European Union

Statement made by President António Costa at the press conference following the inauguration of the First EU-Brazil Investment Forum.

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about the EU potentially banning kids from social media, the Commission wanting Emiratis off money laundering list, the Slovak parliament backing an anti-Russian sanctions stance – by accident, and so much more.

Czech officials are keen to avoid a repeat of the situation in Romania, where TikTok played a role in amplifying the pro-Kremlin candidate Calin Georgescu.

Low turnout could sink five Italian referendums – and the government may not mind.

Hilary Benn did not give a timeline for a final sanitary and phytosanitary deal to ease trade frictions.

A surprise pro-Russia resolution passed Slovakia’s parliament with just 51 votes—after the opposition accidentally helped it through by walking out too soon.

Switzerland’s glacier collapse is a chilling sign of Europe’s warming crisis – and a warning for alpine communities.

“What certainly is not happening is that the EU will say: ‘Oh, it’s too bad that it's not working with the US, we're just going to switch to China',” Trade Minister Michał Baranowski told Euractiv.

There had been tense anticipation in Berlin about Merz's first visit to Washington.

Three weeks before the EU referendum, Sir John Major issued a stark warning to the British people.

On 5 June 2016, the former Conservative Prime Minister appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show and accused the Leave campaign of being “fundamentally dishonest” and “verging on the squalid.”

He warned that the public was being fed “a whole galaxy of inaccurate and frankly untrue information.” He was angry. Rightly so.

John Major called out the key flaw at the heart of the Brexit campaign: it was all promise, no plan.

“What they have NOT done is to tell us what would be the position if we were to vote to leave.”

That line rings louder with each passing year.

He dismissed claims that Brexit would boost jobs and trade as pure fantasy. “We would lose a huge amount in terms of national income through trade,” he said – because UK businesses would sell less to the EU’s Single Market.

He foresaw the damage. He foresaw the deceit. And he made it clear who would suffer most:

“the everyday man and woman in the street.”

John Major wasn’t alone. Many of those who understood how the EU works tried to sound the alarm. But the truth was drowned out by slogans and misinformation – and by Brexiters who refused to say what would happen if they won.

And now? Everything he warned of has happened – and worse. There’s been no trade boom, only red tape. No £350 million a week for the NHS, just staff shortages and collapsing services. And far from taking back control, the UK is isolated, its influence diminished.

• Watch the video. Hear his words. And ask: what if we’d listened?

• Join the discussion about this post on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, BlueSky

• Transcript of full John Major interview

The post John Major saw the lies of Brexit – and told us appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

EU countries backed a deal to gut flight delay compensation in a move that sparked outrage from consumer groups and MEPs.

In the face of existential challenges, keeping the Eurosceptic tally at two, not three, can prove crucial. For this, Brussels could sooner suffer Nawrocki’s victory in Poland than Simion's in Romania.

Tensions between Georgia and the EU have steadily escalated since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the 2023 parliamentary elections.

French agriculture fears resurface as Brazil pushes to finalise the EU-Mercosur deal.

Find out about ten practical steps to identify disinformation, protect those around you and strengthen democratic resilience against manipulation.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Length of video : 75'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Commission v Zippo Manufacturing and Others
External relations
2020 EU-US Tariff Dispute: Advocate General Ćapeta - the Commission did not violate Zippo’s right to be heard

Pumpyanskiy v Council
External relations
Freezing of funds: AG Medina considers the criterion for the inclusion of leading businesspersons on the restrictive measures lists, following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, to be lawful

Commission v Hungary
Freedom of establishment
EU values: Advocate General Ćapeta considers that, by prohibiting or restricting access to LGBTI content, Hungary infringed EU law

Commission v Greece
Environment and consumers
For the first time, the Court finds that Greece has failed to update the flood risk management plans for 14 river basin districts