It's safer to swim, thanks to the EU restricting phthalates

  

Since 7 July 2020 #phthalates DEHP, DBP, DIBP and BBP are restricted in the EU. This restriction will save approx. 2000 boys each year from impaired fertility in later life. These chemicals could be found e.g. in swimming aids and footwear.

Coronavirus response: €150 million of Cohesion policy funding reprogrammed to mitigate the social impact of the pandemic in Spain

The European Commission has approved the modification of the regional programmes for the Spanish Basque Country and Asturias, which foresees a redirection of €150 million of Cohesion policy funding, to strengthen the response capacities of the healthcare sector to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the two regions.

Coronavirus: 23 new research projects to receive €128 million in EU funding

 

The European Commission will support 23 new research projects with €128 million in response to the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

Why the EU cares about ‘forever chemicals’ and why you should too

You may never have heard of them, but there is no doubt that you have been in contact with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances – PFAS for short. They are manufactured chemicals and are so widely used by industry and to produce consumer products that they have been discovered in rain water, drinking water, ground water and, some of them according to biomonitoring studies, also in the blood of European and American citizens.

EU Humanitarian Air Bridge: helping aid reach the people in need during the coronavirus pandemic

Whilst the coronavirus pandemic has brought many aspects of life to a standstill, conflicts and other crises have not stopped. Action to save lives, alleviate suffering and bring relief to vulnerable people remains imperative, especially when humanitarian needs are increasing on the ground. The coronavirus prevention and control measures were locking down the transport of much-needed aid, personal protective equipment, and humanitarian workers to critical areas.

Coronavirus: European Commission calls for action in protecting seasonal workers

Each year, hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers help to underpin hugely important sectors of the EU's economy, such as food and agriculture.

Coronavirus: European Commission strengthens preparedness for future outbreaks

The European Commission has presented immediate short-term measures to strengthen EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks.

Commission recommends not granting financial support to companies with links to tax havens

We are in an unprecedented situation where exceptional volumes of State aid are granted to undertakings in the context of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ireland’s ‘Go For It’ programme goes virtual to help entrepreneurs

The Go For It coaching programme is turning to virtual communication to ensure entrepreneurs can still get their business ideas off the ground during the COVID-19 pandemic. Business advisers can be contacted by phone or video conference to give guidance to anyone wanting to start a business.

New EU rules for a fairer online economy

Businesses are increasingly moving online – a trend that the coronavirus pandemic has reinforced.

Smart Regions: Interreg FR - IT "MisMi" project helps local community during COVID-19

‘MisMi’ is an Interreg France-Italy ‘Alcotra’ project financed by EU cohesion policy, which supports people living in mountain, rural and dispersedly population areas between Valle d’Aosta region in Italy and Tarentaise in France.

€75 million EU financing for CureVac for vaccine development

It will help the company ramp up the development and production of vaccines against infectious diseases, including the coronavirus.

Global Goal: Unite for our Future - Highlights

The event mobilised €6.15 billion additional funding, including a €4.9 billion pledge from Team Europe, to ensure equitable access to coronavirus healthcare for all.

Smart Regions: I-Move against COVID-19

Strengthening the epidemiological and virological surveillance of COVID-19 will be key to defeating the disease. In addition to bringing together case data from hospitals and other primary care clinics, the project will also study the effectiveness of any future vaccines or treatments for the virus.

Coronavirus: 5 useful things to know

The European Commission is working closely with EU Member States to fight the pandemic in a coordinated way because decisions taken by one country can affect people across the Union.

EU's response to coronavirus

The EU has been working on all fronts to help European countries and even beyond during this crisis.

Coronavirus: Commission supports EU neighbouring countries by making rules more flexible

The European Commission has adjusted the rules for Cross-border Cooperation programmes between EU Member States and EU’s neighbouring countries to allow the regions on both sides of EU external borders to benefit from the simplified financial and legal measures put into place to fight the coronavirus crisis.

Coronavirus: EU to support European education sector

Since the beginning of the crisis, the Education Ministers met every month and together we have looked at the lessons learnt from the many challenges the education and training sector faced during confinement.

The EU is taking care

The ability to pass laws at country level to tackle the coronavirus rests entirely with Member States – the Commission does not have a right to interfere in national legislation and decisions on subjects such as health. On the other hand, the EU can put together European policies and fast, coordinated, pan-European initiatives to tackle the crisis together with Member States. An example of this is that the decision to go into ‘lockdown’ and to close a country’s borders is made on a national level, whilst the mobilisation of €140 million from EU funds to find a vaccine, new treatments and diagnostic tests is made on an EU level.

Slovenia-Austria project seeks to reduce unemployment for vulnerable groups

People with mental health problems, addicts, the homeless and women who are victims of violence are getting a helping hand in finding work, thanks to the ERDF-funded Involved project being implemented in Slovenia.