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In 2022, the European Union–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dialogue partnership celebrated its 45th anniversary. The same year saw the 55th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN. The ASEAN region currently collectively amounts to the world's fifth largest economy, a dynamic economic area home to more than 680 million consumers. To secure better access to opportunities in the region's market, the European Union (EU) started negotiations with ASEAN for a region-to-region free trade agreement ...

Innovative technologies in the field of geothermal energy focus on three areas: (i) resource assessment, (ii) resource development, and (iii) resource utilisation and management for electricity, heat supply and mineral extraction (lithium). They include increased electric power system efficiency, novel and optimised drilling technologies, underground thermal energy storage, new exploration methods, closed loops, smart systems, and 3D models. Advanced plants and technologies include ultra-deep geothermal ...

The problem definition in the impact assessment (IA) appears to be well-supported by evidence. The IA provides a sufficient range and description of the policy options, albeit sometimes lacking in detail. The assessment of the options' impacts (economic, social, environmental, fundamental rights) is qualitative and quantitative. It appears to be based on sound research and analysis, with clear acknowledgement that the available data are limited. The IA provides a comprehensive summary of the preferred ...

The European Union has been the biggest provider of external assistance to the Palestinian people for many years. Between 2014 and 2020, the EU allocated €2.2 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians. EU assistance to the Palestinians through the European Joint Strategy 2021-2024 amounts, indicatively, to €1.18 billion. EU financial assistance to Palestine* consists of different financial tools. The largest part of the assistance falls under the Neighbourhood, Development and International ...

The EU's ambition to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050, and its ability to sustain the green and digital transition and achieve strategic autonomy, all rely heavily on reliable, secure and resilient access to critical raw materials (CRMs). On 16 March 2023, the Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation on CRMs. It introduces the concept of strategic raw materials (SRMs), which are key for some strategic technologies and vulnerable to shortages. The general objective of the proposed ...

The EU's automotive sector is resource-intensive. There are 286 million motor vehicles on the road in the EU, and every year around 6.5 million vehicles become waste. If improperly managed, these vehicles may cause environmental damage and the economy may lose millions of tonnes of materials. Ensuring better sustainability and circularity of the European automotive sector would help to achieve the goals of the EU Green Deal, improve the competitiveness of the sector, and reinforce the EU's strategic ...

On 28 June 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal for a decision of the Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2017/1324, to ensure the continuation of the Union's participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe. PRIMA is a public-public partnership for research and innovation among the Union and 19 participating states, including 11 Member States. It seeks to build research and innovation capacities, and develop knowledge ...

The IA supporting the proposal for a European disability card and a European parking card builds on the experience of two instruments already in place: i) the EU disability card pilot project rolled out in eight participating Member States since 2016, and ii) the EU parking card for people with disabilities, introduced EU-wide in 1998 through Council Recommendation 98/376/EC. The IA draws on a wide range of data, including a supporting study (which, however, is not linked and does not seem to have ...

Respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights is a core value of the EU, which it promotes through its policies. The European Parliament's Sakharov Prize honours the work of those who stand up for these freedoms and rights. With peace and human rights under increased attack today, the prize remains as relevant as ever. This year it has been awarded to the late Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran. The award ceremony will be held during the European Parliament's December ...

The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) puts a price on the carbon emissions of goods imported into the EU, thus levelling the playing field between EU industry, which is subject to a carbon price in the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), and foreign producers in countries that do not have an equivalent system in place.