Lithuania: EPPO secures four convictions in €10 million tobacco smuggling scheme

(Luxembourg, 28 January 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius (Lithuania) has secured four convictions, including of two former customs officers, following an investigation into an organised crime group found to have evaded nearly €10 million in import, customs and excise taxes by smuggling cigarettes. Last week (23 January), the Vilnius Regional … Leer más

Signature of the Procurement Contract for the EuroHPC Quantum Computer Located in Spain

MareNostrum-Ona will be an «analogue quantum computer» in the form of a quantum annealer. The first-generation system will offer at least 10 physical qubits, with capabilities increasing in both coherence times and number of qubits by the third generation.   The new system will be accessible to a wide range of European users, from the scientific … Leer más

Learning Languages – a Way to Enrich Yourself

Última actualización Martes, 28/01/2025 Do you remember that time you went abroad on a holiday? Probably you made new friends there – peers with whom you chatted in a bar on the city square after sunset. Learning languages can happen in most unexpected ways. In this article, we will discover personal stories and practical techniques … Leer más

Investigation Admiral 2.0: suspected ringleader indicted in record time for large-scale tax evasion and money laundering

(Luxembourg, 27 January 2025) – Today, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Riga (Latvia) has filed an indictment against the suspected ringleader of the criminal syndicate targeted by the Admiral 2.0 investigation. The investigation unveiled a large-scale VAT fraud scheme involving the trade of popular electronic goods and creating an estimated VAT loss of … Leer más

Criminals operating an illegal financial service to launder millions of euros busted

An international investigation spanning several years has led to the arrest of 23 criminals running a sophisticated money laundering scheme. The group acted as a financial service for other criminals to launder their profits. The scheme facilitated the laundering of approximately EUR 100 million. An international coalition of Spanish, Cypriot and German authorities, with support … Leer más

Cyber-attacks: three individuals added to EU sanctions list for malicious cyber activities against Estonia

The Council today adopted additional restrictive measures against three Russian individuals responsible for a series of cyberattacks carried out against the Republic of Estonia in 2020. The individuals listed are officers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) Unit 29155. The cyber-attacks granted attackers unauthorized access to classified information … Leer más

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has called for changes to the European Union’s State aid rules in order to recognise and better accommodate the needs of social economy entities, which play a critical role in tackling societal challenges. In the  opinion entitled How to support social economy entities in line with State aid rules: … Leer más

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the latest escalation in eastern DRC

The EU is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), aggravated by the renewed offensive of the M23 supported by the Rwandan Armed Forces (RDF). This undermines African-led efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The EU reaffirms its full support to the … Leer más