Category: News

  • Norlase secures €20 million EIB venture debt to advance ophthalmic laser technology.

    EIB
    • Denmark’s med-tech sector receives a boost as Norlase strengthens its position in the global ophthalmic laser market with EIB venture debt financing.
    • Norlase will employ the funding for the further development and market access of its innovative portable ophthalmic laser technology.
    • The EIB’s financing is backed under the European Commission’s InvestEU initiative.

    Med-tech company Norlase, a spin-out of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has signed a €20 million venture debt financing with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funding will support the expansion of Norlase’s innovative ophthalmic laser technology, reinforcing Denmark’s position as a hub for world-class med-tech innovation. Ensuring that European companies developing critical technology have the possibility and funding to grow in the EU, is an important building block in European strategic autonomy. The EIB financing is supported by the European Commission’s InvestEU programme.

    “Denmark’s efforts in building up its bio- and med-tech ecosystem are definitely paying dividends today. Like other Danish companies we recently financed, Norlase’s technology is top of its class and a real example of excellence in European innovation.” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. “With the support of InvestEU, the EIB finances projects that advance state-of-the-art medical treatment, and this funding aims to enhance the position of Norlase as a European med-tech champion.”

    “As the patient burden continues to grow, the need to accelerate technological innovation in eye care has never been greater. With four product launches in just five years and rapid adoption by the ophthalmic community, Norlase is leading this transformation,” said Norlase CEO and Co-founder Oliver Hvidt. “This funding from the EIB allows us to scale our global presence and push even further beyond the limits of existing technology, solidifying Norlase’s role as a leader in the future of eye care. We’re just getting started.”

    The Head of the European Commission Representation to Denmark, Per Haugaard, added: “It’s crucial that European companies develop critical technology and that we secure investments in med-tech companies like Norlase across the continent.”

    On a technical level, the financing will support the development and market access of Norlase’s innovative portable ophthalmic lasers, designed to diagnose and treat causes of vision loss and blindness. The project focuses on advancing novel ophthalmic laser technologies and expanding production facilities to support increased demand. The company recently launched its fourth and most innovative device, LYNX, which can reduce treatment time by more than 50%, setting new standards for efficiency, accessibility, and precision in ophthalmic laser treatments.

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, contribute to peace and security, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality. The Group’s AAA rating allows it to borrow at favourable conditions on the global markets, benefiting its clients within the European Union and beyond. The Group has the highest ESG standards and a tier one capital ratio of 32%.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable economy. It helps generate additional investments in line with EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal, the digital transition and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient, and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners who invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. This guarantee increases their risk-bearing capacity, thus mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.

    Norlase was founded in Denmark to commercialize patented laser technology developed at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and its products are now in use in the top ophthalmic hospitals globally.

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  • Romania case ends with exoneration of Gabriel Popoviciu

    A lengthy Romanian legal drama finally came to an end in January 2025 when Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice fully acquitted  Gabriel ‘Puiu’ Popoviciu in a final and irrevocable ruling.

     This decision maintained the Bucharest Court of Appeal resolution from July 2024, through which all the defendants were acquitted in the case surrounding the Băneasa shopping, office and residential development.

     In her July 2024 ruling, Judge Liana Arsenie, the head of the Court of Appeal, had exonerated Popoviciu, along with the other ten defendants in the case. In the judgment she handed down, she was critical of prosecutor Nicolae Marin (of Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate, known as the DNA) and his conduct in the case. Her ruling, all of which was reconfirmed on 15th of January 2025 in the High Court of Cassation and Justice, was that she was ordering the acquittal of all 11 defendants on the grounds that the alleged offences do not exist.

     As Judge Arsenie explained at the time, “The investigating authority assigned fictitious roles and functions and imagined authority relationships. The prosecution was built on a scenario imagined by the prosecutor.”

     She highlighted “truncated interpretations, the breaking of logical-legal algorithms and the attribution of criminal connotation to the exercise of civil rights and obligations.” The case had raised concerns internationally regarding the abuse of the legal system to persecute Popoviciu and his fellow defendants. 

     The legal battle was not limited to Romania. In July 2023, the UK’s Supreme Court discharged Romania’s extradition request for him. That was the UK court’s final decision on the matter and meant that Popoviciu would not be extradited to Romania.

     That final UK outcome followed the 11 June 2021 decision by London’s High Court to refuse Popoviciu’s extradition to Romania.

     In that ruling, British judge Lord Justice Holroyde stated: “The evidence shows a real risk that the appellant suffered an extreme example of a lack of judicial impartiality, such that there can be no question as to consequences for the fairness of the trial.” Edward Fitzgerald KC said that Popoviciu would suffer a “flagrant denial of justice” if sent back to serve his sentence in Romania.

     Willy Fautre, Director of HRWF, commented:

    “This final court decision is to be welcomed, building as it does on the Bucharest Court of Appeal’s ruling last July, as well as earlier court decisions in the UK to refuse Romanian requests to extradite Mr Popoviciu. However, for those of us focused on human rights within the European Union, there is concern that such a lengthy injustice even took place in Romania, an EU country. There should be particular concern that several courts have now ruled that Mr Popoviciu suffered persecution at the hands of a prosecutor in what is an EU, and now even Schengen, country.”

  • World NGO Day: Statement by the EEAS Secretary General Belén Martínez Carbonell

    Civil society is the beating heart of democracy, its pulse sustaining freedom and amplifying the voices of citizens. Civil society organisations build bridges where divisions threaten to take hold, fostering trust within communities and between states. Across the world, they drive progress toward more just and inclusive societies, advancing peace, sustainable development and human rights.

    Yet today, this very foundation of democracy is at risk. Civil society workers and human rights defenders face online and offline attacks including surveillance, legal persecution and violent repression. Laws designed to silence dissent impose funding restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles, making it ever harder for civil society to operate. Peaceful protests are too often met with excessive force. Meanwhile, autocratic regimes increasingly expand their reach beyond borders, silencing dissenting voices through transnational repression. Time and again, civil society is unjustly labelled as foreign agents or enemies of the state as a deliberate tactic to erode trust in their work.

    The European Union stands firm in its commitment to protect and support civil society everywhere. We will continue to speak out against repressive measures and deploy all diplomatic and financial tools to protect the fundamental freedoms that enable civil society to thrive – the freedom to associate, assemble peacefully and express views freely.

    A resilient civil society is democracy’s strongest shield against authoritarianism. Their courage lights the way – our duty is to ensure that their voices are never silenced. On this day, we reaffirm our unwavering support for those who risk their safety to defend our rights.

    Background

    The EU adopted the Global Europe Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) programme worth €1.5 billion for the period 2021-2027 under NDICI-Global Europe. This initiative provides financial support to civil society organisations outside the EU.

    In 2024, the EU partnered with a consortium of nine CSOs to launch the EU System for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society (EU SEE). With a budget of €50 million, the initiative will monitor and support civil society across 86 countries by implementing an early warning system, which can trigger flexible financial assistance to enhance resilience and respond swiftly to changes in the civic space.

    The EU has also established nine framework partnerships to advance the freedoms of association, assembly and expression. Four projects for a total of €27 million are already underway, aiming to empower civil society to advance human rights and defend democracy, including through the protection of independent media.

    The Team Europe Democracy initiative, worth €19 million, brings together 14 Member States and the EU to foster a coordinated and strategic European response in support of democracy, in cooperation with civil society, think tanks and international organisations, with an important component on fostering civic and political participation.

    The EU also continues to support ProtectDefenders.eu, which has assisted over 80,000 at-risk human rights defenders and their families since its creation in 2015. This mechanism takes a comprehensive approach, offering direct assistance, temporary relocation, training, capacity development and advocacy. In 2024 alone, ProtectDefenders.eu provided support to more than 10,000 high-risk defenders, 56% of whom were women.

    Fostering an enabling environment for civil society is also a key component of enlargement policy. Through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III), the EU has allocated over €350 million for civil society and media in the Western Balkans and Türkiye between 2021 and 2025. Additionally, under the NDICI Thematic Programmes for Human Rights and Democracy and Civil Society Organisations, the EU has committed €200 million to civil society actors in pre-accession countries and the Eastern Neighbourhood. Furthermore, through NDICI geographic actions supporting the Eastern Neighbourhood, the EU has dedicated €250 million over the same period to support civil society and independent media.

  • Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support

    EIB
    • Lviv’s St Luke’s Hospital has been upgraded to provide better medical care and a more resilient environment for patients, visitors and healthcare workers amid wartime challenges.
    • Preschool No.7 in Truskavets has been renovated to improve energy efficiency to provide a stable learning space for children and educators, including those displaced by the war.
    • These projects are part of the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme, aimed at rebuilding essential social infrastructure in Ukrainian communities.

    As Ukraine marks three years of Russia’s full-scale war, the European Union continues to support the reconstruction of the country’s vital infrastructure. Two public buildings in Lviv Oblast – St Luke’s Hospital in Lviv and preschool No.7 “Dzvinochok” in Truskavets – have officially opened after renovations. Supported by the European Union and its financial arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB), these projects are part of the broader Ukraine Early Recovery Programme that funds the restoration of essential social infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, water and heating systems and social housing. As war-affected communities continue to face immense challenges, these investments help ensure access to critical services and create more resilient spaces.

    Lviv’s St Luke’s Hospital, a key emergency and specialised care centre, has undergone a €940 000 renovation to improve services for its 50 000 annual patients. Home to western Ukraine’s largest burn unit, it plays a crucial role in treating severe injuries. The upgrades, in particular facade insulation and energy efficiency improvements, enhance the hospital’s resilience while creating a more comfortable space for patients, including internally displaced persons.

    A €330 000 renovation of preschool No.7 “Dzvinochok” in Truskavets, Lviv Oblast, has created a more energy-efficient and welcoming learning space for pupils including for children displaced by the war and for staff. The project significantly increased the appeal of the building, while increasing its energy efficiency and reducing energy costs. With improved insulation the preschool is now more resilient and sustainable.

    In Lviv Oblast, two facilities have already been renovated and six are undergoing reconstruction under the EIB recovery programmes, with a total investment of over €15 million. This includes six educational institutions and two medical facilities, improving access to education and healthcare in the region. 

    EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska, who is responsible for the Bank’s operations in Ukraine, said: “From day one of Russia’s full-scale war and throughout these three difficult years, the EIB has stood by Ukraine, providing vital support to help the country withstand, recover and rebuild. The reopening of renovated hospital and school in Lviv Oblast is a testament to this ongoing effort, bringing tangible improvements to people’s daily lives.”

    EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said: “Every rebuilt hospital, school, and kindergarten sends a clear message: the EU stands firmly with Ukraine. Together with the EIB, we are not only helping to repair what has been damaged but also laying the foundations for a stronger, safer Ukraine that is ready to thrive as part of the EU.”

    Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba said: “Together with the EIB, EU Delegation and UNDP, we are modernising outdated and war-damaged infrastructure across Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainians already benefit from renovated schools, hospitals and kindergartens. We have recently launched the first phase of the Ukraine Recovery III programme, paving the way for additional impactful initiatives that will enhance communities and improve the lives of Ukrainians thanks to the EU support.”

    Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko said: “Rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure is crucial for strengthening resilience and improving living conditions for our people. With the support of the EU, we are delivering critical projects that enhance healthcare, education and public services. The three EIB-backed recovery programmes, worth €640 million, play a key role in this effort, helping communities rebuild and move forward despite ongoing challenges.”

    Head of the Lviv Oblast Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi said: “The EU bank’s investment in Lviv Oblast is strengthening our region’s infrastructure at a critical time. With many communities hosting large numbers of displaced people, improving healthcare, education and essential services is more important than ever. These projects help ensure that our cities and towns remain functional, resilient and able to meet the needs of all who live here.”

    Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi said: “Restoring and strengthening our city’s infrastructure is essential to supporting both our residents and those who have found refuge here due to the war. With the support of the EU, we are rebuilding vital facilities to ensure Lviv remains a city of resilience, opportunity and hope. Today, we inaugurated a renovated hospital, with many other projects underway to improve daily life and build a stronger future for our community.”

    Mayor of Truskavets Andriy Kulchynsky said: “We are grateful to the EU for this investment in our community. The renovation of Preschool No.7 creates a warm, modern and energy-efficient space where our children can learn and grow.”

    UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine Jaco Cilliers said: “Behind every rebuilt hospital and renovated school, we see renewed hope for Ukrainian families and communities. UNDP’s partnership with local authorities isn’t just about infrastructure – it’s about restoring essential services that affect people’s daily lives. Working alongside the EU and EIB, we’re helping transform technical recovery projects into tangible improvements for children seeking education, patients needing care and citizens rebuilding their futures.”

    Background information

    EIB in Ukraine 

    The EIB Group has been supporting Ukraine’s resilience, economy and efforts to rebuild since the very first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In 2024, the Bank supported projects aimed at securing Ukraine’s energy supply, repairing critical infrastructure that has been damaged, and ensuring that essential services continue to be delivered across the country. This brings the total amount of aid the EIB has disbursed since the start of the war to over €2.2 billion.

    EIB recovery programmes in Ukraine

    Renovations of a hospital and kindergarten in Lviv Oblast were carried out under the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme (UERP), a €200 million multisectoral framework loan from the EIB. Overall, the Bank finances three recovery programmes, totalling €640 million, which are provided as framework loans to the government of Ukraine. Through these programmes, Ukrainian communities gain access to financial resources to restore essential social infrastructure, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, housing, heating, and water systems. These EIB-backed programmes are further supported by €15 million in EU grants to facilitate implementation. The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, coordinates and oversees the programme implementation, while local authorities and self-governments are responsible for managing recovery sub-projects. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine provides technical assistance to local communities, supporting project implementation and ensuring independent monitoring for transparency and accountability. More information about the programmes is available here.


    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
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    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    ©EIB
    Download original

    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    ©EIB
    Download original

    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
    Ukraine: Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
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  • Human Rights Council: Gaza ceasefire must hold, Türk insists

    Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva on conditions inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mr. Türk condemned the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel that sparked the war in October 2023.

    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also said there was no justification for Israel’s devastating military operations in Gaza, which have left more than 48,000 Palestinians dead, according to local authorities.

    Search for a better future

    “At this tenuous moment the world must ask itself how to resolve this decades old conflict and stop the cycle of violence,” he said.

    “Any plans for a better future must deal with the past, so accountability and justice for violations are crucial.”

    The High Commissioner added that each phase of the ceasefire must be implemented “in good faith, and in full. All of us must do everything in our power to build on it.”

    He said it must be for the Palestinians themselves to determine their own future.

    According to news reports, the delayed release by Israel of Palestinian prisoners is expected to go ahead imminently, in exchange for the return of the bodies of four hostages.

    ‘Unprecedented disregard’

    Summing up the “raft of human rights violations” inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory and lack of accountability, he said there had been “an unprecedented disregard” for basic principles of international humanitarian law by both sides since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023.

    Mr. Türk maintained there were serious doubts over Israel’s capacity and will to deliver full accountability, notably in relation to unlawful killings in Gaza and the West Bank.

    With Hamas and other Palestinian militants who have taken and tortured hostages, fired indiscriminate projectiles into Israel – amounting to war crimes – there are concerns that they may also have committed serious breaches “including the intentional co-location of military objectives and Palestinian civilians.”

    “Any attempts at shaping a peaceful future where such horrors do not recur must ensure that perpetrators are held to account,” said the High Commissioner. 

    Impunity when given free rein, harms not only those directly impacted but generations down the line, he contended.

    In an apparent response to the outlawing of the UN Palestine refugee relief agency, UNRWA, by Israel and the sanctions against the International Criminal Court by the US earlier this month, the UN rights chief said that “delegitimising and threatening international institutions that are there to serve people and uphold international law also harms us all.”

    He also said any attempt to annex Palestinian land or “forced transfer” of civilians must be resisted.

    “This is the moment for voices of reason to prevail; for solutions that will deliver justice and make space for compassion, healing and truth telling,” said Mr. Türk.

    ‘Systemic’ repression in Nicaragua

    Investigators tasked by the UN Human Rights Council to track alleged grave abuses of power by top Nicaraguan officials insisted on Wednesday that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) should prosecute what they called the systematic and systemic repression of the country’s people.

    The Group of Experts on Nicaragua – who act in an independent capacity and are not UN staff – have previously reported that the Government’s violations appear to constitute crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment and torture – including rape.

    Their latest report will be presented later this week to the Council.

    The group maintains that President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, have created “an authoritarian State where no independent institutions remain, opposition voices are silenced and the population…faces persecution, forced exile, and economic retaliation”.

    Stifling dissent

    It was in response to grave concerns about the severe repression of civil rights in Nicaragua that the international community decided in 2018 to establish an investigative body to report back to the Council.

    “We call on States to hold Nicaragua accountable for its violations of the UN Convention on Torture and the UN Convention on Statelessness before the International Court of Justice…the international community cannot just bear witness. It needs to take concrete measures,” said Reed Brody, member of the Group of Experts.

    “No country in the world has used the arbitrary detention of nationality against political opponents at the same scale that Nicaragua has done; and this is a violation of its obligations under international law under the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness,” Mr. Brody continued.

    ‘Machine of repression’

    According to the panel’s chair, Jan-Michael Simon, State machinery and the ruling Sandinista party “have virtually fused into a unified machine of repression with domestic and transnational impact.”

    This development – which has reduced the judicial, legislative and electoral powers “to mere bodies coordinated by the presidency” – has resulted in myriad deaths, “arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, expulsion of nationals, arbitrary deprivation of nationality,” Mr. Simon insisted.

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  • Scientology Opens Ideal Center in Pilsen: A European Hub for Culture, Spiritual Growth and Community Help

    KINGNEWSWIREAGENCY – On February 22, 2025, the first Ideal Dianetics and Scientology Center in the Czech Republic opened in Pilsen. The event marked a milestone for local community projects and spiritual development. Guests, including local leaders, praised its role in social betterment, drug prevention, and disaster relief. The center offers spiritual counseling, life improvement courses, and volunteer initiatives. Director Petr Gono emphasized its mission to help individuals lead fulfilling lives. The facility embodies L. Ron Hubbard’s vision of uplifting society through personal and community growth.

    Brussels, Belgium, 26th Feb 2025 – Saturday, February 22, 2025, marked a significant milestone for Scientology and its long-standing community projects in the Czech Republic. In the historic city of Pilsen—famous for its industrial heritage and rich cultural life—the first Ideal Dianetics and Scientology Center in the Czech Republic was officially opened.

    Pilsen, home to nearly 200,000 residents, is a city where history meets modern life. It proudly holds the title of European Capital of Culture 2015, and it is now the site of a center dedicated to personal development, spiritual growth, and community support. The Ideal Center offers a full range of basic and introductory Scientology services, including spiritual counseling (auditing), and is designed to help individuals achieve spiritual freedom.

    A Celebration of Community Spirit and Help

    The grand opening was not only the inauguration of a new center but also a celebration of the fifth anniversary of the original Dianetics Center in Pilsen. Guests from across Czech Republic and the neighboring Slovakia gathered to commemorate this milestone and the progress made in community help and spiritual development.

    Several distinguished guests spoke during the ceremony, sharing their experiences with Scientology Know-how and Scientology-supported initiatives and studies emphasizing the importance of cooperation and helping others.

    The Mayor of Nerestce addressed the growing social challenges in his speech:

    “Over the years, I have witnessed the moral fabric of our society deteriorating. It seems that kindness and compassion are fading, while we face rising violence, drug abuse, and social problems. Organizations like yours are crucial – they educate young people and show them that running away from challenges is not the solution.”

    An international leader in Roma football and the founder of the Mongaguá project highlighted the power of unity:

    “I believe that if we stand together, we can positively impact countless children, their parents, and entire communities…. I trust that you will continue spreading values and respect.”

    The Mayor of Písečná delivered an emotional speech, expressing gratitude for the help provided by Scientology Volunteer Ministers after the devastating floods of 2024:

    “The most important thing, as you demonstrated when helping the people of Písečná, is HELP.”

    In fact, the Ideal Mission serves as the central hub for organizing and launching Scientology community projects. One of its main focuses is helping younger generations avoid drug abuse through weekly drug education programs, which have been running for over 20 years in the Czech Republic.

    To address the decline in moral values, The Way to Happiness book is regularly distributed throughout the community, encouraging positive change and ethical living.

    The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program operates under the motto, “Something can be done about it,” a principle actively demonstrated during last year’s devastating floods and through ongoing clean-up efforts in several areas of Plzeň. This initiative, which has been running for several months, continues to set a positive example for others. In times without natural disasters, one of the key activities involves removing discarded syringes to ensure a safer environment for everyone. Volunteer ministers are working on this for several months, every day.

    A Mission to Help and Inspire

    Petr Gono, Director of the new Ideal Scientology Center, outlined the organization’s mission in his address:

    “We are here to help restore the desire to live a fulfilling life—free from drugs, with harmonious relationships, where children can grow up in an environment full of love and care. We are here to help people overcome past failures and build a better future—not just for themselves, but for all of us. That is our mission.”

    “The local Ideal Dianetics and Scientology Center is an important place because it is open to everyone—whether they are Scientologists or not. All it takes is a good heart and a desire to improve oneself, one’s group, or to help the entire society. This is the place where we organize most of our community projects—whether it’s a simple clean-up, promoting moral values, or disaster relief. It is where we bring the vision of Mr. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, to life,” said the Director of Scientology Community Projects and Public Affairs, David Macoun.

    From Brussels, Ivan Arjona-Pelado, President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights stated that “the people of the Czech Republic are setting an example as to what it means to help those in need, and keep showing it once and again, so I can only be happy that they have this ideal facilities from where they can further expand their help and open the doors to spiritual enlightenment to even more people”.

    Comprehensive Facilities for Personal Growth and Community Help

    As an Ideal Dianetics and Scientology Mission, the Plzeň facility is equipped with all the necessary resources to deliver a wide range of introductory Scientology services. These include:

    • Life Improvement Courses – offering practical solutions to everyday challenges, such as improving communication, raising children successfully, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and achieving personal goals.

    • Personal Efficiency Seminars – covering topics such as the human mind, effective communication, and stress management.

    • Spiritual Counseling (Auditing) – helping individuals overcome spiritual and emotional barriers and achieve personal freedom.

    This new center is not only a place for personal growth but also a hub for extensive Scientology community projects. The organization focuses on raising moral standards, drug prevention, disaster relief, and other initiatives aimed at creating a positive social impact.

    The new Ideal Scientology Center in Plzeň represents another step toward fulfilling the vision of L. Ron Hubbard, who believed that helping others and working together are the keys to building a better and more just society.

  • New action plan to lower energy costs for European citizens and businesses

    The EU is at a crucial turning point for its competitiveness, decarbonisation and security, with a clear need to act. Structurally high energy costs are hurting our citizens and businesses. The challenges are clear, and so is the role of the European Union to address them. Today, the Commission is putting forward an Action Plan with short-term measures to lower energy costs, complete the Energy Union, attract investments and be better prepared for potential energy crises. As a key component of the Clean Industrial Deal, this Plan will not only bring relief to households facing high energy bills, but also to industries that struggle with high production costs, with  estimated overall savings of €45 billion in 2025, that will progressively increase until €130 billion in annual savings by 2030 and €260 billion by 2040. 

    The Action Plan will bring short-term relief to consumers and pave the way for the completion of the Energy Union by frontloading the benefits of more renewable energy, energy savings, deeper market integration and better interconnections. Crucially, it proposes actions to tackle the structural challenges that are driving up energy costs in the EU, notably Europe‘s reliance on imported fossil fuels and lack of full integration of the electricity system. The Plan builds on the recent reform of the Electricity Market Design, the REPowerEU Plan, sector-specific blueprints for wind, solar and grids and revised energy and climate legislation under the Fit for 55 package.

    By accelerating investments in clean energy and infrastructure, and by bringing transparency and fairness to gas markets, energy can be made more affordable. A further reduction of permitting times for renewables and energy infrastructure will also help lowering power production costs. Consumers already benefit from around €34 billion every year thanks to the EU‘s internal energy market. Further integration could raise such benefits up to €40-43 billion per year already by 2030.

    President Ursula von der Leyen said:” We’re driving energy prices down and competitiveness up. We have already significantly reduced energy prices in Europe by doubling down on renewables. Now, we are going a step further with the Affordable Energy Action Plan as part of our Clean Industrial Deal. With it, we will achieve more predictable prices, stronger connections across Europe, and increased energy offtake. We will systematically remove remaining obstacles so that we can build a true Energy Union.”

    Lowering energy costs to provide immediate relief to consumers while completing the Energy Union 

    To make electricity more affordable, the Commission will tackle all three components of energy bills, namely network and system costs, taxes and levies and supply costs. We will make recommendations to the Member States to lower national taxes on electricity and enable consumers to switch suppliers more easily towards cheaper energy offers, among others. Building on existing EU electricity legislation, the Commission will also further support the uptake of long-term supply contracts which ultimately help break the link between retail electricity bills and high and volatile gas prices. To lower the network charges part of the energy bill, it will propose a methodology to ensure network charges reflect the costs of the energy system, incentivising the most efficient use of the grid.

    Together with support to bring more and faster renewables, the Commission will also bring about significant benefits for consumers by supporting a broader uptake of energy efficiency solutions, which can lead to savings of up to €162 billion per year in 2030. An EU guarantee scheme to be developed in cooperation with the European Investment Bank will help de-risk investment in energy efficiency services and facilitate access to more efficient appliances and products with longer lifetimes.

    EU gas prices are too high and are affecting the competitiveness of the European industry. To ensure fair competition, the Commission will step up its scrutiny of the EU gas markets with the help of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and national regulators. We will also engage with reliable LNG suppliers to identify additional cost-competitive imports and harness the Union’s purchasing power by aggregating demand from EU companies.

    Ultimately, deeper integrated, well-functioning and decarbonised energy markets are the best shield against price volatility. This is why the Commission will strive to complete the Energy Union, with more interconnectors, a stronger grid and cross-border trading, and will roll out a set of initiatives to boost electrification and the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sectors, to mobilise private capital and further digitalise the energy system, among others. 

    Being better prepared for potential crises 

    Security of supply is key to ensure prices remain stable. The Commission will update the EU energy security framework to address emerging threats such as cyber-attacks, critical infrastructure sabotage and risks from reliance on imports. It will also step up preparedness for potential price crisis, among others, by issuing guidance to Member States on how to reward consumers to reduce consumption at peak times and keep energy bills in check.

    For more information

    Questions and Answers on the Action Plan for Affordable Energy

    Factsheet on the Action Plan for Affordable Energy

    Action Plan for Affordable Energy

    Press release on the Clean Industrial Deal

  • Commission presents plan for competitiveness and decarbonisation in the EU

    Today, the Commission presents the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of our industry. The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.

    Faced with high energy costs and fierce and often unfair global competition, our industries need urgent support. This Deal positions decarbonisation as a powerful driver of growth for European industries. This framework can drive competitiveness as it gives certainty and predictability to companies and investors that Europe remains committed to become a decarbonised economy by 2050.

    President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Europe is not only a continent of industrial innovation, but also a continent of industrial production. However, the demand for clean products has slowed down, and some investments have moved to other regions. We know that too many obstacles still stand in the way of our European companies from high energy prices to excessive regulatory burden. The Clean Industrial Deal is to cut the ties that still hold our companies back and make a clear business case for Europe.”

    The Commission is also taking actions to make our regulatory environment more efficient while reducing bureaucratic hurdles for businesses. Today’s measures are the results  of the active engagement with industry leaders, social partners and civil society in the context of the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal and the European Commission’s Clean Transition Dialogues.

    A business plan to decarbonise, reindustrialise and innovate

    The Deal focuses mainly on two closely linked sectors: energy-intensive industries and clean tech.

    i) Energy-intensive industries as they require urgent support to decarbonise and electrify. The sector faces high energy costs, unfair global competition and complex regulations, harming its competitiveness. ii) Clean Tech is at the heart of future competitiveness and growth as well as crucial for industrial transformation. Circularity is also a central element of the Deal, as we need to maximise EU’s limited resources and reduce overdependencies on third country suppliers for raw materials.  

    The Deal presents measures strengthening the entire value chain. It serves as a framework to tailor action in specific sectors. The Commission will present an Action Plan for the automotive industry in March and an Action Plan on steel and metals in Spring. Other tailored actions are planned for the chemical and clean tech industry.

    Today’s Communication identifies business drivers for industry to succeed in the EU:

    • Lower energy costs

    Affordable energy is the foundation of competitiveness. The Commission therefore adopted today an Action Plan on Affordable Energy to lower energy bills for industries, businesses and households. The Act will speed up the roll-out of clean energy, accelerate electrification, complete our internal energy market with physical interconnections, and use energy more efficiently and cut dependence on imported fossil fuels.  

    • Boosting demand for clean products

    The Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act will increase demand for EU-made clean products, by introducing sustainability, resilience, and made in Europe criteria in public and private procurements. With the review of the Public Procurement Framework in 2026, the Commission will introduce sustainability, resilience and European preference criteria in public procurement for strategic sectors.

    The Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act will also launch a voluntary carbon intensity label for industrial products, starting with steel in 2025, followed by cement. The Commission will simplify and harmonise carbon accounting methodologies. These labels will inform consumers and allow manufacturers to reap a premium on their decarbonisation efforts.

    • Financing the Clean Transition

    In the short-term, the Clean Industrial Deal will mobilise over €100 billion to support EU-made clean manufacturing. This amount includes an additional €1 billion guarantees under the current Multiannual Financial Framework.

    The Commission will:

    • Adopt a new Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework. It will allow for simplified and quicker approval of State aid measures for the roll-out of renewable energy, deploy industrial decarbonisation and ensure sufficient manufacturing capacity of clean tech.
    • Strengthen the Innovation Fund and propose an Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, aiming for €100 billion in funding, based on available funds in the Innovation Fund, additional revenues resulting from parts of the ETS as well as the revision of InvestEU.
    • Amend the InvestEU Regulation to increase InvestEU’s risk bearing capacity. This will mobilise up to €50 billion in additional private and public investment, including in clean tech, clean mobility and waste reduction.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group will also launch a series of concrete new financing instruments to support the Clean Industrial Deal. The EIB will launch: i) a ‘Grids manufacturing package’ to provide counter-guarantees and other de-risking support to manufacturers of grid components; ii) a joint European Commission-EIB pilot programme of counter-guarantees for Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) undertaken by SMEs and energy intensive industries; and iii) launch a CleanTech guarantee Facility under the Tech EU programme powered by InvestEU.

    • Circularity and access to materials

    Critical raw materials are key for our industry. The EU therefore has to secure access to such materials and reduce exposure to unreliable suppliers. At the same time, placing circularity at the core of our decarbonisation strategy helps maximising the EU’s limited resources. The Commission will therefore:

    • Set up a mechanism enabling European companies to come together and aggregate their demand for critical raw materials.
    • Create an EU Critical Raw Material Centre to jointly purchase raw materials on behalf of interested companies. Joint purchases create economies of scale and offer more leverage to negotiate better prices and conditions.
    • Adopt a Circular Economy Act in 2026 to accelerate the circular transition and ensure that scarce materials are used and reused efficiently, reduce our global dependencies and create high quality jobs. The aim is to have 24% of materials circular by 2030.
    • Acting on a global scale

    The EU needs reliable global partners more than ever. In addition to ongoing and new trade agreements, the Commission will soon launch the first Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships, which will diversify supply chains and forge mutually beneficial deals. At the same time, the Commission will act even more decisively to protect our industries from unfair global competition and overcapacities through a range of Trade Defence and other instruments. The Commission will also simplify and strengthen the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

    • Ensuring access to a skilled workforce

    The transformation of our industry requires skilled people and top talents. The Commission will establish a Union of Skills that invests in workers, develops skills and creates quality jobs. With Up to €90 million from Erasmus+, the Deal will help reinforce sectoral skills for strategic industries linked to the Clean Industrial Deal. The Deal also supports quality jobs, promote social conditionalities and provide further support to workers in transitions.

    Background

    In her political guidelines (2024-2029), President von der Leyen announced to deliver the Clean Industrial Deal within the first 100 days of the Commission’s mandate as a priority to ensure competitiveness and prosperity in the EU.

    The Clean Industrial Deal builds further on the active engagement from industry leaders, social partners and civil society in the context of the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal and the Clean Transition Dialogues.

    For More Information

    The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for decarbonisation and competitiveness

    Questions & Answers on the Clean Industrial Deal

    Factsheet on the Clean Industrial Deal

    Press release on the Action Plan on Affordable Energy

    Competitiveness – European Commission

    Audiovisual Service

  • Poland in orbit: five EU-funded space research projects in the spotlight

    During the first half of 2025, Poland is holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second time. As president, Poland is steering work across all levels of the Council’s operations, aiming to foster collaboration and consensus among EU Member States.

    With the official motto “Security, Europe!”, the Polish presidency focuses on strengthening European security in seven security dimensions. In the area of space the presidency will focus on a number of topics, including the use of Earth observation (EO) data and AI for security and crisis management. It will also promote synergies of space technologies with other industries, including defence. Under the auspices of the Polish Presidency, the EU Space Days 2025 will be organised in Gdańsk (27-28 May). 

    Horizon Europe, the EU framework programme for research & innovation, is funding EU Space Research projects across various domains. These projects aim to develop cutting-edge space technologies, products and services, ensuring that the EU remains competitive in space and retains a high level of autonomy in accessing and utilising space.

    With Poland’s EU presidency now in full swing, we highlight five EU-funded research projects with significant contributions from Polish participants:

    EROSS SC – Revolutionising In-Space Operations and Services

    PL beneficiary: PIAP Space

    EROSS SC is enabling the maturation of robotic technologies needed for on-orbit servicing, a key element of In-Space Operations and Services. The ambitious project is integrating the different technologies into a single mission concept, covering various operations on orbiting satellites, including rendezvous, capturing and servicing. 

    LUWEX – Extracting water from Moon dust 

    PL beneficiaries: Scanway and Wrocław University of Science and Technology

    LUWEX aimed to develop novel technologies for extracting and purifying water from lunar regolith. The international team of researchers successfully demonstrated the extraction technologies in laboratory conditions, showing how ice could be extracted from simulated lunar regolith. The purified water holds significant potential for use as drinking water, oxygen production, or rocket propellant in space – a critical step in supporting sustainable space exploration missions. The project ended on 31 December 2024; this video showcases its achievements.

    ORCHIDE – Boosting on-board Earth observation applications

    PL beneficiary: KP Labs

    ORCHIDE focuses on optimising on-board data processing for Earth observation missions, addressing the challenge of handling large volumes of data generated by multiple instruments. The ability to process data on board allows for a more efficient use of available resources, thereby enhancing mission flexibility and reducing operational costs. The project seeks to facilitate the deployment and orchestration of image processing applications on board EO satellites, regardless of the hardware processing resources and the hosting software execution platform. 

    SALTO – Towards a European reusable launcher 

    PL beneficiary: SpaceForest

    SALTO aims to raise the maturity level of the first European reusable rocket technology and significantly reduce launch costs, while ensuring improvements in the environmental footprint and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in strategic space missions. Complementary to and in coordination with the ESA European THEMIS demonstrator programme, SALTO will perform in the course of 2025, for the first time in Europe, fly/recover/re-fly cycles of a reusable rocket first-stage demonstrator.

    THEIA – Enhancing the Copernicus Security Service

    PL beneficiary: Creotech Instruments

    THEIA addresses the critical crisis management challenges posed by forced population displacements, which are caused by conflicts, climate change, extreme weather events and food shortage. The project is proposing the integration of Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) and Machine Learning with advanced data fusion and analysis techniques, combining space (Earth observation) and non-space data. The innovative crisis information tools created by the project will be tailored to user and policy needs, and will benefit a wide array of end-users including the Copernicus Security Services. 

    Background

    EU Space Research aims to foster a cost-effective, competitive, and innovative space industry and research community. Under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Space (Destination 5), HaDEA is funding projects that prepare future evolutions of the EU Space Programme components, foster the EU space sector’s competitiveness, reinforce its independent capacity to access space, and secure its autonomy of supply for critical technologies.

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  • UN rights chief decries substantial rise in death penalty executions

    “While a number of countries argue that it lies within their national sovereignty, from my perspective, it is incompatible with human dignity and the right to life,” the High Commissioner told Member States, during a discussion about the contribution of judiciaries to advancing human rights over the issue.

    The punishment had “no place” in the 21st century, Mr. Turk, continued, noting that “the top executing countries over recent years” include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States.

    Clear evidence

    Latest UN data indicates that in 2023, 1,153 executions took place in 16 countries, representing a 31 per cent increase from 2022 and the highest number in the past eight years.

    “That followed a 53 per cent increase in executions between 2021 and 2022,” the High Commissioner said, adding that the figures do not take into account China, “where there is a lack of transparent information and statistics on the death penalty. I call on the Chinese authorities to change this policy and join the trend towards abolition.”

    Global South leading abolition

    Although drug-related offences do not meet the “most serious crimes” justification for executions under international human rights law, they account for more than 40 per cent of death penalty executions – the highest number since 2016.

    “This proportion has also risen sharply over the past two years, and almost all of these executions took place in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr. Türk explained.

    In more positive developments and despite a global rise in executions, a growing number of countries are abolishing the practice – spurred by the Global South.

    Today, 113 countries have scrapped the death penalty completely. This includes Zimbabwe – where President Emmerson Mnangagwa approved a law ending executions at the end of 2024 – along with 26 other countries in Africa.

    Key to abolition are judicial reform and discretion in commuting executions to lesser punishments, the High Commissioner insisted. Malawi and Malaysia have implemented such reforms, leading to fewer death sentences, Mr. Türk continued, as he called for greater efforts globally to ensure fair trials and avoid wrongful convictions.

    He urged nations to move towards the complete abolition of the death penalty, advocate for moratoriums, and ensure that the death penalty is only used for the most serious crimes.

    Zimbabwe focus

    Also addressing the Council, Zimbabwe Attorney General Virginia Mabiza explained that the death penalty had been introduced by colonial rulers in the 18th century, enduring beyond the country’s independence in 1980.

    She said that more than 56 per cent of the population wanted the death penalty to remain in the statute books when asked in 1999, while between 1980 and 2005, 105 convicted offenders were executed.

    “Since then, no other executions have been carried out in Zimbabwe, and this can be attributed to policy decisions coupled with judicial discretion against capital punishment,” the Attorney General told the Council.

    Ms. Mabiza noted that a wide range of offences had been formerly punishable by the death penalty including conspiracy and attempted robbery, but by 2013, only a murder conviction could lead to death for the convicted offender, in compliance with the UN General Assembly resolution on reducing the number of offences that attract the death penalty.

    And pointing to several instances where the Supreme Court in Harare determined that the death penalty constituted a violation of a prisoner’s human rights, Ms. Mabiza said that sentences were “often commuted death sentences to life imprisonment”.

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