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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as the 81st UN General Assembly High Level Week closed in New York, announced almost €710 million in EU support for displaced people and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, plus emergency assistance for people affected by crises worldwide. The announcement was made as part of international advocacy organisation Global Citizen's campaign.
The European Commission is taking action against several EU Member States that failed to notify national measures transposing EU directives by their deadlines. Letters of formal notice give the Member States two months to reply and complete transposition. Areas covered include electricity market design, the hydrogen and decarbonised gas market, the sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, safe use of cobalt in toys, the Anti-Trafficking Directive, new psychoactive substances, the Right to Repair Directive, and industrial and livestock rearing emissions rules. If responses are unsatisfactory, the Commission may issue a reasoned opinion.
The European Commission positively assessed Luxembourg's third €92.2 million payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, confirming completion of all 5 milestones and 4 targets. Flagship measures include support for 42,000 zero-emission vehicles, 25 MWp of photovoltaic capacity, digitalisation of five government entities, a cross-border quantum key distribution connection between Luxembourg and Belgium, and reforms in healthcare, biodiversity and anti-money laundering. The Commission has sent its preliminary assessment to the Economic and Financial Committee, which has four weeks to deliver its opinion.
The European Commission is taking action against several EU Member States that failed to notify national measures transposing EU directives by their deadlines. Letters of formal notice give the Member States two months to reply and complete transposition. Areas covered include electricity market design, the hydrogen and decarbonised gas market, the sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, safe use of cobalt in toys, the Anti-Trafficking Directive, new psychoactive substances, the Right to Repair Directive, and industrial and livestock rearing emissions rules. If responses are unsatisfactory, the Commission may issue a reasoned opinion.
EU Commissioner Lahbib addressed the G20 High-Level Independent Panel in New York on financing pandemic preparedness and response. Citing the Ebola outbreak in Bunia, she stressed the importance of speed and community trust. The EU provided nearly EUR 500 million, combining emergency assistance with longer-term health security investment, and ran 11 Humanitarian Air Bridge operations. The EU is working with the OECD and WHO to improve tracking of preparedness spending, with a pilot to launch in coming months. It also pledged over EUR 73 million for new vaccines in 2026-2027, including nearly EUR 40 million for Bundibugyo-specific candidates.
The EU launched its Global Health Resilience Initiative in New York, calling for uniting Europe's investments, partnerships and expertise to address global health challenges. From 2021 to 2025, the EU mobilized over EUR 6 billion in global health funding and, with the WHO, supports stronger health systems in 115 countries. Through Global Gateway, the EU and its Member States mobilized more than EUR 2 billion for regional manufacturing of vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa, with production sites taking shape in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa.
European Commissioner Lahbib issued a statement on behalf of EU Member States marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, reaffirming the EU's commitment to the Convention's core values and to UNHCR as its primary guardian. The statement notes that the EU provides temporary protection to more than 4.8 million people fleeing Russia's war against Ukraine and leads humanitarian response from Sudan to Syria, Myanmar and beyond. It also outlines a route-based approach to identify vulnerabilities early, deliver fair and swift protection to those entitled to it, and prevent irregular migration.
European Commissioner Lahbib spoke at the Call to Action for the Children of Gaza and the West Bank in New York, stating that nearly the entire population of Gaza is squeezed into less than half of the Strip, overcrowded, unsanitary and unsafe, with children lacking food, medicine and shelter and many out of school. Despite the ceasefire announced in October, children are still being killed and injured by airstrikes and other attacks; by early August, at least 300 children had been killed in the 300 days since the ceasefire was announced. In the West Bank, military operations, demolitions, movement restrictions and settler violence cut people off from water, healthcare and jobs, and childre…
EU Commissioner Lahbib said in a New York speech that drones are being used by multiple parties, including armed groups, in the conflict in eastern DRC and are hitting civilian areas. She said that less than three weeks after her February visit to Goma, a drone struck a residential building in Goma housing humanitarian workers and EU personnel, killing UNICEF humanitarian worker Karine Buisset. She stressed that international humanitarian law applies to drone warfare and called for the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, hospitals, aid convoys and camps for displaced families.
At the EESC plenary, the European Commission presented its Communication on 'A Simpler, Clearer and Better Enforced EU Rulebook', reporting twelve major Omnibus simplification proposals that could save at least €17 billion in annual administrative costs for European businesses and national administrations. Five pillars of action were set out: simplicity by design, a strengthened better-regulation system, regulatory deep cleaning, action against Member State gold-plating, and faster, more robust enforcement. Plans include simplification proposals for banking, housing and transport in 2027 and a proposal to accelerate permitting.
The European Commission's Daily News of 23 September 2026 reports that France launched the first national housing hub, implementing the European Affordable Housing Plan adopted in December 2025. Established with the French Ministry of Housing, Caisse des Depots, Council of Europe Bank, Union of Social Housing (USH) and the European Investment Bank under the Pan-European Investment Platform for Affordable and Sustainable Housing, the hub aims to improve public-private cooperation, make better use of EU and national funding, and align local and EU housing policies. The briefing also covers the European Literacy Coalition, several merger clearances and UN General Assembly activities.
The European Commission signed the first flagship early recovery projects under the EU-led Team Gaza Initiative on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York. The projects, together worth €43 million, will help restore essential water and solid waste management services for people in Gaza. The signing was carried out by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica.
The European Commission announced €505 million in financial support for Lebanon for 2026 and 2027, the second half of the €1 billion support package announced by President von der Leyen in May 2024. The funding covers three main areas: maintaining basic services for vulnerable people including education, health, social protection and water, with cash assistance and primary healthcare; supporting the reform agenda, justice sector, oversight bodies, Parliament and human rights, while strengthening the security sector, border management, private sector resilience and economic recovery in conflict-affected areas; and supporting civil society and culture, including rights of women, youth, minori…
The European Commission proposed to the Council to lift the protective measures adopted in 2022 concerning Hungary under the Conditionality Regulation, considering that Hungary has addressed the rule-of-law breaches affecting the EU budget. If adopted by the Council, the proposal would reinstate €4.2 billion in suspended cohesion policy commitments and restore access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe for students and researchers from universities maintained by Hungarian Public Interest Trusts. The Commission assessed the remedies notified by Hungary on September 9, 2026, and their implementation, concluding that Hungary has addressed previously identified weaknesses in areas such as public pro…
European Commission President von der Leyen presented the EU KIDS Act at a high-level dialogue in New York, banning social media for under-13s and personal accounts for under-15s. Children aged 13 to 15 would only use parent-set and supervised mini accounts with limited features and a 60-minute daily cap that parents can reduce. The law would reverse the burden of proof, requiring platforms to demonstrate their services are safe for children or lose access to them. She cited a July Eurobarometer finding that 92% of Europeans want more action to protect children online.
The European Commission published the tenth Eurobarometer survey on Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP, interviewing 26,456 respondents across all 27 member states between May and June 2026. 95% consider agriculture and rural areas important for Europe's future, 93% see securing a stable EU food supply as crucial, and 70% believe the CAP benefits all Europeans. For the first time, respondents were asked about the importance of EU origin when buying food, with almost eight in ten calling it important or very important.
EU Commissioner Serafin delivered opening remarks at the General Affairs Council in Brussels, noting this is his fourth MFF negotiation. He cited four differences: Council calls to cut an already modernised budget proposal focused more on competitiveness, defence and security; stabilisation of national contributions based on 2027 figures; the need for a serious package of new own resources, with the October European Council set to clarify an updated basket; and the exceptional times in which EU sovereignty is at stake.
Ahead of the 2026 European Week of Sport, the European Commission published the sixth Eurobarometer on sport and physical activity. Compared with 2022, those exercising several times a week rose to 38% (up 6 points), almost daily to 9% (up 3 points), and those who never exercise fell from 45% to 39%. Main motivations are improving or maintaining physical health (44%) and relaxing (39%), with 26% citing mental health. Parks and outdoor spaces remain most popular (47%), fitness facilities rose from 33% to 39%, and active commuting rose from 24% to 37%, the largest increase.
European Commissioner Šefčovič announced a substantial breakthrough in the EU-Philippines free trade agreement talks. Both sides agreed to liberalise over 94% of tariff lines, covering more than 97% of goods. The EU already exports over EUR 8 billion a year to the Philippines in machinery, transport equipment, medicines and agricultural goods; bilateral goods trade is nearly EUR 18 billion and services trade over EUR 10 billion. Negotiating teams are tasked with formally concluding the agreement in the coming months.
EU Commissioner Šuica delivered opening remarks at the UNESCO-EU high-level side event held during the UN General Assembly in New York, themed on strengthening information integrity and freedom of expression in the Mediterranean. She said information integrity and freedom of expression are at the core of a peaceful, stable, and inclusive society, and that false narratives can delay solutions to urgent issues such as climate change and can lead people to trust smugglers and fuel radicalisation and violence. Under the Pact for the Mediterranean, the EU supports actions on media and information literacy, fact-checking, journalists—especially young journalists—and cross-border cooperation.
The European Commission and the High Representative adopted the 26th annual report on Macao, covering developments in 2025. The report says fundamental freedoms and rights were further eroded. Former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was arrested on 30 July under Macao's national security law, the first arrest under that law; independent outlet All About Macau announced closure in October after deregistration. The eighth Legislative Assembly election was held in September, with 14 directly elected, 12 indirectly elected and seven appointed seats, after 12 candidates were disqualified. Economically, the EU was Macao's second-largest goods trading partner in 2025 at €887 million, 25.3% of Mac…
The European Commission and the High Representative adopted the 28th annual report on Hong Kong, covering developments in 2025. The report highlights continued erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and fundamental freedoms, with national security remaining the government's focus in the fifth year of the National Security Law. Trials and new prosecutions of pro-democracy figures continued, including the conviction of media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai and new charges against Joshua Wong, plus the first prosecution of a relative of a wanted activist. Arrest warrants with bounties were issued against 15 more overseas activists. The report notes Hong Kong remained the world's third-largest financial centre…
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly. They discussed longstanding Norway-EU cooperation based on common values and interests, and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, reaffirming support for the Ukrainian people with political, military, financial and humanitarian assistance. Von der Leyen highlighted the importance of the EEA Agreement and its full implementation, and welcomed Norway's September 18 measures to accelerate incorporation of the backlog of EU acts.
European Commission President von der Leyen spoke at the Summit in Support of Multilateralism in New York, stressing the importance of partnerships in a fractured world and noting the EU is expanding its network of trade agreements, now numbering 80, including India, Australia, Mercosur and Indonesia. She said these partnerships bring prosperity and economic security and serve as a platform for shared standards, shared rules and support for the WTO and its reform. She also called the UN indispensable, citing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and said the EU supports the UN80 initiative for a simpler, more efficient United Nations.
European Commission President von der Leyen, European Council President Costa and Australian Prime Minister Albanese met on the margins of the UN General Assembly to review progress in EU-Australia relations since von der Leyen's March 2026 visit to Australia. The three leaders welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive, ambitious, balanced and commercially meaningful Free Trade Agreement and looked forward to its signature as soon as possible; welcomed progress toward Australia's association to the Horizon Europe Programme for 2027; reflected on implementation of the EU-Australia Security and Defence Partnership covering hybrid and cyber threats, foreign information manipul…