Do you know approximately how many people volunteer in Europe each year – across all age groups?
1️⃣ 30 million people
2️⃣ 50 million people
3️⃣ 90 million people
Guessed it? Leave your comment below!
✔️ It’s 90 million people!
Today, 5 December, we celebrate International Volunteer Day.
For almost 30 years the EU has enabled young people to volunteer in communities across Europe and worldwide, recently through the European Solidarity Corps.
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For the first time under the Digital Services Act, the Commission has issued a fine of €120 million to X for breaching the DSA. X has breached its transparency obligation under the DSA. X’s ‘blue checkmark’ deceives users as anyone can pay to obtain the ‘verified’ status and X does not meaningfully verify who is behind it.
Europe’s Bioeconomy Strategy is changing the way we produce materials, grow food, create chemicals, design packaging and power industries using renewable biological resources like plants, algae, forests, microbes and even waste.
See how the bioeconomy already supports 17 million jobs, contributes €863 billion to the EU economy, and is driving innovation across Europe from bio-based plastics and textiles to sustainable construction materials and cosmetics.
Bioeconomy EU is real, it’s growing, and it’s shaping a climate-resilient future.
Chapters:
00:00 Plastics from nature?
00:21 Insecticides obtained from plants
01:02 From food waste to new products and materials
01:44 Bioeconomy: 5% of the EU’s GDP
02:12 Global challenges addressed with the Bioeconomy
02:53 EU products made from waste
03:17 A cleaner and stronger economy
Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-280948
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On 4 December 2025, the European Commission proposed its Drug Strategy and Action plan to tackle the use and smuggling of illegal drugs in the EU. The strategy includes detecting the precursors, dismantling the labs where the drugs are produced, and having stronger port alliances. Watch the full press conference for more information on the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan.
The European Commission has adopted the RESourceEU Action Plan to accelerate and amplify its efforts to secure the EU’s supply of critical raw materials, such as rare earth elements, cobalt or lithium.
It supports strategic projects, boosts recycling, reduces dependencies, protects industry from geopolitical shocks, and deepens cooperation with trusted partners to diversify supply chains.
The goal: safeguarding Europe’s strategic autonomy.
The European Union will permanently end imports of Russian gas and begin phasing out Russian oil. This move aims to break Europe’s reliance on an unpredictable supplier, improve energy security, and strengthen economic resilience.
With the President’s Youth Advisory Board, the EU is directly involving young people in shaping policies that affect them.
28 representatives from the youth councils of each EU country and the European Youth Forum will form the President’s Youth Advisory Board.
Observers coming from countries that are candidates or potential candidates for EU accession are also invited. This week, they meet for the first time!
They will talk to Ursula von der Leyen about how social media affects young people and how we can better protect them online.
On 3rd December 2025, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen, and the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol, will give a press statement from the Commission’s headquarters in Brussels.
For more information and media assets, consult the EBS schedule on our AV Portal: https://link.europa.eu/38WyjX
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In the first year of the second von der Leyen Commission, Europe has made major moves to strengthen its independence, competitiveness, and security. From solid economic growth to a significant boost in AI capacity, including 19 newly announced AI Factories, the EU is pushing forward with a cleaner, more innovative industrial transformation.
Europe’s commitment to Ukraine remains unwavering. Alongside five sanctions packages targeting the Russian economy, the EU’s SAFE mechanism will mobilise €150 billion for joint defence procurement across EU member states and Ukraine.
New trade agreements are also opening global markets for European producers, giving consumers more choices at home, and securing the critical raw materials Europe needs for the future.
In this video, we break down these key achievements and what they mean for the EU’s path ahead.
7 million people already work in Europe’s bioeconomy and every job generates 3 more indirectly. Europe is building on innovation, nature, and industry to shape a competitive, circular, and decarbonised future.
From bio-based plastics to algae-derived products, the new Bioeconomy Strategy supports sustainable industries, creates jobs, and reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
