European Union

KU Leuven is breaking fresh ground after 600 years.

If enlargement is a geopolitical game, the Balkans want to play ball.

4.6 billion items are sent to EU households annually, with many coming from China.

EU countries could deport asylum seekers to states they merely transited through - or even to places they’ve never set foot in - so long as a bilateral agreement or informal arrangement exists.

The crisis intervention force "will allow Europe to act faster when crises erupt”, the EU's top diplomat told reporters.

Parliament’s draft assessment of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report paints a worrying picture about the state of European values.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Parliament’s draft assessment of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report paints a worrying picture about the state of European values.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The new law criminalises paid online sexual services, including cam shows and sex chats.

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 21 - 22 May plenary session on Wednesday at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 21 - 22 May plenary session on Wednesday at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Newsletter - 21-22 May 2025 - Brussels plenary session

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

During the 2025 IDU Forum in Brussels, leading figures of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party convened to define a strategic framework for long-term centre-right cooperation in Europe, highlighting democratic legitimacy, institutional responsibility, and policy-driven transnational engagement.

Concerned about relentless cuts to 24/7 acute care in small Swedish hospitals, doctors are voicing opposition to the government’s haphazard approach.

Despite delays and limited outreach, Bulgaria’s EU-funded assistive technology programme offers life-changing support to people with disabilities. NGOs are calling for broader access and long-term sustainability.

The European Commission is focusing on building a strong European Health Union with the aim of improving the resilience of Europe’s health systems and better protecting the health of its citizens. A key component will be equipping the EU and its Member States to better prevent and address health crises, as well as the harmonisation of health services across the EU.

Written by Marie Lecerf.

Menstrual poverty, defined as insufficient access to menstrual hygiene products and facilities, affects an estimated 10 % of the half of the EU population who menstruate, with a higher prevalence among people with a low income, refugees, young people, and people with disabilities. Studies from Belgium, France, Germany, and Spain highlight the economic burden menstruation imposes, particularly on vulnerable persons. The COVID‑19 pandemic exacerbated this issue by disrupting supply chains and intensifying financial strains.

To address menstrual poverty, the European Union has facilitated access to menstrual hygiene products primarily through fiscal reform. The revision of the EU VAT Directive introduced greater flexibility for Member States to apply reduced or zero VAT rates to female sanitary products, shifting their classification from luxury to essential goods. Practices remain quite divergent, with some Member States, such as Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, adopting a zero rate, while others, such as Hungary, Sweden and Denmark, maintain standard rates.

EU funding programmes such as Erasmus+ and ESF+ have indirectly supported menstrual health initiatives through education, social inclusion, and material assistance projects. Partnerships with non-governmental organisations, such as the Red Cross, have helped distribute products to marginalised groups. Likewise, numerous local initiatives in Member States increasingly provide free menstrual products in schools, universities, and public spaces.

The European Parliament recognises menstrual poverty as a gender equality issue and calls for greater access to free menstrual products. Members continue to urge Member States and the European Commission to introduce concrete initiatives to combat period poverty.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Addressing menstrual poverty in the EU‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

"Our current budget was designed for a world which no longer exists," von der Leyen said.

The step is seen as another attempt to give the country a chance at economic recovery after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in January.

Supporters of Comté argue that its production standards are already among the most environmentally ambitious in Europe and view the criticism as part of a broader attack on livestock farming.

It aims to better equip the world for the next pandemic, but further negotiations are expected to last another year.