How close are candidate states to EU membership?
20 Feb EU Institutions
How close are candidate states to EU membership?
As geopolitical pressures rise, EU enlargement is becoming a strategic necessity. With Montenegro advancing and Ukraine’s bid gaining urgency, here’s how accession works — and where candidates stand.
Interview: One year to shape Europe's next long-term budget
18 Feb Member States
Interview: One year to shape Europe's next long-term budget
With negotiations over the EU's next long-term budget slated to wrap up by the end of the year, disagreements over the MFF's design and spending architecture risk delaying a deal, according to MEP Carla Tavares.
Will the EU's new budget deliver for gender equality?
17 Feb EU Institutions
Will the EU's new budget deliver for gender equality?
The EU’s proposed 2028–34 budget expands gender-spending monitoring, but the lack of binding commitments is fueling concern over whether equality will become a genuine funding priority.
Can Europe defy the irresistible appeal of cheap Chinese cars?
11 Feb Economics
Can Europe defy the irresistible appeal of cheap Chinese cars?
As electric vehicles made in China find customers across Europe, Brussels says it wants to save its legacy auto industry. But introducing a "Made in Europe" clause is already sparking a backlash.
Europe’s Russian LNG ban has a shipping loophole
10 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Europe’s Russian LNG ban has a shipping loophole
Specialized LNG tankers that cut through meters of Arctic ice are keeping Russia’s gas exports afloat. With an EU ban looming, there's still no plan for the European-owned ships that make it all possible — raising fears they could be rerouted or end up in Russian hands.
The new EU budget is less ambitious than it looks
09 Feb EU Institutions
The new EU budget is less ambitious than it looks
The European Commission calls it its “most ambitious” spending plan yet, but experts warn that repayments, interest rates and competing priorities may limit what the net strategic sectors actually receive.
At Europe’s borders, AI is testing the limits of EU rights
05 Feb EU Institutions
At Europe’s borders, AI is testing the limits of EU rights
From lie detectors to biometric databases, the EU’s growing use of artificial intelligence in migration control is exposing gaps in its legal framework, and risks blurring the line between border enforcement and internal security.
Ukraine’s satellite wake-up call for Europe
04 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Ukraine’s satellite wake-up call for Europe
Outmatched by Russia in space at the start of the war, Ukraine moved quickly to close the gap using commercial and allied satellites. Its experience is now shaping a consensus in Brussels: without rapid, collective investment in space intelligence, Europe risks entering its next conflict blind.
Can Europe carry more of NATO’s burden?
03 Feb Member States
Can Europe carry more of NATO’s burden?
Washington wants Brussels to do more, without breaking from NATO. But the gap between ambition and capability is forcing hard choices about defense, leadership and the future of the Alliance.
How the EU became a digital colony — and how it might break free
26 Jan EU Institutions
How the EU became a digital colony — and how it might break free
European lawmakers and analysts warn that reliance on US artificial intelligence and digital services is a strategic liability, spurring calls for an EU-made tech stack.
Spain makes the case for more migration
16 Jan Member States
Spain makes the case for more migration
While Europe warns of migrant pressure, Spain uses newcomers to power its economy — and its model is being quietly emulated.
‘We would be foolish if we didn’t use influencers’: The EU's bet on TikTok diplomacy
14 Jan EU Institutions
‘We would be foolish if we didn’t use influencers’: The EU's bet on TikTok diplomacy
Brussels is trying to harness content creators to disseminate its message, reach younger citizens and counter mounting disinformation. But critics say the European Commission is bypassing traditional media at the expense of accountability.
How Washington's visa overhaul could narrow Europe’s tech gap
12 Jan EU Institutions
How Washington's visa overhaul could narrow Europe’s tech gap
A new $100,000 US visa fee could redirect early-career engineers toward the EU — if the bloc can cut red tape and compete on speed.
Greenland’s colonial past could be Washington’s way in
07 Jan Member States
Greenland’s colonial past could be Washington’s way in
Greenland’s legacy of Danish colonialism, forced relocations and cultural trauma may now become the opening Donald Trump needs to pull the island away from Europe’s orbit.
What’s left of Europe’s diplomatic service?
30 Dec 25 Member States
What’s left of Europe’s diplomatic service?
A corruption scandal rocking the European External Action Service is the latest blow to an institution long criticised for its weak grip on the EU’s foreign policy.
Trump’s Belarus gamble is testing Europe’s sanctions faith
26 Dec 25 Foreign & Security Policy
Trump’s Belarus gamble is testing Europe’s sanctions faith
As Washington courts Alexander Lukashenko for prisoner releases and diplomatic leverage, Brussels is left asking whether isolation still works — or whether Europe is being sidelined in shaping Belarus’s future.
The EU wants protectionism. Some members say it will backfire
22 Dec 25 Economics
The EU wants protectionism. Some members say it will backfire
As Brussels advances a ‘Buy Europe’ agenda to shield its struggling industry, a group of EU countries is pushing back to defend free trade.
Why Europe isn’t ready for a return to compulsory military service
18 Dec 25 Member States
Why Europe isn’t ready for a return to compulsory military service
As European countries flirt with conscription and other schemes to recruit new soldiers in order to beef up their defence capabilities, the real issue is actually retention.
COP30’s turning point: No roadmap, no US, no easy wins 
08 Dec 25 Energy & Environment
COP30’s turning point: No roadmap, no US, no easy wins 
With the United States absent and emerging powers asserting themselves, Europe faces a new era when climate progress hinges less on grand agreements and more on coalitions.
Shein's expansion in France underscores Europe's addiction to cheap Chinese goods
04 Dec 25 Member States
Shein's expansion in France underscores Europe's addiction to cheap Chinese goods
With the Chinese fast-fashion firm setting up shop in one of Paris’s landmark department stores, the EU is wrestling with how to protect its ailing textile industry.

Europe’s defence reliance on the US runs deeper than hardware
02 Dec 25 Foreign & Security Policy
Europe’s defence reliance on the US runs deeper than hardware
Europe’s surge in defence spending, layered on to an American-centric security architecture, is deepening its dependence on Washington — just as the continent seeks greater strategic autonomy.
Europe’s uneven rush to rearm
28 Nov 25 Member States
Europe’s uneven rush to rearm
While front-line states have embraced rapid militarisation, major economies like Spain and Italy are still falling short — risking the creation of a two-tier security model.
Securing Europe’s energy sovereignty through resilient electricity networks Partner Content
27 Nov 25 Member States
Securing Europe’s energy sovereignty through resilient electricity networks
MEP Pilar del Castillo hosted the European Utilities Telecom Council (EUTC) annual event at the European Parliament, highlighting the new challenges posed, and opportunities offered by AI and digitalization, and the related outcomes on the future of Europe’s electricity system
The Czech mining town saying ‘no thanks’ to Europe’s critical raw materials push
25 Nov 25 Member States
The Czech mining town saying ‘no thanks’ to Europe’s critical raw materials push
As Brussels races to secure raw materials and cut its reliance on China, it's facing resistance from a Czech region that's thought to hold a significant lithium deposit.