European Union

The ten-year gas contract between Russia and Ukraine expires at the end of the year. Currently both countries are negotiating new contracts for the supply and transit of gas to the EU. The process revolves around bilateral claims running into the billions as well as the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2, which will render transit via Ukraine to Northern Europe obsolete. How can the tensions be resolved?

MEPs voted into office the new European Commission, approved the EU's budget for 2020, called for a climate neutral Europe and awarded the LUX film prize.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

MEPs voted into office the new European Commission, approved the EU's budget for 2020, called for a climate neutral Europe and awarded the LUX film prize.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament will inaugurate the ”Sakharov Walk of Freedom” on the Solidarność Esplanade in Brussels on Tuesday 10 December at 14.30.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Development
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament will inaugurate the ”Sakharov Walk of Freedom” on the Solidarność Esplanade in Brussels on Tuesday 10 December at 14.30.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Development
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Combating climate change should be Parliament’s top priority, new Eurobarometer reveals, highlighting youth-led climate protests as great influencers.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Combating climate change should be Parliament’s top priority, new Eurobarometer reveals, highlighting youth-led climate protests as great influencers.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Orgalim Director General Malte Lohan shares the views of Europe’s technology industries as new Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her team take office – calling for a strategy that puts industrial innovation at the heart of the EU’s...

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq today hosted a meeting of the principals of the cyber organisations signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded in May 2018: the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies (CERT-EU).  

The purpose of the meeting was to assess the progress achieved since the 2018 MoU and to plan the future cooperation activities for 2020-2021. The MoU provides a comprehensive cooperative framework through which civil-military synergies can be promoted, ultimately aiming to improve cybersecurity of all stakeholders and support Member States’ cyber defence programmes.  

In 2019, quadrilateral cooperation was further enhanced with various activities, regular exchanges on topical cybersecurity aspects and participation in respective events of interest. 

Looking ahead, the collaboration roadmap prepared by the MoU working group envisages concrete activities on cyber training & education, technology development. The updated roadmap sets ambitious objectives for the coming year, effectively taking the level of cooperation to a new level. As part of the cooperation, the four partners are planning to organise a major event in the second part of 2020, improve their cooperation along the lines of major cybersecurity policy implementation (notably, the Cybersecurity Act) and the update Cyber Defence Policy Framework. They also commit to pay additional attention to improving incident response mechanisms and processes as well as increased joint contributions to high visibility events on Cybersecurity and Cyber Defence.

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq said: “The efforts required by the implementation of the Cyber Defence Policy Framework and, in general, by our contributing Member States in the cyber defence domain are consistently increasing, and require specialised and committed resources. The collaboration enabled by the MoU is a key factor of our efforts to harmonize these efforts, avoid duplication and support Member States in their capability development programmes”.

ENISA Chief Executive Director Juhan Lepassar said: “I trust this new roadmap will enable the four partners to a closer, more effective collaboration and provide a valuable platform to help the European Union achieve the aims of the EU cyber crisis cooperation Blueprint”. 

The Head of Europol's European Cybercrime Centre, Steven Wilson said: "This agreement has paved the road for a number of significant developments in the fight against cybercrime. At Europol's European Cybercrime Centre, we welcome the challenges and opportunities that are to come and continue to believe that we are stronger together in our efforts of securing Europe in the digital age." 

The Head of CERT-EU, Saâd Kadhi, stated: “As an entity with a mission to act as the cybersecurity information exchange and incident response coordination hub for its constituents, cooperation runs through CERT-EU’s veins. This MoU, and the ambitious deliverables we have set ourselves, is truly key to strengthening our collective capabilities and reinforcing the ties between the cyber defence, security and law enforcement communities".

 

More information: 

• Four EU cybersecurity organisations enhance cooperation (webnews May 2018)
• EDA factsheet Cyber Defence
• European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) 
• Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) 
• Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU Institutions, Agencies and Bodies (CERT-EU) 

 

Elections for the European Parliament take place every five years.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Elections for the European Parliament take place every five years.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Candidates running for the post of European Ombudsman will present their priorities in a hearing organised by the Petitions Committee on 3 December.
Committee on Petitions

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Candidates running for the post of European Ombudsman will present their priorities in a hearing organised by the Petitions Committee on 3 December.
Committee on Petitions

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Heating’s huge impact on the EU’s air quality and greenhouse gas emissions needs new focus and attention, according to policymakers and activists gathered in Bratislava on Thursday (28 November).

After Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskyi agreed to hold elections in the separatist regions on the Russian border, peace talks with Moscow are regaining momentum. With the assistance of France and Germany, the two countries will return to the negotiation table on 9 December.