European Union

The EU Commission is also taking legal action in another case, where it says China is restricting European companies' rights over their high-tech patents.

EU governments are set to use next week’s pre-Christmas summit in Brussels to formally kill off plans for transnational lists and Spitzenkandidaten, or lead candidates, at the next European elections in 2024. 

In its presentation of the external dimension of the European Health Union, the EU executive introduced a new buzzword - 'health sovereignty'. However, once you scratch the surface, little new remains.

Russia's ally Belarus said it was moving troops to counteract what it called a threat of terrorism, amid signs Moscow could be putting pressure on its loyal client to open a new front in the war against Ukraine.

A new EU Commission bill wants to ensure the rights of a child from same sex couples are upheld in all EU states — at a time of backsliding of LGBTI+ rights in Poland and Hungary.

Anybody who thought that December’s pre-Christmas summit would be a perfect opportunity to gently wind down with mulled wine, lebkuchen, and panettone will be cruelly disappointed. Instead, the stage is set for a multi-billion euro battle royale between Hungary and, it appears, the rest of the EU. 

With the medical device regulation transitional period set to end in May 2024, stakeholders and politicians warning of potential shortages.

Some members of the European Parliament (MEP) and stakeholders are pushing for an EU directive to improve pay and working conditions for trainees across the bloc as well as better data collection on the quality of young Europeans' traineeships.

WhatsApp Ireland v European Data Protection Board
Law governing the institutions
The General Court dismisses as inadmissible the action brought by WhatsApp against a decision of the European Data Protection Board

European motorists could find Russian diesel in their tanks even after bans take effect because regulators lack tools to trace the origin of fuel when it has passed through other countries.

The European Commission proposed new rules on Wednesday (7 December) to make sure parentage links established in one EU member state are recognised anywhere across the Union.

A new EU Council’s text puts Software-as-a-Service outside of the scope of the Cyber Resilience Act, while the European Commission clarified the legal basis would not allow for it.

The EU on Wednesday (7 December) escalated disputes with China to the WTO, requesting panels be assembled to hear cases over trade restrictions on Lithuania and on legal recourses for EU patent holders.

From the outset, arms manufacturers eyed this war as a profitable business opportunity. Structural changes took place across the EU, not only to fast-track arms to Ukraine, but also to make more public finance available to the highly-lucrative arms industry.

A surprise deal struck by EU legislators early Wednesday morning (7 December) affirms that the tax on aviation carbon emissions will continue to apply only to flights within Europe, a blow to environmental campaigners who had lobbied for complete coverage.

Germany on Wednesday (7 December) detained 25 members and supporters of a far-right group that prosecutors said were preparing a violent overthrow of the state, with some members suspected of plotting an armed attack on the parliament.

The citizens who were at the core of the Conference on the Future of Europe's work questioned the EU institutions at a follow-up event in Brussels.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

The citizens who were at the core of the Conference on the Future of Europe's work questioned the EU institutions at a follow-up event in Brussels.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

At the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, EU leaders have affirmed their determination to accelerate the EU accession process for the Western Balkan states. A precondition for integration is "credible reforms" in Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo, as well as their support for sanctions against Russia. According to the summit's final declaration, the Balkan states will also receive one billion euros to tackle the energy crisis. What further steps are needed?