The EU and Ukraine extend the road transport agreement until the end of 2025
To facilitate Ukraines access to global markets and strengthen trade relations with the EU, the EU and Ukraine have extended their road transport agreement until 31 December 2025.
Since its implementation on 29 June 2022, the agreement has significantly boosted trade relations between Ukraine and the EU, benefiting both economies.
With the extension in June 2024, trade has further increased.
EU imports from Ukraine have increased by 42% in volume and 28% in value, while exports to Ukraine have increased by 37% in volume and 50% in value. This growth underscores the effectiveness of the agreement in promoting economic cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.
More information about the extension of the agreement can be found in our press release.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Anna Wartberger – Tel.: +32 2 298 25 04)
Towards healthier soils in Europe
The Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and the Council on the Commissions proposal for a directive on soil monitoring and resilience.
The soil monitoring legislation will set the EU on the path to healthy soils, in the interest of citizens, farmers, land managers, and the environment.
This is a crucial step in addressing urgent soil health challenges that impact every European country, our food chain resilience, and the broader economy. The new law will also help strengthen soil resistance to natural disasters, heatwaves, and extreme weather events, as well as other major environmental challenges such as erosion, contamination, and biodiversity loss.
The primary aim of the new directive is to establish a pragmatic and flexible framework for soil health monitoring across the EU, based on national soil monitoring systems. Given the complexity of soils, the directive allows Member States significant leeway to tailor their approach to local conditions.
More information about the availability agreement can be found in our press release.
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki — Tel.: + 32 2 296 64 83; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)
The EU announces humanitarian aid of 282.5 million euros for the crisis in Chad and Sudan
The Commission today announced EU humanitarian aid of 282.5 million euros to support the needs of the most vulnerable populations in Chad, Sudan, and neighboring countries.
Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, is currently in Chad, where she is visiting several EU-funded projects in the country, including those aiding Sudanese refugees.
In Chad, 74.5 million euros will support the response to the forced displacement crisis in the Lake Chad province, as well as the influx of Sudanese refugees and returnees in the east of the country.
In Sudan, 160 million euros will support populations in regions severely affected by conflict, focusing on areas facing famine and severe food insecurity and hosting large forcibly displaced populations. The aid includes combating food insecurity through cash assistance, healthcare and nutrition services, water and sanitation, shelter assistance, protection, and education.
An additional amount of 48 million euros will help refugees, returnees, and host communities in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Libya to deal with the fallout from the Sudanese crisis in neighboring countries, where nearly 4 million people have already sought refuge.
More information is available in our press release.
(For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel. : +32 2 298 84 33 ; Daniel Puglisi - Tel. : +32 2 296 91 40)