European Union signs agreements on the transfer of passenger name record data with Norway and Iceland
Yesterday, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner signed bilateral agreements, on behalf of the European Union, to transfer passenger name record (PNR) data with Norway and Iceland. The two countries were represented by State Secretary to the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Joakim Øren, and the Permanent Secretary to the Icelandic Ministry of Justice, Haukur Gudmundsson.
These agreements will allow Norway and Iceland to receive PNR data, information provided by passengers during the reservation and check-in process, from air carriers operating between these countries and the EU Member States. This will strengthen law enforcement cooperation between the EU, Norway and Iceland in the Schengen Area, and help step up the joint fight against terrorism and serious and organised crime. The agreements guarantee a high level of protection of privacy through strong data protection safeguards and provide legal certainty to air carriers.
Following the signature, Norway and Iceland will launch their respective national ratification procedures. On the EU side, it is now for the European Parliament to endorse the text before the Council can adopt the decisions to conclude these agreements.
The EU has already signed agreements allowing EU carriers to transfer PNR data to the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. The new agreements with Norway and Iceland are another step in the EUs commitment to strengthen law enforcement cooperation and information exchange partnerships, based on shared values and fundamental rights.
(For more information: Markus Lammert — Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Dumitrescu Cristina - Tel.: +32 2 296 60 91)
European Advanced Materials Academy to train 200,000 people by 2029
Today, the European Commission and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) have launched the European Advanced Materials Academy at the EIT Education and Skills Days 2025. The Academy will train a future-ready workforce to boost Europes leadership in advanced materials, innovation and sustainability. It will contribute to key EU priorities, like driving competitiveness and innovation, supporting skills development and encouraging top talent to Choose Europe.
Advanced materials are new or improved materials with superior performance that enable greener, safer and more efficient technologies. They include materials for clean energy, sustainable mobility, digital devices and resilient construction, supporting Europes green and digital transitions and strengthening industrial competitiveness. Addressing Europes urgent need for skilled workers in these sectors, the Academy aims to train 200,000 people by 2029.
The initiative supports the implementation of the EUs Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership strategy announced in 2024. It also supports the upcoming Advanced Materials Act, planned for 2026, which is one of the Competitiveness Compass flagship actions. The Act will support the full lifecycle of advanced materials to bring innovations to market faster and boost production and availability across the EU. A skilled workforce will be key to making this possible.
More information is published online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic — Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17)
Commission publishes evaluation of EU Public Procurement Directives
The European Commission today published an evaluation of the EU Public Procurement Directives, which were adopted in 2014. These rules aim to ensure fair access to public procurement for all businesses, secure better value for taxpayers money, strengthen transparency to prevent corruption and encourage more sustainable and innovative public spending.
The evaluation shows that the Directives have only partially met their objectives. Specifically:
- They did not improve legal clarity or flexibility; new sector-specific rules added complexity;
- Transparency has improved and contract values have doubled, but corruption risks remain and data gaps hinder compliance checks;
- Competition is mixed: average bids per tender are down, but large contracts still attract strong interest, and SMEs win 71% of contracts;
- Direct cross-border participation in the EU remains limited;
- Green, social, and innovative procurement is progressing, but unevenly across the EU.
Public authorities in the EU spend around 15% of GDP a year on procurement – in sectors such as energy, transport, healthcare, and education. EU procurement rules apply to as much as a quarter of this expenditure, with an average annual value of €616 billion, three times the size of the EU budget. These rules are therefore crucial to ensure that public funds are spent efficiently, transparently and in line with Europes strategic objectives.
This evaluation marks the first step towards revising the 2014 Public Procurement Directives. President Ursula von der Leyen has announced this revision as part of the EUs strategic agenda. Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné has underlined the enormous potential of public procurement as part of the European investment strategy to boost Europes competitiveness, resilience and economic security.
You can find more information on the result of the Commissions evaluation online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Rüya Perincek – Tel: +32 460 76 25 10)
New call for media proposals announced at ceremony celebrating winners of Megalizzi-Niedzielski prize for aspiring journalists
The European Commission celebrated the winners of the 2025 Megalizzi–Niedzielski prize for aspiring journalists in Brussels last night and announced its ninth call for media proposals dedicated to cohesion policy.
Awarded in the context of the yearly EU Week of Regions and Cities, the prize recognises three exceptional young journalists who participated in the Youth4Regions programme, which puts a spotlight on Europes cohesion policy.
The Lens Award was attributed to Italys Elisa Ortuso for her impactful video on an EU project in Rome supporting Ukrainian families with children battling cancer. Frances Hildegard Leloué received the Pen Award for her insightful European coverage. And the Frame Award, voted by the public, was awarded to Sarah Costes, also from France, for her striking photo of a project on the protection of storks in Diyarbakir.
Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto praised the winners, stating: Elisa, Hildegard, and Sarah have displayed exceptional talent and dedication in telling Europes success stories. Their work underscores the essential role of a free and independent press in our democracies and the future of the European Union.
The Megalizzi-Niedzielski prize honours the memory of Antonio Megalizzi and Bartek Orent-Niedzielski, two young journalists killed in the 2018 Strasbourg terrorist attack while covering European affairs. In 2025, over 500 applications for the prize were submitted from across the EU, accession, and neighbouring countries.
With a budget of €3.5 million, the new call for proposals invites media outlets, universities, and other entities to create independent content on cohesion policy. Applications are open until 15 January 2026, 17:00 CET, via the funding portal.
(For more information: Balázs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Arriaga e Cunha – Tel: +32 2 295 21 17)
Commission seeks input on evaluation of State aid rules for public service broadcasting
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence and a public consultation to seek input on the evaluation of the 2009 Broadcasting Communication. This Communication sets out State aid rules for public service broadcasting. The goal of the initiative is to collect views and experiences from stakeholders on how the Broadcasting Communication has worked since its last revision in 2009 and whether it continues to meet its objectives. The Commission is also seeking to identify any challenges stakeholders may have encountered in the application or interpretation of the rules.
The Commission encourages broad participation from all stakeholders and the general public. Any interested citizen, business, or organisation can contribute by replying to the general public consultation questionnaire, available online.
Alongside the general public consultation, the Commission is also launching an expert consultation, equally available online.
Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, said: “Public service broadcasters play an important role in keeping citizens informed and connected. The rules on how broadcasters can receive State funding were set in 2009, but a lot has changed since then - from new technologies to new ways of watching, and new players in the sector. We want to understand whether these rules still make sense today and work fairly for everyone. This is why were inviting public authorities, businesses, and citizens to share their opinions and help to evaluate the financing of public service broadcasting in Europe.”
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 94774)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
EU partners up with local authorities to lead on climate-neutral future
On Thursday, 16 October, hundreds of mayors, local councillors and regional leaders from across Europe will gather in Brussels to attend the EU Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2025.
Opened by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő, the event will bring together European and local leaders to discuss the role of local governments in providing citizens with clean and affordable energy, while strengthening the capacity of towns and cities to adapt and prepare against climate-related events.
Mayors, local communities and regional leaders are instrumental in implementing clean and just transition on the ground, all the while providing effective responses to challenges, such as the impacts of increased extreme weather events. Since its launch in 2008, the EU Covenant of Mayors has mobilised over 10,000 cities and towns of all sizes to commit to the EUs goals for a resilient and climate-neutral future.
The Ceremony will also host the bestowal of the 2025 Covenant of Mayors Awards, recognising three EU cities achievements in decarbonising heating and cooling: Domokos (Greece), Lappeenranta (Finland) and Mechelen (Belgium). Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, will highlight the essential role of cities in addressing EU challenges, and European funding and support for cities actions to boost urban resilience.
Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, will underline the great impact local action can make to build a cleaner, stronger and more secure Europe.
Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoektra, will talk about climate resilience and risk management, the Climate Adaptation Mission, and the importance of involving all levels of governments to properly prepare for climate risks.
Audiovisual material, including the interventions of the members of the College, will be available on EBS.
More information is available online.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Cristiana Marchitelli – Tel: +32 2 298 94 07)
Commissioner Albuquerque in the US for the International Monetary Fund annual meetings
Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, Maria Luís Albuquerque, will be in Washington D.C. from today to Saturday to participate in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings, as well as a series of high-level meetings with US and international policymakers and stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations.
During the visit, the Commissioner will meet with the Chair of the Financial Services Committee of the US House of Representatives French Hill, the Chair of Securities and Exchange Commission Paul Atkins, and the Vice-President of the World Bank Group Pablo Saavedra. Commissioner Albuquerque will also meet with the International Institute for Finance Board of Directors as well as with representatives of the World Bank Development Committee. The Commissioner will meet Governor of the Peoples Bank of China Pan Gongsheng and with Liechtensteins Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Brigitte Haas.
The Commissioner will speak at the World Economic Forums Leaders for Growth and Competitiveness, and participate in the European Parliaments event ‘Financing Europe: The Geopolitical Imperative for the Savings and Investment Union.
Some of the key topics during the visit will be the Savings and Investments Union – particularly, the recent initiatives on the Savings and Investment Accounts and Financial Literacy –, the EUs competitiveness and simplification agenda, digital assets including stablecoins and related technologies, and the regulatory and supervisory framework for banks.
(For more information: Olof Gill– Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66; Mara Perez-Cejuela Romero - Tel.: +32 2 296 37 70)
Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings
Note that these items can be subject to changes.
Upcoming events of the European Commission
Eurostat press releases
