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The Ukraine funding option Europe fears
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In today’s edition: Dutch voters head to the polls as Rob Jetten’s progressive D66 gains momentum, a probe reveals the EU kept paying a convicted neo-Nazi MEP, and Brussels and New Delhi inch closer to a trade deal after ‘constructive’ talks Welcome to Rapporteur. This is Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta. Got a story we should know about? Drop us a line – we read every message. Need-to-knows: Subscribe Today’s edition is powered by the European Free Alliance Direct regional funding is essential for the EU’s cohesion The renationalisation of European funds proposed in the MFF 2028-2034 would increase the economic gap between peripheral regions and the already wealthier European capital cities. In EFA, we believe in the EU’s role in mitigating territorial inequalities. We call EU leaders to draft a new proposal that protects direct funding for EU’s regions. Find out more. This is a political ad. More info at https://www.euractiv.com/political-ads/.
For details relating to this campaign, more info at https://content.efaparty.eu/. The sheer commitment of the European civil service to find a way to keep Ukraine afloat in its perilous battle with Russia is on full display this week in Brussels, where everyone has gone on holiday. To be fair, Ursula von der Leyen is still on the job, spending Tuesday in the company of three Nordic EU leaders who agreed with her that the only workable option for sustaining Ukraine’s war effort is to (not) confiscate the €140 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets held in Belgium. Her creative yet grammatically fraught interpretation of last week’s European Council conclusions is also the most politically realistic, despite resistance from Belgian premier Bart De Wever, who fears for the stability of Euroclear should Moscow come looking for its money. The so-called reparations loan is the most realistic option for financing Ukraine, not because it’s such a great idea, as De Wever’s exhaustive arguments made clear, but because it’s more plausible than the alternative: Eurobonds. Joint borrowing, a panacea that always returns to the conversation when the EU’s back is against the wall, would require unanimous consent from countries. Now – amid misleading speculation in the EU bubble media that the Commission is trying to ram Eurobonds down the throats of capitals and absurd suggestions Belgium would be against it (they’re the ones proposing it!) – it’s worth remembering why this won’t fly: Germany has no interest in carrying the can for the rest of Europe, and letting high-deficit countries like France benefit from its shinier credit rating. Indeed, the first experiment with joint borrowing has proved so cumbersome that around €30 billion a year needs to be earmarked to repay the post-Covid loans – and there’s even talk of pushing back the repayment schedule! The thing that both options have in common is that the EU will avoid paying up for Ukraine in the here and now. Most of the risk, supporters argue, can be safely passed on to the future. There is a third option: ask EU taxpayers to dig deep and make massive sacrifices. But politicians don’t even talk about this because it’s seen as taboo. What is presented as a fiscal impossibility is, in truth, a political failure by the EU’s elected leadership. Three years into the war, timorous politicians under pressure from populists who want to cut Ukraine loose are not coming clean with their populations about the need for sacrifice. The countries paying more will keep sniping at the under-spenders off the record. Meanwhile, Europe has no boots on the ground, its military aid is falling, and its best minds are working hard to prop up Ukraine using other people’s money. Peace through strength, the EU’s well-worn mantra, may well require taking fewer holidays. It’s time EU leaders were honest about that. D66 flies high as Dutch go to the polls The Netherlands votes today after a choppy week of last-minute campaigning that has seen far-right leader Geert Wilders lose momentum while Rob Jetten’s progressive D66 has gained ground in late polls. Could Jetten be in for a surprise victory tonight? Several polls on Tuesday put him roughly neck-and-neck with Wilders and left-wing chief Frans Timmermans. Wilders is all but guaranteed not to be in the government after the usual months of haggling, meaning whoever comes second could well become prime minister. A key question is whether Timmermans can do well enough to play a leading role in whatever centrist coalition emerges, or whether right-wing parties like the Christian Democrat CDA, liberal VVD and farmers’ party BBB can win enough seats to form a right-wing centre coalition. Exit polls are expected at 9 p.m. Convicted neo-Nazi MEP kept cashing EU pay cheques Ioannis Lagos, a former Greek MEP and senior figure in the defunct neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, continued to receive thousands of euros from the European Parliament months after being found guilty of leading a criminal organisation and illegal arms possession, an investigation by my colleague Elisa Braun shows. Despite his unprecedented sentence, Lagos enjoyed immunity privileges and received at least €30,000 in benefits until April 2021, according to new parliamentary documents. The case exposes how procedural loopholes allowed the MEP to remain on the EU payroll and highlights tensions over transparency and financial accountability in European institutions. Countries sceptical of budget revision While MEPs are confident that the Commission will amend its budget proposal before the 12 November deadline set by Parliament, three EU diplomats said there have been no indications the Berlaymont intends to do so. “They have narrow options and all of them [are] risky,” one diplomat told Jacob Wulff Wold, warning that any move could either slow down the Council’s work or challenge its prerogatives under the EU treaty. ‘Brothers’ Sefco and Goyal near EU-India deal Brussels and New Delhi are inching towards a trade pact – but not quite popping the champagne yet. After three days of talks in Brussels, EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal called discussions “very constructive” and “positive,” even on the “most sensitive issues.” Still, though, there was no breakthrough, reports Sofía Sánchez Manzanaro. Šefčovič said Sabine Weyand, the EU’s top trade civil servant, will head to Delhi next week to advance tariff negotiations. Goyal – who called Šefčovič “a good friend and brother” – hinted that the pair could meet again in the next couple of weeks to bring the deal “to fruition.” Deep, but not that comprehensive The EU’s new “deep and comprehensive” trade deal with Ukraine takes effect today, replacing the wartime measures that let most Ukrainian farm goods enter the bloc duty-free – but which had to be renewed annually amid a farmers’ backlash. The new FTA is less generous than the earlier full liberalisation but still more open than pre-war tariffs. But there are strings attached. By 2028, Ukraine must align its pesticide and animal-welfare rules with EU standards – or risk suspension. Brussels also added a safeguard clause allowing imports to be curbed if they trigger “societal difficulties” (read: farmer protests). The agreement does little to resolve tensions with Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, which have kept unilateral bans on Ukrainian agri-imports since 2023. The new framework didn’t sway them. “We’re engaging with all parties to find solutions,” a Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday. Time to pay, Beijing EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra urged China to step up its financial contribution to global climate efforts. “Europe just simply doesn’t have the pockets to do that by itself,” Hoekstra said at Euractiv’s Energy & Environment Policy Conference on Tuesday. Despite being the world’s second-largest economy and accounting for 30% of global emissions, Beijing still claims developing-country status and has offered little beyond bilateral aid. As developing nations call for €1.3 trillion in climate funding, Hoekstra said wealthier emerging economies like China, Singapore, and the Gulf states must “put more money on the table.” BERLIN 🇩🇪 Friedrich Merz is in Ankara on Wednesday for his first talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, aiming to recalibrate a relationship defined by both necessity and unease. For Berlin, Turkey is both a vital NATO partner and a growing authoritarian challenge. Merz is expected to defend democratic values while keeping channels open on migration, trade, and defence. Germany’s recent move to lift its Eurofighter veto may open the door to a lucrative arms deal, even as it invites scrutiny over human rights concerns. WARSAW 🇵🇱 Poland plans to reopen two crossings with Belarus as soon as November, Donald Tusk said, arguing that security along the frontier has reached unprecedented levels. “The border is now secured better than ever before,” the prime minister said, describing it as probably the “best-protected border in Europe right now.” The decision follows Lithuania’s move to shut its own crossings with Belarus and builds on Poland’s decision in September to reopen several rail and a single road crossing as tensions with Minsk eased. BUDAPEST 🇭🇺 Hungary’s ruling party is cosying up to Poland’s former leaders just as the two governments grow further apart. At an event in this capital, former Polish minister Zbigniew Ziobro was welcomed as a political ally by Viktor Orbán’s top aide, Gergely Gulyás. Their message – that Fidesz and Poland’s Law and Justice still stand together – risks deepening tensions with Warsaw, already angry over Hungary’s asylum for an ex-PiS minister facing criminal charges. ROME 🇮🇹 Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini met Orbán here on Tuesday for what the Italian transport ministry described as an “affectionate” exchange focused on peace, migration, and criticism of “the EU’s suicidal policies.” The encounter follows Orbán’s talks with Giorgia Meloni, which were overshadowed by his claim in La Repubblica that the bloc “counts for nothing” and by his call for Donald Trump to lift US sanctions on Russia. Meloni declined to respond publicly, while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani sought to distance the government from Orbán’s remarks. BRATISLAVA 🇸🇰 Slovakia has suffered the EU’s steepest decline in the World Justice Project’s latest Rule of Law Index, falling 2.3% compared with last year. The country now ranks 36th of 143 globally, ahead only of Greece, Bulgaria, and Hungary within the bloc. The results come amid heightened concern in Brussels over Robert Fico’s government, which critics accuse of eroding judicial independence, media freedom, and civil society. COPENHAGEN 🇩🇰 Denmark is tightening its childcare screening regime, expanding background checks to include convictions for physical and psychological abuse as well as so-called “negative social control.” The børneattester, which has mainly listed sexual offences against minors under 15, will be overhauled as part of a wider campaign against domestic and child violence. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the changes reflect the persistence of “very extensive violence” in Danish society. MADRID 🇪🇸 A year after floods killed 229 people in Valencia, Spain is still grappling with how to prevent a repeat disaster. Experts warn that despite billions in reconstruction spending, prevention and early-warning systems remain inadequate. The state funeral for victims on Wednesday comes amid public anger over official failures and growing scrutiny of Spain’s climate resilience strategy. “Navalny” mix-up: European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho accidentally referred to Ukrainian journalist Vitaliy Sizov as “Navalny” during Tuesday’s daily press conference. Sizov took it in good humour, and Pinho quickly corrected herself. Alexei Navalny was killed in a Russian prison last year. Italian MEP boycotts Israel trip: Socialist MEP Lucia Annunciata said she won’t join her colleagues from the European Parliament’s delegation to Israel in a visit to the Knesset this week, citing the West Bank annexation law and “indiscriminate attacks” on the UN as proof that the Israeli Parliament “is not ready to talk about peace.” Leisterh quits: Brussels MR chair David Leisterh has stepped down from regional politics after failing to form a coalition to deliver the capital’s 2026 budget. Citing too many blockages and a political system that prevents action, he said he no longer wants to be complicit in a process that stalls reform – though he will remain mayor of Watermael-Boitsfort. Defence September came full of surprises: Nearly 20 Russian drones breached Polish airspace on 9 September,… 5 minutes Russian drone incursions in recent weeks have forced Europe to confront the fragility of its air defences. Brussels’ talk of a “drone wall” – once dismissed as rhetorical – is now gaining political traction as the nucleus of a wider European Air Shield. The project would link national systems under a single defensive architecture, but it faces the usual European obstacles: fragmented procurement, industrial rivalries, and uneven political will. The urgency is clear; the execution, far less so. 📍 Dutch parliamentary elections 📍 Metsola addresses students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. 📍 Coreper I and II Contributors: Thomas Moller-Nielsen, Elisa Braun, Nikolaus J. Kurmayer, Sofía Sánchez Manzanaro, Jacob Wulff Wold, Jeremias Lin, Alessia Peretti, Charles Szumski, Aleksandra Krzysztoszek, Natália Silenská Editors: Christina Zhao, Sofia Mandilara
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Eddy Wax
|
In today’s edition: Dutch voters head to the polls as Rob Jetten’s progressive D66 gains momentum, a probe reveals the EU kept paying a convicted neo-Nazi MEP, and Brussels and New Delhi inch closer to a trade deal after ‘constructive’ talks
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Politics
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2025-10-29T06:24:05+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapporteur-the-ukraine-funding-option-europe-fears/
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A New Chapter in Regional Financial Integration in Europe
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Earlier this month, a piece of good news rippled through Southeast Europe: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Moldova were admitted to the operations system of Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the network that lets a transfer in Tirana zip to Tallinn—or almost anywhere else in Europe—as swiftly and cheaply as a domestic payment. Consider the plight of a small exporter in Podgorica or a coffee-shop owner in Skopje. Until now, sending or receiving payments across borders meant surrendering up to six times more in fees than a peer in Berlin or Paris. And for the millions who depend on remittances, the cost has hovered around seven percent—a sum exceeding the United Nations’ recommended three percent ceiling. Such obstacles have throttled growth, stifled entrepreneurship, and drained household incomes. SEPA membership changes that dynamic overnight. With 40 banks—32 from the Western Balkans and eight from Moldova—now live on the SEPA rails, transactions will clear in seconds rather than days, and at a fraction of the cost. Preliminary estimates suggest up to one billion euros in annual savings for businesses and consumers across the region, in both remittance and trade costs. That is real money staying in local pockets—fuel for job creation, investment, and innovation. This milestone did not happen in isolation. It flows from partnerships and collaborative efforts between national governments, the European Commission, the World Bank and other stakeholders to modernize payment infrastructures, harmonize regulatory frameworks and work towards increased gradual integration with the EU. By embracing European standards on instant payments, transparency and security, these countries are not merely adopting technology—they are signaling their intention to deepen integration with the Single Market. This achievement is more than a technical upgrade. It is a clear signal that the promise of closer ties with the EU can yield tangible dividends—richer small-business ecosystems, more fluid labor markets and stronger cross-border value chains. Yet SEPA entry is only the beginning. To sustain momentum, policymakers must continue dismantling bureaucratic bottlenecks, foster digital literacy, and support fintech innovation. Looking ahead, we hope to see both an increase in the number of enlargement countries joining SEPA and an expansion in the types of transactions that can be conducted through SEPA. This will broaden the benefits of membership —not only for businesses and citizens from the region, but also for the entire tourism industry. As countries step onto the SEPA stage, they illuminate a path forward for other aspirants. In a world defined by speed and connectivity, financial access is essential. Sometimes progress arrives with a smoother click of a “send” button. The Western Balkans and Moldova just pressed it—and their future may move a great deal faster as a result. By Antonella Bassani, Vice President for Europe and Central Asia at the World Bank, and Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood at the European Commission
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Earlier this month, a piece of good news rippled through Southeast Europe: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Moldova were admitted to the operations system of Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the network that lets a transfer in Tirana zip to Tallinn—or almost anywhere else in Europe—as swiftly and cheaply as a domestic payment.
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"Economy",
"Connectivity",
"Financial access",
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2025-10-29T06:00:16+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/a-new-chapter-in-regional-financial-integration-in-europe/
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Spain marks one year of devastating Valencia floods as experts warn lessons unlearned
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Although the government has since launched a €16 billion reconstruction plan, experts say prevention remains Valencia’s weakest point MADRID – One year after the catastrophic floods that killed 229 people and devastated Spain’s eastern region of Valencia, experts and civil society groups warn the region remains ill-prepared for another disaster. A state funeral for the victims of the so-called DANA floods will take place in Valencia on Wednesday, following a weekend demonstration where more than 50,000 people marched through the city demanding political accountability for what they called a botched crisis response. Associations representing victims of the DANA floods opposed the attendance of Valencia regional president Carlos Mazón at the funeral, who reportedly decided to attend last-minute. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Inés Fernández-Pontes
|
Although the government has since launched a €16 billion reconstruction plan, experts say prevention remains Valencia’s weakest point
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[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Flood",
"Pedro Sanchez"
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Politics
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2025-10-29T05:05:26+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/spain-marks-one-year-of-devastating-valencia-floods-as-experts-warn-lessons-unlearned/
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Fidesz doubles down on Polish right-wing ties as state-to-state relations stay frosty
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The European Commission has long accused Hungary and PiS's Poland of democratic backsliding and eroding judicial independence BUDAPEST – Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party is openly tightening its links with Poland’s main opposition party Law and Justice – even as official relations between the two governments sink to their worst point in years. On Monday evening, former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro received a hero’s welcome at Budapest’s historic Uránia art cinema. Ziobro, a member of PiS currently under investigation in Poland, appeared on stage alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, and before an applauding crowd of roughly 400 supporters of the prime minister’s party, Fidesz. The event was co-organised by the government-backed Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), a conservative academy and think tank, and its weekly outlet Mandiner. Officially, the evening centred on a screening of Taking Over, a documentary claiming that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government seized control of Polish state institutions through extra-legal means. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Márton Sarkadi Nagy
|
The European Commission has long accused Hungary and PiS's Poland of democratic backsliding and eroding judicial independence
|
[
"Across Europe",
"Fidesz",
"Viktor Orbán"
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2025-10-29T05:00:47+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/fidesz-doubles-down-on-polish-right-wing-ties-as-state-to-state-relations-stay-frosty/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=The capitals&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
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A Trump-Xi deal won’t save Europe from a superpower squeeze
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To remain a pole in the new multipolar world, Europe will need to use whatever breathing space this week's US-China summit might provide to secure its own supply chains, reduce dependencies, and boost its global leverage When President Trump sits down with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of this week’s summit in South Korea, no European will be at the table. Yet European interests hang decisively in the balance. The meeting comes at a moment when Europe’s vulnerability to superpower rivalry has never been more starkly exposed. Over recent months, Europeans have discovered just how painfully squeezed they are between Washington and Beijing. This summer’s one-sided trade deal with the US was a brutal reminder of Europe’s reliance on US security guarantees. An even bigger shock came with China’s recent restrictions on rare earth exports, which have sent panic rippling through European capitals. The threat is existential: These restrictions could bring European automaker production lines and defence manufacturing to a grinding halt. According to ECB calculations, a staggering 80% of large European firms are no more than three intermediaries away from a Chinese rare earth producer. Nor is China’s leverage over Europe limited to rare earths. A Chinese ban on exports of semiconductors by Nexperia, the world’s biggest manufacturer of mass market chips, has threatened to halt production at European carmakers. The Chinese move came in response to the Dutch government’s decision to seize control of Nexperia, which was acquired by China’s Wingtech in 2019. The Dutch government claimed it was acting on its own national security concerns, but its move came a day after Washington added subsidiaries of Wingtech to its “entity list,” which would have effectively shut it out of the US market. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
To remain a pole in the new multipolar world, Europe will need to use whatever breathing space this week's US-China summit might provide to secure its own supply chains, reduce dependencies, and boost its global leverage
|
[
"Economy",
"Opinion",
"China",
"Donald Trump",
"Rare Earths",
"Trade War",
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2025-10-29T05:00:28+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/a-trump-xi-deal-wont-save-europe-from-a-superpower-squeeze/
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Europe's race to build its Air Shield
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Faced with threats edging ever closer, Europe is scrambling to build up its defences fast and almost from scratch September came full of surprises: Nearly 20 Russian drones breached Polish airspace on 9 September, followed by more unidentified drone incursions in Denmark and Romania, and Russian fighter jets in Estonia. Poland and Estonia set NATO alarm bells ringing by invoking the alliance’s Article 4 in response. As EU leaders gathered in Copenhagen at the start of October, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the urgent need for a European “drone wall” – a coordinated network of radars, jamming equipment, and counter-drone interceptors to neutralise threats before they reach sensitive airspace. The proposed project, rebranded as the European Drone Defence Initiative, doesn’t just cover the EU’s eastern flank as initially envisioned, but the whole of EU airspace. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Miriam Saenz de Tejada
|
Faced with threats edging ever closer, Europe is scrambling to build up its defences fast and almost from scratch
|
[
"Defence",
"Politics",
"Air Defence",
"Drones",
"European Drone Defence Initiative (EDDI)"
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Defence
|
2025-10-29T05:00:03+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/europes-race-to-build-its-air-shield/
|
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Turbocharging Europe’s lagging zero-emission vehicle market
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European industry actors are warning that the uptake in Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) is moving more slowly than predicted in the EU, prompting calls for fresh thinking in Brussels Europe’s adoption of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) is moving more slowly than anticipated, with debates now emerging about whether more can be done by policymakers in Brussels to turbocharge the market. The market share of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) is less than 16% percent, and for vans, it’s less than 9%, raising the question of how to get to 100% in less than nine years as mandated by EU targets. “The pace set by the regulator in the first place was probably over ambitious, over optimistic, and the current market realities and geopolitical and economic realities just do not match this pace”, said Maria Linkova-Nijs, executive head of policy and strategy at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, ACEA. She was speaking at an event held at Euractiv on October 16, 2025. Many industry players point towards improving the so-called “enabling conditions” in order to support mass-market uptake, one of them being charging infrastructure. But the European Commission celebrated meeting its 2025 target of one million public charging points across the bloc as part of the EU Mobility Strategy. Edoardo Turano, a head of unit at the European Commission’s climate action directorate, also participated in the event and blamed an initial lack of supply of ZEVs from carmakers for the slower uptake. “It was really a lack of supply because the zero-emission vehicle models were concentrated in the very upper segment, which, of course, comes with a price tag that not everyone can afford. And what is happening now is that this is shifting towards also the medium and smaller segments,” said Turano. He believes that the effects of the EU’s CO2 emissions reduction targets, which started to apply in 2020, have created momentum in the right direction. “When it comes to stimulating demand, it’s about making sure that these vehicles become more affordable, and this is what the industry needs,” said Turano. “The volumes are what determine the profit margins that are also needed for investments.” Norway is not in the European Union, but as a closely aligned neighbour, it has had huge success in ZEV adoption. The country is on track to hit its 2025 target of 100% of all new car purchases being ZEVs – it was 98% in September. Sveinung Kvalø, senior advisor at the Norwegian EV Association, told the audience, “We have a two-part policy. One is a revenue part, which is to tax fossil cars – you put taxes on what you don’t want, which is fossil cars.” “And the other is the subsidy part, which is costly for the government, which is a VAT exemption (for ZEVs) here in Norway.” The Norwegian government is now planning to phase out that VAT exemption, but the country can already claim the world’s fastest uptake of ZEVs. One of the main concerns for the industry is the unfair geographical adoption of ZEVs across the EU. Countries like Finland, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, have a market share of battery electric vehicles from 30-90%, while France, Germany, Portugal, and Austria have an electrification rate between 18-23%, and then countries in Central and Eastern Europe see uptake below 10%. “What we see is a ‘Europe of three speeds’—uptake mirrors GDP, with wealthier nations leading,” said Maria Linkova-Nijs from ACEA. One of the big sticking points is the interplay between EU laws and national policies. For Stefan van Zyl, international policy coordinator for sustainable logistics at the Dutch ministry of infrastructure and water management, the blend of EU direction and national action is crucial. “European measures set the bar – but it is national initiatives that make the transition possible,” explained van Zyl. “In the Netherlands, we combine zero-emission zones and toll schemes with a refund system that channels funds directly back to logistics for ZEV investments.” He also flagged bottlenecks: “You need to plan early on infrastructure, because grid congestion isn’t just a transport problem, it’s the result of wider electrification.” The discussion isn’t only about cars, however, and that’s why Christoph Wolff, CEO of the Smart Freight Center provided an additional angle to the debate. “Carriers only invest if the total cost of ownership (TCO) works for them. It’s a numbers game for trucks,” said Wolf. “20-30% of the market is close to TCO parity,” he said, meaning buying a ZEV works out to be the same price as a fossil fuel equivalent over the course of the vehicle’s lifespan. “This isn’t uniform,” continued Wolff. “You have to be nimble and data-driven, focus on clusters and specific use cases. Decarbonising freight is a team sport—aggregating demand creates critical mass and confidence to invest.” The European Commission is set to revise CO2 standards this year, with stakeholders eager for clarity on what new targets, timelines, and technology options will be in place for carmakers after 2030. Until then, the focus for all concerned will be speeding up the adoption of ZEVs across the whole of the EU. This article follows the policy debate “Zero-Emission Vehicles – Accelerating demand across Europe”, supported by ACEA. (BM)
|
Jack Parrock
|
European industry actors are warning that the uptake in Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) is moving more slowly than predicted in the EU, prompting calls for fresh thinking in Brussels
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"batteries",
"EV Electric Vehicles",
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"Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV)"
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Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-28T21:21:05+00:00
|
2025-10-28T21:22:11+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/turbocharging-europes-lagging-zero-emission-vehicle-market/
|
Green or blue? Fertilisers face two routes to decarbonisation
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New technologies are available to produce low-carbon fertilisers, but the industry says they are not getting the financial or policy support to develop them Fertilisers are essential to European agriculture, but they also contribute to climate change. For this reason, they are subject to payments under the EU’s Emissions Trading System. To reduce those emissions payments, producers can either change the way fertilisers are made or they can capture and store the carbon they emit. Euractiv spoke with Leo Alders, CEO of the Belgian fertiliser company LAT Nitrogen – a company which recently had to abandon a project to green its fertiliser production process because of a lack of financial and policy support. We asked him what’s holding back fertiliser decarbonisation. EV: What kind of low-carbon fertilisers are possible to produce, and what are the roadblocks to producing them at a large scale? LA: If we talk about decarbonising our industry, then we have not only the green route, but also the blue route. Both options are good, valid options for us as an industry. For the blue route, we’re talking about still producing fertilisers with natural gas but capturing the CO2 and storing that somewhere. It started with an idea to do that below the sea, but today, there are also more and more thoughts around storing CO2 on land in Europe. In the beginning, legislators were not really fans of storing CO2 on land, but that has changed. For our industry, it’s really easy to capture CO2 – we’re actually already doing that. For us, what is needed to go into such projects is: first, a pipeline transport capacity to bring the CO2 out of the production location and into the storage location; and second, the production facility needs to be prepared to send it. So, the main condition for us to work with blue ammonia is to have these pipeline connections and storage locations. That’s infrastructure work that needs to be done. That’s not a piece of cake; we need national legislators to help us. Then there is green ammonia, in which technology plays an important role. In our current production process in the ammonia plant, we have a process where we crack the natural gas and transfer that into hydrogen. We can build electrolysers to produce green hydrogen by injecting that into our processes, but you can only do that to a maximum of 10-15% in a unit because there is a chemical balance that needs to be respected. It’s the first step toward green fertilisers. But if you were to go to full decarbonisation of our plants, to capture the remaining 85-90% of CO2 production, then you would need to feed green hydrogen into the plant. That would create a big technological change, because it means you don’t need the first section of your production facility [using natural gas], you would just need to synthesise hydrogen and nitrogen into ammonia. So, from a technology perspective, this would take more time than the blue ammonia route, and it would require a long lead time to introduce new plants where there would only be a synthesis loop involved. So, we see that as a second phase, it’s much more logical for our industry to first pursue the blue route. EV: You recently had a green ammonia project that you decided not to move forward with after five years of feasibility studies. Why was that project discontinued? LA: It was a project that would have fitted into that [electrolyser] category of 5-10%. We worked on it for a long time together with Verbund in Austria. The authorities were quite cooperative. Since we started to work on that project, we have gained much more clarity on how you can subsidise such a unit, because there are different subsidy schemes at the European and national levels. We had to look for a way to obtain these subsidies, but after testing the different options, it was clear we could only obtain about half of the subsidies we needed. And in order to make the project profitable and have a positive business case, you need to find other ways, on top of the subsidy, to fund these projects. We’ve tried to do that through a reduction in the electricity price. Currently in Europe, whether you are a private consumer or a business consumer, you work with commercial energy prices. There is a change coming, Ursula von der Leyen said in her State of the Union speech, that electricity for decarbonisation projects should be offered more or less around the production cost price. But that’s today, not yet the case; the margin taken by the energy provider is currently not contributing to the profitability of a project like this. On the other side, the consumer demand for green products is not yet developed, so we cannot count on certainty that there will be a margin. We had hoped that the combination of subsidies with a reasonable green electricity price and a demand downstream would lead to a positive business case. That did not work out, but I’m hopeful that one day the conditions will be favourable for such an investment. And if indeed electricity can be offered at around production cost price, like the EU is thinking about, and if also schemes can be developed for green products, then we will immediately decide to execute that project. The design was far evolved, and the commercial contracts were ready. We were getting to the final investment decision. EV: You mentioned that the demand isn’t there right now for these green products downstream, and these are expensive investments. So, in the end, who should pay for these efforts? The consumer, the retailers, the farmers or the producers? LA: It’s important to point out that although the investments for us as an industry are very high – for an electrolyser project you talk about around €300 million – if you calculate the cost of the green fertilizer used by the farmers and taken up by the food producers, in the end the green fertilizers would cost between half a percent and one percent in the final product [for consumers]. So, I think in the end, if we want to avoid the warming of the climate, then we will all as consumers need to pay that price. It’s not such a hurdle to pay half a per cent; we all as consumers have to do that. The point is, how do you install a scheme that implements this principle? You could have a concentrated use in the whole value chain with a labelling or obligation system with a limited number of parties, where it’s not too complex to implement, but where you have a massive effect on the whole downstream chain. EV: One area of EU policy that the fertilisers sector will be very impacted by is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the incoming carbon border levy for imports of products from countries without strict climate legislation like the EU. How is this going to impact your sector? LA: Yesterday, I talked with our internal expert on CBAM calculations. He told me that the benchmark data has not been aligned yet. So actually, before the publishing of all the guidelines around CBAM has been done, nobody really knows what it will look like. I heard numbers yesterday on CBAM costs for importers between €40 and €200 per tonne of ammonia. That’s a huge difference. As long as we don’t have more certainty on these numbers and the benchmarking system, then nobody knows what CBAM is going to mean. They say it will be implemented from 1 January, and it will then be fine-tuned during the running of the implementation, and after two years, the final calculation will be available on what actually needs to be paid. That creates a very strange situation where if you do not import products from outside Europe into Europe, when we have our contacts with potential suppliers they tend to say, ‘well, we will deliver you the product for a certain price without the CBAM, and the CBAM will need to be paid by the receiving party in Europe, whatever it may be.’ So, anyone in Europe who needs to buy something next year is brought into a big uncertainty. The buyers say CBAM costs in the future should be the exporters’ responsibility, and that’s currently unclear. It’s a risk in the system that nobody wants to take. The principle is that the CBAM cost would be balanced with the decrease of free allowances in the EU Emissions Trading System. But nobody’s really sure that that balance is going to be there. The expert I talked to yesterday said that it looks like the way the CBAM would be calculated is actually putting a higher burden on the imported products compared to the decrease in certificates in Europe. I can’t confirm or deny that, because all the information isn’t available. So as long as the texts aren’t released, everybody is walking in the dark. (BM)
|
New technologies are available to produce low-carbon fertilisers, but the industry says they are not getting the financial or policy support to develop them
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Agriculture",
"Farming",
"Fertilisers",
"Industrial Decarbonisation",
"Innovation"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-28T21:06:03+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/interview/green-or-blue-fertilisers-face-two-routes-to-decarbonisation/
|
||
The Brief – Europe’s public health for sale
|
France is turning to highly addictive tobacco products in a bid to fill budget gaps. But what about wine? France decided in February to ban nicotine pouches. Eight months later – and amid a desperate hunt for cash to fill budget gaps – centrist politicians now want them back, hoping the highly addictive products will generate around €200 million through taxes in the coming years. Selective protection of public health is a risky game. Nicotine pouches can’t have become safer overnight. Together with the Netherlands, France has led EU efforts to raise tobacco taxes, while Belgium has gone further – accusing some member states in closed-door diplomats’ meetings of echoing industry talking points. Don’t look for France to be as rigid on the question of an alcohol tax, which hasn’t been revised since 1992. Since then, evidence proving the detrimental effects of alcohol on health has only grown – even if wine producers celebrate the alleged benefits of their beverages. The World Health Organization now says there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, which in a world without double standards would compel France to also back higher EU taxes on wine, and Belgium and the Netherlands for beer. This won’t happen, of course, because economic interests take priority. And when cash drives health policy, integrity dies first. China’s climate responsibility – The EU Climate Commissioner told Euractiv on Tuesday that China must contribute much more to global climate finance, given the heft of its economy. He said that developing countries are pushing for €1.3 trillion in support for dealing with climate-related issues, but noted that “Europe just simply doesn’t have the pockets to do that by itself.” Doubling down on the Ukraine loan – The Commission isn’t giving up on the plan to assign €140 billion of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, despite steadfast opposition from Belgium, where the funds are held. Other member countries backed the current plan, with Danish PM Mette saying there is “no alternative”. Cigarette filter disputes – A proposed ban on cigarette filters has received a mixed reception among EU members, with some doubtful and others confused. Banning filters could make cigarettes less enjoyable for habitual smokers, but eliminating them entirely could expose smokers to even higher levels of toxins And it would have to sustain attacks from the powerful tobacco industry. Gay rights comment throws Dutch election campaign – Surprise momentum behind Henri Botenbal, an outside candidate for tomorrow’s Dutch parliamentary election, has been stalled after comments made on television about gay pupils attending publicly-funded Christian schools. Parliament paid thousands to convicted neo-Nazi MEP – A senior figure of Greece’s Golden Dawn party, which was convicted for illegal possession of weapons and the fatal stabbing of a left-wing rapper (among other assaults), continued to enjoy immunity privileges and received at least €30,000 in benefits from the Parliament via legal loopholes. Finland blocks property deals over security concerns – The Finnish Defence Ministry blocked 11 real-estate purchases from non-EU nationals – some of them Russian – saying the authorisations were strategically insensitive. The properties are located along key corridors near the Baltic Sea shipping lanes.
|
France is turning to highly addictive tobacco products in a bid to fill budget gaps. But what about wine?
|
[
"Health",
"Opinion",
"Alcohol",
"Nicotine",
"Smoking"
] |
2025-10-28T17:34:18+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-brief-europes-public-health-for-sale/
|
|||
Infection of new wild bird species is driving Europe’s soaring avian flu
|
The World Organisation for Animal Health called on Europe to avoid alarmism Changes in bird migration patterns are reinforcing seasonal outbreaks of avian flu, with more species affected and risks for poultry farms growing. Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease that causes high mortality rates in both wild and domestic bird populations. Faced with a growing number of outbreaks of the disease in recent weeks, several European countries, including Belgium and France, have tightened their biosecurity measures, banning poultry from coming into contact with wild birds and implementing stricter rules during transport. In Germany and Spain, millions of birds have been culled. With avian flu present in Europe for 20 years, countries regularly observe an increase in cases in the autumn due to the annual bird migration. The current increase is “typical for the season,” said a spokesperson at the EU food safety watchdog (EFSA), which monitors the situation through its bird flu radar. But this time, more species are affected. “The large-scale mortality in common cranes” observed this autumn is “a special event,” the agency said. In Brandenburg, in Eastern Germany, over a thousand cranes were found dead infected with the virus in just a few days, Die Zeit reported. The German Agriculture Minister, Alois Rainer, brought the matter to the attention of his European counterparts at a Council meeting on Monday. Unlike in previous years, Germany observed a “shift with regard to the species affected” by the avian flu, Rainer confirmed. Due to “a change in flight times or migration routes,” cranes, which “previously had no exposure to the avian influenza virus,” got in close contact with other infected migratory birds, he added. This phenomenon “increases the risk” of introducing the virus into Europe during winter migration, an EFSA’s spokesperson explained. The crisis is already having an economic impact, Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Planas warned during the Council meeting. The culling of “more than 2.3 million laying hens” in Spain has had “serious economic consequences, including repercussions for the distribution of eggs for human consumption,” he said. But the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) called for avoiding alarmism. “It is too early in the avian flu season to judge whether this rise is abnormal,” an organisation spokesman told Euractiv. (adm, cm)
|
Alice Bergoënd
|
The World Organisation for Animal Health called on Europe to avoid alarmism
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Animal Disease",
"Animal Health",
"Animal Welfare",
"Avian Flu",
"European Commission"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-28T16:50:01+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/infection-of-new-wild-bird-species-is-driving-europes-soaring-avian-flu/
|
|
Ireland preps new drugs strategy, unveils pharmacy pricing rules
|
Ireland targets greater transparency in healthcare as consultations shape new drugs strategy and pharmacy pricing rules, despite funding concerns Concerns have emerged over the sustainability of medicine management services under Ireland’s new Community Pharmacy Agreement, with pharmacists warning that the exclusion of reimbursement for blister packs and restrictions on phased dispensing could compromise patient safety. In the Irish parliament, Deputy Johnny Guirke told the assembly that the agreement, which sets out service provisions and funding models, fails to cover monitored dosage systems (MDS) despite their role in helping vulnerable patients manage complex medication regimes. Pharmacies currently absorb the cost of preparing blister packs, including staff time and materials, a practice Guirke said was “not sustainable in the long term”. “These omissions undermine safe medicines management for vulnerable patients and place additional strain on pharmacies,” he said, urging the government to reinstate reimbursement for blister packs and amend the agreement to support phased dispensing. Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, acknowledged the concerns, noting that negotiations between the Department of Health and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) are ongoing. “These agreements are hard-negotiated,” he said, adding that he would ask the health minister to respond directly to the deputy. The dispute highlights tensions over funding priorities as Ireland seeks to expand the role of community pharmacies in primary care while maintaining cost controls. Industry representatives have warned that without reimbursement, services designed to reduce medication errors and hospital admissions could be at risk. In addition to the new pharmacy agreement, Ireland is introducing measures to improve transparency in healthcare costs while advancing plans for a new national drugs strategy, as ministers signal a commitment to accountability and patient empowerment. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has welcomed the publication of new guidance supporting the transparency of medicine pricing and fees for pharmacy services. The guidance, developed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), aims to assist pharmacists in providing clear and accessible pricing information to the public. “Community pharmacies are at the heart of our healthcare system; they are among the most trusted and accessible healthcare professionals,” Carroll MacNeill said. “This guidance will strengthen that trust even further, with access to information about the cost of services pharmacists deliver being made available to the public for the first time.” Under the new rules, pharmacies will be required to display information about the cost of all professional services on a clear notice in a conspicuous location, visible to patients from 1 December 2025. From 2026, patients will receive a detailed receipt for any transaction outlining the costs of the medicine dispensing fee (where applicable), the cost of any other professional service. Carroll MacNeill said the initiative aligns with broader reforms to expand the role pharmacists play in Irish communities. She explained that the recent Community Pharmacy Agreement and the new guidance on pricing transparency will help people better understand exactly what they’re paying for their medication and associated services. In a parallel development, public health minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, has published a summary report of stakeholder consultations, which will inform the development of the next national drugs strategy. The consultations involved 241 people, including members of the national drugs strategy’s National Oversight Committee and Strategic Implementation Groups, the Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, Health Service Executive (HSE) Addiction Managers, individuals and families with lived and living experience, civil society representatives and service providers, along with prevention and education stakeholders. “These consultations were designed to identify learnings from the current national drugs strategy and to collect insights to help shape the successor strategy, ensuring that it is reflective of and responsive to the needs of those with direct and indirect experience of problematic drug and alcohol use,” the Department of Health said. The consultations covered “strategic priorities for the new strategy, the planning and delivery of drug services in the HSE health regions, the lived and living experience of people who use drugs and their families, the development of the drugs workforce, and drug prevention.” Several areas of progress were noted, including “the increase in bed numbers in residential centres and the positive role of the drugs workforce, who are viewed as client-focused, experienced and skilled, with strong HSE clinical governance.” The report also praised “the operationalisation of Ireland’s first medically supervised injecting facility” and work on emerging drug trends. However, participants highlighted concerns such as “a perceived insufficient focus on prevention and a lack of appropriately skilled prevention workers in each Task Force to deliver prevention initiatives,” as well as “gaps in services in certain areas, financial barriers to accessing some treatment centres and clinics, long waiting lists, as well as gaps in services for children and young people.” (VA)
|
Brian Maguire
|
Ireland targets greater transparency in healthcare as consultations shape new drugs strategy and pharmacy pricing rules, despite funding concerns
|
[
"Health",
"Community Pharmacy Agreement",
"Drugs Strategy",
"Ireland",
"Medicines Pricing",
"Michael Martin"
] |
Health
|
2025-10-28T16:11:35+00:00
|
2025-10-28T16:29:50+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/ireland-preps-new-drugs-strategy-unveils-pharmacy-pricing-rules/
|
Climate activists lose human rights case over Norway oil and gas drilling
|
NGOs relieved at recognition of need to assess climate impact of new projects The European Court of Human Rights has cleared Norway of violating its citizens’ constitutional rights in a case dating back to the award of oil and gas exploration licences in 2016. The ruling on Tuesday, brings to a close nearly a decade of litigation by Greenpeace Nordic, Young Friends of the Earth Norway, and a group of Norwegian youths, who turned to the Strasbourg court after having their legal challenge rejected by Norway’s supreme court. They had argued that the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy had violated their right to private and family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Robert Hodgson
|
NGOs relieved at recognition of need to assess climate impact of new projects
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"climate",
"Energy",
"European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)",
"Gas",
"Norway",
"Oil"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-28T15:58:01+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/climate-activists-lose-human-rights-case-over-norway-oil-and-gas-drilling/
|
|
Startup commissioner says 28th regime should be open for all
|
Limiting the EU-wide company entity to “innovative” companies could slow the project down by years, Zaharieva warned on Tuesday The 28th regime – a planned EU-wide company entity to reduce barriers for startups – should be available to all companies, not limited to “innovative” ones, Startup Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva said in Brussels on Tuesday. So far, the Commission has pitched the project as aimed at making life simpler for “innovative companies”, including in its competitiveness compass in January. But supporters are worried that the criteria would make it all but impossible to decide which businesses are in-scope. Speaking at the European Angel Investment Summit, Zaharieva argued that trying to politically nail down a definition for “innovative” could delay the reform for “years”. “I believe it should be open,” she said. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Maximilian Henning
|
Limiting the EU-wide company entity to “innovative” companies could slow the project down by years, Zaharieva warned on Tuesday
|
[
"Tech",
"28th regime",
"Ekaterina Zaharieva",
"European Commission",
"Startups"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-28T15:55:52+00:00
|
2025-10-28T16:09:16+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/startup-commissioner-says-28th-regime-should-be-open-for-all/
|
EXCLUSIVE: EU Parliament paid thousands to Greek neo-Nazi MEP after criminal conviction
|
Legal loopholes allowed Ioannis Lagos to remain on Parliament payroll for years after his conviction When neo-Nazi leaders of Greece’s Golden Dawn party were convicted of criminal organisation, illegal possession of weapons, involvement in the fatal stabbing of a left-wing rapper and brutal assaults, the verdict sent shivers through Europe’s far right and beyond. Some of its members fled and went into hiding. But not Ioannis Lagos, one of its senior figures. Elected to the European Parliament in 2019, Lagos continued attending legislative sessions, voting, speaking, and travelling between Greece and Belgium for six months as any other MEP would. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Elisa Braun
|
Legal loopholes allowed Ioannis Lagos to remain on Parliament payroll for years after his conviction
|
[
"Politics",
"European Court of Justice (ECJ)",
"European Parliament",
"Golden Dawn",
"Greece",
"Ioannis Lagos",
"Transparency"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T15:03:01+00:00
|
2025-10-28T16:02:11+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-parliament-paid-thousands-to-greek-neo-nazi-mep-after-criminal-conviction/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=In the capital continued.&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Georgia's ruling party seeks to ban main opposition forces
|
In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting toward Russia and derailing Georgia's EU bid Georgia’s ruling party said on Tuesday it has asked the constitutional court to ban the three main opposition forces, a move critics condemned as a final step toward authoritarian rule. The Black Sea nation has been mired in political crisis since last year’s parliamentary elections, which the opposition says were rigged. It has refused to recognise the new parliament and government. Tensions deepened after the government shelved EU-membership talks with Brussels, triggering months of street protests that have dwindled recently amid a clampdown on opposition politicians, critical journalists and activists. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, of the governing Georgian Dream party, said it has asked the constitutional court to outlaw the United National Movement of jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, the Ahali-Coalition for Change, and Strong Georgia-Lelo. He accused them of “repeatedly undermining the legitimacy of the government and acting against the state’s constitutional order.” Papuashvili said other smaller groups “closely related” to the three could also face action. Georgian Dream alleges the opposition has “systematically attempted to overthrow or forcibly change Georgia’s constitutional order” and “supported foreign forces” in undermining the country’s independence. The constitutional court, widely seen as controlled by the ruling party, has nine months to decide on the request. Politics Georgia’s decision to shut down its information office for Euro-Atlantic ties is “another step in… 3 minutes Former president Salome Zurabishvili called the move “the ultimate step in Georgia’s reign of terror,” saying it aimed to turn the country into a “Russian-style authoritarian regime.” Opposition figures also denounced the appeal. “It doesn’t matter which parties Ivanishvili’s kangaroo court bans – the only thing that will be truly banned are Papuashvili and Ivanishvili’s accomplices,” said Tina Bokuchava, head of the United National Movement, referring to the ruling party’s billionnaire chief Bidzina Ivanishvili. She urged pro-democracy forces to unite against what she called the “betrayal of Georgia’s European future”. In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting toward Russia and derailing Georgia’s EU bid. The party rejects this, saying it is safeguarding stability while a Western “deep state” seeks to drag Georgia into the Ukraine war with the help of opposition parties. (vib)
|
AFP
|
In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has faced accusations of democratic backsliding, drifting toward Russia and derailing Georgia's EU bid
|
[
"Politics",
"EU",
"Georgia",
"Opposition",
"Russia"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T14:54:36+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/georgias-ruling-party-seeks-to-ban-main-opposition-forces/
|
|
Berlin says Rosneft subsidiaries not impacted by US sanctions
|
The German operations of the Russian energy giant are decoupled from their parent company US sanctions targeting Rosneft will not impact the Russian oil giant’s German subsidiaries, which were placed under state administration after Moscow invaded Ukraine, the German government told AFP on Tuesday. The economy ministry “has received assurances from the relevant US authorities that the sanctions are not intended to target Rosneft’s German subsidiaries”, a spokesman said. “Business transactions with the subsidiaries can continue.” You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
The German operations of the Russian energy giant are decoupled from their parent company
|
[
"Economy",
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Moscow",
"Oil",
"Rosneft",
"Russia",
"Sanctions",
"US",
"Vladimir Putin"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-28T14:43:45+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/berlin-says-rosneft-subsidiaries-not-impacted-by-us-sanctions/
|
||
Dutch dark horse trips up over gay rights comments before election
|
The centre-right's remarkable comeback in the Netherlands might have stalled due to controversial comments The centre-right’s remarkable comeback ahead of Wednesday’s Dutch parliamentary election might have stalled due to controversial comments its party leader made about the rights of a gay pupil. Henri Bontenbal, a 42-year-old former energy consultant, has resurrected his Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party from the doldrums, and polls have shown him tied in second place with former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, who leads a Green-Left alliance. But Bontenbal came unstuck on a television programme last week, when he suggested that a gay pupil at a publicly funded Christian school could choose to attend another school if he felt uncomfortable about his sexual identity. The comments went down badly in a country that is proud of its liberal values. Bontenbal apologised, saying he was human, but polls suggest he lost five out of a healthy 25-seat projection after his comments. “If he hadn’t made this mistake last week, he very likely would have been on top of all the polls at this point,” said Tom-Jan Meeus, a political reporter at the Dutch newspaper NRC. A campaign poster of Bontenbal in the European Parliament, Brussels | Photo: Eddy Wax/Euractiv It was a rare moment in which Bontenbal made news for the wrong reasons. His low-key campaign has been characterised by quiet decency and unity, an explicit attempt to frame himself as the man to close the chapter on the turbulent, highly polarised recent years of Dutch politics. CDA European Parliament member Jeroen Lenaers suggested the intense focus on the incident showed that their campaign is “actively working.” Pro-European footing Bontenbal has shifted the Dutch centre-right onto a more pro-EU footing. After years in which upstart centre-right parties such as the Farmer-Citizen Movement and New Social Contract ate into the CDA’s vote, promoting more soft eurosceptic policies, Bontenbal’s party has now made an explicit shift toward a more pragmatic relationship with Brussels. Remco de Boer, a researcher who ran a podcast about energy policy with Bontenbal for two years, said the CDA leader believes “we really have to look at Europe, at European legislation” and do whatever work is needed. The CDA has also opened up to the idea of allowing pan-EU debt for defence spending, something the frugal Netherlands has often opposed. “We say [that] as a crisis instrument within a very dedicated framework, we’re not against [it], we’re open to talk about it. For example in defence,” said Tom Berendsen, another CDA MEP. At a time when the EU is struggling to find ways to finance Ukraine for the next two years, this could be music to the ears of many. (cm)
|
Eddy Wax
|
The centre-right's remarkable comeback in the Netherlands might have stalled due to controversial comments
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Elections",
"The Netherlands"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T13:29:38+00:00
|
2025-10-28T15:22:10+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/dutch-dark-horse-trips-up-over-gay-rights-comments-before-election/
|
EU doubles down on Ukraine reparation loan after Belgian pushback
|
Ursula von der Leyen refused to even mention an alternative option, floated by Belgium's Bart De Wever, of using common EU debt to plug Kyiv's colossal budget needs EU leaders reiterated on Tuesday their support for a €140 billion loan plan for Ukraine based on immobilised Russian assets, just days after Belgium refused to back it and floated common EU debt as an alternative. Speaking to journalists in Stockholm following a meeting of Nordic European leaders, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the plan, which would draw on Russian sovereign assets held by Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear, remains “legally sound”. However, she admitted that “technical questions” need to be answered to assuage Belgium’s fears about potential legal and financial risks to Euroclear, and the stability of the euro area. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Thomas Moller-Nielsen
|
Ursula von der Leyen refused to even mention an alternative option, floated by Belgium's Bart De Wever, of using common EU debt to plug Kyiv's colossal budget needs
|
[
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Bart De Wever",
"Belgium",
"Denmark",
"Euroclear",
"European Central Bank (ECB)",
"Finland",
"Frozen Assets",
"Sweden",
"Ursula von der Leyen"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-28T13:25:41+00:00
|
2025-10-28T15:52:51+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-doubles-down-on-ukraine-reparation-loan-after-belgium-pushback/
|
Bulgaria is losing childhood obesity battle
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Bulgaria spends the highest share of GDP in the world on obesity-related costs, but poor data is causing a weak obesity strategy Bulgaria is struggling to fight obesity because its institutions fail to collect reliable data. Insufficient data is masking the scale of the problem, says paediatrician and child rheumatologist Dr Tanya Andreeva. Andreeva, an obesity researcher, told Euractiv that according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on school-age children’s health behaviour, Bulgarian children rank among the top in Europe for overweight and obesity, following North Macedonia, Malta and Portugal. The rates are particularly alarming among those aged 11 to 13. In Bulgaria, 37% of boys and 24% of girls are obese at the age of 11. By age 13, the share of obese girls drops to 17%, while the proportion among boys remains unchanged. “A worrying finding in the WHO report is that more than 30% of Bulgaria’s data is missing,” Andreeva said. In October, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) released a special report titled “A Blueprint for Action to Address Obesity in the EU”, which urges the European Commission to encourage the exchange of obesity-related data between Member States. The report advises the Commission to “introduce timely, routine and systematic data collection of the number of people living with obesity and monitor the progress and effectiveness of public health, clinical and health services policy interventions.” Even if the European Commission were to follow this advice by financing obesity research through national health and research programmes under EU4Health and Horizon Europe, Bulgaria currently has little to contribute. “The prevalence of childhood obesity in Bulgaria varies significantly, between 4% and 32%, due to the lack of a unified measurement methodology,” says Dr Andreeva, criticising local institutions for their near-total lack of engagement with the issue. She explains that the significant variation in official data makes it impossible to draw reliable conclusions, identify trends, make projections or plan evidence-based interventions to curb overweight and obesity. “Early identification of children at risk of [being] overweight and obesity is key to prevention and management and helps avert the development of many socially significant diseases in adulthood,” she says. Controlling obesity is a major preventive measure against chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, liver steatosis, and increased cardiovascular risk. The report “(Un)Defeated Pandemics – Obesity” estimates Bulgaria’s total economic costs linked to obesity at over €3.25 billion per year. According to the Global Obesity Observatory, Bulgaria spends the highest share of GDP in the world on obesity-related costs — 4.7% of GDP in 2019. If no action is taken, this figure is projected to exceed 7% of GDP by 2060. “Direct medical costs, such as treatment, outpatient care and reimbursed medication related to obesity, exceed €130 million in 2024, while the total economic burden is around €6 billion,” Dr Andreeva notes. A UNICEF report similarly ranks Bulgaria among the European countries with the highest levels of childhood obesity, with nearly one in three children being overweight – a finding that echoes WHO data. “Given the heavy economic burden, investments in the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity should be seen not as healthcare costs but as strategic economic investments with a high return potential,” Dr Andreeva argues. The EFPIA report shows that in 2022, obesity rates in the EU increased gradually with age, peaking at around 20% among those aged 65–74 and 15% among adults aged 18–64. Researchers estimate that by 2030, more than 30% of Europeans will be living with obesity, with the direct and indirect costs to healthcare systems potentially reaching €1.6 trillion if no holistic action is taken. [VA, BM]
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Krassen Nikolov
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Bulgaria spends the highest share of GDP in the world on obesity-related costs, but poor data is causing a weak obesity strategy
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[
"Health",
"Access to Healthcare",
"Bulgaria",
"Obesity"
] |
Health
|
2025-10-28T12:21:46+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/bulgaria-is-losing-childhood-obesity-battle/
|
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The Missing Piece in Disaster Response
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In conflict settings, mental health support is as critical as providing food, water and shelter. It’s past time we recognize it as an essential part of crisis response. At just fifteen years of age, Aly was forced to flee his home with his family, eventually finding refuge in a crowded settlement near Burkina Faso. But safety didn’t end his struggles. Hounded by painful memories, Aly was plagued by night terrors and insomnia. After his mother attended a mental health awareness session in the settlement, she recognized his symptoms and brought him to an ICRC-backed medical center—one of the few in the region. Through drawing and writing, therapy helped Aly work through guilt and trauma. Today, he is back in school, making friends, and finally sleeping through the night. This is the power of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), delivered at the right time in the right way. Yet too often, these essential services are an afterthought in disaster preparedness and response plans—if they’re considered at all. Action lagging behind awareness Awareness of mental health needs has grown in recent years, with the United Nations and Wellcome Trust announcing in September 2025 a US$13.2 million initiative to support scaling up mental health response in humanitarian settings. Yet overall, investment and capacity have not kept pace. According to the WHO Mental Health Atlas 2024, over 1 billion people worldwide live with mental health conditions. However, mental health receives only 2% of national health budgets on average—a figure that has remained virtually unchanged for the past eight years. In emergency contexts, this figure shrinks even further – mental health programs receive a mere 1% of development assistance for health[1] . This is despite the fact that investment in mental health is money well spent: research shows that every $1 invested in mental health yields $4 in return in better health and ability to work. Such stagnation is dangerously out of step with the challenges we face. The last decade has borne witness to a series of disasters in rapid succession. Some were local, like earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, floods in Brazil and Spain and wildfires in Australia and the USA. Others sent shockwaves worldwide: the COVID-19 pandemic, an escalating climate crisis and a rising number of conflicts across the globe. These have taken a heavy toll – physical and psychological – on communities, on families and individuals alike. We cannot afford to keep responding with half measures. Left untreated, psychological distress fuels anxiety, depression, and other conditions that ripple through families and communities, weakening recovery and resilience. It diminishes people’s ability to care for themselves and their loved ones, to return to work, and to contribute to their communities, resulting in losses that add up to an estimated USD $1 trillion every year in costs to the global economy — in addition to the immense human suffering borne by individuals, families and communities. The need is dire. Of the 300 million people today who need humanitarian assistance, 66 million are grappling with mental health conditions, often cut off from desperately-needed care. For the sake of both individual wellbeing and collective resilience, MHPSS must no longer be treated as optional. MHPSS: Not one-size-fits-all MHPSS is not an exercise in identifying a successful intervention, then building from the exact same blueprint, country to country, crisis to crisis. Every community and experience is unique, and so interventions must be tailored to time, place and person. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have vast experience in crisis response, across contexts and borders, measuring success not only by clinical outcomes but also by whether support is accessible, context-appropriate, and responsive to the needs of those most at risk. The ICRC and the Z Zurich Foundation (the Foundation), a charitable foundation established by various members of Zurich Insurance Group, have entered a multi-year collaboration to support and expand MHPSS in emergencies in August 2025. This collaboration will help the ICRC further advance its work in strengthening emergency MHPSS capacities, integrating mental health considerations into humanitarian response, and developing key tools to improve care for conflict-affected populations. The support from the Z Zurich Foundation will contribute to developing practical guidance to help ensure MHPSS activities are effectively integrated into emergency measures across diverse contexts. The capacity building element of this collaboration will help drive sustainable impact and resilience. Using the Pyramid of Care framework, the ICRC works to build adaptable, context-specific models that are embedded in public services and co-designed with affected communities and local professionals. They support the development and integration of MHPSS within existing public services, such as health and education, ensuring that support is safe, culturally appropriate, and sustainable. In many countries, the organization works closely with Ministries of Health and Justice to build capacity, train personnel, and scale up national MHPSS responses. A shared goal: public, private and humanitarian sector roles in MHPSS But neither public institutions nor humanitarian organizations, such as the ICRC, can shoulder the burden alone. With limited financial and human resources, a shortage of trained professionals, persistent stigma around mental health, and competing priorities during emergencies, cross-sector collaboration is essential. Rather than a challenge, this should be seen as an opportunity: the private sector can add real value to humanitarian and public efforts. Beyond funding for MHPSS, the Z Zurich Foundation engages the employees of various members of the Zurich Insurance Group to volunteer their time in support of humanitarian goals. Mental health is not a luxury—it is a lifeline. In emergency response, supplying mental health support is as essential as distributing aid parcels and providing a safe place to sleep. The ICRC sees every day how timely, culturally appropriate MHPSS helps people heal and rebuild their lives. Sustained investment, national ownership, and coordination are key to scaling up this support. By stepping up their support, private actors like the Z Zurich Foundation can play a critical role in shaping a more resilient, responsive, and compassionate humanitarian system. When mental health and psychosocial support are woven into disaster management, crisis response becomes more than a short-term fix — it becomes the foundation for long-term healing. About Z Zurich Foundation The Z Zurich Foundation works alongside Zurich Insurance Group employees and other stakeholders as well as with governments and NGOs in pursuit of a future where people can thrive in the face of increasing climate hazards and catastrophes, where those of us feeling the stresses of life are empowered to speak up, and where the marginalized in our society can reach their full potential. The Z Zurich Foundation is a Swiss-based charitable foundation established by members of the Zurich Insurance Group. It is the main vehicle by which Zurich Insurance Group delivers on its global community investment strategy. Visit the Z Zurich Foundation’s website to learn more about its work: https://zurich.foundation. Follow Z Zurich Foundation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. [1] Although DAMH did increase between 2007 and 2013, it remains low both in absolute terms and as a proportion of total development assistance for health (DAH). The average annual DAMH between 2007 and 2013 was US$133.57 million, and the proportion of DAH attributed to mental health is less than 1%. DAH: Development assistance for health. Assessing Development Assistance for Mental Health in Developing Countries: 2007–2013 – PMC
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In conflict settings, mental health support is as critical as providing food, water and shelter. It’s past time we recognize it as an essential part of crisis response.
|
[
"Health",
"Action",
"Awareness",
"Mental Health",
"Promoted content",
"Psychosocial Support",
"Trauma"
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2025-10-28T11:00:21+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-missing-piece-in-disaster-response/
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COP30: EU’s climate chief pushes China to ‘put more money on the table’
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The EU's Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra is doubling down on confronting Beijing China needs to spend more to boost global climate finance given its increasing economic clout, the EU’s Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told Euractiv on Tuesday. In 2024, the EU contributed more than €30 billion to global climate finance, making the bloc the biggest donor. China, the world’s second-largest economy, has yet to contribute beyond bilateral support. Meanwhile, developing countries are pushing for €1.3 trillion in support, up from €100 billion in previous years. “What is true and that is not a statement by me, but by the United Nations, according to them, China is an upper middle income country. And they have done an amazing job in terms of creating affluence,” Hoekstra said at Euractiv’s Energy & Environment Policy Conference. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Nikolaus J. Kurmayer
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The EU's Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra is doubling down on confronting Beijing
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"2040 climate target",
"climate",
"COP30",
"ETS2",
"Wopke Hoekstra"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-28T09:41:47+00:00
|
2025-10-28T16:43:11+00:00
|
en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/cop30-eus-climate-chief-pushes-china-to-put-more-money-on-the-table/
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UN: Global greenhouse gas emissions set to fall for the first time, but not quickly enough
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But the forecasted 10% emission cut in 2035 would be insufficient to respect global warming red lines World governments’ climate pledges for the next decade are expected to reduce global emissions for the first time ever, although not enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations’ climate change body said on Tuesday. Global emissions in 2035 should fall 10% compared to 2019, the secretary general of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, said in a statement. But the pace of reduction was “not nearly fast enough” to respect the planet’s climate boundaries, he warned. To avoid the worst consequences of climate change, global warming should not increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, the aspirational target set in the 2015 agreement. According to the UN, this would be possible only if 2019 emissions were to be cut by 60% by 2035. To keep global warming below the Paris Agreement’s upper limit of 2°C, emissions would need to be cut by at least 35% over the next ten years. This means that a 10% cut – an estimate that the UN acknowledges is based on limited data – would be far short of what is needed to respect either red line. The figure is also understood to consider at least one optimistic assumption about developments in the US. The outgoing Biden administration pledged to cut emissions by at least 61% by 2035 compared to levels thirty years earlier, but President Trump swiftly moved to pull out of the global effort as he doubled down on an anti-green agenda. The US will be formally out of the Paris Agreement in January, but Washington was not the only centre of power to give the UNFCCC secretariat a headache. Only about one-third of nearly 200 signatories of the Paris Agreement presented their formal climate pledges by last September’s extended deadline, and major emitters such as China and India are among the laggards. Self-styled global climate action leader the EU has also yet to submit its ‘nationally determined contribution’ (NDC). The UN’s 10% emission cut forecast is based on both formal pledges and declarations that Brussels, Beijing, and others made at a Climate Summit in New York last month. The UN analysis of the 64 pledges that were submitted in time was published today and indicates that these countries, including the US, are expected to cut their emissions by a total of 17% compared to 2019 levels. A more complete analysis can be expected when more governments file their pledges before the next round of climate talks at the COP30 summit that kicks off on 10 November in the Brazilian city of Belém. According to UN climate policy chief Stiell, the conference should show that the world is still ready to cooperate on accelerating greenhouse gas emissions reduction and to “connect climate action to people’s lives” and ensure “everyone shares in its vast benefits”. He said that the opportunities offered by climate action were “monumental” as it “emerges as the economic growth and jobs engine of the 21st century”. “We are still in the race, but to ensure a liveable planet for all eight billion people today, we must urgently pick up the pace, at COP30 and every year thereafter,” he said. (rh)
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Stefano Porciello
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But the forecasted 10% emission cut in 2035 would be insufficient to respect global warming red lines
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Climate Change",
"COP30",
"UN Framework for Climate Change (UNFCCC)"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-28T07:00:59+00:00
|
2025-10-28T11:19:42+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/un-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-set-to-fall-for-the-first-time-but-not-quickly-enough/
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Timmermans boosted by gay youth controversy
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In today’s edition: a gay rights controversy jolts the Dutch election as centrist parties eye a comeback, Pedro Sánchez’s fragile alliance unravels after Catalan separatists cut ties, and Berlin urges restraint as EU-China trade tensions escalate over mineral export curbs What determines the calendar in Brussels? The school holidays or the European institutions? It’s a chicken-and-egg situation. Whatever the answer, the city is remarkably quiet this week. Welcome to Rapporteur. This is Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta. Want to keep me busy? Drop me a line – I read every message. Need-to-knows: Today’s edition is powered by the European Free Alliance Direct regional funding is essential for the EU’s cohesion The renationalisation of European funds proposed in the MFF 2028-2034 would increase the economic gap between peripheral regions and the already wealthier European capital cities. In EFA, we believe in the EU’s role in mitigating territorial inequalities. We call EU leaders to draft a new proposal that protects direct funding for EU’s regions. Find out more. This is a political ad. More info at https://www.euractiv.com/political-ads/.
For details relating to this campaign, more info at https://content.efaparty.eu/. It’s starting to get exciting in the Netherlands, which goes to the polls on Wednesday for a snap vote. Dutch elections always end with some kind of multi-way coalition, but it was safe to assume this campaign would be dominated by a two-way slugfest between anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders and Left-Green leader Frans Timmermans. That has largely been the case – with the pair duelling in recent days over AI-generated images used by Wilders’ MPs against the leftwinger, who’s taking his second crack at becoming prime minister since leaving the Commission in 2023. But with Wilders deemed too toxic for most other parties, the real question has been who might come second to him, form a coalition, and become prime minister. It was, in some ways, Timmermans’ to lose. However, a dark horse candidate in the shape of Christian Democrat leader Henri Bontenbal, a 42-year-old former energy consultant, ran a campaign built on quiet decency – aiming to differentiate himself from the polarising Wilders-Timmermans battle and resurrect his almost-dead party. Polls briefly put him neck-and-neck with the Green Deal’s architect. That was until last week, when Bontenbal’s low-key strategy combusted spectacularly. In a televised interview, he suggested that a gay pupil at a publicly funded Christian school could choose to attend another school if he felt uncomfortable about his sexual identity. In a largely secular country proud of its liberalism, Bontenbal’s risk-averse campaign suddenly heated up. And he lost five projected seats, according to polling. Bontenbal has apologised and remains personally popular, but the gaffe could benefit Timmermans – or the race’s other dark horse: Rob Jetten. A more progressive version of Mark Rutte, Jetten, 38, is a former energy minister who leads the liberal D66 party. He is having a very good campaign and enjoying a late burst in the polls. If the centrist parties – Timmermans’ Green Left, Bontenbal’s CDA, Jetten’s D66, and Rutte’s old VVD now led by Dilan Yeşilgöz – manage to form a coalition despite their differences, a more compromise-based form of Dutch politics will return. That would mark a shift after two years under a right-wing government that failed to get much done and largely sought to cast Brussels as a hindrance. The EU could be about to get a lot more Dutch. Sánchez abandoned by Catalan separatists Catalan separatist party Junts on Monday said it would “unanimously break relations” with Spain’s ruling Socialists over what it called unfulfilled promises tied to Pedro Sánchez’s re-election deal. Party leader Carles Puigdemont accused Madrid of failing to transfer powers and fully apply the amnesty law shielding independence figures, including himself, my colleague Inés Fernández-Pontes reported. The split, still subject to a grassroots vote, would leave Sánchez’s minority government without Junts’ seven MPs, threatening future budgets and deepening uncertainty over the coalition’s stability. Germany aims to defuse EU-China crossfire Germany’s foreign minister urged calm on Monday amid a mounting trade spat between the EU and China over Beijing’s new export curbs on critical minerals – just days after Brussels hinted at pulling the trigger on its so-called “trade bazooka.” “We want a close dialogue with China,” Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Brussels after meetings with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. Von der Leyen warned over the weekend that she’s “ready to use all instruments in our toolbox” in response to China’s move – remarks widely seen as a thinly veiled threat to deploy the EU executive’s much-vaunted anti-coercion instrument, informally known as the “trade bazooka.” France’s Emmanuel Macron also floated using the measure, which would let Brussels target services, investment, and licences. Beijing, meanwhile, sought to dial down the rhetoric, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson touting China’s “mutually beneficial” ties with Germany. EU eyes moving training mission east EU military officials are drawing up contingency plans to shift the bloc’s training mission for Ukrainian troops into Ukraine itself – but only if a ceasefire takes hold. “EUMAM would have to evolve,” said Seán Clancy, chair of the EU Military Committee, in an interview with my colleague Aurelie Pugnet. The move would mark a major shift in the EU’s military posture, turning the current external training effort into a security guarantee for Ukrainian soil. Clancy stressed that no action will be taken until conditions permit, but renewed US efforts to broker peace have revived discussions long stalled in Brussels. Tree-mendous mess A plan by the Commission to simplify the bloc’s deforestation rules has deepened tensions with member states, several of which accuse Brussels of changing course without warning. Marek Výborný, the Czech agriculture minister, told my colleague Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro that he felt blindsided when the Commission declined to postpone the rules for a year, despite earlier suggestions by Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall that it could. The about-face, he said, left small businesses scrambling and governments uncertain. Countries including Latvia, Poland, and Bulgaria now want to push enforcement back to 2027, arguing the EU’s new system is not ready. EU considers centralised return hubs As capitals debate how to set up “return hubs” – facilities for third-country nationals facing deportation under the bloc’s new Returns Regulation – the Commission has clarified that such hubs could be created not only by member states but also at the EU level, according to a presidency discussion paper seen by Euractiv. Cyprus’ deputy migration minister, Nicholas Ioannides, this month called for migrant return deals to be struck “at the EU level, not bilaterally, to ensure a coordinated approach.” Governments are also weighing whether the hubs should serve as final destinations or as transit points for onward transfers. Patriots press EPP on corporate laws The far-right Patriots for Europe group is urging the conservative European People’s Party to back a deregulatory proposal on the EU’s corporate sustainability and due diligence laws. “We’re asking for a public vote, and we want the EPP to support compromise number one,” lead negotiator Pascale Piera told Euractiv over coffee. The compromise would roll back the bloc’s corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence laws beyond what the EPP later agreed with liberal and centre-left lawmakers. That deal recently collapsed in a secret ballot, and the omnibus law revision now heads for a full-house examination on 13 November. The EPP has blamed the socialists for the breakdown and demanded explanations, but the Patriots have signalled they are ready to step in. WARSAW 🇵🇱 Donald Tusk startled allies by suggesting that countries unable to reform within the European Convention on Human Rights might quit it. The prime minister told The Sunday Times that the court’s broad rulings were worsening Europe’s migration woes. Warsaw hastened to clarify it has no plans to withdraw, but the remark drew sharp rebukes from coalition partners who accused him of chipping away at Europe’s legal bedrock. VILNIUS 🇱🇹 Lithuania’s government said Monday it would begin shooting down smuggling balloons drifting across its border from Belarus, calling the incidents a form of hybrid attack reminiscent of Russia’s efforts to destabilise the region. The decision follows recent closures of Vilnius airport as authorities weigh whether to seek NATO consultations amid rising tension with Minsk. STOCKHOLM 🇸🇪 Sweden’s government on Monday unveiled plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13, a drastic step aimed at curbing the surge in gang violence that has shaken the country. The proposal, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, would allow 13- and 14-year-olds to face prison sentences for serious crimes. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said accountability must apply regardless of age, while prosecutors and rights groups warned it risks breaching child-protection norms. PRAGUE 🇨🇿 Andrej Babiš, a billionaire populist who calls himself a “Trumpist,” was asked to form the Czech Republic’s next government after his ANO party won 34.5% of the vote but no majority. Talks with the far-right SPD and the anti-EU Motorists party are under way. President Petr Pavel urged him to uphold democratic norms. The coalition’s shape may determine whether Prague maintains its strong support for Ukraine. HELSINKI 🇫🇮 Finland’s defence ministry blocked 11 property purchases by non-EU nationals – including Russian, Israeli, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz citizens – citing security risks along key maritime and road corridors and warning of “hybrid influence operations.” Cases included forest estates and a highway-side house; rouble prepayments raised financing red flags. The ministry urged parliament to fast-track a broader ban on all non-resident acquisitions by Russian nationals. PARIS 🇫🇷 French lawmakers are preparing to debate a proposed tax on supplementary health insurers that could bring in around €1 billion for the state. The measure, set out in Article 7 of the draft budget, is intended to help offset the financial impact of freezing the government’s pension overhaul. Critics warn, however, that it could push mutual insurers to raise premiums for millions of households – a prospect the left-wing opposition has branded a “casus belli.” 📍 Von der Leyen in Sweden for meetings with Nordic leaders and the SG of the Nordic Council of Ministers; meets Speaker Andreas Norlén and delivers a speech at the 77th Nordic Council session 📍 Metsola in Washington for meetings with US House Speaker Mike Johnson and Energy Secretary Chris Wright 📍 Costa in Abu Dhabi for talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan 📍 Dombrovskis in Romania for a press conference with PM Ilie Bolojan 📍 EU–Tunisia Association Council convenes Contributors: Maria Simon Arboleas, Magnus Lund Nielsen, Thomas Moller-Nielsen, Elisa Braun, Jacob Wulff Wold, Inés Fernández-Pontes, Aleksandra Krzysztoszek, Natália Silenská, Charles Szumski, Jeremias Lin Editors: Christina Zhao, Sofia Mandilara
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Eddy Wax
|
In today’s edition: a gay rights controversy jolts the Dutch election as centrist parties eye a comeback, Pedro Sánchez’s fragile alliance unravels after Catalan separatists cut ties, and Berlin urges restraint as EU-China trade tensions escalate over mineral export curbs
|
[
"Politics",
"Rapporteur"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T07:00:13+00:00
|
2025-10-28T07:04:24+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapporteur-timmermans-boosted-by-gay-youth-controversy/
|
Facial recognition firm Clearview AI hit with criminal complaint
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Privacy rights group noyb, which has filed the complaint in Austria, wants criminal liability or even jail time for the AI company's leadership if they travel to the EU European privacy rights group noyb filed a criminal complaint against the controversial US facial recognition company Clearview AI and its leadership on Tuesday. Noyb’s complaint to authorities in Austria follows a string of sanctions hitting the company in recent years after EU privacy authorities found that Clearview breached the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when it scraped Europeans’ information off the public internet to build a facial recognition database. The US company sells a facial recognition-powered identity-matching service, using AI to match photos or videos of individuals with its database of information, such as social media profiles. Its clients include US law enforcement authorities and private firms. The use of facial recognition technologies, in particular by police authorities, raises huge privacy questions, as well as raising the risk of the technology being misused for mass surveillance. But despite multiple GDPR fines being issued on Clearview – in total the company has received €95.7 million in administrative fines from data protection authorities in Greece, France, Italy, and the Netherlands since February 2022 – EU authorities have struggled to collect the money. The US-based firm has been largely able to dodge GDPR enforcement in the EU, as it has no formal representation on the continent. Noyb’s complaint accuses Clearview of simply ignoring EU law. By filing a criminal complaint, the privacy rights group said it hopes that – should Clearview be found guilty – its management would have to risk jail time or being held personally liable if they travel to the EU. It points out that the GDPR gives scope to enforcement authorities to foresee criminal sanctions for certain data breaches if such a criminal provision has been implemented in national law – as is the case in Austria. “We hope that the public prosecutor […] takes action when the personal data of billions of people was stolen – as has been confirmed by multiple authorities,” said noyb chairman Max Schrems in a statement. In the UK, Clearview was also handed a £7.5 million (€8.6 million) penalty in 2022 after the national privacy watchdog applied the UK’s version of the GDPR. The company has challenged the UK’s enforcement but, earlier this month, a court ruled that it was bound by national law. (nl)
|
Claudie Moreau
|
Privacy rights group noyb, which has filed the complaint in Austria, wants criminal liability or even jail time for the AI company's leadership if they travel to the EU
|
[
"Tech",
"artificial intelligence",
"Max Schrems",
"Privacy"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-28T06:01:29+00:00
|
2025-10-28T11:05:34+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/facial-recognition-firm-clearview-ai-hit-with-criminal-complaint/
|
Europe Accelerates Clean Competitiveness
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Can the EU be sustainable and continue to grow? Can Europe remain competitive without being sustainable? For the new president of Eurima, an upcoming EU Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is a chance to show that competitiveness and decarbonisation work best together. “Will the IAA be a driver of sustainable competitiveness or of competitive sustainability?” asks Efrén del Pino Iglesias. “Why not both?” He explains how the act can help build a strong economy and a climate-neutral continent by 2050. This is no easy task. It has never been done before and is happening right in the middle of what Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called “a fight – for a continent that is whole and at peace.” First mentioned in the Commission’s Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal, the IAA is due to be published this year. It will complement EU policies such as the Net Zero Industry Act and renewable energy legislation, introducing sustainability criteria to boost demand for clean products and creating “lead markets” for green industry sectors. Efrén believes that it is an opportunity for promoting a changed mindset, supporting new forms of behaviour, decision-making and institutional culture.. For instance, an energy efficiency lead market would be a new way of thinking, one that recognises that achieving a competitive and sustainable economy sometimes means acknowledging that you can do much more with less. Efrén was elected President of Eurima in June, bringing a pragmatic view from inside Europe’s manufacturing base, as Etex’s Head of Division Insulation, which includes URSA’s mineral wool solutions. He is a strong believer in pushing industrial competitiveness and decarbonisation in parallel, with European jobs and local factories at the centre of the transition. As president of Eurima, he says the IAA can help turn Europe’s climate ambition into industrial strength, with energy efficiency as the link between sustainability and competitiveness. Saving for the Future “The most sustainable energy is saved energy,” Efrén explains. “If we start with energy-efficient structures and proper insulation, we reduce the need for massive amounts of energy in the first place.” Otherwise, relying only on electrification and renewables to fix inefficient buildings “is like putting a powerful new engine into an old car with four flat tyres.” Shortly after Efrén’s appointment, Eurima joined almost 100 industry partners in successfully advocating for EU governments to keep the Energy Efficiency First principle at the core of the EU Climate Law. Prioritising energy efficiency in buildings and industry today can optimise future investments in energy infrastructure, allowing Europe to do much more with less. Recent studies show just how quickly energy efficiency pays off. Research by the Danish Energy Agency found that many industrial energy-saving measures can pay for themselves in less than two years. Similarly, the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF) demonstrated that improving insulation in factories can deliver over the same two year period, while cutting about 500,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and saving more than 20 million euros annually across Europe. These numbers, Eurima notes, show that efficiency is not a cost but an investment, one that directly strengthens both competitiveness and decarbonisation. Building with the Best The IAA is a culmination of EU efforts to reconcile industrial performance and climate ambition, and to make Europe’s industrial model both clean and competitive. Efrén warns against climate fatigue, after years of policy debate. Europe has already achieved a head start on decarbonisation compared with other regions, and this gives its industries an advantage in finding the right balance between sustainability and competitiveness. Energy efficiency, insulation, and construction materials are enabling industries: sectors that make every other sector cleaner, more resilient, and more competitive. The construction sector alone accounts for more than 10% of the EU’s GDP and employs around 25 million people, with many EU companies being global leaders, making it one of Europe’s most strategic industries. Within it, enabling sectors like insulation play a crucial role in improving energy efficiency and saving energy, in both buildings and industry. Research confirms that improving building energy efficiency frees up clean energy that would otherwise be wasted, making more power available for harder-to-abate industrial sectors. For Efrén, this makes insulation “a very special type of energy-intensive industry,” one that directly helps others to decarbonise. “We need energy to produce mineral wool, but mineral wool has a fantastic energy balance,” Efrén explains. “For every tonne of CO₂ emitted by manufacturing mineral wool insulation, around 200 tonnes are saved during the product’s lifetime.” Money for Nothing Just as energy savings bring cost savings, “economic savings can automatically lead to carbon savings,” he says. Using less energy immediately cuts both costs and emissions, as it reduces dependence on fossil-based power. Those savings can then help industries invest in cleaner technologies such as low-carbon electricity. That balance, Efrén suggests, is what the IAA should be about. Competitiveness and decarbonisation are not opposites. Industries like insulation show that the same investments can strengthen both. Europe’s future competitiveness will depend on industries that turn sustainability into a practical reality, enabling others to go green. The question is not whether we should pursue sustainable competitiveness or competitive sustainability. Europe now has an opportunity to make them one and the same. It’s time for Europe to accelerate industrial decarbonisation
|
Can the EU be sustainable and continue to grow? Can Europe remain competitive without being sustainable? For the new president of Eurima, an upcoming EU Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is a chance to show that competitiveness and decarbonisation work best together.
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Construction",
"Efrén del Pino Iglesias",
"Energy Efficiency",
"EU Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA)",
"Eurima",
"Promoted content"
] |
2025-10-28T06:00:02+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/europe-accelerates-clean-competitiveness/
|
|||
Finland blocks a dozen property deals over national security concerns
|
“The properties form part of one of the channels for hybrid influence operations,” Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said The Finnish Ministry of Defence has refused authorisations for 11 real-estate purchases by non-EU/EEA nationals – including Russian, Israeli, Kazakh and Kyrgyz citizens – after deeming the assets strategically sensitive, Finnish broadcaster Yle revealed. “The properties form part of one of the channels for hybrid influence operations,” declared Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen. Together with the full ban on purchases by Russian and Belarusian buyers that entered into force this summer, the authorisation system constitutes an effective tool, he added. The thwarted properties are located along key corridors near the Baltic Sea shipping lanes and national route 5 – in Mikkeli, Parainen, Puumala, Taipalsaari, Savonlinna, Simo, Kouvola, Parikkala, Kolari and Tornio. One Russian national residing in the Czech Republic attempted to buy forest estates across five sites, ostensibly for forestry purposes, the ministry says, adding it could not rule out exploitation by hostile state actors. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Charles Szumski
|
“The properties form part of one of the channels for hybrid influence operations,” Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Finland",
"real estate"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T04:57:10+00:00
|
2025-10-28T08:12:18+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/finland-blocks-a-dozen-property-deals-over-national-security-concerns/
|
Tusk under fire over remarks on quitting ECHR
|
“If the 46 signatories cannot agree on reform, then withdrawal is a reasonable solution,” he said WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk caused political tremors after suggesting that countries unable to agree on reforms to the European Convention on Human Rights could consider withdrawing from it – a remark that the government later sought to downplay. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Tusk described immigration and its cultural consequences as major challenges for Western Europe, arguing that the “strict and increasingly broad interpretation” of the ECHR was part of the problem. “If the 46 signatories cannot agree on reform, then withdrawal is a reasonable solution,” he said. Government spokesman Adam Szłapka nevertheless insisted Poland “has no plans to denounce the Convention” and that Tusk’s words “did not refer to Poland.” Still, the comments sparked criticism within the ruling coalition. Left MP Anna-Maria Żukowska accused Tusk of undermining “the foundation of modern Europe,” noting that even the opposition no longer calls for leaving international treaties. “The Prime Minister wants to break with the foundation of modern Europe,” she added. Earlier this year, Poland co-signed a letter with Denmark and Italy accusing the Strasbourg court of overstepping its mandate and protecting criminals rather than victims.
|
Aleksandra Krzysztoszek
|
“If the 46 signatories cannot agree on reform, then withdrawal is a reasonable solution,” he said
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Donald Tusk",
"European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)",
"Poland"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-28T04:54:10+00:00
|
2025-10-28T13:06:15+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/tusk-under-fire-over-remarks-on-quitting-echr/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=The capitals&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Vietnam strengthening EU relations after 35 'remarkable' years, says foreign minister
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Vietnam’s message to the world is one of openness, trust, and cooperation - principles that increasingly define its growing partnership with the European Union. In an exclusive interview with Euractiv, His Excellency Lê Hoài Trung, Foreign Minister of Vietnam, reflects on the country’s diplomatic achievements, its comprehensive partnership with the European Union, and its growing role within ASEAN and beyond. He says Vietnam has evolved from a post-war nation to a confident global actor, a symbol of openness and pragmatic diplomacy, committed to dialogue and multilateral cooperation. EV: In 2025, Vietnam and the EU celebrate 35 years of diplomatic relations. What’s your assessment of the Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between Vietnam and the EU? LHT: After 35 years since establishing diplomatic relations, our partnership has achieved remarkable progress, particularly since the upgrade to the Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation in 2012. Viet Nam is the ASEAN country with the highest number of cooperation mechanisms with the EU. The two sides have signed or adopted six agreements and established eight cooperation mechanisms, serving as a catalyst for a closer, more effective, and comprehensive relationship based on political trust, open dialogue, shared interests, and joint efforts to overcome differences. Delegation exchanges at all levels have been promoted, most notably through high-level visits. Economic, investment, and sustainable development cooperation stand out as bright spots. After five years of effective implementation of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), two-way trade has grown 10-20 per cent annually, despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, bilateral trade grew over 10 per cent, reaching $68.4 billion, and 7.7 per cent ($48.4 billion) in the first eight months of 2025. The EU is Viet Nam’s sixth-largest investor, fifth-largest trading partner, and leading provider of official development assistance (ODA). The EU has supported Viet Nam in judicial reform, education development, forestry improvement, business environment enhancement, and various climate and environmental change projects under the Global Gateway framework, including the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with the International Partners Group (IPG). Notably, Viet Nam is one of three key JETP partners of the EU, alongside Indonesia and South Africa. Defence and security cooperation has been strengthened. In 2024, Viet Nam opened a Defence Attaché Office in Belgium, concurrently accredited to the EU, and since 2022 has sent officers annually to participate in the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA). Cooperation in education, science and technology, innovation, energy, culture, tourism, sports, and people-to-people exchanges has also expanded. EV: What are the prospects and opportunities for bilateral relations in the coming years? LHT: I believe there remains vast potential for cooperation. Politically, both sides should continue delegation exchanges, especially at high levels, and prepare for the upcoming visit to Viet Nam by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later this year, aiming to elevate relations. In the economy, trade, and investment, I hope the remaining eight EU Member States will soon ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Maintaining and implementing existing cooperation mechanisms, including the “Task Force” between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security in 2025, will help address mutual concerns effectively. I also propose that the EU facilitate smoother travel for Vietnamese enterprises and citizens, including through more flexible visa policies and preferential entry conditions. Recently, Viet Nam extended its unilateral visa exemption (up to 45 days) to 12 additional Member States from August 2025 for five years. Just energy transition and sustainable development are key areas where the EU’s strengths align with Viet Nam’s priorities. Access to concessional finance, technology, capital, and expertise will help implement the JETP with the IPG, co-chaired by the EU and the UK. Simultaneously, Viet Nam is promoting science, technology, and innovation nationally. I hope the EU will support emerging industries such as AI, semiconductors, satellite development, cloud computing, and high-value research projects at leading European universities, particularly in Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. One remaining issue is the EU’s “yellow card” on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which has persisted for eight years. Fully aware of this matter, Viet Nam has strengthened its legal framework and taken measures to prevent IUU activities, including stopping Vietnamese vessels from illegal fishing abroad. We believe the Commission will soon lift the IUU “yellow card”, safeguarding fishermen’s livelihoods while supporting coastal communities in transitioning to sustainable fisheries and advancing cooperation in marine economy, offshore wind energy, ports, and cold storage. Finally, I hope the EU will continue supporting Viet Nam on the South China Sea issue, maintaining maritime and aviation security based on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. Mutual exchanges and support within ASEAN-EU mechanisms, ASEM, AIPA, ARF, EAS, the United Nations, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will remain crucial. EV: People-to-people exchanges, particularly in education and culture, are often described as a bridge of trust. How do you see their role in Vietnam-EU relations? LHT: Indeed, they are a ‘bridge of trust’ and a ‘bridge of friendship’ that keeps relations close and enduring. Such exchanges foster strong ties between Viet Nam and the EU as a whole, and with each Member State individually. Educational cooperation has trained many generations of Vietnamese intellectuals, workers, and skilled labourers in Europe, especially from the 1970s to the 1990s, who returned to play key roles in national development. Many of Viet Nam’s leaders studied in Europe before assuming responsibilities from central to local levels. Diplomats trained in Europe have significantly contributed to strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and EU Member States. The Vietnamese community and alumni networks in Europe also play an essential role in connecting and consolidating relations. I firmly believe that cooperation in education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges will continue to enhance mutual trust, understanding, and empathy, strengthening our partnership further. EV: Vietnam is playing an increasingly important role within ASEAN. How do you assess its position in promoting ASEAN-EU relations and cooperation potentials in sustainable development, innovation, and digital infrastructure? LHT: 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Viet Nam’s accession to ASEAN, a crucial platform for Viet Nam’s security, development, and overall foreign policy. Viet Nam has actively contributed to peace, security, stability, and development in the region. ASEAN-EU dialogue, established in 1977, has developed substantially. Viet Nam served as ASEAN-EU Coordinator from 2012-2015, helping advance the partnership, culminating in the upgrade to a Strategic Partnership in 2020 when Viet Nam chaired ASEAN. With strong Viet Nam-EU relations, Viet Nam is well-positioned to serve as a bridge in advancing ASEAN-EU cooperation. The ASEAN Community Vision 2045 opens new potential with the EU in sustainable development, innovation, and digital infrastructure – an inevitable trend in today’s era. We appreciate the EU’s commitment of €10 billion to ASEAN connectivity projects through the Global Gateway by 2027, supporting economic restructuring, clean energy transition, digital infrastructure, academic exchange, and health system strengthening. To unlock this potential, the EU can work with ASEAN countries, including Viet Nam, to improve frameworks for renewable energy, a just transition, and balancing growth with environmental protection, while promoting research, technology transfer, and resource mobilisation for green and digital infrastructure. Flagship ASEAN projects such as the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) offer major opportunities for the EU to enhance cooperation. Sustainable development, however, must ensure long-term livelihoods, particularly through marine resource management and addressing IUU fishing. Beyond sustainable development and innovation, ASEAN-EU cooperation holds great promise in trade and investment. A region-to-region Free Trade Agreement (FTA) should be a goal to pursue, leveraging the EU-Viet Nam FTA as a foundation. Trilateral frameworks, such as Viet Nam-EU-Lao PDR or Viet Nam-EU-Cambodia, could implement digital infrastructure, modern railways, or expressway projects. To strengthen the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership, we need to seek common ground, minimise differences, and harness each side’s strengths to seize new opportunities amid the evolving international context and organisational capacities. EV: What’s your assessment of Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements over the past 80 years, and its orientation in the new context? LHT: Viet Nam’s diplomacy, founded by President Hồ Chí Minh, our great leader and an outstanding diplomat, has left profound imprints across every stage of our history – from the struggle for independence, wars of resistance, to today’s national construction and defence. From early independence, Viet Nam expressed to the UN its desire to be friends with all countries and to pursue “openness and cooperation in all fields”. The Đổi Mới (Renovation) process has opened the country, normalised and expanded relations, supported development, and enabled Viet Nam to play an active international role. Guided by multilateralisation and diversification, Viet Nam now has diplomatic relations with 195 countries and Comprehensive Partnerships or higher with 38 countries. Diplomacy facilitated economic openness, transforming Viet Nam into a dynamic market economy integrated into international trade. Defence, security, and diplomacy have together built peaceful borders, strengthened friendships, safeguarded sovereignty, promoted cooperation in resolving border issues, creating a favourable environment for socio-economic development. Viet Nam’s international image is respected for its broad diplomatic outreach and its contributions to regional and global issues. Many world leaders and organisations recognise Viet Nam as a “model of peace and sustainable development”, elevating the voice of developing countries. Going forward, Viet Nam’s foreign policy will continue to prioritise independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, diversification, multilateralisation, and comprehensive integration. Maintaining peace and stability remains the foundation for national development. Viet Nam also seeks to contribute more actively to a fair and equitable international order, upholding traditional values of equality, mutual respect, and mutually beneficial cooperation. Viet Nam engages proactively in international integration, addressing disputes through dialogue, upholding international law and the UN Charter, and contributing to peace and stability globally. We hope countries, partners, and friends will continue to support Viet Nam in this new era of development. (BM)
|
Xhoi Zajmi
|
Vietnam’s message to the world is one of openness, trust, and cooperation - principles that increasingly define its growing partnership with the European Union.
|
[
"Global Europe",
"ASEAN",
"ASEAN-EU",
"Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation",
"Viet Nam",
"Vietnam"
] |
Global Europe
|
2025-10-27T21:08:39+00:00
|
2025-10-27T21:18:07+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/interview/vietnam-strengthening-eu-relations-after-35-remarkable-years-says-foreign-minister/
|
The Brief – Good cop, Belgian cop
|
It's no surprise that corruption concentrates in Brussels. But if Belgium's cops aren't cutting it, where's the EU's own crack team to keep its nose clean? You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
It's no surprise that corruption concentrates in Brussels. But if Belgium's cops aren't cutting it, where's the EU's own crack team to keep its nose clean?
|
[
"Opinion",
"anti-corruption",
"Corruption probes",
"Qatargate"
] |
2025-10-27T18:01:37+00:00
|
2025-10-28T11:34:07+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-brief-good-cop-belgian-cop/
|
||
Building a safer food future needs strong evidence and clear regulation
|
As public health risks mount, the role of science and policy in safeguarding consumer interests has never been more critical European consumers are increasingly confronted with opaque food labelling, aggressive marketing of ultra-processed products, and environmental concerns tied to packaging and waste. As public health risks mount, the role of science and policy in safeguarding consumer interests has never been more critical. At the 2025 Annual Conference of SAFE – Safe Food Advocacy Europe – held in Brussels to coincide with World Children’s Day, leading researchers, regulators, and civil society representatives will convene to examine how data-driven advocacy and legislative reform can reshape the continent’s food systems. Key themes will include the nutritional impact of high-fat, high-sugar diets on children, the persistent challenge of food waste, and the credibility of sustainability claims. The event aims to spotlight how rigorous research and transparent regulation can foster healthier, fairer, and more sustainable choices for all Europeans. Agrifood SAFE — Safe Food Advocacy Europe is a European Consumer Organisation specialised in the protection... 7 minutes
|
As public health risks mount, the role of science and policy in safeguarding consumer interests has never been more critical
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Environment",
"Event Report",
"Food Safety",
"Sustainability"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-27T17:11:04+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/special_report/building-a-safer-food-future-needs-strong-evidence-and-clear-regulation/
|
||
Berlin urges ‘dialogue’ with China after EU trade bazooka threats
|
Chinese officials also sought to ease tensions between Beijing and Berlin on Monday, with a foreign ministry spokesperson stressing their “mutually beneficial” relationship Germany’s foreign minister called for calm amid a mounting trade spat between the EU and China over critical mineral export curbs on Monday – just days after the bloc’s top brass threatened to fire their most powerful trade weapon at Beijing. “We want a close dialogue with China,” Johann Wadephul told reporters during a visit to Brussels, where he met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. The comments come two days after von der Leyen said in Berlin that the Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, was “ready to use all of the instruments in our toolbox” in retaliation against Beijing’s announcement of sweeping export controls on rare earths earlier this month. The remarks were widely interpreted as a thinly veiled threat to use the EU executive’s much vaunted anti-coercion instrument – informally known as the ‘trade bazooka’ – against the world’s second-largest economy. French President Emmanuel Macron also floated using the instrument – which would allow Brussels to target services, impose investment restrictions, and suspend company licences – during a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, according to three EU diplomats briefed on the discussions. China accounts for 70% of mining and 90% of refining of the world’s rare earth metals, which are used to produce numerous advanced technologies including smartphones, electric vehicles, and fighter planes. The German foreign minister’s comments also come after he abruptly cancelled a trip to Beijing last week – a move that some interpreted as a further sign of growing tensions between the EU and China, which have long been strained over Beijing’s enormous trade surplus and close ties to Russia. The Asian country is Germany’s biggest trade partner, with imports and exports totalling €163 billion from January to August this year. Wadephul said he was pushing for “sustainable solutions” to ensure European firms’ access to raw minerals. “This is about nothing less than the economic power, prosperity and innovative strength of our continent,” he added. Chinese officials also sought to ease tensions between Beijing and Berlin on Monday, with a foreign ministry spokesperson stressing their “mutually beneficial” relationship, as reported by state media outlet Global Times. (vib)
|
Nikolaus J. Kurmayer
|
Chinese officials also sought to ease tensions between Beijing and Berlin on Monday, with a foreign ministry spokesperson stressing their “mutually beneficial” relationship
|
[
"Economy",
"Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI)",
"China",
"Johann Wadephul",
"Maroš Šefčovič",
"Rare Earths",
"Trade",
"Ursula von der Leyen"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-27T16:27:11+00:00
|
2025-10-28T08:49:54+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/berlin-urges-dialogue-with-china-after-eu-trade-bazooka-threats/
|
Post-COVID business reforms show little impact, EU watchdog says
|
The findings come as the Brussels already rushing to spend hundreds of billions before the loan expires in 2026 A €109 billion COVID loan investment to reform the EU’s business environment suffered from poor design, slow and inconsistent rollout, and could perform even worse in future, the EU’s financial watchdog warned on Monday. The findings, published in a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA), are another blow to the European Commission, which has repeatedly praised the programme, and plans to replicate its approach in its new €2 trillion budget proposal for 2028-2034. Under the COVID scheme, known as the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), EU countries receive funds in exchange for implementing EU-friendly reforms or specific projects, such as building a new railway. The full €650 billion loan is implemented through national plans negotiated between Brussels and national governments. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Jacob Wulff Wold
|
The findings come as the Brussels already rushing to spend hundreds of billions before the loan expires in 2026
|
[
"Economy",
"Politics",
"European Court of Auditors",
"Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF)",
"Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-27T16:01:13+00:00
|
2025-10-28T07:57:43+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/post-covid-business-reforms-show-little-impact-eu-watchdog-says/
|
Czech minister slams Commission’s 'chaotic steps' in deforestation rules overhaul
|
"The European Commission is taking very chaotic steps and chaotic statements," Czechia's Agriculture Minister said The European Commission’s bid to simplify the EU’s deforestation rules is turning out to be anything but simple. After weeks of behind-closed-doors talks with diplomats and MEPs, the Commission last week unveiled its plan to tweak the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), easing compliance for EU farmers and delaying enforcement for small businesses. But several governments, including Czechia, are baffled by what they see as a policy U-turn. They expected the Commission to postpone the rules by a whole year to fix the EUDR’s IT system. Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný told Euractiv he was blindsided by the decision not to postpone the rules. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro
|
"The European Commission is taking very chaotic steps and chaotic statements," Czechia's Agriculture Minister said
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Czechia",
"Deforestation"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-27T15:39:39+00:00
|
2025-10-28T09:55:40+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/czech-minister-slams-commissions-chaotic-steps-in-deforestation-rules-overhaul/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=In the capital continued.&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Sweden to lower age of criminal responsibility to 13 amid gang violence crisis
|
Swedish police estimated in 2024 that 1,700 under-18s were active members of criminal networks The Swedish government unveiled on Monday a long-awaited proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 to tackle the country’s spiralling gang violence. If adopted, the reform would allow 13- and 14-year-olds to face prison sentences for serious crimes, and follows years of concern over criminal gangs recruiting minors to carry out shootings, bombings and murders, exploiting the fact that those under 15 cannot be prosecuted. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said prevention remains essential but insisted that accountability must apply regardless of age. “Anyone who commits a serious crime must be punished,” he told SVT earlier this year. Swedish police estimated in 2024 that 1,700 under-18s were active members of criminal networks. The proposal, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats and expected to take effect in the summer, has triggered fierce criticism from legal experts and rights advocates. In an opinion piece for Dagens Nyheter, 26 prosecutors and former prosecutors warned that the measure could violate child-protection principles and would not curb gang violence. “Criminal gangs that exploit children know no minimum age. Can’t a ten-year-old already carry a gun?” they wrote. The bill will now undergo a consultation process assessing its legality and compatibility with international law. The issue has gained regional attention in the region after Swedish gangs expanded their operations to neighbouring Denmark, Norway and Finland, where their particularly violent methods are worrying authorities. Finland, where the age of criminal responsibility remains 15, has also debated whether to follow Sweden’s lead. (mm)
|
Charles Szumski
|
Swedish police estimated in 2024 that 1,700 under-18s were active members of criminal networks
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Sweden"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-27T15:27:57+00:00
|
2025-10-28T13:44:17+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/sweden-to-lower-age-of-criminal-responsibility-to-13-amid-gang-violence-crisis/
|
SAFE’s Annual Conference 2025 – Advancing Consumer Protection through Research
|
SAFE’s Annual Conference 2025, on 20 November in Brussels, will mark World Children Day, a good reminder of our journey as an organisation and a motivation to carry our work forward, along our core principles of Health, Environment, and Inclusion. SAFE — Safe Food Advocacy Europe is a European Consumer Organisation specialised in the protection and the representation of EU consumers in the food sector. We work to protect European citizens from health risks around food through our advocacy work, and we promote healthier, more sustainable diets, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups, like children. One of our focuses of the last years has been the health impact of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS foods), which has been linked by consistent scientific evidence to negative health outcomes, including higher prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), obesity, or poor mental health. This is why SAFE has raised concerns about the need for stricter rules regarding the marketing of these unhealthy foods, especially in food products directly marketed to children, as reflected in our report “HFSS Food Marketing Targeting Children”, which will be distributed at our Annual Conference. Measures taken on the national level in several member states — such as restrictions on TV and online promotions, bans on celebrity endorsements, or product placement in supermarkets — provide a good blueprint for what should be a more comprehensive EU regulation on the marketing of these food products. Transparency and clarity in food labelling are essential for consumers to be able to make free, informed choices, as stated in the first point of our manifesto for the 2024 European elections. SAFE has repeatedly voiced concerns that many of the valuable promises of the Farm to Fork strategy, designed to improve consumer protection and the sustainability of our food systems, have been left unfulfilled. Such is the case of the announced regulations on pesticides, the Nature Restoration Law, or the Green Claims Directive, regrettably left hanging when it was set for final approval, and which we hope to be as soon as possible. For us, any claims, green or other, made by products marketed in Europe must be substantiated on real, independent data. At our Annual Conference, we will address the incorrect use of the term ‘natural’ in food marketing, a widespread practice we uncovered during our field work analysing supermarket products across Europe in 2020, that has led to years of advocacy work. We believe that food products misleadingly sold as “natural” are in breach of the principles inspiring the current Food Information to Consumers legislation, which stipulates that food information should not mislead consumers about the food’s nature, identity, properties, or composition. This is why SAFE launched its campaign “We Value True Natural” — to inform the consumers about these practices and to call for more specific legislation to protect them. The European Court of Auditors also supports the view that the use of such terminology constitutes misleading product names. This is particularly serious according to the Court, because there is an increasing number of voluntary labels and claims used to advertise products with attractive messages, such as illustrations of fruit, or claims of “natural” or “no additives”. As the Court, SAFE believes that the European Commission should put an end to these improper and misleading practices. Consumers demand this, as clearly shown by our survey: only 33% of them believe that all necessary information is provided on food labels and almost 9 in 10 believe that a product containing synthetic ingredients cannot be considered “natural”. These results come from the European Consumer Survey, based on a sample of 1,000 people from each of the 5 biggest EU countries, commissioned by SAFE as a part of our campaign. Our Annual Conference will highlight some of these findings. Another focus of our work is the promotion of good dietary habits, because of their long-term impact on health. SAFE coordinates the EU4Health-funded Preventia project to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and reduce health inequalities. At our Annual Conference, we will present one of the results of the project: our new food scanning app BiteWatch, a tool to empower consumers to make healthier food choices through better food literacy. BiteWatch displays nutritional information like levels of salt, sugar, and saturated fat, as well as details on additives, degree of processing, and whether the product is vegan or vegetarian. It offers options allowing consumers to create their dietary profiles and see how well a product aligns with their needs and health goals, through a matching score out of 100%. This app helps users easily discover what’s in their food and make more informed food choices. BiteWatch will be available for iPhone and Android in all EU member states, initially in English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Italian. Another core activity of SAFE’s work in the last years is food waste reduction, also on the programme of our Annual Conference. Cutting EU food waste by half would feed all 37 million Europeans facing food insecurity. This was the logic behind SAFE’s food distribution network, which supplied 140 people in need with donated food, every week for four years, and the reason why we analysed and compared the legal frameworks and obstacles in the way of food donations, across 26 EU countries and compiled them in our report “Food Donation in the EU: State of Art, Barriers, and Perspectives”. We will disseminate the results of two EU Horizon-funded projects SAFE is a part of, beginning with ZeroW, which will present practical recommendations for food waste reduction regarding consumers, farmers, urban environments, governance, and short food supply chains, based on the innovations and insights ZeroW developed in different EU countries. SAFE is the coordinator of all activities aimed at designing these policy recommendations. We will then move on to SISTERS, also designing innovations to reduce food loss and food waste in the main stages of the food value chain, with contributions to primary producers, through a new platform to promote direct, short chain sales, new technological innovations in packaging in the processing and retail stages, and awareness campaigns for retailers and consumers on food loss and food waste. SISTERS will deliver 80 practice abstracts by the end of the project, next year. These innovations have the potential to reduce food loss and waste by 27.4% and CO2 emissions by around 20%. In September, SAFE welcomed the EU’s first binding food loss and waste reduction targets, to be applied nationally by 31 December 2030. We view this legislation as the basis for more ambitious mandatory targets after 2030 and we are proud of our contribution to the fight against food loss and waste in Europe. The morning session will conclude with a workshop dedicated to the GI-SMART project, focusing on products with Geographical Indications (GIs). The aim of the project is to make GIs more sustainable, and SAFE’s contribution is to provide the consumer perspective: studying the communication and perception of the sustainability and quality of these products. Through workshops and interactive activities, SAFE is committed to making the value of GIs more visible and recognised by European citizens. Finally, we will address food contact materials and sustainability in packaging, highlighting our R3PACK project — Reduce, Reuse, Rethink packaging. For years, SAFE has raised concerns about the hazards posed by chemicals contained in food and drink packaging. At R3PACK, we have worked to develop safe, sustainable packaging options. The main aspects of R3PACK will be addressed, such as plastic substitution through fiber-based packaging, reusable plastic packaging, including the life-cycle assessment (LCA), and future perspectives on sustainable packaging and food contact materials. We will look at the insights from consumers drawn from this three-year project. Europe’s food system is facing serious challenges in the present European mandate. SAFE’s mission is to identify them and work for the protection of consumers and the environment in EU legislation. Our Annual Conference will embody that work.
|
SAFE’s Annual Conference 2025, on 20 November in Brussels, will mark World Children Day, a good reminder of our journey as an organisation and a motivation to carry our work forward, along our core principles of Health, Environment, and Inclusion.
|
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"Agrifood",
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2025-10-27T15:00:54+00:00
|
2025-10-27T17:16:04+00:00
|
en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/safes-annual-conference-2025-advancing-consumer-protection-through-research/
|
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Catalan separatist party Junts breaks relations with Sánchez's Socialists
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Seven MPs from Junts underpin Sánchez’s minority government MADRID- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Catalan ally Junts decided on Monday to “unanimously break relations” with the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) over “unfulfilled promises” made in exchange for backing the Spanish premier’s re-election in 2023. The move, which still needs to be approved by the party’s grassroots members, would mean the government can no longer rely on Junts lawmakers to back their proposals. The Sánchez government currently controls 152 seats in Spain’s 350-member legislative body, and often depends on regional parties to pass new laws. The break with the Catalans will not immediately topple the government. However, it could weaken Sánchez’s mandate, and could hint at troubles ahead if the Catalan separatists join forces with the opposition and back a no-confidence vote. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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Inés Fernández-Pontes
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Seven MPs from Junts underpin Sánchez’s minority government
|
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"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Catalan independence",
"Spain"
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Politics
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2025-10-27T13:51:10+00:00
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2025-10-27T18:23:39+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/catalan-separatist-party-junts-breaks-relations-with-sanchezs-socialists/
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Ten people go on trial over online harassment of French first lady
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The trial comes after she and Macron filed a defamation lawsuit in the US in July Ten people went on trial in Paris on Monday, charged with sexist online harassment of Brigitte Macron, in the latest case linked to unsubstantiated gender claims thrown at the French first lady in France and beyond. The trial comes after she and President Emmanuel Macron filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States at the end of July, in connection with a rumour amplified and repeated online that Brigitte Macron was assigned male at birth. The unsupported claim has long targeted the presidential couple, alongside criticism of their 24-year age gap. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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The trial comes after she and Macron filed a defamation lawsuit in the US in July
|
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"Emmanuel Macron",
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Politics
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2025-10-27T13:47:20+00:00
|
en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/ten-people-go-on-trial-over-online-harassment-of-french-first-lady/
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Voices for the Ocean: Citizens driving change in Europe
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How can ocean literacy empower citizens, shape policy, and inspire collective action to protect Europe’s seas? Euractiv’s Xhoi Zajmi speaks with Adeline Plé from the Surfrider Foundation Europe and Eliane Vera Paz from Atlantic Cities, to understand how our connection to the ocean can drive meaningful change.
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How can ocean literacy empower citizens, shape policy, and inspire collective action to protect Europe’s seas? Euractiv’s Xhoi Zajmi speaks with Adeline Plé from the Surfrider Foundation Europe and Eliane Vera Paz from Atlantic Cities, to understand how our connection to the ocean can drive meaningful change.
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[
"Energy, Environment & Transport"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
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2025-10-27T13:17:57+00:00
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2025-10-27T13:23:10+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/podcast/voices-for-the-ocean-citizens-driving-change-in-europe/
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EU to propose ‘concrete’ critical mineral plan before end of 2025
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The move follows Beijing’s announcement in October of sweeping export controls on rare earths Brussels is seeking to flesh out a plan to reduce its dependence on China for critical minerals before the end of the year, a European Commission spokesperson said on Monday. The comments come after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s weekend unveiling of ‘RESourceEU’, a proposal to strengthen Europe’s supply chain resilience for strategically crucial metals by boosting trade links with third countries. The plan includes increasing domestic mining and refining, and joint stockpiling. China dominates the world’s supply of critical minerals, which are the building blocks of everything from electric vehicles and computers to wind turbines, radars, and fighter jets. “The intention with the RESourceEU proposal is to come forward with a concrete initiative before the end of the year,” Commission trade spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters. He added that the initiative would seek to “complement” the 2024 Critical Raw Material Act, a similar plan to reduce the bloc’s strategic dependence on China, without providing details. The news follows Beijing’s announcement earlier this month of sweeping export controls on a range of minerals known as rare earths, tightening previous restrictions imposed in April that have already forced some EU firms to shutter production. China accounts for roughly 70% of global mining and 90% of the world’s refining capacity. Defence The European Commission said it was unsettled by China’s sweeping new export controls on strategically… 3 minutes The move has exacerbated tensions between Brussels and Beijing, which have long been aggravated by China’s growing trade surplus, and its deepening political and economic links with Russia. Gill also said on Monday that Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao would not participate in a “high-level” meeting between Chinese and European officials in Brussels this week, despite EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič’s suggestion last week that Wang would join. “High-level technical people” from China will arrive in Brussels on Thursday, Gill said. “I don’t need to name them; I ain’t gonna name them. You just need to trust me that they’re high-level, that they’re technical, and that they’re working hard to get the job done.” The Chinese delegation’s visit comes on the same day of a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. (mm)
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Thomas Moller-Nielsen
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The move follows Beijing’s announcement in October of sweeping export controls on rare earths
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"RESourceEU",
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Economy
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2025-10-27T13:02:22+00:00
|
2025-10-27T15:34:02+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-to-propose-concrete-critical-mineral-plan-before-end-of-2025/
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Poland rises to sixth in EU digital health transformation, reports new study
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Poland has achieved an impressive 92% eHealth 'maturity level' surpassing many EU member states typically considered more developed Poland has emerged as a leading performer in the digitalisation of healthcare, securing sixth place among EU member states in the newly released Digital Decade eHealth Indicator Study 2025. The report, which also includes data from Iceland and Norway, assesses progress made by European countries towards the digital transformation of public health systems, based on data collected through December 2024. Dariusz Standerski, deputy minister of digital affairs and head of the government’s healthcare digitalisation taskforce, said Poland’s advancements reflect a broader commitment to modernising public services. “Technology should support and ease the burden on healthcare systems,” Standerski told Polityka Zdrowotna, citing improvements in data management, diagnostics, and administrative efficiency. “Today, the e-prescription system eliminates errors and inefficiencies that were once routine,” he added. The report uses 12 indicators to measure the maturity of national eHealth systems. Poland has achieved an impressive 92% eHealth maturity level, surpassing many EU member states typically considered more developed, while the EU average stands at 83%. Leading the rankings are Belgium and Estonia, which both achieved a perfect score of 100%. Denmark, Lithuania, and Malta rank just above Poland, while Ireland sits at the bottom with only 25% access. Greece recorded the largest improvement, increasing its score by 16 percentage points, although it still ranks fourth from last with 74%. A key digital tool advancing this progress in Poland is the Patient Online Account, which provides all citizens access to their health data, including the ability to grant access to authorised persons such as children, dependents, or close relatives. This system gives Poland a notable edge in the availability and transparency of medical information. Currently, Polish citizens can access nine types of electronic health documents via the Patient Online Account. These include e-prescriptions, e-referrals, hospital treatment information cards, diagnostic and laboratory test reports, individual healthcare plans, refusal of hospital admission forms, information for primary care physicians, and the student preventive examination card, which is still being integrated into the system. Despite Poland’s impressive advances in eHealth, the report highlights several areas requiring further attention. One major recommendation focuses on improving access to medical imaging. Currently, patients can view reports from diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds, X-rays, and CT scans, but do not have direct access to the images themselves. Allowing patients to download and review diagnostic images online would significantly enhance the quality of care and facilitate clearer communication between patients and healthcare providers. Another critical challenge lies in ensuring the timely and efficient transmission of all medical data to both patients and medical staff. Automation and system integration are pivotal to achieving this goal and driving the continued development of eHealth services. Standerski emphasises that a key factor in Poland’s digital transformation success is the close cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Health. This partnership takes practical form through the Team for Supporting Healthcare Digitalisation, a joint team that defines shared priorities in healthcare digitalisation. Standerski explained, “The ministry of health is responsible for systems such as the Patient Online Account, while we manage the mObywatel app and other state registries. Our goal is full interoperability between these systems. Each application has its strengths, mObywatel is widespread, the Patient Online Account specialises in health data.” Looking ahead, the plans go beyond current achievements. The e-Health Centre, which oversees more than 50 digital health systems, is preparing to launch a range of innovative eHealth services funded by the National Recovery Plan, a government initiative designed to stimulate post-pandemic economic recovery. These include an e-Registration platform that enables quick, convenient booking of medical appointments and tests. There is also an e-Consultation system designed as a secure online collaboration space for specialists and medical teams. Additionally, an e-Profile tool will serve as an early warning system, alerting clinicians to a patient’s deteriorating health. An e-Home suite of tools will also support remote health monitoring, particularly useful for chronically ill patients and elderly people. Together, these initiatives are set to significantly enhance the scope and quality of Poland’s digital healthcare services. Poland’s minister of digital affairs stressed that no one will be forced to use digital applications. He emphasises that digitalisation represents an opportunity, not an obligation, assuring that there will always be the option to handle matters in person at a service desk. However, officials will also have access to online systems, which will help reduce queues and waiting times. Educational campaigns such as the Intergenerational School are underway to familiarise older generations with new technologies. Currently, one in three adult Poles uses the mObywatel app, illustrating that digital solutions gain acceptance when they are convenient and user-friendly, the minister highlights. [VA, BM]
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Paulina Mozolewska
|
Poland has achieved an impressive 92% eHealth 'maturity level' surpassing many EU member states typically considered more developed
|
[
"Health",
"Poland"
] |
Health
|
2025-10-27T12:40:53+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/poland-rises-to-sixth-in-eu-digital-health-transformation-reports-new-study/
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Czech president tasks billionaire ex-premier with forming new government
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A Czech billionaire and owner of agro-chemical giant, Babis came out on top in the October elections The Czech president on Monday tasked billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis, whose party won a parliamentary election earlier this month, to lead talks to form the country’s next government. The ANO party of self-described “Trumpist” Babis topped the October 3-4 poll, gaining 34.5% of the vote and 80 seats in the 200-member parliament, but failing to get an outright majority. Czech President Petr Pavel on Monday called on Babis to form a new government, saying he had based the decision “on the results of the elections… the progress of negotiations to date, and the positions adopted by the various parliamentary parties”. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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A Czech billionaire and owner of agro-chemical giant, Babis came out on top in the October elections
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[
"Politics"
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Politics
|
2025-10-27T12:40:27+00:00
|
2025-10-27T15:45:22+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/czech-president-tasks-billionaire-ex-premier-with-forming-new-government/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=The capitals&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
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Italy court reorders extradition of Ukrainian to Germany in Nord Stream case
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His lawyer said the proceedings against Kuznietsov were "tainted by serious procedural violations" An Italian court once again ruled on Monday that a Ukrainian held since August for allegedly sabotaging the Nord Stream gas pipelines could be extradited to Germany, his lawyer said. Lawyer Nicola Canestrini said in a statement that his client, Serhii Kuznietsov, would appeal the decision by the court of appeals in Bologna. A different section of the same court had approved the extradition in September, only for Italy’s top court to reject the decision over an issue with the arrest warrant issued by Germany, sending the case back for reexamination. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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His lawyer said the proceedings against Kuznietsov were "tainted by serious procedural violations"
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Politics",
"Germany",
"Italy",
"Nord Stream"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-27T11:17:46+00:00
|
en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/italy-court-reorders-extradition-of-ukrainian-to-germany-in-nord-stream-case/
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ECB to hold interest rates steady with inflation subdued
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For now, the central bank is "in a good place", ECB President Christine Lagarde said The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady this week for its third straight meeting, with inflation under control and the long-struggling eurozone economy looking healthier. Following a year-long series of cuts, the ECB has kept its key deposit rate on hold at 2% since July. Inflation has settled around the central bank’s 2% target in recent months, as Europe has weathered US President Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught better than initially feared. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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For now, the central bank is "in a good place", ECB President Christine Lagarde said
|
[
"Economy",
"Christine Lagarde",
"Eurozone"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-27T09:44:45+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/ecb-to-hold-interest-rates-steady-with-inflation-subdued/
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Alleged head of Greece subsidy scandal network detained
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The 38-year-old man acknowledged his role in the scandal during questioning by prosecutors The alleged head of a network that diverted more than €17 million of EU farm subsidies has been ordered into pre-trial detention following questioning, the ANA news agency reported on Monday. The 38-year-old man acknowledged his role in the scandal during questioning by prosecutors, the report said. Thirty-seven people were arrested last week in raids linked to the fake claims for EU Common Agriculture Policy subsidies. Ten have now been ordered held in detention, with more suspects to be questioned on Monday. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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The 38-year-old man acknowledged his role in the scandal during questioning by prosecutors
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"Agrifood",
"Politics",
"Kyriakos Mitsotakis"
] |
Agrifood
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2025-10-27T09:40:11+00:00
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2025-10-27T09:52:29+00:00
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en-GB
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https://www.euractiv.com/news/alleged-head-of-greece-subsidy-scandal-network-detained/
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The dangers of ‘urgency mindset’
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In today’s edition: a top MEP says the Commission is poised to amend its €2 trillion budget proposal, Geert Wilders is tipped to win the Dutch election but unlikely to become prime minister, and Parliament faces scrutiny over EU funds awarded to a professor previously fired for sexual harassment Good Monday morning, and welcome back to Rapporteur, Euractiv’s front page. This is Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta in Brussels and our editor Christina Zhao in New Zealand. The big one to watch this week is Wednesday’s Dutch election. More on that below. But first, a personal note: Six weeks into this new newsletter, Nicoletta and I want to take a moment to thank the many thousands of readers who’ve subscribed since launch. We’re thrilled so many of you are enjoying our blend of analysis, EU news, and coverage from across Europe. Since we launched last month, we’ve broken stories about Martin Selmayr, a new visa strategy, EPP pay, steel tariffs, Afghanistan returns, Roberta Metsola’s ambitions, a €1 billion renovation, and housing plans. You can help keep the scoops coming. Got a story we should know about? Drop us a line – we read every message. Need-to-knows: Today’s edition is powered by the European Free Alliance Direct regional funding is essential for the EU’s cohesion The renationalisation of European funds proposed in the MFF 2028-2034 would increase the economic gap between peripheral regions and the already wealthier European capital cities. In EFA, we believe in the EU’s role in mitigating territorial inequalities. We call EU leaders to draft a new proposal that protects direct funding for EU’s regions. Find out more. This is a political ad. More info at https://www.euractiv.com/political-ads/.
For details relating to this campaign, more info at https://content.efaparty.eu/. “We need to speed up across the board,” Ursula von der Leyen declared this weekend in Berlin. “An urgency mindset, that must drive all of our work,” she said, unveiling REsourceEU, a new plan to reduce Europe’s dependence on China for rare earths. The “urgency mindset” has become von der Leyen’s mantra of the year – unsurprising, perhaps, amid rising populists and under a new German chancellor eager to slash EU bureaucracy. In any case, who would disagree with a more efficient EU? The European summit last week, however, showed the dangers of prioritising speed over substance. “If it is so urgent, maybe we should have started working on it and negotiating earlier,” said Belgian PM Bart De Wever, who kyboshed attempts to unify around a plan to construct a loan for Ukraine out of the Russian assets held in the EU. His comments raised questions about António Costa’s decision to put it on the agenda for the summit this early. Friedrich Merz’s Financial Times op-ed last month proposing the assets idea put things off kilter from the start, diplomats told my colleague Magnus Lund Nielsen. “It would have been better to keep it inside the negotiation room,” one said. There are other risks of going fast and furious. One is widening the democratic deficit. Merz recently described a vote against deregulation in the European Parliament, the EU’s only directly elected institution, as “unacceptable.” Parliament President Roberta Metsola – whose institution has already been circumvented by governments so much that it’s suing – gently pushed back, but also suggested she’d welcome Merz and other leaders’ help in steering their own MEPs. That drew criticism from members. On Friday, Mario Draghi proposed that through “pragmatic federalism” EU countries could move forward in coalitions to bypass the bloc’s slow decision-making processes. The idea isn’t new. Nor are the problems it raises: Would that lead to a fast federal Europe or undermine the need for a union in the first place? Von der Leyen spent five years calling for the rapid-fire implementation of her Green Deal. “We do not have a moment to waste on fighting climate change,” she said in 2019. The calls for rapid reindustrialisation, rearmament, and red tape reduction are coming from many of the same leaders who called for the measures that got us into this position – with just as much urgency. The more the EU shouts about speed, the more it should spur a pause for thought. What to know about the Dutch election The Netherlands votes on Wednesday after an election campaign marked by deepening polarisation, Rob Savelberg writes. Frans Timmermans, the main left-wing candidate, was verbally assaulted by a man who did a Nazi salute. And populist Geert Wilders briefly suspended his campaigning after Belgian authorities foiled a jihadist-inspired plot targeting him and other political figures, but he has since returned to the trail. Wilders, who stayed outside the government that fell in June, has successfully made migration the dominant issue. His party is again likely to come out on top, but he’s highly unlikely to become prime minister. Centrist parties are scrambling to form a last-ditch grand coalition. Parliament confident of budget win MEP Siegfried Mureșan said he’s close to securing a major victory over the European Commission on the €2 trillion next EU budget. In an interview with our budget reporter Jacob Wulff Wold, he said the EU executive “is ready at the technical level” to change its controversial proposal – and warned that if it doesn’t, Parliament will force its hand. 2040 scoop: States offered leeway on climate goal Brussels is edging toward a compromise on its 2040 climate target, with member states resisting the 90% cut in emissions offered extra breathing room in carbon offsets. A draft proposal, circulated on Saturday by the Danish Council presidency and seen by Euractiv, introduces biennial reviews for governments worried about industrial competitiveness and keeps the 3% limit on foreign carbon credits under debate. EU environment ministers are expected to hash out how much can be outsourced when they meet next Tuesday. Von der Leyen waves bazooka ahead of China talks The Commission chief hinted the EU could deploy its Anti-Coercion instrument against China after Beijing tightened exports of rare earths, crucial for tech, Maria Simon Arboleas reported. It’s unclear, however, how much appetite EU countries have for such a move. China’s Trade Minister Wang Wentao will be in Brussels this week for talks with trade chief Maroš Šefčovič. Kallas walks back Mercosur claim The EU’s top diplomat has walked back her claim that EU leaders made a political decision to sign the Mercosur agreement at Thursday’s European summit. Speaking at an ALDE congress on Friday, she said leaders had given a political mandate to sign the deal, but a spokesperson later clarified to Rapporteur on Saturday that “no mandate was given as such, but … President Costa asked member states to empower their ambassador to take the process forward.” A similar claim by Merz was quashed by Costa – a sign of how sensitive the issue remains. If leaders do reach agreement, the expectation is that Mercosur will be signed in December. BERLIN 🇩🇪 Germany’s top diplomat, Johann Wadephul, heads to Brussels this week for a round of high-level meetings with NATO and EU leaders, days after abruptly postponing a visit to China in a sign of growing friction with Beijing. He will meet Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, von der Leyen, Šefčovič, and Kallas for talks focused on Ukraine, defence, and supply-chain resilience for critical materials such as rare earths and semiconductors. BRATISLAVA 🇸🇰 Robert Fico, Slovakia’s populist prime minister, is rallying the Visegrad Four against the EU’s new carbon-pricing system for transport and heating. Branding ETS2 “nonsensical,” he argued it would drive up household and fuel costs – and wants Hungary, Poland, and Czechia to join his resistance. Slovakia, meanwhile, is under EU infringement proceedings for dragging its feet on the law, even as Brussels itself weighs changes to appease critics. BELGRADE 🇷🇸 Europe’s would-be lithium hub is turning into a political minefield. Serbia’s year-long student protests, a recent shooting at parliament, and mounting anger over a Rio Tinto project have left President Aleksandar Vučić under pressure – and the EU facing charges of hypocrisy. Brussels needs Serbian lithium for its green plans, but risks losing Serbia altogether. WARSAW 🇵🇱 Donald Tusk announced that his centrist party, Civic Platform, will merge with two allies under a new name – the Civic Coalition – in a move meant to consolidate his governing base and signal renewal. The shift ends more than two decades of Civic Platform’s identity, a party Tusk co-founded and led to power twice before his years as European Council president. MADRID 🇪🇸 Spain’s conservative opposition has called on Catalonia’s separatists to turn against Pedro Sánchez, accusing his Socialist government of corruption and betrayal. As Junts leader Carles Puigdemont convenes his party in Perpignan to reconsider its support, the uneasy alliance that keeps Sánchez in power faces one of its most serious tests since his narrow re-election in 2023. VILNIUS 🇱🇹 Lithuania shut its main airport and sealed its Belarus border crossings on Sunday after objects, likely helium balloons, again crossed into its airspace – the fourth incident in a week. Officials blame smugglers and Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko for turning a blind eye. Flights were grounded until late Sunday as Vilnius prepares crisis talks over its porous frontier. LUXEMBOURG 🇱🇺 Ministers met in Luxembourg on Sunday to decide 2026 quotas for a sea that is running out of fish. Sweden wanted steep cuts, Latvia blamed Russia’s trawlers, fishers blamed seals and cormorants. The Baltic, once Europe’s cooperative pond, is now a microcosm of the continent’s environmental policies: everybody agrees it’s dying, but no one agrees who should sacrifice. PO-FACED: The European Parliament is funding a news training scheme where “young journalists” will be taught about the EU from a man the College of Europe let go over sexual harassment allegations made by his female student. Sciences Po university in Paris is carrying out the programme, which will see 20 early-career journos taught by six experts, including Olivier Costa, whose contract was terminated by the College last year. He has denied the claims. Funded by Parliament, the course will take place in January and cover topics such as journalistic ethics and European values. PLOPPING THE QUESTION: Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos squeezed out a question to the Commission about hygiene in public toilets. “Does the Commission consider that public toilets in the EU should follow uniform high hygiene standards?” he asked. Stéphane Séjourné was the unlucky commissioner tasked with replying, perhaps because he’s in charge of industrial strategy. “There are currently no European Standards relating to hygiene in public toilets and the Commission does not plan to implement a ‘hygiene score’,” he wrote. No shit! Health The European Commission could stop funding lifesaving global health and immunisation organisations Gavi, the Vaccine… 4 minutes Brussels is weighing a plan to end funding for Gavi and the Global Fund by 2030, underscoring the EU’s shift from multilateral aid to influence-driven investment. An internal briefing, seen by Euractiv, argues the bloc should focus on where it can “truly shape governance,” aligning with von der Leyen’s call for a more geopolitical development policy. The proposal follows Washington’s retreat from global health under Donald Trump and mirrors aid cuts by European donors as budgets shift to defence and industry. Critics warn the shift risks undermining programmes credited with saving millions of lives. 📍 Costa attends the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia 📍 Jørgensen travels to Romania for the CESEC ministerial meeting and meets PM Ilie Bolojan 📍 Brunner delivers a keynote at the Sant’Egidio Peace Conference 📍 Von der Leyen attends the Nordic Council meeting in Sweden and a working dinner with business leaders hosted by Ulf Kristersson 📍 Metsola is in Washington for a Strategic Dialogue Roundtable on tech, digital, and artificial intelligence, organised in partnership with the World Economic Forum Contributors: Maria Simon Arboleas, Magnus Lund Nielsen, Thomas Moller-Nielsen, Elisa Braun, Jacob Wulff Wold, Inés Fernández-Pontes, Aleksandra Krzysztoszek, Natália Silenská Editors: Christina Zhao, Sofia Mandilara CORRECTION: The re-election of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was in 2023.
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Eddy Wax
|
In today’s edition: a top MEP says the Commission is poised to amend its €2 trillion budget proposal, Geert Wilders is tipped to win the Dutch election but unlikely to become prime minister, and Parliament faces scrutiny over EU funds awarded to a professor previously fired for sexual harassment
|
[
"Politics",
"Rapporteur"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-27T08:05:55+00:00
|
2025-10-28T07:04:13+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapporteur-the-dangers-of-urgency-mindset/
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AI at work: Europe needs action, not more legislation
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The World Employment Confederation-Europe calls for action, not more legislation, to harness AI’s potential in employment. By leveraging existing laws, ethical standards, and social dialogue, Europe can foster innovation, protect workers, and boost competitiveness in a future-proof labour market. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the workplace, enhancing recruitment, boosting productivity, and fostering inclusive labour markets. But as innovation accelerates, so does the debate on how best to govern it. Europe must choose between becoming AI-driven or turning into a nostalgic museum. For the HR Services industry, the choice is clear. To reap AI’s benefits and remain competitive, Europe must avoid the trap of over-regulation and instead focus on applying existing laws effectively, strengthening social dialogue, and investing in workforce skills. Europe does not need new legislation on AI in employment. Instead, it needs coherent, non-legislative measures that support innovation while protecting workers. This approach allows flexibility across member states, reduces administrative burdens, and reinforces Europe’s global competitiveness. The proposed Directive on algorithmic management in the workplace, introduced in June 2025, overlaps with many existing legal obligations. Key provisions are already covered by the GDPR, the AI Act, and work-related laws. Adding more rules risks legal fragmentation and uncertainty, especially for companies operating across borders. Existing regulation already protect workers European and national legislation already provide a strong foundation for responsible AI use in employment. Anti-discrimination laws, data protection regulations, and workplace safety directives ensure transparency, consultation, and respect for fundamental rights. Moreover, recent court rulings from the Netherlands and Italy confirm that the GDPR protects workers against unfair algorithmic decisions, excessive data collection, and opaque task allocation. These safeguards are not theoretical, they are actively enforced and effective. Leading by example: ethical AI in HR services The HR services industry is not waiting for regulation, it is leading the way. In 2023, the World Employment Confederation (WEC) launched the Code of Ethical Principles in the use of Artificial Intelligence, binding for all 43 national federations and 13 corporate members. This Code ensures fairness, non-discrimination, privacy, and transparency in all AI applications related to recruitment and employment. Complementing the code is the WEC AI Toolkit, which offers practical guidance for ethical AI deployment in line with the EU’s AI Act. These initiatives show that responsible innovation is not only possible, it is already happening. The HR services industry is equipped to upskill and reskill the European workforce Europe’s competitiveness depends on its ability to equip workers with future-ready skills. As the working-age population shrinks and global competition intensifies, skills development becomes both an economic and social imperative. WEC-Europe and its members are already delivering impactful training programs across the continent. These programs align with EU initiatives like the AI Continent Action Plan and the Union of Skills, but they also go further, proving that the private sector can lead in preparing Europe’s workforce for the future. Social Dialogue: the cornerstone of responsible AI deployment At the heart of WEC-Europe’s vision is social dialogue. When conducted with trust and mutual recognition, social dialogue becomes a powerful tool for navigating technological change. It helps dispel myths, build trust, and ensure that AI deployment respects workers’ rights and aligns with European values. For over two decades, WEC-Europe and UNI-Europa have maintained a strong EU Sectoral Social Dialogue, addressing digitalisation and the rise of online talent platforms. Rather than imposing new legal instruments, WEC-Europe advocates for capacity building and best practice sharing among social partners. This collaborative approach empowers employers and workers to shape the future of work together. A future-proof vision for AI at Work The message from WEC-Europe is both pragmatic and visionary: Europe does not need more laws, it needs better use of the ones it already has, stronger social dialogue, and a commitment to ethical innovation. By fostering a regulatory environment that supports growth and protects rights, the EU can lead the world in responsible AI deployment. The HR services industry stands ready to support this transition. Through ethical standards, practical tools, and forward-thinking training programs, it is already delivering people-centric solutions that bridge labour market gaps and create pathways to employment. As AI continues to transform the workplace, Europe must ensure that its response is balanced, enabling, and future-proof. With the right approach, AI can be a force for good, driving innovation, inclusion, and prosperity across the continent. Lieven Van Nieuwenhuyze is Chairman of the Tech in HR Taskforce at World Employment Confederation-Europe.
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The World Employment Confederation-Europe calls for action, not more legislation, to harness AI’s potential in employment. By leveraging existing laws, ethical standards, and social dialogue, Europe can foster innovation, protect workers, and boost competitiveness in a future-proof labour market.
|
[
"Tech",
"AI (Artificial Intelligence)",
"Promoted content"
] |
2025-10-27T06:00:19+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/ai-at-work-europe-needs-action-not-more-legislation/
|
|||
Protests, repression, and lithium: Serbia tests the EU’s democratic credibility
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For many in Serbia, the EU’s words ring hollow, as more and more see the bloc as too complacent with Vučić's regime As student-led pro-democracy protests continue to sweep Serbia and local trust in Brussels erodes, the EU finds itself in a difficult balancing act as it tries to both uphold its democratic principles and its green industrial strategy. Ongoing anti-government protests and controversy over the development of an EU-linked lithium mine in Serbia are straining the already-wobbly relationship between Serbian citizens and Brussels. On Tuesday, a shooting and arson at the national parliament in Belgrade injured a man. With tensions running high, the government called it a “terrorist” attack and linked it with Serbia’s nearly year-long ongoing student protests. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Bronwyn Jones
|
For many in Serbia, the EU’s words ring hollow, as more and more see the bloc as too complacent with Vučić's regime
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Aleksander Vucic",
"Lithium",
"Serbia"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-27T05:00:47+00:00
|
2025-10-27T13:41:04+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/protests-repression-and-lithium-serbia-tests-the-eus-democratic-credibility/
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What the history of tech bubbles can tell us about AI
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When the dot-com bubble burst, policymakers largely let it collapse, treating it as a market correction. Today’s accelerationist MAGA-AI boom is different The last time the US tech sector suffered a major crash was when the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Analysts are already making comparisons with today’s AI boom, warning that an AI crash could mean thousands of insolvencies across the US and Europe. But the neoliberalism of Clinton and Bush was very different from today’s more techno-authoritarian, interventionist US political economy of emerging “state capitalism with American characteristics”. Between 1990 and 2000, the NASDAQ rose tenfold as investors funded start-ups with websites and gimmicky names whose market valuations bore little relation to underlying earnings. When the bubble burst, the NASDAQ lost three-quarters of its value, erasing roughly $5 trillion in paper wealth. Yet the mania was also a “useful bubble” – what Jeff Bezos now calls an “industrial bubble.” It left behind fibre-optic cables, server farms, and a venture-capital infrastructure, as well as survivors like Amazon and Google that powered the modern Internet economy. Superficially, history seems to be repeating. OpenAI books about $13 billion in annualised revenue, but only 5% of its 800 million ChatGPT users pay for a subscription. Deutsche Bank reports that European spending on ChatGPT has stalled since May, suggesting paid uptake may be plateauing in some markets. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
When the dot-com bubble burst, policymakers largely let it collapse, treating it as a market correction. Today’s accelerationist MAGA-AI boom is different
|
[
"Opinion",
"Tech",
"Neoliberalism"
] |
2025-10-27T05:00:35+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/what-the-history-of-tech-bubbles-can-tell-us-about-ai/
|
|||
Polarisation puts Dutch democracy to the test
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Centrist leaders are racing to form a last-ditch coalition – a Dutch version of Germany’s “grand coalition” AMSTERDAM – The Netherlands, once a model of pragmatic consensus, is entering a volatile new phase as voters head to the polls on Wednesday to decide whether to return to the centre or embrace the politics of polarisation. For decades, the Netherlands embodied the polder model – a society built on compromise among business, labour, and government. That tradition is now fraying. How the Dutch resolve their political impasse may offer a glimpse of Europe’s broader future: whether its democracies can still bridge divides, or whether the centre, long taken for granted, has already slipped away. The forces roiling the Dutch electorate are familiar across the continent: housing shortages, migration pressures, and a generation feeling left behind. Dutch politics has splintered into a patchwork of small parties – from animal-rights activists to Turkish-minority groups – making coalition building ever harder. Even as economic growth remains solid and unemployment low, public confidence in institutions has fallen sharply. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Rob Savelberg
|
Centrist leaders are racing to form a last-ditch coalition – a Dutch version of Germany’s “grand coalition”
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Elections",
"Frans Timmermans",
"Geert Wilders",
"The Netherlands"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-27T05:00:17+00:00
|
2025-10-27T11:32:12+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/polarisation-puts-dutch-democracy-to-the-test/
|
EXCLUSIVE: EU mulls copying US with end to aid for global health funds
|
Massive cuts to aid funding would align the EU with Donald Trump's global health strategy The European Commission could stop funding lifesaving global health and immunisation organisations Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund by 2030 as it looks to boost the bloc’s overseas influence in other areas, according to an internal briefing document seen by Euractiv. The document prepared for the EU’s Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, says that the bloc should “focus on funds where the EU can truly shape governance.” This year, US President Donald Trump has cut Washington’s funding to Gavi and the Global Fund, undermining the global health initiatives. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Emma Pirnay
|
Massive cuts to aid funding would align the EU with Donald Trump's global health strategy
|
[
"Health",
"Politics",
"Gavi",
"Jozef Síkela",
"Public Health"
] |
Health
|
2025-10-27T05:00:12+00:00
|
2025-10-27T12:01:19+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-mulls-copying-us-with-end-to-aid-for-global-health-funds/
|
INTERVIEW: Commission ready to tweak its €2tn budget blueprint, says top MEP
|
"The majority will be so large that it will be impossible for the Commission to further defend its proposal," Parliament co-lead budget negotiator said The European Commission “is ready at the technical level” to change its €2 trillion, seven-year budget plan, and MEPs will force it to do so anyway if it outright refuses, the European Parliament’s co-lead negotiator Siegfried Mureșan told Euractiv. The insistence from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) lawmaker comes after the EU executive was forced last week to walk back comments from one of its own commissioners suggesting that changes could be on the way. Mureșan has already threatened to reject the €865 billion plan to merge farmer and regional subsidies into centralised national plans unless the Commission makes concrete amendments by Parliament’s 12-13 November debate. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Jacob Wulff Wold
|
"The majority will be so large that it will be impossible for the Commission to further defend its proposal," Parliament co-lead budget negotiator said
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Economy",
"Politics",
"CAP budget",
"EU Budget",
"Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF)",
"Siegfried Mureșan"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-27T05:00:04+00:00
|
2025-10-27T10:36:32+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/interview-commission-ready-to-tweak-its-e2tn-budget-blueprint-says-top-mep/
|
Russia, seals, and cormorants caught in EU Baltic blame game over depleted fish stocks
|
Sweden is virtually alone in backing the Commission's proposed fishing cuts National delegations from the Baltic coastal countries will meet in Luxembourg on Sunday to negotiate fishing quotas for 2026, with many blaming Russian vessels and fish-eating predators for the sea’s poor state. Known as the planet’s youngest sea, the Baltic is today one of the most polluted bodies of water in the world. The sea is marred by a wide range of pressures, from climate change and fishing to contamination from pharmaceuticals and submerged munitions. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Maria Simon Arboleas
|
Sweden is virtually alone in backing the Commission's proposed fishing cuts
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Agrifish Council",
"Baltic Sea",
"Fish",
"Fisheries",
"Fishing Quotas"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-26T11:50:12+00:00
|
2025-10-27T16:43:46+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/russia-seals-and-cormorants-caught-in-eu-baltic-blame-game-over-depleted-fish-stocks/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=The capitals&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
AI’s war on journalism will decide the fate of the free press
|
The EU’s approach to how artificial intelligence uses journalistic work could determine whether the free press survives the digital age – or vanishes into the data stream A quiet war is underway in Europe – one that will decide whether journalism remains a pillar of democracy, or dissolves into the hum of the data economy. For years, news organisations have had an uneasy pact with Silicon Valley. Google and Meta took the lion’s share of advertising money, but sent readers our way. It was a lopsided but functional deal: visibility in exchange for traffic. That bargain has now collapsed. Generative artificial intelligence (GPAI) systems – software applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini and “AI Overviews” – are trained on millions of news articles. Many of these articles were behind paywalls and were taken without permission or payment. GPAI systems summarise and repackage journalists’ work but seldom direct readers to the source. What’s left is a veneer of reality: journalism reduced to raw material, stripped of authorship and context. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
The EU’s approach to how artificial intelligence uses journalistic work could determine whether the free press survives the digital age – or vanishes into the data stream
|
[
"Opinion",
"Tech"
] |
2025-10-26T05:00:28+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/ais-war-on-journalism-will-decide-the-fate-of-the-free-press/
|
|||
Ireland elects hard-left EU critic Catherine Connolly as next president
|
Connolly has described the EU as neoliberal and undemocratic, but insists she is “a committed European” Early results from Ireland’s presidential election point to a clear victory for independent Catherine Connolly, a staunch defender of military neutrality and outspoken critic of EU policy. Connolly, a 68-year-old barrister and member of Ireland’s parliament since 2016, is far ahead of her centre-right rival Heather Humphreys, from the governing party Fine Gael party. With around half the votes counted, Connolly was above 60%, with Humphreys trailing at just below 30%. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Maria Simon Arboleas
|
Connolly has described the EU as neoliberal and undemocratic, but insists she is “a committed European”
|
[
"Politics",
"Catherine Connolly",
"Elections",
"Ireland",
"Sinn Fein",
"The Left"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-25T16:05:30+00:00
|
2025-10-27T15:08:26+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/ireland-elects-hard-left-eu-critic-catherine-connolly-as-next-president/
|
Commission announces Japan-inspired critical materials plan
|
“Whether on energy or raw materials, defence or digital, Europe has to strive for its independence,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Aiming to break free from China’s grip on rare earths, Brussels is working on an industrial strategy to boost European production. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced new measures to tackle the EU’s structural weakness in rare earths, exacerbated by China’s recent restrictions on these critical materials. “Whether on energy or raw materials, defence or digital, Europe has to strive for its independence,” she said at a conference in Berlin on Saturday. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Maria Simon Arboleas
|
“Whether on energy or raw materials, defence or digital, Europe has to strive for its independence,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
|
[
"Defence",
"Economy",
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"Politics",
"China",
"Economic Security",
"Japan",
"Rare Earths",
"RESourceEU",
"Stéphane Séjourné",
"Supply Chains",
"Trade",
"Ursula von der Leyen"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-25T11:42:55+00:00
|
2025-10-27T11:13:53+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/commission-announces-japan-inspired-critical-materials-plan/
|
Von der Leyen hints at ‘trade bazooka’ against China's rare earth chokehold
|
“Europe cannot do things the same way anymore. We learned this lesson painfully with energy; we will not repeat it with critical materials” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that Brussels is ready to use all available means to counter Beijing’s damaging export restrictions on rare earths. Speaking at a conference in Berlin, von der Leyen warned that the trade rifts between China and the US were hitting EU industries hard. “China has dramatically tightened export controls over rare earths and battery materials,” she said, warning that 90% of the EU’s consumption of rare earth magnets comes from Beijing. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Maria Simon Arboleas
|
“Europe cannot do things the same way anymore. We learned this lesson painfully with energy; we will not repeat it with critical materials”
|
[
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI)",
"China",
"Rare Earths",
"Trade",
"Ursula von der Leyen"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-25T10:15:17+00:00
|
2025-10-27T08:34:02+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/von-der-leyen-hints-at-trade-bazooka-against-chinas-rare-earth-chokehold/
|
Belgian government rallies around De Wever over Russian assets veto
|
At a European summit on Thursday, De Wever energetically refused an EU plan to fashion a €140 billion loan to Kyiv from immobilised Russian assets without guarantees for Belgium Key members of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s five-party coalition have supported his refusal to wave through a complicated scheme to use Russian assets in Europe for Ukraine. “I totally agree with the prime minister,” his coalition partner Georges-Louis Bouchez, who leads the French liberal Reformist Movement (MR) party, said on Friday. “It’s an easy solution for the moment but a big problem in the future,” the MR leader said. Echoing De Wever – who hails from the Flemish nationalist N-VA party – Bouchez said that other European countries must provide guarantees to ensure Belgium is not left on the hook for the €140 billion, should a future court ruling or a peace settlement require it be returned one day to Russia. At a European summit on Thursday, De Wever energetically refused to countenance an EU plan – supported by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – to fashion a loan to Kyiv out of €140 billion of immobilised Russian assets without extra guarantees for Belgium. Belgium is especially wary of the EU’s plan because it is home to financial clearinghouse Euroclear, which holds most of the Russian central bank assets that were immobilised by the EU shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Belgian prime minister’s criticism of the scheme’s legal and financial risks meant leaders instead tasked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with drawing up alternative methods for financing Ukraine over the next two years. She insisted the reparations loan remained the main option. The public display of unity comes amid tense negotiations between De Wever and Bouchez over Belgium’s next budget. De Wever wants to shave off €10 billion from the budget but Bouchez is refusing any moves to raise VAT. The Prime Minister said on Friday that if no agreement is reached by 6 November he will resign. But at the European level, the two parties see eye to eye. “We don’t block the solution if the rest of the European Union wants this solution. But there is just one condition, and it’s a normal condition. We need guarantees because at the end of the day it’s not possible for Belgium to give back the money if there is any problem,” said Bouchez, during a press conference of the pan-European liberal congress in Brussels. Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot labelled De Wever’s demands “totally legitimate,” in a post on X. “Bart is fully right to oppose a step that could be hostile and detrimental for Belgium in unimaginable proportions,” said Prévot, who hails from centrist party Les Engagés. French-speaking Socialist party leader Paul Magnette – whose party is not in the government – compared De Wever to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, and said the PM was bringing shame on his country.
|
Eddy Wax
|
At a European summit on Thursday, De Wever energetically refused an EU plan to fashion a €140 billion loan to Kyiv from immobilised Russian assets without guarantees for Belgium
|
[
"Politics",
"Bart De Wever",
"Belgium",
"Frozen Assets",
"Georges-Louis Bouchez",
"Maxime Prévot",
"Ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-25T09:32:39+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/belgian-government-rallies-around-de-wever-over-russian-assets-veto/
|
|
Kallas walks back claim Mercosur deal was agreed at European Council
|
Remarks by the EU's top diplomat on Friday clashed with a readout from the European Council president The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas walked back her claim from Friday that European leaders decided at Thursday’s EU summit to sign the Mercosur agreement. On Saturday a spokesperson for Kallas told Euractiv: “No mandate was given as such, but … President Costa asked member states to empower their ambassador to take the process forward.” Kallas told a party congress of her liberal political family ALDE on Friday: “Yesterday at the European Council we gave a mandate to sign the Mercosur agreement.” You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Eddy Wax
|
Remarks by the EU's top diplomat on Friday clashed with a readout from the European Council president
|
[
"Politics",
"António Costa",
"Kaja Kallas"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-24T17:30:29+00:00
|
2025-10-25T16:52:44+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/kallas-contradicts-claims-eu-leaders-agreed-to-sign-mercosur-deal-2/
|
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Europe's Chinatown
|
We don’t know the degree to which the Chinese have infiltrated Brussels’ European institutions “You may think you know what you’re dealing with, but believe me, you don’t,” John Huston’s character warns a detective played by Jack Nicholson in the 1974 classic “Chinatown”. That’s sage advice for Europe’s own Chinatown, commonly known as Brussels. The truth is we don’t know the degree to which the Chinese have infiltrated Brussels’ European institutions, but recent developments – this month’s arrest of a Belgian policeman on suspicions he was a Chinese asset, and the recent sentencing of a former European Parliament staffer in Germany to nearly five years in prison for spying for Beijing– signal we don’t know the half of it. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
We don’t know the degree to which the Chinese have infiltrated Brussels’ European institutions
|
[
"Opinion",
"China",
"Espionage",
"Politico",
"The Brief"
] |
2025-10-24T16:34:55+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-europes-chinatown/
|
|||
Croatia reintroduces conscription to boost defence
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Around 18,000 men would be enlisted annually as they turn 18 to take two months of training Croatian MPs voted to reintroduce mandatory military service on Friday with a view to boosting the Balkan nation’s defence, one of several countries that has recently toyed with the idea. Zagreb abolished military conscription in 2008, a year before joining NATO, in an effort to professionalise its military. But top officials have since argued that international tensions require the restoration of basic military training to bolster Croatia’s defence forces. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Around 18,000 men would be enlisted annually as they turn 18 to take two months of training
|
[
"Defence",
"Conscription",
"Croatia"
] |
Defence
|
2025-10-24T13:31:05+00:00
|
2025-10-24T13:31:23+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/croatia-reintroduces-conscription-to-boost-defence/
|
|
German foreign minister's China visit postponed amid tensions
|
China and Germany have traditionally had close relations, but ties have frayed over myriad issues in recent years, ranging from claims of Beijing's unfair trade practices to human rights Germany said on Friday that a forthcoming visit by its foreign minister to China had been postponed as meetings could not be arranged, at a time of heightened EU-Beijing trade tensions particularly for rare earths. “The Chinese side was ultimately able to confirm only the appointment with the Chinese foreign minister, and could not confirm any other additional appointments,” a foreign ministry spokeswoman said. “We very much regret that,” she said, noting there were several issues Berlin wanted to raise with Beijing during Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s visit, which had been due to take place in the coming days. She listed trade restrictions, particularly when it comes to rare earths and semiconductors, as well as China’s potential to influence Russia over its war in Ukraine. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
AFP
|
China and Germany have traditionally had close relations, but ties have frayed over myriad issues in recent years, ranging from claims of Beijing's unfair trade practices to human rights
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"China",
"Germany",
"Rare Earths",
"Trade"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-24T13:26:06+00:00
|
2025-10-24T13:32:08+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/german-foreign-ministers-china-visit-postponed-amid-tensions/
|
EU open to revise net-zero shipping deal after US sunk IMO talks
|
After the US torpedoed a global deal on green shipping, the EU scrambles to pick up the pieces The European Commission signalled on Wednesday that it is open to renegotiate the global net-zero shipping deal after the United States blocked it last week at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). An April agreement to cut CO2 emissions from shipping collapsed following pressure from Washington and Riyadh – which pushed through a one-year freeze to eventually axe it. The US warned it could sanction countries voting in favour, arguing the plan would benefit China at its expense. All EU countries except Greece and Cyprus opposed the delay, but their defection broke the bloc’s unity. The future of the deal – aimed at removing the dirtiest ships from the seas by mid-2030 – now hangs in the balance. Asked by Euractiv whether the Commission supports Washington’s call for renegotiation, an EU spokesperson said: “We are ready to work towards building bridges with all other parties.” Yet, the same official admitted, a new Council mandate “may potentially be needed.” Because shipping decisions require unanimity, Athens’ resistance threatens to derail future coordination. “There will be time for changes to be made and to find common ground,” a senior EU diplomat said earlier this week. Tensions first flared on Tuesday, when Greece held the COP30 mandate “hostage” to remove references to the IMO. “The Commission is looking into the position taken by certain EU Member States during the voting process last week,” the spokesperson added. According to an EU source, defecting from the bloc’s pre-agreed voting position may not have been illegal, but it was a “political disaster”. Whether the Commission had issued an explicit instruction on the US proposal remains unclear. (cs)
|
Nikolaus J. Kurmayer
|
After the US torpedoed a global deal on green shipping, the EU scrambles to pick up the pieces
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"CCOP30",
"Greece",
"International Maritime Organisation (IMO)",
"Transport"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-24T12:34:42+00:00
|
2025-10-24T14:48:20+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-open-to-revise-net-zero-shipping-deal-after-us-sunk-imo-talks/
|
Apple threatens to drop 'Ask App Not to Track' privacy pop-ups in EU
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The iPhone-maker has attacked the online ad industry for "intense lobbying" against iOS's consent-to-track feature Apple is warning that it may withdraw a major privacy feature, known as App Tracking Transparency (ATT), in European countries due to ad industry complaints. The iPhone-maker told Euractiv in a statement that “intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy, and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers” – referring to pushback from the “tracking industry” against the feature. The ATT feature lets users ask third party apps which they’re using on Apple’s mobile platform, iOS, not to track their digital activity for targeted advertising. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Claudie Moreau
|
The iPhone-maker has attacked the online ad industry for "intense lobbying" against iOS's consent-to-track feature
|
[
"Tech",
"Antitrust",
"Apple",
"Privacy"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-24T11:45:41+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/apple-threatens-to-drop-ask-app-not-to-track-privacy-pop-ups-in-eu/
|
|
Meta and TikTok broke EU rules on data access for researchers
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Meta's processes for reporting illegal content and informing users about content takedowns were also found to have breached the EU's Digital Services Act The European Commission has found that social media giants Meta and TikTok breached data access obligations under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), it announced on Friday. Both Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and TikTok were found to have preliminarily broken rules aimed at ensuring that they grant researchers access to public data on their platforms. Separately, Meta’s Instagram and Facebook have breached the DSA’s rules for “Notice and Action” mechanisms. The platforms’ provisions for reporting problems with content were not user-friendly enough. Meta was also found to have used so-called “dark patterns” – aka deceptive design practices banned under the DSA – which, the Commission said, could dissuade reports. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Anupriya Datta
|
Meta's processes for reporting illegal content and informing users about content takedowns were also found to have breached the EU's Digital Services Act
|
[
"Tech",
"Digital Services Act (DSA)",
"Henna Virkkunen",
"Meta",
"Platforms",
"TikTok",
"VLOPs – Very Large Online Platforms"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-24T10:14:57+00:00
|
2025-10-27T16:22:19+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/meta-and-tiktok-broke-eu-rules-on-data-access-for-researchers/
|
Ireland heads to the polls amid criticism over lack of choice
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A result of the presidential election is expected late on Saturday Ireland votes on Friday to elect a new president, with left-wing independent Catherine Connolly expected to beat her female challenger in an election marred by criticism of the limited choice. The contest, pitting Connolly against Heather Humphreys of the centrist Fine Gael party, has also been tainted by calls to spoil ballots over the lack of a right-wing candidate. A third centre-right contender for the largely ceremonial role dropped out after controversy over unpaid rent. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
AFP
|
A result of the presidential election is expected late on Saturday
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Elections",
"Ireland"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-24T10:02:17+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/ireland-heads-to-the-polls-amid-criticism-over-lack-of-choice/
|
|
International efforts to fight plastic pollution: why the world needs Extended Producer Responsibility
|
Following the Geneva negotiations setback, Citeo and the Producer Responsibility Coalition reaffirm their commitment to advance Extended Producer Responsibility globally as one of the key solution to tackle plastic pollution and drive circular economy. In August 2025, in Geneva, negotiations for an international Treaty to address plastic pollution concluded without an agreement. This was a serious setback — but should not be the end of commitments to tackle this issue. It strengthens our resolve to continue advocating for Extended Producer Responsibility as a central tool in tackling plastic pollution worldwide. Since 2022, Citeo, together with the Producer Responsibility Coalition — a global alliance bringing together nearly 50 Producer Responsibility Organisations from across continents — has been at the forefront of advocating for EPR in the international policy arena. The Coalition serves as a collective voice in Treaty negotiations, sharing expertise, lessons learned, and practical examples of EPR in action. Its members span diverse regions and economies, united by a shared belief that producers must take responsibility for their products throughout their life cycle. To support this advocacy, the Coalition has published a series of position papers outlining the fundamentals of EPR, examples of successful adaptation worldwide, and the principles for effective implementation. These principles are clear : The Coalition also insists on addressing one of the most complex realities of global waste management: the integration of the informal sector. In many low- and middle-income countries, waste pickers are the backbone of recycling systems. Too often, however, they face unsafe conditions, lack recognition, or are excluded from decision-making. By integrating informal workers through fair contracts, inclusion in governance, and recognition of their contribution, EPR systems can be both effective and equitable. Within this scheme, PROs play a central role: beyond collecting fees, they provide strategic guidance, track performance, coordinate actors, and ensure transparency and alignment with national goals. That is why today, our Coalition officially reaffirms its commitment: whatever the outcome of international negotiation, The Producer Responsibility Coalition will continue to advocate for EPR across all relevant platforms. Our commitment is to ensure that EPR becomes a global reality, contributing to a world where plastic products are more prevented, reused, and recycled. And as a coalition of practitioners with decades of experience, we stand ready to contribute technical knowledge, operational expertise, and collaborative momentum to this global challenge with all the international institutions, organisations, and coalitions involved and interested in the development of EPR.
|
Following the Geneva negotiations setback, Citeo and the Producer Responsibility Coalition reaffirm their commitment to advance Extended Producer Responsibility globally as one of the key solution to tackle plastic pollution and drive circular economy.
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"circular economy",
"Promoted content"
] |
2025-10-24T10:00:06+00:00
|
2025-10-24T12:11:03+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/international-efforts-to-fight-plastic-pollution-why-the-world-needs-extended-producer-responsibility/
|
||
Eurozone business activity growth hit 17-month high in October
|
Europe's biggest economy Germany registered a solid increase in output this month, but France, the second-largest economy, posted a fourteenth consecutive monthly reduction in output Business activity in the eurozone rose at the fastest pace in 17 months in October, a closely watched survey showed on Friday, despite a gloomy outlook in France, where political uncertainty remains. The HCOB Flash Eurozone purchasing managers’ index (PMI) published by S&P Global accelerated this month to 52.2 from 51.2 in September. Any reading above 50 indicates growth, while a figure below 50 shows contraction. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
AFP
|
Europe's biggest economy Germany registered a solid increase in output this month, but France, the second-largest economy, posted a fourteenth consecutive monthly reduction in output
|
[
"Economy",
"Eurozone"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-24T09:42:59+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eurozone-business-activity-growth-hit-17-month-high-in-october/
|
|
EU overreach meets Belgian reality
|
In today’s edition: Belgium balks at the legal and financial risks of using frozen Russian assets, Friedrich Merz’s premature Mercosur victory claim falls flat, and EU leaders urge Roberta Metsola to rally Parliament behind the red tape-cutting agenda Welcome to Rapporteur. This is Nicoletta Ionta, with Eddy Wax in Brussels. Got a story we should know about? Drop us a line – we read every message. Need-to-knows: Today’s edition is powered by Cement Europe A message from Cement Europe Europe’s cement industry faces a dual challenge: to remain competitive while investing in deep decarbonisation. It needs the right policy framework to match its investment drive. Cement Europe’s Cement Action Plan sets out how policymakers can help make both happen. Find out more. Belgium has torpedoed the European Commission’s flagship plan to fund Ukraine using immobilised Russian assets, leaving Ursula von der Leyen’s much-trumpeted reparation loan in tatters. What was supposed to be a bold, defining moment for the EU has been reduced to a bureaucratic shrug: the Commission is now merely “invited to present options” at the next Council in December. The watered-down language, signed off by EU leaders last night, marks a significant reversal for von der Leyen, who floated the scheme in her September State of the Union address as a daring bid to secure long-term financing for Kyiv. Her original proposal envisioned leveraging €140 billion in cash balances linked to immobilised Russian central bank assets. Compared with an earlier draft, the final text deletes any mention of “concrete proposals involving the possible gradual use of the cash balances associated with immobilised Russian assets” – replacing it with the kind of Brussels language that signals retreat: a vague promise to “present options” later. However well-intentioned, von der Leyen may have overplayed her hand, pushing a plan that was neither legally airtight nor politically feasible. Belgium, which hosts most of the assets in question, quickly raised the red flag. Prime Minister Bart De Wever made clear he wouldn’t shoulder the legal and financial fallout alone, warning of lawsuits, arbitration claims, and a potential hit to the stability of Euroclear, the Belgium-based institution that holds the funds. “We all have questions about legal sustainability,” one diplomat said, and was echoed by several others – a polite way of saying that the Commission’s plan is not universally popular. At a press conference, von der Leyen insisted that the leaders’ main option remained the reparations loan, and that all that is needed now is a bit more work. For von der Leyen, the setback is political as much as procedural. The plan was meant to showcase EU unity and leadership in sustaining Kyiv’s war effort beyond spring 2026, when the current G7 loan arrangement expires. Now, that momentum risks fizzling out amid growing caution among member states. And not everyone is convinced. De Wever stood firm on Belgium’s conditions, telling reporters: “I asked my colleagues: who is ready? This question was not answered with a tsunami of enthusiasm around the table,” my colleague Thomas Moller-Nielsen reports. Grilled on which member states might provide a liquidity safety net, he added: “Not an overwhelming number. Very few,” but “not zero.” For now, the only thing being leveraged in Brussels is patience. The rest will have to wait until December 18. Merz’s Mercosur mix-up caps fractious EU summit Germany’s Friedrich Merz caused late-night confusion at Thursday’s European Council after claiming that EU leaders had agreed to sign the long-delayed EU-Mercosur trade deal – an assertion swiftly denied by others in the room. Merz told reporters that “all 27 agreed that the permanent representatives could sign,” calling it a “clear mandate,” and said Parliament would only need to ratify before a final deal could be signed on 19 December, according to my colleagues Elisa Braun and Nikolaus J. Kurmayer. But European Council President António Costa insisted that “there has not been a discussion about that,” while France’s Emmanuel Macron said “work continues” as Paris reviews new clauses aimed at avoiding political backlash over what has become a sensitive issue at home. An EU diplomat later clarified that leaders had merely granted a procedural green light, not approval to conclude the deal. Leaders meeting at EUCO are only expected to give broad political targets, not sign off on issues like trade deals. Leaders tell Parliament: find the votes, fast EU leaders want Parliament to work with whatever majorities it takes to speed up the bloc’s red tape-slashing agenda, President Roberta Metsola said at a press conference after meeting with national leaders on Thursday. Both EU and national chiefs have been pushing to cut back bureaucracy to boost the bloc’s economy and competitiveness. But on Wednesday, lawmakers unexpectedly rejected a compromise, cobbled together by centrist forces in the chamber, that would have rolled back a slew of EU sustainability rules for big corporations, my colleague Magnus Lund Nielsen reports. “To be very clear, the message to me from the Council is: ‘get the numbers where you find them’,” Metsola told press afterwards. The clock change that’s frozen in time Clocks go back by an hour across the EU on Sunday, but there’s a renewed political push to kill the tradition once and for all. In Strasbourg on Thursday, Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas railed against the twice-yearly clock changes, telling MEPs they “no longer serve any purpose.” “What’s the Commission doing about it? Preparing a study?” he asked. Irish EPP lawmaker Seán Kelly has been driving the push to revive the issue, which has been gathering dust since the Commission proposed scrapping the practice in 2018. “Hopefully now we can gather momentum, get a resolution again, and get the Council to view this favourably,” Kelly told Rapporteur. Kelly said that the move would fit into the broader simplification push, and might even win the EU points with Donald Trump, who has said he wants to end seasonal clock changes in the US. Spain’s Pedro Sánchez also put the topic on the agenda at Monday’s Energy Council. His government circulated a short paper linking to research suggesting it rarely delivers energy savings – the rationale for introducing daylight saving in the 1970s. Finland and Poland backed up Spain at the meeting last week. Deepfake drama hits Irish election Ireland heads to the polls today to elect its next president – but the race has been upended by a deepfake scandal. An AI-generated video falsely showing frontrunner Catherine Connolly announcing her withdrawal went viral this week before being debunked, my colleagues Anupriya Datta and Maximilian Henning report. The country’s media regulator has oversight of Facebook under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which obliges major platforms like Meta to mitigate risks to democratic processes, including disinformation. The Commission has had an open proceeding against Meta since April 2024 over suspected DSA breaches, including failures to tackle disinformation campaigns, but has yet to close any of these probes. A Meta spokesperson told Euractiv the company had removed some videos related to Connolly for violating its policies on voter interference. However, Meta could not confirm whether the specific deepfake video circulating widely on Facebook had been taken down. Lange’s terms for US trade deal Bernd Lange, the Parliament’s lead trade MEP, has spelled out his wish list to amend a proposal for EU trade concessions to the US. The deal – agreed by von der Leyen and Trump on a golf course in Scotland this summer – imposes a 15% baseline tariff on most EU products, while Brussels is proposing to cut tariffs to zero on hundreds of industrial and agricultural imports. Lange laid out five conditions for his backing, starting with slashing the 50% US tariffs on EU steel in exchange for Brussels’ zero-tariff offer. He’s also pushing for an 18-month “sunset clause” to kill the deal if it doesn’t move toward WTO compliance, and a Mercosur-style safeguard mechanism to protect EU producers from surges in American imports. Liberal politicians call out Ukraine under-spenders Politicians from the liberal ALDE family are getting fed up with countries that, they say, are not pulling their weight when it comes to supporting Ukraine. In a declaration ahead of a party congress in Brussels today, the group warned that uneven burden-sharing risks undermining Europe’s credibility and unity. “While several Member States – particularly in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic region – are contributing significantly above their relative economic capacity, others continue to fall short,” said the statement. “This imbalance weakens Europe’s collective credibility and risks signalling to Moscow that our unity and resolve are eroding.” Signatories include MEPs Morten Løkkegaard and Sophie Wilmès. PARIS 🇫🇷 PM Sébastien Lecornu sought to allay opposition concerns on Thursday over how the government will fund the suspension of key provisions of the 2023 pension reform, promising that “funding measures will be debated in Parliament.” Trade unions CFDT and CGT warned against options under consideration, including higher mutual insurance contributions, which they said would weigh on “current and future retirees.” CFDT’s Yvan Ricordeau also rejected any “pension deindexation” that could result in “two blank years” in 2026–27. Meanwhile, the far-right National Rally presented its counter-budget, calling for lower energy VAT, a full tax allowance for second children, and cuts to EU contributions and foreign aid. ROME 🇮🇹 Italy’s Bologna Court of Appeal on Thursday delayed its ruling on the extradition of Serhii Kuznietsov, a former Ukrainian army officer accused by Germany of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The case was returned to Bologna after Italy’s Supreme Court annulled a previous extradition order last week due to procedural errors. Kuznietsov’s lawyer argued that his client should benefit from functional immunity, saying the pipeline was a legitimate military target during the war in Ukraine. The defence also pointed to a Polish court’s recent refusal to extradite another Ukrainian suspect in the same case. BERLIN 🇩🇪 Germany’s meat industry and its fast-growing plant-based rivals are clashing after the European Parliament backed a ban on words such as “burger” and “sausage” for vegan products. While Berlin’s conservative agriculture minister supports clearer labelling, coalition partners and industry groups accuse Brussels of shielding a declining livestock sector from competition. Consumer advocates called the move “absurd,” arguing it will raise costs for companies like Rügenwalder Mühle and deter investment in alternative proteins – one of the nation’s few expanding food markets. MADRID 🇪🇸 Catalonia’s separatist party Junts may withdraw its backing for Pedro Sánchez’s minority government, party spokesperson Míriam Nogueras told Spanish media, adding that “all options,” including a no-confidence vote, remain on the table. The party’s leadership is due to meet in Perpignan on Monday, convened by exiled leader Carles Puigdemont, who is still wanted in Spain for allegedly misusing public funds to organise the 2017 independence referendum. Nogueras said Sánchez’s coalition had “failed to deliver” on commitments ranging from full implementation of the amnesty law to greater linguistic, fiscal, and migration powers for Catalonia. WARSAW 🇵🇱 Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said during a visit to Islamabad that Poland would seek to show support for Trump’s peace initiative in Gaza. “The idea is more of an Arab-Islamic initiative – but Poland will also want to at least show its flag there,” he said. A memorandum on Polish-Pakistani cooperation was signed between the foreign ministries. Sikorski also discussed the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, warning that the ongoing migration crisis forms part of a hybrid war being waged by Belarus with Russia’s backing, and that “Pakistani citizens are also being used in these operations.” STOCKHOLM 🇸🇪 Sweden’s JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets will not be delivered to Ukraine “in any foreseeable future,” Ukrainian spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said in a televised interview, according to Ukrinform. “The path is full of technological and political challenges – these are complex machines that take a long time to produce,” he said, noting that transfers require government-to-government deals, making the process “extremely complicated.” Still, Ihnat described last week’s memorandum of understanding with Sweden as an “important and positive signal” as Kyiv looks to modernise its fleet over time. REYKJAVIK 🇮🇸 Iceland on Friday marks 50 years since the landmark 1975 women’s strike, when an estimated 90% of women stopped work and household duties to protest gender inequality. The anniversary is being observed with a full-day strike and a renewed call for equal pay, stronger childcare policy, and an end to gender-based violence. Unions and feminist groups have urged employers not to dock pay for participants. The message echoes well beyond Reykjavik: if women stop, the country stops. WETSTRAAT, 175: As if in response to our scoop that the Justus Lipsius building will be renovated to the tune of up to €1 billion, the Council was forced to put out giant buckets to catch the raindrops that entered the building during Thursday’s summit. See the photo snapped by Elisa Braun. IT WAS ALL A SCAM: That “green” Commission plan to slap a price tag on ketchup, crumbs, and napkins to promote sustainability in its own cafeterias? Total scam. An internal email seen by Rapporteur this week claimed that “dedicated scales equipped with e-payment systems will be installed gradually on site,” with extra charges for “excessive food waste or leftovers” in the cafeterias. Turns out, that was a “phishing exercise”. It was a bit too much even for the Commission. Agrifood Torrents of European tourists have flocked to Japan lately to take selfies in front of… 6 minutes Europe is looking to Tokyo for survival tips. After China throttled rare-earth exports this spring, Brussels began sending commissioners to Japan at record pace, seeking guidance from a country that learned the hard way in 2010 how to diversify away from Beijing. The flurry of visits signals a broader rethink of Europe’s China strategy – less talk of “decoupling,” more of Japan-style “de-risking.” Opinion The EU has finally approved the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. EU leaders meeting… 5 minutes While Brussels celebrates its latest sanctions package, Euractiv columnist Ilana Bet-El, a historian and political analyst, contends that Europe’s deeper malaise is political. A class of professionalised leaders – lawyers, bankers, and consultants turned career politicians – has replaced statesmen with managers, she argues in her latest op-ed, leaving the EU adrift in a world demanding conviction and strategic clarity. At a moment of geopolitical flux, Europe’s leaders are proving alarmingly small. 📍 Irish presidential election 📍 Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev 📍 Coalition of the Willing videoconference 📍 ALDE Party Congress in Brussels Contributors: Nikolaus J. Kurmayer, Thomas Møller-Nielsen, Jacob Wulff Wold, Elisa Braun, Magnus Lund Nielsen, Laurent Geslin, Alessia Peretti, Charles Szumski, Inés Fernández-Pontes, Aleksandra Krzysztoszek Editors: Christina Zhao, Sofia Mandilara
|
Nicoletta Ionta
|
In today’s edition: Belgium balks at the legal and financial risks of using frozen Russian assets, Friedrich Merz’s premature Mercosur victory claim falls flat, and EU leaders urge Roberta Metsola to rally Parliament behind the red tape-cutting agenda
|
[
"Politics",
"Rapporteur"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-24T06:03:13+00:00
|
2025-10-24T06:30:17+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapporteur-eu-overreach-meets-belgian-reality/
|
National leaders to Commission: We’ll plug the defence gaps – see you in 2026
|
Costa hailed the summit's defence discussion as a “decisive building block” towards Europe’s sovereignty EU leaders on Thursday took a major step towards closing Europe’s most urgent defence gaps – though who leads, funds and delivers remains to be settled in the months ahead. The 27 leaders agreed to “finalise” setting up coalitions tasked with addressing Europe’s military shortfalls “by the end of the year,” with projects expected to launch in early 2026. The scale of the challenge is considerable. Member states will work on the nine capability gaps first identified by the Commission – from ammunition, missiles and air defence to cyber, AI, drones, and military mobility. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Aurélie Pugnet
|
Costa hailed the summit's defence discussion as a “decisive building block” towards Europe’s sovereignty
|
[
"Defence",
"Air Defence",
"Eastern Flank Watch",
"European Air Shield",
"European Drone Defence Initiative (EDDI)"
] |
Defence
|
2025-10-24T04:02:00+00:00
|
2025-10-24T10:05:42+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/national-leaders-to-commission-well-plug-the-defence-gaps-see-you-in-2026/
|
'I'm not a bad boy': Belgium’s De Wever defends Ukraine loan veto
|
The country refused to back a proposed €140 billion EU loan to Ukraine at Thursday’s summit in Brussels Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has fiercely defended his country’s refusal to back a proposed €140 billion EU loan to Ukraine, insisting that other member states must share the legal and financial risks associated with the plan before he signs off on it. Speaking to reporters after a fractious EU summit in Brussels, the Flemish leader on Thursday said Belgium – which holds the immobilised Russian sovereign assets that would finance the so-called “reparation loan” – was already exposed to risks through a separate €45 billion G7 scheme using profits from Russian assets held by Euroclear, the Brussels-based clearinghouse. The loan plan, strongly backed by Germany, France, the Baltic states, and the European Commission, is seen by its advocates as an essential lifeline for Kyiv that avoids tapping EU taxpayers. Yet Belgium managed to water down the European Council’s conclusions after what De Wever described as “hours” of debate. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Thomas Moller-Nielsen
|
The country refused to back a proposed €140 billion EU loan to Ukraine at Thursday’s summit in Brussels
|
[
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Belgium",
"European Council",
"Reparations Loan",
"Ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-24T04:01:02+00:00
|
2025-10-27T09:12:19+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/im-not-a-bad-boy-belgiums-de-wever-defends-ukraine-loan-veto/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=From the capital&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
MEPs' vote on vegan ‘burgers’ stirs political, industry tensions in Germany
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Germany is both Europe’s top meat producer and its largest market for plant-based foods BERLIN – The European Parliament’s vote to ban terms like ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ from vegan products has stirred debate beyond Brussels – nowhere more than in Germany, exposing political fissures and competing industry interests. The debate has laid bare tensions between Germany’s powerful meat industry, which is the largest in Europe, and the country’s booming plant-based sector, which dominates the European market and sees restrictive labelling as a threat to further growth. The proposal – part of a wider regulatory review aimed at strengthening the position of farmers in food supply chains – will be brought to the Commission and Council. Among German MEPs, 20 voted in favour of the proposal against 61 who rejected it. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
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Sofia Christensen
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Germany is both Europe’s top meat producer and its largest market for plant-based foods
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Alois Rainer",
"Germany",
"Meat"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-24T04:00:48+00:00
|
2025-10-24T11:19:29+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/meps-vote-on-vegan-burgers-stirs-political-industry-tensions-in-germany/
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Irish election deepfake scandal spotlights slow enforcement on AI fakes
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The Commission has been investigating Meta’s Facebook and Instagram over disinformation and deceptive advertising under the Digital Services Act since April 2024 A deepfake video of Irish presidential candidate Catherine Connolly that went viral on social media has thrown the spotlight on how EU regulators are responding to deceptive, fast-spreading AI-generated content. The video, which appeared to show Connolly announcing her withdrawal from Friday’s presidential election in Ireland, gained widespread traction on Facebook before being debunked. The candidate has since filed a complaint with Ireland’s electoral commission. Another regulator – the Irish media watchdog Coimisiún na Meán – told Euractiv that it’s in contact with a social media platform involved to ask how it responded to the deepfake. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Anupriya Datta
|
The Commission has been investigating Meta’s Facebook and Instagram over disinformation and deceptive advertising under the Digital Services Act since April 2024
|
[
"Tech",
"AI (Artificial Intelligence)",
"Digital Services Act (DSA)",
"Ireland",
"Platforms"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-24T04:00:28+00:00
|
2025-10-27T16:22:58+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/irish-election-deepfake-scandal-spotlights-slow-enforcement-on-ai-fakes/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=In the capital continued.&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Europeans deserve better
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The EU has finally approved the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. EU leaders meeting in Brussels for the autumn Council are feeling very self-congratulatory for this achievement, which was held up for weeks by Slovakia. They really shouldn’t. The best thing that happened to the EU this week was that President Trump suddenly cancelled his proposed meeting with Vladimir Putin. This is good not because of the potential harm to Ukraine that could have been brewed at this meeting, nor because Trump would yet again have violated the international – notably EU – isolation Putin has been in since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It is good because the meeting was slated to take place in Hungary, an EU member state, and other than one or two other member states saying they would not allow Putin to fly through their airspace, the EU appeared to be helpless to do anything about this absurd situation. Technically, the EU entity to have pushed back on Hungary (if not Trump) should have been the Council, which gathers the member states. Viktor Orbán is head of government, and the decision to host Putin was his, in yet another of his flagrant flouting of EU agreements and norms. However, the idea of António Costa, President of the Council, pushing back on a head of government is vaguely meaningless: His tenure has been overshadowed by scandal in Portugal, where he was formerly Prime Minister, and the overbearing presence of Ursula Von Der Leyen in the Commission. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
The EU has finally approved the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. EU leaders meeting in Brussels for the autumn Council are feeling very self-congratulatory for this achievement, which was held up for weeks by Slovakia. They really shouldn’t. The best thing that happened to the EU this week was that President Trump suddenly cancelled […]
|
[
"Opinion",
"António Costa",
"Ursula von der Leyen",
"Viktor Orbán",
"Vladimir Putin"
] |
2025-10-24T04:00:01+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/europeans-deserve-better/
|
|||
Food security relies on fertiliser, but can farmers square climate and financial targets?
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Agriculture stands at a crossroads, caught between ambitious climate goals and economic reality, can new fertilisers bridge the gap? Europe’s food security begins long before harvest; it starts in the fertiliser plants that keep our soils productive. Yet this cornerstone of agriculture now stands at a crossroads, caught between ambitious climate goals and economic reality. As new carbon border rules take shape and emissions trading obligations tighten, the ammonia value chain faces rising uncertainty over costs, investment, and competitiveness. Policymakers and industry leaders alike are searching for balance: how to stay true to Europe’s green ambitions while keeping domestic production viable. New technologies offer a way forward – from carbon capture to renewable ammonia – but turning potential into practice will depend on one thing above all: giving industry the clarity and confidence to invest in the future. Agrifood Fertilisers are essential to European agriculture, but they also contribute to climate change. For this... 8 minutes Agrifood Fertilisers are an often-overlooked cornerstone of European food security and agricultural competitiveness. They deliver the... 6 minutes
|
Agriculture stands at a crossroads, caught between ambitious climate goals and economic reality, can new fertilisers bridge the gap?
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Event Report"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-24T01:20:59+00:00
|
2025-10-28T21:06:58+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/special_report/food-security-relies-on-fertiliser-but-can-farmers-square-climate-and-financial-targets/
|
|
EIT's skills strategy is set to power innovation and competitiveness
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The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has big ambitions with its new academies for advanced materials and initiatives empowering girls in STEM Europe’s next big innovation leap won’t come from policy papers; it will come from people. From teenagers winning coding championships to professionals retraining for the green transition, lifelong learning is emerging as the driving force behind Europe’s competitiveness. At the recent Education and Skills Days in Brussels, leaders, innovators, and learners gathered to turn ambition into action – showing how Europe can bridge its skills gap, nurture entrepreneurial spirit, and prepare its citizens to shape the industries of tomorrow. With new academies for advanced materials and initiatives empowering girls in STEM, the message is clear: building the future starts with giving people the skills, and the confidence, to transform bold ideas into real-world impact. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in Economy The European Commission and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have launched the... 3 minutes Economy “Strong skills alone are not enough - Europe needs the courage to bring bold ideas... 8 minutes Economy Europe is a powerhouse of ideas. Our universities and labs are overflowing with bright minds,... 4 minutes
|
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has big ambitions with its new academies for advanced materials and initiatives empowering girls in STEM
|
[
"Economy",
"Education",
"Event Report",
"Innovation"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-24T01:07:36+00:00
|
2025-10-28T10:59:08+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/special_report/eits-skills-strategy-is-set-to-power-innovation-and-competitiveness/
|
|
Europe discovers De Wever is harder to convince than Trump
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The prospect of sealing a €140 billion financial loan for Kyiv has been kicked back to December European leaders arrived at Thursday’s summit in Brussels buoyed by signs that Donald Trump was finally aligning with them on ending the war in Ukraine – only to be scuttled by a recalcitrant Flemish nationalist. The prospect of sealing a €140 billion financial loan for Kyiv has been kicked back to December, after Prime Minister Bart De Wever immobilised the European Commission’s nascent plans by demanding that all countries share Belgium’s risk burden. “I asked my colleagues: who is ready [for this]? This question was not answered with a tsunami of enthusiasm around the table,” he told journalists at the end of the night. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Eddy Wax
|
The prospect of sealing a €140 billion financial loan for Kyiv has been kicked back to December
|
[
"Politics",
"Bart De Wever",
"European Council",
"Russia",
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T22:58:46+00:00
|
2025-10-24T08:24:08+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/europe-discovers-de-wever-is-harder-to-convince-than-trump/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=Intro&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
The Chattering Classes: Tinker, tailor, soldier, Politico?
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Welcome Back! Or, as they say at Politico: 歡迎回來 European security services are investigating whether a former Brussels-based Politico reporter was a spy for China, according to officials from three separate intelligence agencies. The reporter, whose identity is known to Euractiv, no longer works for Politico. It is not clear if their departure from the outlet was related to the suspicions of spying. The reporter did not respond to Euractiv’s requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Washington-based outlet said the company had yet to be contacted by authorities and “does not comment on personnel departures as these are confidential personnel matters.” You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Welcome Back! Or, as they say at Politico: 歡迎回來
|
[
"Opinion",
"Financial Times",
"Media",
"Politico",
"The Chattering Classes"
] |
2025-10-23T20:21:42+00:00
|
2025-10-24T10:05:30+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-chattering-classes-tinker-tailor-soldier-politico/
|
||
Russian planes spotted in Lithuania's NATO airspace
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Two Spanish fighters in Lithuania were scrambled and continued to patrol the air, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces As European leaders met in Brussels on Thursday, Russian military aircraft briefly violated Lithuanian airspace, the country’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, said to NATO scrambling aircraft. Nausėda called Russia’s actions “reckless and dangerous behaviour,” and a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity”, in a social media post. NATO is now conducting an investigation into the incident, a person with knowledge of the situation told Euractiv. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Aurélie Pugnet
|
Two Spanish fighters in Lithuania were scrambled and continued to patrol the air, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces
|
[
"Defence",
"Across Europe",
"Fighter Jets",
"Lithuania",
"Russia"
] |
Defence
|
2025-10-23T18:25:29+00:00
|
2025-10-24T12:55:26+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/russian-planes-spotted-in-lithuanias-nato-airspace/
|
The Brief – Europe's losing battle to keep Ukraine afloat
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The EU has repeatedly vowed to back Ukraine "for as long as it takes". But the bloc's high talk of unwavering support has been worn down by Russia's dogged assault, the lapse in US security guarantees, and disagreement on the 'reparation loan' After three and a half years of standing firm with Ukraine, getting members to agree on 19 sanctions packages, and striking unsavoury trade deals to keep the US on side, EU leaders meeting in Brussels today are now drawing lines in the sand on the question of how to maintain Ukraine’s war effort. To respond to this most pressing of money problems, a plan to channel frozen Russian assets towards Ukraine has become a central debate. But despite the dire need, and the loan being structured specifically to circumvent the thorny issue of legality (the funds will not be “seized”), hesitation within the Union – notably from Belgium, where the assets are held – looks likely to derail the whole scheme. Even if Belgium drops its opposition, what the money would actually be used for is yet another point of contention. Initially labelled the “Reparation Loan”, the €140 billion had been sold as an answer to the immense cost of rebuilding the war-pummelled country. Though not sufficient by itself to mend the damage of Russia’s punitive offensive, it would go some of the way and could stimulate private investment. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
The EU has repeatedly vowed to back Ukraine "for as long as it takes". But the bloc's high talk of unwavering support has been worn down by Russia's dogged assault, the lapse in US security guarantees, and disagreement on the 'reparation loan'
|
[
"Opinion",
"Reparations Loan"
] |
2025-10-23T15:47:44+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-brief-europes-losing-battle-to-keep-ukraine-afloat/
|
|||
European Parliament digs in to adopt EU’s first soil health law
|
The new rules aim to restore soil health across the EU by 2050 MEPs on Thursday gave the green light to the EU’s first-ever law on soil health, despite pressure from Germany to block it. Environmental groups welcomed the new rules, while farming representatives warned that implementation must not raise costs for producers. The move comes amid mounting concern that widespread soil degradation is undermining food production, water quality, and climate goals. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Alice Bergoënd
|
The new rules aim to restore soil health across the EU by 2050
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Farmers",
"Germany",
"Soil"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-23T15:14:26+00:00
|
2025-10-23T18:21:34+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/european-parliament-digs-in-to-adopt-eus-first-soil-health-law/
|
Red tape: EU leaders tell Metsola to 'get the numbers'
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In a bid to boost the bloc's economy and competitiveness, EU leaders are less concerned where the majorities in Parliament come from, and more focused on making progress quickly EU leaders are fine for votes to pass in the European Parliament with the help of far-right lawmakers – if it helps speeding up the red tape-slashing agenda, Parliament President Roberta Metsola said at a press conference after meeting with the bloc’s national chiefs on Thursday. EU and national leaders have been pushing to cut back bureaucracy to boost the bloc’s economy and competitiveness. But lawmakers in the Parliament on Wednesday surprisingly rejected a compromise – cobbled together by centrist forces in the chamber – that would have seen a slew of EU sustainability rules for big corporations rolled back. Metsola, under pressure from institutions like the European Council to deliver a rapid-fire slashing of red tape, said the result reflected the challenging political environment in the Parliament. Yet, she received direct instructions from bloc’s national leaders during the Thursday meeting. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Eddy Wax
|
In a bid to boost the bloc's economy and competitiveness, EU leaders are less concerned where the majorities in Parliament come from, and more focused on making progress quickly
|
[
"Politics",
"Simplification"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T14:55:10+00:00
|
2025-10-23T16:28:42+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-leaders-tell-metsola-to-get-the-numbers-where-you-find-them-to-cut-red-tape-fast/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=In the capital continued.&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Fast-tracking of EU AI Act standards-writing leads to revolt
|
People leading the drafting of high-risk AI standards have hit out at their fast-tracking in a letter to EU authorities People leading the drafting of EU standards for high-risk AI systems which are regulated under the bloc’s AI Act have warned against fast-tracking the process – saying procedure changes will have “serious unintended consequences”. European standards bodies CEN-CENELEC last week cleared the way for smaller expert groups to help finalise work on several of the most relevant – and most delayed – AI standards, something that a spokesperson confirmed was “unprecedented”. Under the accelerated process, the standards at the heart of the dispute – which concern the trustworthiness of high-risk AI systems as well as criteria related to their datasets, biases, and other areas – have also been set clear deadlines and can now skip steps in normal procedure. The revolt over fast-tracking the standards is being led by six leading members of a CEN-CENELEC technical committee. They have voiced their concerns in a letter sent to the two standards bodies, as well as to AI Office head Lucilla Sioli and the EU’s Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen. Allowing smaller expert groups to finalise the process “will have serious unintended consequences”, they write, arguing that it undermines the “core principle of consensus” on which standardisation is built. The committee members are asking for the step to be reversed – and threatening to walk out if not. Meanwhile delays to the AI standards-setting have fuelled calls for the Commission to suspend implementation of parts of the law. The decision to fast-track the standards was taken at a joint meeting of the bodies’ technical boards last week, a CEN-CENELEC spokesperson told Euractiv. They called the measures “exceptional” and “unique”, as well as “targeted and temporary”. However those caveats were apparently not enough to reassure several people leading the standards-writing process, hence today’s protest letter. The delayed standards are at the centre of a highly political fight around “stopping the clock” on the AI Act’s rules for high-risk systems. Proponents of a delay argue that with the rules set to come online in August 2026 but standards still missing companies will not get enough time to adjust their systems. Plus, many of the countries advocating for a delay are themselves late in setting up the structures that will be needed to actually enforce the legal requirements. The Commission is currently also considering how to improve its rules for standard-setting. (nl)
|
Maximilian Henning
|
People leading the drafting of high-risk AI standards have hit out at their fast-tracking in a letter to EU authorities
|
[
"Tech",
"AI (Artificial Intelligence)",
"CEN-CENELEC"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-23T12:51:02+00:00
|
2025-10-23T14:12:22+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/fast-tracking-of-eu-ai-act-standards-writing-leads-to-revolt/
|
Help is on the way for fertiliser sector, says Commission
|
The ammonia value chain is struggling with uncertainty as emissions trading requirements change – the culprit is, incoming carbon border levy on imports Fertilisers are an often-overlooked cornerstone of European food security and agricultural competitiveness. They deliver the nutrients that keep yields stable on farms across Europe, underpinning everything from commodity markets to rural livelihoods. At the same time, the fertiliser sector sits at the intersection of two powerful trends: the green transition – including an increasingly stringent EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) – and a new carbon border levy, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which takes effect on 1 January 2026. Together, policy uncertainty surrounding the ETS and the introduction of CBAM are squeezing producers and importers, which could have consequences for prices, investment, and Europe’s capacity to produce food domestically. “We are asked to decarbonise, we put a lot of money into the engineering to prepare for this, but then taxes and burdens are preventing investment in green technologies,” said Leo Alders, CEO of Belgian fertiliser company LAT Nitrogen, at a recent Fertilizers Europe event in Brussels. “If we keep going like this, it’s not going to bring us where we need to go.” Maria Elena Scoppio, director of the Commission’s taxes and customs union department, responded at the event that they are aware of the concerns and are looking at ways to give the industry more certainty to make green investments. “I hear what you’re saying, you need deregulation and simplification, and the Commission is doing its part,” she said. “But there is an elephant in the room – member states are also responsible. So, this call for deregulation and simplification should not only be directed to the European Union but also to the way in which the rules are first implemented in the national legislation and second are completed by national rules.” She noted that the complaints about a lack of EU funds for financing green investments should be directed at national capitals. “The Commission has no money; it only has the money that member states are willing to give to it. The MFF [EU-long-term budget] is coming, and they don’t want to give us any money, even less than before.” Industry representatives say that there are very promising new technologies that can lower the emissions of the fertiliser sector, but the problem is that the current policy framework isn’t incentivising investment in them. Tiffanie Stephani, vice-president for government relations at the Norwegian chemicals company Yara International, which produces nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers, outlined the potential at the event. “It all starts with ammonia, which is essential but is also the part where most of the emissions come from,” she explained. “On average, the carbon footprint of fertilisers produced by European industry here in Europe is roughly 50-60% lower than the averages on the global market. But we can do more.” “We need to be technology neutral and make sure different industry players can tap into different solutions. One is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), another is moving into switching the production from using natural gas to using renewable energy via electrolysers. These two pathways are being implemented here and there, but there are a lot of steps and blocks.” CCS could reduce the carbon footprint of fertilisers by up to 70%, and renewable fertilisers could reduce the carbon footprint by up to 90%, she said. The Dutch energy producer association Energie-Nederland recently unveiled a report on green fertiliser demand creation, which found that the extra price for end products is relatively low (a 1% premium), but the cost for producing them is massive. “So, we asked, which markets and products are really suited for demand creation?” he said. They also asked who should bear the cost—the consumers, the retailers, the farmers or the producers? If there were to be a mandate, who should be mandated? Another solution they looked at was creating a labelling scheme to show which fertilisers are green and made in Europe. “I think we can have these mandates, but we need to enter this phase not talking about demand creation as something that would be nice to have, but the Commission needs to think about how we can do this.” Aurica Pripa, EU public affairs representative for the Finnish food producer Paulig, said that their experience has shown that consumers will not be willing to pay the price for these investments. “Only 9% of consumers say they’re willing to pay the cost for low-CO2 food,” she said, brandishing a packet of Paulig’s wraps, which are labelled as low-CO2. “Around 25% of the wheat comes from regenerative agriculture,” she explained. “Is it easy? Is it cheap? No. The first challenge for the food industry is the complexity and fragmentation of the supply chain, which often leads to misaligned interests.” Many of the industry attendees at the event expressed anxiety about the incoming CBAM requirements. CBAM was put in place to protect European companies from competition from companies in countries that do not face the same stringent climate obligations as in Europe. A charge will be added to imports from those countries starting next year. At that time, European companies will see the free allowances given out so far under the ETS phased out, because they will be compensated by the burden placed on their less-green competitors. But Alders said that CBAM doesn’t seem to be ready yet, and he called for a two-year pause allowing for the effects of CBAM to be studied and the system recalibrated. Scoppio said that the phase-in of CBAM already allows for such recalibration. “The timetable is going to plan,” she said, explaining that obligations effectively won’t start until 2027, and in the meantime, free allowances for European companies are not being immediately ended but rather phased out over eight years. “We fully understand the challenges; they’re not only in your sector but all sectors are now suffering,” she said. “Those challenges have not been made easier at first glance. But I really recommend that we don’t stop now, that we look at the long-term objective of what we’re trying to do.” “On ETS free allowances, there is concern they are ending too soon – I hope that on our side we can help,” she said. She noted that the Commission is looking into ways that green fertilisers produced in Europe could be made more competitive for export. “CBAM only works within Europe. The Commission is looking at possible measures to support exports.” She said as the ETS and CBAM changes take place, the Commission wants to hear from industry about what is and isn’t working. “We need to know where there are loopholes or where there are problems. Of course, it is easier to say please postpone all of this forever because now we have bigger fish to fry, the situation is too dire, and we need to help our industry more than the climate. What if the two were possible? We can at least try.” (BM)
|
The ammonia value chain is struggling with uncertainty as emissions trading requirements change – the culprit is, incoming carbon border levy on imports
|
[
"Agrifood",
"cbam",
"Fertilisers"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-23T12:45:39+00:00
|
2025-10-23T12:54:55+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/help-is-on-the-way-for-fertiliser-sector-says-commission/
|
|
Parliament seeks to ‘improve’ US deal, holds fire on rejection ‘bazooka’
|
Parliament’s trade chair summed up his response as the ‘five S’s’: steel, standstill, suspension, safeguard, and sunset clauses The European Parliament’s trade chair, Bernd Lange, will push for changes to the EU’s trade concessions to the US before signing off on the first phase of Brussels’ plan to ease transatlantic tensions. At a press conference on Thursday, Lange – who chairs Parliament’s international trade committee (INTA) – said there was “big appetite in the European Parliament to improve the legislation,” describing the Tunberry deal as merely a starting point. “I made no proposal to reject it, nor to use any other ‘bazooka’, which are still being discussed in the European Parliament,” said the German MEP. In late August, the Commission presented an initial proposal to implement the EU–US agreement, under which Washington would impose a 15% tariff on all EU goods, while Brussels would cut tariffs to zero on hundreds of US industrial and agricultural imports. Lange summed up his response as the “five S’s”: steel, standstill, suspension, safeguard, and sunset clauses. He opposes scrapping tariffs on steel and steel products unless the US reciprocates by lowering its own 50% duties on EU steel products. “The US held a public consultation in September to extend the list of [EU] products containing steel and aluminium … so it might be that the story is not over,” said Lange. The lawmaker also wants a standstill clause to stop Washington from imposing new tariffs, and a suspension mechanism allowing the EU to withdraw tariff cuts if trade tensions rise. “Some countries in the Arab world together with the US are pushing against our climate policy, and want us to change our legislation,” Lange said, referring to a letter from Qatar and Washington seeking to kill the corporate due diligence law. A safeguard clause, similar to the one in the recent EU–Mercosur agreement, would let the EU suspend trade benefits if zero-tariff imports hurt European farmers or industry, he said. Lange also called for a “sunset clause” to ensure the arrangement ends if there is no prospect of a fully compliant World Trade Organization deal, stressing that the EU cannot tolerate indefinite breaches of WTO rules. He said he expected some backing from member states for his proposals. However, the Danish presidency had already rejected a sunset clause, arguing it would not “change the reality” under the current Trump administration. “My feeling is that in the Council there is also a clear understanding that we should not give [in to] the pressure coming from the US,” Lange said. As lead MEP on the file, Lange’s proposals will be discussed next week in the INTA Committee, with Parliament’s position expected by January. Talks with the Council could follow soon after, potentially concluding by March or April, he added. (adm, aw)
|
Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro
|
Parliament’s trade chair summed up his response as the ‘five S’s’: steel, standstill, suspension, safeguard, and sunset clauses
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Economy",
"Bernd Lange",
"INTA",
"Steel"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-23T10:35:29+00:00
|
2025-10-23T15:09:06+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/parliament-seeks-to-improve-us-deal-holds-fire-on-rejection-bazooka/
|
EU leaders welcome ‘game-changing’ US sanctions on Russia
|
Zelenskyy also praised the new package: “We waited for this – God bless, it will work" EU leaders on Thursday hailed Washington’s decision to impose sanctions on two major Russian oil companies, arguing that the move will pile pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine as the bloc ratchets up its own restrictive measures on the Kremlin. Speaking before a European Council Summit in Brussels, the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said she was “very happy” about Washington’s surprise decision last night to blacklist Rosneft and Lukoil – the first time the US has slapped sanctions on Russia since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Kallas added that the EU’s imposition of its own 19th sanctions package on Moscow, greenlit earlier on Thursday, will help “deprive Russia from the means to fund this war.” You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Chris Powers
|
Zelenskyy also praised the new package: “We waited for this – God bless, it will work"
|
[
"Defence",
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Kaja Kallas",
"Lukoil",
"Rosneft",
"Russia",
"Sanctions",
"United States (USA)"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T09:25:20+00:00
|
2025-10-23T12:07:54+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-leaders-welcome-game-changing-us-sanctions-on-russia/
|
Spain joins NATO initiative to buy US weapons for Ukraine
|
Defence minister Margarita Robles discussed Spain possibly contributing to PURL with her Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Thursday morning that Madrid has been studying a contribution to a NATO scheme to jointly procure and deliver US weapons to Ukraine. Spain is “a country committed to the Atlantic Alliance and undoubtedly also committed to defending and supporting Ukraine at all levels”, he said, before announcing Madrid will join the programme. This comes hours after US President Donald Trump called out once again Spain’s low defence spending commitments, as reported in Firepower. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Charles Cohen
|
Defence minister Margarita Robles discussed Spain possibly contributing to PURL with her Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday
|
[
"Defence",
"Margarita Robles",
"NATO",
"Pedro Sanchez",
"Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative (PURL)",
"Spain",
"Ukraine"
] |
Defence
|
2025-10-23T09:16:18+00:00
|
2025-10-23T10:52:43+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/spain-joins-nato-initiative-to-buy-us-weapons-for-ukraine/
|
Europe's satellite firms set out merger plan to counter Elon Musk's SpaceX
|
The unnamed new company could be operational as soon as 2027 Airbus, Leonardo and Thales finally announced plans to merge their space businesses on Thursday as part of efforts to compete against US billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, with EU competition authorities now tasked with assessing the deal. After months of negotiations, the three aerospace companies have agreed a memorandum of understanding to create a new company – as yet unnamed – which will have the “critical mass to compete globally” from 2027, according to a joint press release. The statement sets out an intention to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in satellite telecommunications – an area where the bloc lags behind SpaceX but has an ambitious project, IRIS², targeted at offering a local communications alternative to Starlink. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Théophane Hartmann
|
The unnamed new company could be operational as soon as 2027
|
[
"Defence",
"Tech",
"Space"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-23T08:34:22+00:00
|
2025-10-23T16:54:51+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/europes-satellite-firms-set-out-merger-plan-to-counter-elon-musks-spacex/
|
Belgium’s leader threatens to block Ukraine loan if key demands not met
|
“If we move, we must move all together," said Bart De Wever. "That’s European solidarity” Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he will “do everything in my power” to block the EU’s floated new loan for Ukraine unless financial and legal risks are shared, and other EU countries harness Russian sovereign assets held in their own jurisdictions. Speaking before a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, De Wever called for a “full mutualisation of the risks” associated with using immobilised Russian assets to support Kyiv’s war effort, which the European Commission is seeking to do under the auspices of a €140 billion “reparation loan”. He also called for financial guarantees to be made by other EU member states in case the money has to be paid back to Moscow, and for other countries to “move” with Belgium by harnessing frozen Russian sovereign assets. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Thomas Moller-Nielsen
|
“If we move, we must move all together," said Bart De Wever. "That’s European solidarity”
|
[
"Defence",
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Bart De Wever",
"Belgium",
"Russia",
"Sanctions",
"Ukraine"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-23T07:32:40+00:00
|
2025-10-23T08:26:27+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/belgiums-leader-threatens-to-block-ukraine-loan-if-key-demands-not-met/
|
Exclusive: EU plots €1 billion revamp of Council HQ
|
In today’s edition: both the EU and US are poised to impose new sanctions on Russia, MEPs send the simplification drive into uncharted waters, and Giorgia Meloni prepares to unveil a migration plan at a leaders’ breakfast EXCLUSIVE: The Council’s Justus Lipsius building, where we journalists will spend all day and night covering today’s summit and scarfing steak frites in a subterranean canteen, is gearing up for a ten-year renovation that could cost up to €1.1 billion, Nicoletta and I report today. JUST…US PAYING: The institution says the project will save money in the long run and is needed to keep the building in line with energy efficiency rules. But at a time of belt-tightening across the bloc, the sheer costs will raise eyebrows. Read our full story here. OPEN THIS TAB: My excellent colleagues will bring you a blow-by-blow from the European Council in our live blog today. Read it here. Welcome to Rapporteur. This is Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta in Brussels. Both of us and many of our colleagues will be at the Council today. Come say hi! Need-to-knows: Today’s edition is powered by Cement Europe A message from Cement Europe A new chapter begins. Building on centuries of reliability, Cement Europe (formerly CEMBUREAU) is shaping the future of a sector that’s essential to Europe’s competitiveness, autonomy, and green transition – a reliable foundation, a driver for change, and a constant ally in building Europe’s sustainable future. Find out more. It’s European Council day. The leaders of every Member State will spend it in a room trying to agree on 16 pages of intentionally ambiguous text. Here’s what to know. Sanctions. Last night, Slovakia dropped its veto on the new, 19th sanctions package against Russia, paving the way for ambassadors to finally approve it this morning. That clears one of the thorniest issues off the leaders’ agenda. Fico was hunting for concessions on energy prices and the car industry and has been mollified with wording in the draft conclusions. The US slapped sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies last night. Von der Leyen said it’s a “clear signal from both sides of the Atlantic that we will keep up collective pressure on the aggressor.” Climate. The EU’s 2040 climate target, however, is one topic where the discussions could truly turn ugly. The road to this meeting has been paved by concessions from the Commission, keen to secure a highly ambitious target of reducing emissions by 90% compared to 1990. There’s been a backlash from central and eastern countries, backed by France and Germany, who are worried about the economic costs of transitioning too hard, too fast. Leaders tend to set these targets themselves, but António Costa, who chairs the meeting, wants to avoid a nasty showdown, so whatever happens, the final decision will be kicked to environment ministers next month. Reparations. Ukraine is facing a financial black hole. But Belgium is still worried about the legal and financial consequences of a vague EU plan to fashion a loan out of the €140 billion frozen Russian central bank assets held by Euroclear. Leaders, except Viktor Orbán, will demand a “concrete” proposal, and some are already debating how the money should be spent. But this is premature. As Thomas Møller Nielsen writes in this must-read piece, the debate about the loan is only beginning. Defence. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is here to join the meeting. The Budapest peace summit is off the table for now, but it looks like Hungary will be the first in line to host Putin-Trump talks if they ever happen. EU leaders will agree to take charge of European defence by forming multicountry projects, Aurélie Pugnet writes for defence subscribers. Housing. On the agenda for the first time. Some countries want the EU to treat this as a crisis. Others want Brussels to stay in its lane. Red tape: Metsola under pressure from leaders Parliament President Roberta Metsola will sweep into the European Council this morning facing a barrage of pressure from national leaders over the Parliament’s role in the EU simplification drive. A shock vote by MEPs on Wednesday to reject the first major attempt to overhaul sustainability laws has caused a huge headache for leaders demanding quick-fire simplification. 19 of them upped the ante in a letter Rapporteur wrote about this week. After weeks of grumbling from leaders, Metsola herself has been on a campaign drive to show how committed she is to the red-tape bonfire, making speeches, writing op-eds and defending the Parliament’s commitment to speed. The pressure comes as Metsola is not quashing talk about her taking on a third term. Lara Wolters gets her revenge Lara Wolters, a Dutch Socialist who masterminded the due diligence law, was forced into a humiliating resignation from her role as an omnibus negotiator this month, when her Socialist group agreed with the EPP and Renew on a compromise she couldn’t accept. Then on Thursday, she and some 30 other Socialists rebelled against their own group to blow up the agreement. “There is only one way forward, and that is to go back to where we should have started. With good faith negotiations and compromise on all sides,” Wolters wrote on social media. She said it was a “sad day” and piled the blame on the EPP. Officially we can’t know who voted to blow up the fragile compromise which failed by 9 votes. That’s because the vote was made secret at the behest of the far-right. But though secret, Magnus Lund Nielsen obtained a list of the 31 MEPs outside the right-wing groups who played a role in pushing the vote to a plenary vote, suggesting they were unhappy with the compromise. And guess what? All 31 are socialists. The entire French, Austrian, Dutch, Polish S&D delegations included. They contested the committee decision, forcing it to a vote in plenary. Meloni pushes roadmap for ECHR migration talks The now-traditional migration hawks breakfast ahead of the EUCO meets again today, this time hosted by Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen. On the menu: international conventions and how to make sure their implementation reflects the realities of modern irregular migration, “unthinkable when those conventions were written,” as Italy’s Giorgia Meloni noted ahead of the summit. Meloni said that Italy will propose a roadmap – in coordination with Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset – that could lead to a first political debate in Strasbourg in the coming months. The push follows an open letter by Denmark and Italy, later backed by about ten member states including Poland, Austria, and Hungary, accusing judges of overreach in migration rulings. This month, Berset told Euractiv he was “a bit surprised” by the move, warning that efforts to curb the Court of Human Rights’ role are “the wrong way to start a productive discussion.” Right-wingers dominate budget negotiations At a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, the EPP sided with the far-right to get its own MEPs into key negotiating roles on the upcoming €2 trillion EU budget, Jacob Wulff Wold told me. The EPP ensured that when it comes to the €865 billion merger of regions and farm subsidies, the ECR-led budget committee – under Johan van Overtveldt – will hold the whip hand. That came at the expense of the employment and social affairs committee (EMPL), which is led by the Left group. “Removing EMPL from a file where we have competence on the policy content seems to be yet another attack on the social agenda during this mandate,” EMPL chair Li Andersson told Rapporteur. As for the €234 billion competitiveness fund, the EPP secured a key leadership role for Borys Budka’s industry committee, instead of sharing it with the S&D-led economy or environment committees. BERLIN 🇩🇪 Chancellor Friedrich Merz, battling a surge in support for the far-right AfD ahead of five key state elections in 2026, has come under fire for remarks widely seen as echoing racist tropes about immigrants, sparking one of the biggest controversies of his chancellorship. Speaking to reporters in Potsdam last week, Merz said that while deportations of rejected asylum seekers had accelerated, “of course, we still have this problem in how our cities look,” using the German word for cityscape or city appearance: Stadtbild. STOCKHOLM 🇸🇪 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday signed a preliminary agreement for Ukraine to purchase between 100 and 150 JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets – the newest generation of Sweden’s multirole aircraft. The ceremony took place at Saab’s plant in Linköping, southern Sweden. Kristersson said the deal foresees no new donations but a “long-term defence cooperation,” potentially the largest fighter contract in Swedish history. Possible financing options include frozen Russian assets or contributions from allied countries. Zelensky praised the jets as “fantastic,” noting that Ukraine hopes to secure at least 100 aircraft over time. ROME 🇮🇹 Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday celebrated three years in office, making her government the third longest-serving in Italy’s postwar history. Since taking power in October 2022, Meloni has maintained an unusually stable right-wing coalition, a rarity in Italian politics. Marking the milestone, she posted a video recalling her recent UN address, in which she invoked Saint Francis and pledged to “see the path through to the end,” even as her government faces growing fiscal strains and coalition tensions over the 2025 budget. PARIS 🇫🇷 The government is expected to approve an “amending letter” enabling the suspension of the 2023 pension reform to be added to the draft 2026 Social Security Finance Bill. The suspension is the key demand of 69 Socialist MPs, who have threatened to back a no-confidence motion unless it is included. Parliament will begin examining the bill next week and will have 50 days to reach a compromise – failing which, the government could adopt the text by decree. MADRID 🇪🇸 The Spanish Supreme Court judge investigating MEP Alvise Pérez for alleged slander and document falsification has requested judicial cooperation from US authorities to access data stored by social media site X. According to the court ruling, the probe centres on Pérez’s alleged dissemination of a falsified 2021 COVID-19 test result belonging to Catalonia’s regional President Salvador Illa, who was Spain’s health minister at the time. Last week, the court also asked the European Parliament to lift Pérez’s immunity to expand the investigation to alleged irregular financing and harassment of two Se Acabó la Fiesta MEPs. DUBLIN 🇮🇪 Ireland’s presidential election on Friday looks likely to be won by far-left candidate Catherine Connolly, according to new polling, which suggests she will comfortably beat Heather Humphreys, the candidate from ruling party Fine Gael. Sinn Féin is backing her candidacy. Connolly has been criticised for describing Hamas as “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people.” She later denied ever equivocating on Hamas. The role is a ceremonial one. PARDON MY HUNGARIAN: Hungarian far-right lawmaker Zsuzsanna Borvendég will be penalised for “inappropriate behaviour with swear words and actions against staff in the Parliament,” Roberta Metsola announced on Wednesday. Without providing details, Metsola said Borvendég’s actions had “damaged the Parliament’s reputation.” Borvendég, who didn’t reply to Magnus Lund Nielsen’s request for comment, will not receive her daily allowance of €350 for five days, as punishment. THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS: The Council has published a seven-minute documentary about what it’s like at a European summit. In short: there’s a lot of small talk, note-taking, walking around and waiting. Exhilarating! Economy EU leaders meeting on Thursday are expected to ask the European Commission to draw up… 5 minutes EU leaders meeting on Thursday are set to task the European Commission with drafting a concrete plan to use frozen Russian assets – worth some €140 billion – to fund Ukraine’s war effort, reviving a heated debate over legality, feasibility, and financial risk. Belgium, which hosts most of the assets via Euroclear, remains deeply wary of endangering its clearinghouse or violating international law, while the ECB has warned of threats to the euro’s credibility. Opinion AI investment has entered its euphoria stage. Analysts forecast global spending will reach $1.5 trillion… 4 minutes AI spending is rocketing to $1.5 trillion next year, outpacing even the dot-com boom and stoking a new wave of speculative hype. When the bubble bursts – as history suggests it will – Europe’s tech ecosystem, dependent on foreign capital and infrastructure, could face a double shock of funding collapse and deeper dependency. Senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre, associate fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and author of ‘The Rest of Your Life: Five Stories of Your Future,’ Chris Kremidas-Courtney argues that Europe must start planning for the crash: use regulation to steady the market, back critical AI ventures when private capital dries up, and turn excess infrastructure into public assets. The bust could yet become Europe’s moment to lead. 📍 European Leaders’ Summit in Brussels 📍 Roberta Metsola participates in the EPP Summit and the European Council; meets Egyptian President Al-Sisi 📍 EP Plenary in Strasbourg, with debates on: the Audiovisual Media Services Directive; combating violence against women; the importance of cancer screening; daylight saving time Contributors: Magnus Lund Nielsen, Nikolaus J. Kurmayer, Thomas Møller-Nielsen, Jacob Wulff Wold, Sarantis Michalopoulos, Laurent Geslin, Alessia Peretti, Charles Szumski, Inés Fernández-Pontes Editors: Matthew Karnitschnig, Sofia Mandilara
|
Eddy Wax
|
In today’s edition: both the EU and US are poised to impose new sanctions on Russia, MEPs send the simplification drive into uncharted waters, and Giorgia Meloni prepares to unveil a migration plan at a leaders’ breakfast
|
[
"Politics",
"Rapporteur"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T05:35:48+00:00
|
2025-10-23T05:41:15+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapporteur-exclusive-eu-plots-e1-billion-revamp-of-council-hq/
|
When the AI bubble bursts, will Europe be ready?
|
If global investors retreat after a market correction, Europe could sink deeper into technological dependency just when strategic autonomy demands the opposite AI investment has entered its euphoria stage. Analysts forecast global spending will reach $1.5 trillion in 2025, with Big Tech pouring unprecedented sums into chips and data centres. With valuations far above earnings, a correction is inevitable. The question is how prepared Europe will be when the bubble bursts. What’s unfolding now makes the dot-com bubble look almost quaint. At its 2000 peak, global IT spending was around $1 trillion in today’s money, compared with $1.5 trillion projected for AI in 2025. The dot-com boom was mostly software, but today’s surge spans semiconductors, data centres, logistics, medicine, energy, and defence. Speculative finance now underpins the infrastructure of the digital world. The data centres, chip foundries, and cloud platforms that power AI are financed through leveraged markets and venture funding that expand and contract with speculation. When that flow tightens, the effects ripple from valuations to the real economy, testing whether Europe’s digital foundations can keep advancing when capital contracts. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
If global investors retreat after a market correction, Europe could sink deeper into technological dependency just when strategic autonomy demands the opposite
|
[
"Opinion",
"Tech"
] |
2025-10-23T04:00:58+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/when-the-ai-bubble-bursts-will-europe-be-ready/
|
|||
EXCLUSIVE: EU plans €1 billion Council rebuild
|
Ten-year project would see Justus Lipsius building re-open in 2036 The EU is considering spending €1.1 billion to renovate one of its main power centres in Brussels, Euractiv can reveal. According to internal documents reviewed by Euractiv, governments are preparing a major overhaul of the Council of the EU’s Justus Lipsius headquarters, where European diplomats hold thousands of meetings a year negotiating new laws. The splurge comes at a time of tightened purse strings across the continent, and amid already tense negotiations on the next seven-year EU budget, with countries like Germany ruling out more spending. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Eddy Wax
|
Ten-year project would see Justus Lipsius building re-open in 2036
|
[
"Politics"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T04:00:54+00:00
|
2025-10-23T10:12:35+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-plans-e1-billion-council-rebuild/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=Schuman roundabout&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
Germany leads push to bury EU’s first soil law
|
Conservatives in Berlin would oppose “even if it said, 'everyone protects the soil except Germany,'' a parliamentary source said The tide has turned on what could be the EU’s first soil protection law. MEPs and organisations that once supported the soil monitoring directive are now lining up to bury it. The final text, agreed by Parliament and Council in April, adds no new obligations for farmers or foresters. Instead, it requires EU countries to track and improve soil health – a low-key but symbolic step toward giving soil the same legal protection as air and water. Unlike most Green Deal files, this one didn’t come from the top down. It was born from Parliament’s own calls for stronger soil safeguards. The Commission says some 60% of EU soils are degraded by urbanisation, intensive farming, and climate change. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro
|
Conservatives in Berlin would oppose “even if it said, 'everyone protects the soil except Germany,'' a parliamentary source said
|
[
"Agrifood",
"Copa-Cogeca",
"Germany"
] |
Agrifood
|
2025-10-23T04:00:47+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/germany-leads-push-to-bury-eus-first-soil-law/
|
|
Germany's Merz under fire for 'racist' comment
|
Yet, Merz has ruled out any cooperation with the AfD BERLIN – Chancellor Friedrich Merz, battling a surge in support for the far-right AfD ahead of five key state elections in 2026, has come under fire for remarks widely seen as echoing racist tropes about immigrants, sparking one of the biggest controversies of his chancellorship. Speaking to reporters in Potsdam last week, Merz said that while deportations of rejected asylum seekers had accelerated, “of course, we still have this problem in how our cities look,” using the German word for cityscape or city appearance: Stadtbild. Several prominent Merz allies – including conservative parliamentary leader Jens Spahn and and commentators including Bild newspaper chief political writer Peter Tiede – sided with the chancellor, saying he had addressed the reality of everyday life in Germany and was referring to drug dealers and young, male illegal immigrants hanging around train stations and city centres, making people feel unsafe. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
David Crossland
|
Yet, Merz has ruled out any cooperation with the AfD
|
[
"Politics",
"Across Europe",
"Friedrich Merz",
"Germany"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-23T04:00:15+00:00
|
2025-10-23T15:17:15+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/germanys-merz-under-fire-for-racist-comment/
|
Why the EU debate over Ukraine’s ‘reparation loan’ has only just begun
|
Belgium and the European Central Bank remain wary of the €140 billion scheme EU leaders meeting on Thursday are expected to ask the European Commission to draw up a “concrete” plan for using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war effort – but a fractious debate over the specifics and feasibility of the much-vaunted €140 billion cash pot will likely ensue over the coming months. Announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her “State of the Union” speech in September, the “reparation loan” aims to harness hundreds of billions of euros’ worth of cash balances associated with the assets to support Kyiv. The country has been pounded by increasingly fierce Russian air attacks in recent months and faces a €55 billion budget shortfall over the next two years. Belgium, which holds most of the Russian central bank assets that were immobilised by the EU shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022, remains especially wary of the danger the scheme could pose to Euroclear, the Brussels-based clearinghouse which retains the funds that would be used for the loan. Indeed, Prime Minister Bart De Wever and other senior Belgian officials have repeatedly stressed that the country will only sign off on the loan once they are convinced the scheme does not amount to confiscation and that other EU countries will share the associated legal and financial risks. Despite these reservations, EU states – except for Hungary, which has long been sceptical of EU support for Kyiv – are expected to agree that the Commission should “present as soon as possible… concrete proposals involving” the assets’ potential use, according to draft Council conclusions seen by Euractiv. EU officials, however, stress that the legal and financial complexities of the scheme mean it is important to “manage expectations” ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “We still have to see if it’s possible, to be honest,” said one senior EU official. Supporters – including Germany, France, and the Baltic states – view the loan as an essential lifeline for Ukraine, which goes well beyond a separate €45 billion G7 funding scheme that only harnesses the assets’ windfall profits, rather than the underlying assets themselves. But Belgium, Luxembourg, and the ECB are considerably more cautious, even though the loan would allow fiscally strained EU capitals to avoid having to contribute their own money to support Kyiv. The Commission’s issuance of a three-and-a-half-page briefing note on the loan to EU ambassadors last week has also failed to quell Belgium’s concerns, with the country instead seeking a “strong and clear text” that “needs to be legally binding”, according to EU diplomats. Echoing Belgium’s fears, the European Central Bank (ECB) has warned that any inappropriate use of the assets risks violating their sovereign immunity guaranteed under international law and, hence, could undermine the credibility of the euro, and even the financial stability of the 20-member currency bloc. Analysts also note that ECB President Christine Lagarde’s apparent expression of support for the plan in an interview on Sunday – during which she said that “fair use” of the assets “would consist of an operational loan that would be using cash balances as collaterals” – does not signal a fundamental shift in the ECB’s position. “There is no contradiction between expressing support in principle for the reparation loan, but at the same time, as long as the details are not specified, maintaining a cautious stance,” said Nicolas Véron, a senior fellow at Bruegel and at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “The details matter, basically.” Some diplomats, however, have suggested that Lagarde’s fears about the loan’s potential financial risks are exaggerated – or, at least, should be balanced against the dangers of not providing adequate financial support to Kyiv. Others believe that Belgium’s demands and concerns – if not the ECB’s – are an opening gambit for future discussions. “We feel that Belgium’s demands are at least in part a negotiating tactic,” said an EU diplomat. “Past experience suggests there’s always a way to find a compromise if there are no fundamental objections on the table.” Even if the loan is ultimately approved, however, deep disagreements remain among member states over how the money will ultimately be spent. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, for instance, has said the loan should be used “exclusively to finance military equipment”. Ukraine and some EU countries, however, have called for a more “flexible” allocation of the money – which would, in principle, allow the cash to finance non-military expenditures. In the discussion note circulated last week, obtained by Euractiv, the Commission attempted to strike what it described as “a good middle ground” between these two positions by dividing the loan mechanism into two distinct “legs”. “The first, and biggest leg” would aim to bolster Ukraine’s military and integrate it with Europe’s own defence industries along the lines of the EU’s ‘SAFE’ loan instrument, while the second “would consist of budget support, subject to conditionality”, the note states. Many diplomats emphasise that Ukraine’s pressing financial and military needs mean it is important to begin discussing how the money will be spent. Others, however, have expressed exasperation about this debate taking place before the Commission has tabled its final proposal. “I think it’s very premature to have this discussion,” said one EU diplomat. (mm)
|
Thomas Moller-Nielsen
|
Belgium and the European Central Bank remain wary of the €140 billion scheme
|
[
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Belgium",
"Christine Lagarde",
"European Central Bank (ECB)",
"European Council",
"Friedrich Merz",
"Germany",
"Hungary",
"Reparations Loan",
"Ukraine"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-23T04:00:03+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/why-the-eu-debate-over-ukraines-reparation-loan-has-only-just-begun/
|
|
Half of EU adults lack basic digital skills, a serious challenge to competitiveness
|
Europe’s competitiveness must start with digital skills nurtured offline from kindergarten, and deeper online rural investment Nearly half of adults in the EU still lack basic digital skills, even though 90% of jobs now require them, a gap that threatens Europe’s competitiveness and future workforce, policymakers warned at a Euractiv virtual debate held ahead of EU Code Week. “Digitisation and digital education are on a high level in our political agenda,” said Austrian centre-left MEP Hannes Heide, “but there is still a lot to do. We have to do not only the planning, but we have to take action.” The European Commission estimates that 45% of adults do not have basic digital skills, a figure that Francesca Maltauro, an official in charge of digital education at the Commission, called “a major challenge to Europe’s economic competitiveness”. Adopted in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic, the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-27) is the EU’s roadmap for improving how Europeans learn and teach in the digital age. It aims to help countries build stronger digital education systems, from better infrastructure and teacher training to modern curricula, while giving citizens the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy. As the plan reaches its midway point, Maltauro said that “there’s still work to do concerning the development of digital capacities in the member states, in terms of infrastructure, connectivity, and also the teachers’ capabilities to teach digital skills.” For MEP Heide, one of the key lessons from the pandemic is that access remains uneven. “Young people were delivered with tablets, with possibilities to work from home, to do home schooling,” he said, “but still, we don’t have enough data in many areas in the EU, such as remote areas. So, it’s not enough to provide hardware, we also have to provide the data.” “The future of Europe is in the rural areas,” he continued. “We need targeted funding for schools in rural regions, and we have to invest in teachers, in teachers’ skills and abilities. It needs a systematic change in the educational system.” Jan De Craemer, from the Flemish ministry of education and training, agreed that progress differs across Europe, noting that his region recently finalised a full curriculum reform embedding digital literacy from primary to secondary level. “We now have a core component of ICT, computational thinking and media literacy,” he said. De Craemer also highlighted Flanders’ new policy programme “fully aligned with the EU’s Digital Education Action Plan”, focusing on professional development of teachers, ICT policy plans for schools, and “a new focus on cybersecurity and safe and learning school environments and well-being.” At the same time, he warned of a backlash: “Starting from the first of September of this school year, there is now a smartphone ban that came into place in schools [across Flanders].” “The goal is to improve concentration and reduce distractions, but obviously it also means quite a challenge to balance between, on the one hand, introducing and experimenting with technology, and, on the other hand, the limitations that come forward from society,” he added. Diana Filip, deputy CEO and chief development officer at JA Europe, said one of the Action Plan’s biggest successes has been “the ability to mobilise a community”. “In just one year, we reached and impacted over ten million young people,” she said. “That is a powerful reminder that digital education is not only about skills and about participation: it’s about confidence and empowerment.” Filip stressed that opportunities to learn digital skills “are still unevenly distributed between countries, between regions, between schools and different social groups,” and that “too many young people are at risk of being left behind at the time when digital competence is not optional but essential for the future”. Arja Krauchenberg, project coordinator at the European Parents Association, reminded participants that families must not be forgotten in this transition. Krauchenberg warned that “leaving children in there without guardrails, without any borders, can have very detrimental effects,” calling for “cooperation between all the stakeholders”. “Nobody will be able to do this on his or her own,” she said. “We cannot leave it just to the teachers in school or just to policymakers … we really have to work all together in order to make it possible that all children, but not only children and young people, but all citizens, are equipped with the necessary skills that the digital future requires.” She also encouraged “unplugged activities” that teach logic and problem-solving without screens. “Computational thinking, pattern recognition and all the digital skills that you need start with unplugged activities,” she explained. “They can be done in kindergartens, in primary schools, and they can be done at home, things that parents can do together with their children.” The speakers also warned that the gender divide in digital and STEM fields remains deep. “There are still barriers that prevent girls, especially as of a certain age, to choose studies or later on a career in digital or STEM fields,” said the Commission’s Maltauro. JA Europe’s Filip agreed, sharing that when girls are given the chance, they excel. “When you give them the opportunity to try things, to be exposed to something, they do it,” she said. “We need to give them that platform, that framework to try, and they are so creative.” De Craemer added that structural change is needed. “Sometimes I think that we have tried too much to convince girls to choose STEM careers,” he said, “and by doing so, we tried to change the girls and not change the system.” Krauchenberg pointed out that gender stereotypes start early. “Girls, or children who are confronted with those stereotypes at an early age, already have a very fixed mind of what girls are supposed to do or not to do by the time they get to school,” she said. “We really need to work more on this in the early childhood education sector, not only with the nurseries and the kindergartens, but specifically with the families.” Looking ahead, Maltauro said the Commission’s new Union of Skills strategy, introduced in March this year, aims to ensure “that everyone in Europe is empowered to build solid skills foundations.” Digital well-being, she added, will be a new priority: “We need to have this culture of thinking about well-being in this way. We cannot just disconnect and pretend that the entire online world does not exist.” Heide urged policymakers to use the current momentum. “Young people themselves want to learn and develop digital skills,” he said. “Use it as an opportunity.” For De Craemer, the next step is to consolidate progress. “After COVID, we made considerable progress with digital education policies,” he said. “Now the main challenge is to consolidate on that basis.” This article follows the policy debate “Code to competitiveness – How can digital skills power Europe’s future?” supported by CODE4EUROPE. (BM)
|
Anna Gumbau
|
Europe’s competitiveness must start with digital skills nurtured offline from kindergarten, and deeper online rural investment
|
[
"Tech",
"Competitiveness",
"Digital Education Action Plan (2021-27)",
"Education"
] |
Tech
|
2025-10-23T00:06:05+00:00
|
2025-10-27T12:05:02+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/half-of-eu-adults-lack-basic-digital-skills-a-serious-challenge-to-competitiveness/
|
Right skills, wrong spirit; Europe needs to get entrepreneurial, says EIT’s Ilaria Tagliavini
|
Europe has talent and great researchers, but it needs seamless integration between technical, scientific, and entrepreneurial skills “Strong skills alone are not enough – Europe needs the courage to bring bold ideas to market,” said Ilaria Tagliavini, head of operations overseeing innovation, education and communication. Tagliavini was speaking with Euractiv’s Christoph Schwaiger at the EIT Education and Skills Days in Brussels, where she underscored the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial talent to enhance Europe’s global competitiveness. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is advancing as a pivotal player in reshaping Europe’s educational and innovation ecosystem, with a mandate to integrate scientific research, technical proficiency and entrepreneurial drive. Tagliavini spoke about the EIT’s strategic initiatives aimed at narrowing the continent’s skills gap, including the launch of the Advanced Materials Academy and the Girls Go STEM programme, both designed to foster innovation and inclusivity in emerging sectors. CS: What’s causing Europe’s skills gap? IT: Commissioner Zaharieva highlighted Europe’s skills gap loud and clear, explaining that Europe’s industries are desperately looking for the right skills and talent. We live in an era where the technologies and the skills that complement them are changing at such a rapid pace that it’s difficult to keep up with them. We need to be ready to cater to learners of all ages, providing people with the right skills at the right time. We also need to show learners that the traditional model of education ending after university no longer applies. We all need to be prepared for a lifelong learning process. The biggest cost education providers incur when training people is updating training content. It changes very rapidly, on average every six months, especially when it’s related to deep tech, quantum technologies, and AI. CS: Several panel discussions during the EIT Education and Skills Days had more than one speaker claiming that talent trumps funding, infrastructure, and technology when it comes to creating things like competitive economies here in Europe. So, with the US having more unicorns than Europe, does it mean we’re less talented than our peers across the Atlantic? IT: Not at all. I would say that Europe has a wonderful population of researchers and talents. Our research is top-notch, and our universities are among the best, too. What we do not yet have is the seamless integration between technical, scientific, and entrepreneurial skills. In the US, this is more rooted in their culture. They’re scientists and businesspeople at the same time. Why? Because they start to do this at very early stages. It has positive and negative aspects, but it is part of their culture. Now we don’t have this same type of culture in Europe for many different reasons. We do have a wide variety of different cultures with rich histories. But here in Europe, we often put people into boxes: you’re either a researcher, a scientist, or a businessperson. Everyone is placed in their own category. We need to start very early on. To start teaching young generations entrepreneurial skills and grow them throughout their career. Having them bring an idea to market entails not only scientific knowledge but also commercial knowledge. Why shouldn’t a physicist or a chemist know how to set up a company? This entrepreneurial spirit should be fostered in all our learners. And this is exactly what the EIT does. I would say that this is the core feature of EIT as an education powerhouse of Europe. We’ve seamlessly integrated scientific and technical skills with entrepreneurship. There are two things that place us in a great position to accomplish this. Firstly, because the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) have a deep knowledge of their sectors, and they know the main needs and what skills are required. And secondly, because the EIT links business, education, and research across Europe through the so-called knowledge triangle. CS: We’re living in exceptionally challenging times, which make it seem Europeans are better off sticking together. IT: Yes, we also have to overcome fragmentation. I come from the US venture capital sector. If a startup there closes a contract with, say, Walmart, they’re instantly in 5,000 stores across a single territory hosting 300 million people. If you convince Walmart, you’ve conquered the market with a single contract. Imagine if we had the same thing in Europe. An Italian startup aspiring to branch out to France needs to deal with an entirely different way of doing things. That is where we come in to connect people and build trust, helping organisations work together in Europe. CS: Some companies complain there’s a mismatch between the skills today’s workforce has and the skills they need. But don’t companies also have a responsibility to train their own workforce? IT: Absolutely, and I would say that this is what we are fostering with initiatives like the Deep Tech Talent Initiative. We encouraged companies to commit to creating training opportunities. Starting from their own workforce, with the possibility of making their content available to other companies in the network. In the end, we managed to train over 1.3 million people with relatively little public funding. CS: What does the interface between formal education and the EIT look like in your eyes? Where does the work of educational institutions end, and where does that of the EIT start? IT: The EIT works closely with educational institutions to turn academic knowledge into practical innovation together. Universities provide skills and research, while we connect these strengths with entrepreneurship and market needs. For example, through our Higher Education Initiative, we help universities build their innovation capacity, upskill staff, and test new multidisciplinary education models. This cooperation helps ensure that education and innovation are more closely linked in practice. CS: And you just launched the European Advanced Materials Academy. What inspired its creation? IT: The establishment of all our academies – Battery, Solar, Raw Materials and now Advanced materials – comes from the same key need, that we need to upskill people in the critical value chain. And this process hasn’t ended. We’re already discussing with the European Commission the setup of a Wind Academy and a Hydrogen Academy. The common thread between all these academies is a focus on sectors identified as being part of the critical value chain for the competitiveness of Europe. However, we won’t be limiting ourselves to these sectors. There are many other sectors or specific sub-sectors that are desperately in need of this type of upskilling and reskilling. Now that we have a model, we are going to replicate it as much as possible. Possibly even with differentiated sources of funding that can also involve private funding. It’s also amazing to see how, throughout Europe, geographically speaking, you have completely different skill needs according to the specialisations and industrial backgrounds of those regions. We define the required skills profiles based on these requirements and deploy our model to the different member states. Going back to Europe’s competitiveness objectives, many agree that the real competition worldwide will be for talent. So, this is exactly what the Advanced Materials Academy will focus on: ensuring we are equipped with the best and most up-to-date talent according to the specific needs of this sector. CS: Aside from closing the skills gap, the EIT is also working toward gender parity. Does this mission remain important? IT: I’m very passionate about the gender aspect. We’re also launching our new Girls Go STEM programme, broadening our very successful Girls Go Circular programme, aimed at schoolgirls. I do believe it’s a very important and relevant initiative. Why? Because if we want to close the gender gap, we need to start very early. These girls, of course, need skills. They’ll need an entrepreneurial spirit. But above all, they need to know that success is possible. They need inspiration. They need to see that there are examples of women who become successful. There are wonderful female scientists and CEOs of companies. We need to send Europe’s girls the message that they can achieve great things too. I had the chance to speak with some of the participants, and looking into the eyes of these girls was really inspiring. I could see the potential this programme is giving them by providing them with concrete challenges to solve and empowering them. So, I really believe in this programme and in the value it provides to younger generations and young women. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. (BM)
|
Christoph Schwaiger
|
Europe has talent and great researchers, but it needs seamless integration between technical, scientific, and entrepreneurial skills
|
[
"Economy",
"Ilaria Tagliavini",
"Innovation"
] |
Economy
|
2025-10-22T23:48:57+00:00
|
2025-10-23T08:20:08+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/interview/right-skills-wrong-spirit-europe-needs-to-get-entrepreneurial-says-eits-ilaria-tagliavini/
|
Decarbonising road infrastructure is essential for Europe’s green goals
|
Decarbonising cars is only half the journey; Europe’s real test lies in turning roads into engines of climate progress with intelligent systems As Europe moves towards its 2050 climate neutrality goal, one sector continues to cast a shadow over the continent’s green ambitions: road transport. Despite progress, cleaner cars alone will not deliver net zero if Europe’s roads remain carbon-intensive. Road transport is the EU’s largest source of greenhouse gases, responsible for about a quarter of total emissions and nearly three-quarters of those from transport. Under the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package, Brussels aims to cut emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by mid-century. Central to this plan is the shift to zero-emission vehicles and the 2035 phase-out of new internal combustion engines. Yet any softening of that target risks diverting attention from another crucial element: the decarbonisation of road infrastructure. The European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures (ASECAP) warns that even the cleanest vehicles cannot meet the EU’s climate goals if the road infrastructure is not adapted to welcome them. Roads are and will remain the predominant mode of transport in the near future, due to the current higher traffic volumes. It is therefore urgent to foster and deploy green energy and act on the operations side to cut CO2 emissions. As the group puts it, “there will be no climate change limitation and mitigation without fast road transport decarbonisation.” ASECAP, representing 130 toll road operators managing over 82,000 kilometres of European motorways, argues that Europe’s road network must become a driver – not a drag – on climate action. In its position paper Tools for Sustainable Mobility Solutions: Reaching Net Zero Carbon Mobility, the association calls for a systemic shift in how the EU tackles transport emissions. From construction and maintenance to energy integration and digital management, roads themselves must evolve. That means using low-carbon materials, recycling asphalt, generating renewable energy along corridors and adapting networks for electric and hydrogen vehicles. The next frontier, ASECAP says, is to turn roads into energy assets – equipped with solar panels, induction charging and wind turbines – capable of powering the mobility systems they sustain. Modernising Europe’s motorways could require investment equivalent to one-fifth of the network’s current value; a cost public budgets alone cannot bear. ASECAP’s solution lies in a concept as old as European mobility itself: tolling. Far from being a relic, the user-pays model – enshrined in EU law through the Eurovignette Directive – remains one of the most reliable ways to fund infrastructure sustainably. The association argues that the user-pays and polluter-pays principles should anchor Europe’s mobility transition. By linking road use to environmental impact, tolling both finances decarbonisation and internalises pollution costs. This ensures the transition does not depend on public spending or increase national deficits already under strain. ASECAP also urges the EU to recognise tolling and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) under the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities, which defines what qualifies as ‘green’ investment. Inclusion would unlock private capital and allow operators to contribute more effectively to Europe’s climate goals. “Technology is still the missing piece of the sustainability strategy,” ASECAP notes, arguing that combining tolling with digital innovation can turn motorways into low-carbon mobility services. Smart pricing, real-time traffic management and connected vehicles can all cut congestion and energy use, amplifying the benefits of cleaner transport. As the 2035 fossil-fuel car phase-out faces political pressure, experts warn the debate must not slow down infrastructure decarbonisation. Even if the vehicle transition timeline shifts, the need for cleaner, smarter roads remains. Legal uncertainty around concession renewals and calls to scrap tolls in some member states could undermine progress. Spain’s 2021 decision to abolish tolls on more than 1,000 kilometres of motorway has already led to higher congestion, greater emissions and increased maintenance costs for the state. ASECAP says such reversals contradict the Green Deal’s core principles. Free roads are not free, it argues – they come at a cost: in public debt, pollution and lost opportunities for innovation. Decarbonising road transport extends beyond vehicles and infrastructure – it reshapes mobility itself. ASECAP envisions suburban corridors redesigned for high-occupancy and collective modes, such as carpooling, express buses and autonomous shuttles. Combined with intermodal hubs and digital ticketing, these measures could reduce congestion, emissions and social inequality by improving access for commuters in underserved areas. In that sense, the decarbonisation of roads is also about the democratisation of mobility. Cleaner, smarter infrastructure can connect regions more efficiently, balancing economic opportunity with environmental responsibility. Europe’s road to climate neutrality runs through the asphalt of its motorways. Whether powered by electric batteries, hydrogen or synthetic fuels, the vehicles of the future will still rely on the resilience and sustainability of the roads beneath them. The coming decade will decide whether Europe’s infrastructure keeps pace with its ambitions. In ASECAP’s words, “Financing better, safer and greener road transport will not happen without tolls.” As the Green Deal enters its implementation phase, the message from Europe’s road operators is clear: without road decarbonisation, the EU cannot decarbonise. (BM)
|
Xhoi Zajmi
|
Decarbonising cars is only half the journey; Europe’s real test lies in turning roads into engines of climate progress with intelligent systems
|
[
"Energy, Environment & Transport",
"2035 car emissions",
"ASECAP",
"Carbon Emissions",
"Roads"
] |
Energy, Environment & Transport
|
2025-10-22T23:00:22+00:00
|
2025-10-27T14:04:00+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/decarbonising-road-infrastructure-is-essential-for-europes-green-goals/
|
Bulgaria’s transplant system under fire for suspected misuse of public funds
|
Financial authorities suspect a misuse of public funds allocated for organ donation awareness and training programmes, minister admits systemic issues causing poor transplant rate Bulgaria fails to identify an estimated 300 potential organ donors annually, with only a fraction of deceased patients in hospitals recognised by doctors as suitable for donation, Health Minister Silvi Kirilov has admitted. Since the start of 2025, only four liver transplants have been performed in Bulgaria, while the total number of lives saved through organ donation this year remains extremely low. Around 900 people are currently waiting for a transplant, most of them kidney patients. The health minister acknowledged that systemic problems contribute to the country’s low transplant rate during an event dedicated to organ donation at the Military Medical Academy in Sofia. However, he has yet to offer a concrete solution to the organisational failures and lack of medical training in donor identification. “To set in motion a donor process requires objectifying clinical symptoms. This is a complex process involving social and organisational factors,” Kirilov said. Professor Nikola Vladov, head of the Liver-Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation Clinic at the Military Medical Academy – the only hospital in Bulgaria performing liver transplants – noted that Bulgaria ranks last in the EU for the number of transplants. “We are ready to respond at any hour when we get the call. Unfortunately, there have been only four donors this year,” Vladov said. Ivanka Dineva, director of the Executive Agency for ‘Medical Supervision’ (EAMS), responsible for promoting organ donation, did not acknowledge management issues within the system, instead emphasising the need for public awareness. “The topic of organ donation must be part of our everyday lives,” she said. Official data from the past three years highlight Bulgaria’s severe transplant crisis. In 2022, 59 Bulgarians received transplants abroad, compared to only 20 donor situations in the country. In 2023, 93 Bulgarians underwent transplants abroad, while only 42 were performed domestically. In 2024, 75 Bulgarians travelled abroad for transplants, with only 34 procedures performed in Bulgaria. Another major issue is that no lung transplants have been performed in Bulgaria since 2019, and no hospital in the country is currently equipped to perform them. Although 31 major hospitals are licensed to identify and maintain potential brain-dead donors, only 10 have reported donor cases over the past three years. The EAMS is now under investigation by financial authorities over suspected misuse of public funds allocated for organ donation awareness and training programmes. Investigations by Bulgarian outlets OFFNews and Capital earlier in 2025 revealed questionable spending under the National Programme for Promoting Organ Donation and Supporting Transplantation. Reporters found that €90,000 was paid to unqualified transplant instructors for remote online training of 47 individuals, while a Bulgarian advertising agency received funding to run social media campaigns with minimal engagement. A wedding photography company won a public tender to film a documentary on transplantation, and Medical Supervision financed motorcycle parades, marathons, and rose-planting events, costing nearly half a million euros but yielding no increase in transplants. “My greatest disappointment, though not a surprise, is that the internal audit ordered by the minister of health following our investigation found no violations by the [EAMS],” journalist Yanka Petkova told Euractiv. Petkova, a health reporter from OFFNews who worked on the investigation, said that the violations are “obvious even without an in-depth inspection.” According to Petrova, a company was registered just days before signing a contract with the EAMS; some firms carried out assignments entirely unrelated to their declared activities; and an online training course worth 184,000 euros was organised without a public tender – by a centre that normally offers language and carpentry lessons. “All this is easily verifiable, yet the health ministry’s audit report failed to notice any of it,” Petkova said, adding that she faced significant obstacles in obtaining access to the audit findings. “This reinforces our impression that the EAMS – or at least its executive director – enjoys political protection,” she said. Another problem, she pointed out, is that the EAMS also serves as the Agency for Transplantation, which creates a conflict of interest: it is effectively tasked with monitoring itself. Petkova warned that covering up irregularities within a body meant to supervise medical service providers and investigate patient complaints discourages whistleblowers and deepens the perception of corruption. “Such oversight, combined with a lack of competence, explains why donation and transplantation activities in Bulgaria have almost come to a standstill,” she concluded. The pro-European opposition coalition We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, the second-largest group in parliament, called for the resignation of the agency’s management, but the motion was rejected. [VA, BM]
|
Krassen Nikolov
|
Financial authorities suspect a misuse of public funds allocated for organ donation awareness and training programmes, minister admits systemic issues causing poor transplant rate
|
[
"Health",
"Bulgaria"
] |
Health
|
2025-10-22T22:49:14+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/bulgarias-transplant-system-under-fire-for-suspected-misuse-of-public-funds/
|
|
Trump drops Ukraine missile restrictions (or not) and hits 'dishonest' Putin with oil sanctions
|
"President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we'd hoped," said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent US President Donald Trump slapped major sanctions on two of Russia’s largest oil companies, and may have dropped a key limitation on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles, according to The Wall Street Journal, after concluding that Vladimir Putin was not being “honest and forthright” in Ukraine talks. The sanctions came a day after a planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest was shelved, with Washington expressing its disappointment at the lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations with Moscow. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement announcing the sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, which Trump shared on social media. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Chris Powers
|
"President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we'd hoped," said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
|
[
"Defence",
"Economy",
"Politics",
"Donald Trump",
"Missiles",
"Russia",
"Sanctions",
"Storm Shadow",
"Ukraine",
"United States (USA)",
"Vladimir Putin",
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy"
] |
Politics
|
2025-10-22T22:24:00+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/trump-drops-ukraine-missile-restrictions-or-not-and-hits-dishonest-putin-with-oil-sanctions/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=From the capital&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
|
EU poised to agree new Russia sanctions, as Slovakia backs down
|
Slovak PM Robert Fico appears to be satisfied he's got enough concessions on green laws from his EU counterparts Slovakia has dropped its opposition to the EU’s latest round of sanctions against Russia, removing the last hurdle in the way of the 19th package. The Danish presidency of the Council confirmed on Wednesday evening that Bratislava removed its opposition, triggering a written procedure that should lead to its formal adoption. Unless objections arise, the package will be approved by 8 a.m. tomorrow. The 19th package targets Moscow’s energy revenues with a phased LNG import ban, cracks down on its shadow oil fleet and crypto dealings, and blacklists new banks and entities in Russia, China, and Central Asia. It also widens export bans on dual-use goods and tech, restricts services like AI and tourism, and curbs Russian diplomats’ movement across the EU. You've reached your limit of free articles To continue reading, click the Subscribe button belowto choose a plan and unlock full access. Already have an account? Log in
|
Nicoletta Ionta
|
Slovak PM Robert Fico appears to be satisfied he's got enough concessions on green laws from his EU counterparts
|
[
"Robert Fico",
"Sanctions",
"Slovakia"
] |
2025-10-22T20:04:17+00:00
|
2025-10-23T06:48:12+00:00
|
en-GB
|
https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-poised-to-agree-new-russia-sanctions-as-slovakia-backs-down/?utm_source=euractiv&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=From the capital&utm_term=0-0&utm_campaign=EN_THE_CAPITALS
|
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