Ivan Sotiriadis 
A new European project is turning urban rooftops into hubs of green transition and social cohesion, focusing on cities in Southern Europe. A new European innovation project, “Active Rooftops South Europe – aRTes”, is being launched to transform unused building roofs into vibrant, multifunctional and sustainable spaces that promote climate resilience, social inclusion and urban …
The European Commission has launched a new strategy to make Europe the most attractive place in the world for life sciences by 2030. Life sciences – the study of living systems, from cells to ecosystems – are central to our health, environment and economy. They drive innovation in medicine, food and sustainable production, adding nearly €1.5 trillion …
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Board published a set of ambitious recommendations for the EIC, aimed at strengthening Europe’s position as a leader in deep tech innovation. This represents the EIC Board’s extensive reflections and assessments over the last months and provides a contribution to the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework proposal, which is expected to be …
The 2026 Work Programme of the European Research Council has been adopted. The programme outlines funding opportunities, grant budgets, competition schedules, and eligibility rules for ERC funding in the coming year. The document was drafted and endorsed by the ERC Scientific Council and adopted by the European Commission. As previously announced, several updates will apply to …
The European Commission has launched the first-ever European Capitals of Small Retail Awards. This initiative stems from a citizens’ petition and was proposed by the Parliament to highlight the vital role of small retailers in revitalising city centres. These annual awards will honour three cities – one small, one mid-sized, and one large – that …
The study found it to be relevant, coherent, proportionate, in line with the subsidiarity principle, and consistent with other EU initiatives. The Commission published an evaluation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. EU legislation on WEEE management has been in place for over 20 years, setting minimum requirements for collection and proper treatment …
The European Commission launched a ‘Roadmap towards Nature Credits’, to incentivise private investments into actions that protect and preserve nature, and reward those who undertake these actions and invest in them. Nature credits represent an investment into nature-positive actions by a company, a financial institution, a public entity or a citizen, which in return can benefit from …
The European Commission recently conducted an interim evaluation of the 2021-2030 European Education Area (EEA), covering the period from 2021 to 2024. The evaluation presents an ongoing effort to enhance European cooperation in education and training, and make sure that the EEA achieves its goals by 2030 and beyond. Key insights The evaluation confirms the …
The delegated act on data access under the Digital Services Act enables researchers to obtain unprecedented access to platforms’ internal data to contribute to a safer online world. On 2 July 2025, the Commission published a delegated act outlining rules granting access to data for qualified researchers under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This delegated act enables access to the …
New rules harmonising transparency reporting format, content, and reporting periods now apply under the Digital Services Act. As of 1 July 2025, the Implementing Regulation detailing the rules and templates for transparency reporting by providers of intermediary services under the Digital Services Act (DSA) starts to apply. The new rules represent a significant step towards harmonised …