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As Russia's war of aggression continues to devastate Ukraine, approximately 12.7 million people are in need of urgent assistance. New European Commission funding will be used to provide life-saving support and ensure that essential aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in Ukraine.
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The European Commission has disbursed today the first €3 billion tranche of its exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan for Ukraine, which will be repaid with proceeds from immobilised Russian State assets in the EU.
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Today, the Commission is proposing to suspend part of the EU-Georgia Agreement on the facilitation of the issuance of visas. If the Council adopts this proposal, Georgian diplomats, officials and their families holding diplomatic and official passports would require a visa to travel to the EU...
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The European Commission processed a payment of €10 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This assistance is additional to the €82 million already disbursed to the Agency in 2024.
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La Commission a pris hier la décision de mettre à disposition un prêt d'assistance macrofinancière (AMF) de 18,1 milliards d'euros en faveur de l'Ukraine. Le prêt sera décaissé en tranches au cours de l'année 2025, la première tranche devant être versée à l'Ukraine au début du mois de janvier.
![President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Costa following the EU-Western Balkans Summit](https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/styles/oe_theme_ratio_3_2_medium/public/2024-12/20241219_eu-wb-summit.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=JmCauokz)
Thank you, dear António, for convening this EU-Western Balkans Summit. It was the first of this new political cycle which shows how important it is for us to have it. Over the past years, the enlargement process has gained new vitality.
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Today, the Commission has disbursed nearly €4.1 billion to Ukraine under the first Pillar of the Ukraine Facility. This brings to €16.1 billion the total EU funding disbursed to the Ukrainian government under the Facility so far.
![President von der Leyen with President of Türkiye Erdoğan](https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/styles/oe_theme_ratio_3_2_medium/public/2024-12/20241205_vdl_erdogan.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=ero1TgLC)
Thank you, President Erdoğan, for your warm welcome to Ankara today. Let me start with our discussion on Syria. The collapse of the Assad regime offers new hope to the Syrian people, but it equally comes with risks.
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The Commission welcomes the Council's adoption of the 15th sanctions package against Russia. The focus of this package is to keep cracking down on Russia's shadow fleet, as well as combating sanctions' circumvention.
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The Commission has approved the addition of ‘Livanjski sir' from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).
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Yesterday, Ukraine joined the Media strand of the Creative Europe programme, which supports the audiovisual sector by funding selected projects related to film development and distribution, online and TV content, as well as the creation of innovative tools and business models...
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The European Commission has adopted a new assistance programme worth €30 million to further support the people of Belarus. It brings the total of EU support mobilised since 2020 to €170 million.
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Today, the Commission adopted a decision to disburse €50 million (€45 million in loans and €5 million in grants) to Moldova. The disbursement will take place in the coming days. This will be the fifth and final instalment of the ongoing Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) for Moldova...
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On Human Rights Day, the European Union reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the universal respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights for everyone, everywhere.
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On 6 December, the Commission adopted the seventh report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism – monitoring the EU's visa-free regimes with its Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership partners, the Eastern Caribbean countries operating investor citizenship schemes, and Latin American countries.
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Starting today and throughout the whole week, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European External Action Service will jointly host the Belarus Days in Brussels
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Yesterday, 1 December, the von der Leyen Commission II took office. This followed the European Parliament's earlier endorsement of the new College of Commissioners and its new mandate, which the President had proposed in September 2024.
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The European Union regrets Irakli Kobakhidze's statement on the Georgian Dream's decision not to pursue the opening of EU accession negotiations and rejecting EU financial support until 2028.
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Honourable Members,
Before I present to you my new team, I would like to start by thanking the outgoing College. Five years ago, no one could have imagined what Europe would go through. And I could not have imagined a team as dedicated and tireless to go through that with.
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Thank you very much, dear Roberta,
Today is a good day for Europe because this vote shows that the centre is holding. I am very grateful for the confidence expressed by the Parliament to the new College. The European Parliament's vote allows us to start now on 1 December. We are eager to start.