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Russia to expand biometric checks for migrants nationwide

A biometric system for monitoring migrants’ entry and movements, similar to Moscow’s ‘Amina’ service, is expected to be expanded across the entire country.

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, announced the plans in an interview with Vedomosti.

The ‘Amina’ service is currently operating in Moscow and the Moscow Region. According to Medvedev, Moscow has become a major testing ground for the new system and has already accumulated significant experience with its implementation.

‘Yes, this is exactly the approach we are going to implement. Moscow has become a major testing ground for the new system and has accumulated quite a considerable amount of experience,’ Medvedev said.

The system relies on biometric identification to help monitor the movements and legal status of foreign nationals. If expanded nationwide, it could significantly change how migrants are registered and monitored across Russia.

At the same time, the nationwide rollout of biometric tracking is likely to raise questions about privacy, personal data protection, and how biometric information will be stored and used.

Ebonyi hatchery resumes egg, chicken production – Govt

The Nkaliki Hatchery in Ebonyi State has resumed full poultry production, with both layers and broilers now being raised and sold to the public.

The revival, which marks a return of commercial activity to the once-booming facility, has seen members of the public, businesses and private buyers trooping to Nkaliki to purchase eggs and birds.

For a facility that once produced thousands of birds and eggs before its decline, the return of chickens and eggs to Nkaliki is being described as a major boost to food security and the local economy.

In a statement signed by the Special Assistant to Governor Nwifuru on New Media, Hon. Leo Oketa, the old Nkaliki Hatchery was an important source of food, employment and commercial activity across Ebonyi and beyond. Its reactivation, therefore, represents more than poultry production as it is the reopening of an agricultural value chain.

‘The real test is what happens inside the structures. Today, production has returned and Nkaliki is working again,’ a government statement said.

Oketa said the reactivation aligns with Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s ‘People’s Charter of Needs’ agenda of using practical farming to increase food production, create jobs and strengthen livelihoods.

‘The reactivation of Nkaliki Poultry Farm was specifically identified in the Governor’s agricultural agenda,’ the statement noted.

Officials disclosed that a feed mill is also under construction at the facility to strengthen the value chain and make poultry feeds available to farmers within and beyond Ebonyi State.

‘We may not yet be where we intend to be, but the important thing is that the revival has started. The structures are back. The birds are back. Production is back. And more is coming,’ the statement added.

The government urged Ebonyians and the general public to visit the Nkaliki Hatchery to buy directly from the farm.

PRESS RELEASE – EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Statement by President von der Leyen on the eve of 25 years since 9/11

25 years ago, the world stood still. Riveted to screens, we watched in horror and disbelief as the Twin Towers fell.

Today, we remember. The nearly 3,000 people who left home that morning and never returned. The firefighters, police officers and first responders who ran into the smoke and dust and saved countless lives. The families who have borne the weight of loss for a quarter of a century.

9/11 was the most consequential event of the turn of the century.

And it revived the importance of alliances and collective security. Europe knew immediately where it stood. We stood with America. For the first and only time in its history, NATO invoked Article 5. An attack against one was an attack against all. We stood together in defence of the principles that unite us across the Atlantic: freedom and democracy.

Those who carried out the attacks wanted to spread fear far beyond New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. 25 years later, we know they have failed. Our democracies endured. Our societies remained free. And the ideology of terror failed to impose its grip on our world.

Today, the threats we face have changed. We live once again in troubled geopolitical waters, marked by great-power rivalry, war and confrontation between states. But the lesson of September 11 remains. In moments of danger, our alliances matter. Our unity matters. And the values we choose to defend matter.

Where the Twin Towers once stood, two columns of light now rise into the New York sky. They defy oblivion. They carry the memory of those we lost. And they remind us that light triumphs even on the darkest of days.

EU disburses pound 150 million in Macro-Financial Assistance to Jordan

Today, the European Commission disbursed pound 150 million in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This marks the second disbursement under the EU’s fourth MFA programme to Jordan, worth a total of pound 500 million approved by the European Parliament and the Council in April 2025. It follows the first tranche of pound 250 million in September 2025.

Jordan is a key partner for Europe in the Middle East and a cornerstone of regional stability. The MFA supports the objectives of the broader EU-Jordan Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, to promote economic stability, sustainable growth, resilience, and the reform process in Jordan.

The release of the second instalment follows Jordan’s compliance with the requirements outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding agreed by the EU and Jordan, including the implementation of relevant reforms and policy measures, continued effort to uphold democratic principles, the rule of law, and human rights, as well as the maintenance of a satisfactory track record under the non-precautionary International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The remaining instalment of pound 100 million is expected to be disbursed next year, conditional on the fulfilment of policy measures set out in the Memorandum of Understanding.

The agreed reforms aim to strengthen Jordan’s economy in key areas. These include public finance management, governance and anti-corruption, social protection and labour market policies, the green transition and the business environment. The Commission, together with the European External Action Service, will continue to monitor progress closely in coordination with international partners.

Jordan has benefitted from multiple MFA programmes in the past years, with three prior MFA (2014-2023) amounting in total to pound 1.08 billion in loans. This fourth MFA is complemented by a fifth MFA operation to Jordan of up to pound 500 million in loans, approved by the European Parliament last December and adopted by the Council in January 2026, which builds on the reform agenda under this MFA. Together, the two latest MFA operations bring total EU macro-financial assistance to Jordan to up to pound 1 billion.

(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 460 75 53 11; Francisca Marçal Santos – Tel.: +32 2 299 72 36; Luca Dilda – Tel. +32 2 295 21 53)

Commission delivers on Council mandate to negotiate an EU-US framework agreement on Enhanced Border Security Partnership

Today, the European Commission delivers on the mandate given by the Council to negotiate a framework agreement between the European Union and the United States for an Enhanced Border Security Partnership (EBSP), by proposing the Council decisions on the signing and conclusion of the framework agreement. The EBSP is part of the requirements set by the US for the continuous participation in the US Visa Waiver Programme.

The framework agreement will set the overall conditions for reciprocal information exchange between the EU and the US. Any actual exchange of information with the US will be based on bilateral agreements to be concluded by Member States with the US. The exchanged data will come from the Member States’ national databases. The proposed framework ensures a robust set of safeguards on data protection rules, in line with EU law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU.

As next steps, the Council must decide on the signing of the framework agreement, following the Commission’s proposal, and then submit it to the European Parliament for consent. Once the European Parliament gives its consent, the Council can proceed with the formal conclusion of the agreement. Once the EU-US framework agreement starts to apply, Member States can conclude bilateral agreements with the US, under the conditions and safeguards set out by the framework agreement.

In December 2025, the Council tasked the Commission with opening the negotiations, which started in January this year. The Commission negotiated a framework agreement in which the overall parameters for a reciprocal information exchange will be set out. The negotiations concerned in particular the inclusion of clear and robust safeguards on data protection that will have to be respected in the bilateral agreements between Member States and the US.

(For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Fiorella Boigner – Tel.: + 32 2 299 37 34, Antoine Lomba – Tel.: +32 229-93233)

Commission presents strategy to secure long-term EU supply of medical radioisotopes

Today, the Commission presented a strategy to strengthen the long-term supply of medical radioisotopes in the European Union through the European Radioisotope Valley Initiative (ERVI). Medical radioisotopes are essential for the diagnosis of several illnesses and for cancer treatment, and demand is expected to grow strongly in the coming years. The strategy aims to leverage Europe’s leading global role in this field, reduce dependencies on foreign suppliers, in particular Russia, and make the EU supply chain more resilient, competitive and sustainable. The strategy, which delivers on the REPowerEU roadmap of May 2025, will also contribute to the EU’s decarbonisation goals by supporting reuse and recycling of legacy materials and creating synergies with net-zero technologies.

The Commission will coordinate with Member States, industry, researchers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to implement the initiative. The focus will be on securing the competitiveness of the European radioisotopes industry through research, innovation, market uptake and regulatory alignment, supporting investments in production facilities and strengthening international partnerships.

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)

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

Commission sets out next chapter for European Capitals of Culture after over 40 years of success

Today, the European Commission renews and strengthens the framework for the European Capitals of Culture beyond 2033, applying the lessons of more than 40 years of experience into the programme’s next generation.

The aim is to simplify the selection process, strengthen long-term legacy and sustainability planning and make it easier for groups of cities, including cross-border partnerships, to apply together. It will also strengthen citizen and youth participation and give greater weight to inclusive and sustainable urban development.

Supported by the EU´s Creative Europe programme, four decades of the Capitals of Culture have shown the many benefits a year in the spotlight can unlock for a city, from new cultural spaces and creative opportunities for communities and artists to stronger local networks and international visibility.

Across the capitals evaluated between 2013 and 2022 alone, programmes recorded 38.5 million audience attendances, with a typical capital delivering around 1,000 to 1,200 cultural activities in its title year. In selected title cities, visitor numbers increased by an average of 30-40%.

A European cultural success story since 1985

Born in 1985, the European Capitals of Culture initiative started with Athens and has since travelled through cities, regions and peripheries across Europe.

Since its creation, there have been 85 European Capital of Culture title-holders. Oulu (Finland) and Trencín (Slovakia) currently hold the title, with Évora (Portugal) and Liepaja (Latvia) to follow in 2027.

What lasts beyond the title year?

Across Europe, the initiative’s legacy has taken different forms. Lille 2004 helped turn former industrial spaces into a network of cultural venues and created the momentum continued today by Lille3000. Aarhus 2017 involved all 19 municipalities of Denmark’s Central Region, creating regional cultural cooperation that continued after the title year.

In Košice, former barracks and neighbourhood buildings were transformed into cultural spaces thanks to its 2013 title. More than a decade later, the city’s legacy organisation still manages 13 cultural centres. And in Leeuwarden-FryslSn, the 2018 title developed into Arcadia, a recurring province-wide cultural programme, with another edition planned for 2028.

These experiences are informing the next framework: plan earlier for what lasts, reach beyond one city, involve more people and make it easier for cities and regions to work together.

Reach beyond Europe

Over the years, the programme has expanded beyond the borders of the European Union. Under the new proposal, third countries participating in or associated with the Creative Europe programme will be able to compete for the title as of 2034.

Next steps

The Commission proposal will now be negotiated in parallel at the European Parliament and at the Council, with a view to agreeing on a final text by mid-2027.

For more information

European Capitals of Culture – Culture and Creativity

Proposal for renewing a Union action for the European Capitals of Culture for 2034 to 2047

Factsheet

News item

Quote(s)

A city holds the European Capital of Culture title for one year, but the community and its people should feel the benefits for a generation. That means cultural spaces that stay open, opportunities for local artists and businesses, and young people who have a say in their city’s future. Our proposal puts that lasting legacy at the heart of the initiative. Culture should be within everyone’s reach, wherever they live and whatever their income.

Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness

For more than four decades, European Capitals of Culture have shown that culture can create opportunities, strengthen communities and connect people across borders. The next framework will build on that success with broader territorial participation, stronger youth involvement, new horizons for artists and creative industries, and greater attention to long-term legacy making sure more people, cities and regions can benefit from the potential that a European Capital of Culture inspires.

Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

A new strategic vision for the outermost regions, strengthening the EU’s global reach

Today, the European Commission adopted a Communication setting out a new strategic vision for the EU’s outermost regions – French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint-Martin (France), the Azores, Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain). From the Atlantic to the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and South America, the outermost regions are a unique part of the EU: rich in biodiversity, innovation, culture and of strategic importance, embodying Europe’s global presence, maritime strength and diversity.

President von der Leyen said: “Our outermost regions have strong identities and unique assets and geographical positions that project Europe to the four corners of the world. But their local realities and specific constraints need to be better taken into account. That is the essence of the strategy and regulatory package that we are presenting today. We are adapting our rules to unleash the potential of these regions and make their uniqueness a strength for them and for all of Europe.”

The new strategy underlines the Commission’s strong and lasting commitment to ensure that the outermost regions can fully realise their potential, with stronger support, greater resilience and fairer opportunities for their people.

The Communication is accompanied by a regulatory package proposing targeted adaptations to EU legislation to better reflect the outermost regions’ unique realities and constraints. The proposals are tailored to the needs of the regions concerned and cover areas such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, migration, and taxation. The regulatory package is intended as a first step in a continuous process, and the Commission will keep working across policy areas to ensure that the specific constraints of the outermost regions are taken into account more systematically in EU legislation and policies.

Addressing the outermost regions’ challenges and unlocking their opportunities

The new strategy sets out an ambitious approach across EU policies to support these regions, boost their socio-economic development and help their citizens make the most of their regions’ unique strengths and geostrategic importance. It is built around four key objectives:

Harness geostrategic potential and strengthen regional integration: Better align EU internal and external policies to deepen cooperation with neighbouring countries while boosting trade, connectivity, security, defence and maritime security.

Increase competitiveness and access to the single market: Support smart specialisation in areas where the outermost regions have clear competitive advantages such as the blue economy, renewable energy, biotechnology, research and space. The strategy will also help improve connectivity through stronger air and sea networks.

Improve resilience and preparedness: Improve climate adaptation and tackle environmental challenges including the influx of sargassum while better protecting biodiversity. The strategy will also strengthen disaster response, support energy autonomy, protect critical infrastructure like ports and submarine cables, and reinforce food security and self-sufficiency through agriculture and fisheries.

Promote social fairness and support people: Foster employment, access to education and social inclusion, reduce poverty, improve access to affordable housing, clean water and healthcare, while supporting people’s right to stay in the place they call home – particularly for young people.

Alongside the targeted measures included in the regulatory package, work will continue to make EU support more responsive to the needs of the outermost regions and more coherent overall. For instance, the Commission’s proposal to review the EU Emissions Trading System includes several important provisions for these regions, taking account of their geographical constraints and the need to preserve territorial continuity, connectivity and access to essential services.

The Commission’s proposed Public Procurement Act will also allow for the tailoring of certain procurement rules to the outermost regions’ specificities. Likewise, the forthcoming European Product Act is expected to allow targeted adjustments to product requirements where these are necessary, proportionate and justified by local conditions, in line with EU primary law. Further work on EU sectoral legislation relevant to the outermost regions will provide additional opportunities to identify, assess and, where necessary, address issues affecting these regions.

A continued strategic engagement with outermost regions

The Commission will more systematically take the specific situation of the outermost regions into account when preparing future initiatives. The strategy aims to foster a robust partnership between these regions, their Member States and the Commission, including through a yearly structured dialogue and a dedicated portal. In addition, a new youth project will continue empowering local young people as active actors for change.

The strategy also intends to strengthen the administrative and technical capacity of outermost regions, so that they can make full use of EU policies, funds and programmes. A revamped advisory tool will continue to provide tailored services and support to local stakeholders on EU programmes, funding instruments and other tools.

Next steps

The strategy will be implemented through EU sectoral policies. In parallel, the regulatory package will be submitted to the Council for agreement by the Member States after the consultation of the European Parliament.

Background

The EU’s nine outermost regions are its most remote territories. Located in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, in the Caribbean basin and in South America, they extend the EU’s presence across three continents and play a key geostrategic role in a rapidly changing global context. At the same time, they face specific and permanent constraints. Their unique assets can be powerful drivers of competitiveness and prosperity, for the benefit of their citizens.

The outermost regions have a special status under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (article 349). This article allows for specific measures to support them, including the tailored application of EU laws and policies, adapted access to EU funds and programmes. It provides the legal basis for the regulatory package.

The Commission’s proposal for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework establishes new National and Regional Partnership Plans for the management of EU funds. France, Portugal and Spain are required to include specific measures for their outermost regions in their Plans.

For more information

Factsheet

Communication

Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION

New outermost regions portal

Staff working document

Quote(s)

The outermost regions may be far from continental Europe, but they are at the heart of our European project. Today’s package is about overcoming the challenges created by distance, but above all about seizing the opportunities created by geography. Our Strategy is built around four clear objectives and is backed by concrete measures to deliver on them. This is where the first-ever regulatory package comes in: adapting EU rules where necessary to the specific realities of these territories. By turning their strategic potential into opportunities, growth and better living conditions, we strengthen not only the outermost regions and their 5 million people, but Europe as a whole.

Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms

Our outermost regions have strong identities and unique assets and geographical positions that project Europe to the four corners of the world. But their local realities and specific constraints need to be better taken into account. That is the essence of the strategy and regulatory package that we are presenting today. We are adapting our rules to unleash the potential of these regions and make their uniqueness a strength for them and for all of Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Speech by President von der Leyen at the International Space Summit

‘Check against delivery!’

Merci beaucoup cher Emmanuel pour cette impression, Sophie est géniale et sympa.

Dear President, cher Emmanuel, Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for bringing us together in this extraordinary Grand Palais. It was built at the turn of the last century to showcase the innovations transforming the world. I cannot think of a better place for today’s summit. We are discussing the innovations taking place now above us, in our orbits and beyond. Because since the turn of this century, space-based capabilities have transformed our daily lives. They connect us across continents. Guide us wherever we go. And help us understand our nature and how it is changing.

Europe has been at the heart of this transformation. We see that in the capabilities we have built together – and in the difference, they make to people’s lives. This summer, as emergency teams across Europe and beyond rushed to respond to wildfires, Europe’s Copernicus system was there to help. Our satellites provided near real-time data to track the fires and direct support where it was needed. They helped identify areas most at-risk before fires broke out. This helped us to preposition 800 firefighters in high-risk areas – standing ready to reinforce local teams from the first critical hours on. This is just one example. In recent weeks, Copernicus has supported the response to the devastating floods in Nepal. And every day, it allows scientists to track the impact of climate change, from the melting ice of the Arctic to the forests of the Amazon. These data are free and open to the world – they help us respond to the biggest challenges we share. And Copernicus is not alone. Galileo is used by more than 4.5 billion devices worldwide. It guides our cars and planes. It provides the precise timing that our financial systems or our electricity grids depend on. It helps emergency services locate people when every second counts. Now we are strengthening it further, with a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. And from the very start, cooperation was built into Galileo, to work with GPS in order to give users more reliable services. Galileo and Copernicus are not just for Europe. They are European investments that have become global public goods. And we are proud of them.

Ladies and gentlemen,

These systems are so deeply woven into our lives that it is easy to forget how ambitious they once seemed. When Galileo was first proposed more than 25 years ago, some questioned why Europe needed its own system at all – when GPS already existed. But Europe’s leaders understood that some capabilities are too important to depend on others. So, they chose to build together what no Member State could build alone. To think decades ahead. To invest at scale. To act as one Europe. Today Galileo underpins our economy and gives Europe the freedom to act independently. And that same choice is before us again. Because space is entering a new age. Humans are returning to the moon. Satellites are becoming cheaper and more capable. Artificial intelligence is transforming what we can do with the data gathered in space. And, as Russia’s war against Ukraine shows, what happens in our orbits is ever more central to our security. Space is again a great frontier for our prosperity, security and independence. And just as the capabilities we depend on today are the result of choices made decades ago, the choices we make now will shape our place in space for decades to come.

The opportunity in front of us is enormous. The global space economy is expected to almost triple by 2035 – from around USD630 billion today to around USD1.8 trillion. Europe begins from a position of strength. We have cutting-edge technologies, world-leading talent, and a strong space industrial base. But strength today is no guarantee of leadership tomorrow. To remain at the forefront Europe must act together, invest at scale, and turn our market into a competitive advantage. Let us have a closer look at these points.

First, we must act as one Europe. The Commission, the European Space Agency and national governments – we must pool our strengths. Our industries are calling for clear and predictable demand, to give them the certainty they need to invest and scale. Nowhere is that clearer than for space transportation. With Ariane 6 and Vega-C, Europe has its own launch capabilities. And across our continent, a new generation of innovative companies are growing. Just this weekend, a German start-up backed by EUR 10 million in European Innovation Council funding, launched the first ever commercial rocket into orbit from continental Europe. Now we must build on this momentum. That is why, with the European Space Agency, we are committing to a new European vision on access to space. To bring together European demand and act as anchor customers for European launchers. This is how we keep a competitive space-transport-industry in Europe, and keep our independent access to space.

Second, we need investment at scale. With our Cassini Investment facility, we are mobilising 2 billion EUR in risk capital for European space companies. This is supporting innovation here in Europe. Be it firms tracking ships that evade conventional systems. Or companies developing reusable spacecraft to carry cargo into orbit and one day perhaps people. Our new EUR 5 billion Scaleup Europe Fund goes further. It invests in strategic technologies where Europe needs global champions, including space. And in our proposal for Europe’s next long-term budget, space is at the heart of the European Competitiveness Fund. We have proposed EUR 131 billion for defence, security and space – five times the funding available today. We must maintain our ambition and get this across the line. Because – again – the technologies we finance today will determine our competitiveness tomorrow.

Third, we must turn the scale of Europe into an advantage. Our companies are no longer competing primarily at a national or European scale. They are competing with companies on a global level. Our policies need to reflect that reality. That starts with our Single Market. We have proposed a ‘Single Market in satellite communications’, with spectrum assigned at European level. Our EU Space Act replaces fragmentation with a common European framework for safety, resilience and sustainability. So that a European entrepreneur can build and operate from day one in a market of 450 million people.

And we are updating our competition policy. We have proposed updated Merger Guidelines – so that they recognise that European companies need scale to invest and compete globally. This is precisely what Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo are trying to achieve with their proposed joint venture called Bromo. These are the types of industrial champions we need if Europe is to lead in the space economy of tomorrow.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The ability to access and act in space not only underpins our prosperity, it increasingly determines our security and independence. Nowhere is this clearer than in Ukraine. Satellite communications keep soldiers connected, while satellite imagery reveal movements hundreds of kilometres away. And we increasingly see it in our Union itself. We see navigation signals jammed and spoofed, disrupting civilian aircraft. Cyberattacks on satellite networks knocking critical infrastructure offline. And drones hovering in our airspace, using technologies dependent on navigation from above. The message is clear: our security on Earth increasingly depends on our security in space. That is why we are building IRIS², a multi-orbit constellation for secure communication. Last month, we decided to accelerate the system, by expanding it to more than 350 satellites. This gives additional capacity for defence, security and emergency services. The first satellites will launch from 2029. Until then, we are already bringing together existing capacity to provide secure communications. Because in a crisis, Europe must have connectivity on our own terms.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Space-based systems become increasingly fundamental to our economies and our security. Therefore, we need to protect them. That is the purpose of our European Space Shield. The Space Shield brings our capabilities together into a comprehensive European system. With better awareness and greater defences against jamming and spoofing. With joint action to fill critical capability gaps. From space-based early warning to the protection of our satellites. No Member State can build these capabilities alone. But together, Europe has the scale to do it.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have spoken today about Europe’s role in this new space age. About investing in the capabilities to strengthen our economy and our independence. But independence does not mean isolation. Independence means – having a choice. The orbits above us are a shared resource. And we have a shared responsibility to protect them. That is why I welcome the UN Group on Space Situational Awareness established here today. And it is why, through our Space Act, Europe is working to set strong universal standards for the safe, secure and sustainable use of space. Because space belongs to no single country. Astronauts who return from orbit often speak of the humbling experience of seeing our planet from above. As Thomas Pesquet put it, Earth is an ‘oasis in the cosmos.’ A beautiful but fragile home, shared by us all. That view from space should guide us. From Copernicus to Galileo, Europe’s greatest achievements have been built based on cooperation. That is the European way. Strong enough to act independently but confident enough to work with others. Because the greatest possibilities of space will only be realised when we work together. That is the spirit we bring to this new space age.

Thank you. And long live Europe.

Press remarks by Executive Vice-President Fitto on the Outermost Regions Strategy

“Check against delivery”

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today the Commission presents a new Strategy for the European Union’s outermost regions.

Let me start with a simple point:

the outermost regions may be far from continental Europe,

but they are at the heart of our European project.

So let me explain what we are doing today, why it matters for Europe, and how we will deliver.

We are talking about nine regions: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion and Saint-Martin, belonging to France; the Azores and Madeira belonging to Portugal; and the Canary Islands to Spain.

They are located thousands of kilometres from continental Europe, in South America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

But they are part of the European Union.

And more than 5 million people live there.

Their special situation is recognised by our Treaties.

Article 349 of the Treaty allows the European Union to adapt its rules to their specific realities and constraints.

For many Europeans, the names of these regions may first bring to mind beautiful landscapes, extraordinary nature and holiday destinations.

And of course, these are extraordinary territories.

But behind this image, the reality is more complex.

They face structural disadvantages linked to distance, connectivity, small markets and exposure to external shocks.

And in some of them, people still face difficulties in accessing basic goods and essential services.

But this Strategy is not only about overcoming the challenges created by distance.

It is also about the opportunities created by geography.

They are European gateways to Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Indo-Pacific.

Their maritime zones represent more than half of the EU’s exclusive economic zones.

And they are important for our security, maritime surveillance, energy, research, biodiversity and access to space.

Kourou, in French Guiana, for example, is Europe’s main gateway to space.

The Strategy is about turning strategic potential into economic opportunities,

and economic opportunities into better living conditions for people.

So, the Strategy is built around four clear objectives.

First, geostrategic potential and regional integration.

We want these regions to play their full role as European gateways, strengthening cooperation with neighbouring countries and regions and contributing to our trade, security, defence and external policies.

Second, competitiveness and better access to the Single Market.

We want to help these regions diversify their economies and develop their strengths: from the blue economy to renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, research, biotechnology, logistics and space.

Third, resilience and preparedness.

These regions are on the front line of natural disasters.

We therefore need stronger infrastructure, greater energy and food security, and better crisis preparedness.

And fourth, social fairness.

Behind every strategy, there are people.

Our objective is both economic and social: to create the conditions for people to build their future in the place they call home.

And this brings me to a fundamental aspect: how we deliver.

Our starting point is simple: equal treatment does not always mean identical treatment.

It is neither reasonable nor fair to apply exactly the same obligations to territories facing fundamentally different geographic, economic and social conditions.

This is precisely why Article 349 exists.

And today, we are putting this principle into practice.

For the first time, the Strategy comes with a dedicated regulatory package with targeted adaptations, exemptions and derogations:

on taxation,

on deforestation rules,

on agriculture,

on fisheries,

and on migration and asylum.

These are concrete examples of what a place-based European policy means.

The objectives remain European. But the way we achieve them must take account of territorial realities.

And this package is not the end of the process.

It is part of a more systematic approach.

We have already moved in this direction with our proposals in areas such as the ETS, the Public Procurement Act approved yesterday and we are ready to do the same with the upcoming European Product act.

And we will continue to examine where further sectoral adaptations are justified.

But there is another important element behind today’s Strategy: the method we have followed.

This Strategy and the regulatory package have been built together with the outermost regions and the Member States concerned.

We listened through the public consultation.

We brought together representatives of the regions, Member States and stakeholders at an important event here in Brussels.

And, most importantly, we went to the territories themselves.

Because our approach does not end when a Strategy is adopted.

The dialogue continues – before, during and after our proposals.

Let me conclude by putting today’s Strategy in a wider perspective.

European territories are very different. Their challenges are different. Their opportunities are different.

But the principle behind our work is the same:

European policies must fit the reality of places and of the people who live there.

Europe’s strength comes from its diversity – and this diversity must be reflected in the way we design our policies.

The outermost regions may be geographically distant from Brussels.

But strategically, they bring Europe closer to the world.

The success of the outermost regions is a success for Europe.

Thank you.

Nigerian youths still unaware of export opportunities – NEPC

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said many Nigerian youths are yet to take advantage of the huge business opportunities available in the country’s non-oil export sector.

The Council said lack of knowledge about export procedures, market requirements and opportunities had continued to keep many young entrepreneurs away from international markets.

The NEPC Regional Coordinator, North-West, Amina Abdulmalik, stated this on Wednesday in Kano at a youth export development programme organised by the council in collaboration with the Youth Start-up Exporters Network of Nigeria.

‘For too long, the export space has been viewed as complex and for a select few. NEPC is changing that story,’ she said.

Abdulmalik said Nigeria’s future in non-oil export depended largely on the energy, creativity and innovation of its youths, stressing the need to deliberately involve them in the sector.

She said many of the participating youths were already involved in businesses, including fashion and agricultural commodities, but lacked the knowledge needed to add value to their products and sell them in international markets.

According to her, the programme was designed to equip young entrepreneurs with practical knowledge on product selection, packaging, certification and access to international markets.

Abdulmalik added that the initiative would help reduce youth unemployment while increasing the volume and value of the country’s exports.

Also speaking, Nayalo Abubakar Muhammad of the Youth Start-up Exporters Network of Nigeria said many young people still did not understand how the export business worked.

He said building the capacity of young entrepreneurs was therefore critical to enabling them to participate effectively in the global market.

Muhammad urged the participants to maintain professionalism and integrity in their export dealings, saying Nigerian products could only gain stronger acceptance globally when exporters built trust with international buyers.

In his goodwill message, the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) representative, Dr Tijjani Abdullahi Sarki, said Nigeria’s export potential remained constrained by its dependence on raw commodities.

He urged entrepreneurs to focus on processing and adding value to locally produced goods before taking them to the international market.

Sarki also identified access to finance, certification, market information, logistics and international buyers as critical factors needed to help Nigerian businesses compete globally.

Stakeholders, FG Divided Over Framework To Revive Nigeria’s Textile Industry

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s cotton, textile and garment (CTG) sector have raised concerns over the implementation of measures to revive the industry, particularly the uncertainty around the institutional framework to coordinate its recovery.

The stakeholders, representing farmers, processors, manufacturers and other operators in the value chain, said the sector was facing declining cotton production, idle ginneries, struggling textile mills, financial distress and increasing dependence on imported fabrics.

At the centre of the disagreement is the decision of the National Economic Council (NEC), at its 149th meeting on April 24, 2025, to approve the establishment of a Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board (CTGDB) as a national coordinating institution.

The proposed board was to be private-sector-driven and domiciled in the Presidency, with representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as governors representing the six geopolitical zones.

However, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) is pursuing a different institutional arrangement-a Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Council under its supervision.

In his analysis of the sector, development specialist, Eneojo Herbert Idakwo said the disagreement had moved beyond the question of reopening textile mills.

‘It is no longer simply about reopening textile mills. It has become a debate over governance, institutional leadership and the most effective model for rebuilding a value chain stretching from cotton farms in northern Nigeria to garment factories serving domestic and export markets.’

The stakeholders argued that the CTG value chain was too broad to be coordinated solely under one ministry because it cuts across agriculture, finance, manufacturing, trade, planning and state governments.

They said the uncertainty had come at a critical time, with Nigeria’s cotton production reportedly falling to less than 10,000 metric tonnes annually, compared with about 300,000 metric tonnes recorded during the industry’s peak.

Nigeria has about 26 ginneries, but many are reportedly operating far below capacity or have become idle because of an inadequate supply of cotton. The shortage of raw materials has also affected textile manufacturers, while garment producers increasingly rely on imported fabrics.

Idakwo argued that the sector’s problems could not be addressed by focusing on one segment of the value chain.

‘The CTG value chain extends beyond any single institution’s mandate,’ he wrote, stressing that cotton production, financing, manufacturing, trade, infrastructure and exports require coordinated action from several government institutions.

The stakeholders further expressed concern over the reported receivership of some textile companies and ginneries indebted to the Bank of Industry (BoI), arguing that aggressive financial enforcement could further weaken an already distressed industry.

Responding to questions on the issues, the ministry said it supported the establishment of a single national institution to coordinate the sector but maintained that the major disagreement was over its structure, legal basis, and supervisory arrangement.

The ministry explained that the proposal for a Development Council originated from the National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment in 2021 as part of an institutional reform agenda.

It acknowledged the NEC’s subsequent approval of the Development Board in 2025, but said the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had initiated a harmonisation process to produce a unified framework.

On cotton production, the ministry denied that it had announced or administered a dedicated financing programme for the 2025 planting season.

It said the revival of domestic cotton production required coordinated interventions covering agriculture, financing, extension services, inputs and industrial demand, adding that it was collaborating with the Bank of Agriculture on a Cotton Input Supply Financing Framework.

The ministry also said the challenges facing textile companies were structural and had accumulated over decades, stressing that meaningful transformation could not be achieved within a short period.

It listed the National Cotton, Textile and Garment Industrial Transformation Programme, a value-chain activation pilot, a revised National Fibre, Textile and Apparel Policy, collaboration with ministries and agencies, development partners and initiatives on financing, infrastructure, standards, skills and investment promotion as part of efforts to rebuild the sector.

The ministry argued that its priority was to establish the policy and institutional foundations required for sustainable recovery, rather than focusing solely on immediate increases in cotton production.

However, Idakwo noted that policy development alone would not be enough to demonstrate that the sector was recovering.

‘Institutional reform provides the framework; production provides evidence it is working,’ he said, arguing that progress should ultimately be reflected in increased cotton production, functioning ginneries, textile mills returning to production and growth in garment manufacturing.

Nigeria once had about 180 textile mills and produced hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cotton annually, with the industry providing employment to hundreds of thousands of people directly and supporting millions across farming, transportation and trading communities.

The sector’s decline has been attributed to cheap imports, smuggling, unstable power supply, high production costs, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to affordable finance, foreign exchange challenges and declining domestic cotton production.

According to the stakeholders, the decline in cotton production has created a chain reaction across the industry.

They said inadequate cotton supply has reduced ginnery utilisation, while textile mills struggle to obtain yarn and fabric manufacturers increasingly turn to imports.

They argued that reviving cotton farming through improved seeds, access to inputs, financing, extension services and guaranteed markets would provide the foundation for rebuilding the downstream textile and garment industries.

On the issue of receivership, the stakeholders questioned whether financial enforcement alone could resolve the problems confronting textile companies whose difficulties were partly linked to the wider collapse of the value chain.

The ministry, however, maintained that the financial difficulties of many companies were part of structural problems accumulated over decades and that the government’s intervention was designed to address the sector on a medium- to long-term basis.

Idakwo observed that the issue required a balance between financial discipline and preservation of productive capacity.

He argued that factories that close permanently could be more expensive to rebuild because machinery deteriorates, skilled workers left and supply chains disappear.

FG’s digital reforms will strengthen education integrity, end certificate racketeering – Alausa

The Federal Government has intensified the digital transformation of Nigeria’s education system as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of academic qualifications, curb certificate racketeering, and ensure that genuine students and graduates are not disadvantaged.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja, when the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, led a delegation of the corps on a visit to the ministry.

Alausa said the ongoing reforms are designed to close loopholes in the management and verification of educational records and create a system where learners and graduates can be properly identified, while their qualifications could be authenticated seamlessly.

He stated that, the digitalisation of education records would make it increasingly difficult for individuals to manipulate or falsify academic credentials, while providing institutions and government agencies with reliable data for decision-making.

He commended the NYSC leadership for embracing technology and supporting efforts to improve the credibility and verification of education records.

The minister said stronger integration between the ministry and NYSC would enhance the verification of graduates, reduce opportunities for fraud, and facilitate the seamless exchange of credible learner and graduate data.

Alausa explained that the Nigerian Education Repository Data Bank (NERD) was collecting and verifying university certificates, tracking learners across the education system, and providing support to tertiary institutions through help-desk officers.

He added that the Nigerian Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) would provide the platform for linking records across the different stages of a learner’s educational journey.

The minister further disclosed that the Ministry had digitised its Education Support Services end-to-end, covering certificate verification and processes involving foreign applicants.

He said discussions were also ongoing with NYSC on the development of an Application Programming Interface (API) that would facilitate faster and seamless verification and exchange of relevant data between both institutions.

According to Alausa, the reforms would also tackle administrative and data-related challenges that have prevented some qualified graduates from participating fully in national service and accessing opportunities in the labour market.

He identified discrepancies in names, challenges involving graduates of part-time National Diploma programmes, and the admission of holders of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) into Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes among the issues requiring urgent attention.

Alausa said the Ministry would engage the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and other relevant stakeholders to develop permanent solutions.

He said the government was working towards introducing a national Learner Identification Number, alongside a consistent framework for recording and sequencing names across government education and identity databases.

The Minister explained that establishing accurate identity records from the beginning of a learner’s educational journey would eliminate many of the discrepancies currently affecting students and graduates.

Alausa also disclosed that the government had strengthened measures against examination malpractice, including the leakage of examination questions, stressing that the gains recorded must be sustained and extended to tertiary institutions.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the reforms, Alausa said the Ministry would sustain its partnership with NYSC and other stakeholders while pursuing the digital transformation agenda with renewed vigour.

He said the ultimate objective was to build an education system where every Nigerian child could access quality education and every genuine graduate could progress on the basis of merit and hard work.

Alausa added that the reforms reflected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to building a more transparent, efficient, and productive Nigeria.

He assured that the government would continue to deploy technology, credible data, and stronger institutional collaboration to confront corruption and systemic weaknesses, protect the integrity of Nigeria’s education system, and deliver sustainable improvements across the sector.

Speaking at the meeting, the NYSC Director-General, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, commended the Minister for the reforms and pledged the Corps’ continued support for the digital transformation of the education sector.

Nafiu said NYSC had been pursuing digitalisation since 2014 and had developed systems capable of providing reliable information on Corps Members and their deployment.

He disclosed that the Corps had complied with the Federal Executive Council’s directive on collaboration with NERD and was prepared to deepen its partnership with the Ministry.

The NYSC boss said technology had significantly strengthened the integrity of the Corps’ operations, noting that the introduction of QR codes had virtually eliminated document cloning within the scheme.

He assured the Minister that NYSC would continue to strengthen its verification systems to prevent emerging forms of fraudulent practices.

Nafiu also disclosed that the Corps was working to resolve challenges affecting graduates of part-time National Diploma programmes, HND mobilisation, and the admission of NCE holders into HND programmes.

He said discussions with the new JAMB Registrar had resulted in an understanding to create a window through which graduates affected by discrepancies in names could regularise their records in collaboration with NIMC.

The NYSC DG called for a broader meeting involving the Ministry of Education, JAMB, NIMC, and NYSC to develop a lasting solution to the challenges.

He stressed that a uniform national framework for recording and sequencing names across government education and identity databases, backed by a unique Learner Identification Number, would help prevent similar problems in the future.

Nafiu assured that NYSC would continue to collaborate with the Ministry and other relevant agencies to strengthen verification processes and ensure that qualified graduates were not unfairly excluded from national service.

Tinubu celebrates Adebayo Williams at 75

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated renowned columnist, scholar, literary critic and public intellectual, Prof. Adebayo Williams, on his 75th birthday.

The President described him as a formidable intellectual whose scholarship and writings have enriched Nigeria’s national discourse. The President also acknowledged Williams’ contributions to the country’s democratic development, describing him as a friend and ally who made sacrifices for the democracy Nigerians enjoy today.

Williams turned 75 yesterday.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu referred to Williams as a distinguished Nigerian whose contributions to scholarship, literature, journalism and intellectual discourse had impacted Nigerian society and beyond.

He particularly acknowledged his career as a university teacher and scholar, including his contributions to the study and understanding of African Literature, culture and society.

Tinubu said the professor’s longstanding commitment to democracy and good governance complemented his intellectual and literary accomplishments.

The statement reads in part: ‘Prof. Williams has, through his writings, teaching and intellectual engagements, inspired generations of students, academics, writers and readers.

‘He has made significant contributions to the understanding and appreciation of Nigeria’s social and cultural heritage.

‘He distinguished himself as a formidable intellectual whose scholarship, writings and commitment to knowledge have continued to illuminate our national conversation.’

Tinubu said Williams’ attainment of the milestone provided an opportunity to recognise a lifetime committed to intellectual pursuits and service to society.

‘Prof. Williams’ 75th birthday is therefore an occasion to celebrate not only a remarkable personality but also to honour a life devoted to learning, literature and service of humanity’, he said.

The President prayed that God would grant the scholar good health, wisdom and strength to continue his service to Nigeria and humanity.

Anthony Joshua car crash trial gets new date

The trial of Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, the driver involved in the fatal crash that injured boxer Anthony Joshua and killed two members of his team on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on December 29, 2025, has been adjourned until November 17.

The case, which began in January at a magistrate court in Ogun State, was adjourned from September 10 as proceedings continued over charges arising from the fatal crash.

Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, died in the crash.

Kayode faces charges including dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and operating a vehicle without a valid national driver’s licence.

He denies the charges

Prosecutors allege that Kayode was attempting to overtake another vehicle when the SUV carrying Joshua and members of his team crashed into a stationary truck.

Anthony Joshua, a two-time world heavyweight champion, survived injuries sustained in the December crash and was later discharged from hospital.

The accident occurred as Joshua and his team were travelling to visit his father in Ogun State.

Police told the court during earlier proceedings that both vehicles had been removed from the scene before investigators arrived.

Kebbi govt remits N21.5bn to NAHCON for 2027 Hajj exercise

The Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has disclosed that it has remitted N21.5 billion in Hajj fares to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), in preparation for the 2027 Holy Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The agency has also registered 3,257 intending pilgrims for the pilgrimage, higher than any other state in Nigeria.

The Executive Chairman of the agency, Faruk Aliyu Enabo, disclosed this when a delegation from NAHCON paid a courtesy visit to Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

Enabo explained that Kebbi would remit the final payment of N5 billion to NAHCON within the next few days to beat the deadline of 26 September, 2026, for the closure of registration, set by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

He said Kebbi Pilgrims Agency has attained 95% registration of intending pilgrims and 85% remittance of Hajj fares to NAHCON.’

‘We advise the remaining pilgrims who made individual deposits of N5 million to hasten the completion of payment, while others with passport documentation shall be closely guided.

‘Likewise, medical screening of intending pilgrims is on course, being conducted at local government level, which will progress to zonal level and to the Hajj Camp.’

‘This is in strict compliance with Saudi Arabia stipulations on healthcare, detailing nine diseases to be examined from every intending pilgrim, towards ensuring that no pilgrim is afflicted with a condition that can earn him or her disqualification from entry into the Holy Land.’

‘Our medical team comprises highly rated professionals. We had 35 members on the medical team last year, which shall be maintained,’ he said.

Security guard held over shooting to death truck driver

Police in Morogoro Region are holding a 37-year-old security guard, Hussein Hussein, over the alleged killing of a truck driver at a Puma fuel station in Kihonda, Morogoro Municipality.

The suspect, who works for Ruge Security and lives in Kayenzi, is accused of shooting dead Feisal Yaqoob Ally, 43, a resident of Mbagala, Dar es Salaam.

Morogoro Regional Police Commander Andrew Kantimbo said the incident occurred at about 6am on September 9, 2026, at the fuel station in Viwandani Street, Kihonda Ward. He said the deceased was driving a Scania truck, registration number T.680 EAY, from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza when he stopped at the station.

A witness, Mohamed Omary, popularly known as Mudy, a motorcycle taxi rider who was at the station to refuel, said the driver had parked the truck to pray at a mosque located at the station.

Mr Omary said that after prayers, the driver returned to his truck and prepared to leave when the security guard allegedly demanded Sh15,000 as a fee for guarding the vehicle.

The driver reportedly refused to pay and got into the truck to leave, prompting the guard to allegedly shoot him in the head.

Police said the driver died at the scene.

In a separate incident, police in Morogoro are holding seven suspects over the alleged killing of Zakaria Rashid Malika, 57, a former land officer with Kilombero District Council.

Mr Malika was allegedly attacked at his home in Kapolo CCM hamlet, Kibaoni Ward, Ifakara Division, Kilombero District, at about 8pm on July 19, 2026.

According to police, the suspects attacked and wounded him with a sharp object on various parts of his body, causing his death.

Commander Kantimbo said police, working with members of the public, launched a search for the suspects after receiving information about the killing.

He said the seven suspects were arrested at different times and locations over allegations of planning and participating in the killing.

The suspects will be taken to court once preliminary investigations are completed.

Commander Kantimbo urged private security companies to employ guards who are properly trained and understand laws, procedures and regulations governing the use of firearms while performing their duties.