The Lost Opportunities List

Today, the Commission launched a call for proposals worth €23 million to help EU Member States develop new ways of tackling long-term unemployment and support people to find their way back into the labour market. This was announced in the recent action plan to tackle labour and skills shortages in the EU.

Through this call for proposals, funded under the “Social Innovation +” initiative of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the Commission aims to build on previous promising initiatives and to strengthen the role of social economy organisations. These organisations prioritise social and environmental purposes and reinvest most of their gains back into their initiatives. They have a proven capacity to support people who have suffered from isolation and poverty as a consequence of long-term unemployment.

The Interoperable Europe Act, which enters into force today, will facilitate cross-border data exchange and accelerate the digital transformation of the public sector. The Act is essential to reaching the objectives of the EU's Digital Decade, such as having 100% of key public services available online by 2030. Interoperability is a core feature of a functioning Digital Single Market and contributes to a more effective implementation of digital features of public policies, from justice to health to transport.

Citizens, businesses, and public administrations will benefit most of the new regulation when using interconnected digital public services that require cross-border exchange of data. Examples of such services include mutual recognition of academic diplomas or professional qualifications, exchanges of vehicle data for road safety, access to social security and health data, the exchange of information related to taxation, customs, public tender accreditation, digital driving licenses, commercial registers. According to the impact assessment, the Act is expected to save up to €5 billion on a yearly basis.

"Interoperability is essential to better serve people and businesses and to cut unnecessary administrative burden. It helps administrations themselves to work better. I am very pleased to see the Interoperable Europe Act in place, fulfilling the calls for better, interoperable digital public services in the EU. This Act lays the groundwork for an effective, interconnected EU public sector and for inclusive, transparent and responsible digital transformation. It enhances collaboration among public administrations in Member States and expands access to digital cross-border public services in the EU, leaving no one behind.

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Budget and Administration

Today, the Commission is presenting three initiatives to advance transnational cooperation between higher education institutions, with the ultimate goal of creating a European degree. A voluntary European degree would benefit students and the higher education community by boosting learning mobility within the EU and by enhancing students' transversal skills. It would help meet labour market demand and make graduates more attractive for future employers while, at the same time, attracting students from around the world and boosting European competitiveness.

The three initiatives tackle the legal and administrative barriers to partner universities setting up competitive joint degree programmes at Bachelor, Master or Doctoral levels. The proposals build on universities' institutional autonomy and academic freedom. They fully respect the competences of Member States and regional governments in the area of higher education.

More than 3.5 million workers received training from 2,500 organisations under the Pact for Skills in 2022 and 2023, according to key results of the annual survey on the Pact, published today on the occasion of the Pact for Skills Forum.

These results highlight the importance of skills development, in line with the European Year of Skills. They come in the same week when the Commission presented an Action Plan to tackle skills and labour shortages to boost the EU's competitiveness, social and economic resilience. The Pact for Skills is a flagship initiative of the European Skills Agenda. It mobilises all relevant partners – including industry, social partners, training and education providers, public authorities, employment services – to work together to identify where the skills gaps are, and take concrete action to upskill and reskill workers in the EU.  

Overall, the survey shows how the 20 large-scale skills partnerships created under the Pact so far have helped improve the skills of workers in strategic sectors, such as micro-electronics, renewable energy, maritime technology, textiles, agri-food and digital ecosystems. Together, all large-scale skills partnerships under the Pact have pledged to upskill and reskill over 25 million people by 2030. At least one large-scale skills partnership has been set up for each industrial ecosystem of the EU Industrial Strategy.

Today, the Commission has proposed a series of targeted actions to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU. The Communication on Building the future with nature identifies the challenges and barriers and proposes to tackle them, in line with the Communication on the long-term competitiveness of the EU.

The advances in life sciences, supported by digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential of solutions based on biology to solve societal issues, make biotechnology and biomanufacturing one of the most promising technological areas of this century. They can help the EU to modernise its agriculture, forestry, energy, food and feed sectors and industry. In addition, these technologies can contribute to a more competitive and resilient EU, that provides better healthcare to its citizens, and succeeds in its green and digital transitions.

"Everywhere across Europe, we are faced with the same challenges: Climate change affects us all. Resource scarcity affects us all. Biotechnology can contribute to solving these challenges. Biotech also largely supports Europe’s economy and contribute to our competitiveness, with high growth potential and labour productivity. And by reducing the Europe’s dependency on fossil-based input and other sources of raw materials biotech also increase circularity and strengthen our path towards independence of fossil fuels. With today’s proposal we want to create the right environment for this sector to grow and deliver global solutions to societal and environmental problems.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age

The Commission has allocated almost €70 million to fund the development of new specialised teams and equipment to further strengthen the preparedness and response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks.

The funding has been granted to Italy, Poland and Romania to develop the rescEU detection capabilities. The aim is that EU Member States can benefit from such capabilities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism as of 2026. These tools will be used to detect, identify, sample, and monitor potential contamination in response to emergencies such as industrial accidents or security incidents. Teams may also assist with surveillance activities ahead of major public events and thus help ensure systemic protection of public spaces.

Today, the Commission has launched a package of measures to support European startups and SMEs in the development of trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) that respects EU values and rules. This follows the political agreement reached in December 2023 on the EU AI Act – the world's first comprehensive law on Artificial Intelligence – which will support the development, deployment and take-up of trustworthy AI in the EU.

In her 2023 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen announced a new initiative to make Europe's supercomputers available to innovative European AI startups to train their trustworthy AI models. Today's package puts this commitment into practice through a broad range of measures to support AI startups and innovation, including a proposal to provide privileged access to supercomputers to AI startups and the broader innovation community.

Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said:

“You need computing power to develop AI. A lot of it. So we want to give SMEs and start-ups privileged access to the network of European supercomputers. We are committed to innovation of AI and innovation with AI. And we will do our best to build a thriving AI ecosystem in Europe.”

Google has published several new features to its range of services, but only available to those in the EU.

Tech companies around the world are making changes to fall in line with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a bill that aims to make digital markets fairer and open. There are various new obligations that tech companies will need to adhere to, ranging from preventing the removal of pre-installed apps on their systems or stopping the tracking of end users outside of their core platforms without user consent.

Several improvements are on the way to Google services in particular along these lines, as announced in a recent blog. As the changes come into effect, EU Google users may start to some changes in how they look and function.

Ground-breaking new EU rules come into effect today introducing a minimum rate of effective taxation of 15% for multinational companies active in EU Member States.

The framework will bring greater fairness and stability to the tax landscape in the EU and globally, while making it more modern and better adapted to today's globalised, digital world. The entry into force of the minimum effective taxation rules, unanimously agreed by Member States in 2022, formalises the EU's implementation of the so-called ‘Pillar 2' rules agreed as part of the global deal on international tax reform in 2021.

While almost 140 jurisdictions worldwide have now signed up to those rules, the EU has been a front-runner in translating them into hard law. By lowering the incentive for businesses to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions, Pillar 2 curbs the so-called "race to the bottom"—the battle between countries to lower their corporate income tax rates in order to attract investment. It is already delivering results, with a number of zero tax jurisdictions around the world having announced the introduction of a corporate income tax for the companies in scope.

"This new year marks a new dawn for the taxation of large multinationals. The entry into force in Europe and in jurisdictions around the world of this historic reform marks a major step towards a fairer corporate taxation system. By lowering the incentive for businesses to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions, the new rules will help curb the so-called ‘race to the bottom’ on corporate tax rates in the EU and globally. I encourage all signatories to the global tax agreement to walk the talk and also enact swiftly this key reform, which has the potential to generate an extra $220 billion annually to help countries around the world to fund crucial investments and high quality public services.

Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy - 31/12/2023

New transparency rules come into force this 1 January that will help EU Member States to crack down on Value-Added Tax (VAT) fraud.

The new rules will provide tax administration of the EU Member States with payment information allowing them to detect VAT fraud more easily, with a particular focus on e-commerce which is particularly prone to VAT non-compliance and fraud. This in turn creates holes in the tax revenues that pay for vital public services.

For example, some online sellers with no physical presence in an EU Member State sell goods and services to EU consumers without registering for VAT anywhere in the EU, or by declaring less than the actual value of their online sales. Member States therefore need strengthened tools to detect and shut down this unlawful behaviour.

"These new rules will play a crucial role in the fight against VAT fraud, which costs EU governments billions in lost revenues every year. By harnessing the information collected by payment service providers such as banks and credit card companies, anti-fraud specialists in Member States will be able to more easily and accurately pinpoint and crack down on fraudulent behaviour in the e-commerce sector.

Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economy - 31/12/2023

oday, the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) has entered into force, providing the EU with the means to deter and respond to economic coercion, and thereby better defend its interests and those of its Member States on the global stage.

The ACI is first and foremost designed to act as a deterrent against economic coercion. Where coercion still happens, the tool provides a structure to respond in a well-calibrated way to stop the coercion. It gives the EU a wide range of possible countermeasures when a country refuses to remove the coercion. These include the imposition of tariffs, restrictions on trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, and restrictions on access to foreign direct investment and public procurement.

The Regulation provides a legal framework for responding to coercion and sets down the means for the EU to investigate and take decisions. It includes timeframes and procedures for stakeholders affected by coercion to contact the Commission and hold a stakeholder consultation before taking countermeasures. The ACI likewise provides a framework for the EU to request a third country to repair the injury caused by its economic coercion.

"I am delighted that the Anti-Coercion Instrument has now entered into force, and I thank the co-legislators for their work and commitment to make it happen. This critically important tool sends a clear signal that the EU rejects economic coercion by third countries, and will be more assertive in defending our legitimate rights and interests. It is an important building block for the EU’s economic security and that of our Member States. The ACI provides an assurance of resilience and stability in an increasingly unstable world.

Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade - 26/12/2023

The Commission has today selected 17 small-scale innovative clean tech projects to receive over €65 million in project support under the EU Innovation Fund. These funds will help companies in Europe, including small businesses, to bring breakthrough technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, and energy storage. The selected projects cover a wide range of sectors, with a particular focus on manufacturing of components for renewable energy and glass, ceramics, and construction materials. There are also projects in the area of energy storage, solar energy, renewables, iron and steel, refineries, chemicals, cement and lime, and hydrogen.

The selected projects are expected to avoid over 1.8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions within the first ten years of their operations, contributing to Europe's decarbonisation and clean energy transition. With these new projects, the Innovation Fund expands its geographical reach to cover projects in a total of 24 countries, with Latvian and Hungarian projects receiving support for the first time.

"On our path to climate neutrality, we must make the most of the EU’s investment firepower. The Innovation Fund is an important instrument available to support our industry in the transition, which can also help leveraging much-needed private investment. By funding clean-tech projects, we are both reducing our emissions and contributing to our competitiveness on the global stage.

Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič - 18/12/2023

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and the Council on the European Media Freedom Act, proposed by the Commission in September 2022.

These new rules will better protect editorial independence, media pluralism, ensure transparency and fairness and bring better cooperation of media authorities through a new European media Board. It includes unprecedented safeguards for journalists to perform their job freely and safely. This novel set of rules will also ensure that media – public and private – can operate more easily across borders in the EU internal market, without undue pressure and taking into account the digital transformation of the media space.

"Today’s agreement on this paramount piece of legislation sets out clear principles and safeguards for media independence. The European Media Freedom Act makes sure that journalists are protected in their work, also against intrusive spyware and that public media does not become a propaganda tool of one party."

Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency - 14/12/2023

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), proposed by the Commission in April 2021.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said:

“Artificial intelligence is already changing our everyday lives. And this is just the beginning. Used wisely and widely, AI promises huge benefits to our economy and society. Therefore, I very much welcome today's political agreement by the European Parliament and the Council on the Artificial Intelligence Act. The EU's AI Act is the first-ever comprehensive legal framework on Artificial Intelligence worldwide. So, this is a historic moment. The AI Act transposes European values to a new era. By focusing regulation on identifiable risks, today's agreement will foster responsible innovation in Europe. By guaranteeing the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses, it will support the development, deployment and take-up of trustworthy AI in the EU. Our AI Act will make a substantial contribution to the development of global rules and principles for human-centric AI.” 

The Commission welcomes the provisional agreement reached today between the European Parliament and Council on updated EU rules to decarbonise the gas market and create a hydrogen market. The new rules will facilitate the uptake of renewable and low carbon gases, including hydrogen, while ensuring security of supply and affordability of energy for all citizens in the EU. The decarbonisation of the gas sector and the creation of a hydrogen market will make a key contribution to the EU's efforts to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Renewable and low-carbon gases will help cut emissions in heavy-emitting sectors and support the competitiveness of European industry. This agreement will help the EU reinforce its energy independence and further reduce imports of fossil fuels from Russia, as set out in the REPowerEU Plan.

"Making a smooth transition from fossil gas to renewable and low-carbon gases is important for our climate ambitions and our industrial competitiveness. Today’s agreement on new market rules is good news for industry and household consumers. I am also delighted that we will continue our successful joint purchasing of gas and that we will start a pilot project for hydrogen."

Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for European Green deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight - 07/12/2023

Today, the Commission and the High Representative adopted a Communication on “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred”. It is a call for action to all Europeans to stand up against hatred and speak up for tolerance and respect.

In recent weeks, we have seen scenes in Europe which we hoped we would never see again. Europe is experiencing an alarming increase in hate speech and hate crime and evidence shows that Jewish and Muslim communities are particularly affected.

With today's Communication, the Commission and the High Representative are stepping up their efforts to fight hatred in all its forms, by reinforcing action across a variety of policies, including security, digital, education, culture and sport. This includes additional funding to protect places of worship and will be backed up by the designation of Envoys with an explicit mandate to maximise the potential of EU policies to combat hatred. 

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said: 

“Europe is a place where diverse cultural and religious identities are honored. Respect and tolerance are the founding values of our societies. Therefore we must stand up against antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, whenever we encounter it. The dignity and safety of each and every individual in our Union are paramount.”

The Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an Important Project of Common European Interest (‘IPCEI') to support research, development and first industrial deployment of advanced cloud and edge computing technologies across multiple providers in Europe.

The project, called IPCEI Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI CIS), was jointly notified by seven Member States: France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.

The Member States will provide up to €1.2 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock additional €1.4 billion in private investments. As part of this IPCEI, 19 companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs'), will undertake 19 highly innovative projects.

"This Important Project of Common European Interest is the first one in the cloud and edge computing domain. The participating Member States provide up to €1.2 billion in public funding, expected to unlock an additional €1.4 billion in private investments. The IPCEI will provide for highly ambitious research, necessary to enable the uptake of innovative data processing applications and services for European businesses, public administrations, and citizens. Today’s decision makes sure that public support is well targeted and sufficient to enable the project to pursue its ambitious goals, while safeguarding the level playing field and ensuring that strong positive spill-overs can be generated throughout the Union."

Commissioner Didier Reynders, in charge of competition policy - 04/12/2023

Today, the Commission launched the 2024 call for proposals under Erasmus+, the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. With a budget of €4.3 billion for next year, Erasmus+ will continue to support transnational experiences of school pupils, students in higher education and vocational education and training. The programme also offers opportunities to adult learners, educators and staff, and young people in non-formal learning programmes.

To alleviate the effect of inflation on participants learning abroad and allow a wide participation, the programme will raise mobility grant levels. Following the same approach as for the 2023 call, the grant amounts for individual support for those learning abroad will be adjusted by 5.9% for most of the mobility actions in the 2024 call. On top of this increase, a first adjustment of 12.27% was made in 2023.

The total budget available for Erasmus+ from 2021 to 2027 amounts to €26.2 billion, complemented with some €2.2 billion from EU's external instruments. The Erasmus+ programme has benefited over 14 million people since 1987, through participation in various education, training, and youth mobility activities. The programme is continuously expanding its reach to involve more citizens.

The EU has today completed political procedures ratifying the ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand. The decision by the Council of the European Union comes less than a week after the European Parliament gave its consent.

The deal is expected to cut some €140 million a year in duties for EU companies. As a result, bilateral trade is expected to grow by up to 30% within a decade, with EU exports growing by up to €4.5 billion annually. EU investment into New Zealand is expected to grow by up to 80%. This landmark agreement also includes unprecedented sustainability commitments, including respect of the Paris Climate Agreement and core labour rights.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said:

“New Zealand is a key partner for us in the Indo-Pacific region, and this ambitious free trade agreement will bring us even closer together. The deal will bring major opportunities for EU companies, with exports expected to grow by up to €4.5 billion annually. But this is not all: thanks to unprecedented social and climate commitments, our consumers and environment will also reap the benefits. This is how the EU achieves positive results at global level - by working in cooperation with our partners.”

Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President issued the following statement:

“Globally, the rights of women and girls have faced threats, reductions, or complete elimination, significantly impeding progress achieved over decades. The European Union continues to stand up against all forms of violence against women and girls. We maintain our unwavering support for women and girls who have suffered from violence, as victims and survivors, and condemn the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war.

We join the UN's Global Campaign to End Violence against Women. As co-leader of the Generation Equality Forum's Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, we affirm our steadfast dedication to the immediate eradication of violence against women and girls, both within and beyond the European Union. We stand in solidarity with our partners, civil society, women's rights groups, and human rights defenders, echoing their demand for justice and accountability.

This year, the EU acceded to the Istanbul Convention, marking a major step forward in making Europe a safer place for women and girls. The EU is now bound by ambitious and comprehensive standards to prevent and combat gender-based violence.  Member States will have to implement measures such as training professionals in close contact with victims of violence, running awareness-raising campaigns or ensuring dissuasive sanctions for perpetrators.”

Today, the European Cancer Imaging Initiative has reached a first major milestone: as of today, the Cancer Image Europe platform links up 36 datasets of images of 9 cancer types (breast, colon, lung, prostate, rectum, liver, glioma, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma), for a total of over 200,000 image series of about 20,000 individuals. A first version of the rules that will apply for data providers and users, as well as the operational procedures for the platform have also been published.

The Initiative aims to deliver a European federated infrastructure of cancer images data to support healthcare providers, research institutes and innovators in making the best use of innovative data-driven solutions for diagnostics, cancer treatment and care, for the benefit of cancer patients.

Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, said:

“With the launch of the Cancer Image Europe platform, we are harnessing the power of data in our fight against cancer. We are paving the way towards a cross-border, interoperable and secure infrastructure for cancer imaging data in Europe, in line with EU values and rules. This will boost the development of new AI-driven technologies for better cancer care.”

The Commission has launched the DSA Transparency Database, putting in action one of the many ground-breaking transparency features mandated by the DSA.

Under the DSA, all providers of hosting services are required to provide users with clear and specific information, so-called statements of reasons, whenever they remove or restrict access to certain content. The new database will collect these statements of reasons in accordance with Article 24(5) of the DSA. This makes  this database a first-of-its-kind regulatory repository, where data on content moderation decisions taken by providers of online platforms active in the EU are accessible to the general public at an unprecedented scale and granularity, enabling more online accountability.

Only Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) need to submit data to the database as part of their compliance with DSA already now. From 17 February 2024, all providers of online platforms, with the exception of micro and small enterprises, will have to submit data on their content moderation decisions.

Today the Commission launches a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport. Over €7 billion is available for projects targeting new, upgraded and improved European transport infrastructure on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), which involve  rail, inland waterways, maritime or inland ports, or roads. The projects selected for funding will help the EU deliver on its climate objectives.

Projects bolstering the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, set up to facilitate Ukraine's exports and imports, will also be eligible. For the first time, entities from Ukraine and Moldova can apply directly for EU funding with this call, since the signature of the CEF Association Agreements with the two countries earlier this year. 

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said:

“This call for proposals will be the largest in terms of available budget under the 2021-2027 Connecting Europe Facility. We are making available over €7 billion for projects that will support a smart and sustainable transport system, with a strong focus on cross-border projects between Member States. These challenging times have also reinforced the importance of having a strong transport network of railways, inland waterways and maritime routes which will increase our industry's competitiveness, bring citizens closer together, and anchor Ukraine and Moldova firmly into the EU.”  

The Data Governance Act entered into application on 24 September 2023. The Regulation creates a new European way of data governance based on increasing trust in data sharing.

It aims to create a safe environment for sharing data across sectors and Member States to benefit society and the economy. The Data Governance Act also allows novel data intermediaries to act as trustworthy actors in the data economy. Entities engaging in data altruism can register voluntarily as data altruism organisations. This will provide maximum trust with minimum administrative burden. The rules related to data altruism will help individuals and companies to donate data in a safe and trustworthy way in order to contribute to wider societal goals such as fighting a pandemic. The reuse of public sector data that cannot be made available as open data will also be enhanced. All of these tools will increase data flows, thereby supporting the development of common European data spaces, such as manufacturing, cultural heritage, agriculture and health.

The Regulation also establishes the European Data Innovation Board. It will issue guidelines on the development of common European data spaces and will identify standards and interoperability requirements for cross-sector data sharing.

Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, said:

“To become a truly innovative continent, we need a fair data-driven economy. The Data Governance Act will help build confidence so that any data will be shared in line with European values. The Act is a milestone for creating a safe and trustworthy digital single market.”.

Today, the European Chips Act enters into force. It puts in place a comprehensive set of measures to ensure the EU's security of supply, resilience and technological leadership in semiconductor technologies and applications.

Semiconductors are the essential building blocks of digital and digitised products. From smartphones and cars, through critical applications and infrastructures for healthcare, energy, defence, communications and industrial automation, semiconductors are central to the modern digital economy. They are also at the centre of strong geostrategic interests and the global technological race.

Concretely the European Chips Act will strengthen manufacturing activities in the Union, stimulate the European design ecosystem, and support scale-up and innovation across the whole value chain. Through the European Chips Act, the European Union aims to reach its target to double its current global market share to 20% in 2030.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a venture debt loan of €15 million, backed by the InvestEU programme, with CrowdFarming, an online platform for European farmers that sell directly to end-consumers. The company is based in Spain, with a strong presence in France, Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Overall, CrowdFarming's marketplace currently has more than 300 farmers from 13 European countries selling to end-consumers without intermediaries. The EIB financing will help to boost the research, development and innovation activities of the company by enhancing their digital marketplace and developing tools that promote sustainable agricultural practices across Europe, and a more sustainable and fair food supply chain.  

Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said:

“The InvestEU programme plays a vital role in helping businesses across Europe to access the financing they need. Thanks to this agreement, we are fostering economic growth and job creation, while ensuring that an increasing number of Spanish companies will be at the forefront of establishing a more sustainable, innovative, and efficient food system. This initiative is a good example of how we can further our efforts to achieve our environmental objectives and reinforce the EU's competitiveness.”

Today, the Commission announced the results of the 2022–2023 calls for proposals for space-related research projects under Horizon Europe. A total of €166 million will support 54 space research projects implemented by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and the EU Space Programme Agency (EUSPA).

The selected projects will bring breakthrough innovations and contribute to strengthening both the European Union Space programme and other space research priorities in various domains, from Earth observation to European Global Navigation Satellite System (EGNSS), secure telecommunications and autonomous access to space. These projects cover a wide scope of applications, from greenhouse gas and aerosol monitoring to coastal and crops observation, and also address in-orbit needs and space science. 

The European Investment Fund (EIF) backed by the InvestEU programme has signed a portfolio guarantee with Arbevel to support up to €72 million in new financing for SMEs and lower mid-caps.

Under the support of the EIF guarantee from the “Innovation and Digitalisation” InvestEU window, Arbevel expects to support final recipients from industrials, IT & communication services, healthcare and other sectors. Under the support of the EIF guarantee from the “Sustainability” InvestEU window, new debt financing is to be provided to final recipients that are active in Climate Mitigation. Arbevel intends to target projects such as green technology and e-mobility (i.e. solutions that enable monitoring or/ and reducing energy consumption and contribute to climate mitigation objectives). Under the support of the EIF guarantee from the “Competitiveness” InvestEU window, Arbevel expects to engage in subordinated transactions (subordinated bonds), again supporting small and medium-sized businesses.

Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said:

“InvestEU continues to play a crucial role in supporting small and medium-sized businesses across Europe. I welcome these EIF guarantees supported by the InvestEU programme, which are designed to encourage investment for SMEs and lower mid-caps in the key areas of innovation, digitalisation, sustainability and competitiveness. This will help many more businesses to fulfil their growth potential and create jobs.”

According to the 2021-2022 activity report of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) published today by the Commission, during the period of reference the EU allocated €51.8 million from the EGF to help over 13,000 displaced workers and self-employed people retrain and find a job.

The Commission received requests from nine Member States (Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Finland), with EGF funding mobilised in all 14 instances where support was requested. The largest numbers of affected workers were active in the air transport and automotive sector, followed by the warehousing and support activities for transportation sector. Most workers who received support lost their jobs due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commission acts to accelerate phasing out of animal testing in response to a European Citizens' Initiative.

Today, the Commission is responding to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) ‘Save Cruelty-free Cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without Animal Testing'. The response provides a comprehensive overview of the EU's legislative and policy framework relevant to the use of animals for testing purposes. It also proposes additional actions to further reduce animal testing.

The Commission welcomes the initiative and acknowledges that animal welfare remains a strong concern for European citizens. It highlights the leading role of the EU in phasing out the use of animals in testing and improving animal welfare in general. This is especially reflected in the full ban of animal testing for cosmetics, which has been in place in the EU since 2013.

"Over the last 20 years, the Commission has provided an impressive investment of over €1 billion for the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing. This effort starts to pay off, as some of these non-animal tools and methods become available to the scientific community and are increasingly used for regulatory purposes. The Commission will continue its strong support to alternatives to animal testing with appropriate funding and explore the possibility to coordinate the activities of Member States in this field.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age - 24/07/2023

The European Commission, the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are today issuing recommendations for actions to avoid shortages of key antibiotics used to treat respiratory infections for European patients in the next winter season. These recommendations, which have been developed through the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG), complement the process to develop an EU list of critical medicines. In close cooperation with the EU Member States, the Commission will take operational follow-up actions, including, if necessary, possible joint procurements.

"The availability of medicines is a crucial component of a strong European Health Union. It is essential that we take action now to prepare ahead of next winter and ensure that potential shortages of antibiotic medicines are avoided. Today we are taking an important step on measures to address our immediate needs for key antibiotics, complementing the on-going process to develop an EU list of critical medicines. Operational follow-up by HERA and EMA will now follow as a matter of priority.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety - 16/07/2023

The InvestEU Investment Committee approved a new guarantee, bringing the total of operations financed by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and backed by InvestEU to five. With this, the overall amount of the InvestEU guarantee approved for CEB projects has reached €80 million.

The CEB projects are expected to mobilise €252.5 million in financing for affordable social housing, education and training, as well as microfinance and social enterprise finance sectors. These five operations benefit from the InvestEU guarantee agreement that the European Commission and the CEB signed in November 2022.

Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said:

"We face immense investment needs over the coming years in order to achieve our common EU objectives, which include building a strong social Europe. And InvestEU is an invaluable tool to support progress in this direction, fostering and sustaining businesses and jobs, including in the social economy. I'm proud that thanks to this agreement, we are strengthening our cooperation with the Council of Europe Development Bank, supporting growth and social inclusion."

The Commission announced today 18 new projects which will receive over €106 million  to contribute to the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters'. The projects gather over 370 beneficiaries from 36 countries, including SMEs, research institutions, local authorities, schools and businesses. They will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature by protecting and restoring biodiversity in waters, cutting pollution, supporting a sustainable blue economy and developing the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. All EU Member States are involved in the projects, with actions from the Baltic and North Sea, through the Danube River, Mediterranean Sea, and across to the Atlantic.

Investing in nature and local communities

The projects will deliver a wide variety of benefits to the ocean and waters, such as:

• Protection and restoration solutions for degraded coastal and marine habitats
• Protection and restoration of wetlands, flood plains, coastal wetlands and salt marshes in the Danube
• Actions to prevent, minimise and remediate chemical pollution in the Mediterranean sea
• Bringing sustainable algae-based products and solutions to the market in the Baltic and the North Sea
• Preventing and eliminating litter, plastics and microplastics – innovative solutions for waste-free European rivers
• Reducing marine litter and pollution by using smart and low environmental impact fishing gears
• Integration of biodiversity monitoring data into the Digital Twin Ocean
• Creation of an e-library of marine and freshwater species
• Developing local community-driven business models for ocean farming.

Today, the Commission announced the results of the 2023 Erasmus+ call for the European Universities initiative, which provides support to alliances of higher education institutions. These European University alliances are bringing together a new generation of Europeans who are able to study and work in different European countries, different languages, and across sectors and academic disciplines. Thanks to these alliances, students can obtain a degree by combining studies in several European countries, which contributes to the international competitiveness of higher education institutions in Europe. 

With today's results, adding seven new European Universities alliances, the total of 50 alliances now involve more than 430 higher education institutions in 35 countries. These comprise all EU Member States and Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Türkiye.

"Imagine studying on the transnational campus of a European University, where the students can choose what, where and when to study in any partner university of the alliance. Learners and educators naturally acquire a whole new set of competencies, as they benefit from innovative and challenge-based pedagogy and from embedded mobility. European Universities fundamentally revolutionise higher education and promote European values and identity. They can help us pave the way towards a joint European degree, reinforcing a strong sense of European belonging among graduates. I warmly congratulate all successful higher education institutions.

Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life - 03/07/2023

The Commission announced today 18 new projects which will receive over €106 million  to contribute to the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters'. The projects gather over 370 beneficiaries from 36 countries, including SMEs, research institutions, local authorities, schools and businesses. They will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature by protecting and restoring biodiversity in waters, cutting pollution, supporting a sustainable blue economy and developing the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. All EU Member States are involved in the projects, with actions from the Baltic and North Sea, through the Danube River, Mediterranean Sea, and across to the Atlantic.

"These 18 new projects aim to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters in the areas of biodiversity, freshwater ecosystems, pollution, blue economy and decarbonisation. More than 370 beneficiaries - SMEs, research institutions, local authorities, schools and businesses - are mobilised to bring solutions that can turn green challenges into innovation opportunities.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age - 30/06/2023

This Sunday, 25 June 2023, marks the entry into application of the Representative Actions Directive.

The Directive allows consumers from across the EU to claim their rights not only individually, but also through collective actions. Qualified entities designated by the Member States, such as consumer organisations, will be able to launch legal actions against traders' illegal practices on behalf of consumers.

This will allow consumers harmed by an illegal commercial practice to seek compensation, replacement or repair collectively. Representative actions concern consumers' interests in many areas of law and economic sectors, including data protection, financial services, travel, tourism, energy or telecommunications.

Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said:

“In the European Union, we believe that achieving a high level of consumer protection is a fundamental right. This Directive is an essential tool to enforce this right. Consumers have now the possibility to join their forces in single, EU-wide, collective actions to ensure that all businesses, including the largest ones, respect their rights.”

Today, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), enters into force. The new rules seek to address major societal changes that have affected consumer product safety in the past two decades, such as increasing digitalisation, new technological developments, and globalised supply chains. This modernised framework will ensure that only safe products are offered to consumers, regardless of the origin of the products and whether they are sold in shops or on online marketplaces.

New EU general product safety rules

The objective of the new General Product Safety Regulation is to ensure that all consumer products on the EU market are safe. It applies to non-food products, be they sold offline or online. The Regulation provides for a real safety net for consumers adressing safety of products or risks not regulated in other EU legislation, more specifically by:

• key elements such as the evolving nature of a product or its interconnectivity in the safety assessment of consumer products;
• improving the conditions for product safety between online and offline sales;
• establishing specific product safety requirements for online marketplaces to protect consumers against dangerous products sold via online marketplaces;
• extending the obligation for all non-harmonised products imported to the EU to have an economic operator in the EU responsible for the product safety issues;
• providing national authorities with necessary tools, thus stepping up their enforcement powers;
• ensuring effective product recalls by requiring direct contacts of consumers and standardised recall notices.

Today, the Commission opened a new call for the 2023 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks. The call is expected to fund over 130 doctorates spanning all scientific fields as well as the training and skills development of 1,600 doctoral candidates.  With a budget of €434.8 million, the call will fund doctoral programmes implemented by international partnerships of organisations from different sectors across Europe and beyond. Besides regular doctorates, specific incentives are provided to set up Industrial Doctorates, which train researchers and develop their skills outside academia, particularly in industry, businesses and the public sector, and Joint Doctorates, which offer integrated training programmes leading to joint or multiple degrees. The call will close on 28 November 2023.

Vice-President for promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said:

“The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks raise the attractiveness and excellence of doctoral training in Europe and beyond. They equip researchers with research and transferable competencies and skills, enhancing their career prospects and international connections. I invite organisations from all socioeconomic sectors to apply to develop strategic partnerships and attract the best research talent.”

In a press point this morning, Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič has announced the successful outcome of the first-ever international tender for joint purchasing of EU gas supplies.

By leveraging its collective economic weight, the EU managed to attract bids from a total number of 25 supplying companies equivalent to more than 13.4 billion cubic meters of gas (bcm) – surpassing the 11.6 bcm of joint demand that EU companies submitted through the recently established AggregateEU mechanism.

The international suppliers have already been matched with the European customers on AggregateEU by service provider PRISMA, amounting to an overall volume of 10.9 bcm. This covers 8.7 bcm of gas via pipeline and 2.2 bcm of LNG.

EU companies will now be able to negotiate the terms of the supply contracts directly with the supplying companies, with no involvement of the Commission. 

Speaking earlier today, Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič said:

“This is a remarkable success for an instrument that did not exist some five months ago. The Commission has played its role as aggregator and matchmaker, and now it is for the respective parties to conclude their agreements. It is a win-win for all parties.” The full remarks are available here.

Today, the European Commission opened a new call for the 2023 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships. With a budget of €260.5 million, these grants will enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and wishing to acquire new skills through advanced training and international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral mobility. The call will also allow organisations all over the world to attract talented researchers, including top universities, research centres, public and private organisations and medium-sized enterprises.  The call will close on 13 September 2023 and is expected to fund over 1,200 projects. 

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

“The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for postdoctoral researchers who want to expand their horizons, improve their opportunities on the job market, and their career prospects. I invite all researchers meeting the criteria to apply, and I wish every one of you the best of luck: I am looking forward to the exciting results I know those selected will deliver through their work.” 

The Commission launches an invitation to tender to procure a concession contract to implement the EU satellite constellation called IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite). The public-private partnership between the Commission and the private sector will ensure common investment into the design, development, deployment and operation of governmental and commercial infrastructure and its use.

This tender is the first step towards the concrete implementation of IRIS², which will benefit from a contribution from the EU budget of €2.4 billion.

The Commission is looking forward to receiving proposals of the whole array of the European industrial ecosystem, from well-established European industries to dynamic SMEs and newcomers. The proposals will be evaluated during a competitive dialogue in view of a contract signature by the beginning of 2024. The provision of full operational capability for governmental services is foreseen in 2027.

"This is an important milestone for EU space as we launch the very first tender for our European sovereign constellation: IRIS². For our governments. For all of us in Europe. My message to all space industry players: be ready to answer.

Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market - 23/03/2023

Today, the Commission proposed the Net-Zero Industry Act to scale up manufacturing of clean technologies in the EU and make sure the Union is well-equipped for the clean-energy transition. This initiative was announced by President von der Leyen as a part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan.

The Act will strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of net-zero technologies manufacturing in the EU, and make our energy system more secure and sustainable. It will create better conditions to set up net-zero projects in Europe and attract investments, with the aim that the Union's overall strategic net-zero technologies manufacturing capacity approaches or reaches at least 40% of the Union's deployment needs by 2030. This will accelerate the progress towards the EU's 2030 climate and energy targets and the transition to climate neutrality, while boosting the competitiveness of EU industry, creating quality jobs, and supporting the EU's efforts to become energy independent.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said:

“We need a regulatory environment that allows us to scale up the clean energy transition quickly.   The Net-Zero Industry Act will do just that. It will create the best conditions for those sectors that are crucial for us to reach net-zero by 2050: technologies like wind turbines, heat pumps, solar panels, renewable hydrogen as well as CO₂ storage. Demand is growing in Europe and globally, and we are acting now to make sure we can meet more of this demand with European supply." 

Today, the Commission announced the results of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 2022 (MSCA) call for Doctoral Networks. A total of €429.4 million will be awarded to 149 excellent doctoral programmes to train over 1,650 highly skilled doctoral candidates, boost their talents and their long-term employability. Among these, 14 Industrial Doctorates will train researchers and develop their skills outside academia, in particular in industry, businesses and the public sector, whilst 12 Joint Doctorates will offer integrated training leading to joint or multiple degrees. Selected programmes span all scientific disciplines and will conduct research in areas such as the conception of advanced materials and components for novel energy storage systems, the integration of Artificial Intelligence in road safety research, or the study of new therapies against cancer stem cell-driven relapse and metastasis.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said:

“We are proud to announce that, thanks to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, 149 doctoral candidates will be able to enlarge their knowledge above and beyond academia to produce pioneer research. Selected projects will allow organisations to attract international talent and build bridges with other leading scientific teams worldwide.”

Today, the EU and Thailand announced the relaunch of negotiations for an ambitious, modern and balanced free trade agreement (FTA), with sustainability at its core. This announcement confirms the key importance of the Indo-Pacific region for the EU trade agenda, paving the way for deeper trade ties with the second largest economy in South-East Asia and further strengthening the EU's strategic engagement with this burgeoning region.

Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said:

“I warmly welcome the relaunch of our negotiations for a trade deal with Thailand - the second largest economy in the ASEAN region. A modern and dynamic FTA would lead to benefits for both sides, and strengthen EU trade ties with the Indo-Pacific region. It will boost the scale and sustainability of our trade, drive innovation and strengthen our supply chains. Open trade is one of the pillars of our Green Deal Industrial Plan, aiming to increase the EU's global competitiveness. Pursuing important new deals such as this one will be crucial to its success and we aim to advance quickly with the negotiations.”

The Commission welcomes the provisional agreement reached this morning with the European Parliament and the Council to reform and strengthen the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. This deal marks a further step in the completion of the ‘Fit for 55' package to deliver the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan. It shows once again the EU's determination to become climate neutral by 2050.

Reaching higher targets with better instruments 

For the first time, the energy efficiency first principle is given legal strength with a clear requirement for EU countries to take energy efficiency into consideration in policy, planning and major investment decisions in the energy sector and beyond.

The agreement establishes an EU energy efficiency target of 11.7% for 2030, exceeding the Commission's original ‘Fit for 55' proposal. It requires EU Member States to collectively ensure an additional reduction of final and primary energy consumption, compared with energy consumption forecasts made in 2020.

"Saving energy is a key step to saving the planet. In recent months, Europeans have shown that they are ready and able to face this challenge, and our industry has proven that it can optimise its energy use and production processes. We now need energy efficiency to become an even more systemic part of our society, and this revised directive helps us to do that.

Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal - 09/03/2023

Today, the Commission and the High Representative present for the first time a Joint Communication on a European Space Strategy for Security and Defence.

Space systems and services in the European Union are crucial for the functioning of our society and economy, as well as for security and defence. As such, the EU has identified space as a strategic domain. In the current geopolitical context of increasing power competition and intensification of threats, the EU is taking action to protect its space assets, defend its interests, deter hostile activities in space and strengthen its strategic posture and autonomy.

The Strategy is a direct implementation of the EU Strategic Compass adopted less than a year ago and which defined space, together with cyber and maritime, as contested strategic domains, the security of which must be ensured. It provides for a set of actions covering the following strands.

• Shared understanding of space threats

• Resilience and protection of space systems and services in the EU

• Responding to space threats

• Use of space for security and defence

• Partnering for responsible behaviours in space

Today, the Commission is opening a new Citizens' Panel, during which citizens from the 27 Member States will discuss how learning mobility can be made available to everyone in the EU. The Citizens' Panel on learning mobility will meet three times between March and April 2023. This is part of a new generation of Citizens' Panels, following-up on the Conference on the Future of Europe, to foster citizens' participation in the Commission's policy-making process on certain key policy areas.

The Citizens' Panel is part of the consultation strategy ahead of the Commission's proposal later this year. Citizens will contribute to the public debate in sharing their thoughts and providing recommendations on learning mobility, including the need to open possibilities to people with fewer opportunities and less mobile groups, or the need to keep mobility as environmentally friendly as possible, as well as the opportunities digitisation might offer in this context.

Today, the Commission has taken action to further improve the protection of workers from the health risks linked to the exposure to dangerous chemicals: lead and diisocyanates. In the case of lead, a significantly reduced exposure limit will help prevent health issues of workers, for example affecting reproductive functions and foetal development. For diisocyanates, a new exposure limit will prevent cases of asthma and other respiratory diseases.

The proposed changes will also be key to protect workers in the context of advancing the transition to climate neutrality: both lead and diisocyanates are likely to be used, for example, in the production of batteries and in processes to make electric vehicles lighter, in wind turbines or as insulating materials during building renovations.   

Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, said:

“Today, we deliver on our commitment to better protect workers from lead by introducing drastically-reduced exposure limits. In addition, we propose, for the very first time, EU-level protective limit values for diisocyanates which can cause asthma and other respiratory diseases. This proposal will contribute to creating healthier and safer workplaces, and it will protect hundreds of thousands of workers across the EU, which is a key commitment under the European Pillar of Social Rights.”

The European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund) has taken 42 new investment decisions into deep-tech companies for a total of €331 million since the last announcement in November 2022. 13 companies have already signed their investment agreements. These are pioneering start-ups that are poised to bring breakthrough innovations to citizens and businesses: a new type of computer vision software and robotics technologies for orthopaedic surgeons; visual search technologies for businesses and industry applications; breast self-reconstruction with patients' own tissue; innovative photonics; improved food production with reduced emissions; and a first miniaturised universal gas analyser for all renewable gases.

This marks a significant progress, as the EIC Fund is now fully operational. Since the appointment of an external fund manager in September 2022, the EIC Fund has taken a total of 77 investment decisions for deep-tech companies, worth over €521 million, supporting high-risk start-ups to bring their innovative technologies to market and scale up in strategic areas for Europe.

Today, the Commission presents a Green Deal Industrial Plan to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality. The Plan aims to provide a more supportive environment for the scaling up of the EU's manufacturing capacity for the net-zero technologies and products required to meet Europe's ambitious climate targets.

The Plan builds on previous initiatives and relies on the strengths of the EU Single Market, complementing ongoing efforts under the European Green Deal and REPowerEU. It is based on four pillars: a predictable and simplified regulatory environment, speeding up access to finance, enhancing skills, and open trade for resilient supply chains.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said:

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to show the way with speed, ambition and a sense of purpose to secure the EU's industrial lead in the fast-growing net-zero technology sector. Europe is determined to lead the clean tech revolution. For our companies and people, it means turning skills into quality jobs and innovation into mass production, thanks to a simpler and faster framework. Better access to finance will allow our key clean tech industries to scale up quickly.”

As of today, Europeans can be assured of improved quality and access to drinking water as new requirements from the revised Drinking Water Directive are becoming the norm across the EU. The new rules are one of the highest standards in the world for drinking water, in line with the zero pollution ambition announced in the European Green Deal. This also responds to the first-ever successful European Citizens' Initiative, ‘Right2Water', which gathered 1.6 million signatures in support of improving access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.

Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said:

As of today, Europeans can be confident that the quality of the water they are drinking is of the highest standards. We are tackling dangerous chemicals and microplastics that end up in drinking water, making it safe for us to drink, and safe for the environment. I hope that with improved confidence in tap water, citizens can also contribute to reducing plastic waste from bottled water and marine litter.”

To ensure the high quality of drinking water, the Drinking Water Directive includes updated safety standards, introduces a methodology to identify and manage quality risks in the whole water supply chain, establishes a watch list of emerging substances such as microplastics, endocrine disruptors, as well as new types of chemicals to be monitored and introduces conformity provisions for products to be used in contact with drinking water. The new directive tackles water leakages as now on average 23% of the treated water is lost during distribution in the EU. There are also requirements for Member States to improve and maintain access to drinking water for all, and for vulnerable and marginalised groups in particular. The new directive entered into force on 12 January 2021 and Member States had until today to transpose it into national law.

Today, the Commission together with industrial actors, research institutes, associations and other relevant parties launched the European Solar PV Industry Alliance.

The alliance will help mitigating supply risk by securing diversification of supplies through more diverse imports and scaled up solar PV manufacturing of innovative and sustainable solar PVs in the EU. In a joint statement, the Commission and signatories of the Alliance set out the immediate priorities for 2023.

Boosting domestic manufacturing capacity will be key for the EU to reach the REPowerEU objectives of over 320 GW of newly installed solar photovoltaic capacity by 2025, and almost 600 GW by 2030.

The new Alliance has endorsed the objective of reaching 30 GW of European manufacturing capacity by 2025, across the entire value chain. Reaching this objective would deliver €60 billion of new GDP per year in Europe and the creation of more than 400,000 new jobs.

The Alliance will also offer policy inputs to reduce Europe's risk of supply and support domestic industry.

Yesterday, the EU took another important step towards delivering on the goals of the EU Space Programme 2021-2027 by signing a new contract for Copernicus Sentinel satellite launch services with the company Arianespace. Between 2023 and 2026, Arianespace will perform six Vega-C launches for Copernicus, the European Union's Earth Observation Programme. The signing of the contract marks a milestone in the ongoing work of the EU to become an anchor customer for the procurement of EU launch services, to strengthen its technological sovereignty and to ensure its autonomous, reliable and cost-effective access to space.

Earth Observation services and data provided by Copernicus are essential in the daily lives of European citizens. The EU has already in place a constellation of seven operational Copernicus Sentinel satellites (Sentinel-1A, Sentinel-2A and 2B, Sentinel-3A and 3B, Sentinel 5P, Sentinel-6A). These satellites contribute to the provision of valuable data and services for a wide array of daily applications from agriculture and crisis response to the fight against climate change, to name a few.

The contract with Arianespace will cover launch service needs with Vega-C for the next five years. It will ensure that the Copernicus constellation is replenished (Sentinel-1C, Sentinel-1D, Sentinel-2C, Sentinel-3C) and that new observation capacities are put into orbit (Sentinel CO2M satellites A and B). All launches are scheduled to take place from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana.

This Contract with Arianespace does not include launch services for future Galileo satellites, for which negotiations are ongoing.

In parallel, the Commission will intensify its efforts to accelerate the availability of new launcher systems in the EU to increase competitiveness, flexibility and responsiveness, in particular through the “Flight Ticket Initiative” to be operational in 2023. The EU will act as anchor customer for the procurement of launch services for its institutional needs, notably its In-Orbit-Demonstration and Validation Programme.

Today, the Commission has approved more than €380 million of funding for 168 new projects across Europe under the LIFE Programme for the environment and climate action. At the heart of the European Green Deal, LIFE projects can help the EU become climate-neutral by 2050 and reach climate, energy and environmental goals. They support biodiversity, nature restoration and a circular economy while contributing to the clean energy transition across the continent.

The funding is a 27% increase on last year's funding, and will mobilise a total investment of over €562 million. Projects from almost all EU countries  will benefit from this EU funding in four themes (sub-programmes): nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the clean energy transition.

Today, the European Commission is launching the third call for large-scale projects under the EU Innovation Fund. With a budget doubled to €3 billion thanks to increased revenue from the auctioning of EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowances, this 2022 call for large-scale projects will boost the deployment of industrial solutions to decarbonise Europe. With a special focus on the priorities of the REPowerEU Plan, the call will provide additional support towards ending the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans said:

“Today more than ever, we need to boost innovation and scale up technological solutions that tackle the climate crisis and bring Europe energy sovereignty. The faster we do so, the quicker we will become immune to Russian energy blackmail. With this new call of € 3 billion, the EU Innovation Fund will support even more clean tech projects than before, speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels in hard-to-decarbonise industries and accelerating the uptake of renewable hydrogen in the EU market.'' The call is open for projects located in EU Member States, Iceland and Norway until 16 March 2023. It will fund projects about general decarbonisation, innovative electrification in industry and hydrogen, clean tech manufacturing and mid-sized pilots. You can find more information here.

Today the Commission is proposing stronger rules on ambient air, surface and groundwater pollutants, and treatment of urban wastewater. Clean air and water are essential for the health of people and ecosystems. Air pollution alone means nearly 300,000 Europeans die prematurely each year, and the proposed new rules will reduce deaths resulting from levels of the main pollutant PM_2.5 above World Health Organization guidelines by more than 75% in ten years. Across air and water, all of the new rules provide clear return on investment thanks to benefits in health, energy savings, food production, industry, and biodiversity. Learning the lessons from current laws, the Commission proposes to both tighten allowed levels of pollutants and to improve implementation to ensure pollution reduction goals are more often reached in practice. Today's proposals are a key advance for the European Green Deal's zero pollution ambition of having an environment free of harmful pollution by 2050. They also respond to specific demands of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, said:

“Our health depends on our environment. An unhealthy environment has direct and costly consequences for our health. Each year, hundreds of thousands Europeans die prematurely and many more suffer from heart- and lung diseases or pollution-induced cancers. The longer we wait to reduce this pollution, the higher the costs to society. By 2050, we want our environment to be free of harmful pollutants. That means we need to step up action today. Our proposals to further reduce water and air pollution are a crucial piece of that puzzle.”

Today, the Council has adopted the final building blocks of the European Health Union: the Regulation on Serious cross-border health threats, the Regulation on the extended mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Emergency Framework Regulation to provide extra powers to the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). These new rules complete the European Health Union, building a powerful legal framework to improve the EU's capacity in the vital areas of prevention, preparedness, surveillance, risk assessment, early warning, and response.

Welcoming the adoption, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said:

“Today's adoption by the Council of the three Regulations is a major achievement, and strengthens the EU Health Security Framework. With these new regulations, we have shown that we can move forward together, decisively, and fast. This legislation will work hand in hand with the financial support provided through the EU4Health Programme and the Recovery and Resilience Facility to ensure more resilient health systems across the EU. Collaboration and solidarity are key for the challenges ahead of us.”

Today, the European Commission presents the European Care Strategy to ensure quality, affordable and accessible care services across the European Union and improve the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally. The Strategy is accompanied by two Recommendations for Member States on the revision of the Barcelona targets on early childhood education and care, and on access to affordable high-quality long-term care.                     

High-quality, affordable and accessible care services with better working conditions and work-life balance for carers

Affordable and accessible care services of high quality offer clear benefits for all ages. Participation in early childhood education has a positive impact on a child's development and helps reduce the risk of social exclusion and poverty, also later in life. Long-term care empowers people, who as a result of old age, illness and/or disability depend on help for daily activities, to maintain their autonomy and live with dignity. However, for many people these services are still not affordable, available or accessible.

Investing in care is important to attract and retain talents in the care sector, which is often characterised by difficult working conditions and low wages, as well as to address labour shortages and fulfil the sector's economic and job creation potential.

Investing in high-quality care also means improving women's participation in the labour market and gender equality, in particular gender pay and pension gaps. Women still bear the main brunt of care responsibilities, with 90% of the formal care workforce made up of women, and 7.7 million women out of employment because of care responsibilities.  

To address these issues, the Commission is proposing concrete actions to support Member States in increasing access to high-quality and affordable care services, while improving working conditions and work-life balance for carers.

Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, said: 

“Demographic change entails that Europeans are living longer lives, but this also leads to an increased demand for accessible, affordable quality long-term care. At the other end of the life cycle, parents, to be able to fully participate in the labour market, need to ensure appropriate care for their children who need care to develop their cognitive, language, physical skills and competences. Care workers play an essential role in our society, yet their work is often undervalued today. The European Care Strategy we are presenting today sets out how to effectively and efficiently address these challenges. It is time to care about care.”  

As of today, all Member States must apply EU-wide rules to improve work-life balance for parents and carers adopted in 2019. These rules set out minimum standards for paternity, parental and carers' leave and establish additional rights, such as the right to request flexible working arrangements, which will help people develop their careers and family life without having to sacrifice either. These rights, which come in addition to existing maternity leave rights, were achieved under the European Pillar of Social Rights and is a key milestone towards building a Union of Equality

Work-life balance for parents and carers

The Directive on work-life balance aims to both increase (i) the participation of women in the labour market and (ii) the take-up of family-related leave and flexible working arrangements. Overall, women's employment rate in the EU is 10.8 percentage points lower than men's. Moreover, only 68% of women with care responsibilities work compared to 81% of men with the same duties. The Directive allows workers leave to care for relatives who need support and overall means that parents and carers are able to reconcile professional and private lives.

• Paternity leave: Working fathers are entitled to at least 10 working days of paternity leave around the time of birth of the child. Paternity leave must be compensated at least at the level of sick pay;
• Parental leave: Each parent is entitled to at least four months of parental leave, of which two months is paid and non-transferable. Parents can request to take their leave in a flexible form, either full-time, part-time, or in segments;
• Carers' leave: All workers providing personal care or support to a relative or person living in the same household have the right to at least five working days of carers' leave per year;
• Flexible Working Arrangements: All working parents with children of up to at least eight years old and all carers have the right to request reduced working hours, flexible working hours, and flexibility in the place of work.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, said:

“Over the past two years many Europeans have taken steps to focus on what truly matters to them. With more flexibility and new rights, the Work-Life Balance Directive provides them with a safety net to do so without worrying. Across the EU, parents and carers now have more guaranteed leave with fair compensation. It means we can care for the people we love without sacrificing the love of our work.”

Today, the Commission officially launches the Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation, calling on the members of the aviation community to join forces in preparing for the advent of zero emission aircraft.

The Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation aims to prepare the aviation ecosystem for the entry into service of hydrogen- and electric-powered aircraft, to ensure that air transport contributes to Europe's 2050 climate neutrality objective. It will gather representatives of aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, energy companies and fuel providers, standardisation and certification agencies, passenger and environmental interest groups and regulators.

They will jointly work to identify all barriers to the entry into commercial service of these aircraft, establish recommendations and a roadmap to address them, promote investment projects and create synergies and momentum amongst members. In particular, the members will look at issues such as the fuel and infrastructure requirements of hydrogen and electric aircraft at airports, standardisation and certification, and the implications for operators (airlines) and air traffic management.

Over the next two decades, more than 44,000 new aircraft are expected to be placed on the market. The potential market volume for zero emission aircraft has been estimated at 26,000 by 2050, with a total value of €5 trillion.

The Alliance will eventually deliver on the commitment to align the sector with the EU's climate ambition, goals and other related policies. The international dimension of the sector is also a major element, as tackling climate change is a global effort.

Executive Vice-President for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said:

“With the advent of zero emission aircraft Europe is writing the next chapter in aviation. Climate-neutrality is the passport for growth, and the Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation will help the European aeronautical industry to pave the way for a competitive and clean aviation.”

Today, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) announced its Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on Culture and Creativity, adding to the already existing eight Communities, which address a pressing societal challenge: climate, digital, energy, health, raw materials, food, manufacturing, urban mobility.

The EIT launched a call for proposals for the new KIC in October 2021, inviting applicants to submit their vision for how EIT Culture & Creativity could bring about change in the sector. The winning consortium ICE - Innovation by Creative Economy, led by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, consists of 50 partners from 20 countries, presenting a wide geographical coverage. The mission is to unlock the innovation potential of the cultural and creative sectors and industries, and to contribute to their sustainable growth and recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. This new pan-European partnership will bring key players in the field of education, research and business together, providing Europe with well-trained professionals and innovative entrepreneurs who will turn the results of cutting-edge research into innovation.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said:

“Culture is not only our common language, it also an innovating ecosystem. The new EIT Culture and Creativity Innovation Community will capitalise on the unique richness of European diversity to guarantee that creatives are ingrained in the pan-European Innovation Ecosystem. I look forward to observing the growth of this sector's innovators and start-ups under EIT's innovative approach, which has had a significant impact on the lives of Europeans over the previous decade.”

The Commission has proposed new rules to reduce the use and risk of pesticides in the EU, delivering on the Farm to Fork Strategy objective of a fair, healthy and environmentally respectful food system. 

They introduce:

• Legally binding targets: binding EU-level targets to reduce by 50% the use and risk of chemical pesticides and the use of the more hazardous pesticides by 2030. Member States will have to set their own reduction targets within clearly defined parameters as well as their own strategies to ensure that the EU wide target is achieved collectively.
• Strict new rules to enforce environmentally friendly pest control: a comprehensive new enforcement framework to ensure that all farmers practice Integrated Pest Management ‘IPM', in which all alternative methods of pest control are considered first, before chemical pesticides can be used as a last resort measure.
• A ban on the use of all pesticides in sensitive areas: the use of all pesticides is prohibited in sensitive areas (and within 3 metres of these areas), such as public parks or gardens, playgrounds, recreation or sports grounds, public paths, as well as ecologically sensitive areas
• Exceptional EU support: Farmers will be supported by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in this transition: for 5 years, Member States can use the CAP to cover the costs of the new requirements for farmers.

The new rules will be laid down in a Regulation, which is directly binding on all Member States.

The European Commission is today taking a major step in making EU trade greener, fairer and more sustainable. It has unveiled a new plan to enhance the contribution of EU trade agreements in protecting the climate, environment and labour rights worldwide. In its Communication on “The power of trade partnerships: together for green and just economic growth”, the Commission is putting forward how to further strengthen the implementation and enforcement of Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters of the EU's trade agreements.

Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said:

“We promised to make trade more sustainable and today we are delivering. Our trade agreements give us clout on the world stage and support economic growth and sustainable development – but as of now, we want to make them an even bigger driver of positive change. We will engage and support our partners to make this happen. We will step up our enforcement, and we will resort to sanctions if key labour and climate commitments are not met.”

The Commission welcomes the swift provisional political agreement reached this morning between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the Commission' proposal on a common charging solution adopted in September 2021.  As of 2024, all new handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, handheld videogame consoles, headphones, headsets, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, and earbuds  will have to be equipped with a USB-C charging port. Laptops will follow as of 2026. Leveraging the power of the Single Market, these new but long-awaited rules will bring resource and CO2 savings while leaving room for adaptation to technological innovation.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said:

“No more bundles of different chargers in our drawers. One common charger is a real benefit to us as consumers. It will also help our environment. So we welcome today's agreement of the common charger following a swift conclusion of negotiations between the co-legislators.”

The European Commission welcomes the political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and the Council on the Directive on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of listed companies proposed by the Commission in 2012.

Europe has many highly qualified women with 60% of current university graduates being female. Nevertheless, women are underrepresented in high-level positions, including in corporate boards and the progress is very slow. Only a third of members of non-executive corporate boards are women and this is even less among executive boards. The Directive sets a target for EU companies listed on the EU stock exchanges to accelerate the reach of better gender balance. It sets a share of 40% of the underrepresented sex among non-executive directors and 33% among all directors. These companies must ensure that board appointments procedures are clear and transparent, and that applicants are assessed objectively based on their individual merits, irrespective of gender.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said:

“Diversity is not only a matter of fairness. It also drives growth and innovation. The business case for having more women in leadership is clear. After ten years, since the European Commission proposed this directive, it is high time we break the glass ceiling. There are plenty of women qualified for top jobs: they should be able to get them.”

The European Commission has today presented the REPowerEU Plan, its response to the hardships and global energy market disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There is a double urgency to transform Europe's energy system: ending the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels, which are used as an economic and political weapon and cost European taxpayers nearly €100 billion per year, and tackling the climate crisis. By acting as a Union, Europe can phase out its dependency on Russian fossil fuels faster. 85% of Europeans believe that the EU should reduce its dependency on Russian gas and oil as soon as possible to support Ukraine. The measures in the REPowerEU Plan can respond to this ambition, through energy savings, diversification of energy supplies, and accelerated roll-out of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry and power generation.

"A Solar Rooftop Initiative with a phased-in legal obligation to install solar panels on new public and commercial buildings and new residential buildings."

The green transformation will strengthen economic growth, security, and climate action for Europe and our partners. The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is at the heart of the REPowerEU Plan, supporting coordinated planning and financing of cross-border and national infrastructure as well as energy projects and reforms. The Commission proposes to make targeted amendments to the RRF Regulation to integrate dedicated REPowerEU chapters in Member States' existing recovery and resilience plans (RRPs), in addition to the large number of relevant reforms and investments which are already in the RRPs. The country-specific recommendations in the 2022 European Semester cycle will feed into this process.

"A massive scaling-up and speeding-up of renewable energy in power generation, industry, buildings and transport will accelerate our independence, give a boost to the green transition, and reduce prices over time."

Today, the Commission has proposed a first-ever framework to protect the intellectual property for craft and industrial products that rely on the originality and authenticity of traditional practices from their regions. This framework will cover products such as Murano glass, Donegal tweed, Porcelaine de Limoges, Solingen cutlery and Boleslawiec pottery. While these products benefit from a European and sometimes global reputation and standing, producers have so far lacked an EU indication protection linking their products' origin and reputation to their quality.

Drawing on the success of the geographical indication system for wine-spirit drinks and agricultural products, with today's proposal for a Regulation, the Commission aims to enable producers to protect craft and industrial products associated with their region and their traditional know-how, with effects in Europe and beyond. The Regulation, providing for an EU indication protection, will make it easier for consumers to recognise the quality of such products and make more informed choices. It will help to promote, attract and retain skills and jobs in Europe's regions, contributing to their economic development. The proposal would also ensure that traditional craft and industrial products are put on an equal footing with protected geographical indications that already exist in the agricultural area.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age said:

“Many European regions hold an untapped potential for jobs and growth. Notably in the crafts and industrial sector, many SMEs have developed and refined manufacturing skills over generations, but lack incentives and resources to project them, especially across borders. The protection granted by geographical indications for craft and industrial products will encourage both regions and producers in their competition at a continental and global level.

DiscoverEU, the Commission's action that allows 18-years-olds to explore Europe mostly by train, is opening its first application round of 2022. From tomorrow 7 April at noon until 21 April at noon, young people living in Erasmus+ programme countries will be able to apply for one of 35,000 free travel passes.

This year's round marks the entry of DiscoverEU in Erasmus+. With this change and through the exceptional funding under the European Year of Youth 2022, 70,000 travel passes will be made available in 2022: 35,000 in the application round announced today and another 35,000 in an application round, foreseen for October. The integration into Erasmus+ also opens the door to applicants from Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey, who will be able to join the action for the first time.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said:

"DiscoverEU gives more opportunities to travel to young people than ever before. With the European Year of Youth, we celebrate youth. We owe this to an entire generation that could not travel for the last two years. Good luck to all!"

Today, the Commission has decided to activate new crisis measures to support the fishery and aquaculture sectors in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The crisis mechanism of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) will bring immediate relief to operators of the fishery, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors through financial compensation for their economic losses and additional costs. It will enable Member States to grant financial compensation to operators for income foregone due to the current market disruption, as well as ‘storage aid' to producer organisations. This step comes in addition to the Temporary Crisis Framework, which enables Member States to provide support through State aid.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries said:

“The war in Ukraine is a war against all of us. Our fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors are hit hard due to high energy, oxygen and raw material prices. This is the second time in the past years after the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are again taking quick action to support them in this turmoil. These emergency crisis measures should not in any way impede our long-term efforts towards structural energy transition of the fishery and aquaculture sectors to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal.”

Today, the pan-European personal pension product (“PEPP”) Regulation, adopted in 2019, starts to apply. This will pave the way for a new voluntary EU-wide scheme for people to save for their retirement, and a broad range of financial institutions across the EU will be able to offer it. PEPP – a key part of the Commission's Action Plan to strengthen the Capital Markets Union – will be available as a complement to public and occupational pension systems, alongside existing national private pension schemes.

PEPP will offer pension savers more choice, and the benefit of greater competition, enhanced transparency and flexibility in product options. PEPP providers will benefit from a real single market for the PEPP and from facilitated cross-border distribution, which will allow them to pool assets and create economies of scale.

At the same time, PEPP will help channel savings towards capital markets and benefit investment and growth in the EU.

Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, responsible for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, said: 

“With this new framework for a pan-European personal pension product (PEPP), people will have more choice when saving for their retirement, while enjoying strong consumer protection. As a complement to public pensions, PEPP caters for the needs of today's younger generation and allows people to better plan and make provisions for the future. From today, personal pension providers are able to provide PEPP across the EU with one single registration. And by channelling savings towards long-term investments, PEPP will help boost growth in the EU.”

The European Commission announced today the results of the first call under the new Women TechEU pilot programme, supporting deep-tech start-ups led by women. The call is funded under the European Innovation Ecosystems work programme of Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said:

“I am particularly proud of the successful outcome of the first Women TechEU call. The high number of outstanding applications confirms there is a need for women in deep-tech to get support for their companies at the early, riskiest stage. We will assist these 50 women-led companies with funding, mentoring and networking opportunities and we will scale up this programme in 2022.”

The leaders of the EU institutions signed a Joint Declaration identifying key legislative priorities for 2022, and welcomed progress on the 2021 priorities.

On Thursday, European Parliament President David Sassoli, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, on behalf of the Presidency of the Council, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the Joint Declaration on EU legislative priorities for 2022. The Declaration sets out the institutions' shared vision for a transformed, more resilient Europe. It demonstrates the institutions' determination to enable the EU to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic and the dramatic consequences of climate change and other global crises.

President Sassoli said:

“We are committed to delivering a stronger, fairer, more sustainable, more digital and more resilient Europe for our citizens. The European Union should stand proudly for its core values and leave no one behind.”

Prime Minister Janša said:

“Our three Institutions are united in delivering an ambitious political and legislative agenda that aims to enhance Europe's resilience and promote its recovery, enabling us all to build back better together. The Joint Declaration on the EU's legislative priorities for 2022 that we sign today builds on what we achieved in the current year and reaffirms our commitment to a fairer, greener and more digital Europe, a Union that looks to the future and responds to citizens' expectations without leaving anyone behind.”

Today, the European Commission takes further steps aimed at effectively banning most forms of EU trade in ivory, as announced in the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The adopted new measures reaffirm and deliver on the EU's commitment to take further action against elephant poaching and ivory trafficking globally. This additional step comes after the Commission adopted a proposal earlier this week for a new EU Directive to crack down on environmental crime.

Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said: 

“The world is losing wildlife at an incredible speed. Thousands of elephants are killed every year, and their ivory is often sold internationally. To reverse this global trend and to protect biodiversity, we must also do our work at home. With today's measures, we are delivering on our promise to take further action against ivory trafficking, and sending a clear signal that ivory in the EU can no longer be traded like other commodities and should not be elsewhere too. We want to eliminate any remaining risk that activities in the EU indirectly supply illegal ivory markets abroad.”

The Commission adopted today the first Work Programme for the digital part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Digital), which defines the scope and objectives of the EU-supported actions needed to improve Europe's digital connectivity infrastructures for 3 years. These actions will receive more than €1 billion in funding (2021-2023).

By fostering public and private investments, CEF Digital will contribute to connectivity projects of common EU interest and to the deployment of safe, secure and sustainable high-performance infrastructure, including Gigabit and 5G networks across the EU. Improving Europe's connectivity infrastructure will be fundamental for achieving Europe's digital transformation, as outlined in the ‘Path to the Digital Decade', and for ensuring that all EU households have gigabit connectivity and all populated areas are covered by 5G by 2030.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said:

“Investing in cross-border connectivity will continue playing a key role in Europe's transformation and its competitiveness. Improving networks and infrastructure will ensure Europe's citizens and businesses can access new jobs, compete on new markets and strengthen their operations.”

For 2022, a total of €185.9 million was allocated to the promotion of EU agri-food products in and outside the EU. Similarly to 2021, next year's promotion policy work programme focuses on products and agricultural practices that support the European Green Deal objectives, such as EU organic products, fruit and vegetables, sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.

Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said:

“The promotion of European agri-food products quality and safety, in the EU and worldwide, is an important dimension of the  Commission's support to farmers and producers. Our promotion policy plays a key role in the transition towards sustainable food systems. Our aim is to increase awareness of organic farming and more sustainable agricultural practices, coupled with the promotion of fresh fruits and vegetables, essential for healthy eating and balanced diets. Demand for these products needs to grow if we want more producers to join the green transition.”

The promotion policy will co-fund campaigns in line with the European Green Deal ambitions, supporting objectives from the Farm to Fork strategy, Europe's beating cancer plan, the EU organic action plan and the Communication on the European citizens' initiative ‘End the cage age'.

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and EU Member States on the new Roaming Regulation. The new regulation will prolong until 2032 the existing system whereby citizens cannot be subject to extra charges for calls or data used while travelling within the EU and it will also bring about new advantages.

Citizens will be able to call, text and use mobile data while travelling within the EU at no extra costs and with the same quality they experience at home; they will have improved access to emergency communications regardless of where they are in Europe; and, they will have the right to clear information when a service they use while roaming might cause inadvertent extra charges. The regulation will enter into force on 1 July 2022.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said:

“We have since 2017 enjoyed the end of roaming charges. And, today we ensured that we can keep these benefits for another 10 years to stay connected and call, text and surf the internet at no extra costs, when we travel in the EU. At the same time, with this new regulation we also improve the quality of the roaming experience.”

The European Commission has today presented an Action Plan to help the European social economy thrive, tapping into its economic and job-creation potential, as well as its contribution to a fair and inclusive recovery, and the green and digital transitions.

Social economy organisations are entities which put social and environmental purposes first, reinvesting most of their profit back into the organisation. There are 2.8 million social economy entities in Europe that employ 13.6 million people and which offer solutions to key challenges in our societies. They span a diverse range of sectors and forms, from care services to recycling; from cooperatives to social enterprises. Enhanced support to the social economy not only creates jobs, but also allows organisations to increase their social impact across the EU. Today's Social Economy Action Plan smooths the way for social economy organisations to prosper and grow. 

The Commission proposes to act in three areas:

1. Creating the right conditions for the social economy to thrive
2. Opening opportunities for social economy organisations to start up and scale up
3. Making sure the social economy and its potential are recognised

Executive Vice-President for An Economy that Works for People, Valdis Dombrovskis, said:

“The Social Economy Action Plan bridges the gap between our social economy and the support it needs to thrive and contribute even more to our societies. From reducing the red tape faced by some social entrepreneurs to creating jobs and offering new opportunities for people to upskill and reskill, it is vital for bringing about fair green and digital transitions as well as an inclusive recovery from the pandemic.”

Last night, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on a reinforced role for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The revised ECDC mandate will allow the agency to take a stronger role in supporting the EU and its Member States in the prevention and control of communicable disease threats and improve European preparedness for future health challenges.

Welcoming the agreement, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, and Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, made the following statement:

“Today we take one step closer to a stronger European Health Union. A Union that has all the necessary tools at its disposal to continue decisively addressing COVID-19 and that is ready for future health crises. Since the start of the pandemic, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has been at the forefront of our common efforts to face this unprecedented situation, providing timely and clear risk assessments and maps to facilitate safe free movement, tracking the virus outbreak in the EU and recommending measures to control it. Without this work, coordination at EU level would not have been as strong as it is today.

Today's agreement means state-of-the-art surveillance of future outbreaks, more joint preparedness and response planning with Member States, stronger guidance during emergencies and more support to Member States at all stages of health crisis management, including through the assistance of a standing, ready-to-be-deployed EU Health Task Force.

Today, the Commission launched a new interactive guide mapping all funding opportunities available at EU level for the cultural and creative sectors. CulturEU, a  one-stop shop for EU funding, gathers a total of 75 funding opportunities from 21 different EU programmes, from Creative Europe and Horizon Europe to structural funds and InvestEU. In just a few clicks, the interactive online tool can direct any European cultural entity to the most appropriate EU financial support available to it.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said:
”Artistic freedom, creativity and cultural diversity are emblematic of our European way of life. Europe is a cultural powerhouse which needs its creative and cultural sectors to thrive. Alongside Next Generation EU, we are launching today a new online tool to enable our artists, creators and culture professionals easily navigate and choose the most relevant support schemes at EU level. Together we can achieve a sustainable recovery for the creative and cultural sectors across Europe.”

Today, the Commission launched the Start-up Village Forum to gather insights on challenges for and potential of rural start-up companies. As part of the EU's June 2021 long-term vision for rural areas and the Commission Action Plan for Rural areas, the annual Start-up Village Forum contributes to boosting research and innovation in rural communities and help build up a more innovative entrepreneurship that will attract more young and talented people.

The Forum aims at becoming an open space where local, regional, national and European institutions and stakeholders can meet, discuss and shape action for start-up-driven innovation in rural areas. The Forum for rural innovation will connect rural innovation actors across the EU and enhance the development of rural innovation ecosystems. The Start-up Village Forum seeks to provide knowledge on rural innovative start-ups, the types of innovations they are involved in, the gaps in the services that they expect from innovation ecosystems and how these could be strengthened in the future.

Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President for Demography and Democracy, said:

"Today's launch of the Start-up Village Forum is a new beginning for rural areas. It is a reflection of the importance that the Commission attaches to supporting rural areas, because it is in rural areas that the demographic transition is most visible. Through the Start-up Village Forum we want the best and brightest of Europe to remain in these and contribute to building prosperity as they grow their start-up companies to real long term drivers of our economy, all while using the natural potential of Europe's rural areas."

Following the COVID-19 crisis and as announced in the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU intends to step up coordination at European level to ensure citizens do not face food shortages during crises. The contingency plan adopted today acknowledges the overall resilience of the EU food supply chain, identifies existing shortcomings, and puts forward actions to improve preparedness at EU level. To do this, the Commission will establish a European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism (EFSCM), a group of food supply chain experts coordinated by the Commission to exchange data, practices and strengthen coordination.

Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner in charge of Agriculture, said:

“Our food supply chain showed strong resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no food shortages for our citizens, avoiding a food crisis on top of the health one. This is also thanks to our Common Agricultural Policy. In times with evolving risk factors, we need to be prepared for future crises that could affect food supply and food security. Food security will continue to be at the core of our policies. It is paramount to make our food systems more resilient and more sustainable. The contingency plan presented today ensures the EU preparedness and a thorough coordination between the EU, Member States and the public and private sectors to avoid unilateral decisions and a more effective crisis management.”

The European Commission's European Innovation Council has selected 65 innovative start-ups and SMEs to receive €363 million of funding for breakthrough innovations. Each company will receive a combination of grant financing and equity investment of up to €17 million to develop and scale up their ground-breaking innovations in healthcare, digital technologies, energy, biotechnology, space and other. This is the first batch of companies that will be funded under the fully-fledged European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

“The EIC Accelerator is a unique European funding instrument of the European Innovation Council. It supports the development of top-class innovations through crowding-in private investors and offers a portfolio of services to support their scaling-up. With the European Innovation Council we aim to bring Europe to the forefront of innovation and new technologies, by investing in new solutions for the health, environmental and societal challenges we are facing.”

Today, at the press conference for the launch of the 19^th European Week of Regions and Cities 2021, the Commission took stock of the implementation of the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU). With €34.1 billion approved and €3.5 billion already paid out in just four months, REACT-EU was the very first instrument of NextGenerationEU to make payments for the recovery of Member States.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said:

“Cohesion policy has been at the forefront during the emergency phase of the pandemic, and is once again one of the major policies for the recovery in the EU. Cohesion policy instruments have provided necessary health equipment to citizens and brought lifelines to small companies along with making a crucial contribution to the digital and green transition of the whole EU. I am happy to see that these achievements are also increasingly recognised by European citizens. Territory and people need to remain at the centre of Member States recovery efforts.”

The Commission will provide free travel rail passes to 60,000 Europeans aged from 18 to 20 years, thanks to DiscoverEU. Applications open tomorrow, 12 October, at noon and close on 26 October, at noon, for a travel period in 2022, which will be the European Year of Youth.

Vice-President for the European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas said:

“Over the past 18 months, in a true spirit of solidarity, our young people have sacrificed valuable youthful and defining moments of their lives. I am delighted that the Commission offers today a European boom of mobility with the 60,000 train passes. This European boom of mobility and opportunities will be further fostered by Erasmus+ and many more initiatives coming for the European Year of Youth in 2022.”

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said: “

I am very glad to open this new round of DiscoverEU to give 60,000 young people the chance to discover the richness of our continent. In the spirit of the Commission designating 2022 the European Year of Youth, DiscoverEU is back, bigger than ever, with new opportunities for young people to take a train, broaden their horizons, extend their learning, enrich their experiences and meet fellow Europeans while travelling by rail as of March 2022.”

For the fruit and vegetable sector, EU support to producer organisations - usually calculated based on the production value of the year - will be compensated to be at least at 85% of last year's level even if this year's value is lower. This compensation will be offered when the reduction of production is linked to natural disasters, climatic events, plant diseases or pest infestations; outside of the producer organisation's control and at least 35% lower compared to the previous year. In addition, if producers prove that they took preventive measures against the cause for production reduction, the production value used for support will be the same as last year.

Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said:

“From the spring frosts, floods to heatwaves, the extreme weather conditions have been particularly challenging for the wine, fruit and vegetable sectors this year. This comes after an already complicated 2020 year due to the COVID-19 crisis. These much needed support measures will relief producers across the EU during these difficult times, on top of the ones already put forward in 2020 and extended in 2021.”

Today the Commission is launching a competence centre on participatory and deliberative democracy in its Joint Research Centre (JRC). The competence centre will foster partnerships and provide guidance, tools and resources to strengthen citizen engagement in policy.

The rise in citizens' assemblies, juries, and panels in recent years in Europe has shown both the increasing demand among citizens to take part in shaping laws and public policies, and that this participation is key to building trust in institutions and strengthening democracy as a whole.

The competence centre has been set up to help EU institutions and organisations across Europe build their capacities to support projects and policies on participatory or deliberative democracy. The ambition is for all policymakers to start any policy file by exploring how to involve citizens in the process. It is already working on several pilot projects, from green cities to future mobility solutions.

The competence centre supports the Commission's priority for a new push for European democracy. The Commission aims to give Europeans a stronger role in decision-making, through initiatives such as the Conference on the Future of Europe and the European Democracy Action Plan.

Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica said:

“This new competence centre on participatory and deliberative democracy shows the European Commission's determination to engage with citizens on the issues that matter to them. The Conference on the Future of Europe is offering Europeans a central role in shaping the future of the EU, encouraging them to discuss our common challenges and help define our priorities. The ongoing European Citizens' Panels are a truly unique exercise in deliberative democracy. They empower our citizens to have a greater say beyond elections, to help strengthen our democracy and make it fit for the future.”

Today, the European Commission is presenting the first-ever EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. With antisemitism worryingly on the rise, in Europe and beyond, the Strategy sets out a series of measures articulated around three pillars: to prevent all forms of antisemitism; to protect and foster Jewish life; and to promote research, education and Holocaust remembrance. The Strategy proposes measures to step up cooperation with online companies to curb antisemitism online, better protect public spaces and places of worship, set up a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and create a network of sites where the Holocaust happened. These measures will be reinforced by the EU's international efforts to lead the global fight against antisemitism.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said:

“Today we commit to fostering Jewish life in Europe in all its diversity. We want to see Jewish life thriving again in the heart of our communities. This is how it should be. The Strategy we are presenting today is a step change in how we respond to antisemitism. Europe can only prosper when its Jewish communities feel safe and prosper.”

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas added:

“Antisemitism is incompatible with EU values and with our European way of life. This strategy – the first of its kind - is our commitment to combat it in all its forms and to ensure a future for Jewish life in Europe and beyond. We owe it to those who perished in the Holocaust, we owe it to the survivors and we owe it to future generations.”

The Commission launched today five new EU missions, a new and innovative way to work together and improve the lives of people in Europe and beyond. EU missions aim to tackle big challenges in health, climate and the environment, and to achieve ambitious and inspiring goals in these areas.

A novelty of Horizon Europe and also an original concept in EU policy, bringing together several Commission services under the authority of nine College members, missions will support research to deliver on the Commission's main priorities and find responses to some of the greatest challenges we are facing today: fighting cancer, adapting to climate change, protecting the ocean, seas and waters, living in greener cities and ensuring healthy soil and food. They are a new tool that includes a set of actions, such as research and innovation projects, policy measures and legislative initiatives, to achieve concrete goals with large societal impact and within a specified timeline. Five missions will aim to deliver solutions to key global challenges by 2030:

1. Adaptation to Climate Change: support at least 150 European regions and communities to become climate resilient by 2030;
2. Cancer: working with Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, cure and solutions to live longer and better;
3. Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030;
4. 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030;
5. A Soil Deal for Europe: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said:

“Today, we have launched five new missions. A mission is a new and innovative tool - a new way to work together within Horizon Europe. They are also an original concept in EU policy. The missions are commitments to solve some of the greatest challenges we are facing today: fighting cancer, adapting to climate change, protecting the ocean, seas and waters, living in greener cities and ensuring healthy soil and food. It is a set of actions - research and innovation projects, policy measures and legislative initiatives, citizens' involvement - to achieve concrete goals with large societal impact. We want to deliver solutions to key global challenges by 2030!”

The objective of this Joint United States-European Union Taskforce is to deepen cooperation and identify and resolve issues around expanding vaccine and therapeutics production capacity, including by building new production facilities, maintaining open and secure supply chains, avoiding any unnecessary export restrictions, and encouraging voluntary sharing of know-how and technology on mutually-determined terms including through the ACT-A.

Today, the Taskforce met in Washington, D.C., to finalize the Mission Statement of this Taskforce, which will focus on the following three priority work strands:

a. Monitor global supply chains for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics through assessment of global demand and supply of these items and their production and ancillary supplies, and through identification of supply chain bottlenecks:

b. Address critical supply chain bottlenecks and other disruptive factors for global COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics production:

c. Coordinate initiatives to boost global production of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and their production and ancillary supplies:

Today, the Commission launched the new Erasmus+ application, marking a new milestone in the digitalisation of the Erasmus+ programme. The new application, available in all EU languages, will provide a digital European Student Card to each student, valid all across the European Union. The future is digital, and this renewed app will make sure students are going even more paperless.

Vice-President for Promoting European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas said:

"I am glad that the interface of our flagship programme for young people, Erasmus+, is becoming more like them. More digital, more mobile, and more community-oriented. The new app and its embedded Student Card are emblematic of the European Education Area we stand for.”

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel said:

"Paper officially belongs to the past. This new Erasmus+ app will be a one-stop shop for mobile Erasmus+ students. Having all the information at your fingertips means less stress, less time spent on administrative requirements, and more flexibility. The European Student Card, available through the app, is an important step towards a true European Education Area. One where each student feels included and can get access to the same services and same recognition of their educational background.”

Over 4,000 universities are currently involved in the Erasmus Without Paper Network, which enables them to securely exchange data and more easily identify learning agreements. This digital cooperation allows the rollout and wide recognition of the European Student Card.

Following the 2021 International Democracy Week, the European Union has announced five actions worth €119.5 million to boost the strong European support to democracy and human rights around the world in 2021.

Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said: “Democracy is essential for sustainable development and equal opportunities. This means strong democratic institutions, social inclusion and participatory societies. With these €119.5 million, we renew our commitment to global democracy. I am also proud that the EU will continue to support the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and to help empower local civil society organisations, democracy activists and human rights defenders, youth and women, around the world."

The EU is fully committed to protecting and empowering individuals, to building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies, and to promoting a global system for human rights and democracy. It will not stand idle in the face of eroding democracy and increasing levels of human rights violations, inequality, intolerance, prejudice and discrimination.

The measures announced today will ensure EU support to civil society organisations, democracy activists and human rights defenders in 116 countries, with particular attention paid to women and youth. They will also help foster political cooperation at the highest level for defending democracy globally.

The funds will contribute to implementing the EU Human Rights and Democracy Action Plan 2020-2024, and country plans under the EU Gender Action Plan III. They will also provide much-needed relief to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR).

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, the EU, EU Member States and European financial institutions, as Team Europe, have disbursed €34 billion in support to partner countries in addressing the pandemic and its consequences, delivering on its promises with concrete results. This disbursement already exceeds by far the initial €20 billion Team Europe support package pledged in spring 2020, which has now increased to €46 billion.

Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said: ”In spring last year, the world faced an unprecedented crisis. The international community needed to respond together. Team Europe responded by pooling our expertise and resources, drawing on our respective strengths to deliver more targeted support with greater impact. We have also adapted EU programmes to better respond to developing countries' needs. Team Europe can be proud to have mobilised such a substantial package in just one year to support our partners around the world.”

Today, the European Commission launched the European Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to health emergencies. HERA will anticipate threats and potential health crises, through intelligence gathering and building the necessary response capacities. When an emergency hits, HERA will ensure the development, production and distribution of medicines, vaccines and other medical countermeasures – such as gloves and masks – that were often lacking during the first phase of the coronavirus response. HERA is a key pillar of the European Health Union announced by President von der Leyen in her 2020 State of the Union address and will fill a gap in the EU's health emergency response and preparedness.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated: “HERA is another building block of a stronger Health Union and a major step forward for our crisis preparedness. With HERA, we will make sure we have the medical equipment we need to protect our citizens from future health threats. HERA will be able to make swift decisions to safeguard supplies. This is what I promised back in 2020, and this is what we deliver.”

Today, the Commission adopts a Communication setting out the concept of the New European Bauhaus. This includes a number of policy actions and funding possibilities. The project aims at accelerating the transformation of various economic sectors such as construction and textiles in order to provide access to all citizens to goods that are circular and less carbon intensive.

The New European Bauhaus brings a cultural and creative dimension to the European Green Deal, aiming to demonstrate how sustainable innovation offers tangible, positive experiences in our daily life.

For the funding, there will be about €85 million dedicated to New European Bauhaus projects from EU programmes in 2021 – 2022. Many other EU programmes will integrate the New European Bauhaus as an element of context or priority without a predefined dedicated budget.

President Ursula von der Leyen said:

“The New European Bauhaus combines the big vision of the European Green Deal with tangible change on the ground. Change that improves our daily life and that people can touch and feel - in buildings, in public spaces, but also in fashion or furniture. The New European Bauhaus aims at creating a new lifestyle that matches sustainability with good design, that needs less carbon and that is inclusive and affordable for all.”

The Commission published a proposal for a Council Recommendation on blended learning to support high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education. ‘Blended learning' in formal education and training is the term used to describe when a school, educator or student takes more than one approach to the learning process. It can be a blend of school site and other physical environments (companies, training centres, distance learning, outdoor, cultural sites, etc.), or blending different learning tools that can be digital and non-digital. The Commission proposes shorter-term measures to address the most pressing gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a way forward for blending learning environments and tools in primary and secondary education and training, that can help build more resilient education and training systems.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel said: "Striving for a vision of better quality and inclusive education and training is by no means limited to the COVID-19 context. There is an opportunity now to learn and move forward from the most recent experiences. Today's proposal maps a vision of the education we want to see in Europe. One that supports the overall goals of the European Education Area and Digital Education Action Plan to promote quality and inclusion, green and digital education across Europe. The recommendation aims to guide Member States in strengthening the preparedness and outreach of their education systems to the benefit of pupils and students, their families and the pedagogical staff.” 

Today, the European Commission has approved its seventh Advanced Purchase Agreement (APA) with a pharmaceutical company to ensure access to a potential vaccine against COVID-19 in Q4 of 2021 and in 2022.

Under this contract, Member States will be able to purchase up to 100 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, with an option for 100 million additional doses over the course of 2021, 2022, and 2023, once reviewed and approved by EMA as safe and effective. Member States will also be able to donate vaccines to lower and middle-income countries or to re-direct them to other European countries.

Today's contract complements  an already broad portfolio of vaccines to be produced in Europe, including the contracts with AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, BioNtech-Pfizer, CureVac, Moderna and the concluded exploratory talks with Valneva. It represents another key step towards ensuring that Europe is well prepared to face the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “As new coronavirus variants are spreading in Europe and around the world, this new contract with a company that is already testing its vaccine successfully against these variants is an additional safeguard for the protection of our population. It further strengthens our broad vaccine portfolio, to the benefit of Europeans and our partners worldwide.”

European Green Deal: Commission proposes transformation of EU economy and society to meet climate ambitions

Today, the European Commission adopted a package of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality. With today's proposals, the Commission is presenting the legislative tools to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate Law and fundamentally transform our economy and society for a fair, green and prosperous future.

A comprehensive and interconnected set of proposals

Today's proposals will enable the necessary acceleration of greenhouse gas emission reductions in the next decade. They combine: application of emissions trading to new sectors and a tightening of the existing EU Emissions Trading System; increased use of renewable energy; greater energy efficiency; a faster roll-out of low emission transport modes and the infrastructure and fuels to support them; an alignment of taxation policies with the European Green Deal objectives; measures to prevent carbon leakage; and tools to preserve and grow our natural carbon sinks.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “The fossil fuel economy has reached its limits. We want to leave the next generation a healthy planet as well as good jobs and growth that does not hurt our nature. The European Green Deal is our growth strategy that is moving towards a decarbonised economy. Europe was the first continent to declare to be climate neutral in 2050, and now we are the very first ones to put a concrete roadmap on the table. Europe walks the talk on climate policies through innovation, investment and social compensation.”

Today, the Commission, alongside industry stakeholders, officially launched the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, another deliverable under the Commission's Farm to Fork Strategy.

This Code is an essential part of the EU's efforts to increase the availability and affordability of healthy and sustainable food options that help reduce our overall environmental footprint.  It has been developed with EU associations and companies, with active involvement and input from other stakeholders, including international organizations, NGOs, trade unions and trade associations, and together with the European Commission services. Associations and companies in the food sector that sign the code commit to accelerate their contribution to a sustainable transition. With their pledges, they endorse the objectives set out in the Code and encourage similar companies to also participate.

Executive Vice-President Timmermans said: “We need to make our food system sustainable and we need to do it soon. We must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt biodiversity loss related to food production, and shape a food system that makes it easier to choose a healthy and sustainable diet. Addressing these environmental, health, and social challenges in our food system require cooperation across the entire food chain and I am encouraged by ambitions of the stakeholders who have already signed up to the EU Code of Conduct.”  

Today, the Commission is launching the Knowledge Centre on Cancer, the first Flagship action delivered under Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. The Knowledge Centre is a new online platform to gather evidence and coordinate actions against the number one cause of death among under-65s in Europe. It will map the latest evidence on cancer, provide healthcare guidelines and quality assurance schemes, as well as monitor and project trends in cancer incidence and mortality across the EU. It is also a space where everyone invested in the fight against cancer can share best practices, collaborate, and coordinate to make the most of our collective knowledge and evidence-based science.

Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides said: “The launch of the new Knowledge Centre on Cancer is the first Flagship action of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. With greater knowledge, we can better understand, prevent and treat cancer. Research and innovation is the starting  point  for  a  new  approach  to  cancer  care  in  the  EU. Pooling and sharing the latest findings from cancer research, innovation and technologies, including on new personalised and digital solutions, is crucial to empower health and research authorities to better address cancer, and the Knowledge Centre will be at the centre of these actions.”

The Commission welcomes the agreement that the European Parliament and the Council have just found to transform the European Asylum Support Office into a European Union Agency of Asylum. It is a key initiative under the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. The new agency will help make asylum procedures in Member States of higher quality, more uniform and faster. Its new reserve of 500 experts will also provide more effective support to national asylum systems facing a high caseload, making the overall EU migration management system more efficient and sustainable. 

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “When we presented our proposal for an EU Pact on Migration and Asylum last September, we were aiming at creating a coherent and well-functioning European asylum system. Today's agreement, is a first important building block in this process. Member States will now be able to rely on the full operational support of the EU Asylum Agency, both under normal circumstances  and when they are in difficulty. The agency will make a tangible difference to asylum procedures, improving protection for individuals and addressing gaps to create greater convergence between Member States' asylum systems.”

Today, the Commission published EU guidelines to ensure the safe resumption of activities in the cultural and creative sectors across the EU. At a time when the epidemiological situation is improving and vaccination campaigns are speeding up, Member States are gradually reopening cultural venues and activities. Today's guidelines aim to provide a coordinated approach in line with the specific national, regional and local conditions. They are expected to guide the design and implementation of measures and protocols in EU countries to cover both the safe reopening as well as the sustainable recovery in the cultural and creative sectors.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Culture helped people cope with the impacts of lockdowns and social distancing. It is now our turn to accompany the sectors in their path to reopening. We need coordinated and tailor-made efforts across the EU to allow the culture world to safely and gradually resume its activities and be more prepared for future crises. The cultural and creative sectors are strong European assets and are important for Europe's sustainable recovery, increased resilience of European society, and more generally, our European way of life.”

European Union countries on Monday gave the green light to reforms of the bloc's huge farming subsidy programme, after a three-year battle over rules to make it greener and support smaller farms.

Negotiators representing the EU's 27 countries and European Parliament struck the deal on Friday to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which will spend 387 billion euros ($462 billion) on payments to farmers and rural development, roughly a third of the EU's 2021-2027 budget. read more

"This deal is essential to ensure that this CAP enables the transition towards sustainable agriculture," EU agriculture commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said on Monday, at a meeting where EU agriculture ministers approved the deal. The new rules apply from 2023.

Europe's farmers are already facing climate change impacts like drought, but agriculture is also the main pressure on Europe's natural habitats and produces 10% of EU greenhouse gas emissions.

The Commission has today disbursed €800 million in payments under NextGenerationEU, the temporary instrument to finance Europe's recovery and foster a greener, more digital and resilient economy after the pandemic.

The payments made today are going to 41 national and regional programmes in 16 Member States (France, Greece, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Estonia Austria, Denmark, Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden, Portugal and Croatia) from the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe initiative (REACT-EU), the initiative which helps Member States finance crisis response and recovery measures following the coronavirus pandemic. The funds under the REACT-EU constitute additional resources for existing Cohesion policy programmes.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: "I am glad that Cohesion policy remains at the forefront of crisis response and recovery. REACT-EU was the first NextGenerationEU Instrument to be finalised, its programmes were the first ones to be adopted and it is now the first channelling support to our economy, businesses and workers. REACT-EU brings much needed additional investment firepower to existing Cohesion policy programmes to further stimulate a robust, fair and cohesive recovery.”

New Value-Added Tax (VAT) rules for online shopping enter into force later this week* as part of efforts to ensure a more level playing field for all businesses, to simplify cross-border e-commerce and to introduce greater transparency for EU shoppers when it comes to pricing and consumer choice.

The EU's VAT system was last updated in 1993 and has not kept pace with the rise in cross-border e-commerce that has transformed the retail sector in recent years. The Coronavirus pandemic has also further accelerated the boom in online retail, and again underlined the need for reform to ensure that the VAT due on online sales gets paid to the country of the consumer. The new rules also respond to the need to simplify life for shoppers and traders alike. 

The new rules come into force on 1 July and will affect online sellers and marketplaces/platforms both inside and outside the EU, postal operators and couriers, customs and tax administrations, as well as consumers. 

The European Parliament has adopted, with the Council's consent and the Commission's positive opinion, improved rules governing the Ombudsman's duties.

The new regulation, adopted by the European Parliament with 623 votes in favour, 9 against, and 61 abstentions, establishes a renewed mandate for the office of the European Ombudsman.

The new rules align the performance of the Ombudsman's duties with the Treaty of Lisbon. The Ombudsman will be able to launch their own inquiries whenever they find grounds for one, and will be able to propose solutions to the issues an investigation raises, namely in cases of repeated, systemic or particularly serious instances of maladministration. The rules also clarify the conditions for access to documents and cooperation with member states' authorities and Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. A new “cooling off” period is required for eligibility to the Office, and provisions for the protection of victims of harassment and whistle-blowers are now foreseen.

Parliament's negotiator and rapporteur Paulo Rangel (EPP, PT) commented: “Today we have put in place improved rules for an important office of the EU. Simply put, the Ombudsman can now serve Europeans even better than before. But we have also made institutional history: Parliament exercised its right of initiative and managed to have all institutions on board.”

The European Commission has announced today the second round of direct equity investment through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund. Since its launch in 2020, the EIC Fund has now approved 111 investments in highly innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) totalling more than €500 million to scale up breakthrough innovations in areas such as health, circular economy, and Internet of Things (IoT).

Today's announcement represents 69 new investments compared to the first announcement in January. This provides a strong foundation for the EIC fund under Horizon Europe, which is expected to invest more than €3.5 billion over the next 7 years.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “The EIC Fund has developed incredibly quickly and has established itself as a new force in EU technology investments. This unique form of financing – combining grants and equity – is proving itself highly attractive to Europe's most promising startups, and providing them with the means to develop and scale their businesses in Europe.”

The Commission is today laying out a vision to build a new Joint Cyber Unit to tackle the rising number of serious cyber incidents impacting public services, as well as the life of businesses and citizens across the European Union. Advanced and coordinated responses in the field of cybersecurity have become increasingly necessary, as cyberattacks grow in number, scale and consequences, impacting heavily our security. All relevant actors in the EU need to be prepared to respond collectively and exchange relevant information on a ‘need to share', rather than only ‘need to know', basis.

First announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in her political guidelines, the Joint Cyber Unit proposed today aims at bringing together resources and expertise available to the EU and its Member States to effectively prevent, deter and respond to mass cyber incidents and crises. Cybersecurity communities, including civilian, law enforcement, diplomatic and cyber defence communities, as well as private sector partners, too often operate separately. With the Joint Cyber Unit, they will have a virtual and physical platform of cooperation: relevant EU institutions, bodies and agencies together with the Member States will build progressively a European platform for solidarity and assistance to counter large-scale cyberattacks.

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said: “The Joint Cyber Unit is a very important step for Europe to protect its governments, citizens and businesses from global cyber threats. When it comes to cyberattacks, we are all vulnerable and that is why cooperation at all levels is crucial. There is no big or small. We need to defend ourselves but we also need to serve as a beacon for others in promoting a global, open, stable and secure cyberspace.”

Today, the Commission announced new calls to support researchers' training, skills and career development under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the EU's flagship funding programme under Horizon Europe for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. The calls follow the adoption of the Horizon Europe 2021-2022 work programme. With a total budget of €6.6 billion over 2021-2027, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions support researchers from all over the world, at all stages of their careers and in all disciplines. They also benefit institutions by supporting excellent doctoral, postdoctoral programmes and collaborative research, and innovation projects, boosting their global attractiveness and visibility and fostering cooperation beyond academia, including with big companies and SMEs.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: "The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted once more the importance of Europe's reliance on highly skilled researchers able to detect and tackle upcoming challenges. It also showed the value of communicating scientific evidence to policy-makers and the public, and working across disciplines. In this context, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are a crucial instrument. Since its launch 25 years ago, the programme has been encouraging more women and men into research careers, promoting Europe's attractiveness for top talents from around the world.”

The Commission today proposed a framework for a European Digital Identity which will be available to all EU citizens, residents, and businesses in the EU. Citizens will be able to prove their identity and share electronic documents from their European Digital Identity wallets with the click of a button on their phone. They will be able to access online services with their national digital identification, which will be recognised throughout Europe. Very large platforms will be required to accept the use of European Digital Identity wallets upon request of the user, for example to prove their age. Use of the European Digital Identity wallet will always be at the choice of the user.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age said: “The European digital identity will enable us to do in any Member State as we do at home without any extra cost and fewer hurdles. Be that renting a flat or opening a bank account outside of our home country. And do this in a way that is secure and transparent. So that we will decide how much information we wish to share about ourselves, with whom and for what purpose. This is a unique opportunity to take us all further into experiencing what it means to live in Europe, and to be European.”

The Commission has today launched new actions to support the cultural and creative sectors in Europe and beyond, following the adoption of the work programme for the first year of the Creative Europe 2021-2027 programme. In 2021, Creative Europe will allocate an unprecedented budget of around €300 million to help professionals and artists from all cultural sectors to collaborate across disciplines and borders, in order to find more opportunities and to reach new audiences. Today's adoption lays the foundations for the first calls for proposals under the new programme. These calls will be open to all organisations active in the relevant cultural and creative sectors. The total programme budget of €2.4 billion over seven years has increased by 63% compared to the previous one. Creative Europe also aims to increase the competitiveness of cultural sectors, while supporting their efforts to become greener, more digital and more inclusive. Special attention is given to reinforcing the resilience and recovery of the cultural and creative sectors in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said: “Over 8 million people across the EU work in a cultural activity. Culture knows no borders and no nationalities. Art represents a window to the world and contributes to building bridges among all of us. At a time when museums, cinemas, cultural heritage sites, theatres, all start to reopen, I want to reiterate the Commission's support for the cultural and creative sectors. With an increased budget, Creative Europe will strive to reinforce the recovery of the sectors while promoting the immense diversity and creativity that they offer us.”

European Investment Fund and EIT Digital team up to close digital skills gap in Europe

The agreement between EIF and EIT Digital, an innovation community of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) supporting the EU's digital transformation, has a maximum volume of €2.5 million. This financing will allow EIT Digital to offer deferred payment schemes for students and learners participating in its courses, thus improving access to education. Future EIT Digital students and learners will be able to apply for the new scheme from June 2021 onwards, it is expected that around 500 people can benefit from the scheme.

The evolution of professions, rise of new technologies and digital transformation of industry and society require new educational profiles and skills sets. In response, EIF and EIT Digital jointly facilitate access to education and training that provide a combination of digital and entrepreneurial skills to students and professionals. The agreement is part of the EFSI Skills & Education Guarantee Pilot, a new initiative dedicated to stimulating access to finance in education, training and skills, backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “The digital transition profoundly changes the way we live, study and work. We must equip people with the right skills to master this transition and make the most out of the opportunities the future brings. Thanks to the EU Skills & Education Guarantee Pilot and the EIF, even more students and entrepreneurs looking to expand their digital skills will benefit from the education and learning offers of the EIT Digital School.”

The Commission proposes today new rules and actions aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI). The combination of the first-ever legal framework on AI and a new Coordinated Plan with Member States will guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses, while strengthening AI uptake, investment and innovation across the EU. New rules on Machinery will complement this approach by adapting safety rules to increase users' trust in the new, versatile generation of products.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “On Artificial Intelligence, trust is a must, not a nice to have. With these landmark rules, the EU is spearheading the development of new global norms to make sure AI can be trusted. By setting the standards, we can pave the way to ethical technology worldwide and ensure that the EU remains competitive along the way. Future-proof and innovation-friendly, our rules will intervene where strictly needed: when the safety and fundamental rights of EU citizens are at stake.”

The EU has launched a Knowledge Centre on Earth Observation, to maximise the use of knowledge generated from Earth Observation, in particular from the European Copernicus Programme, in EU policymaking. The ultimate goal of the Centre is to support the efficient implementation of the Commission's political priorities, in particular the European Green Deal and the Digital Agenda.

It will provide systematic monitoring of the policy needs and priorities for Copernicus products and services and transform best practices and state-of-the-art science into policy-tailored services.

The Knowledge Centre also aims to ensure that the evolution of the Copernicus programme and other Earth Observation and research investments of the Commission remain responsive to EU policy.

Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans said: “Earth Observation is a powerful tool to monitor the health of our planet. The climate and biodiversity crises have already started changing the face of the Earth. Close observation of environmental trends and new patterns will provide the data necessary to design evidence-based policies and deliver results that protect our planet, our health and our livelihoods.” 

The Commission is presenting today a new Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025), focusing on preventing the crime, bringing traffickers to justice and protecting and empowering victims. Between 2017 and 2018, there were more than 14,000 registered victims within the European Union. Globally, traffickers make estimated profits of €29.4 billion in a single year. With demand for exploitation expected to continue, traffickers moving their acts online and the pandemic likely to create the conditions for increased exploitation, today's strategy sets out the measures that will allow the EU and its Member States to continue strengthening their response.

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: ”Fighting trafficking in human beings is part of our work towards building a Europe that protects. Traffickers prey on people's vulnerabilities. With today's Strategy, we are taking a three-pronged approach, using legislation, policy and operational support and funding in tandem to reduce demand, break criminal business, and empower victims of this abominable crime.”

Today, the Commission is presenting a new EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime, focusing on boosting law enforcement and judicial cooperation, tackling organised crime structures and high priority crimes, removing criminal profits and ensuring a modern response to technological developments. Organised crime groups continue to develop and evolve, as shown by their rapid adaptation to the coronavirus pandemic, for example through the increase in counterfeit medical products and online crime. Organised crime groups active in Europe are involved in a variety of criminal activities, with drugs trafficking, organised property crime, fraud, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings being prevalent. In 2019, criminal revenues in the main criminal markets amounted to 1% of the EU's GDP, i.e. €139 billion. 

The Strategy sets out the tools and measures to be taken over the next 5 years to disrupt the business models and structures of criminal organisations across borders, both online and offline. 

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Criminal syndicates increasingly use new technologies and seize any opportunity to expand their illegal activities, online or offline. The recent emblematic cases like EncroChat have exposed how sophisticated these organised crime networks are. This shows how important our efforts to tackle organised crime across borders are. Today's Strategy will help hit these criminals where it hurts the most, by undermining their business model which thrives on a lack of coordination between states.” 

Following the launch of the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the announcement of the first funding opportunities, today the Commission opened the first EIC Accelerator calls. The funding worth over €1 billion aims to help scale up start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses that have the potential to achieve high impact. While over half of the funding is open to breakthrough innovations in any field, €495 million are earmarked for innovations that support the European Green Deal as well as digital and health technologies.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “The EIC Accelerator is a unique funding instrument of the EU. It supports the development of breakthrough innovations through crowding-in private investors and offering support services to scale up. It will lead Europe at the forefront of innovation and new technologies, and help us tackle the health, environmental and societal challenges we are facing.”

The Commission is mobilising €123 million from Horizon Europe, the new EU research and innovation programme, for urgent research into coronavirus variants. This first emergency funding under Horizon Europe adds to a range of EU-funded research and innovation actions to fight the coronavirus and contributes to the Commission's overall action to prevent, mitigate and respond to the impact of coronavirus variants, in line with the new European bio-defence preparedness plan HERA Incubator.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “We continue to mobilise all means at our disposal to fight this pandemic and the challenges presented by coronavirus variants. We must use our combined strength to be prepared for the future, starting from the early detection of the variants to the organisation and coordination of clinical trials for new vaccines and treatments, while ensuring correct data collection and sharing at all stages.”

European Innovation Council launched to help turn scientific ideas into breakthrough innovations

The European Commission launched today the European Innovation Council (EIC) with a budget of over €10 billion (in current prices) for 2021-2027 to develop and expand breakthrough innovations. Building on a successful pilot programme under Horizon 2020, the new EIC is not only a novelty of Horizon Europe, but it is also unique in the world: it combines research on emerging technologies with an accelerator programme and a dedicated equity fund, the European Innovation Council Fund, to scale up innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Around €3 billion of the EIC's budget will go towards the EIC Fund.

Furthermore, the first annual work programme of the EIC is published, opening funding opportunities worth over €1.5 billion in 2021. At the same time, two prizes for Women Innovators and the European Capital of Innovation are opened for applications.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for ‘A Europe Fit for the Digital Age', said: “We now have a fund to support small and medium sized companies that do breakthrough innovation, access equity and scale up innovative start-ups. This is a way to convert research results into business and to develop visions for technological and innovation breakthroughs.”

Today the European Commission is proposing to create a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Digital Green Certificate will be a proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19. It will be available, free of charge, in digital or paper format. It will include a QR code to ensure security and authenticity of the certificate. The Commission will build a gateway to ensure all certificates can be verified across the EU, and support Member States in the technical implementation of certificates. Member States remain responsible to decide which public health restrictions can be waived for travellers but will have to apply such waivers in the same way to travellers holding a Digital Green Certificate.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová said: “The Digital Green Certificate offers an EU-wide solution to ensure that EU citizens benefit from a harmonised digital tool to support free movement in the EU. This is a good message in support of recovery. Our key objectives are to offer an easy to use, non-discriminatory and secure tool that fully respects data protection. And we continue working towards international convergence with other partners.”

The European Commission has disbursed today €9 billion to seven EU Member States in the fifth instalment of financial support to Member States under the SURE instrument. This is the second disbursement in 2021. As part of today's operations, Czechia has received €1 billion, Spain €2.87 billion, Croatia €510 million, Italy €3.87 billion, Lithuania €302 million, Malta €123 million and Slovakia €330 million. This is the first time that Czechia has received funding under the instrument. The other six EU countries have already benefitted from loans under SURE.

These loans will assist Member States in addressing sudden increases in public expenditure to preserve employment. Specifically, they will help Member States cover the costs directly related to the financing of national short-time work schemes, and other similar measures that they have put in place as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, including for the self-employed. Today's disbursements follow the issuance of the fifth social bond under the EU SURE instrument, which attracted a considerable interest by investors.

So far, 16 Member States have received a total of €62.5 billion under the SURE instrument in back-to-back loans. Throughout 2021, the Commission will seek to raise in addition over €25 billion through the issuance of EU SURE bonds.

Ireland is today joining the EU's Schengen Information System, the largest and most widely used information sharing system for internal security and external border management in Europe. The UK is excluded from using this system.

The entry into operation of the system in Ireland will support cooperation between law enforcement authorities on fighting cross-border crime and terrorism, helping to enhance internal security in Europe.

When conducting passport checks at the Irish border, law enforcement authorities will now receive real time information on people accused or convicted of crimes in other EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. National authorities will also have access to information on missing people in need of protection and stolen property, such as vehicles. To facilitate this cooperation, Ireland has set up a national SIRENE bureau, connected to other Member States' bureaux, operational 24/7, and in charge of coordinating additional information exchange in relation to alerts. At the end of 2020, the Schengen Information System contained approximately 93 million alerts. It was accessed 3.7 billion times in 2020 and contained 209 178 hits (when a search leads to an alert and the authorities confirm it).

The European Commission welcomes the agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) proposal, worth €33.7 billion, as part of the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027.

The Connecting Europe Facility programme supports investment in Europe's transport, energy and digital infrastructure networks. It will support the twin green and digital transition, by contributing to the ambitious targets for the European Green Deal and the Digital Decade.

The European Commission has today presented a proposal on pay transparency to ensure that women and men in the EU get equal pay for equal work. A political priority of President von der Leyen, the proposal sets out pay transparency measures, such as pay information for job seekers, a right to know the pay levels for workers doing the same work, as well as gender pay gap reporting obligations for big companies. The proposal also strengthens the tools for workers to claim their rights and facilitates access to justice. Employers will not be allowed to ask job seekers for their pay history and they will have to provide pay related anonymised data upon employee request. Employees will also have the right to compensation for discrimination in pay.  

New measures, which take into account the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on both, employers but also on women, who have been hit in particular hard, will increase awareness about pay conditions within the company and give more tools to employers and workers to address the pay discrimination at work. This will address a number of substantial factors contributing to the existing pay gap and is particularly relevant during COVID-19 pandemic, which is reinforcing gender inequalities and puts women into greater risk of poverty exposure.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Equal work deserves equal pay. And for equal pay, you need transparency. Women must know whether their employers treat them fairly. And when this is not the case, they must have the power to fight back and get what they deserve.”

Today, the European Commission presents an ambitious Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 to ensure their full participation in society, on an equal basis with others in the EU and beyond, in line with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which establish equality and non-discrimination as cornerstones of EU policies.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourová said: “The protection of the rights of persons with disabilities has to be at the centre of our efforts, including in our response to the coronavirus. People with disabilities have been among those hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. We must strive to ensure that people with disabilities quality of life improves and their rights are guaranteed!”

Today, the Commission approved 226 projects in all 27 Member States that will support their efforts in designing and implementing national reforms to enhance growth. These support actions are delivered in the framework of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and will have a total budget of €102.6 million for the year 2021 to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Reforms are necessary to better the environment for businesses, reinforce the healthcare systems, strengthen social and educational systems and overall enhance the resilience of Member States and stakeholders when facing difficult challenges and global crises. The Technical Support Instrument is a powerful tool that can enable Member States to carry out the reforms they need for a sustainable growth.”

To help EU consumers cut their energy bills and carbon footprint, a brand new version of the widely-recognised EU energy label will be applicable in all shops and online retailers from Monday, 1 March 2021. The new labels will initially apply to four product categories – fridges and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, and television sets (and other external monitors). New labels for light bulbs and lamps with fixed light sources will follow on 1 September, and other products will follow in the coming years.

With more and more products achieving ratings as A+, A++ or A+++ according to the current scale, the most important change is to return to a simpler A-G scale. This scale is stricter and designed so that very few products are initially able to achieve the “A” rating, leaving space for more efficient products to be included in the future. The most energy efficient products currently on the market will typically now be labelled as “B”, “C” or “D”. A number of new elements will be included on the labels, including a QR link to an EU-wide database, which will allow consumers to find more details about the product. A number of ecodesign rules will also come into force from 1 March – notably on reparability and the need for manufacturers to keep spare parts available for a number of years after products are no longer on the market.

Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, said: “The original energy label has been very successful, saving an average household in Europe several hundred euros per year and motivating companies to invest into research and development. Until the end of February, over 90% of products were labelled either A+, A++ or A+++. The new system will be clearer for consumers and ensure that businesses continue to innovate and offer even more efficient products. This also helps us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.” 

To ensure that citizens can continue to enjoy roaming without additional charges when travelling in the EU, the Commission proposed today a new Roaming Regulation. At a time when non-essential travel is discouraged, this is an important action in preparing a brighter future. The new regulation will prolong the current rules that are due to expire in 2022, for another 10 years. It will also ensure better roaming services for travellers. For example, consumers will be entitled to have the same quality and speed of their mobile network connection abroad as at home, where equivalent networks are available. The new rules will also secure efficient access to emergency services, including improving awareness about alternative means for people with disabilities, as well as increase consumer awareness on possible fees from using value-added services while roaming.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said: “Wherever we are in Europe, we can check in with our loved ones, talk business and share stories while on the road without worrying about costly bills. The end of roaming charges is a prime example of how the EU keeps millions of citizens connected and improves their lives. The new rules will keep roaming at no extra charges and make it even better.”

The Commission proposed today to set up 10 new European Partnerships between the European Union, Member States and/or the industry. The goal is to speed up the transition towards a green, climate neutral and digital Europe, and to make European industry more resilient and competitive. The EU will provide nearly €10 billion of funding that the partners will match with at least an equivalent amount of investment. This combined contribution is expected to mobilise additional investments in support of the transitions, and create long-term positive impacts on employment, the environment and society.

The proposed Institutionalised European Partnerships aim to improve EU preparedness and response to infectious diseases, develop efficient low-carbon aircraft for clean aviation, support the use of renewable biological raw materials in energy production, ensure European leadership in digital technologies and infrastructures, and make rail transport more competitive.

Today, the European Commission launched the design phase of the New European Bauhaus initiative - an environmental, economic and cultural project, aiming to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability and investment in order to help deliver the European Green Deal. The core values of the New European Bauhaus are thus sustainability, aesthetics and inclusiveness. The goal of the design phase is to use a co-creation process to shape the concept by exploring ideas, identifying the most urgent needs and challenges, and to connect interested parties. As one element of the design phase, this spring, the Commission will launch, the first edition of the New European Bauhaus prize.

This design phase will lead to the opening of calls for proposals in autumn this year to bring to life New European Bauhaus ideas in at least five places in EU Member States, through the use of EU funds at national and regional level.

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "The New European Bauhaus is a project of hope to explore how we live better together after the pandemic. It is about matching sustainability with style, to bring the European Green Deal closer to people's minds and homes. We need all creative minds: designers, artists, scientists, architects and citizens, to make the New European Bauhaus a success.”

Today, the EU put forward a new strategy to strengthen the EU's contribution to rules-based multilateralism. The proposal suggests to make use of all tools at the EU's disposal, including its extensive political, diplomatic and financial support to promote global peace and security, defend human rights and international law, and to promote multilateral solutions to global challenges.

Josep Borrell, said: “Multilateralism matters because it works. But we cannot be ‘multilateralists' alone. At a time of growing scepticism, we must demonstrate the benefit and relevance of the multilateral system. We will build stronger, more diverse and inclusive partnerships to lead its modernisation and shape global responses to the challenges of the 21^st century, some of which threaten the very existence of humanity.”

The European Commission today announced an investment of €121 million for new integrated projects under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action. This funding – increased by 20% compared to last year – will promote the green recovery and help Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia to reach their green targets. These integrated projects are expected to channel significant additional funds, helping Member States to make use of other EU funding sources, including agricultural, structural, regional and research funds, as well as national funds and private sector investment.

The EU is working to turn its €750 billion recovery package into action.

The Council today adopted a regulation establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which lies at the heart of the EU’s recovery plan. It will make €672.5 billion in grants and loans available for public investment and reforms in the 27 member states to help them address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to foster the green and digital transitions and to build resilient and inclusive societies.

Member states will receive support from the facility on the basis of their national recovery and resilience plans, which are currently under preparation.

With the Recovery and Resilience Facility in place, it is time to focus all efforts on the preparation and submission of ambitious national recovery and resilience plans. The new facility offers the EU member states the unprecedented possibility of supporting recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and of undertaking green and digital transitions in an inclusive way. We need to make the best use of this opportunity.

João Leão, Portugalʼs Minister for Finance

The Commission has announced today the first round of direct equity investment through the new European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund. 42 highly innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) will together receive equity financing of around €178 million to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations in health, circular economy, advanced manufacturing and other areas.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “Europe has many innovative, talented start-ups, but too often these companies remain small or relocate elsewhere. This new form of financing – combining grants and equity – is unique to the European Innovation Council. It will bridge the funding gap for highly innovative companies, unlock additional private investments and enable them scale up in Europe.”

The equity investments, ranging from €500.000 to €15 million per beneficiary, complement the grant financing, which has already been provided through the EIC Accelerator Pilot to enable companies to scale up faster. This is the first time the Commission has made direct equity or quasi-equity investments, namely equity investment blended with a grant, in start-up companies, with ownership stakes expected to range from 10% to 25%.

Today, on the eve of the World Cancer Day, the European Commission is presenting Europe's Beating Cancer Plan – a main priority in the area of health of the von der Leyen Commission and a key pillar of a strong European Health Union. With new technologies, research and innovation as the starting point, the Cancer Plan sets out a new EU approach to cancer prevention, treatment and care. It will tackle the entire disease pathway, from prevention to quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, focusing on actions where the EU can add the most value.

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan will be supported by actions spanning across policy areas from employment, education, social policy and equality, through marketing, agriculture, energy, the environment and climate, to transport, cohesion policy, and taxation.

The Cancer Plan is structured around four key action areas with 10 flagship initiatives and multiple supporting actions. It will be implemented using the whole range of Commission funding instruments, with a total of €4 billion being earmarked for actions addressing cancer, including from the EU4Health programme, Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe programme.

The European Commission has disbursed €14 billion to nine Member States in the fourth instalment of financial support to Member States under the SURE (Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency) instrument. This is the first disbursement in 2021. As part of today's operations, Belgium has received €2 billion, Cyprus €229 million, Hungary €304 million, Latvia €72 million, Poland €4.28 billion, Slovenia €913 million, Spain €1.03 billion, Greece €728 million and Italy €4.45 billion. All nine Member States had already received financial support under SURE in 2020, under one of the first three issuances and disbursement operations that took place in 2020.

These loans will assist Member States in addressing sudden increases in public expenditure to preserve employment. Specifically, they will help Member States cover the costs directly related to the financing of national short-time work schemes, and other similar measures that they have put in place as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, including for the self-employed. Today's disbursements follow the issuance of the fourth social bond under the EU SURE instrument, which attracted a considerable interest by investors. The notable oversubscription was translated into favourable pricing terms, which the Commission is directly passing on to the benefitting Member States.

Today, the European Commission is launching its new Green Consumption Pledge, the first initiative delivered under the New Consumer Agenda. The Green Consumption Pledge is part of the European Climate Pact which is an EU-wide initiative inviting people, communities and organisations to participate in climate action and build a greener Europe.  With their signatures, companies promise to accelerate their contribution to a green transition. The pledges have been developed in a joint effort between the Commission and companies. Their aim is to accelerate the contribution of businesses to a sustainable economic recovery and to build consumer trust in the environmental performance of companies and products. Colruyt Group, Decathlon, LEGO Group, L'Oréal and Renewd are the first pioneering enterprises that are participating in this pilot project. The functioning of the Green Consumption Pledges will be assessed in a year from now, before next steps are taken.

Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: “Empowering consumers to make green choices – that is what we set out to do last autumn, when we published the New Consumer Agenda. For informed choices, consumers need more transparency on the carbon footprint and sustainability of products. This is what today's initiative is about. I therefore warmly welcome the five companies to the Green Pledge and I applaud them on their commitment to go beyond what is required by law. I look forward to working with many more companies, so we can boost further sustainable consumption in the EU”.