Month: January 2026

Today, Silandro/Schlanders in Italy, Caldas da Rainha, in Portugal, and Barcelona, in Spain, have been named as the 2026 European Capitals of Small Retail. The awards recognise small, medium, and large-sized cities that excel in supporting small retailers and vibrant city centres in 4 key areas: sustainability, entrepreneurship/community engagement, digitalisation, and urban vitality.  This important recognition will elevate the role of small retailers as a […]

Today, the European Union and Azerbaijan agreed to strengthen their partnership under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and the recently launched Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda. Together, they aim to unlock new economic opportunities and foster long-term shared prosperity, cooperation, and peace through sustainable and resilient links in transport, digital, energy, and trade. Within this framework, the European Union and […]

The European Commission has appointed Ylva Johansson as chair of the European Skills High-Level Board.  The board will play a central role in advancing the Union of Skills, the Commission’s strategy to boost Europe’s competitiveness and address labour shortages through improved education, vocational training and lifelong learning. As Chair, Johansson will steer the board’s mission to strengthen people’s skills […]

Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen will be in Portugal from Friday 30 January until Monday 2 February to discuss energy and housing policies. Following the power disruptions experienced in some parts of the country due to a storm over the past days, tomorrow morning Commissioner Jørgensen will visit the control centre of the National […]

Today, the European Commission and KfW, the German development bank, announced the signature of a guarantee agreement worth up to €135 million to expand access to finance through alternative channels for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Western Balkans, Eastern Neighbourhood, North Africa and the Middle East, and Türkiye. Supported by the European Fund […]

On 29 January, the Commission adopted its first-ever EU Visa Strategy, setting out a framework for a visa policy that advances the EU’s long-term interests. It makes visa policy more strategic and better equipped to respond to growing mobility, regional instability, and geopolitical competition.   The Strategy aims to:  strengthen the security of the Schengen area; […]

On 29 January, the Commission presented the first European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy. It sets out the EU’s political objectives on asylum and migration, with concrete priorities for the next five years.   The newly adopted Strategy emphasises the commitment and ongoing work to put in place an EU framework that is fair and […]

On 26 January 2026 the European Commission organised the European Tourism Day in Brussels, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and experts to discuss how to shape the tourism of tomorrow. Discussions focused on innovation and data, sustainability and regeneration, accessibility and better-balanced destinations, as well as strengthening Europe’s tourism competitiveness and brand, feeding into the […]

On 13 January 2026, the 11th Chile–EU Joint Steering Committee Meeting (JSCM) was held in Santiago, Chile, under the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Republic of Chile. Hosted by Chile in a hybrid format, the meeting was co-chaired by Emilie Rojas, International Affairs Adviser at the Cabinet of […]