Insect-based pet food, the latest byproduct of EU bureaucracy
Insect producers say EU rules are choking their industry and driving it into financial ruin โ with the environment paying the price.
Regulatory
Poland hits a wall trying to curb Big Pharmaโs profits
The EU’s ‘competitiveness’ mantra appears to be swaying more countries to back the pharmaceutical industry.
Ireland is Trumpโs Trojan horse
If Brussels is serious about maintaining the integrity of its tech rules, it needs to focus on shifting regulation away from Dublin.
Commission exempts 38,000 companies from 8 EU laws
The EU executive is creating a new category of โsmall mid-capโ companies as it continues a deregulation push.
Europeโs pharmaceutical industry is at a crossroads
As discussions on the General Pharmaceutical Legislation come to a head, Europe faces two choices: becoming a leader in innovative research, development and manufacturing, or losing its global standing.
Europeโs effort to block kids from social media gathers pace
Document obtained by POLITICO shows countries pushing for EU-wide controls to protect kids online.
Macronโs office immersed in major mineral water scandal
Senate report alleges Nestlรฉ Waters lobbied the French government to make possible the sale of branded mineral water that circumvented stringent rules.
Q&A: Preventing biofuels sustainability fraud and unfair competition
Amid concerns over sustainability fraud, the European biodiesel industry is pushing for regulatory reform. As Europe accelerates efforts to decarbonize transportation, biofuels have emerged as an important solution. Theseย CO2-neutral fuels โ derived from sustainable feedstocks including crops and waste and residues โ are the leading contributor to renewable energy in the transport sector, providing an [โฆ]
Replacing US military support in Europe would cost $1T
European NATO countries would face a short-term โwindow of vulnerabilityโ against Russian aggression.
UK bets on Aussie-style pension revamp to boost ailing economy
Britain is trying to replicate Australia’s “super” pensions to boost the ailing economy. But time isn’t on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ side.
Without biotech surge, Europe will lose its global standing in healthcare, warns Vรกrhelyi [Advocacy Lab Content]
Stuck with a slow regulatory system, Europe is seriously disadvantaged as the global race for biosolutions intensifies.
US gets back to EU on trade war โ hinting at Trumpโs willingness to find a deal
Letter is first positive concrete engagement from Washington since the two sides paused retaliatory tariffs.
Approval delays and regulatory uncertainty are harming biosolutionsโ competitiveness, says MEP [Advocacy Lab Content]
Maintaining the status quo is viable if Europe wants a thriving economy, according to MEP Morten Lรธkkegaard.
Trumpโs tariff deals send Europe to the back of the line
Trump calls the European Union โnastierโ than China. The EU is taking a deep breath.
How the Fuels Sector Supports Aviationโs Green Goals
Europeโs refiners are already delivering the sustainable aviation fuels needed to meet EU climate goals, and we are ready to do more. What we need now is collaboration over confrontation.
Why the EU pellet loss compromise is smart policymaking
Proposed plastics policy demonstrates a pragmatic, measured approach. Risk-based policy measures can deliver regulation that works in the real world, providing environmental protection without hindering industrial competitiveness.
EU needs pharma production incentives to fight US tariffs, says Czech official
Czech Deputy Health Minister tells Euractiv he’s backing calls for a longer regulatory data protection (RDP), using conditional incentives.
Africaโs message to the world: Do you want to be part of the next economic miracle?
Cuts to international aid are a wake-up call that the continent’s nations need to find a way to bolster their own development. And for that, Africa needs investment.
Europe needs to up its space game to fend off Musk, Russia and China
The continent needs to focus on cheaper satellites to stay in the space race, NATO’s Admiral Pierre Vandier tells POLITICO.
TikTok hit with โฌ530M fine after illegally sending usersโ data to China
Video-sharing app had for years claimed it did not store European personal data on servers in China.
Global financial rule-makers risk losing relevance if Trump pulls back entirely
Without the firepower of the U.S., global regulators would be hamstrung in their efforts to contain a future financial crisis.
Trumpโs trade policy offers the EU an unexpected opportunity โ if it can grab it
Europe has the chance to become one of the leaders of a free, responsible and democratic world. But it needs to take its fate in its own hands.
Net neutrality back in spotlight as Deutsche Telekom faces legal complaint
Calls for regulatory intervention targeting US Big Tech have been backed by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Mediobanca rebels at Romeโs efforts to force it into a shotgun marriage
Counter-attack by Milan-based bank deals blow to plans for a ‘third pole’ in Italian banking.
EU top court rules Maltese โgolden passportโ scheme illegal
The Court of Justice of the EU said Tuesday the program was nothing short of the โcommercialisationโ of citizenship.
EU top court rules Maltese โgolden passportโ scheme illegal
The Court of Justice of the EU said Tuesday the program was nothing short of the โcommercialisationโ of citizenship.
Hungary on EU watchlist over surveillance at Pride
Budapest has opened the door to using AI facial recognition to identify LGBTQ+ protestors.
Can European digital and tech regulatory environment sustain competitiveness and security? [Promoted content]
Following the latest EU Commission fines on Apple and Meta, the question rises โ in its effort to boost European competitiveness and security, is European Commission unintentionally pushing out American companies for Chinese counterparts?
After EU fines, Big Tech wants Trump to swoop in
Two big penalties overseas could be just what the industry needed to get the White Houseโs attention. Will Trump now try to roll back European tech rules?
The US cavalry isnโt coming: How Europe moves its armies without American assistance
Europe has built its war-fighting plans on speeding American reinforcements to the front lines. The prospect of that not happening is throwing military mobility plans into disarray.
EU regulators probe SkinnyTok trend on TikTok
The European Commission will assess whether TikTok is doing enough to stop harmful content connected to eating disorders.
POLITICO at 10: The EU fights for its independence
A decade after we launched in Brussels, Europe’s place in the world is ever more uncertain. The battle for relevance will dominate the next 10 years.
Between pragmatic and legal considerations: comment on the Advocate General’s opinion in joined cases Cโ758/24 [Alace] and Cโ759/24 [Canpelli]
Matteo
Zamboni (human rights lawyer working between Italy and the UK. He is a
partner to the Immigration Law and Policy clinic of Goldsmiths, University of
London)
…
Italian opposition file complaint over far-right partyโs use of โracistโ AI images
Centre-left parties slam โracist, Islamophobic and xenophobicโ faked images posted on social media by League partyOpposition parties in Italy have complained to the communications watchdog about a series of AI-generated images published on social media…
Is Serbia turning into an EU mining colony?
A Brussels-backed project to develop the lithium reserves needed to power electric vehicles is fueling political instability on the European Unionโs doorstep.
The Guardian view on a UK-US trade deal: MPs must get a vote on any agreement with Trump | Editorial
Abolishing tariffs would be welcome, but not at the price of reducing high regulatory standards or a reset with the European UnionLooked at objectively, a bilateral trade agreement between Britain and the United States is of relatively small economic s…
Brits are banned from bringing in EU meat โ if anyone can enforce it
Stretched resources and patchy communication leave experts warning a ban on personal meat and cheese imports could fall well short of its aims.
Biotechnology and biosecurity need โsafety firstโ AI regulatory approach [Advocacy Lab Content]
Biosecurity is changing its definition with the arrival of AI, now AI is rewriting the script of what Europe can do in biotechnology.
Trump says pharma tariffs will entice back drug production. They wonโt.
Pharmaceuticals were the EU’s largest export to the U.S. last year, worth a reported $127B.
โParkinsonโs is a man-made diseaseโ
Europeโs flawed oversight of pesticides may be fueling a silent epidemic, warns Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem. His fight for reform pits him against industry, regulators โ and time.
The capacity conundrum โ energy companies missing incentives to guarantee electricity [Advocacy Lab Content]
Lawmakers are struggling to find a regulatory structure that incentivises companies to build the capacity mechanisms needed to handle increasing loads of variable renewables on the grid.
Facing Trump tariff threat, Germanyโs new government bets big on boosting economy
Friedrich Merz’s new administration promises tax cuts, energy price reductions and a blitz of public-private investment funds.
EU opens door to reworking AI rulebook
After introducing landmark laws to regulate artificial intelligence, Europe now wants to reduce the burden.
Swiss bank Reyl under investigation for negligence on dirty money
Confidential documents reveal that Reyl has housed politically sensitive figures’ wealth without consistent respect for anti-money laundering rules. It is currently under investigation by the Swiss financial regulatory authority.
Belgium launches regulatory push for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products
Belgium is scaling its regulatory and clinical systems for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) – academia’s role will be crucial in bridging innovation and patient access.
Europe prepares AI charm offensive as industry trembles from tariff shocks
Draft strategy shows EU wants to woo tech leaders with computing, data, skills โ and simpler rules โ to run AI.
Why football-mad Keir Starmer has Premier League bosses raging
Topflight football clubs have been aggressively lobbying to get a new regulator watered down โ as ministers insist it will be “light touch.”
Trumpโs deregulation agenda threatens global financial stability
The U.S. presidentโs return brings renewed promises of financial โliberation.โ But behind the rhetoric lies a deeper threat โ and itโs not just to the U.S. economy.
UK to dilute rules for smaller private equity firms and hedge funds
Government proposes lighter regulatory regime in push to encourage investment
Musk hopes US, EU get to โzero-tariff situationโ
“At the end of the day, I hope it is agreed that both Europe and the United States should move ideally in my view to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free-trade zone,” Musk said.
Simplification and gigafactories: whatโs in the EUโs new AI master plan?
Democratised computing, Cloud, AI Act, industry adoption, brain gain and regulatory simplification: read on for all the key aspects of the EU’s yet-to-be-published AI Continent Plan seen by Euractiv.
How Kyivโs effort to lure Trump with rare earths backfired
Ukraine potentially has large deposits of crucial minerals, but it will take peace and billions of dollars to unlock them.
Greens, socialists hope centrist alliance will limit scale of EU deregulation
The European Parliament has voted to delay key rules on corporate sustainability pending a reduction of their scope, on the same day the Trump administration appeared to be targeting EU regulatory standards with a punitive 20% import tariff.
Europe needs to act now to ensure its patients are not left behind
The pandemic showed just what can be achieved with faster and more efficient regulatory approval โ the same approach needs to be applied now to save patientsโ lives and tackle the growing burden of Alzheimerโs disease.
Germany must leave its comfort zone
Germany can reinvent itself โ with bold decisions, growth-oriented investments, and a concerted push for innovation by industry and government. What we donโt need? Cosmetic fixes and piecemeal thinking and regulation.
UK not retaliating to Trumpโs latest tariff threat, chancellor says
We are not at the moment at a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars,” says top finance minister Rachel Reeves.
Fibre conference: Telecom industry on edge as EU weighs regulatory overhaul
“Now is the right moment to express our wishes to the Commission for Christmas,” said Open Fiber director Nonno.
Meet the Mafia-busting MEP taking the fight against organized crime to Brussels
Giuseppe Antoci battled the Italian mob. But can he take on EU policymaking?
GraniteSharesโ European leveraged ETPs hit regulatory roadblock
New issuance has been suspended, potentially impacting underlying mechanism
EU Industry Under The [omni]Bus: Urging Co-legislators To Save It [Promoted content]
Industry in Europe was utterly stunned by the Commissionโs intention to abruptly withdraw the regulation on standard essential patents. More than 60 companies and associations call on co-legislators to advance it, not withdraw. Businesses have long beg…
Meet the Czech Millennial Whoโs Building a Utopia in the California Hayfields
Armed with tech billions, Jan Sramek has dreams of creating a new, affordable, walkable city. If, that is, California lets him.
Trumpโs FCC chair Brendan Carr may shape tech regulatory clash with EU
The FCC chairman has spoken as both friend and foe of EU tech regulation.
Protectionism will help push up insurance prices, says Lloydโs of London chief
John Neal warns geopolitics and regulatory requirements will add to cost of policies
Ask not what the EU can do for markets โ but what markets can do for the EU
The push for a bigger EU private money pot has become a war of attrition. But Trump and Ukraine might be the spark that finally sets it in motion.
Dutch health minister backs Critical Medicines Act, says full implications being assessed
According to the Dutch regulatory authority, the CMA could help reduce vulnerabilities in supply chains and improve the availability of critical medicines.
Slovakia to end renewable subsidies by 2026
The head of the national regulatory body calls it a return to โcommon sense.”ย
Farage and Tories spy an opening as small businesses turn on Labour
The government’s rivals are circling after tax hikes burned the bridges that Rachel Reeves had painstakingly built before the election.
This moment of crisis demands closer UK-EU cooperation
Britain may have left the EU, but when it comes to keeping our continent safe, Europe cannot afford to be less than the sum of our parts.
UK finance watchdogs drop DEI drive amid Trump backlash
The PRA and FCA will no longer bring forward proposals to require City of London firms to set diversity targets.
Hereโs Britainโs pitch to Donald Trump on a new tech pact
The U.K. hopes teaming up with the U.S. on advanced tech might help avoid the president’s tariff wrath.
How Britainโs slickest energy lobbyist wooed Labour
Octopus Energy boss Greg Jackson says he knows how to bring down bills. Others claim his ideas will starve the U.K. of green investment.
European rival to Musk satellites tests stomach for cross-border champions
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s possible deal with Starlink could pit national interests against European ones.
Revolutionizing Law? Exploring experimental regulations and artificial intelligence Sandboxes in the AI Act
Davide Rauhe
Photo credit: Chief Photographer, MoD
Executive Summary
This blog post
explores the emergence of experimental regulations and policies with focus on
its gained prominence within the European Union i…
Trumpโs plan to stockpile crypto complicates industryโs policy push
The presidentโs endorsement of ideas once relegated to the fringes of the crypto community could jeopardize broader efforts by policymakers to legitimize the $3 trillion market.
Visa and Mastercard face regulatory action over lack of competition
UK payments regulator says card duopolyโs sharp fee increases are costing businesses ยฃ170mn extra a year
BaFin fines Deutsche Bank โฌ23mn for string of regulatory lapses
German financial watchdog metes out second highest fine in its history
US official slams EUโs social media โcensorshipโ
Federal Communications Commission chair warns that the EU’s Digital Services Act threatens censorship that is “incompatible” with U.S. free speech.
Psychiatric drug research held back by โstigmaโ, says top UK scientist
Mental health treatments face higher regulatory hurdles for approval, warns Imperial College professor
Why the French have fallen out of cลur with core
Cottagecore, gorpcore, balletcore โ theyโre all coming under fire from French language officials. But what does it mean – and will anyone actually arrรชt? Plus: your wardrobe dilemmas solvedThey think itโs bizarre not to take a two-hour lunch break, and…
Why connectivity matters to Europeโs tech sovereignty
From AI to edge cloud, the EU must become stronger in the global telecom value-chain
Nvidia takes EU antitrust regulators to court for probing AI startup Run:ai bid
The EU executive says it is concerned about killer acquisitions in which big companies buy startups to shut them down, but companies criticise such moves as regulatory over-reach.
Commission responds to White House tariff threats on EU tech laws
”If needed, the EU will respond swiftly and decisively to defend its rights and regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures,” said the Commission.
Europe should be flattered by Magaโs attacks
A central goal of Trumpโs henchmen is to defang the EUโs regulatory power for the benefit of American Big Tech
From Brussels to Microsoft: European Ombudsman opens new revolving door probe
The EU watchdog responsible for investigating maladministration is probing the European Commission’s approval of Nicholas Banasevic, a former high-ranking EU antitrust official, joining Microsoft in a senior role dealing with competition and regulatory…
โLONG LIVE THE KINGโ: Trump increasingly embraces monarchical imagery
The White House posted an image of Trump wearing a crown on Wednesday.
EU ready to negotiate on car tariffs with Trump, trade commissioner says
EU Trade Commissioner Maroลก ล efฤoviฤ said the bloc is “ready to discuss” reducing its 10 percent tariff as part of broader negotiations.
5 takeaways in the EUโs big agriculture (and food) vision
EU tries to make farming sexy again โ and keep farmers from revolting.
Muskโs Starlink isnโt ready to rule Europeโs internet airwaves
Elon Musk’s satellites aren’t โ yet โ competing to serve Europeans’ everyday internet needs.
EU pushes โBuy Europeanโ quotas in major plan to revive industry
A draft of the Clean Industrial Deal obtained by POLITICO reveals EU plans to drive climate-friendly manufacturing.
Macronโs U-turn against EU green rules triggers internal revolt
The French president’s anti-regulation push has thrown his environmental legacy into doubt and angered many in his own party.
Vanceโs week of waging war on EU tech law
The U.S. vice president attacked Europe’s regulations governing American Big Tech giants and online speech.
Forget the US โ Europe has successfully put tariffs on itself
High internal barriers and regulatory hurdles are far more damaging for growth than anything America might impose
Security is the new safety
SNEAK PEEK โย ย The U.K. AISI drops โsafetyโ for โsecurityโ as it rebrands for the Trump era. โย DSIT and Anthropic ink a new partnership. โย Whatโs happened to the porn review? Good morning and happy Friday, This is Tom, unable to find where Iโve hidden my wifeโs Valentineโs card. You can get in touch with your news, [โฆ]
The EUโs strategy to counter Trumpโs tariffs: An iron fist in a velvet glove
Brussels has strengthened its trade toolkit since Donald Trumpโs first term. But it would need the broad support of EU countries to strike back hard.
‘In the AI field, there will be an increasingly fragmented regulatory environment’
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly rejected Elon Musk’s $97 billion unsolicited bid, explaining to attendees at a Paris summit on AI that the company is not for sale. OpenAI is controlled by a nonprofit board bound to its original mission of safely bu…
The Clean Industrial Deal: facilitating and enabling a sustainable business case [Promoted content]
The cement industry is ambitious to reach net zero by 2050, with over 100 decarbonisation projects underway. Success also depends on a Clean Industrial Deal that delivers regulatory certainty, CO2 infrastructure, funding clarity, and lead markets for l…
Starlink looks pale in comparison with what Europeans can get
SNEAK PEEK โ Has Elon Muskโs Starlink got a shot in Europe? Not really. โ The withdrawal of the EUโs AI liability rules has fans and critics. โย Thereโs a new report about the price tag of the Eurostack. Good morning and welcome to Morning Tech. Hi, this is Pieter, back in Brussels after frantic days [โฆ]
UK dances to Vanceโs tune
SNEAK PEEK โ Where does the Paris summit leave the U.K.โs AI policy? โย MPs tackle the data bill, amendments and all. โย Patrick Vallance sets out his plan to remake science. Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, This is Tom, heading back to London from a gloomy City of Light. Come and say hi if youโre [โฆ]
JD Vance warns Europe toย go easy onย tech regulation in major AI speech
U.S. vice president pushes for “international regulatory regimes that foster creation” ahead of the artificial intelligence “revolution.”
Time to sign?
SNEAK PEEK โ JD Vance lands in Paris as the U.K. tries to get on message.ย โย Peter Kyle says an AI bill will avoid upsetting voluntary agreement with AI labs. โย The U.K.โs own mini-summit kicks off in London. Good morning and happy Tuesday, This is Tom, coming to you from a cold press room in [โฆ]