EU web links

A collection of links to web sites of the European Union institutions and other European business web sites.

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European Plastics Strategy

The first-ever Europe-wide strategy on plastics, adopted on 16 January 2018, is a part of the transition towards a more circular economy.

Excise duties for alcohol

The European Commission proposed on 28 May to reshape the rules governing excise duty on alcohol within the EU, paving the way for a better business environment, reduced costs for small alcohol-producing businesses and better protection for consumer health.

Data protection - Rules for the protection of personal data inside and outside the EU

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Law Enforcement Directive and other rules concerning the protection of personal data, as well as authorities tasked with enforcement.

Rules for business and organisations

Find out what your organisation must do to comply with EU data protection rules and learn how you can help citizens exercising their rights under the regulation.

GDPR - what changes after May 2018

The General Data Protection Regulation rules will apply as of 25 May 2018. They will bring several improvements to deal with data protection violations in the future.

The new EU Data Protection Regulation - rules for European businesses

The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which applies as of 25 May 2018 - will make it easier for companies to do business across the EU. The new law will help businesses fully benefit from the digital economy throughout the EU's Digital Single Market.

Seven steps to get ready for the GDPR

his guide aims to help those companies that do not handle personal data as a core business activity, such as SMEs that mainly deal with personal data of their employees or have lists of clients and customers. This includes for instance traders or shops, such as a bakery or a butcher, or service providers like architects. This guide highlights the few steps that need to be taken to get ready for the GDPR.

2018 reform of EU data protection rules

Stronger rules on data protection mean people have more control over their personal data and businesses benefit from a level playing field.

How digital is your country? - Digital Economy and Society Index progress by country

Find here the most recent analysis and data by country. A selection of key documents and graphs are shown about topics such as broadband, internet activity and skills, egovernment, ICT in schools, research and innovation, as well as other main indicators.

New vans sold in Europe in 2017: large decrease in annual average CO2 emissions

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of new vans registered in the European Union (EU) in 2017 were 4.7% lower than in 2016, according to preliminary data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). This is the highest annual reduction reported since the regulation to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles came into force in 2011.

Spring 2018 Economic Forecast

Growth rates for the EU and the euro area beat expectations in 2017 to reach a 10-year high at 2.4%. Growth is set to remain strong in 2018 and ease only slightly in 2019, with growth of 2.3% and 2.0% respectively in both the EU and the euro area. Economic forecast documents - GDP growth map - Economic forecast by country

Consular protection for European Union citizens abroad

Under EU law, as an "unrepresented EU citizen", you're entitled to help from any other EU Member State's embassy or consulate - under the same conditions as this EU country helps its own nationals. This website aims to provide you with general information about the right of unrepresented EU citizens to consular protection in third countries under the same conditions as the nationals of that EU country. It also helps you to find out whether your national state has an embassy or consulate in a given third country or territory. If you do not have an embassy or consulate in the country or territory where you are, it provides you with the contact details of embassies and consulates of other Member States that you might wish to contact to seek assistance.

Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoids are active substances used in plant protection products to control harmful insects, which means they are insecticides. The European Commission closely monitors the possible relations between bee health and pesticides and is determined to take the most cautious approach possible to protect bees.

Company Law and Corporate Governance

The purpose of EU rules in this area is to enable businesses to be set up anywhere in the EU; provide protection for shareholders and other parties with a particular interest in companies; make business more efficient and competitive; encourage businesses based in different EU countries to cooperate with each other. Company reporting and auditing complement this legal framework. EU rules in this area - What the EU is doing - Preparatory work - Informal Company Law Expert Group - Action Plan - Studies - Documents

Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2018-19

The Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2018-19, Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances, aims to raise awareness of dangerous substances in the workplace and disseminate information about how exposure can be prevented. The campaign is coordinated at national level by EU-OSHA's focal points and supported by official campaign and media partners and the Enterprise Europe Network. It has five main objectives: to raise awareness of the relevance and importance of managing dangerous substances in Europe's workplaces; to promote risk assessment, elimination and substitution by providing practical tools and examples of good practice; to raise awareness of the risks of exposure to carcinogens by supporting the exchange of good practices; to target specific groups of workers who are at greater risk, by providing tailored facts and figures and guidance on good practice; to increase awareness of developments in policy and legislation, by providing a plain language overview of the existing legislation and guidance.

EU-Mexico Trade Agreement

The European Union and Mexico have reached an "agreement in principle" on the main trade parts of a new EU-Mexico association agreement. The new agreement replaces a previous deal between the EU and Mexico from 2000. The original association agreement brought many trade benefits to the EU and Mexico, though some trade barriers still remain. The new deal will: scrap high Mexican tariffs on European food and drinks; allow EU firms to sell more services to Mexico; pledge to protect workers' rights and the environment. Negotiations are focused on completing the technical details of the agreement. Negotiators expect to have a final text of the agreement in late 2018.

EU - Singapore Free Trade Agreement

The European Union and Singapore have finished negotiating a Free Trade Agreement and an Investment Protection Agreement. The agreements aim to: remove nearly all customs duties and get rid of overlapping bureaucracy; improve trade for goods like electronics, food products and pharmaceuticals; stimulate green growth, remove trade obstacles for green tech and create opportunities for environmental services; encourage EU companies to invest more in Singapore, and Singaporean companies to invest more in the EU.

Road safety in the EU

All information, statistics and best practices as well as studies and project reports can be found on this Commission website.

Road safety

A comprehensive overview of European legislation, including when relevant the detail of national implementing legislation.

Pan-European Venture Capital Fund(s)-of-Funds programme

The Pan-European Venture Capital Fund(s)-of-Funds programme (VC FoF programme) aims to further address Europe's equity gap, the fragmentation of the VC market and to attract additional private funding from institutional investors into the EU venture capital asset class.

Knowledge Centre for Food Fraud and Quality

The European Commission launched on 13 March a Knowledge Centre for Food Fraud and Quality, operated by the Joint Research Centre. The Knowledge Centre, a network made up of experts in and outside the Commission, will support EU policy-makers and national authorities by providing access to, and sharing up-to-date scientific knowledge on food fraud and food quality issues.

Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange

Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange is a ground-breaking project enabling youth in Europe and the Southern Mediterranean to engage in meaningful intercultural experiences online, as part of their formal or non-formal education.

RAPEX - Latest notifications

The European Commission publishes a weekly overview of the alerts reported by the national authorities, which include information on the dangerous products found, the risks identified and the measures taken in the notifying country in order to prevent or restrict their marketing or use. Measures can be ordered by national authorities ("compulsory measures") or taken directly by economic operators ("voluntary measures"). Each alert also includes information on other countries where the same product has been found and further measures taken.

EU support to SMEs - interactive map

Hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs across Europe have benefited from the financing programmes of the European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) to start, grow and scale up their businesses. This map indicates the location of SMEs that have benefited from EU financial support through EIF-managed financial instruments.

Draft Withdrawal Agreement on withdrawal of United Kingdom from the EU

European Commission Draft Withdrawal Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community