The Professional Internships project in Portugal is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) to help young, unemployed or disadvantaged people secure long-term employment. The initiative aims to help young people in their first steps towards building a career and breaking the cycle of unemployment.

This project is part of a wider ESF effort to tackle youth unemployment and promote social inclusion across Europe. By funding targeted programmes like this one, the ESF hopes to equip young people with the skills and experience they need to succeed in the world of work.

The European Year of Skills will be celebrated with the European Skills Festival on 9 May, Europe Day. This celebration aims to promote investment in training and up-skilling, enabling individuals to stay in their current jobs or find new ones that match their ambitions and skills. The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the largest investment in improving the skills of individuals across Europe.

Cohesion policy funding for the period 2021-2027 is expected to have a positive impact on the European Union's economy. It is expected to create around 1.3 million jobs and increase EU GDP by an average of 0.5% by the end of the decade, with some Member States experiencing an increase of up to 4%. Moreover, the policy will facilitate the delivery of a range of public goods that will bring tangible benefits to European citizens, regions and cities. Cohesion policy aims to mobilise a total investment of €545 billion over this period, of which €378 billion will be financed by the EU.

The Commission has put forward new rules to help businesses, especially SMEs, to maximise their innovation, exploit new technologies and strengthen the EU's competitiveness and technological autonomy. The suggested regulations regarding standard essential patents, compulsory patent licensing during crisis scenarios, and the review of laws concerning supplementary protection certificates will establish an intellectual property rights framework that is more transparent, efficient and sustainable.

HEC Montreal (Canada), in partnership with the University of Northampton, ESSCA and Foreign Trade University, will host the Social Business Creation (SBC) global conference in 2023 which will take place between 15 and 20 June. The event will bring together experts, researchers, practitioners and students from around the world to discuss social entrepreneurship and innovation.

The European Commission has proposed new rules for economic governance that are fit for the future. These new rules aim to make the EU's Economic and Monetary Union more resilient to future crises and better able to support sustainable and inclusive growth. The proposed rules include changes to the Stability and Growth Pact, which sets out the EU's fiscal rules, and new measures to improve economic coordination and surveillance.

The European Commission is proposing an overhaul of pharmaceutical legislation in the European Union. This reform is considered the biggest in more than 20 years and aims to increase agility, flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of citizens and businesses across the EU. The proposed revision will improve the availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines, while supporting innovation and enhancing the competitiveness and attractiveness of the EU pharmaceutical industry. It will also promote higher environmental standards, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Today, 26 April, Faculty of Economics, University of Algarve  in partnership with the Centre for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra hosted an Open Masterclass on Social Innovation and Territorial Dynamics under the European project Atlantic Social Lab.The event was presented by Professor Hugo Pinto, the principal investigator of CES. The main aim of the masterclass was to provide a perspective on social innovation, drawing on his experiences in the Atlantic Social Lab and briefly present the research conducted in this project since 2017.

The 2023 European Public Employment Services (PES) Network Stakeholder Conference was a professional gathering aimed at empowering the workforce and bridging the skills gap. The conference brought together around 150 participants in Brussels on 30 March 2023 as part of the European Year of Skills. The event focused on discussing strategies to improve the skills of the European workforce and address the challenges posed by the skills gap.

On April 18th, the European Commission approved a proposal for the EU Cyber Solidarity Act with the aim of enhancing cyber security capabilities within the European Union. The act is designed to promote a secure and safe digital environment for both citizens and businesses, while also safeguarding critical facilities and essential services such as hospitals and public utilities. The proposal includes measures to increase cooperation among member states in responding to cyber attacks, establish a framework for assessing cyber risks, and improve the resilience of critical infrastructure.