The UK is backing away from oil
Britain has been drilling off the Scottish coast for generations. But the new Labour government has greener plans.
consultation
Le plan de Mario Draghi pour rรฉparer une Europe en panne semble dรฉjร impossible
Le rapport Draghi est plein de bonnes intentions pour redresser un continent en perte de vitesse. Mais si la vision est audacieuse, la politique le rend pratiquement impossible ร appliquer.
Mario Draghiโs plan to fix a broken Europe already looks impossible
The Draghi report is full of good intentions to mend a continent losing its way. But while the vision is bold, the politics are practically impossible.
UK to again delay Brexit border checks on food
Industry says the controls could push up prices.
Donโt abolish us, cry Britainโs aristocratic lawmakers
Tory peer slams “high-handed, shoddy” decision to remove Britain’s remaining legislators who inherit their places. But Labour says it’s sorting unfinished business.
Ireland preparing tough new tobacco and nicotine regulations following public consultation [Advocacy Lab Content]
Irelandโs Minister for Health has published a public consultation to evaluate a push for new, tougher tobacco and vaping regulations. Ireland is one of 12 EU countries advocating for stricter vaping rules.
Food shortages hit tribal populations, low-income seniors in US
Questions about USDAโs response remain as food aid shortages are still hitting tribal populations and low-income seniors across the country.
EU farm chief drafts secret law on food security in last hurrah
Departing Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski breaks protocol by concocting his own food security law.
The last of the Lords
Britain’s new leader Keir Starmer is determined to reform the archaic House of Lords โ but it could come with a hidden price.
Tony Blairโs AI mania sweeps Britainโs new government
The former PM sees artificial intelligence as a silver bullet for ailing public services, government inefficiency and a stagnant economy.ย Is he right?
Macron to hold consultations next week to form new government
Possible new PMs include left-wing Lucie Castets, former socialist heavyweight Bernard Cazeneuve and conservative Xavier Bertrand.
Judge OKs delay in Trump election-subversion case
Jack Smith told Judge Tanya Chutkan that he needs more time to analyze the Supreme Courtโs ruling on Trumpโs immunity.
Meloni and von der Leyenโs messy split
Italian PM and European Commission president had been close but that’s all changed.
US bets on Gaza cease-fire talks as assassinations tilt Mideast toward bigger war
American officials donโt seem to have a realistic plan B and are not thrilled with Israelโs suspected actions.
Ireland launches rare diseases public consultation to develop new strategy [Advocacy Lab Content]
Ireland has launched aย public consultation to inform the development of a new National Rare Disease Strategy. The results of the consultation will be considered by a steering group tasked with developing the strategy for 300,000 patients.
International flights to be exempted from mandatory contrails reporting
EU law will require airlines to report their non-CO2 emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, water, and soot from January 2025. But a public consultation by the European Commission that closed on Monday (29 July) signalled that flights to and from non-EU de…
Football bosses ask EU to intervene in FIFAโs new match schedule
Football players and leagues filed a complaint with the European Commission to try to rein in footballโs governing body.
Hungary and Slovakia ask EU to mediate with Ukraine over Lukoil
Hungary and Slovakia have asked the European Commission to mediate a consultation procedure with Ukraine, Hungary’s foreign minister said, after Kyiv placed Russian group Lukoil on a sanctions list, stopping its supplies to the two countries.
Farnborough Airshow kicks off; Joe Biden drops out
SNEAK PEEK โ The Farnborough International Airshow starts today in the U.K. as the EUโs space program stutters. โ Tensions between Rome and outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg escalated over the weekend โ Plot twist in the French defense committee: Jean-Michel Jacques is the new president. Good morning, and welcome to Morning Defense. In case [โฆ]
EU plans move to shorter trade settlement times in 2027
Consultation by regulator finds 70% of participants favour reduction that would align with UKโs timing
Ukraine builds a NATO-lite while it waits for the real thing
Non-binding pacts are “second-best” to belonging to the alliance, but they’re the best Kyiv can get for now.
Nobody even noticed the Toriesโ biggest legacy
Five years ago this week, in the teeth of the Brexit wars, an outgoing Tory prime minister was looking for a legacy. Theresa May settled on net zero โand now itโs on Labour to keep that target alive.
5 takeaways from Labourโs โCaptain Cautionโ manifesto
Keir Starmer is promising change from 14 years of Tory government. In fiscal terms, it’s not so much โ for now.
Portugal backpedals on Nutri-score food labelling systemย
The Lisbon government clarified on Tuesday (11 June) that the previous executive’s recommendation to adopt the controversial traffic light food labelling system had been issued without proper consultation with food authorities.
Manfred Weber has already won the European Parliament election. Can he handle what comes next?
Ursula von der Leyen needs her frenemyโs support to secure another term as European Commission president. Will he deliver?
Ursula von der Leyenโs secret climate crusadeย
Has the European Commission president given up on her green agenda going into a possible second term โ or is she just biding her time?
Labourโs election policy positions, tracked
Absolutely everything you need to know about what the opposition party is promising ahead of the July 4 election.
Donโt talk about gender identity, UK government tells schools
Schools in England have been told not to teach children about gender identity.
Arizona repeals 1864 abortion ban
The legislation, which is expected to be soon signed into law by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, will preserve access to the procedure for millions of women.
UK Conservatives try to win City of Londonโs heart with swipe at finance watchdog
Labour wants to ‘champion’ Britain’s financial sector โ but doesn’t want to be seen as undermining independent regulators.
Ending the โCage Ageโ in Europe, feathers to fly in court battle [Advocacy Lab Content]
Europeโs citizens called for an end to the โcage ageโ with the phasing-out of cages and crates for farm animals. The European Commission agreed but now says more consultation with farmers is needed. The ECJ will calm the coop.
UKโs Sunak and Hunt wage war on City watchdog
Regulators want to name and shame firms under investigation even before they’re proven guilty.
France wants to use Greeceโs air defense system for the Olympics, report says
Diplomatic talks began in November, apparently so far without development.
La PPL sur les e-flottes toussote
La source dโinformations quotidiennes sur lโรฉnergie et le climat en France. Par ARTHUR NAZARET Avec AUDE LE GENTIL et NICOLAS CAMUT Infos et tuyaux ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Nicolas Camut, Aude Le Gentil et Arthur Nazaret | Voir dans le navigateur AU MENU โ Sale temps pour la proposition de loi sur lโรฉlectrification des [โฆ]
Rushed rollback of EU green farming rules triggers dismay
The bloc’s notoriously complex legislative process can apparently be simplified โ when it comes to farmers, that is, and when an election is around the corner.
โTrustedโ rules on trusted flaggers? Open issues under the Digital Services Act regime
Alessandra Fratini and Giorgia
Lo Tauro, FratiniVergano European Lawyers
Photo credit: Lobo Studio Hamburg, via Wikimedia Commons
1 Introduction
The EUโs Digital Services Act (DSA)
institutionalises
the tasks and responsibilities of โt…
Mobilisation post-charbon
La source dโinformations quotidiennes sur lโรฉnergie et le climat en France. Par NICOLAS CAMUT Avec AUDE LE GENTIL et ARTHUR NAZARET. Infos et tuyaux ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Nicolas Camut, Aude Le Gentil et Arthur Nazaret | Voir dans le navigateur โ Mobilisation en Loire-Atlantique pour le futur de la centrale thermique โ LโEPR [โฆ]
Italy passes measures to allow anti-abortion activists to enter abortion clinics
Opposition parties say womenโs rights dealt blow after package approved by Georgia Meloniโs cabinetItalian opposition parties have said womenโs rights in Italy have been dealt a โheavyโ blow after parliament passed a measure by Giorgia Meloniโs far-rig…
Abortions in first 12 weeks should be legalised in Germany, commission expected to say
Most cases of abortion are illegal in Germany, which report is expected to say is not compatible with international standardsAbortions in Germany should be legalised within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a government-appointed commission is expected …
Numรฉro 1 sur le gaz russe
La source dโinformations quotidiennes sur lโรฉnergie et le climat en France. Par AUDE LE GENTIL Avec NICOLAS CAMUT, ARTHUR NAZARET et VICTOR JACK Infos et tuyaux ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Nicolas Camut, Aude Le Gentil et Arthur Nazaret | Voir dans le navigateur AU MENU โ La France, championne dโEurope du gaz russe โ [โฆ]
Une programmation par dรฉcrets
La source dโinformations quotidiennes sur lโรฉnergie et le climat en France. Par AUDE LE GENTIL Avec NICOLAS CAMUT, ALEXANDRE LรCHENET et ARTHUR NAZARET Infos et tuyaux ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Nicolas Camut, Aude Le Gentil et Arthur Nazaret | Voir dans le navigateur AU MENU โ Le gouvernement renonce pour de bon ร une [โฆ]
Roland Lescure, โmaรฎtre dโลuvreโ au coeur du rรฉacteur
Dรฉjร chargรฉ de l’industrie, Roland Lescure a rรฉcupรฉrรฉ le portefeuille de l’รฉnergie et entend piloter la rรฉindustrialisation verte.
Ireland to intervene on South Africaโs behalf in ICJ genocide case against Israel
Dublin alleges “blatant violation” of humanitarian law in Gaza.
Hire factcheckers to fight election fake news, EU tells tech firms
Parliamentary elections thought vulnerable to fake news will test social media firms and blocโs new DSA lawsSocial media firms including TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram will be required to put an army of factcheckers and moderators in place with a co…
The Markus Ferber affair: When lawmaking meets business
The relationship between a powerful German MEP and a Dutch businessman blurred the lines between public service and private gain.
A decade of pension freedoms
SNEAK PEEK โ Ten years since Osborneโs pension freedoms announced. โ Rachel Reeves outlines a Labour economic recovery. โ Treasury Committee looks at HMRC loan charge. Good morning readers! Today weโre looking back on the ten years since Osborne introduced pension freedoms. How the worldโs changed since then โฆ Weโve also got a preview of [โฆ]
Labour called on to quash snooping bank bill
SNEAK PEEK โ Labour peer criticizes own partyโs efforts on DWP snooping bill. โ Hunt and Martin Lewis at odds over budget leaks. โ Insurers finally extend flammable cladding home cover.ย Happy Thursday! Weโre all so close to the end of the week but there are still plenty of financial services goodies to get through [โฆ]
Romanian president: A vision for NATOโs future
Klaus Iohannis formally announces his bid to be the next NATO secretary-general, and reveals his plan for the military alliance.
One year on from Silicon Valley Bank collapse
SNEAK PEEK โ Silicon Valley Bank collapsed a year ago: whatโs changed? โ Ministers gather for U.K. Global Fraud Summit. โ Labour assembles crack team to advise on National Wealth Fund. Happy Monday! Welcome to another week of financial services news and views. To kick off the week we have an amazingly insightful review into [โฆ]
Net zero meets the NIMBYs: Inside the battle for the UKโs biggest solar farm
U.K. politicians have pledged to quadruple solar generation by 2035. There is one problem โ no one wants to live next door to acres of fields crammed with solar panels.
Sexism and the City
SNEAK PEEK โ Sexism rife in the City: MPs call for more legislation. โ Think tanks give U.K. economy poor score post-budget. โ Global banks face new rules to prevent capital โwindow-dressing.โ Good morning and happy Friday to our readers. Today, itโs International Womenโs Day, and the Treasury Committee has things to sayโฆ DRIVING THE [โฆ]
Big banks vs little banks in the battle of who pays for failure
SNEAK PEEK โ Banks: who pays if smaller ones collapse? โ Budget highs, lows, and no-gos. โCity minister meets with top female finance gurus ahead of International Womenโs Day. Good morning! Today weโve got battling banks, budget chat and crypto. Keep reading! DRIVING THE DAY BIG BANKS AND SMALL BANKS BATTLE OVER WHO SHOULD PAY [โฆ]
Budget bonanza
SNEAK PEEK โ Budget expectations, from National Insurance cuts to inheritance tax latest. โ Bank capital treatment of SMEs might scupper retail-heavy budget plans. โ FCA investigates banksโ loans to small businesses amid โsuper complaint.โ Good morning โฆ ITโS BUDGET DAY! POLITICO reporters have been running around like headless chickens trying to get the goss. [โฆ]
Scientific progress: A look ahead
What two decades of progress in medicine development tells us about the next 20 years.
Welcome to budget week
SNEAK PEEK โย Wednesdayโs budget looms and weโve got the details. โย Bank of England told to clamp down on excessive compliance breaches. โย Change of rules to allow fractional shares in ISAs set for delay. Good morning readers! We probably donโt need to remind you that itโs budget week this week. Itโs going to be [โฆ]
โPostcode lotteryโ warning as UK energy chief weighs bills shake-up
LONDON โ Claire Coutinho has promised to cut your energy bills. But she could end up hiking your neighborโs in the process. The U.K. energy secretary is mulling sweeping reforms to the electricity market which, advocates say, could reduce bills by billions of pounds over the next 15 years. But critics warn the proposals could [โฆ]
FCA name-and-shame plansย get immediate backlash
SNEAK PEEK โย Industry criticizes FCA plans to name firms under investigation. โ Lenders โdebankingโ SMEs en masse, committee finds. โ U.K. fiscal policies donโt match economic situation, claims economist. Good morning! Wowee, what a hectic day Tuesday was in the world of financial services.ย Iโve barely recovered from the many committee hearings, conferences and consultations [โฆ]
Labour gets boozy with the City
SNEAK PEEK โย Rachel Reeves schmoozes City bigwigs at London reception. โ Defense sector fights back against debanking. โ Bank of England hosts talking shop on handling risks to the financial system. Good morning! Welcome to week two of the MFS U.K. newsletter โ we made it! We hope you are enjoying it thus far, [โฆ]
British banks head for a Basel win
SNEAK PEEK โ U.K. banks look set to get capital relief for SME lending. โ Lloyds sets aside ยฃ450 million amid FCA investigation. โ Government criticized for delays on sustainable finance. Good morning! Jamesโ excellent scoop got a mention by none other than the Money Saver himself, Martin Lewis. Not too shabby for a newsletter [โฆ]
Hunt attempts to woo first-time buyers
SNEAK PEEK โ SCOOP: Hunt to court first-time buyers with lifetime ISA shake-up. โย Bim Afolami defends โdamp squibโ Edinburgh reforms. โKing Charles III will be on your fivers from June 5. Good morning! Weโre writing to you from our London HQ. Perhaps one day weโll write from the BT Tower, which is due to become [โฆ]
Connectivity package: Commission opens consultation, commits to post-quantum cryptography recommendation
The Commission announced a consultation on EU’s telecom market, open until June and committed to a post-quantum cryptography recommendation, when presenting its connectivity package.
EU Commission moves to ban Bisphenol A in food packaging
The European Commission launched a consultation on a draft proposal to phase out the use of the controversial chemical bisphenol A in food contact materials, including plastic boxes, protective coatings for cans, and food processing equipment.ย
Ursula von der Leyen scraps pesticide reduction bill, in gift to farmersย
The European Parliament already rejected the contentious text, which the Commission President described as a “worthy aim.”
Wouldโve, Couldโve, Shouldโve: Preliminary Reflections on the EUโs New Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
Tara
Van Ho, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Essex
Photo credit: Infrogmation
of New Orleans, via Wikimedia
commons
The European Unionโs Council and
Parliament have agreed to a provisional text for a new directive that …
Lower obesity in the Netherlands? Fat chance, says government
Health agency abandons target to cut obesity rates in a country where half of adults are overweight.
Call for a science-based regulation for food safety in the European fish processing industry [Promoted content]
A new Delegated Regulation jeopardises the fish processing industry. To avert risks to food safety, quality, and industry competitiveness, Polish and Danish fish processing associations urge European policymakers to reject it, calling for prior consult…
Retailers to pay for consumersโ e-waste recycling from 2026 under UK plans
Households will be able to drop off cables and other electrical waste in-store or have home collections, says DefraBritish households will benefit from improved routes for recycling electronic goods from 2026, under government plans to have producers a…
UK quietly drops Brexit law to return to imperial measurements
Jacob Rees-Mogg attacks decision despite public consultation that revealed little appetite for move away from metric system
Britainโs great new Brexit freedom: Drinking wine in pints
But a government survey found little appetite for a wider overhaul of U.K. measurements.
Sunak rebuked by UKโs statistics watchdog for making misleading claim about government debt โ as it happened
The prime minister has been facing questions on his governmentโs performance from senior MPs on the Commons liaison committeeSocial care leaders felt โblindsidedโ by recently announced changes to visa rules banning care workers from bringing their fami…
UK mulls social media curbs for kids โ but whoโs even asking?
Even those advocating most strongly for child safety online seem queasy about a ban for under-16s.
Slovakiaโs plan to scrap prosecutorโs office prompts rule-of-law concerns in Brussels
The institution handles sensitive cases related to corruption โ including those connected to officials from the ruling Smer party.
Oil tankers, golf buddies and explosives: Qatargate suspectโs side hustle
Even as he allegedly worked for Qatar and Morocco, Francesco Giorgi was looking for other options.
Ireland to vote on valuing women outside โthe homeโ
Twin referendums will modernize Ireland’s conservative Catholic constitution to remove sexist language on women as housewives, and to recognize unmarried couples as families.
How often do Europeans see a doctor and why does it differ so widely across Europe?
The frequency of doctor visits varies significantly across Europe, but data shows people are less likely to get a consultation when nurses play a role.
Climate action must avoid fueling conflict
The green transition must be sensitive to prevent the emergence of new disputes.
รa turbine ร Villepinte
Notre newsletter quotidienne sur les enjeux de lobbying et de transparence en France. Par OCรANE HERRERO Avec AURORE GORIUS, ALEXANDRE LรCHENET et PAUL DE VILLEPIN ย Infos, tuyaux et mini-drames ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Ocรฉane Herrero, Aurore Gorius, Alexandre Lรฉchenet et Paul de Villepin | Voir dans votre navigateur LE MENU DU JOUR โย Les [โฆ]
UK preps new power to slap energy firms with windfall tax if prices jump
Tory MPs tell POLITICO plans tucked into the detail of Autumn Statement need proper scrutiny.
Brussels wants to beat the Pentagon at its own game on arms sales
The European Commission is hinting at a new mechanism similar to the US Foreign Military Sales to facilitate arms exports
France unveils 2030 energy targets, criticised by environmental NGOs
The document that sets out Franceโs 2030 energy targets and was submitted for public consultation that the Energy Ministry unveiled on Wednesday has insufficient data to judge the actions taken by the public authorities,ย the Climate Action Network Fra…
Cette pub boycottรฉe nโa rien ร vendre
Notre newsletter quotidienne sur les enjeux de lobbying et de transparence en France. Par PAUL DE VILLEPIN Avec ALEXANDRE LรCHENET, OCรANE HERRERO et AURORE GORIUS Infos, tuyaux et mini-drames ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Ocรฉane Herrero, Aurore Gorius, Alexandre Lรฉchenet et Paul de Villepin | Voir dans votre navigateur LE MENU DU JOUR โย Les maires, [โฆ]
Hungary launches new anti-EU consultation
The Hungarian government on Friday (17 November) launched a “national consultation” billed as “protecting” the country against alleged European Union policies, including war-torn Ukraine’s potential membership of the bloc.
Un lobbying gagnant (et en musique)
Notre newsletter quotidienne sur les enjeux de lobbying et de transparence en France. Par ALEXANDRE LรCHENET Avec OCรANE HERRERO, AURORE GORIUS et PAUL DE VILLEPIN Infos, tuyaux et mini-drames ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Ocรฉane Herrero, Aurore Gorius, Alexandre Lรฉchenet et Paul de Villepin | Voir dans votre navigateur LE MENU DU JOUR โย Comment Spotify [โฆ]
Hunters press von der Leyen to revise rules for shooting wolves
Group urges European Commission to ‘move quickly.’
Duel au soleil pour les ENR
Notre newsletter quotidienne sur les enjeux de lobbying et de transparence en France. Par ALEXANDRE LรCHENET Avec AURORE GORIUS et PAUL DE VILLEPIN ย Infos, tuyaux et mini-drames ร partager ? Ecrivez ร Ocรฉane Herrero, Aurore Gorius, Alexandre Lรฉchenet et Paul de Villepin | Voir dans votre navigateur LE MENU DU JOUR โย ร lโombre du [โฆ]
ESA agrees on space cargo mission
SNEAK PEEK โ After the European Space Agency agreed on a plan to launch a cargo spaceflight mission by 2028, thereโs a space-focused Competitiveness Council today. โ Russia reported damage to a telecommunications cable connecting St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, and the Finnish Coast Guard suspects it could be linked to damage sustained by other Baltic [โฆ]
Spainโs Sรกnchez waits for Puigdemont
A deal to keep Pedro Sรกnchez in power is “imminent” โ all that’s needed is for a former Catalan president to agree.
Polish President Duda set to nominate prime minister Monday
The ruling Law and Justice party came first in last month’s election, but doesn’t appear to have enough seats for a governing majority, while Donald Tusk’s opposition does.
From WWE wrestling to global AI summit: The unlikely rise of Michelle Donelan
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has found a surprise ally in his tech secretary, who will lead the first day of his artificial intelligence summit.
EU going cold on extra โฌ20B Ukraine arms fund?
SNEAK PEEK โ EU leaders look unlikely to agree easily on a four-year โฌ20 billion fund to help Ukraine keep sourcing arms and training its soldiers. โ The Commission has opened a consultation on its long-promised European Defence Industrial Strategy. โ Sweden has suggested cutting EU spending on space by โฌ1 billion until 2027 in [โฆ]
The longer Israel thinks, the more time Washington has to calm its wrath
Righteous wrath risks crushing not only Gaza but neighboring countries too. Is Biden playing for time, hoping to restrain the country?
Yellen says US is not ready to sign global tax treaty just yet
Yellen’s remarks scupper plans by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to have the treaty in place by year’s end.
Europe struggles to present consistent messaging on Palestinian aid
EU diplomats and officials are fuming about the communication screw-up.
Romanian president worried about drugs threatening national security
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis convened the Supreme Council for National Defence on Wednesday to address the serious threat to national security posed by drugs. Before the meeting, the Interior Ministry released a draft law for public consultation a…
Regulating AI through shared, secure and sustainable approaches
The three Sโs that can guide us in harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence.
Brussels officially starts probe into Chinese electric vehicles
European Commission investigation follows pressure from the French government.
US government quizzes British firms on Chinese investment links
Move comes amid mounting expectation of curbs on British investment into China.
Action on critical minerals is needed now
As tensions with China grow, Western countries need to do more to finance and build alternative supply chains for critical minerals.
Macron face au mur du โGreen Dealโ climatique
Comme Rishi Sunak ร Londres ou Olaf Scholz ร Berlin, le prรฉsident franรงais doit rรฉsoudre une รฉquation politique ร haut risque.
UK to appoint commissioners to run Birmingham city council
Michael Gove set to announce technical consultation period after local authority declared itself in effect bankrupt