European Union | News and stories

EU Space Act to enhance market access and space safety

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:07:09 +0200

The Commission has proposed new rules to make Europe’s space sector cleaner, safer, and more competitive. The EU Space Act aims to cut red tape, protect space assets, and create a fair, predictable playing field for businesses.

20% of Europeans exposed to harmful noise pollution levels

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:30:34 +0200

A new report finds that just over 110 million Europeans are exposed to high levels of transport noise that exceed thresholds set under EU reporting rules and which harm our physical and mental health. The report calls for stronger action at EU and national levels to address the problem.

EU strengthens rules on right to vote

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:25:09 +0200

New EU rules will help to strengthen the electoral rights of EU citizens living in another EU country. The rules will provide proactive information to citizens about their voting rights and registration conditions, as well as standardised registration templates to make registration more accessible.

EU calls for greater efforts to protect youngsters’ mental health in digital era

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 15:29:10 +0200

The Council is calling on EU countries and the Commission to better protect the mental health of children and adolescents, by promoting the safe and healthy use of digital tools. Inappropriate content, cyberbullying, or excessive screentime currently pose a threat to youngsters’ mental health.

Come on in, the water’s safe!

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 15:45:44 +0200

A large majority of Europe’s waters, both coastal and inland, are safe to swim in, according to the latest European bathing water assessment. Some 95% or more of 22,000 bathing water sites across all EU countries, plus Albania and Switzerland, were deemed to be of ‘excellent’ quality.

New EU labels to help you choose more repairable electronics

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 15:56:28 +0200

You can now see how easy it is to repair your smartphone or tablet thanks to a new scoring system on EU energy labels. The scores rate the repairability of an electronic product from A (high) to E (low) to help you make more sustainable product choices.

EU Ecolabel: small flower, big power

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:31:12 +0200

Since 1992, the EU Ecolabel has driven Europe towards a clean, competitive and circular economy and become a symbol that consumers trust. To get it, goods and services across 25 product groups must meet various environmental criteria like reuse potential and recyclability. Find out more.

Montenegro and Moldova: Parliament welcomes EU membership progress

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:14:35 +0200

Montenegro and Moldova have been praised by members of the European Parliament for the progress made on their EU membership efforts. They commended Moldova for advancing with reforms despite external challenges but urged Montenegro to continue to fight foreign interference.

Deal struck on improving transparency of funding of EU political parties

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:30:18 +0200

Council and Parliament have agreed to ensure greater accountability in the rules governing EU political parties and foundations. The provisional new rules will improve parties’ transparency, funding, and compliance with EU values.

Commission proposes gradual phase-out of Russian gas and oil imports

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:03:18 +0200

To end the EU's dependency on Russian fossil fuels, the Commission has today provided a concrete timeline for phasing out corresponding gas and oil imports into the EU by end of 2027. The import ban will be gradually implemented to avoid adverse economic impacts or risks to security of supply.

EU agencies help take down largest illegal trading platform for drugs

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:55:20 +0200

Eurojust and Europol have coordinated an international action that took down Archetyp, one of the longest-running dark web marketplaces for drugs. The platform had around 3 200 vendors and more than 600 000 users, who traded drugs. Archetyp’s creator was arrested, along with 7 other people.

Schengen area’s IT system celebrates 30 years

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:59:54 +0200

2025 marks 30 years of the Schengen Information System (SIS), the IT backbone of the Schengen area that helps keep this border-free zone both secure and operational. Every day, SIS helps authorities locate missing persons, intercept criminals at borders, recover stolen assets, and more.

Schengen area turns 40

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:47:37 +0200

We are celebrating 40 years of the Schengen area, the world’s largest area of freedom and security. Launched in 1985, in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, the Schengen area has expanded 9 times to 29 countries today. It guarantees free movement to more than 450 million people. Find out more.

2025 European Heritage Awards winners announced

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:39:51 +0200

This year’s European Heritage Awards honour cultural professionals and volunteers from 24 European countries, who are working to conserve our heritage. From restoring a church roof in Austria and a market in Cyprus to 3D models of historic shipwrecks in Finland and a children’s festival in Ukraine.

EU deal struck on detergents to make them less harmful and safer to use

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 15:03:04 +0200

The Council and European Parliament have struck a deal on detergents that will make them safer to use and cause less harm to the environment. It will improve their biodegradability, enable the reduction of harmful substances and improve information on the label, without extra red tape.

Thousands to take part in European youth event

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:26:12 +0200

Around 8,500 young people from all over the world will take part in activities centred on the future of Europe in Strasbourg on 8 and 9 June. They will debate with members of the European Parliament on climate justice, skills for the future, and media freedom, among many other topics.

New plan will help EU countries tackle cyber-attacks better

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:29:42 +0200

EU telecom ministers have adopted the EU Blueprint for cyber crisis management. It clarifies how EU countries can detect, respond to, recover and learn from large-scale cybersecurity incidents and cyber crises that could affect the whole EU. Cyber-attacks pose a growing threat to Europe’s security.

EU changes protection status of wolves in Europe

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:41:50 +0200

The EU has changed the level of protection of the wolf from “strictly protected” to “protected” to give EU countries more flexibility in managing wolf populations. The estimated population of wolves on the European continent almost doubled between 2012 and 2023 to more than 20 000.

New Ocean Pact to protect marine life and strengthen blue economy

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:08:24 +0200

To better protect our ocean, the Commission has presented a European Ocean Pact. This new pact will bring together EU ocean policies under one single and coordinated framework. It will help to promote a thriving blue economy and support the well-being of people living in coastal areas.

LIFE awards go to projects working on nature, circular economy and climate action

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:35:54 +0200

The EU’s LIFE awards 2025 have honoured 3 projects doing pioneering work in nature, circular economy and climate action. LIFE Lynx took a prize for helping to reverse the decline of lynxes, LIFEPOPWAT for depolluting contaminated water and LIFE DESERT-ADAPT for tackling desertification.

New EU plan to ensure water security and quality for all

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:50:41 +0200

The Commission has presented a plan to support EU countries in managing water more efficiently. By implementing current EU water laws and actions, we can ensure water security and prepare for water-related disasters, locally and globally. Everyone needs access to secure, clean and affordable water.

EU will support raw materials projects outside the EU

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:56:29 +0200

The Commission has given the green light to 13 projects that will help it access raw materials located outside the EU. The projects will also boost local value creation in third countries. We need raw materials to build electric vehicles, batteries, high-performance magnets and much more.

EU survey: record high trust in the EU and strong support for common defence

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:16:38 +0200

The latest Eurobarometer survey shows the highest level of trust in the EU in 18 years and highest-ever support for the euro. It also reveals that Europeans would like to see a stronger and more assertive EU through common defence. Also, peace remains the value that best represents the EU.

EU closing in on the 2030 climate and energy targets, according to national plans

Wed, 28 May 2025 17:05:51 +0200

EU countries have significantly closed the gap to achieving the 2030 energy and climate targets, according to the European Commission. Following improvement to their national energy and climate plans, EU countries are on course to reduce net emissions by around 54% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Hungarian media project wins European Charlemagne Youth Prize

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:58:48 +0200

This year’s European Charlemagne Youth Prize has been awarded to a Hungarian platform, Forum Europaeum, that promotes European identity, values, and unity. The second prize went to a Czech project encouraging young people’s vote and the third, to German legal support for discriminated people.

Choose Europe for your startup and scaleup

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:23:41 +0200

The Commission has launched an EU startup and scaleup strategy to make Europe a great place for starting and growing global technology-driven companies. It’s part of the broader Choose Europe initiative, and it will help strengthen Europe's competitiveness.

EU provides €280 million to help with flood recovery in Austria, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:59:12 +0200

The EU has allocated €280 million to help with flood recovery in 4 Central European countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova, following severe floods there in autumn 2024. The funds will finance all aspects of disaster recovery including temporary accommodation for affected populations.

EU opens investigations to protect minors from pornographic content

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:05:38 +0200

The Commission has opened investigations against 4 large pornographic platforms for suspected breaches of its digital services rules. EU countries are also taking action against smaller pornographic platforms. This will reinforce the EU's effort to protect minors from harmful content online.

EU adopts €150 billion defence loan instrument

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:52:07 +0200

The Commission welcomes the agreement in the Council on the Security for Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. The Commission will raise up to €150 billion on the capital markets, providing financial levers to EU countries to ramp up investments in key defence areas.

European Week Against Cancer: supporting patients, from prevention to treatment

Mon, 26 May 2025 15:41:34 +0200

This week marks European Week Against Cancer (25-31 May). Under its Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU has provided support to millions of people affected by cancer across the Union. It funds actions on cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment to improve patients’ outcomes.