Notices by European Commission (eucommission@ec.social-network.europa.eu)

❌ Myth: "The EU just decides to add any country it wants, when it feels like it."
✅ Reality: “That's not how EU enlargement works.”

The process of joining the EU is based on a clear set of requirements known as the Copenhagen Criteria, agreed by EU leaders in 1993.

Joining takes years of reforms, negotiations, and continuous assessment. Progress is evaluated on merit.

Every candidate country goes through the same process before joining.

Read more here:
https://link.europa.eu/F639Tm

Urban areas are hotter than forests.

EU’s Copernicus satellites recorded a difference of about 23°C on land surfaces in the most affected areas of Europe during last week’s heatwave.

We’re making your city greener by:

🔸Committing to planting at least 3 billion trees by 2030
🔸Promoting sustainable living through the European Bauhaus

When the heat returns, hydrate, avoid the midday sun, and check on those most at risk.

From 1 July, e-commerce platfoms will pay a €3 customs duty on every item worth €150 or less entering the EU from outside.

For years, they shipped millions of parcels to European consumers. No safety checks, no customs. Your local shop paid the bill. And still had to compete on price.

And last year, over 60% of products bought online from non-EU platforms were found unsafe.

European consumers deserve safe products. European businesses deserve fair competition.

https://link.europa.eu/TC6wnR

🇲🇪 ➡️🇪🇺

Today, we proposed how Montenegro will participate in the EU budget - both contributing to it and benefiting from EU investment - once it joins our Union.

Another milestone towards a stronger Europe. 💙

✈️ Air travel doesn’t always go to plan.

Updated EU air passenger rights aim to make the rules clearer for travellers:

💶 Compensation info should be provided within 96 hours of a disruption
🌦️ Clearer criteria on when compensation does not apply
🧳 More transparent fares and hand baggage charges
🔄 No-show should not mean no return
♿ Stronger protections for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility

More clarity for passengers across the EU → https://link.europa.eu/N7Ck8j

🏷️ AI content is getting labels.

Just like energy ratings or safety certifications help you make informed choices, the same logic now applies to AI.

From 2 August 2026, the AI Act will require clear labelling in key cases:
🔹 Deepfakes
🔹 AI-generated or manipulated content
🔹 Interactions with chatbots and AI systems

You have the right to know whether what you see, hear or read has been made or altered by AI 🤖

👉 https://link.europa.eu/jrcdgq

Good news for summer!

You can swim safely in most of Europe’s bathing waters.

The latest European Bathing Water report shows that 85% of bathing sites in the EU are rated ‘excellent‘, while 96% meet at least the minimum quality standards.

Cyprus leads with all its bathing waters rated excellent.

This progress didn’t happen by chance. It is the result of EU environmental legislation and efforts by EU countries to improve water quality across Europe.

🔗 https://link.europa.eu/NcnxKD

Open source technology is at the very heart of our digital strategy.

We've chosen the EUROPA consortium to develop a highly advanced, open language model that spans all 24 official EU languages.

We are proud to support transparent digital tools that remain freely available to researchers, creators, and public institutions in all EU countries.

Open technology benefits everyone.

More 👉 https://link.europa.eu/CygbN7

Protecting biodiversity starts with understanding what puts it at risk. 🌿

A recent survey shows clear awareness of the main threats facing nature, from pollution to land-use change and infrastructure development.

Europeans want to keep restoring and protecting nature across Europe. 🌍💚

More → https://link.europa.eu/NmHyRg

Whether here on our Mastodon server, or on ATproto with new W profile 👉 @ec.europa.eu – we look forward to staying connected with you.

ℹ️ http://wsocial.eu/

A strong Europe needs independent digital spaces.

We believe true digital sovereignty thrives on a competitive, contestable, open ecosystem where diverse platforms co-exist.

Today, we’re expanding our presence to W, the new social media. By being on W, we want to boost alternatives and support all efforts toward a decentralised web.

And we continue to invest into our presence on the Fediverse!

📱 Young people spend 4.5 hours online on school days and 6.1 hours at weekends.
⚠️ 14% spend more than 10 hours a day on screens.
💬 Nearly 1 in 3 say social media makes them feel stressed, sad or left out.
🛑 1 in 4 have seen harmful content online.

A new Eurobarometer survey shows the impact screen time and social media can have on young people's wellbeing.

Social media can help us connect and learn. But the findings show we must do more to protect young people online.

https://link.europa.eu/WtmHcP

Starting today, improved manufacturing and labelling standards are coming to your breakfast table:

🍯 Improved rules on origin labelling for honey
🧃 Juice sugar transparency
🍓 Higher fruit content in jams

It’s a major win for transparency, because Europeans deserve to know what’s really on their table.

➡️ https://link.europa.eu/N7DrcM

🇪🇺🤝🇧🇷

Today marks an important milestone in EU–Brazil cooperation.

We have signed a Digital Partnership, strengthening our collaboration in key areas:
🔸 Data governance
🔸 Artificial intelligence solutions
🔸 Digital infrastructure and connectivity
🔸 Online platforms
🔸 Digital public goods and services

Together, we are advancing a human-centred, inclusive digital transformation that works for everyone.

More: https://link.europa.eu/G7Gfjg

You have a right to know if that article or video you saw online is made using artificial intelligence.

We want to make the digital world more transparent and trustworthy.

Think clearer chatbot notices, deep fake disclosures, and machine-readable tags for AI videos.

That is why we just launched a new Code of Practice to ensure AI providers and those using them can clearly label AI-generated content and interactive tools ahead of the AI Act obligations.

More info ➡️ https://link.europa.eu/pKjVVB

We have proposed the EU budget for 2027 💶

Almost €200 billion to support everyday life across Europe:

💶 Strong and competitive economy
🛡️ Stronger defence
🏠 Affordable housing
⚡️ Energy transition
🇺🇦 Continued support for Ukraine
🌾 Agriculture
🎓 Key EU programmes

https://link.europa.eu/3Gh4qH

Have you heard of Apple's decision on the rollout of Siri AI in Europe? Let's get the facts straight ⬇️

The planet doesn’t negotiate. It sends signals: rising seas, wildfires, heatwaves.

The EU responds with commitments like:

🔸Water Resilience Strategy
🔹Chemical Regulation
🔸EU Climate Law (net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050)
🔹Restoring nature and repairing damaged ecosystems

Change is accelerating: solar and wind infrastructure is expanding, cities are being redesigned around nature.

This World Environment Day, the debate isn't if climate change is real, but how fast we can act.

Your digital future should be open, secure, and made in Europe.

We are home to over 3 million open source developers across the EU.

With our new Tech Sovereignty plan, we are taking concrete steps to protect our digital freedom:

👉 Strengthening Europe’s microchip ecosystem
👉 Boosting European cloud and AI capacity
👉 Backing open source software to build better digital tools.
👉 Using AI and digital tech to improve Europe’s energy system

Discover more: https://link.europa.eu/FpwJxG

The EU is making it easier than ever to ditch the car keys and hop on your bike.

The upcoming World Bicycle Day is the perfect occasion to do so.

With 92,000+ km of EuroVelo cycling routes and our European Declaration on Cycling, we are committed to boosting this experience for you:

✔️ Safer cycling networks
✔️ Dedicated bike spaces on cross-border trains
✔️ Funding for e-bike charging points and secure parking

Discover the EU’s most scenic bike paths: https://en.eurovelo.com/#routes-and-countries