Center-right MEPs block effort to blunt far-right control over climate law
A motion to fast-track the 2040 climate target through the European Parliament narrowly failed on Wednesday.
internal
Press release – Managing the influx of substandard goods from non-EU web shops
On Wednesday, Parliament adopted proposals to manage the growing influx into the EU of substandard and potentially dangerous cheap goods from non-EU web shops.Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP
EU court backs Qatargate suspect Eva Kaili in transparency case
Former Parliament vice president gets win at Luxembourg court.
Africa must stop migrants reaching Europe to keep EU cash, plans showย
Brussels wants to link development aid to measures to stem migrant flows to Europe.
EU prosecutors launch probe into far-right MEP group over alleged misuse of funds
A confidential European Parliament audit found irregular spending by now-defunct Identity and Democracy group.
German far rightโs strategy for seizing power: foment US-style polarization
The approach appears to be inspired in part by Donald Trump’s attacks on the left in the United States.
Press release – Circular economy: new EU rules to make the automotive sector more sustainable
On Monday, the Environment and Internal Market Committees adopted their proposals on new EU rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment.Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food SafetyCommittee on …
Zelenskyy says โcoalition of the willingโ should meet โin a few daysโ, after call with Starmer โ as it happened
Ukrainian president says he and UK prime minister also discussed additional funding for drone productionThe commission also addressed the reintroduction of Polish border controls with Germany and Lithuania, confirming at its midday media briefing that …
Trump has given up on โAmerica Firstโ in one arena: Sports
In early June, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency announced on its Facebook page that its โsuited and bootedโ agents would be at matches to the FIFA Club World Cup. Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York-New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee, was startled to see the ominous message, which he worried could [โฆ]
Fitto fights von der Leyen plan to bypass regions in new EU budget
Brussels wants to overhaul a mechanism that gives EU money directly to the bloc’s poorer areas.
Russian oil or mass layoffs: A German townโs conundrum
In Schwedt, life flows through an oil refinery. If it doesnโt get help โ or restart Russian imports โ people worry their jobs will be gone.
Trump allies caught off guard by Pentagonโs Ukraine weapons freeze
The decision left officials on both sides of the Atlantic scrambling to find out how long the pause might last.
โSheโs pretty much aloneโ: The EUโs greenest leader fights the tide
The European Commissionโs second most powerful politician is isolated, beleaguered and under attack โ just like the green policy she has vowed to protect.
EU Parliamentโs top brass get fat pay raises
The salary hikes, which will cost around โฌ324,000 per year, have ruffled some feathers.
European Parliamentโs air conditioning breaks down due to hot weather
โI know they want to make us sweat over our political positions, but isnโt this ridiculous?โ an ECR spokesperson said.
Czech socialists court anti-establishment alliance, stirring internal backlash
Czech Social Democratic Party’s attempt to team up with anti-establishment forces ahead of elections has reignited internal tensions and drawn sharp criticism over its ideological direction.
Keir Starmer faces a second year nightmare too
Itโs not just the welfare rebellion โ Keir Starmer goes into his second year with a host of challenges to confront.
Inside the Franco-German plot to kill Europeโs ethical supply chain law
The due diligence law was meant to bring EU-style protections to global supply chains. Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz helped all but kill it.
Italyโs grand plan to meet NATO target: A โฌ13.5B bridge to Sicily
Meloni’s deputy prime ministers are keen to class the bridge as a NATO-related project. But does it really mesh with Europe’s military goals?
Trumpโs threats push Canada to fell its byzantine internal trade barriers
Prime Minister Mark Carney bets more domestic commerce can help compensate for US levies
Iran could resume uranium enrichment in โmonths,โ says IAEA chief
โIt is clear that there has been severe damage, but it’s not total damage,โ head of U.N. nuclear watchdog tells CBS.
Pope Leo looks to MAGA megadonors to shore up Church finances
Wealthy American conservatives hint they’re ready to cough up again to rescue the scandal-ridden Church from going broke.
EU Summit focuses on Ukraine amid divisions over Russia sanctions
Copy The war in Ukraine once again took center stage at the latest EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, as leaders of the bloc called for increased support to Kyiv โ particularly through air defense systems, anti-drone technology, and large-caliber ammu…
Germanyโs Social Democrats face mutiny over Russia
Finance minister and party leader Lars Klingbeil confronts internal dissent rooted in Willy Brandtโs โOstpolitikโ
Austrian chancellor sees anti-immigration ally in Merz
Austrian leaders say while they are leading the charge on Europeโs tough-on-migration turn, they believe they have a partner in the German chancellor.
Keir Starmerโs disillusioned MPs finally find their voice
They were called the Starmtroopers โ but a year into the new government, Labour MPs are finding more and more reasons to speak their minds.
โWARNING. Confidential documents. Not to be disclosed to anyoneโ (Part 2)
Pรคivi Leino-Sandberg
(University of Helsinki)
Photo credit: EmDee,
via Wikimedia
Commons
The debate around the recent Pfizergate
ruling has turned some problems around how the Commission applies citizensโ
right to a…
โWARNING. Confidential documents. Not to be disclosed to anyoneโ (Part 1)
Pรคivi Leino-Sandberg
(University of Helsinki)
Photo credit: Cancillerรญa
Ecuador via Wikimedia Commons
When conducting research, I often
file requests for access to documents (ATD) under the EUโs access to documents regulation
…
Press release – Consumer rights: Deal on out-of-court dispute resolution rules
Thursdayโs agreement between Parliament and Council aims to increase consumer awareness and encourage greater business participation in out-of-court dispute solutions.Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Source : ยฉ European Union, 2…
US State Department adviser wanted to fund French far-right leader Marine Le Pen
Samuel Samson, a political appointee, made the explosive recommendation as Le Pen eyes the presidency in 2027, two State Department officials tell POLITICO.
Defiant Bayrou wonโt concede defeat on pension reform talks
French prime minister says an “impressive” number of agreements have been reached on tweaking pensions without putting the system further in the red.
EU told to take action against Israel over Gaza, says Lithuanian president
Leaders from across the bloc agree that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is intolerable, Gitanas Nausฤda told POLITICO.
Press release – Package travel: better protection against bankruptcy and unforeseen events
On Thursday, the Consumer Protection Committee adopted updated rules on package travel to clarify the rights of travellers when their journey is affected by unforeseen circumstances.Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Source : ยฉ Eu…
Who will take the fall for welfare chaos?
Sky Newsโ Sam Coates and Politicoโs Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. ย In a statement sent to Sam overnight, the government admits that concessions are on their way after an internal struggle over welfare reforms inside the Labour Party. ย It seems like meaningful talks are under [โฆ]
NATO survives another day
Behind all the backslapping and bonhomie, itโs impossible to ignore the real concerns and fears that now fully penetrate the alliance.
Von der Leyen canโt go far with the far right
Socialists and liberals are rebelling against the Commission president, but she has no easy fix in working with parties further to the right.
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.
Pentagon launches probe into Iran strike intel leak
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the findings after others called it fake news.
Disarray at European Commission as greenwashing flip-flop triggers doubts about its grip
Center-left allies briefed against her while far-right opponents celebrated. It’s been quite a week for Ursula von der Leyen.
Five political takeaways from the EU Green Claims directive saga
Amid internal shifting positions within the European Commission and mounting political pressure on parliamentary groups, the twists and turns surrounding the EU’s Green Claims Directive offer a revealing snapshot of the blocโs evolving political dynami…
Ribera fought Commission plan to nix greenwashing rules
The vice president of the EU executive pressured the environment commissioner over several days to preserve the law.
Press release – Green Claims Directive: EP co-rapporteurs hold a press conference at 15.15
Following the Commissionโs announcement on Friday that it intends to withdraw the legislative proposal, the Council has decided to cancel the trilogue scheduled for Monday.Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food SafetyCommittee on the Internal M…
Iranโs exiled โcrown princeโ says he is ready to take over from Khamenei
Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah deposed in the 1979 revolution, offers to lead Iran’s transition to democracy after regime change.
Greenland is the wild card in Denmarkโs Brussels reign
Donald Trump’s claims on the island nation could derail Copenhagen’s EU Council presidency at any time.
Trump floats regime change in Iran, muddying the administrationโs message
Top Trump officials said their strikes on Iranโs nuclear sites were limited, but they donโt have much control over the knock-on effects in the Middle East and their party.
Chinaโs โWorld Bankโ wants to set up shop in Britain
The nomination of a new president has reignited long-running concerns about Beijingโs influence over the bankโs governance.
Israel slams EU over โoutrageous and indecentโ Gaza human rights review
An internal EU review of the trade agreement with Israel says there are “indications of a breach” of the human rights commitments set out in the deal.
The winners and losers in Trumpโs NATO arms race
A POLITICO analysis reveals telling gaps between the big spenders near Eastern Europe and those further from Russia, who are still creeping toward a decade-old target.
White House wary of Iran counterattack as Trump strikes triumphant tone
The decision to send American B-2 bombers to attack Iran, the most significant military action of Trumpโs presidency, threatens to inject Washington into another Middle East conflict.
Flagship EU defense plan may be illegal, German parliamentary report warns
The โฌ150 billionย SAFE plan may violate EU treaties and may not be economically effective, says the Bundestag report.
National Limits, European Claims: The Ultra Vires Conflict in EU Constitutional Law (part 2)
Dr Benedikt Riedl,
Mjur (Oxford), postdoctoral researcher
and academic assistant at the Chair of Public Law and Legal Philosophy (Prof Dr
Peter M. Huber, former Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court and former
Minister of the Interior…
Prosecutor implicates two Greek ministers in huge EU farm fraud
European prosecutors allege two agriculture ministers committed โcriminal offensesโ in a long-running pastureland scam.
Britainโs got an EU deal โ but the Brexit red tape keeps coming
U.K. plows ahead with unpopular โNot for EUโ labels in Northern Ireland, despite planned deal with Brussels.
Mark Rutte DOGEs NATO with dozens of job cuts
Transatlantic military chief slashes roles and eliminates divisions as U.S. President Donald Trumpโs reluctant commitment overshadows the alliance.ย
Trumpโs Iran threats set off scramble to protect Americans abroad
Tehran is weakened, but it still has options to attack U.S. interests.
Le Pen and Bardella staging kiss-and-make-up moment
Are Le Pen and Bardella running mates or rivals?
China-based AliExpress breached EU digital rules over illegal products
The Commission accepted many commitments by the e-commerce marketplace to comply with the Digital Services Act but said it has not done enough on illegal products.
โLefty lawyerโ Keir Starmer to push for ECHR reform
The U.K. prime minister โ a former human rights lawyer โ wants to shake up Strasbourg amid pressure over migration rulings. Some fear inaction will stoke “the next Brexit.”
EU eyes higher fees on US, British tourists to repay post-Covid debts
The move would increase the incoming traveler tax above the currently slated โฌ7 sum.
Ukrainians to get cheap calls, texts in EU from 2026
โWe want Ukrainian citizens to stay connected to their loved ones across the EU, as well as in their home country,โ says Ursula von der Leyen.
West canโt help Ukraine win the war โ but it could help end it
As Western leaders continue to insist theyโll support Ukraine โfor as long as it takes,โ the question now is, to what end?
Corruption scandals put Spainโs Sรกnchez under pressure to call snap elections
The country’s local and regional Socialist leaders fear the politically compromised prime minister could harm their electoral prospects.
Would a nuclear deal be enough to satisfy Bibi now?
Iran played its hand poorly leading up to Israelโs offensive by dragging out nuclear negotiations with Trump, providing Netanyahu with an opportunity.
Trump embraces Israeli strike after arguing against it
It hasnโt been a complete shift but the presidentโs calculus around the risks of an Israeli strike have changed.
Baltic countries team up on mass evacuation plans as Russian threat grows
โClear procedures are crucial, as is the rapid exchange of information,โ says Lithuanian interior minister.
Germanyโs tough-on-migration turn leaves Afghans in perilous limbo
Germany, like the U.S., is closing its door to Afghans facing persecution by the Taliban.
The battle for the soul of Britainโs Green Party
With a leadership race in full flow, should the left-wing outfit fight from Westminster โ or tap into the grassroots?
Economy shock overshadows Reevesโ big day
Sky Newsโ Sam Coates and Politicoโs Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. Rachel Reeves has said this morning that the latest figures showing the UK economy has shrunk by more than expected are โdisappointingโ. How much will this overshadow yesterdayโs major spending announcement? The chancellor has now planted [โฆ]
Trump to review US participation in AUKUS deal
The three-nation partnership aims to protect against China in the Pacific.
Sweden eyes EU fireworks ban to blow up the mob
Gang violence using pyrotechnics as weapons spirals, Stockholm warns EU.
Greeks feel they have no one to vote for
With so many parties on the left and right fighting each other, the ruling New Democracy still leads the polls โ despite being roundly disliked.
Polandโs Tusk set to win confidence vote, but faces uphill slog to govern
The pro-EU prime minister will have to contend not only with a nationalist president blocking his reforms, but also with increasingly frustrated coalition partners.
EU puts Monaco on money laundering blacklist
Venezuela was also added, while the UAE and Gibraltar were removed. Russia was again left off.
Gap opens for Roberta Metsola in Malta politics. Will she take it?
Youthful European Parliament president would need to return toย Malteseย politics before seeking top job at Commission or Council.
EU to propose lowering price cap on Russian oil in new sanctions package
Other measures to include tightening restrictions on โshadow fleetโ, banks and Nord Stream investmentBusiness live โ latest updatesThe EU executive is to propose lowering the price cap on Russian oil as it seeks to tighten energy and financial sanction…
The global impact of Trump vs. Musk
Muskโs satellite internet company is in 130 countries, thanks in part to White House support. If heโs on the outs, then what?
Missions impossible: Can Starmerโs Cabinet get behind his plan?
Ministers have been fighting the Treasury as Labour MPs grow increasingly restless.
First decision by the European Court of Human Rights on suspicion of reverse discrimination in tax matters
Dr Samira-Asmaa Allioui, Research fellow, Centre
d’รฉtudes internationales et europรฉennes, Universitรฉ de Strasbourg
Photo credit : Chabe10, via Wikimedia
Commons
The applicants in
the European Court of Human Rights judgment in Defor…
Zia Yusufโs exit from Reform UK highlights divides in insurgent party
Internal tensions have beset rightwing grouping even as it leads national opinion polls
German auto lobby proposal sparks renewed debate on EU combustion engine ban
The group wants to allow automakers to continue selling some combustion engines after 2035.
Doctors to refer NHS to data watchdog over feeding patient data to AI
Patient data that was only supposed to be used for Covid-19 research got plugged into an all-purpose AI model, doctors say.
Trump-Musk meltdown gets Europe gloating
“See, big man, politics is harder than you thought,” Poland’s foreign minister taunts the world’s richest man.
Merz avoids a blowup in the Oval, but Trump goes his own way on Russia
Germanyโs new leader disarmed the president with praise, but their daylight on the war was clear.
Lagarde insists sheโll complete her term at ECB
Central bank chief squashes talk of an early exit to go and run the Davos World Economic Forum.
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.
Britain prepares to go all-in on nuclear power โ after years of dither
The U.K. Treasury has run out of road for delaying nuclear decisions, according to Whitehall and industry insiders.
EU offers Ukrainian refugees another year of protection, but eyes phase-out
The extension will provide โlegal certainty for EU member states, reassurance for Ukrainians, and avoid burdening national asylum systems,โ Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said.
Budget cuts hit European Parliament communications department
“There are people scared for their jobs,” said one Parliament official.
Hegseth to skip Ukraine meeting at NATO headquarters
The absence of the U.S. defense secretary marks the first time in the Ukraine Defense Contact Groupโs history that an American defense chief misses the monthly meeting.
Pornhub to suspend porn in France
Porn industry giant protests Paris’ measures to verify the age of users.
Poland’s PM Tusk calls for confidence vote after Nawrocki wins presidency
Polish PM Donald Tusk said Monday he would call a confidence vote after nationalist Karol Nawrocki narrowly won Sundayโs presidential election. Though Tusk’s pro-EU coalition holds a parliamentary majority, Nawrockiโs victory could deepen existing int…
Proposed simplification of EU chemicals legislation masks deregulation
Undermining vital legislation will harm people, the environment and the economy โ not to mention citizens’ confidence in the bloc.
Polish PM Tusk calls for confidence vote following nationalist Nawrocki’s presidential victory
Polish PM Donald Tusk said Monday he would call a confidence vote to reaffirm support for his pro-EU government after nationalist Karol Nawrocki narrowly won Sundayโs presidential election. Though Tusk’s coalition holds a parliamentary majority, exper…
German court rejects key pillar of Merzโs asylum crackdown
Under pressure from the far right, Germany’s conservative chancellor had vowed to turn away asylum-seekers at the country’s borders.
Ukraine says it hit dozens of Russian bombers in daring drone attack
The assault comes the day before Russia-Ukraine negotiations are set to take place in Istanbul.
Trumpโs move-fast-and-break-things tariff strategy collides with reality
Trumpโs determination to move fast could slow implementation of his tariff regime. It also threatens to cost him credibility.
Trump court turmoil strengthens EU hand in tariff talks
Two separate legal cases tackling Trumpโs tariffs may push the U.S. administration to strike a quicker deal, analysts say.
The Supreme Court may not step in and save Trumpโs tariffs
The path forward for Trump will not get easier after a defeat at the U.S. Court of International Trade.
โInflection pointโ: Economic fears mount as Trump tariffs are snarled in court.
The fear is that Trump will bristle at both adverse court rulings and perceptions on Wall Street that heโs ready to bail on his protectionist agenda.
โInflection pointโ: Economic fears mount as Trump tariffs are snarled in court.
The fear is that Trump will bristle at both adverse court rulings and perceptions on Wall Street that heโs ready to bail on his protectionist agenda.