Latest news from EU institutions and bodies

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending Greece €220 million to help protect against floods and wildfires occurring more often as a result of climate change as well as against other natural disasters such as earthquakes. The funding will be used to buy fire engines, firefighting planes and helicopters, drones, rescue vehicles and control centres.

Council gives its final approval to Euro 7 regulation.

European Commission Press release Luxembourg, 12 Apr 2024 "Check against delivery" Thank you, Vincent. Honourable media representatives. I will start with the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Along with the regular up...

The Council decides to return to the regular visa fee for applicants from The Gambia.

Supported by Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities in Portugal and Romania have dismantled an organised crime group involved in human trafficking, qualified fraud and money laundering. The suspects allegedly transported Romanian citizens, mostly minors and women, to Portugal and used them to beg for a fictitious association, posing as deaf-mute children and young people.

Eurojust has assisted national authorities across Europe in tackling a massive fraud involving fake investments in cannabis plants for medicinal use. Two linked criminal organisations that advertised the scheme online and laundered the profits, which are estimated to be approximately EUR 645 million, have been dismantled. In a coordinated action, nine suspects have been arrested. Eurojust supported authorities in Germany, Spain and France in setting up a joint investigation team (JIT) into the fraud.

The Council adopted a macro-financial assistance operation of €1 billion of urgent short-term macro-financial assistance to Egypt to help stabilise its economy. 

To improve road safety and working conditions for drivers providing occasional bus and coach services in Europe, today the Council adopted a revision of the 2006 rules on driving times and rest periods in the occasional passenger transport sector.