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Public financing of enterprises, which has been on the rise globally, can have a distortive effect on competitive markets. In response to this trend, in May 2021 the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation to tackle foreign subsidies with a distortive effect on the EU single market. It would enable the Commission to investigate subsidies granted by non-EU public authorities to companies operating on the single market, and to apply countervailing measures, should these subsidies ...

On 11 March, Europe honours all those who have lost their lives or loved ones to terror. The European Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism was inaugurated after the 2004 Madrid bombings. Protection of victims of terrorism is an essential part of the EU's efforts to address all dimensions of the terrorist threat. In response to the wave of attacks that has hit Europe in recent years, rules and sanctions related to terrorist activities have been strengthened. Ongoing action at EU level, meanwhile ...

On 11 November 2020, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation on serious cross-border threats to health. In the light of lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis, it aimed to strengthen the EU's health security by revising Decision 1082/2013/EU (the 'Cross-Border Health Threats Decision'). The proposal was presented in a package that also included proposals to strengthen the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) ...

In its digital decade strategy, the European Commission has put forward its vision for new strategic digital objectives for 2030. These should prepare Europe for the roll-out of the next generation of broadband infrastructure with gigabit speeds, including 5G, and for the digital transformation of the public and private sectors, while also reducing the digital divide. To measure progress towards the digital decade, the Commission is proposing a 'digital compass', with indicators based on four dimensions ...

The Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive is the first piece of EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity, and its specific aim was to achieve a high common level of cybersecurity across the Member States. While it increased the Member States' cybersecurity capabilities, its implementation proved difficult, resulting in fragmentation at different levels across the internal market. To respond to the growing threats posed with digitalisation and the surge in cyber-attacks, the Commission has ...

Satellite communication is a strategic asset for governments and civil society alike. Complementary to terrestrial networks, it can contribute to seamless digital communication, even when such networks are absent or disrupted. Today, the EU does not have a dedicated infrastructure (including space and ground segments) to offer satellite communication services to governments, the economy or civil society. Several EU global partners and competitors are investing in parallel in such capabilities. On ...

On 23 November 2022, the European Parliament and the Council signed the directive amending the 2014 Radio Equipment Directive, with the aim of mandating a common charger for mobile phones and a number of other small portable devices. The amended directive, proposed by the European Commission on 23 September 2021, will require electronic devices to be equipped with a USB Type C receptacle and to incorporate the USB Power Delivery communication protocol. A separate initiative on the eco-design of external ...

Political advertising is central to informing and influencing how people vote, and may affect citizens' perceptions of the legitimacy of their own political system, particularly when published in the run-up to elections. Rules governing political advertising are therefore key to guaranteeing citizens' fundamental rights and the integrity of democratic processes. Rules governing political propaganda during electoral periods are naturally therefore a focal point of electoral law. Traditional rules ...

During the February I plenary session, Parliament is expected to vote the report on the proposal to adopt a regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. Put forward by the Commission as part of the November 2021 legislative package to reinforce democracy and ensure the integrity of elections, the report was adopted by the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on 24 January 2023.

The Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) held a public hearing on 23 January 2023, with the aim to analyse whether the delays with cohesion partnership agreements have affected the level of monitoring and controls of the spending in Member States. The topic of this public hearing was broad and encompassed concepts of two policy areas/instruments that are both unique and very complex in themselves. This briefing provided background information about key concepts and elements (including monitoring ...