16th SEPTEMBER 2026 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Canada Invited to Become the European Union's First Associate Member
- The European Union (EU) has decided to invite Canada to become the first associate member alongside its 27 existing member states. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced this during the 'State of the Union' address held in Strasbourg, France.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the address. He stated that while Canada does not seek full membership, it desires a unique agreement regarding security and economic partnership.
- The Union Cabinet has approved raising the monthly basic salary limit for mandatory enrollment in the Employees' Provident Fund (PF) scheme from the current ₹15,000 to ₹25,000.
- Under current regulations, employees earning a basic salary of up to ₹15,000 per month are mandatorily enrolled in the Employees' Provident Fund and the Employees' Pension Scheme.
- Those earning above this amount may join voluntarily. This rule is mandatory for establishments employing 20 or more workers.
- Currently, based on the ₹15,000 salary limit, an employee contributes 12% (amounting to ₹1,800), and the employer makes an equal contribution. Of this, 3.67% is deposited into the PF account, while 8.33% is allocated to the Employees' Pension Scheme.
