European news on politics, society, security, economy and cross-border developments across the continent.
As Ireland assumes the EU Council presidency, its military is unable to protect either its European partners or itself. According to the FAZ, security arrangements for ministerial meetings in Dublin reveal significant gaps in Irish defense.
European Council President António Costa will begin a tour of EU member state capitals on 25 August to discuss the bloc's future and support for Ukraine, according to European Pravda. Security, defense, and EU enlargement are among the topics on the agenda.
The European Union has taken a major step forward with its satellite project. The SpaceRISE consortium and the European Commission have signed an implementation agreement for IRIS².
Following the mass influx into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, EU interior ministers are holding a special session on border protection, Schengen, and migration policy. As ZDFheute reports, the situation on the ground has calmed down, but the political dispute has only just begun.
The European Parliament has approved new air passenger rights. Parents will soon be able to reserve seats next to their children free of charge, and ticket prices must be clearly displayed.
Russian wood products continue to enter the Czech market despite EU sanctions. According to Guild Hall, the goods are declared as imports from China using forged documents.
The German government is calling for a drastic reduction of around €400 billion in the EU's financial framework for 2028 to 2034.
EU member states have agreed on stricter rules against online child sexual abuse. Among other things, AI-generated abuse content and deepfakes will now be uniformly punished.
The European Parliament has approved the controversial tariff agreement with the US by a broad majority, but included a safety net that can suspend EU concessions if the US violates the terms.
After the EU Parliament voted on stricter asylum laws, several lawmakers chanted 'Send them back.' According to Spiegel, Swedish MEP Abir Al-Sahlani said she had never felt so unsafe in the chamber.
A two-day EU summit begins in Brussels today. According to Deutschlandfunk, the agenda includes budget, Ukraine, the Middle East and competitiveness.
EU member states may require effective age controls from porn platforms, even if the providers are based in another EU country. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Tuesday.
The European Union has agreed on a reform of air passenger rights that includes free seat reservations for families and more transparent ticket pricing, as reported by Die Zeit.
The European Union officially opened accession negotiations with Ukraine on Tuesday evening in Luxembourg. The first negotiation cluster covers justice, fundamental values and security.
EU member states have dropped their demand to restrict airline passenger rights. According to Deutschlandfunk, compensation for delays of three hours or more remains in place.
The new Common European Asylum System (GEAS) takes effect this Friday. According to FAZ, it could reduce the number of irregular migrants but will not bring a complete halt.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that private individuals in the EU have a right to a basic bank account even if they are on a US sanctions list, as reported by Tagesschau.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has drawn red lines for the next multiannual financial framework ahead of the EU summit on June 18-19. According to Euronews, she rejects rebates for individual countries and demands equal special treatment for Italy if the practice continues.
A group of European countries is pushing the EU to tighten entry requirements for Russian tourists. According to the Kyiv Post, the states consider current rules too lax given Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
The EU wants to set up deportation centers in third countries and send rejected asylum seekers there. Migration researcher Birgit Glorius considers this approach highly problematic, according to a report by Spiegel.
Viktor Orbán has frequently blackmailed the EU with his veto, yet the principle of unanimity remains indispensable. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, there are significant reasons not to abolish this construct.
The European Commission has introduced new rules aimed at enabling a unified ticket booking system for train travel across Europe by the end of the decade.
European countries are expected to source 80 percent of their liquefied gas imports from the US by 2028, posing risks to energy supply in Europe.
EU negotiators have reached a consensus on new rules to boost the production of essential medicines in Europe and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
The EU aims to expand drug production in Europe to avoid shortages and reduce dependencies.
The European Commission is set to hold discussions with representatives of the Taliban regime in Brussels, focusing on the deportation of migrants without residency status in the EU.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visited Chisinau on May 8, emphasizing the need for rapid accession negotiations for Moldova. She stated that the breakaway region of Transnistria would not hinder Moldova's path to EU membership.
The newly elected Hungarian parliament met in Budapest for its inaugural session and chose Péter Magyar as prime minister, marking a swift political rise following his election victory over Viktor Orbán, according to reports.