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European Commission presents its compass to boost Europe’s competitiveness

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President Ursula von der Leyen presented the European Commission’s plan to boost Europe’s competitiveness and turn it into a place where future technologies, services, and clean products are invented, manufactures, and put on the market.

This Competitiveness Compass sets out the course the Commission will follow in the next five years. The Compass, first announced by President von der Leyen in November, transforms the recommendations laid out by Mario Draghi is his report on the future of European competitiveness, into a roadmap.

During a press conference, President von der Leyen explained that Europe has what it takes to lead the global economy of tomorrow: “I want to start by emphasising the strengths of the European Union. We have a very strong manufacturing and industrial base. We have a highly trained and well-educated workforce. We have a continental-size Single Market. We have the second-largest economy. We have a stable and predictable legal environment. And we have a longer life expectancy and lower inequalities than all our global competitors,” the President said. Continue reading “European Commission presents its compass to boost Europe’s competitiveness”

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Expanding the EU-Switzerland relationship

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On 20 December, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd confirmed the completion of negotiations on a broad package of agreements that aim to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship.

The broad package includes a wide range of elements:

  • The update of five agreements which already give Switzerland access to the EU internal market – air transport, land transport, the free movement of persons, conformity assessment and trade in agricultural products. Bringing these agreements to a modern standard will enable citizens and businesses on both sides to fully benefit from the rights they provide and will create a level playing field for business.

Each agreement will reflect the evolution of EU legislation in the area concerned and will ensure it is updated dynamically. The agreements will include dispute resolution provisions and State aid disciplines will apply where relevant. Continue reading “Expanding the EU-Switzerland relationship”

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A digital ID and personal digital wallet for EU citizens, residents and businesses

Logo Eu Digital Indentity Wallet

EU Digital Identity Wallets will provide a safe, reliable, and private means of digital identification for everyone in Europe. Every Member State will provide at least one wallet to all its citizens, residents, and businesses allowing them to prove who they are, and safely store, share and sign important digital documents.

The European Union’s response to digital identification challenges

Identification is how we prove who we are; think of your ID or driver’s license. With more and more private and public services becoming digital, a safe, reliable, and privacy enhancing means of digital identification is needed for everyone in Europe.

EU Digital Identity Wallets are the European Union’s response to the challenges of digital identification. Every EU Member State will offer its own wallet app, built to the same specifications, to all citizens, residents and businesses in the next few years. Each version of the wallet will be interoperable and will work wherever you are in Europe. Continue reading “A digital ID and personal digital wallet for EU citizens, residents and businesses”