European Union

European COVID recovery plans must address youth unemployment and wellbeing if they are to avoid the mistakes of the previous crisis. The European Youth Forum is the platform organisation advocating for youth rights in Europe. Dr Justa Hopma, 34, started...

After having successfully struck a deal with Google, French publishing groups have now set their sights on fighting for better terms with another one of the Big Tech giants: Apple.

The European Commission signed on Thursday a €70m joint-procurement contract with the pharmaceutical firm Gilead for the supply of up to 500,000 doses of Remdesivir - the only medicine with a marketing authorisation in the EU for the treatment of Covid-19 patients needing oxygen. All EU and EEA countries, the UK, as well as six candidate and potential candidate countries are participating in this joint procurement.

Negotiations on the EU's long-term budget will enter their seventh round on Thursday (8 October). The European Parliament, which demands more money for EU programmes and clarity on the rule of law, views the ball in the German Council Presidency's court. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Crown Van Gelder
Freedom of establishment
A customer may submit a complaint against the operator of the national grid following a power failure

Union des industries de la protection des plantes
Approximation of laws
France validly informed the Commission of the need to take measures intended, in particular, to protect bees

The EU should promote forest management models that seek to ensure forests are environmentally, societally and economically sustainable, MEPs said on Thursday.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The EU should promote forest management models that seek to ensure forests are environmentally, societally and economically sustainable, MEPs said on Thursday.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

To protect European consumers’ health, especially those of children, MEPs objected to Commission proposals on food products containing titanium dioxide and acrylamide.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

To protect European consumers’ health, especially those of children, MEPs objected to Commission proposals on food products containing titanium dioxide and acrylamide.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The German NetzDG law to counter illegal online speech has become a prototype for internet censorship in authoritarian states. The Commission’s proposal for the new Digital Services Act must avoid this template, write Jacob Mchangama and Natalie Alkiviadou. 

Alphabet’s Google is set to reach a deal to pay French publishers for their news, the U.S. tech giant said on Wednesday (7 October), the latest move to placate media groups and head off regulators siding with publishers seeking a level playing field.

All member states must become climate neutral by 2050, says Parliament in a vote on the EU climate law, calling for ambitious 2030 and 2040 emissions reduction targets.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

All member states must become climate neutral by 2050, says Parliament in a vote on the EU climate law, calling for ambitious 2030 and 2040 emissions reduction targets.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Top-down investment alone will not be enough to make the European hydrogen economy a reality, writes Andreas Schierenbeck. Not only does production need ramping up, Europe must also establish a framework for a functioning hydrogen market, he argues.

The implementation of the name-change deal between Greece and North Macedonia (Prespa agreement) as well as a friendship agreement between Sofia and Skopje should continue to be implemented in “good faith”, an EU spokesperson told EURACTIV.com.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about France looking towards a tough autumn, European countries tightening coronavirus measures, and so much more.

Written by Agnieszka Widuto,

The Just Transition Fund will support European Union (EU) regions relying on fossil fuels and high-emission industries in their green transition. Our animated infographic shows how it works.

What is the Just Transition Fund?

The Just Transition Fund is an EU funding tool for regions dependent on fossil fuels and high-emission industries. The aim is to help them prepare for the transition necessary to achieve at least a 55 % reduction in emissions by 2030, and climate neutrality by 2050.

The European Green Deal and EU climate policies aim to improve environmental quality, ensure clean air and reduce health risks for the population. To achieve this green transition, the EU will support carbon-intensive regions in diversifying their economies and creating new jobs. Activities supported by the Just Transition Fund will include investments in small and medium-sized enterprises, research and innovation, renewable energy, emissions reduction, clean energy technologies, site regeneration, circular economy, and upskilling and reskilling of workers. The Just Transition Fund is part of a broader Just Transition Mechanism, which also includes two other pillars: a scheme under InvestEU aimed at mobilising private investments and a public sector loan facility to generate public financing.

The introductory section of the infographic provides an overview of the most important details of the Just Transition Fund.

How much funding?

In January 2020, the European Commission proposed an allocation for the Just Transition Fund (JTF) amounting to €7.5 billion under the 2021‑2027 EU budget. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Commission increased this amount to €10 billion from the EU budget and added a top-up of €30 billion from the Next Generation EU instrument in May 2020. This brought the total JTF amount to €40 billion. It is expected that the EU budget amount will be complemented by national co-financing and transfers from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund+. With additional funds generated through InvestEU and public sector loan facility, the Just Transition Mechanism is expected to mobilise at least €150 billion of investment.

Animated  infographic on Just Transition Fund

At the European Council meeting in July 2020, EU leaders proposed an allocation of €7.5 billion under the EU budget and €10 billion from Next Generation EU, reducing the total JTF budget to €17.5 billion. The European Parliament, in its amendments to the Commission proposal voted in September 2020, recommended raising the core budget amount of JTF to over €25 billion.

A section of the infographic called ‘Allocations’ shows a break-down of the amounts for each pillar of the Just Transition Mechanism, expected additional funding mobilised, and amounts proposed by each of the EU institutions during the negotiation process. By clicking on each respective EU institution, the infographic immediately shows the differences between their proposals.

Which regions will the JTF support?

Funding is available to all EU countries. The European Commission identified a preliminary list of eligible regions in each country.

The allocation method is based on the following socio-economic criteria: industrial emissions in regions with high carbon intensity; employment in industry in these regions; employment in coal and lignite mining; production of peat; production of oil shale and oil sands.

In the ‘JTF Allocation Method’ section, the infographic shows total JTF allocations by Member State and the aid intensity per inhabitant, according to the May 2020 Commission proposal. It explains the allocation method and provides graphs for each of the allocation components by Member State. Click on an individual country to see more detailed information on the allocations. The visualisation also takes the additional criteria mentioned in the proposal (minimum and maximum level of support and a prosperity criterion) into account.

The infographic was prepared by Sorina Ionescu and Frederik Scholaert. Each section of the infographic provides a link to Further reading materials, including an EPRS legislative briefing on the Just Transition Fund.

Slovak Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family led by the nominee of a conservative “We are family” (Identity and Democracy) party quietly amended the grant scheme for the gender equality agenda. Grants were earmarked for just three organisations, which...

Montenegro recorded 43,380 unemployed by the end of September, which is 0.7% more than in August, according to data from the Employment Bureau. The unemployment rate, according to the ZZZ monthly report, rose from 18.56% to 18.7%. The highest rate,...