Every year there are devastating forest fires in Europe, destroying thousands of hectares of forests. The South European countries are at higher risk, but no European country is immune. When the fire gets too big for a country to extinguish it on its own, the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism can be activated to coordinate the response from participating states.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton condemned the shelling of an UNRWA school in Gaza and of a market in Shuja’iyeh and urged for an investigation to be launched as well as civilian population to be protected in accordance with the international humanitarian law.

There are only a few minutes before your flight check-in closes, or before your train departs, but you now have to spend precious time hunting for a free space at the airport or station car park. Imagine leaving your vehicle at the main entrance and letting the car do the rest on its own. Researchers from Germany, Italy, the UK and Switzerland are working on this, and successful tests took place at Stuttgart airport earlier this year. €5.6 million of EU funding is invested in the system which will be available in the coming years.

Human trafficking is a gross violation of human rights and fight to eradicate it must remain a political priority both within and beyond European borders, said European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström on the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons. She urged all citizens to take personal responsibility and be more thoughtful about lifestyle choices and consumer habits in order to avoid by all means to be involved in “this scourge.”

European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has written a letter to EU Education Ministers urging them to ensure that children have the opportunity to develop basic computer coding skills in school.

Every summer millions of Europeans descend upon the continent’s airports on their way to sunshine and adventure. As airport users explode in number, so does the cost and environmental footprint of running an airport.

After the European Elections, the number of citizens who feel their voice counts in the EU has risen from 29 percent in November 2013 to 42 percent, which is the highest level since this question was first put into the Standard Eurobarometer a decade ago, a latest survey showed.

In the last decade, both the number of organic farms and the area dedicated to organic farming have grown by 50 percent or more. Organic area in the EU increased by about 500 000 hectares per year. As a result there are more than 186 000 organic farms across Europe, cultivating an area of 9.6 million hectares according to the latest Brief on organic farming published by the European Commission.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council expressed shock and saddeness over the crash of the Malaysian Airlines Flight in Ukraine, calling the separatist groups in the area to ensure full access to the site. It agreed to accelerate preparation for new sanctions against Russia. The Council also discussed recent developments in the Middle East, urging the sides for an immediate cessation of the hostilities.

Top European Union officials have expressed shock by the crash of Malaysian Airlines flight on Ukrainian territory and the loss of many lives, calling for urgent international probe that would fully clarify all circumstances of the crash.