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Following severe flooding across Central and Eastern Europe, the EU has mobilised assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism at the request of Czechia and Poland. In addition, €10 billion of cohesion funding is available to the countries affected by the floods.

Persons with disabilities face significantly higher unemployment rates across Europe. The European Economic and Social Committee is calling for measures to bridge this employment gap. It also wants persons with disabilities to be actively involved in designing policies that affect them.

New rules under the EU chemicals legislation will soon restrict the use of two sub-groups of PFAS in textiles, food packaging, cosmetics, and other goods. The use of PFAS in certain products poses an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.

The EU has sent 8 planes to help Portugal fight severe wildfires in the northern part of the country. These include 2 planes each from Spain, Italy, France and Greece. This is the second time this summer that Portugal has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism due to wildfires.

President von der Leyen has presented a list of Commissioners-designate and their portfolios, reflecting the ambitions set out in the Political Guidelines for the next mandate of the European Commission.

The Commission has proposed to extend the coverage of smoke-free policies to key outdoor areas, such as playgrounds and swimming pools, and to heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The proposal will help better protect people from the effects of second-hand smoke and aerosols.

The Commission has registered 2 new European Citizens' Initiatives. The first calls for an action plan for water, reducing our water footprint and improving water efficiency of industry and agriculture. The second calls for expert consensus on psychedelic care standards and the rollout of therapies.

The State of the Energy Union 2024 report finds the EU has withstood critical risks in 2023-24 to its security of energy supply, regained control over the energy market and prices, and accelerated the transition towards climate neutrality.

Nearly 100,000 mpox vaccine doses have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a second delivery of around 100,000 vaccines expected to arrive shortly. The EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority procured these vaccines as a response to the mpox outbreak in Africa.

The EU rewards and recognises two or three cities as a European Capital of Culture every year. This year’s Capitals of Culture are Bad Ischl in Austria, Bodø in Norway and Tartu in Estonia. Find out more.

Looking for a job? The EU can help you create a customised CV, access the job market at home and across Europe, and protects your social security benefits. Find out more.

The Commission has proposed to use €1 billion from the EU Solidarity Fund to help Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France deal with the impacts of the severe floods that hit these countries in 2023. The aid will help cover recovery operations and conducting clean-up operations.

The EU has set an ambitious goal to make Europe the most connected continent by 2030. European households should have access to high-speed internet coverage by 2025 and gigabit connectivity by 2030. Read about initiatives such as WiFi4EU, 5G deployment and the Connecting Europe Facility.

The EU is mobilising support for Portugal as it battles a wildfire near Ribeira Brava, Madeira. After Portugal activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, 2 firefighting Canadair planes were deployed to the area where they will assist local authorities in combating the fires.

The EU plays a key role in supporting and promoting culture across the EU. Culture Moves Europe provides mobility grants for artists and cultural professionals in 40 participating countries. The latest call for individual mobility is open for submission of applications until 30 November 2024.

Excessively high or low temperatures presently cause 407,000 fatalities a year. A first pan-European assessment reveals that even if current climate policies succeed in limiting rises in global temperature, temperature-driven mortality may increase without additional adaptation measures.

August 19 marks World Humanitarian Day, an opportunity to celebrate the indispensable life-saving efforts of aid workers worldwide. The EU has been providing humanitarian aid to people hit by human-induced disasters and natural hazards around the globe for more than 30 years. Find out more.

Less plastic waste means cleaner beaches and improved human and animal health. Find out what the EU is doing now to tackle plastics pollution and marine litter.

The European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, will procure and donate vaccine doses, as an immediate response to the mpox outbreak in Africa. The Africa CDC will distribute the vaccines according to regional needs.