All Member States must now apply EU-wide rules to improve work-life balance for parents and carers. 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.
The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has disbursed €1 billion of the new macro-financial assistance (MFA) operation for Ukraine. The decision about this new exceptional MFA was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 12 July 2022.
The European Union faces the risk of further gas supply cuts from Russia, due to the Kremlin's weaponisation of gas exports, with almost half of our Member States already affected by reduced deliveries. Taking action now can reduce both the risk and the costs for Europe in case of further or full disruption, strengthening European energy resilience.
The European Commission has adopted a joint (High Representative-Commission) proposal for a new package of measures to maintain and strengthen the effectiveness of the EU's six wide-ranging and unprecedented packages of sanctions against Russia.
The Commission has published the third annual Rule of Law Report. The report comes in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which further showcased the importance of upholding democratic values, human rights and the rule of law.
The so-called “Women on Boards” Directive aims to introduce transparent recruitment procedures in companies, so that at least 40% of non-executive director posts or 33% of all director posts are occupied by the under-represented sex. Thanks to Parliament, companies must comply with this target by 30 June 2026, compared to the Council’s proposal of 31 December 2027. In cases where candidates are equally qualified for a post, priority should go to the candidate of the under-represented sex.
The European Commission has concluded that Croatia is ready to adopt the euro on 1 January 2023, bringing the number of euro area Member States to twenty. The conclusion is set out in the 2022 Convergence Report, which assesses the progress that Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden have made towards joining the euro area. These are the seven non-euro area Member States that are legally committed to adopting the euro.
On the first day of the special summit, EU leaders backed the sixth sanctions package against Russia, which covers crude oil and petroleum products. The leaders also agreed to grant Ukraine micro financial assistance of up to € 9 billion and discussed continued EU support to Ukraine, including political, humanitarian, and military support.
The European Commission is proposing to add the violation of EU restrictive measures to the list of EU crimes. The Commission is also proposing new reinforced rules on asset recovery and confiscation, which will also contribute to the implementation of EU restrictive measures.
The Commission is presenting the State of Schengen Report 2022. This is the first time the Commission is presenting such report, following last year's Schengen Strategy. This report is part of the Commission's initiative to reinforce the Schengen governance through a yearly reporting exercise presenting the state of Schengen, identifying priorities for the year ahead and monitoring progress made at the end of a given year.
The Commission has set out plans in a Communication for the EU's immediate response to address Ukraine's financing gap, as well as the longer-term reconstruction framework. This Communication follows from the European Council call to address the consequences of the war in Ukraine via a dedicated Europe-led effort.
The European Commission has 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.
As part of the EU's solidarity response with Ukraine, the Commission today presented a set of actions to help Ukraine export its agricultural produce. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its blockade of Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian grain and other agricultural goods can no longer reach their destinations. The situation is threatening global food security and there is an urgent need to establish alternative logistics routes using all relevant transport modes.
The Commission has adopted a new European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids (BIK+), to improve age-appropriate digital services and to ensure that every child is protected, empowered and respected online.
This May the EU institutions invite you to a wide range of online and on-site activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. As the 2022 European Year of Youth shines a spotlight on Europe’s young people and with citizens’ voices amplified by the Conference on the Future of Europe there’s never been a better time to come together, discuss the challenges we all face and create a better future for Europe that works for everyone.
The European Commission launched the European Health Data Space (EHDS), one of the central building blocks of a strong European Health Union. The EHDS will help the EU to achieve a quantum leap forward in the way healthcare is provided to people across Europe. It will empower people to control and utilise their health data in their home country or in other Member States. It fosters a genuine single market for digital health services and products.
The European Commission is taking action to improve protection of journalists and human rights defenders from abusive court proceedings. Strategic lawsuits against public participation, commonly known as ‘SLAPPs', are a particular form of harassment used primarily against journalists and human rights defenders to prevent or penalise speaking up on issues of public interest.
The Commission is proposing a set of actions to manage the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the next one. By working together, the EU has so far saved hundreds of thousands of lives thanks to COVID-19 vaccines, kept its single market operational, minimised travel restrictions and mobilised manufacturing capacity of critical products when supply chains were disrupted.
