European Commission - Daily News Daily News 08 / 04 / 2026 Brussels, 8 April 2026 Commission offers 40,000 DiscoverEU free travel passes to young people Today, the European Commission opens applications for a new DiscoverEU round, offering thousands of young people aged 18 the chance to explore Europe by train and for free. The call opens today at 12:00 CET and closes on 22 April 2026 at 12:00 CET, leading up to the ...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 08 / 04 / 2026 Brussels, 8 April 2026 Commission offers 40,000 DiscoverEU free travel passes to young people Today, the European Commission opens applications for a new DiscoverEU round, offering thousands of young people aged 18 the chance to explore Europe by train and for free. The call opens today at 12:00 CET and closes on 22 April 2026 at 12:00 CET, leading up to the launch of the European Youth Week 2026 . A total of 40,000 travel passes are available. Winners will be able to board the train for up to 30 days between 1 July 2026 and 30 September 2027. Young people born between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008 can apply by completing a quiz with five questions about the EU and one additional question on the European Youth Portal. The Commission will offer travel passes to applicants following their ranking, up to the limit of available tickets. The call is open to applicants from the European Union and countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye. Ticket holders can plan their own routes or be inspired by suggested ones, such as the DiscoverEU Culture Route , which combines various cultural destinations with a focus on architecture, music, fine art, theatre, fashion and design. DiscoverEU provides participants with disabilities, health conditions or from low socio-economic backgrounds with additional support. This may include the possibility to travel with accompanying persons, or access to extra funding via the DiscoverEU Inclusion Action . While DiscoverEU encourages sustainable travel by rail , special arrangements are available for young people from islands, outermost regions, overseas countries and territories, remote areas. More information is available in our press release online. (For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Eirini Zarkadoula – Tel.: +32 2 295 70 65) Commission and Morocco launch a Digital Dialogue to strengthen strategic cooperation Today, the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco strengthened their relationship as strategic partners in the digital field by launching the EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue. This Digital Dialogue reflects a shared vision to unlock the potential of digital, data and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, supporting a digital economy and society at the service of people. It will enable cooperation in areas such as AI, support for digital start-ups, secure and trusted digital infrastructure, as well as interoperability of public digital infrastructure solutions such as the digital wallets. The Dialogue was launched by Henna Virkkunen , Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, and Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform. The EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue also aims to deliver on commitments set out in the Pact for the Mediterranean, a strategic initiative by the EU aimed at strengthening cooperation and partnerships with countries across the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, including in the digital domain. More information is available in our press release online. (For more information: Thomas Regnier — Tel. + 32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic — Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17) Commission greenlights Ireland's fourth payment request for €249 million under NextGenerationEU Today, the European Commission positively assessed Ireland's fourth payment request for €249 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility , the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU . Following its assessment of the payment request, the Commission found that Ireland has satisfactorily completed the five milestones and three targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision . The reforms and investments tied to this payment request will drive positive change for citizens and businesses in Ireland in the areas of railway electrification, e-health, public administration, higher education, re-skilling and up-skilling, and renewable energy deployment. Ireland submitted its payment request on 10 February 2026. The Irish recovery and resilience plan includes a wide range of investment and reform measures supporting climate and digital transition objectives. The plan will be financed by €1.15 billion in grants. A press release is available online. (For more information: Maciej Berestecki — Tel.: + 32 2 296 64 83; Anna Wartberger – Tel: +32 2 28 20 54) Two decades of .eu domain reflecting European integration and identity online The EU's top-level domain, .eu, marks two decades of providing European companies, organisations and citizens with the ability to give their websites and e-mail addresses a European identity. Europe's trusted digital address counts over 3.8 million active registrations. It stands for the EU single market and European integration. The domain name has simplified e-commerce with European retailers which use a single web address across the EU market. The .eu domain name is fourth in terms of use in Europe, and ninth in the world. Registrations of .eu domain names continue to grow by over 2% every year and owners keep using their .eu names, with 80% of registrations being renewed. Associated with European standards, trust and values, .eu allows European companies and organisations, including the European institutions, to use one domain name across borders. The systems behind .eu websites continue to evolve, with machine learning tools now in place to prevent abuse, perform data quality checks and ensure reliability and security. The domain has been continuously online for 20 years, without a millisecond of downtime. The anniversary will be marked on 26 and 27 May, at the conference ‘ European Voices for the Future of the Internet – Celebrating 20 Years of .eu and the Beginning of a New Internet Governance Decade '. Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen , will give a keynote speech at the event, joining discussions on how European values can shape the future of the internet. (For more information: Thomas Regnier - Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Patricia Poropat - Tel.: +32 2 298 04 85) New legislative proposal to grant a standalone founding act for EU Space Services Agency The European Commission has proposed a new regulation to establish a standalone founding act for the European Union Space Services Agency , known as EUSPA. This legislative move renames the current Agency for the European Space Programme and amends the relevant parts in the current Union Space Programme Regulation to reflect the organization's expanding operational responsibilities. Under the new proposal, the Agency will transition to a standalone founding act which will need not be amended for each seven-year EU budget cycle. As the operational arm of the EU's space activities, EUSPA is responsible for managing the satellite navigation systems Galileo and EGNOS , as well as the security of the Union's space infrastructure. It acts as the key link between space technology and the public and private sectors, ensuring that satellite data is translated into functional services for European citizens and businesses. Through this dedicated founding act, the Commission aims to strengthen the Agency's role as a primary service provider in the global space sector as well as additional responsibilities in other space- related areas, provided it has the necessary operational capacity and resources. The proposal seeks to ensure that the European Union maintains its strategic autonomy and remains a competitive actor in a rapidly evolving international space environment. (For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel: +32 2 299 10 99; Marine Strauss – Tel: +32 2 298 91 03) Commission announces new global health commitments at One Health Summit The European Commission intends to pledge €700 million to the Global Fund to defeat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. It will also invest €46.5 million to strengthen health security in Africa and Europe with a focus on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and €50 million in research and development for AMR and neglected tropical diseases. Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela , made these announcements at the One Health Summit taking place yesterday in Lyon, France. They underline the European Union's continued leadership in global health and its commitment to strengthening the resilience of health systems worldwide. The announcements are within the scope of the new Global Health Resilience Initiative, announced by President von der Leyen in the 2025 State of the Union address and which is expected to be launched before the summer. The initiative will offer the opportunity to clearly set out EU priorities and define concrete avenues for effective and efficient action on Global Health. The European Union's commitment to global health is set out in the EU Global Health Strategy adopted in 2022 and in the Global Gateway strategy, which identifies health as a key investment priority. The EU's global health engagement focuses on strengthening health systems, improving health security, supporting local manufacturing of health products, and advancing universal health coverage, especially in partner countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. More information is available in the press release . (For more information: Guillaume Mercier — Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Anna-Kaisa Itkonen — Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Jennifer Sanchez da Silva – Tel: +32 2 295 83 16) Commission clears acquisition of Braskem by Petrobras and IG4 Group The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Braskem S.A. by Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (‘Petrobras'), both of Brazil, and IG4 Capital Partners Holding General Partner Limited (together with its affiliated entities ‘IG4 Group') of Jersey. The transaction relates primarily to the petrochemical industry. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies' limited combined market position resulting from the proposed transaction. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website , in the public case register under the case number M.12316 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 229 94774) STATEMENTS Statement by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu, Commissioners Lahbib and Kos ahead of International Roma Day On the occasion of International Roma Day, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu , Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib , and Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos , said: '' Romani heritage, language and art are integral parts of our continent's history and cultural richness. Ahead of International Roma Day, we celebrate the long-standing presence of Roma people in Europe and their key contribution to our societies. With an estimated 10 to 12 million Roma living across Europe, 6 million of whom live inside our Union, the Roma community is a cherished part of our shared European identity. Roma represent the largest ethnic group in Europe, and Roma individuals and organisations contribute to our social, economic, cultural and civic life. In celebrating the key place of Roma in our societies, we must also recognise and condemn the continued discrimination that Roma people face across Europe. Roma people face persistent social exclusion and unequal access to opportunities, with 70% of Roma at risk of poverty in the EU. This is unacceptable. Despite progress in recent years, antigypsyism and structural inequalities persist. Many Roma families remain disproportionately affected by barriers to essential services such as education, employment, healthcare, and housing. Antigypsyism not only undermines equal participation but also limits Europe's social, economic, and democratic potential. Addressing these challenges remains essential, and we remain committed to tackling them and advancing equality for the Roma community across the EU. [...] Ahead of International Roma Day, we call for a true Union of Equality for all. A Union built on respect for diversity, democracy, and fundamental rights. A Union where all citizens enjoy the same rights and opportunities, no matter their ethnicity. '' The full statement is available online. (For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73) ANNOUNCEMENTS Executive Vice-President Fitto in Portugal to discuss the future cohesion policy Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto , will be in Portugal from today until 10 April, for meetings in Lisbon and the Azores Islands with representatives of the national and regional governments, and with local mayors. Discussions will focus on the future National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), the new framework for cohesion policy investments in Member States and regions under the next long-term EU budget , as well as on the Mid-term Review (MTR) of cohesion policy. The NRPPs will offer a broader pool of resources, enabling Member States to better address both national and region-specific needs and challenges. They will also ensure more consistent and coherent programming through the integration of national, thematic, and regional chapters. Regarding the MTR exercise, Portugal has reallocated over €2.5 billion to new EU priorities, with the biggest amounts focusing on competitiveness (€1.2 billion) and housing (€0.7 billion) to support growth-oriented and social investments in the regions. The Executive Vice-President will also discuss the upcoming strategies for Outermost Regions and for the EU's islands, as well as the support which can be provided by the EU Solidarity Fund for reconstruction following the damage caused by storm Kristin in January 2026. During the visit, Executive Vice-President Fitto will meet with Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, President of the Regional Government of Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, and National Association of Portuguese Municipalities. He will visit two EU-funded projects in Azores: a cohesion-funded project on the integrated system of treatment of solid urban waste, and a recovery and resilience facility (RRF) funded housing project. In Lisbon, he will also visit a project funded by the Cohesion Fund to improve rainwater management and reduce flood risks by building two major drainage tunnels, and an RRF-funded project developing an autonomous robotic vehicle equipped with artificial intelligence for farmers. (For more information: Maciej Berestecki — Tel: + 32 2 296 64 83; Anna Wartberger – Tel: +32 2 28 20 54) Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings Note that these items can be subject to changes. Upcoming events of the European Commission Eurostat press releases Calendar items of the President and Commissioners Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners MEX/26/782
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