The European Union has announced €63 million in humanitarian funding to support the most vulnerable communities across Somalia impacted by ongoing conflict and displacement in the country, as well as worsening drought and soaring food prices.
On 26 February, the European Commission presented a new agenda to prevent and counter terrorism, setting out the way forward to reinforce Europe’s collective response to evolving terrorist and violent extremist threats. The Commission also presented a proposal for a Directive to combat firearms trafficking and other firearms-related offences in the EU, the first legislative initiative to be adopted under the European Internal Security Strategy.
The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and EU Member States on its proposal to strengthen the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers, an EU solidarity instrument for workers who have lost their job due to major restructuring.
On 25 February, the European Commission and the United Kingdom signed the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement. The agreement sets a framework for cooperation on competition matters between the Commission and EU Member State competition authorities, and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. It is the first dedicated EU-UK agreement fully focused on competition cooperation following the withdrawal of the UK from the Union.
Women in Ireland received on average 31% less in pension income than men in 2024, according to new Eurostat figures. The largest gaps in the EU were recorded in Malta (40.3%), the Netherlands (36.3%) and Austria (35.6%). In contrast, the gap was smallest in Estonia (5.6%), followed by Slovakia (8.4%) and Hungary (9.6%). The EU average gap in average pension income stood at 25%.
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the draft of a simpler and more streamlined General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER). The GBER defines specific categories of State aid as compatible with EU rules, if they fulfil certain conditions, and exempts them from prior notification to and approval by the Commission.
The Commission decided that wrapping and straps used to secure goods on pallets during transport will not have to meet the EU’s 100% reuse requirement under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. This approach reinforces the EU’s commitment to advancing a circular economy while acknowledging operational feasibility.
The European Commission has proposed to open negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to integrate them into the EU’s ‘Roam Like at Home’ regime. Once the agreements are finalised, people travelling between the EU and Western Balkans will be able to make calls, send text messages and use mobile data without roaming surcharges.
The European Commission has adopted a proposal for the European Union to become a founding member of the International Claims Commission, a body tasked with ensuring that victims of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine are compensated. The proposal will need to be adopted by Member States in the Council and approved by the European Parliament.
The European Commission has proposed to suspend, for one year, the most favoured nation (MFN) duties on imports of several key nitrogen fertilisers and inputs for their production (ammonia, urea). The tariff suspension will be implemented for all countries, except Russia and Belarus, through duty-free tariff rate quotas.
On 24 February, Commissioner Michael McGrath and 27 ministers of the EU members states gave start to the work of the European Centre for Democratic Resilience. The Centre is a new hub for exchange between EU institutions, Member States and civil society to empower, protect, and promote strong and resilient democracies across the EU. The Centre is a core component of the European Democracy Shield, which defines a broad, society-wide approach to strengthening democracy.
In this week's blog post, Bobby McDonagh, Former Ambassador to the EU and UK, likens the European Parliament to a jogsaw puzzle. If the Parliament were disassembled into all its constituent pieces, it would be difficult to see how that multitude of diverse pieces could be reassembled to constitute a coherent overall picture. Yet, with all its intricacies and diversity, the European Parliament jigsaw does work. It stands out as the only significant democratic, directly-elected supranational parliament in the history of the human species.
Ireland recorded a greenhouse gas footprint of 14.0 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per capita in 2023. The EU average stood at around 9 tonnes, according to new Eurostat data. This places Ireland among the highest-emitting countries per person in the EU, alongside Luxembourg and Cyprus. The greenhouse gas footprint measures emissions generated by domestic consumption, including those embedded in imported goods and services.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Kyiv with President of the European Council António Costa on the 24 February, which marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite meagre territorial gains and huge losses, Russia continues waging its illegal and unprovoked war causing sufferance to the innocent civilian population.
The European Commission has launched a four-week public call for evidence to help design the EU's first-ever strategy for coastal communities, a key commitment under the European Ocean Pact. This strategy aims to support, drive sustainable economic growth, and address the challenges faced by the millions of people living and working along Europe's coastlines.
The European Commission has called for full clarity from the United States on the steps it intends to take following the recent Supreme Court judgment on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Commission stressed that the current situation risks undermining the “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” transatlantic trade relationship set out in the EU–US Joint Statement of August 2025, and reiterated that EU companies must benefit from fair treatment, predictability and legal certainty.
For the European Day for Victims of Crime on 22 February, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, and Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath reaffirmed the EU's unwavering commitment to ensuring justice, dignity and support for all victims of crime. Read the full statement here.
The EU is committing €225 million to speed up the development of next-generation flu vaccines that will offer protection across a wider range of variants and can be quickly adapted if a pandemic strain emerges.
The European Commission has opened applications for awards celebrating innovation and creativity inspired by the New European Bauhaus (NEB): The sixth edition of the New European Bauhaus Prizes and the second edition of the NEB Boost for Small Municipalities. Applicants can present beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive projects with the potential to bring positive change to the life of citizens, enhance innovation and participation. Winners will be announced during the the New European Bauhaus Festival on 9-13 June.
Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen endorsed the Leaders' Declaration at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, which recognises that “AI's promise is best realised only when its benefits are shared by humanity”. The Declarations reaffirms the EU's commitment to strengthening its partnership with India, promoting AI innovation and cooperation, and strengthening global AI governance.
