This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the European Week of Sport, an EU initiative that has helped millions of Europeans discover the physical, mental and social benefits of sport and physical activity. The week runs from 23 to 30 September after an opening ceremony in Copenhagen.
On behalf of the European Commission, HaDEA has published new open calls for proposals covering nine topics outlined in the 2025 EU4Health Work Programme and based on DG SANTE policy priorities:
Indicative budget for all the calls: €56 816 810
Interested parties are invited to learn more and apply by 6 January 2026, 17:00 CET, on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
An online info session open to all potential applicants and stakeholders took place on 9 October, highlighting the key steps for preparing a successful proposal and provide valuable insights into the specific objectives and requirements for each topic.
The recording and presentations are available on the info session page.
EU4Health is the fourth and largest of the EU health programmes. The EU4Health programme goes beyond an ambitious response to the COVID-19 crisis to address the resilience of European healthcare systems. The programme provides funding to national authorities, health organisations and other bodies through grants and public procurement, contributing to a healthier Europe. HaDEA manages the vast majority of the total EU4Health budget and implements the programme by managing calls for proposals and calls for tenders.
The EU and Indonesia have finalised negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Investment Protection agreements. Both create new export opportunities for EU companies and more secure supply chains for energy and raw materials.
The European Commission (EC), the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) and EMA have jointly developed two new targets for clinical trials, to monitor progress against the ambition to make the European Union (EU) a more attractive destination for clinical research and improve timely access to innovative medicines for patients. In five years, the aim is that:
These ambitious goals build on ongoing efforts to create a more supportive environment for clinical research. A key part of this is the Accelerating Clinical Trials in the EU (ACT EU) initiative, a collaboration between EC, HMA and EMA, which seeks to optimise how clinical trials are designed and run.
ACT EU focuses on several key areas to strengthen clinical research in Europe. These include a trial map to help patients find clinical trials recruiting in their area; pilots of advice to clinical trial sponsors to help them design impactful trials and make successful applications for authorisation, including for marketing authorisation applications; support to the implementation of the revised Good Clinical Practice guideline (ICH E6 R3); and, help for non-commercial sponsors to carry out more multinational trials. At the heart of ACT EU is a multi-stakeholder platform that fosters ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to better understand their challenges and needs.
Several complementary network initiatives are also contributing to the achievement of the new targets:
Progress updates on the Clinical Trial targets will be published monthly on the ACT EU website, starting in early February 2026.
Together with the new targets, the European medicines regulatory network has published a report analysing clinical trial data from 31 January 2022 to 30 January 2025. This period marks the three-year transition of the Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR). The report shows that since the use of the Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) became mandatory, an average of 200 new clinicals trials were submitted every month. Of these, around 80 applications per month were for multinational clinical trials.
The figures included in the report reflect a transitional period during which sponsors and stakeholders were adapting to the new legal and procedural requirements introduced under the clinical trial framework. The CTR and CTIS are now fully implemented, laying the foundations for a more integrated and responsive clinical trial ecosystem in the EU, with greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration to boost clinical research. The full report is available on the ACT EU website.
Google TV just ditched the robotic voice commands for something far more interesting: actual conversations with artificial intelligence.
The quotas law requires that at least a third of the seats In Boards of directors of listed companiesautonomous public enterprises and the national lottery are occupied by a member of under-represented sex. Since the entry into force of the law in 2011, the proportion of women administrators has increased sharply.
In 2024, women occupied an average of 37.3% of seats, compared to only 9.2% in 2008, an increase of more than 28 percentage points in 16 years. This increase confirms that quotas are a powerful lever to develop female representation.
Although the law of July 28, 2011 does not apply to management committees, their composition has also been analyzed to better understand the global development of corporate governance.
Between 2020 and 2024, the share of women in management committees From all the companies studied increased from 14.8% to 21.1%. At the same time, progression in listed companies is also very marked, with a rate that has almost doubled, from 13.9% to 20.6%.
This development is encouraging, but it remains insufficient to guarantee a balanced representation of women in decision -making processes. Michel Pasteel, director of the institute confirms: “Experience shows this: without binding framework, progress in equality remains limited and too slow. Quotas are not a purpose in itself but an effective tool to put into practice gender equality in companies. It is time to expand the scope of the law to management committees, so that management respects the principle of equality between women and men. »»
97.1% of companies already comply with the quotas law and there is an average of 37.3% of women on the boards of directors. Belgium therefore has a solid basis for transposing the objectives of the European directive ” Women On Boards By June 2026.
The Institute calls for an ambitious transposition of this European directive in order to bring the quota to 40% in the boards of directors and establish a quota of 33% in the management committees, which will cover all the executive and non -executive positions.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
That’s according to the UN humanitarian aid coordination office, OCHA, and UN partners working to provide life-saving support to civilians in the face of continuing Israeli restrictions on aid.
The closure of nutrition services in Gaza governorate is hampering efforts to detect new famine victims and to keep treatment going for hundreds of children, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents in New York on Monday.
“On Friday, the Ministry of Health said that 162 people – including 32 children – have died from starvation and malnutrition since famine was confirmed,” he said.
As Israeli military operations have continued across the Strip, Palestinian Civil Defence teams said that over the last 10 days, they have carried out more than 50 rescue or recovery missions.
“Health services are also under severe strain,” Mr. Dujarric continued. “Today, the Ministry of Health in Gaza called on people to donate blood amid severe shortages in hospitals.”
He stressed yet again that no civilians should ever be targeted and civilian infrastructure must always be protected.
The growing number of civilians being forced to head south by Israel’s full-scale offensive to wrest control of Gaza City is putting mounting pressure on already strained services available in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, where conditions are dire, Mr. Dujarric said.
Tens of thousands are having to squeeze into tents along the beach or cram into school shelters, while others are “sleeping in the open on the rubble of destroyed buildings and houses.”
The UN is continuing to serve those in need, as much as possible: on Monday, seven out of 12 humanitarian missions coordinated with Israeli authorities were facilitated. While UN teams managed to collect health supplies from Kerem Shalom. A further two missions to retrieve food cargo were denied.
Kenya president William Ruto, who directs the multinational security support mission (MSS), noted limited progress since the deployment of police forces 15 months ago with the UN Security advice approval.
“When we arrived, the airport was surrounded by gangs. Today, it works perfectly, “he said, also pointing to the security of the presidential palace and the reopening of key access roads to the capital Port-au-Prince.
However, gangs still control 85% of the city, he recognized. The MSS, hampered by insufficient resources, could not break their grip as its mandate approaches expiration.
The United States, echoing the concerns of Kenya, has urged a stronger uncommapable presence. “Haiti is at the crossroads,” warned Secretary of State Christopher Landau under Secretary of State.
Washington is pressure for the transformation of the MSS into a so -called gang suppression force of 5,500 members, operating under chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nationswhich authorizes military action to counter threats to peace.
“The moment to act is now. The Haitian people cannot wait, “he said, calling on the Member States to support a draft resolution submitted in Panama.
For the Haitian authorities, international support is essential. “Haiti cannot and will not be able to face this security crisis, fueled by transnational criminal networks, alone,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of the country’s presidential transition council.
The Security Council should shortly decide the future of international engagement in Haiti, where hunger, travel and sexual violence continue to worsen alongside insecurity.
The UN Human Rights Council In Geneva, on Monday, was informed of the continuous and devastating impact of the Russian invasion on a large scale on Ukraine.
In an update, independent investigators of the Commission of inquiry On Ukraine created by the Council, expressed a deep concern in the face of the growing number of civilian victims of the Russian attacks.
Erik Møse, president of the panel, said that “relentless attacks with long -range weapons … intensified” throughout Ukraine.
Civilians’ attacks have also increased, using short -range drones in front line areas: “The Russian armed forces have carried out position attacks on the left bank of the Dnipro river with drones that allow real -time observation and the monitoring of targets.
“They continued the victims with drones and dropped explosives on them, causing deaths and injuries. Drones have also struck ambulances and other emergency services, preventing them from reaching the victims. ”
Mr. Mose, who is not a member of the UN staff and works independently, said that the investigation had not been able to verify the Russian allegations of drone attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces, citing a lack of access to the affected territory and a lack of Russia’s commitment.
In Sudan, conditions quickly deteriorate in El Fasher, the besieged capital in northern Darfur.
Between September 17 and 19, more than 7,500 people fled the Abu Shouk travel camp and parts of El Fasher, according to reports from the United Nations International Migration Organization (Iom).
After an increase in deadly attacks in El Fasher, Secretary General António Guterres And the chief of the rescue Tom Fletcher has raised urgent concerns concerning the climbing of the crisis, warning that civilians remain trapped and that many face famine conditions.
The children sit next to makeshift tents in El Fasher, in northern Darfur, where intensified fights have left thousands of people trapped.
Warnings follow the attack on the Mosque on Friday, which would have been led by the militia of the rapid support forces, which killed more than 70 people – including at least 11 children – according to the first reports of the United Nations Children’s Agency Unicef.
Humanitarian response efforts were also seriously disrupted by the increase in violence, a local organization would have been forced to suspend operations in the city of Darfuri held by the government of El Fasher.
These challenges are still aggravated by seasonal floods and an epidemic of cholera nationwide.
In the state of southern Darfur, “more than 5,200 alleged cases and 250 deaths have been reported since May,” said Dujarric. From Sunday, the UN and its partners launched a large -scale cholera vaccination campaign across Darfur, targeting around 1.9 million people in the region.
At the start of the high -level week, “Mr. Guterres once again calls for a concerted international action in support of the people of Sudan, “said the United Nations spokesperson.
The United Nations Human Rights Office, Ohchr,, described The imprisonment in China of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is deeply disturbing.
Development comes after Ms. Zhan was sentenced to four more prison on what the OHCHC calls “the vague and ill -defined accusation of” choosing quarrels and provoking problems “.
More details on this last charge have not been disclosed, but it is supposed to be based on its social media activity, said the United Nations Rights Office. This also expressed his concerns about the conduct of his trial, saying that independent observers were not allowed to attend his hearing.
According to Ohchr, this is the second time that Ms. Zhan has been condemned and imprisoned for this offense.
He called for his “immediate and unconditional release”.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
It is according to the Office for the Coordination of United Nations Humanitarian Aid, OchhaAnd UN partners working to provide vital support to civilians in the face of the continuation of Israeli restrictions for help.
The closure of nutrition services in the Gaza governorate is hampering efforts to detect new victims of famine and to maintain treatment for hundreds of children, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric in New York said on Monday.
“On Friday, the Ministry of Health said that 162 people-including 32 children-have died of famine and malnutrition since confirmation of famine,” he said.
While Israeli military operations continued through the strip, the Palestinian civil defense teams said that in the last 10 days, they have carried out more than 50 rescue or recovery missions.
“Health services are also subject to high pressure,” said Dujarric. “Today, the Gaza Ministry of Health has called on people to give blood in the midst of serious shortages in hospitals.”
He stressed once again that no civilian should never be targeted and that the civil infrastructure should always be protected.
The growing number of civilians being forced to go south by Israel’s large -scale offensive to combat Gaza City control exerts increasing pressure on the services already tense available to Khan Younis and Deir Al Balah, where conditions are disastrous, said Dujarric.
Tens of thousands of people must sneak in tents along the beach or pile up in school shelters, while others “sleep in the open air on the rubble of buildings and destroyed houses”.
The UN continues to serve people in need, as much as possible: Monday, seven of the 12 humanitarian missions coordinated with the Israeli authorities were facilitated. While the UN teams have managed to collect Kerem Shalom health supplies. Two other missions to recover food freight have been refused.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
During the 1995 historical event in the Chinese capital, the countries met and adopted the Beijing declaration – A BluePrint document to advance women’s rights (read Our explanator, here).
During the high -level celebration event on Monday, countries, civil society organizations and representatives of the academic world and the private sector explained how to accelerate its implementation.
“For so many of us here in this room, we occupy positions that we were ourselves young, we seemed inaccessible, but are now almost normal for the next generation,” said Annalena Baerbock, referring to the idea that “Women’s Rights are Human Rights ”. – The rally cry of first lady Hillary Clinton 30 years ago in Beijing.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, described the declaration as “the most ambitious global political commitment to the rights of women never carried out”, adding that it has helped to advance legal protection, political participation and education to women worldwide.
Executive director of the gender equality agency United Nations SIMA BAHHE Note that girls are much more likely to finish school today, than any other moment in history.
The number of women in Parliament has almost doubled and nearly 100 discriminatory laws have been reversed worldwide over the past five years only.
“” Each step forward turned out to be the same truth: gender equality works“Said Ms. Bahous.But progress has not been fast enough. “”
A new report UN women released earlier this month revealed that none of gender equality Sustainable development objectives are on the right track. In addition, 676 million women and girls are now living under the shadow of a deadly conflict – the highest recorded since the 1990s.
Cecilia Suárez, United Nations World Defender for the UN projectors’ initiativeA revolutionary program designed to put an end to violence against women and girls, said that it had shown “it is possible to produce positive and concrete results in this fight”.
“” What is required is the leadership of those who met here. Leadership that promotes reforms“, She added.
Speaking about the many women of the world who continue to experience injustice, the human rights activist and Yezidian survivor of terrorist sexual traffickers, Nadia Muradcalled on the international community to finance female organizations on the front line, guarantee the participation of women in peace and security and to hold responsible authors.
“” The next generation of women and girls deserves to inherit more promises, but the reality of justice, equality and dignity“Said Ms. Murad.
Discover a recording below of Celia Suárez in the media area of the UNGA80 SDG on Monday, speaking of the SPOTLIGHT initiative and its role as a global defender since 2020.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
