DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 20 May 2025
Commission welcomes political agreement on the progressive rollout of Europe's New Digital Border System
The European Commission welcomes yesterday's provisional political agreement by the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission's proposal for a progressive rollout of Europe's new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System (EES).
This agreement will allow the EES to start operation gradually over a period of six months. All Member States will start implementing the EES as soon as it becomes operational and border authorities will progressively register the data of third country nationals crossing the borders. All individuals will be registered by the end of the six months period.
The EES will improve the management of external borders, enhance security in the Schengen area by detecting overstayers and reducing identity fraud, and enable automated border checks. This will help speed up border procedures, making travel smoother and safer for all.
This agreement is a key step to ensure that information systems in the Schengen area can work together. It will allow Member States to start benefitting from the new system, whilst giving border authorities and the transport industry more time to adjust to the new procedures.
More information is available in the press release.
(For more information: Markus Lammert - Tel: +32 2 296 75 33; Elettra Di Massa - Tel.: +32 2 298 21 61)
EU institutions reach provisional agreement on €4 billion macro-financial assistance for Egypt
The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have reached a provisional agreement on the Commission's proposal for macro-financial assistance (MFA) for Egypt. This second MFA operation of €4 billion MFA is part of a €5 billion MFA package proposed by the Commission in March 2024. The Parliament and Council are now expected to follow their respective procedures in view of adoption the before the end of June. It will be disbursed in instalments and aims to help stabilise Egypt's macroeconomic and fiscal situation, supporting the country's efforts to meet its financing needs.The first part of the package, a €1 billion short-term MFA operation, was fully implemented and disbursed in 2024. This assistance forms a key part of the financial package underpinning the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership agreed between the EU and Egypt in March 2024, recognising the latter's role as a strategic partner for the EU and a key pillar of stability in the region.
Following the adoption expected in June, the EU will agree with Egypt a set of economic policy reforms to underpin the assistance. Egypt will also be required to take concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms and the rule of law and guaranteeing respect for human rights ahead of any instalment.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Francisca Marçal Santos - Tel.: +32 2 299 72 36)
Commission welcomes formal adoption of Pandemic Agreement
Today, the members of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a new Pandemic Agreement while setting out the process to finalise negotiations of an Annex to the Agreement on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing. The Pandemic Agreement contains legally binding rules addressing the gaps in the global ability to face and tackle health emergencies as revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the amended International Health Regulations, the Pandemic Agreement will strengthen the capacity of countries to prevent and prepare for pandemics with the comprehensive ‘One Health' approach, which recognises the interdependence between human, animal and plant health and their shared environments. The agreement will also enable equitable access to vaccines and other medical countermeasures, fostering technology transfers on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and supporting capacity building in countries in need, in full respect of the health policy competencies and responsibilities of individual EU Member States. Its implementation would also allow for a better coordination and a more effective mobilisation of financing efforts. These improvements echo and reinforce the EU Global Health Strategy.
Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, said: “A Pandemic Agreement is a decisive step towards a more effective and cooperative global approach to preventing and managing future pandemics, in full respect of the health policy responsibilities and competences of individual EU Member States. It underscores the continued strength of international cooperation and solidarity. The EU will remain at the forefront of global health to protect our citizens and safeguard the prosperity and stability of our societies.”
(For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73)
Nearly €1 billion awarded to boost development of renewable hydrogen
Today, the Commission announced the selection of 15 renewable hydrogen production projects for public funding across the European Economic Area (EEA). The projects, located across five countries, are expected to produce nearly 2.2 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen over ten years, avoiding more than 15 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The hydrogen will be produced in sectors such as transportation, the chemical industry, or the production of methanol and ammonia. They will receive a total of €992 million in EU funding, from the Innovation Fund sourced from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).
The winning bidders, awarded after the second European Hydrogen Bank (EHB) auction, will produce the renewable hydrogen in Europe with a subsidy that will help to close the price difference between their production costs and the market price and accelerate the deployment of cleaner fuels.
The auctions of the European Hydrogen Bank contribute to scaling up renewable hydrogen, which in turn will help replace natural gas, coal and oil in hard-to-decarbonise industries and transport sectors. Producing more renewable hydrogen will decrease the use of fossil fuels on our continent and increase the EU's energy independence and positively impact security, jobs and the decarbonisation of European industry.
The selected projects will be now invited to prepare their grant agreement with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Agreements are expected to be signed by September/October 2025.
A full press release on the results of the second European Hydrogen Bank auction is online.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 2 298 13 25)
The Commission welcomes the European Citizens Panel's recommendations for a stronger EU budget
The last sessions of the European Citizens' Panel on the new EU budget took place in Brussels during this last weekend, 16-18 May.
As part of this initiative, 150 randomly selected citizens from the 27 EU Member States came together to discuss which priorities and actions funded by the EU bring the most added value to Europeans. The panellists represented a diverse range of backgrounds, reflecting the EU's geographical spread, as well as a balanced mix of genders, ages, educational levels, and socioeconomic profiles.
The Panel has been a key component of the European Commission's broader initiative to consult with citizens on the future of the Europe's long-term budget, set to begin in 2028. The panel highlighted the need for the future EU budget to prioritise, among others, on environmental protection, economic growth, and digital security, while promoting regional equity, migrant inclusion, and a unified European identity.
The feedback gathered from both the Panel and the ongoing consultation on the Citizens' Engagement Platform, which will remain open for citizen's inputs until the end of May, will feed into the proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The recommendations will be therefore considered by the College of Commissioners, but also by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union during the next MFF negotiations.
Additionally, citizens from the panel will have the opportunity to present their recommendations to interinstitutional and national stakeholders during the Annual Budget Conference taking place today and tomorrow at the European Commission.
A press release, including more details and the list of recommendations, is available online.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas - Tel: +32 2 296 69 25)
European Commission adopts proposals to sign and conclude the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement
The European Commission today adopted the proposals for Council decisions to sign and conclude the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement.
The Competition Cooperation Agreement will put in place a clear framework for cooperation on competition matters between, on the one side, the Commission and EU Member States' competition authorities and, on the other side, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority when enforcing EU competition rules. It will set out that important antitrust and merger investigations are brought to each other's attention.
Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, said: “This agreement shows our shared and strong commitment to continue working together for effective and balanced competition enforcement, including in the digital sector, and to ensure a level playing field in Europe. It shows that we recognise the importance of cooperation in competition enforcement between our closely-related jurisdictions, to the ultimate benefit of consumers, businesses and innovation overall.”
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Lea Zuber – Tel.: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)
Joint donor statement on humanitarian aid to Gaza
In view of the blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas, Commissioner Lahbib and Commissioner Šuica signed yesterday the following statement, together with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
“Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months. Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza's people must receive the aid they desperately need.
Prior to the aid block, the UN and humanitarian NGOs delivered aid into Gaza, working with great courage, at the risk of their lives and in the face of major access challenges imposed by Israel. These organisations subscribe to upholding humanitarian principles, operating independently, with neutrality, impartiality and humanity. They have the logistical capacity, expertise and operational coverage to deliver assistance across Gaza to those who need it most.
Israel's security cabinet has reportedly approved a new model for delivering aid into Gaza, which the UN and our humanitarian partners cannot support. They are clear that they will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles. Humanitarian principles matter for every conflict around the world and should be applied consistently in every warzone. The UN has raised concerns that the proposed model cannot deliver aid effectively, at the speed and scale required. It places beneficiaries and aid workers at risk, undermines the role and independence of the UN and our trusted partners, and links humanitarian aid to political and military objectives. Humanitarian aid should never be politicised, and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change.
As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the Government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity. We remain committed to meeting the acute needs we see in Gaza. We also reiterate our firm message that Hamas must immediately release all remaining hostages and allow humanitarian assistance to be distributed without interference. It is our firm conviction that an immediate return to a ceasefire and working towards the implementation of a two-state solution are the only way to bring peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability for the whole region.”
(For more information: Anouar El Anouni – Tel.: +32 2 584 2106; Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 2 29 80564; Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 29 88433)