ensure that artificial intelligence systems on the European market and used in the EU are safe, and respect fundamental rights and EU values. The law will also stimulate investment and innovation in Europe.

The Council and Parliament have reached a new agreement on strengthening the energy performance of buildings. Phasing out fossil fuel boilers, renovating the worst-performing buildings and making new ones solar-ready will lower energy bills, cut emissions and boost Europe's energy independence.

The European Commission has today proposed new rules to improve the welfare of dogs and cats in the EU, and the conditions for animals during transport. It has also responded to a citizens' initiative 'Fur Free Europe' to ban fur farming in the EU.

To mark the 30th anniversary of EU citizenship, the Commission has presented a set of measures to strengthen the rights of EU citizens. They reinforce the right to freedom of movement, effective participation in democratic processes, and consular protection when travelling outside the EU.

According to a European Parliament survey, citizens continue to support the EU and have a high interest in the June 2024 European elections. Some 72% citizens believe their country has benefited from being an EU member and 57% are already interested in the 2024 elections.

In the wake of alarming increases in hate speech and hate crime, as a result of the crisis in the Middle East, the Commission has put forward a proposal to step up efforts to tackle hatred in all its forms in the EU. It will do this through various policies, including culture, digital and sport.