South Africa launches investigation into 17 citizens fighting in Ukraine

Men aged 20 to 39 โ€˜lured to join mercenary forceโ€™ in Donbas region have requested assistance to return homeSouth Africa is launching an investigation into how 17 of its citizens ended up in the war-torn region of Donbas in eastern Ukraine.The office of…

17 mercenaries are accused of fighting for Russia. Now, South Africa wants them home.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government launches bid to repatriate men who Ukraine suspects of joining Moscow’s invasion.

Six in 10 unemployed in Belgium have non-Belgian backgroundย 

Belgium’s government is moving to curb benefits for its unemployed.

Steep influx of new Ukrainian refugees triggers backlash in Berlin and Warsawย 

Politicians in Berlin fear that the sharp increase in Ukrainian men coming to Germany could reduce support for military aid to Kyiv.ย ย 

Press release – Gender equality week: closing the gender talent gap

From 3 to 7 November 2025, EP committees will be discussing how to harness womenโ€™s talent through education, training and employment, to drive economic growth and progress.Committee on Womenโ€™s Rights and Gender Equality Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 …

Trump appeals his criminal conviction in New York hush money case

The president, who has suffered few consequences for his conviction, seeks to quash the verdict โ€” and his status as a felon.

Why we must work together for a balanced drinking cultureย 

Moderation in alcohol consumption is a trend thatโ€™s here to stay. But that doesnโ€™t mean that the conversation about creating responsible drinking habits is over.

AI at work: Europe needs action, not more legislation

The World Employment Confederation-Europe calls for action, not more legislation, to harness AIโ€™s potential in employment. By leveraging existing laws, ethical standards, and social dialogue, Europe can foster innovation, protect workers, and boost co…

The shutdown layoffs at health agencies followed a familiar, DOGE pattern

The White House advised agencies to go big on downsizing, according to a document obtained by POLITICO. They haven’t.

Why the European Parliament should reject (or substantially amend) the Commissionโ€™s proposal on EU Information Security (โ€œINFOSECโ€): (1) The issue of โ€œclassified informationโ€

  

 

Emilio De
Capitani, Former EP Official (1985-2011) Secretary of the LIBE
parliamentary Committee (1998-2011). Affiliated to the Scuola superiore S.Anna
(Pisa).  

Court Cases on
Transparency so far: T-540/15 v. European …

ECB union sues bank over attempts to silence union reps

Labor relations in Frankfurt have hit a new low.

Here comes the EUโ€™s first anti-far-right European Council

Housing, social media regulation, migration and defense spending are all being used by the political mainstream to curb the march of populists.

Who wants to be the next prime minister of France?

The French president is expected to name his next prime minister by Friday evening.

German coalition agrees on urgent measures to revive economy

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition has been under pressure to deliver on promises of sweeping reforms.

Press release – Parliament ready to negotiate better working conditions for trainees

MEPs today endorsed a mandate for negotiations with member states to ensure proper trainee working conditions and dissuade companies from disguising standard jobs as traineeshipsCommittee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025…

Ocean in crisis

How ocean change harms marine ecosystems, society and the economy.

In Spain, what once seemed impossible is now widespread: the young are turning to the far right | Marรญa Ramรญrez

Migration is barely mentioned โ€“ instead, failed policies on housing, wages and employment are driving young voters into the arms of VoxAccording to recent polls, almost 40% of Spanish men aged between 18 and 34 say that they plan to vote for Vox, the f…

Home alone: Sardinian villages hunt for new residents

The smallest communities offer houses for peanuts and cash to those who want to relocate, start businesses and have kids.

The future of brain health: Acting now for improved epilepsy care

Itโ€™s time to turn plans into action. Strategic investment and prioritization in epilepsy โ€” as part of a holistic brain health agenda โ€” can pave the way for a healthier society.ย ย 

UK minister confirms digital ID could root out benefit fraud

LIVERPOOL โ€” Controversial new plans for digital ID in Britain will help the government crack down on benefit fraud, according to the minister in charge of welfare.ย  Ministers have insisted the digital ID rollout is aimed at ensuring people have the right to work in the U.K. in a bid to tackle illegal employment and [โ€ฆ]

Press release – MEPs seek to improve traineesโ€™ working conditions across the EU

To prevent abusive practices against trainees, the Employment Committee wants traineeship contracts with clear provisions on pay, duration and social protection.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP

From exclusion to opportunity: rewriting the story for people living with schizophrenia

Misconceptions about the disorder have led to a crisis-focused care system โ€” which further reinforces stereotypes. Europe can do better.

Trumpโ€™s new detention policy targets millions of immigrants. Judges keep saying itโ€™s illegal.

The administration says the sweeping detentions are a key prong of Trumpโ€™s deportation strategy.

France eyes optional military service as Putin lurks

No conscription yet, but French politicians are getting creative to attract people to the armed forces.

Leo rejects plan for AI pope

โ€œIf thereโ€™s anybody who should not be represented by an avatar, I would say the pope is high on the list,” pontiff says.

Have world-first labour rights in Belgium changed the lives of sex workers?

In 2024, Belgium passed pioneering legislation granting sex workers full employment rights, including access to maternity leave, health insurance, unemployment benefits and pension rights. ENTR visited the country to understand what difference the new…

UK PM Starmer loses top aide in another blow to ailing premiership

Paul Ovenden, the prime ministerโ€™s director of strategy and close ally, sent sexually explicit messages about an MP eight years ago.

Besieged von der Leyen calls on Europe to โ€˜fightโ€™

Confronted by boos and facing mounting opposition, the European Commission president chose to look outward.

Two unions privately raised prospect of breaking ties with Labour

Representatives from the CWU and ASLEF unions said they would come under pressure to disaffiliate from Labour if the government was to dilute its workers’ rights package. No. 10 has insisted dilution is not on the cards

New home secretary Shabana Mahmood says she will not run for deputy leader after Labour accused of โ€˜stitch-upโ€™ over contest โ€“ UK politics live

The MP said police should be focusing on people who are members of the group, not those who โ€˜recklessly express supportโ€™ for itPaul Nowak, the TUC general secretary, used his speech to conference this morning to say that the TUC expected the government…

Trumpโ€™s job market is struggling, building the case for steeper Fed rate cuts

The report comes as both elevated interest rates and Trumpโ€™s sweeping tariffs weigh on an economy that depends on consumer spending.

EU must recognize whatโ€™s at stake in Moldova

This monthโ€™s election will decide whether the country keeps to its European trajectory.

France isnโ€™t heading to the IMF, ECBโ€™s Lagarde says

But the central bank head said Paris absolutely has to get its public finances in order.

Trump wants to โ€˜saveโ€™ US college football. Hereโ€™s what might come next.

Collective bargaining, long a pipe dream in the multibillion-dollar industry, could find itself forestalled for good.

Meet the very online Tories trying to end the partyโ€™s gloom

The U.K.โ€™s oldest party is on life support. Rising stars setting the internet alight want to change that.

Holy Orders or Higher Law? Praying for a Karlsruhe intervention

 Jonas Siebold

Photo credit: ReinhardHauke,
via Wikimedia
commons

A lot is at stake for the
Protestant Church in Germany. In the pending โ€œEgenbergerโ€ case (2 BvR
934/19) before the German Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in Karlsruhe,
nothing…

Belgium revolutionises status of sex workers, but not everyone is happy

On December 1, 2024, Belgium became the first European country to regulate prostitution through a formal employment contract. This reform goes further than a previous 2022 reform, which had already decriminalised prostitution in the country. The new l…

โ€˜I canโ€™t sleep, I canโ€™t get on with my lifeโ€™: how Europeโ€™s tougher rules are keeping families apart

Tighter family reunification laws are causing long separations, traumatising children, and can push people towards traffickers, campaigners sayStanding outside Germanyโ€™s parliament in June, Ahmad Shikh Ali fought back tears as he held up a blurry photo…

Europeโ€™s economy canโ€™t grow without migrants, Lagarde warns

Foreign workers delivered half of the blocโ€™s jobs growth since 2022, but populist backlash could shut the door on future gains, ECB chief said.

UK governmentโ€™s trade department bracing for 20 percent workforce cut

If targets are not met via a voluntary scheme, some staff could face compulsory redundancies.

Why the FWS case was wrongly decided by the UK Supreme Court – in light of the EU law historical context

 Claire Bradley, Legal ResearcherPhoto credit: DAVID ILIFF. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/*NOTE: comments on the substance of this blog post – critical or not – are welcome. Comments which are (even partly) ad h…

When speech becomes suspicion: Britainโ€™s free expression crisis

The spirit that made this island loud, plural and proud is flickering.

Trump fires statistics chief after soft jobs report

The monthly jobs report showed just 73,000 jobs in July, with big reductions to May’s and June’s numbers

Inside the wild world of Britainโ€™s private spies

Lucrative, freewheeling โ€” and largely unregulated โ€” private intelligence and security firms are booming in the land of James Bond and John le Carrรฉ.

Franceโ€™s budget bombshell is a wake-up call for Europe as it veers toward bankruptcy

As challenges mount and workforces dwindle, much of Europe risks going broke โ€” just not as quickly as France.

Press release – Danish Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

Ministers are holding a series of meetings in parliamentary committees to present the priorities of the Danish Presidency of the Council.Committee on Constitutional AffairsCommittee on Foreign AffairsCommittee on Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentCommit…

BoE faces dilemma as job market weakens

The Bank of England faces a dilemma at its meeting next month: inflation is accelerating again but the labor market is showing increasingly clear signs that the economy needs support. New data from the Office for National Statistics Thursday showed the unemployment rate rose to 4.7 percent of the workforce in May, while the number [โ€ฆ]

PMQs: Badenoch ducks massive Afghan data leak

The Tory leader steered clear of the severe Afghan civilian data breach under the last government โ€” leaving her flailing for answers on the upcoming budget.

Press release – Deal on more funding to boost skills development and address new challenges

Parliament and Council negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on changes to the European Social Fund+ to boost skills in the defence and decarbonisation industries.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP

Why Grok Fell in Love With Hitler

AI expert Gary Marcus explains what went wrong with Elon Muskโ€™s pet project, and what it means for the future of AI.

US State Department lays off more than 1,300 people

Diplomats called the cuts โ€œnihilisticโ€ and illogical.

Labour should raise national insurance in autumn budget, says Ed Balls โ€“ UK politics live

Former chancellor says employeesโ€™ contributions should rise to help address a ยฃ6bn shortfall caused by recent U-turnsThe Unite union has voted to re-examine its relationship with the Labour party in the light of the governmentโ€™s failure to support its …

Ukraineโ€™s strongest asset isnโ€™t abroad โ€” itโ€™s at home

The country’s greatest untapped resource is the millions of citizens ready to work, retrain and rebuild โ€” if allowed the opportunity.

Pro tips on crushing a right-wing insurgency, from Emmanuel Macron* to Keir Starmer

How to beat Nigel Farage, from a man who has crossed swords with Marine Le Pen and almost achieved world peace.

Russian oil or mass layoffs: A German townโ€™s conundrum

In Schwedt, life flows through an oil refinery. If it doesnโ€™t get help โ€” or restart Russian imports โ€” people worry their jobs will be gone.

PMQs: Starmer torn apart on welfare as Reeves in tears

Watered down social security reforms dominated grilling of the PM โ€” as he wouldn’t clarify if Rachel Reeves’ position as chancellor was secure.

Meet the first โ€˜scientific refugeesโ€™ fleeing the US for France

Aix-Marseille University is wooing researchers who feel targeted by the Trump administration.

Labour still hasnโ€™t bought off Britainโ€™s unions

Public sector pay rises and ambitious new employment rights don’t mean Britain’s center-left government can rest easy.

PMQs: Rayner gets a rough ride on Labour welfare splits

The shadow chancellor laid out significant Labour splits over welfare reforms โ€” leaving the deputy prime minister unable to rule out tax rises.

EU to loosen rules on cancer-causing chemicals in cosmetics

The leaked proposal also weakens rules on advertising hazardous chemicals. Consumer groups warned it was a health risk.

Putin warns his officials not to allow recession

The Russian leader said a recession “is not to be allowed under any circumstances,โ€ during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

From dependence to leadership: Europe needs sovereign digital skills to achieve tech autonomy

Europe can no longer afford to outsource critical components of its digital future, including the training of its digital workforce. Digital skills are not just about employment โ€“ย they are about power.

Trumpโ€™s political offensive on European allies will have long-lasting consequences

While keeping the U.S. president onside will be important, erstwhile allies would do well to coordinate their response to Washingtonโ€™s wholesale assault on its partners.

Vaccines: Shielding chronic illness, boosting lifelong health

Non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are responsible for 75 percent of deaths worldwide. Vaccines have a central role to play in preventing and managing these diseases.

Integration as Exclusion: The Keren Case Revisited

 Dr Sarah
Ganty, LL.M. (Yale), Ph.D. (ULB); J.S.D. candidate, Yale Law School; F.N.R.S.
Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLouvain; Research Visitor, Bonavero Institute of Human
Rights (Oxford); Research Fellow, CEU Democracy Institute (Budapest); President
o…

Britain at a crossroads: Finance, industry and the global adjustment

The great risk for the U.K. now is that it becomes even more reliant on speculative capital.

Temporary means temporary? The Commission proposes the extension โ€“ and the phase-out โ€“ of temporary protection

 Professor Steve Peers, Royal Holloway University of
London

Photo credit: Moahim, via Wikimedia
Commons

 

Introduction

What is the future of temporary
protection in the EU for those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine? Today the EU
Commissio…

Trump says heโ€™s fired National Portrait Gallery director amid Washington arts scene takeover

The move comes after the president dispatched Vice President JD Vance to โ€œremove improper ideologyโ€ from Smithsonian museums.

Britainโ€™s defeated Tory MPs struggle to adjust to civilian life

Support for fallen politicians is patchy and inconsistent, which could deter would-be legislators from entering the political arena.

Press release – Employment and Social Affairs Committee to discuss just transition in Ruhr area

An Employment and Social Affairs Committee delegation is travelling to Germanyโ€™s Ruhr area to visit chemical and steel plants and educational facilities.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP

Invest in rest: Better sleep improves mental health

Sleep is integral to our health. To build a healthier Europe, alongside supporting the regionโ€™s economy, productivity and health systems, we must invest in rest as a serious policy principle.

Ireland is Trumpโ€™s Trojan horse

If Brussels is serious about maintaining the integrity of its tech rules, it needs to focus on shifting regulation away from Dublin.

Towards a Euro-Rwanda policy? The proposed new EU asylum law rules on โ€˜safe third countriesโ€™

 Professor Steve Peers,
Royal Holloway University of London

Photo credit: Home Office,
via Wikimedia
Commons โ€“ the former Home Secretary meets Rwandaโ€™s foreign minister

Introduction

An unlawful attempt to remove
asylum-seekers to an unsafe coun…

Europeโ€™s Best Employers 2025

The inaugural Europeโ€™s Best Employers covers 1,000 companies across 26 industries. In the report, we look at Germanyโ€™s employee-employer decision making model; the attraction of working in financial services; why we need strong managers; good employmen…

Press release – Deal to improve worker consultation on transnational matters

Parliament and Council negotiators have reached a provisional agreement to improve the functioning of European Works Councils and strengthen their role.Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP

The new law firms being founded to fight Trump

In the last two weeks, at least three new law firms have been formed to represent clients who have been targeted by the administration.

The shadowy warlord behind Romaniaโ€™s wrecked electionย 

Romaniaโ€™s 2024 presidential election was controversially canceled for suspected foreign interference. Horaศ›iu Potra, an ally of banned candidate Cฤƒlin Georgescu, is accused of plotting an insurrection.

PMQs: Starmer finishes on top as he brands Tories โ€˜dead party walkingโ€™

The PM faced flack about the economic picture โ€” but dismissed Kemi Badenoch’s party as an irrelevant force.

Britainโ€™s lobbyists suddenly want a piece of Team Farage

Public affairs outfits are reaching out to Reform UK as it leads opinion polls and piles up regional votes.

UK tries to hose down fears about India trade deal

โ€œThere is no situation where I would ever tolerate British workers being undercut through any trade agreement we would sign,โ€ says Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Trump wants the credit, but not the blame, for US economy

โ€œI think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because heโ€™s done a terrible job,โ€ Trump told NBCโ€™s Kristen Welker.

At the edge of the world, French and Swedish warplanes deter Putin

Paris and Stockholm are deepening defense ties in missiles, air defenseย and even nuclear deterrence amid uncertainty caused by Donald Trump.

Save our Steel: Trumpโ€™s tariffs and Chinese overcapacity force governments to act

Governments the world over are racing to keep their steel industries alive. From the U.K. to France, the EU and Australia: Billions are reserved to counter global overcapacity and Donald Trumpโ€™s steep tariffs.

Belgium pushes to make sex work safer but abuses still persist

A law that was adopted in December last year allows sex workers in Belgium to sign employment contracts, granting them more labour rights like health insurance and paid leave. But even if Belgium has some of the most liberal sex work laws in Europe, a…

Building tomorrowโ€™s workforce at the 2025 EU Social Forum

To build a competitive Europe and ensure no one is left behind, people must learn the right skills โ€” which, in turn, will drive greater social cohesion, well-being and prosperity for all.

Nigel Farageโ€™s Reform UK is about to face the hard part: Being in charge

The populist party could hold its first reins of power after Thursday’s local elections. So what will it actually do? POLITICO went on a mission to find out.

How a Trump administration crackdown on foreign students unraveled

The administration reversed course after dozens of judges ordered it to reinstate legal records for student visa holders.

UK in talks to buy back nuclear sites from French firm EDF

“Discussions are continuing” between the two governments on the U.K. acquiring three sites, an official told POLITICO.

DOGE loses its biggest advocate as Musk exits Washington

The tech mogulโ€™s public pullback will come as relief to some Cabinet officials.

City climate action is a path to economic transformation

Europeโ€™s climate and industrial policies are inextricably linked โ€” cities are at the heart of bothย 

Harvard sues Trump administration over $2 billion cut to federal funding

The Trump administration has threatened to withhold up to $9 billion in grants to the university over the treatment of Jewish students that it says violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.