Author: MIL OSI Publisher

Through contributions to the World Health Organisation and health initiatives, the EU and its Member States are leading contributors to global health financing. The EU remains committed to global health, including by supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and the fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and is taking a wide range of actions such as the Team Europe Initiative on SRHR in Africa and financial contributions to the United Nations Population Fund and the Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria[1]. The EU will continue supporting global health in line with its commitments and available resources.

The fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a Commission priority[2]. The 2022 Global Health Strategy sets out EU’s international actions. The 2023 Council Recommendation sets recommendations to address AMR. The Commission has played an active role in reaching a preliminary agreement in recent negotiations on a Global Pandemic Agreement. This agreement includes AMR and is expected to be formally adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025. The Commission also supports the Quadripartite Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform and the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund[3] and engages with international partners (G7, G20).

Moreover, the Commission’s proposed reform of the EU’s general pharmaceutical legislation[4] provides for incentives for the development of novel antimicrobials and contains measures for the prudent use of antimicrobials.

Building upon the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Commission will present a medical countermeasures (MCM) strategy to enhance the EU’s preparedness for health threats such as AMR by improving innovation and access to MCM, including antibiotics and AMR products. This will complement the Commission work with Member States to develop a financial incentive pilot in the form of a revenue guarantee.

• [1] https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/.
• [2] The 2024 United Nations General Assembly declaration marks a milestone of international commitments: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/world-leaders-commit-decisive-action-antimicrobial-resistance.
• [3] https://www.qjsamr.org/.
• [4] https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/legal-framework-governing-medicinal-products-human-use-eu/reform-eu-pharmaceutical-legislation_en.

The reference to the possibility to exclude biomass combustion and hydropower plants from the designation of renewables acceleration areas was not part of the Commission’s proposal[1]. It was added by the co-legislators during the legislative process. It should be noted that under Article 15c, paragraph 1 of the revised Directive[2], Member States are not obliged to designate renewables acceleration areas for more than one technology.

The Commission has not identified inconsistencies between Article 15b (1) and Article 16 of the revised Directive.

Small hydropower plants constitute a renewable energy source and, thus, benefit from the supporting policies and measures accelerating renewable energy development across the EU of the Renewable Energy Directive.

• [1]  COM(2022)0222 final.
• [2]  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/2413/oj/eng.

The Commission’s Communication on a Comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce[1], proposes a series of measures to address challenges posed by e-commerce imports aiming to bring a level playing field based on effective customs, tax and safety controls and sustainability standards by using the tools at its disposal, and by proper coordinated enforcement of EU legislation. In this regard, the Commission calls on the co-legislator to swiftly adopt the customs reform and to reinforce it with a handling fee on e-commerce parcels.

During the ongoing negotiations on the Customs Reform proposal, the Council is making progress in getting to a common approach ahead of trilogue negotiations, with the view of an adoption in 2025. In addition, the Commission is willing to bring forward the parts of the customs reform related to e-commerce, in particular the establishment of the EU Customs Authority and preparations for the EU Customs data hub for e-commerce to a date earlier than 2028.

In the meantime, the Commission will coordinate intensified customs and market surveillance authorities controls on e-commerce as part of the Priority Control Area and as a horizontal Coordinated Activity for the Safety of Products as announced in the communication.

The Commission is willing to explore with the co-legislators the introduction of such a fee to address the scaling costs of supervising the compliance of huge amounts of individual parcels. This fee should be internalised by the retailers and intermediaries, thus by the importer, i.e. the online retailer or intermediary, and not by the EU consumers.

• [1]  COM(2025)0037 final https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/e-commerce-communication-comprehensive-eu-toolbox-safe-and-sustainable-e-commerce .

Establishing measures to attract and retain talents and counter brain drain is a priority for the Commission, as human capital is fundamental for the competitiveness of research and innovation and of the European economy.

The new European framework for research careers and the new European Charter for Researchers[1] support attractive careers and working conditions in universities and beyond, contributing to a balanced mobility of research talents between EU countries and sectors, to retaining European talents, and to attracting international ones.

Horizon Europe[2] supports the implementation of the new framework, for example via the Human Resources Excellence in Research award[3], a Mutual Learning Exercise[4] supporting the exchange of good practices by Member States[5], and a Talent Ecosystems pilot call supporting attractive careers for early-career researchers[6]. Additional measures to ensure attractive careers are expected in the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025-2027[7] with Horizon Europe funding. A proposal for a legislative ERA Act is due in 2026, including measures to further strengthen researchers’ careers and mobility.

The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)[8] play a pivotal role in retaining European researchers, bringing European talents back to Europe and attracting foreign ones[9]. A new Choose Europe MSCA action is foreseen to be launched in 2025 to provide excellent researchers coming to Europe with pathways to more stable and attractive employment.

The European Universities alliances funded by Erasmus+ continue to support the European academic community, as they offer enhanced global visibility and attractive career development within the institutions of the alliances and across diverse ecosystems[10].

• [1]  OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023.
• [2]  https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en .
• [3]  https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward.
• [4] Under the Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility.
• [5] https://projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/en/statistics/policy-support-facility/psf-challenge/mutual-learning-exercise-research-careers .
• [6] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094503,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43108390&callIdentifier=HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02&order=ASC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=identifier .
• [7] Proposal for a Council Recommendation on the European Research Area Policy Agenda 2025-2027, COM(2025)0062 final.
• [8] https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/ .
• [9] See European Commission: AIT, CSES, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, PPMI, Dėlkutė, R. et al., Study on mobility flows of researchers in the context of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions — Analysis and recommendations towards a more balanced brain circulation across the European Research Area — Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/401134.
• [10] European Commission: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, PPMI, Grumbinaitė, I., Colus, F. and Buitrago Carvajal, H., Report on the outcomes and transformational potential of the European Universities initiative, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/32313.

The Commission regrets the decision of the United States (US) to impose tariffs on EU exports of steel and aluminium on 12 March 2025, as well as the universal tariffs — which also cover medical devices’ exports to the US –, while welcoming the decision to pause the entry into force of these tariffs for 90 days that was taken afterwards.

The Commission sees no justification for tariffs. The Commission has emphasised to the US its wish to work together on common challenges and that the EU is not the problem — but is part of the solution.

The Commission’s priority is to avoid disruptions to EU-US trade and to seek negotiated solutions. The EU has stated its clear preference to find negotiated outcomes with the US, which would be balanced and mutually beneficial.

In this sense, in light of the decision by the US to delay its country-specific universal tariffs, the EU has decided to put its countermeasures on EUR 21 billion of US exports on hold for the same length of time. Medical devices are not included in the scope of these EU countermeasures.

The EU wants to give negotiations a chance. If, however, the talks are not satisfactory, the EU countermeasures will come into force on 14 July 2025.

On 17 March 2025, the EU hosted the ninth Brussels Conference on ‘Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition’ to support Syria’s transition process and socioeconomic recovery, while also addressing the immediate humanitarian needs, both in Syria and the region. The conference brought together key regional and international partners, as well as members of the Syrian civil society. This being a ministerial event, Foreign Minister H.E. Asaad Hasan Al-Shaibani of the Syrian transitional government was the Syrian representative invited, who attended the Conference[1]. It is worth to remind that he is not listed under the EU restrictive measures against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda (United Nations-EU mixed regime).

The fall of the Assad regime signals a historic moment for the Syrian people. In this critical period, the EU supports an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transition, guided by the respect for international law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism and tolerance among all components of Syrian society.

The EU welcomes the interim authorities’ recent first steps towards an inclusive transition, such as the National Dialogue Conference, the announcement of the new transitional government on 29 March 2025 and the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The EU was gravely alarmed by the recent violent events in the coastal areas and strongly condemned the crimes committed against civilians[2]. In this context, it welcomed the swift establishment of an investigative committee to hold all perpetrators accountable. The EU will remain attentive to the statements but more importantly the actions of the new authorities in ensuring the protection and fundamental freedoms of all Syrians, without distinction.

• [1] See the press release of 18 March 2025: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/03/18/brussels-ix-conference-on-standing-with-syria-meeting-the-needs-for-a-successful-transition-joint-press-statement/.
• [2] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/03/11/syria-statement-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-european-union-on-the-recent-wave-of-violence/.

The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF)[1] can only be activated at the request of Greece which has a deadline of 12 weeks as from when the first damage occurred, demonstrating that the total direct damage exceeds the thresholds specified in Article 2 Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. The EUSF may cover a part of the costs for emergency and recovery operations incurred by public authorities[2]. Private damage is not eligible.

Member States hit by natural disasters may also benefit from the flexibilities provided by the Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) Regulation which entered into force on 24 December 2024[3]. RESTORE primarily focuses on reconstruction, but it can also support disaster resilience. In the 2021-27 programming period, all EU-funded infrastructure with a lifespan of more than 5 years must undergo a climate proofing assessment.

Although defence was identified as one of the priorities of the mid-term review, climate adaptation and disaster risk management continue to be key priorities for Cohesion Policy. For instance, interventions addressing flood, drought or desertification risks are part of the actions envisaged under the water priority[4]. Moreover, dedicating funding to defence remains voluntary.

Directive 2007/60/EC[5] establishes a framework for the assessment and management of flood risks, aiming at the reduction of adverse consequences associated with floods. It stipulates that the Flood Risk Management Plans, drawn up by Member States, shall take into account inter alia costs and benefits, and shall in particular address all aspects of flood risk management focusing on prevention, protection, and preparedness. The design and implementation of concrete measures lies with the competent authorities.

• [1] Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3) as amended by Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143) and by Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 March 2020 (OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 9). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32002R2012.
• [2] This means, for example, the recovery of essential infrastructure, provision of temporary accommodation to the population, cleaning-up operations, and protection of the cultural heritage.
• [3] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236.
• [4] https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/communication/mid-term-review-2025/communication-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf .
• [5] Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood, OJ L 288, 6.11.2007, p. 27-34. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2007/60/oj/eng.

The Commission is aware that the Ministry of University and Research presented to the Parliament in September 2024, the bill No 1240 ‘Provisions on the valorisation and promotion of research’ with the aim of further modifying the rules concerning the career of researchers, already reformed following the entry into force of the decree-law of 30 April 2022 ‘Further urgent measures for the implementation of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)’, converted with amendments into law of 29 June 2022, no. 79. The Commission, in the context of the implementation of the NRRP, maintains a constant dialogue with the Italian Authorities as well as stakeholders, including trade unions, and carefully monitors the implementation of the reforms and investments. At this stage, the bill no. 1240 has not been adopted. The Commission is not in a position to comment on a draft law.

The Commission attaches high importance to promote job security and stability for researchers[1], within the remit of EU competences. These elements are addressed in the European framework for research careers and the European Charter for Researchers[2]. The Commission supports Member States and stakeholders in the implementation of the new framework through a set of initiatives.

Regarding the possibility for the Commission to support the structural financing of pre-tenure and tenure-track university positions , it is a responsibility of the Member State to propose measures amending its Recovery and Resilience Plan, that the Commission can then assess in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Facility (Regulation (EU) 2021/241).

• [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7282/oj/eng C/2024/7282, 05/12/2024.
• [2] Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe.