Category: _European Commission News

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 […]

If you are planning a trip to Europe, you may have heard about two new EU border management systems: the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Both systems modernise and digitalise the EU borders border checks, but they affect travellers in different ways.  Here is a simple explanation what […]

The European Commission is announcing €153 million in emergency aid to Ukraine and refugee-hosting Moldova, as millions Ukrainians face freezing temperatures without power under sustained Russian bombardment of energy infrastructure. Responding to the urgent needs, the EU is allocating an initial €145 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine to provide protection assistance, shelter, food, cash […]

On 22 and 23 January, Justice and Interior Ministers from EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries gathered in Nicosia, Cyprus, for an informal Justice and Home Affairs Council session.   On 22 January, Commissioner Magnus Brunner represented the European Commission, addressing EU Home Affairs issues. Discussions centred on sustainable approaches to returns and reintegration, steered […]

The European Commission, together with the European Investment Bank, has today provided an additional €50 million to Ukraine’s state-owned energy company, Naftogaz. It will support the country’s energy system amidst the harshest winter conditions since the start of the war. In the face of ongoing Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and sharply dropping temperatures, […]

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 […]

  The European Commission has presented a new five-year strategy on migration. It will help guide future EU work on asylum and migration with concrete priorities, notably sustaining the reduction in illegal arrivals, while at the same time encouraging legal pathways to the EU. Both are needed for the migration and asylum system to work […]

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 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 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; […]