REDIBIT Launches Construction Safety Campaign Targeting Fall, Entrapment Hazards

The Organismo Estatal Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (OEITSS) announced Spain's participation in REDIBIT's first joint Ibero-American labour inspection campaign focused on the construction sector. The campaign runs through 15 June 2026 and involves construction-site visits targeting three primary hazards: falls from height, ground collapse, and worker entrapment. Inspections will follow standard procedures, with data collected across participating countries for joint analysis to identify common problems and develop shared solutions.

NHID Issues Consumer Guidance on Flood Insurance Coverage and Flood Risk

The New Hampshire Insurance Department issued consumer guidance on March 6, 2026, reminding residents that standard homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover flood damage and that flooding can occur throughout the state from heavy rain, snowmelt, ice jams, and other events. The guidance explains that flood insurance is available through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and private insurers, outlines differences between NFIP and private coverage options, and notes that Risk Rating 2.0 affects NFIP pricing based on property characteristics. The NHID emphasizes that properties outside high-risk flood zones still carry some flood risk and encourages residents to evaluate their coverage needs with a licensed insurance agent.

NH Insurance Warns Drivers of Insurance Consequences Under New 100 MPH Reckless Driving Law

The New Hampshire Insurance Department issued a consumer alert on March 9, 2026, warning drivers about long-term financial consequences under RSA 265:79, the state's new law penalizing driving 100 miles per hour or greater that took effect January 1, 2026. First offenses carry a minimum $750 fine plus 90-day license suspension; subsequent offenses carry a minimum $1,000 fine plus 90-day to one-year suspension. The department emphasizes that beyond these penalties, convictions may result in substantially higher auto insurance premiums, changes to underwriting carrier, or difficulty obtaining coverage in the private market.

Bulletin INS 26-019-AB: 2027 Plan Year Issuer Guidance

The New Hampshire Insurance Department issued Bulletin INS 26-019-AB on April 7, 2026, providing filing guidance to licensed health and dental insurers for Plan Year 2027. The bulletin covers medical and dental issuers seeking Qualified Health Plan certification on and off the federal exchange, as well as non-QHP plans. Key deadlines include an initial filing deadline of May 1, 2026, for issuers introducing new products, networks, or discontinuing plans. Required submissions include the NHID Network Adequacy template via SERFF and the Mental Health Parity Quantitative Treatment Limits Reporting Tool for all health plan issuers.

TAREKS System Planned Shutdown Announced by Turkey Ministry of Trade

The Turkey Ministry of Trade announced a planned outage of the TAREKS (Risk-Based Control System in Foreign Trade) platform. The system will be unavailable from May 15, 2026 at 20:00 through May 17, 2026 at 20:00 — a 48-hour window — to allow for technical infrastructure works. Users are advised to complete any necessary transactions before the downtime begins.

TNB Vehicle Query Service Interruption Notice

The Turkish Ministry of Trade (Ticaret Bakanlığı) website published a notice regarding TNB vehicle query service interruption. The page lists multiple announcements from the ministry including trade chat meetings with trade counselors in various countries, training programs, exam results, and system maintenance notices. The specific content of the TNB vehicle query service interruption is referenced but the detailed notice text is not fully displayed in this navigation page.

T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı Haberleri

The Turkish Ministry of Trade website homepage publishes recent trade and economic news, including Minister Bolat's meeting with EU country ambassadors, Turkey-Kosovo bilateral trade reaching approximately $1 billion, and Turkey's cooperative digitisation initiative. The page also aggregates international economic indicators such as Germany's ZEW confidence index, producer prices, eurozone inflation, and UK growth data. As an informational index page, it does not create new regulatory obligations.

Nearly 1.5 Million Received Tax Settlement, 17th Apr

Updated figures as of April 17, 2026 show that 4.1 million people have visited skatteetaten.no to check their tax returns, with nearly 1.5 million having received their tax settlement. Of the 2.6 million employees and pensioners who have filed their returns, approximately 2.7 million are projected to receive tax refunds averaging 15,200 kroner each (totaling 42 billion kroner), while about 1.2 million are expected to owe additional tax averaging 43,200 kroner (totaling 50 billion kroner). The filing deadline is April 30 for employees and pensioners, and June 1 for self-employed individuals.

81,000 Crypto Owners Report 34B NOK in 2024

Skatteetaten reports that 81,000 Norwegian individuals disclosed cryptocurrency holdings in their 2024 tax filings, up from 55,000 in 2023, collectively reporting approximately 34 billion NOK in crypto assets. The OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) entered into force on 1 January 2026, requiring crypto exchange and custody providers to report annually to tax authorities, including information on transactions and data from foreign operators. Oslo leads with 16,330 crypto owners, followed by Bergen (5,284) and Trondheim (4,008).

Norway Eases Property Market Value Documentation Rules for 2025 Tax Returns

Skatteetaten has moved the documentation deadline for property market value changes in tax returns from July 1 to January 1 of the income year, effective for the 2025 tax return filed by April 30. Taxpayers may now submit purchase prices, appraisals, or valuations dated from January 1, 2025 onward to support a lower property valuation. Those who already filed documentation dated before July 1 will have their submissions corrected automatically without further action.

Elias Magosi to Attend IMF World Bank 2026 Spring Meetings in Washington

H.E. Elias Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will attend the IMF and World Bank Group 2026 Spring Meetings scheduled for April 13 to 18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The SADC leader will participate in official sessions and engage in high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings on the margins to advance the region's economic priorities. The meetings, themed 'Building Prosperity Through Policy,' bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, and other stakeholders to discuss global economic issues including debt sustainability, climate finance, and inclusive growth.

High-Level Engagement Meetings for DRC Accession to SADC Protocols

The SADC Secretariat, in collaboration with the German Government through the GIZ-CESARE Programme, will convene High-Level Engagement Meetings in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo from 27 April to 01 May 2026. The five-day workshop aims to advance DRC's accession to three key SADC Protocols: the Protocol on Trade (1996), the Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology (1996), and the Protocol on Trade in Services (2012). Ministers, legislators, senior government officials, private sector leaders, and technical experts will participate across political engagement sessions and technical sessions.

SADC Executive Secretary Strengthens Global Partnerships at IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings

H.E. Elias Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), participated in the IMF–World Bank Group Spring Meetings from April 13–18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The Secretariat manages a programme portfolio valued at US$31,566,210 across statistics, climate resilience, groundwater management, and energy sectors. The World Bank committed US$292 million for the Zambian portion of the Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector and US$12 million for Phase Two of the SADC Regional Energy Transmission, Trade, and Decarbonization (RETRADE) Programme running until December 2028. Engagements included discussions on Zimbabwe's Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Roadmap, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and health financing initiatives amid reductions in Official Development Assistance.

Philippines Foreign Minister Visits ASEAN, Hands Over Chairship Sculpture

H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, visited ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta on April 22, 2026, for a bilateral meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn. The visit included a ceremonial handover of the Philippines' commemorative Chairship sculpture, titled 'Vitality 2026,' which will be permanently housed in the ASEAN Gallery. The principals also discussed the Philippines' priorities during its 2026 ASEAN Chairship amid global turmoil and the energy crisis.

ASEAN Secretary-General Attends Reception for Philippines Foreign Secretary Lazaro

Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn attended a reception on April 22, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta, hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN, in honor of H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) 2026. The reception followed a bilateral meeting between Dr. Kao and Secretary Lazaro at ASEAN Headquarters. Representatives from ASEAN Member States and the diplomatic community participated, underscoring the Philippines' ongoing engagement with ASEAN and its external partners.

ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials Meet in Kazan, Mark 35 Years

The 22nd ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials Meeting (ARSOM) convened in Kazan, Russia, on April 21, 2026, co-chaired by Permanent Secretary Hau Khan Sum of Myanmar and Deputy Minister Andrey Rudenko of the Russian Federation. The meeting reviewed progress under the ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action for 2021-2025 and noted ongoing consideration of a successor document for 2026-2030. A Commemorative Summit is scheduled for June 2026 in Kazan to mark the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations.

New Technologies Reshaping Work, Not Destroying Jobs

Eurofound published findings from the European Working Conditions Survey 2024, based on 36,644 face-to-face interviews across 35 countries, revealing that technology is more likely to create new tasks than remove existing ones. The survey found that 40% of EU workers use online meeting tools, 35% use electronic collaboration platforms, and 12% use generative AI tools as of 2024. Challenges emerging from digitalisation include skills mismatches, generational divides, and reduced worker autonomy, with 30% of workers believing they are overskilled for their roles and concerns rising about algorithmic management reducing worker agency.

Eurofound Talks: Europeans Face Climate Change, Affordability Crisis, Renters Exposed

Eurofound published a new Eurofound Talks podcast episode on April 22, 2026, featuring a discussion with EEA's Aleksandra Kazmierczak and Eurofound's Marianna Baggio on the joint report 'Overheated and underprepared: Europeans' experience of living with climate change.' The survey of 27,000 respondents found that 80% of Europeans have felt the impact of extreme weather, while 38% overall report being unable to afford to keep their homes cool—a figure rising to two-thirds for those already struggling financially. The discussion highlighted regional disparities, a lack of agency for renters, and the need for collective policy action including progressive grants, updated building rules, and urban greening.

Job Quality Improves in Europe, But Gender Gaps Remain

Eurofound's European Working Conditions Survey 2024 draws on 36,644 in-depth interviews across 35 countries to assess job quality trends. The share of employees working more than 48 hours per week has declined from 19% to 11% since 2005, while 85% of workers feel fairly treated and 80% report being in good health. However, the Social Environment index has deteriorated for women since 2010, and 29% of workers remain unaware of workplace measures to combat occupational stress. The survey findings underscore persistent gender, generational, and sectoral divides in working conditions across Europe.

CBDT Notifies ITR-2 Form for AY 2026-27

The Central Board of Direct Taxes has issued Notification No. 46/2026, dated March 30, 2026, substituting the Income Tax Return Form ITR-2 in Appendix-II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, for Assessment Year 2026-27. The Income-tax (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 come into force with effect from March 31, 2026. The revised ITR-2 form includes updated fields for personal information, residential status determination, filing status (original, revised, defective, or in response to notice under sections 139(9), 142(1), 148, or 153C), address details for communication, PAN and Aadhaar numbers, and schedules requiring disclosure of unlisted equity shares held during the previous year, along with thresholds for high-value transactions including deposits exceeding Rs. 1 crore in current accounts and electricity expenditure exceeding Rs. 1 lakh.

CBDT Notifies ITR-3 Form for AY 2026-27

The CBDT has substituted Form ITR-3 in Appendix II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, via the Income-tax (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2026, effective March 31, 2026, applicable to returns filed for Assessment Year 2026-27. The revised form includes updated personal information fields, communication address requirements, filing status verification questions, and new regime-selection tracking through Form 10IEA. New questions capture business/profession income status, prior-year ITR-3/4 filing history with Form 10IEA, and tax regime switching information for individuals and HUFs.

CBDT Notifies ITR-5 Form for Assessment Year 2026-27

The Central Board of Direct Taxes has substituted Form ITR-5 in Appendix-II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962 through the Income-tax (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026. The amended form, applicable for Assessment Year 2026-27, covers persons other than individuals, HUFs, companies, and ITR-7 filers, including firms, LLPs, AOPs/BOIs, cooperative societies, business trusts, and artificial juridical persons. The rules come into force from 31 March 2026.

Five Scenarios Map Europe's 2040 Learning Futures

Cedefop published research mapping five policy scenarios for European education and training systems by 2040, ranging from 'Flex Max' (highly adaptable, integrated learning ecosystem) to 'Rigid Islands' (stable, standardised systems with limited mobility). The scenarios explore how current policy choices on flexibility, portability, and recognition of learning outcomes will shape the future of lifelong learning across Member States. The report does not predict which future will materialise but invites policymakers to consider what current decisions may already be determining.

Romania Launches Quality Assurance Mechanism for Vocational Training Work-Based Learning

The National Centre for TVET Development (NCTVETD) developed a comprehensive quality assurance and monitoring mechanism for work-based learning (WBL) in initial vocational education and training (IVET) between June and November 2025. The mechanism includes quality assurance methodology, assessment tools, monitoring visits to company premises, and a four-tier reporting system spanning local, county, regional, and national levels. The mechanism will be piloted in the 2026/27 school year in 840 companies offering WBL, with 420 teachers from 210 IVET providers receiving training from March through June 2026.

Italy Adopts New Guidelines for Interprofessional CVET Funds

Italy's Ministry of Labour adopted Directorial Decree No. 8 of January 9, 2026, introducing new guidelines for Joint Interprofessional Funds for continuing vocational training (CVET), replacing the 2018 framework. The updated guidelines establish clearer procedures for fund establishment, operation, financial resource utilisation, and data transmission via the Vocational Training Information System (SI-FP). The new framework strengthens oversight through systemic and expenditure auditing by the labour ministry, with potential expansion of Funds' role in active labour market policies beyond training financing to skill development strategies.

Finland Updates Energy Efficiency Act: New Public Sector Obligations and April Reporting Deadline

Finland's updated Energy Efficiency Act introduced new obligations for the public sector effective January 1, 2026, requiring public entities to report energy end-use consumption annually. Public entities—including state authorities, wellbeing services counties, municipal federations, and municipalities—must submit 2025 data through Energiavirasto's service by April 30, 2026. Municipalities are phased in gradually: those with 50,000+ residents immediately, those with 5,000+ residents from January 1, 2027, and all municipalities from January 1, 2030. The reporting covers building energy consumption, outdoor lighting, water supply, vehicle and machinery fuel use, and other energy consumption.

Kuuleminen tehoreservin tarpeen määrittämisestä 2026-2027

Energiavirasto on julkaissut päätösluonnoksen tehoreservin tarpeen määrittämisestä kaudelle 1.11.2026–31.10.2027. Virasto esittää, että tehoreserviä ei hankita kyseiselle kaudelle, mikäli luonnos hyväksytään sellaisenaan. Sähköntuotannon ja -kulutuksen tasapainosta vastaavat tahot voivat jättää lausuntonsa Energiavirastolle 27.4.2026 mennessä.

ACER kuulee sidosryhmiä REMIT-suuntaviivoista 12.6.2026 asti

The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) has launched a public consultation on new REMIT transaction reporting guidelines, open until 12 June 2026 at 17:00 CET. The consultation targets market participants, national regulators, RRMs, inside information publication platforms, and organized market places to gather input on clarifying who reports, what is reported, and when. ACER plans to review feedback and publish the final guideline in October 2026. The consultation draft is available via the provided link, with submissions through ACER's online survey structured according to the guideline's chapters.

Entry/Exit System Fully Deployed Across EU

EU-LISA announces the Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully deployed across the European Union. The EU-LISA Advisory Groups reviewed progress on EES, ETIAS, ECRIS-TCN and Interoperability components as part of the deployment confirmation. This marks a milestone in the EU's modernization of border management systems.

EU-LISA Energy-Efficient Data Centres Publication

EU-LISA published a Research & Innovation overview on energy-efficient data centres on 21/04/2026. The publication is listed as a high-level overview on the EU-LISA website under their public publications section. This appears to be a routine agency publication sharing technical guidance on data centre energy efficiency.

Japanese Corporate Tax Survey FY2024 Results: Record 1.19M Profitable Companies

The National Tax Agency of Japan released its FY2024 corporate tax sample survey results covering approximately 2.999 million active domestic corporations with fiscal years ending between April 2024 and March 2025, filed by July 31, 2025. Profitable corporations reached a record 1,191,755, up 3.8万 from the prior year; loss-making corporations stood at 1,807,925, representing 60.3% of all entities. Operating revenue totaled 182.3 trillion yen (+3.6%) and pretax income reached 102 trillion yen (+11.2%), both record highs for the fourth and fifth consecutive years respectively. Corporate tax revenue also reached a record 18.68 trillion yen (+13.9%).

Estonia: 68 Data Violations Reported in Q1 2026

The Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate (AKI) published its Q1 2026 report documenting 68 data protection violations reported by organisations, representing a 5% increase compared to Q1 2025. Public sector entities (government agencies, local governments, and their subsidiaries) accounted for 31 of the reported cases. The report provides incident examples and prevention recommendations, including guidance on session management, browser hygiene, and mitigating risks from infostealer malware targeting personal devices used for work purposes.

Norway Water Reservoir Fill Level 31.9%, Down 1.0 Points

NVE reports Norway's national water reservoir fill level at 31.9% at the end of week 16 2026, a decrease of 1.0 percentage points from the prior week. Historical values and diagrams are available in the full water reservoir statistics publication. The document provides weekly hydrostorage data for energy planning purposes.

NVE Adopts License Conditions Requiring Biodiversity Action Plan for Åmela Power Station

NVE has adopted new license conditions for the Åmela hydroelectric facility operated by Tussa Energi AS in Møre og Romsdal and Vestland counties, requiring the company to prepare a landscape and environmental action plan for four affected watercourses. NVE rejected minimum water-flow requirements and fish ladder construction, finding that power generation and supply security outweigh the marginal environmental gains, and that salmon and sea trout were never present above the waterfalls before or after regulation. The decision marks the first license revision completed under NVE's newly delegated authority from the Energy Ministry effective January 1, 2026. A three-week appeal period applies.

Week 16 2026 Norway: Lower Wind, Higher Power Prices

Average power prices in Norway increased in week 16 despite milder weather and lower consumption, driven by reduced wind power production across the Nordic region and continental Europe. Mid-Norway (NO3) recorded the highest prices, frequently exceeding southern Norway and continental levels, with bottlenecks in the grid compounded by limited short-term production capacity. Norwegian hydropower production increased, with Southwest Norway (NO2) contributing the largest uplift, resulting in Norway becoming a net exporter for the first time after five consecutive weeks of net import.

2 Legal Consultant Vacancies, Data Protection, Latvia

The Latvian Data Protection Inspectorate (DVI) has posted two legal consultant vacancies for its Prevention Division. The positions involve legal consultation work related to data protection matters under Latvian and EU data protection law. No regulatory obligations or compliance deadlines are established by this vacancy announcement.

Modified Opening Hours April 30, 8am to 1pm

On April 30, 2026, the Latvia DVI office will operate modified hours from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM with a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30. Telephone consultations will be available from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The modified schedule is based on Article 135 of the Labour Law, as April 30 precedes the Labour Day public holiday.

Why Prescription Packaging Displays Personal Data

The Latvian Data State Inspectorate (DVI) has issued guidance explaining why pharmacy names and pharmacist identifiers appear on prescription drug packaging. The pharmacy name is legally required to verify dispensing and process reimbursement claims, while patient surnames are not required and may be omitted on request.

Germany and France Appoint Co-Chairs for Digital Finance Taskforce

Germany and France have appointed Tim Armbruster (Treasurer and Head of Financial Markets at KfW Bankengruppe) and Alain Demarolle (financial investor and former adviser to the French Prime Minister and Finance Minister) as co-chairs of the joint German-French Taskforce on the Future of Digital Finance. The taskforce, initiated on 19 January 2026, will examine how digital euro payments can strengthen European payment-system resilience and competitiveness, and how distributed ledger technology (DLT) can improve efficiency and deepen capital market integration. Interim results are planned for June 2026, with a full report expected in H2 2026.

Aviation Tax Rates Cut for All Distance Bands to Pre-May 2024 Levels

The German Federal Cabinet approved draft legislation on 1 April 2026 to reduce aviation tax (Luftverkehrsteuer) rates effective 1 July 2026, reverting to the levels in effect before 1 May 2024. Three distance-based tax bands are reduced: short-haul flights up to 2,500 km fall from €15.53 to €13.03, medium-haul 2,500–6,000 km from €39.34 to €33.01, and long-haul over 6,000 km from €70.83 to €59.43. The Ministry stated it is important that these reductions are passed on to travellers.

German Cabinet Approves €1B Municipal Relief Law (LKEG)

The Bundeskabinett approved the Länder- und Kommunalentlastungsgesetz (LKEG) on 15 April 2026, committing to annual federal relief of €1 billion from 2026 through 2029 for Länder and their Kommunen. The relief package distributes funds across three mechanisms: approximately €250 million for financially weak states to reduce municipal liquidity credits, €350 million for eastern German states to offset DDR supplementary pension system costs, and €400 million for financially strong states through adjusted federal financial equalization tariffs. Combined with the €100 billion special infrastructure fund and €8 billion for educational infrastructure, total relief to Länder and Kommunen reaches approximately €25 billion through 2029.

Capital Gains Tax: MURI Notification Requirement Revoked

The German Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) has issued a general administrative order (Allgemeinverfügung) revoking the annual MURI notification obligation previously attached to tax exemption certificates under § 50c Abs. 2 Satz 1 Nr. 1 EStG. Capital gains recipients are no longer required to submit annual reports of accrued capital gains to BZSt by May 31 of the following calendar year. This exemption does not apply to capital gains from shares held in collective or special custody arrangements.

CESOP Validation Results Delayed

The German Central Tax Office (BZSt) reports that due to a mandatory security certificate exchange, delays are occurring in the feedback of validation results for the Central Electronic System of Payment Information (CESOP). The delays are expected to be resolved by the end of April 2026. The BZSt also notes that delays may occur at the end of each reporting period (e.g., end of April/beginning of May) solely due to increased reporting volumes to the EU.

CbCR Newsletter March 2026 DIP Interface Feedback

The BZSt has issued a newsletter informing submitters that due to technical issues on the BZSt side, feedback cannot be generated for certain CbCR submissions filed through the DIP interface (including file uploads) in the production environment. The BZSt is working to resolve the issue and requests that submitters refrain from related inquiries. For the customer test environment, no feedback from the specialist procedure is generated; only DIP interface validation occurs, with no response unless a fundamental error occurs.

EU and EIB Announce €600M Financing Package for Ukraine Recovery

The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group announced a financing package of over €600 million to support Ukraine's reconstruction. The package comprises over €450 million in EIB financing backed by an extended EU guarantee, plus approximately €150 million in EU grants and technical assistance. The funding targets critical infrastructure including roads, railways, power grids, energy efficiency for homes and public buildings, urban mobility, and education facilities. This announcement was made during the EU–Ukraine Business Summit in Brussels on 22 April 2026.

EU Sanctions Two Entities Over Russian Propaganda

The EU Council adopted restrictive measures on 21 April 2026 against two entities responsible for Russia's hybrid activities: Euromore, a media platform amplifying Kremlin disinformation to European audiences, and Pravfond, a Russian state-founded foundation systematically reinforcing key Kremlin disinformation narratives. Both entities are now subject to an asset freeze, with EU citizens and companies forbidden from making funds, financial assets, or economic resources available to them. This brings the total under Russia's destabilising activities sanctions to 69 individuals and 19 entities.

II Estrategia para la Equidad Territorial y el Reto Demográfico Lanzada en Asturias

Vice President Sara Aagesen launched the II Estrategia Nacional para la Equidad Territorial y el Reto Demográfico in Piloña, Asturias, describing it as a substantial leap rather than an update. The strategy, coordinated through the Red CIT (Territorial Innovation Centers) network of 26 provincial territories with its hub at Nodo CIT MITECO-CIUDEN in Ponferrada, addresses mobility, energy transition, generational succession, and landscape management in rural Spain.

Spain-Brazil MoU on Critical Minerals Signed for Five Years

Spain and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding on critical minerals during the bilateral summit in Barcelona on 17 April 2026. The MoU has a duration of five years, renewable, and covers cooperation in technology transfer, prospecting, R&D, mining, refining, recycling, and transformation of critical minerals, as well as environmental management and investment promotion. A Joint Working Group will identify cooperation opportunities and projects of common interest.

Spanish Water Reserves at 83.5% Capacity

MITECO's weekly water reserve report dated 21 April 2026 shows Spanish reservoirs storing 46,802 hectómetros cúbicos (hm³), representing 83.5% of total national capacity. Reserves decreased by 118 hm³ (0.2% of total capacity) during the reporting period. Regional variation spans from 57.6% in the Segura basin to 95.2% in internal Basque Country basins, with precipitation described as scarce throughout Spain.

EDPB Adopts Standardized DPIA Template, Public Consultation Until June 9

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted a standardized Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) template accompanied by an explanatory manual, aimed at simplifying GDPR compliance and strengthening consistency across Europe. The template provides predefined fields to help organizations structure, harmonize, and clearly demonstrate their DPIA procedures, minimizing procedural errors and saving time. Use of the template is voluntary; organizations may continue using their own risk-assessment methodologies. A public consultation is open until 9 June 2026, after which national supervisory authorities will adopt the template as a standard or meta-template with which national variants must align.