The Web Summit has established itself as a key event in the global technology calendar, serving as a nexus for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital trends. Together with other EU entities, HaDEA will take part in this year’s edition, taking place from 10 to 13 November in Lisbon, Portugal. During the event, HaDEA will connect and engage with key stakeholders, current beneficiaries, and potential beneficiaries. 

Throughout the summit, visitors can find HaDEA at stand E326 in Pavilion 3, where its representatives (together with colleagues from DG CONNECT, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, and project beneficiaries) will share information on EU funding opportunities, showcase success stories from HaDEA-managed projects, and illustrate how EU support helps turn innovative concepts into concrete achievements. They will also be available to answer questions about current funding programmes.

Masterclass workshop

On 11 November (14.30–15.15), HaDEA will host a workshop in Masterclass Room 3 titled “Investing in future technologies: How to get EU funding for your project?”. 

The session will feature HaDEA Director Marina Zanchi, Head of Unit Silke Obst, and representatives from four HaDEA-managed projects, who will share their experience of translating EU support into real-world innovation. 

From next-generation AI for critical infrastructures to digital building innovation, space data for SMEs, and AI-powered breast cancer treatment, the projects featured at Web Summit illustrate the breadth and impact of HaDEA’s work.

HADEA’s projects at the Web Summit 2025:

• AI4REALNET develops new methods for trustworthy AI-assisted decision-making in the management of critical infrastructures such as electricity, railway, and air traffic systems. By combining human expertise and artificial intelligence through augmented cognition, hybrid human–AI co-learning, and autonomous AI, the project aims to enhance the safety, resilience, and security of these essential networks. It also promotes the use of open, AI-friendly simulation environments that allow researchers and operators to test and validate new algorithms under realistic conditions. In doing so, AI4REALNET contributes directly to Europe’s goals of decarbonisation, digitalisation, and improved resilience of vital services.
• openDBL is developing a one-stop digital building logbook, an open and standardised platform designed to simplify how data about buildings is managed throughout their lifecycle. By integrating multidisciplinary expertise and advanced technologies such as AI, blockchain, IoT, and virtual reality, openDBL supports the digitalisation of the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations sectors. The platform will help users manage information efficiently, improve transparency, and support the EU’s green transition.
• FIERCE will engage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, and scale-ups across Europe, providing financial support, business guidance, and access to networks that enable them to design innovative, space-enabled solutions. By fostering new applications in areas such as environmental monitoring, circular economy, and sustainable resource management, FIERCE helps bridge the gap between the European Space Programme and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating new opportunities for sustainable growth and competitiveness.
• RadioVal is conducting one of the first large-scale international validations of AI-based radiomics to predict how breast cancer patients respond to chemotherapy. The project uses advanced medical imaging algorithms and leverages large datasets from previous EU-funded projects to test the tools across eight hospitals in Europe and beyond. RadioVal evaluates the AI methods for reliability, fairness, usability, and clinical relevance, following established guidelines for transparency and safety. By improving the accuracy of treatment predictions, the project aims to reduce overtreatment, enhance patient outcomes, and increase trust in AI-driven healthcare decisions.

Visit HaDEA at booth E326 in Pavilion 3 to discover more about EU-funded innovation and meet the teams behind the featured projects.

Announcing the laureates in the hemicycle on Wednesday, EP President Roberta Metsola said: “By awarding this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia, we honour two journalists whose courage shines as a beacon for all who refuse to be silenced. Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy. The Parliament stands with them, and with all those who continue to demand freedom.”

Andrzej Poczobut is a journalist, essayist, blogger and activist from the Polish minority in Belarus. Known for his outspoken criticism of the Lukashenka regime and his writings on history and human rights, he has been arrested many times. Detained since 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony. His health has since deteriorated but, despite not receiving the medical care he needs, he is still fighting for freedom and democracy. Poczobut’s current state of health is unknown and his family is not allowed to visit.

In a resolution adopted on 15 March 2023, Parliament called for the immediate and unconditional release of Andrzej Poczobut, stating that the charges against him were “politically motivated” and “aimed at silencing independent voices and suppressing freedom of expression and association”.

Mzia Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist and director of online media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January 2025 for joining anti-government protests in Georgia. In August, she was sentenced to two years in prison on political grounds. Georgia’s first female political prisoner since the country’s independence and a defender of freedom of expression, Amaglobeli has become the figurehead for Georgia’s pro-democracy protest movement, opposing the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ party’s regime since the contested October 2024 elections.

In a resolution adopted on 19 June 2025, Parliament called for the immediate and unconditional release of Mzia Amaglobeli in Georgia, condemning “the Georgian Dream regime’s systemic attacks on democratic institutions, political opposition, independent media, civil society and the independence of the judiciary”.

Parliament stands with defenders of democracy and freedom of expression

Parliament is a staunch supporter of the democratic opposition in Belarus and awarded it the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2020. In May 2024, President Roberta Metsola signed a letter of intent to strengthen cooperation between the European Parliament and democratic forces in Belarus. In a formal plenary sitting in Strasbourg on 22 October 2025, Parliament welcomed two prominent opposition leaders from Belarus, Sergey Tihanovski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, adopting a further resolution on the situation in Belarus on the same day.

On Georgia, in November 2024, Parliament called for the country to hold fresh elections following the contested ones held in October 2024. In July 2025, MEPs adopted a resolution deploring democratic backsliding and repression in Georgia, and stating that the current Georgian government was jeopardising the country’s EU accession path. They called on the EU and member states to impose bilateral and coordinated personal sanctions on key Georgian Dream officials. They also asked the European Commission to review the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the EU’s highest distinction in the field of human rights. Every year since 1988, Parliament has awarded it to individuals, groups or organisations in recognition of their work to defend human rights, freedom of expression and democratic values.

Several Sakharov Prize laureates have gone on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Most recently, 2024 Sakharov Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado in Venezuela was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Other examples include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Denis Mukwege, Nadia Mourad, Ales Bialiatski and Oleksandra Matviichuk.

To see the list of previous Sakharov Prize laureates, click here.

In 2023, 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in the EU, or 177.8 kg per inhabitant. While this marks a reduction of 8.7 kg per capita compared with 2022, the figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013.

Out of all the packaging waste generated, 40.4% was paper and cardboard, 19.8% was plastic, 18.8% glass, 15.8% wood, 4.9% metal and 0.2% other packaging. 

An average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste was generated in 2023 for each person living in the EU. Out of this, 14.8 kg were recycled. The amount of generated plastic waste decreased by 1.0 kg compared with 2022, while the amount of recycled plastic waste increased by 0.1 kg. Between 2013 and 2023, the amount of plastic packaging waste generated increased by 6.4 kg per capita, while the amount recycled increased by 3.8 kg.

Source dataset: env_waspac

This information comes from data on packaging waste published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on packaging waste.

Increase in plastic packaging waste recycling

In 2023, the EU recycled 42.1% of all the generated plastic packaging waste, indicating an increase in the recycling rate compared with 2013 (38.2%).

Belgium recorded the highest recycling rate at 59.5%, followed by Latvia (59.2%) and Slovakia (54.1%).

In contrast, the lowest rates were recorded in Hungary (23.0%), France (25.7%) and Austria (26.9%).

Source dataset: env_waspac