Commissioner Costas Kadis to visit Cyprus ?? 29-30 October
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Dr Costas Kadis, will undertake a series of official engagements in Cyprus on 29 and 30 October 2026, focusing on sustainable water management, the fisheries sector and the development of marine sciences.
On Thursday, 29 October, Commissioner Kadis is scheduled to participate in the Circular Water Economy Conference, hosted at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia [10:00-11:30 EET]. The Commissioner will subsequently meet with the Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare, Mr Elias Myrianthous [11:30 – 12:30 EET].
On Friday, 30 October, Commissioner Kadis will visit the Zygi fishing harbour [08:00 – 08:30 EET], where he will have the opportunity to engage directly with the local fishing community. The visit will be followed by a meeting with representatives of the fisheries sector at the Zygi Community Council [08:30-10:00 EET], providing an opportunity to exchange views on the challenges facing fishers and the future of sustainable fisheries. [Press statements]
Later that day, Commissioner Kadis will participate in the foundation stone ceremony for the Cyprus University of Technology’s School of Marine Sciences in Larnaca [11:00 – 12:30 EET]. The event will highlight the importance of marine research, scientific knowledge and education for the sustainable development of the maritime sector.
Commission proposes to reinforce Frontex: stronger border protection, a greater role on returns and more effective crisis response
Today, the European Commission is proposing to further strengthen Frontex, reinforcing its capacity to protect the external borders and turning it into the EU’s central actor for returns.
The EU has made significant progress on migration: illegal border crossings have more than halved over the past two years, and the return rate increased to now over 30 percent. Yet, our common external borders are put to the test by a changed geopolitical and security environment, requiring a stronger and more effective European response.
Frontex already plays a critical role in supporting Member States in managing Europe’s external borders and safeguarding the Schengen area. The new rules will build on this role, by further strengthening the Agency’s mandate, enabling it to act more quickly and effectively – and making it easier for Member States to make full use of its tools and services. Key novelties include: a reinforced Standing Corps, including a new European Border and Return Reserve, a Quick Reaction Force to intervene in crisis situations, and a new Online Monitoring Centre for the early detection of potential threats to our borders. Frontex will have a dedicated Return Coordination Centre and it will now be able to help carry out returns from third countries.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: ‘Europe will always stand up for the protection of its borders. Europe decides who comes to our Union and under what circumstances. This is why today we propose to strengthen Frontex. So, it can support Member States whenever and wherever needed. Including on returns, with the mandate and capabilities that this new reality demands.’
To operationalise the new EU rules on returns, the Commission is also proposing today a Regulation to digitalise return, readmission and reintegration. This will simplify and accelerate the management of returns across the EU, reducing administrative burden and providing a single digital interface for the entire return process.
Today’s proposals are delivering on the commitments announced in the 2024-2029 political guidelines and reiterated by President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address this year, to reinforce Frontex, and especially to speed up returns.
A new Frontex Regulation
Member States are primarily in charge of border protection and to return persons without the right to stay. Today’s proposal will ensure a 360-degree approach for Frontex to assist them in that responsibility: Frontex will be able to anticipate challenges faster and provide tailor-made support to Member States where and when they need it. The Regulation sets out three priorities:
Pooled resources and operational capabilities: Frontex pools resources, expertise and operational capacity that no single Member State could sustain alone. To ensure a consistent high standard of border control across the Union, the Commission proposes to:
Gradually increase Frontex’s standing corps to 30,000 officers by creating a new ‘European border and return reserve’ of 17,000 officers who will remain at the disposal of Member States and can be deployed when needed. This comes in addition to doubling Frontex’s own staff and the already existing 7,000 staff seconded from Member States.
Easier access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Frontex will be able to acquire, lease and co-own equipment and to carry out, coordinate or participate in joint procurement with Member States. Frontex will be able to act as a central purchasing body, also for digital and AI-enabled tools.
Stronger on returns: Frontex will have a more proactive and strategic role to steer EU-wide return operations, maximising the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of its support, with:
A dedicated Return Coordination Centre to collect and analyse operational information and support planning and coordination. Frontex’s support will cover the full spectrum of the return process, from early identification and voluntary return counselling to carrying out return operations and providing reintegration assistance.
Enabling Frontex to support third countries on returns, both for technical and operational support. Frontex will be able to help organising and carrying out return operations from one third country to another, subject to the conclusion of an agreement with the third country concerned, in compliance with fundamental rights and international standards.
Effective crisis response: Frontex will be able to help detect dangerous trends early and to intervene quickly when there is an emergency or a crisis. This comes also as a lesson learned from this years’ crisis in Ceuta.
A dedicated Online Monitoring and Response Centre with the explicit mandate for Frontex to monitor publicly accessible social media content, detect developments relevant for external border management, and support action against illegal online content linked to border-security risks.
A Quick Reaction Force to be deployed at the external border at very short notice to assist Member States to swiftly address any crisis and emergency at the external borders. The decision to deploy can be taken by Frontex’s [AG1] Executive Director following a request by a Member State facing an emergency situation.
Improving information exchange in crisis situations, including with an obligation for Member States to report events with potential significant impact on EU borders within 24 hours in the dedicated EUROSUR network.
Digitalisation of returns
Alongside the Frontex Regulation proposal, and following the entry into force of the new Return Regulation on 16 October, the Commission is proposing a new Regulation to digitalise return, readmission and reintegration procedures across the EU. The aim is to modernise the handling of return cases, simplify and speed up administrative procedures through digitalisation, reduce administrative burden, and improve data collection and sharing.
The new rules will also strengthen Frontex’s role in developing a new EU digital architecture for the Member States, and support the new Return Regulation, complying with data protection standards and fundamental rights.
Next steps
It is now for the European Parliament and the Council to agree on the proposals. The Commission will support co-legislators to advance on negotiations for both Regulations.
Background
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) is a decentralised agency that since 2005 supports EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries in the management of the EU’s external borders and the fight against cross-border crime, as well as in the return of non-EU nationals with no right to stay in the EU. Frontex also plays a key role in search and rescue operations, supporting Member States in saving lives at sea.
The current Frontex Regulation entered into force in 2019. Since then, the role of Frontex has continuously grown, in view of the unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the migration weaponisation attempts at the EU’s external borders.
Effective European integrated border management and an efficient return policy are mutually reinforcing and central for the Schengen area. Frontex continuously engages in capacity-building, sharing intelligence and expertise with all Member States and with neighbouring non-EU countries affected by migratory trends and cross-border crime. Always in full respect of fundamental rights and human dignity, which are built into the Frontex mandate and operations.
For more information
Questions and answers
Factsheet
Regulation amending the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation
Regulation on Digitalisation of case management in the area of return, readmission and reintegration
Quote(s)
Europe will always stand up for the protection of its borders. Europe decides who comes to our Union and under what circumstances. This is why today we propose to strengthen Frontex. So, it can support Member States whenever and wherever needed. Including on returns, with the mandate and capabilities that this new reality demands.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
The EU security depends on our ability to act together, protect our external borders and invest in the capabilities we need to respond to fast-changing threats. A stronger Frontex, with the right tools and robust governance will help make the European Union more secure, more resilient and better equipped for the challenges of tomorrow.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Our new migration policy is working: illegal border crossings are down, security threats are being stopped at our external borders and returns are increasing. But good policy never stands still. Today we propose that Frontex becomes the central EU actor on returns. In addition, it will be able to act faster. With a quick reaction force that can deploy within 24 hours and spot risks early, before an event becomes a crisis. And finally, Frontex will be stronger, better equipped and organised.
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
Road safety statistics for 2025 confirm drop in EU road deaths
Today, the European Commission released the final figures on road fatalities for 2025, reporting 19,350 deaths due to road crashes. This represents a 3% decrease from 2024 and a 15% decrease from 2019, equivalent to 580 fewer deaths on European roads compared to 2024, and 3,400 fewer deaths compared to 2019.
Results (fatalities per million) confirm that Sweden (19 per million) and Denmark (24 per million) have the safest roads in the EU. Despite their progress since 2019, Bulgaria (71 per million), and Romania (68 per million), alongside Croatia (65 per million), continue to report the highest fatality rates in the EU.
Provisional data for 2026 shows a positive trend with a higher number of countries reporting a reduction of fatalities above 5% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 than those reporting increases in road deaths. The Commission will continue to monitor these trends closely and support Member States in addressing emerging concerns.
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: ‘Road safety is about more than rules and regulations. It is about protecting lives and preventing tragedies that affect families and communities across Europe. In the European Union, every life lost on our roads is one too many. Our goal is clear: to ensure that every citizen, wherever they travel and whatever their mode of transport, can reach their destination. This means making our roads safer, strengthening prevention and ensuring that every journey ends safely.’
The 2026 EU Road Safety Conference will take place on 23 November, in Brussels, marking the halfway point in Europe’s 10-year strategy to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Winners of the 2026 Excellence in Road Safety Awards, celebrating the continent’s most inspiring and impactful road safety initiatives, will be announced during the event.
European programme supporting early-career researchers attracts growing interest
Demand for EU research support has risen significantly in recent years, reflecting growing interest in Horizon Europe grant schemes among researchers in Europe and worldwide. The latest European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant call, supporting researchers at the start of their careers, has drawn 7,710 proposals, a 60.4% increase on the previous competition. This is the third consecutive annual rise, following increases of 22% and 13% in the two preceding calls.
With a budget of pound 594 million, the 2027 call – which closed on 14 October – is expected to fund roughly 1 in 20 applicants.
The ERC supports investigator-driven frontier research across all scientific disciplines. The latest figures reflect growing demand for its grants. Applications for Advanced Grants, which help more established researchers, rose 37% between 2024 and 2026 – from 2,534 to 3,458 proposals. In the case of the Synergy Grants that fund small research groups, proposal numbers increased 34% to 957 in 2026, after a 30% rise in 2025. Lastly, the Consolidator Grant call for mid-career scientists attracted 3,060 proposals, a slight dip from 2025 but still 32% above the 2024 level.
This year, the ERC Scientific Council widened the eligibility windows for the Starting and Consolidator Grant calls, to better reflect the different career paths across scientific disciplines enabling more researchers to apply for funding.
Pressure is rising well beyond the ERC. The 2026 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships call received a record 21,627 applications – the highest number ever submitted to any funding action in the history of the EU research and innovation programmes.
ERC supported researchers’ work has been recognised with some of the world’s most prestigious scientific honours, including Nobel Prizes awarded to 16 grantees.
Commissioners Jørgensen and Kubilius convene European dialogue on refineries
Tomorrow, the European Commission convenes the first dialogue on European refineries. The meeting will be co-chaired by Commissioner for Defence, Andrius Kubilius, and Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen. It will be attended by industry representatives, European refiners, emerging fuel producers, engineering companies, relevant industry associations and NATO. The dialogue aims at exploring short-term measures to maximise production of the fuels that are most urgently needed, including jet fuel and diesel, essential for military operations.
In a volatile geopolitical context, Europe needs to preserve sufficient refining capacity, together with stocks and diversified imports, in order to respond to possible supply disruptions. Refining is a strategic sector: EU refineries provide about 70% of the jet fuel and 85% of the diesel consumed in Europe. Ensuring reliable access to military-relevant fuels, as well as resilient storage and distribution infrastructure, integrating defence needs into forthcoming EU energy security legislation and sustainable fuels strategies are crucial elements of the EU’s efforts to strengthen defence readiness, including through the Military Mobility Package, presented by the Commission in November 2025.
The launch of the dialogue on European refineries was announced by President von der Leyen earlier this month among EU actions to address the current energy crisis. The goal is to bring down costs and to ensure Europe has the supplies needed, including for defence. In a longer-term perspective, and as announced in AccelerateEU, the Commission has also started the process to revise current rules to ensure the availability of strategic fuel stocks and their accessibility for military needs in exceptional circumstances. The Commission continues to work with the industry and Member States to tackle the most immediate impacts of the current crisis, while addressing the structural issues of the energy system.
Commissioner Albuquerque hosts implementation dialogue on digital finance
Today, Maria Luís Albuquerque, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, is hosting an implementation dialogue on digital finance with representatives from the financial industry, consumer organisations, and civil society.
The discussions will focus on how key EU digital finance rules are being implemented in practice. It will give stakeholders the chance to share their experiences, highlight challenges, and discuss areas where rules or procedures could be improved.
The aim is to ensure that the EU’s digital finance framework works effectively in practice, while supporting innovation, consumer protection, and a well-functioning financial sector.
The dialogue will feature two sessions. Session 1 will focus on the EU framework for crypto-assets and assess the overall fitness of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Session 2 will review the practical implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Both sessions will examine early implementation experience.
Commissioner Albuquerque said: ‘Europe needs a digital finance framework that supports innovation, resilience and competitiveness. MiCA and DORA are essential to building a secure and effective digital financial system, but they must also work well in practice for those implementing them every day. I am keen to hear from stakeholders’ concrete experience on how we can achieve the objectives of these rules more efficiently’.
Implementation dialogues underscore the Commission’s efforts to promote the EU’s competitiveness by directly engaging stakeholders in policy implementation. As outlined in the Commission’s Communication on Implementation and Simplification for the 2024-2029 mandate, all Members of the College of Commissioners must host such dialogues annually.
Commission presents Climate Resilience Framework for a better prepared and protected Europe
The European Commission today presented an EU Framework for Climate Resilience to strengthen Europe’s ability to anticipate, prepare for, and manage climate risks. This summer, prolonged heatwaves and droughts fuelled dangerous wildfires and drove some of Europe’s biggest rivers to historically low water levels. Likewise, we have seen devastating floods in the past years. This highlighted the serious consequences that climate change can have on citizens, businesses and infrastructure.
75% of the Europeans live in cities and urban areas. They are feeling firsthand the impacts of climate change. Building climate resilience is therefore a strategic investment in Europe’s competitiveness, security, health and prosperity. The economic case for action is compelling. Estimated economic losses from climate damages from 2022-2025 stood at approximately pound 200 billion, or pound 50 billion per year.
Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: ‘Europe is warming at double the global rate. To become truly climate resilient, we need to adjust and learn along the way. Today, we are presenting a European approach to climate risks – to anticipate, to prepare for and to manage. We are ensuring that climate resilience will be included in policies across the continent, supporting investment, innovation and long-term growth.’
The Framework Communication proposes a systemic change: to embed climate resilience across all major policy areas, both domestic and international. It provides support to local and regional authorities to adapt through pilot projects and advisory services.
The Communication also underlines the crucial role of businesses to scale up European resilience industry. Adapting Europe’s infrastructure and economy to future climatic conditions is expected to require investment of around pound 70 billion per year. However, the estimated return on investments in climate adaptation can reach more than 10 times their value in avoided loss and damage. The global market for climate adaptation solutions is projected to quadruple in size to pound 3.5 trillion by 2050, presenting a significant opportunity for European businesses to innovate, prosper and become technology leader for climate resilience solutions.
The proposed Climate Resilience Law provides a common reference trajectory for global warming. The current scientific evidence shows that the world is on a path to warm by 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2030, 2 °C by 2050, and 3 °C by 2100. This trajectory provides a shared baseline assumption against which Member States can assess future climate risks when making decisions.
The Climate Resilience Law will bring more efficiency and reduce the Member States’ administrative burden. National planning obligations and instruments are simplified by the introduction of one single national strategic plan. Improved and more regular climate risk assessments will also ensure consistency and comparability between EU and national assessments.
The Framework provides public authorities, businesses and communities with practical tools to help them address climate risks. The European online platform for climate resilience will include the following new tools: The European Climate Viewer, developed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which will provide an interactive map of projected climate hazards across the continent. Thanks to the Commission’s Destination Earth initiative, it will evolve to integrate supercomputing capabilities. The Navigator of Climate Resilience Tools, developed by the European Environment Agency (EEA), helps users find relevant climate resilience tools based on their location, sector, and the specific risks they face. The Solutions Explorer showcases practical adaptation solutions developed and tested through the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change.
Next steps
The Commission will immediately begin implementing the Framework. As announced by President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address, the Commission will further strengthen Europe’s capacity to prepare for and respond to climate extremes with a European Heatwave Plan, a Climate Insurance Alliance, and a European Water initiative. It will also launch a PreparEU Advisory Group on disaster preparedness and an initiative to identify European 100 most climate-vulnerable territories. These initiatives are now being developed by the Commission and will be presented separately. The Commission will also propose an EU strategic plan on climate resilience in 2028 to ensure early and decisive action at EU level.
For more information
Questions and answers
Factsheet
Communication on the EU Climate Resilience Framework
European Climate Resilience Law
Impact assessment
European Climate Law
Governance Regulation
European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA)
EU Adaptation Strategy
European Climate Viewer
Navigator of Climate Resilience Tools
Mission Solutions Explorer
Quote(s)
Europe is warming at double the global rate. To become truly climate resilient, we need to adjust and learn along the way. Today, we are presenting a European approach to climate risks – to anticipate, to prepare for and to manage. We are ensuring that climate resilience will be included in policies across the continent, supporting investment, innovation and long-term growth.
The first and most effective adaptation measure to climate change is to fight its root causes. But even as we work hard to reduce emissions, we must prepare for the impacts of climate change, which are neither fair nor equally distributed. Europe lacks preparedness, and it is our responsibility to minimise the costs and suffering this entails. This is why we propose using a common global warming trajectory to assess risks and prepare for the future. The Framework will strengthen preparedness, clarify responsibilities and equip public authorities, businesses and communities with practical tools to act, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable. Climate resilience is a shared obligation, and the European Commission is ready to play its part in building a more resilient and fairer Europe.
Europe’s future competitiveness depends on our ability to anticipate and prepare for a changing climate. Our society and economy need to become ‘resilient by design’ or we’ll risk disaster by default. Every euro invested in resilience today helps protect jobs, businesses and livelihoods tomorrow. This new Framework will help us build a more resilient and competitive economy, while ensuring that no region or community is left behind.