Euractiv
Pandemic has prevented many migrants from reaching Europe
The various COVID-19 related lockdowns and closures of the EU’s borders have reduced mobility, particularly of migrants. First-time asylum applications fell by 37 percent between 2019 and November 2020.
Europe faces ‘obesity epidemic’ as figure almost tripled in 40 years
Last week, the European Parliament called for the better treatment and management of obesity as average obesity levels in the EU have risen by 161% since 1975.
France worried about mental health of its lockdown-stricken citizens
After more than a year of successive lockdowns implemented by European governments to curb the spread of COVID-19, the French authorities are now worried about the mental health of their citizens.
Small EU countries had more COVID-related deaths per million since pandemic started
While the EU’s most populous countries are recording the most overall COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria had the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths in relation to their populations during the same period.
EU has world’s safest roads, recorded fewest traffic-related deaths in 2020
In 2020, 4,000 fewer people died in the EU as a result of road accidents compared to the year before, according to the European Commission, making the bloc the safest region compared to the rest of the world and the global average of road traffic deaths. EURACTIV France reports.
EU recovery plan has helped boost consumer, industry confidence
The coronavirus pandemic has instigated fears of economic uncertainty among various economic actors, including among consumers, distributors, and industry. However, the latest Eurostat figures show that confidence among economic actors is more or less holding up despite the health crisis.
With loosened cohesion rules, EU money is channelled away from climate action
EU countries have reallocated €3.8 billion of EU structural funds away from climate action to enable a rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis. However, the European Commission hopes that the incoming fresh cash will reverse that trend.
The UK is no longer the top Erasmus destination for students
While some of the effects of Brexit are still difficult to assess, the Erasmus+ exchange programme has already suffered the consequences. However, British universities wish to maintain their participation in the European programme.
COVID-19: an excuse for increased digital surveillance?
To monitor the spread of the new coronavirus, EU member states have taken additional surveillance measures potentially putting some fundamental rights at risk.
