AI legislation in Europe and prohibited AI practices: Commission’s new guidelines

Views: 11In the beginning of February 2025, the Commission published guidelines providing an overview of AI practices that are regarded as unacceptable and prohibited due to their potential risks to the EU-wide values and fundamental rights. As soon as the prohibited practices are too complicated to comprehend, the Commission has prepared draft guidelines, which are […]

AI in Europe and the world: legal and executive factors

Views: 9During last decade, i.e. mainly from 2018, the EU institutions have been approaching the burning artificial intelligence (AI) issues. The “accommodation” process has been quite active: from the initial “declaration of cooperation” with the EU member states and serious funding to several AI Alliance assemblies to a Union-wide strategy on AI and European AI […]

The EU maintains coordinated policies to protect consumers online and offline

Views: 5On the World Consumer Rights Day (15 March) the Commission underlines the need to ensure proper consumers’ rights implementation and enforcement, improving digital fairness through and addressing existing gaps. Efficient consumer policy can make a tangible difference in people’s lives and help ensure a level playing field for businesses, showing the added value of […]

Recent infringement decisions concerning the states in the Baltics

Views: 8In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against some member states for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. We have chosen only these decisions that cover various sectors and EU policy areas in the Baltic Sea region; they generally aim to ensure the proper application […]

Consumer protection in the EU: screening online traders

Views: 9In order to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market (based on a high level of consumer and environmental protection) and making progress in the green transition, the consumers shall be fully informed on purchasing conditions. In March 2024, the new directive obliged the member states by March 2026 to adopt necessary […]

Several main pillars in the EU plan towards zero pollution

Views: 13The Commission has underlined some main guiding principles in combating pollution: implementation, integration, international cooperation, investments and innovation. They were revealed at the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform organised together with the Committee of the Regions; it is a valuable partnership as EU regions and cities are at the forefront of the zero-pollution transformation. 

European zero-pollution ambition: complicated ways of progress

Views: 15Twice a year the EU European Commission’s Joint Research Centre together with the European Environment Agency, EEA publishes a monitoring report on progress in the member states in achieving the EU’s zero-pollution targets according to the 2021 Zero Pollution Action Plan. It reveals future policies designed to support the zero-pollution ambition in reducing threat […]

Clean industrial deal: new EU-wide initiative to manage critical sectors

Views: 112European Clean Industrial Deal adopted recently is the EU-wide business plan to accelerate decarbonisation and competitiveness for the European industrial sectors by boosting clean tech innovation and reinforcing regional resilience. The EU-wide Clean Industrial Deal is supported by the European €100 billion investment package.  

Transposing the EU directives: infringement decisions in January 2025

Views: 21In eleven socio-economic spheres, i.e. in the field of environment, financial stability and services, capital markets union, justice, taxation and VAT, mobility and transport the EU-27 member states have not transposed the EU directives. The Commission’s decisions acknowledge, on one side the EU institutions intention to streamline the Union-wide legal framework; on another, is […]

Transition to carbonized economy: “correcting” EU priorities

Views: 19There are already serious reservations concerning the EU’s net-zero growth, as well as about “indefinite delay” of corporate sustainability rules and a “far-reaching simplification”. These and other issues were mentioned recently by Von der Leyen, Commission President in Davos. However, some EU officials in headline commitments note that in the context of the Green […]