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Brussels, BELGIUM EU and U.S. officials met this week as part of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council in Brussels and Leuven. The discussion focused on joint actions on AI, including regular dialogues between responsible agencies on AI safety, 6G standards, semiconductors and quantum technologies.

We are encouraged to see that the European Union and the United States are making positive strides in boosting trade, economic security, and digital collaboration.

Todays transatlantic commitment to deepen collaboration on AI is a welcome step in advancing alignment on responsible AI.

In the months to come, we look forward to closer transatlantic engagement for both blocs to strengthen their shared vision and deliver more tangibles for deploying trusted emerging technologies on a global scale. The TTC has an important ongoing role to play.

We welcome progress made this week on aligning standards for 6G that could solidify the future of telecommunications networks as well as cooperation on AI. The details of this AI partnership between the U.S. and EU, particularly on standards, will be key to determining the utility of this dialogue. As TTC participants look to bring their work forward, the ability to find concrete joint solutions to divergent approaches will be what contributes to its durability.

CCIA is an international, not-for-profit trade association representing a broad cross section of communications and technology firms. As an advocate for a thriving European digital economy, CCIA Europe has been actively contributing to EU policy making since 2009. CCIAs Brussels-based team seeks to improve understanding of the industry and share the tech sectors collective expertise, with a view to fostering balanced and well-informed policy making in Europe. For more information, visit: @CCIAeuropeorhttps://ccianet.org/hub/europe.

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CCIA Statement on the Outcome of EU-U.S. Trade & Technology Council - CCIA - Computer and Communications Industry Association

The European Commission told Euronews Next that they expect to propose a European space law sometime in April.

Europe is on the verge of a new frontier with the creation of a possible new space law.

The European Commission is set to adopt a European Space Law (EUSL) sometime this month, a Commission spokesperson told Euronews Next.

The law, if passed, would regulate the ongoing developments in space, including traffic management, sustainability and cybersecurity.

Euronews Next takes a look at why this law is being proposed and what could be coming in the draft.

The European Commission has been working towards a space law for years.

The European Union started in 2021 with the launch of the EU Space Programme, a grouping together Europes many projects in space, including Copernicus, the Earth observation programme, and Galileo, Europes solution for GPS navigation from space.

In 2022, the bloc got even more involved in space. Early in the year, it recognised that space is a strategic domain and, in tandem, developed a strategic compass called the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence to defend the continents interests in space before 2030.

The strategy mentions for the first time the possibility of an EU space law to "provide a common framework" between countries.

At the same time, a group of European space ministers adopted conclusions about an approach to space traffic management, a policy issue that they describe as a priority because of the amount of debris in space.

The European Council estimates that more than one million pieces of debris are currently orbiting the Earth and that this debris could damage or destroy European satellites currently in operation.

The creation of the space programme IRIS2 means there will be hundreds more European satellites going into orbit in the next few years.

Developing an EU space law was also included in Commission President Ursula von der Leyens priorities for 2024.

The raison d'tre of the EU space law is to create a "true single market" for space, according to Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market.

There are 11 European countries with national space laws, including Belgium, France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine, according to the European Space Agency.

Breton said these "diverse" national laws are a "fragmented approach [that] prevents us from acting as a bloc with the necessary size to matter".

The proposal will work on three pillars: safe satellite traffic to avoid "increasing risk of collisions," protecting the EU infrastructures against cyber attacks and building Europes space sector as an "important enabler of services," according to the Commissions website.

The law could set minimum requirements for all space systems specifically on anti-collision, have regulations around how and when satellites could be taken down from orbit, and could include ways to mitigate cyber security risks.

"[The EU Space Law] is also a matter of security as in the current geopolitical context, the protection of our space system from systemic security risks is a must," Breton added.

On sustainability, the government said in its call for evidence that so far, the European Union does not have a viable way to measure the environmental footprint of space activities, including the emissions produced by space companies.

That means space companies might not be complying with other EU regulations on the environment.

According to a report in Politico, the draft law could include standards to curb light pollution and a label for companies.

None of the regulations that will be put in the new law will "limit EUs innovation and the potential of European startups," according to Breton.

Matija Rencelj, research manager at the European Space Policy Institute, said the new law is welcome so long as it considers what it could add to the laws that individual member states already have.

"There have been comments by Commissioner [Thierry] Breton about the need for a single market space, we need to assess that gap in terms of are we far away from a single European market," Rencelj said.

"What is important for us is to see how a space law can act as a conducive force towards creating new markets".

So far, Rencelj said certain parts of the European space market, like the satellite market, are not fragmented so much as dominated by a single player.

"We are not shying away from the idea that competition should be increased," Rencelj said.

This is a view shared by Eurospace, the trade association of the continents space industry.

In their submission to the Commission, they wrote that the space law should prioritise creating a stable legal framework for the blocs space activities that will, in turn, bring more investment and innovative research to the region.

"Industry expects the future legislative proposal to not risk fragilising its good position on the open markets," their submission reads.

Eurospace proposes that the law give preference to European companies that are looking to operate within the EU zone to protect them from "additional costs" that non-European actors might not have to face if the new law is put in place.

If done correctly, Rencelj said the new space law could be promising for all Europeans.

"Space is a domain where there are a lot of opportunities that still remain to be exploited," he said.

"A new space law can act as an important element that would enable Europe to benefit from all that," he added.

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Europe may soon launch a new space law. What should we expect? - Euronews

The European Union has allocated 150,000 (over 11 million Afghan Afghanis) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the extreme cold temperatures that hit Afghanistan in early March.

This EU funding was channelled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help deliver vital relief items to around 11,200 people in some of the most affected provinces, including Badghis and Kunduz. They included warm clothes and footwear; multipurpose cash grants to help the most affected people meet their daily basic needs; as well as kits containing menstrual pads, soap, underwear, toothpaste and toothbrush, and other essential hygiene items for women and girls.

The funding is part of the EUs overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the IFRC.

At least 70 people died and more than 14,000 were affected in several high-altitude provinces in Afghanistan that experienced heavy snowfall and extreme cold temperatures since the beginning of March. With temperatures plummeting to as low as minus 33 degrees Celsius, over 70,000 livestock perished, stripping households of their source of income. The snow also damaged nearly 1,500 homes and blocked main traffic roads, making it difficult for people to travel to buy their necessities.

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a 8 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to small-scale disasters those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of 8 million.

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European Union support to relief victims of cold wave in Afghanistan - EEAS

Asking to bring to light the issues in which the European Union (EU) will play a crucial role in the next term of 2024-2029, well embark upon the journey back to the start. But in order to do this, I must recollect that before becoming an Member of European Parliament (MEP), I was a public health medical doctor very much focused on a PhD in Sweden, far from imagining that, in addition to being invited to join a shortlist of candidates for the European elections, I would actually be elected in a period of modern history where health has never been more important.

New faces filled the unfamiliar halls of the European Parliament, bringing a sense of optimism and determination to tackle the pressing issues facing the Union. However, the world was blindsided by an unprecedented crisis. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, leaving no corner untouched, and the EU found itself at the epicenter of a battle against an invisible enemy.

In the wake of this crisis, the importance of health skyrocketed from being a mere policy area to the forefront of political agendas. Suddenly, discussions that were once confined to conference rooms and committee meetings were thrust into the spotlight, dominating headlines for several weeks in a row. The pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities of healthcare systems across the European Union and underscored the critical need for robust, coordinated action to safeguard public health.

And I am proud to say that the EU delivered. The EU4Health programme 2021-2027 represents the largest-ever investment in health by the European Union with over 5.3 billion euros allocated to support various key areas of health and Member States healthcare systems.

Just as I didn't anticipate the journey from public health doctor to MEP, the world did not foresee the seismic shift where health was catapulted to the forefront of our debates

This legislation together with the Regulation on the serious cross-border threats to health and the increased mandates European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), marks the turning point where the EU become more and more pivotal in health, laying the foundations for the construction of the European Health Union.

The focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the biggest burden of disease in the EU, was also brought to the discussion arena. Cancer emerges as a tremendous foe, and with the new Europes Beating Cancer Plan as well as more than 4 billion euros of funds for prevention, early detection, accessibility to treatments and quality of life, the EU is now ready to lead the way. But lets not forget all other NCDs and where the EU can be a game-changer. From cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic diseases to mental health conditions and many others, primordial prevention is our strongest weapon. Our endeavor is to decrease exposure to risk factors and augment protective factors. And considering that social inequities are directly linked to inequities in health, our social welfare plays an important role, as do our cities green spaces, stronger and supporting communities, work-friendly environments that nurture productivity without sacrificing health, quality in the air we breathe and the water we consume, among many other health determinants. These pillars of our modern existence are meaningless, and Id say impossible to reach, without a One Health approach. If we are ambitious enough, we can streamline them faster if we are bold enough to implement a Health in all Policies approach.

However, during this mandate the EU failed to deliver several crucial revisions such as the long-awaited Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Tobacco Products and Tobacco Advertising Directives. Similarly, the proposed revisions to the regulation on food information to consumers (FIC) faced hurdles, particularly concerning the harmonisation of mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling, health warnings on harmful food products, and mandatory origin information for all food products. Considering that around 40% of all deaths by cancers are preventable and that these 3 legislative initiatives tackle chemical substances responsible for a great majority of the EU's deadliest types of cancer, one cannot say we are being effective in this battleground.

Looking ahead to the next mandate, there is a pressing need to expedite negotiations on critical directives and regulations pertaining to the pharmaceutical package. These legislative efforts are essential for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and accessibility of medicinal products, thus safeguarding the health and well-being of European citizens in the years to come.

The next European Parliament must take decisive actions monitoring the development of these topics but also in the promotion and participation of public debate on the global fight to antimicrobial resistance, the so much demanded strategy for mental health, initiatives to counter the brain drain and the health workforce crisis, call for a strategic autonomy in the health sector, the achievement of the HIV 95-95-95 targets by 2025 and the fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals target 3.

Just as I didn't anticipate the journey from public health doctor to MEP, the world did not foresee the seismic shift where health was catapulted to the forefront of our debates during this mandate. Whether propelled by unforeseen crises or long-standing challenges, the EU found itself confronting critical moments and was up to the challenge under Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) to address the health needs of its citizens head-on. It's evident that the EU has a lot yet to offer, however, as we dive into the elections from the 6th to the 9th of June, we desperately need political forces in the European Parliament that are unapologetically pro-European and unwaveringly committed to upholding the social rights and well-being of all citizens. Pledges wont be enough to face populism but one can only hope that the collective memory empowers citizens to choose representatives that strive for better health and well-being for all in a true European Health Union.

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A continued focus on health will help to deliver for the people of Europe - The Parliament Magazine

EU voters will hit the polls in June in a different world than the last European Parliament elections in 2019 a world marred by Covid, war, economic turmoil and climate change-induced drought.

(CN) Millions of young Europeans will be eligible to vote for members to the European Parliament for the first time in June, according to data published by Eurostat on Thursday.

Elections, according to the EUs voting website, "[are] a unique moment when we can all collectively decide on the future of the European Union. Voting is always important, be it at local, national or European level. It is an excellent opportunity to have your say on topics you care about."

Germany has the largest number of eligible voters in the EU at 64.9 million, followed by France, 49.7 million, and Italy, 47 million. These three countries also have the largest number of first-time voters, with Germany topping 5.1 million people who have come of voting age since the 2019 election. This adds up to nearly 8% of Germany's voting pool.

Along with having the most voters, Germany, France and Italy will also send the most members to Parliament: Germany will have 96 representatives, France 81 and Italy 76.

With just 400,000 eligible voters, Malta has the lowest number in the EU, followed by Luxembourg and Cyprus which are both below 700,000 people. With the smallest populations in the EU, these nations only send six representatives each to Parliament.

Malta and Cyprus also have the lowest numbers of eligible first-time voters in the EU 20,000 and 37,000, respectively.

Every five years, voters across the EU choose more than 700 members to sit in the European Parliament, representing 450 million Europeans in the worlds only directly elected transnational assembly. Elections will be held June 6-9.

In addition to selecting individual candidates, many Europeans vote for political parties that represent their views. Once elected, many political parties group together into transnational groups with common interests.

Seven transnational political groups and 10 parties are currently represented in Parliament, including the Party of European Socialists, the European Green Party, the European Conservatives and Reformists Party and the European Christian Political Movement.

In addition to approving the EUs budget, members of the European Parliament shape the European Commission, a body similar to the U.S.s executive branch, by electing the president and appointing commissioners.

With the last elections held in 2019, this is EU voters' first opportunity to reshape Parliament following the Covid-19 pandemic, Russias invasion of Ukraine, as well as droughts and economic turmoil.

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Millions of Europeans eligible to vote in upcoming Parliament elections - Courthouse News Service