European Union

The European Commission has sent a supplementary letter of formal notice to Hungary regarding the 35-year motorway concession, stating that the government circumvented open procurement procedures and violated EU rules on public procurement and concessions. The Commission argues that the operational risks were not adequately transferred to the concessionaire, and the contract duration exceeds permitted limits.

Muted enthusiasm for this week’s US-EU trade agreement did little to dispel concerns that the US has unfinished business with Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda had given Paluckas on July 24 two weeks to respond to the corruption allegations or quit

Rapid implementation of Sunday's EU-US trade deal is especially critical for Europe's beleaguered car manufacturers, who currently face a 27.5% duty on exports to the US

“Using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime,” the country's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said

The move marks another success for the code, with only Meta dancing out of line.

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about the EU-US deal pitting surrenderists against Machiavellians, Parliament eyeing fixes for no-shows, Eurozone growth beating expectations, the Austrian envoy resigning over a sex blog, and a fresh censure threat for VDL.

Amid warnings of Russian interference, Moldova has been offered Romanian technical expertise to counter cyber and disinformation threats ahead of its 28 September election.

France and Slovakia’s top court have dismissed Robert Fico’s claims that foreign envoys tried to sway a ruling on a controversial NGO law, denouncing the Slovak PM’s accusations as baseless attacks on judicial independence.

With media outlets in Kosovo and the region increasingly concentrated in the hands of major business moguls, journalists say censorship to protect the owners’ interests has become ‘the norm’

Europe may have dodged a trade war with the US, but without urgent electricity market reform, its industrial competitiveness remains dangerously exposed to fossil fuel volatility. 

Contaminated oil with high levels of organic chlorides has entered Czechia, but officials say refinery operations and fuel supplies will remain unaffected as the crude is gradually blended and safely processed.

Disagreements over steel, pharma, and alcohol exports "reflect the extremely short time-frame and generally chaotic nature of the deal – if you want to call it that, because it’s not really a deal,” one analyst noted

Brussels wants smokers to pay more – but rising prices are sparking political resistance across the bloc

Polish authorities say a Colombian arsonist recruited via Telegram by Russian intelligence is linked to a wider European sabotage campaign and is now in Czech custody.

Italy summoned Russia’s envoy after top officials, including President Mattarella, were branded “Russophobes” on a Kremlin blacklist that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed as propaganda.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1110 of 28 May 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses.

An enormous leap in spending on American defence materials was inevitable. So why not let Trump spin it as a big political win.

An enormous leap in spending on American defence materials was inevitable. So why not let Trump spin it as a big political win.

AI is now present in all aspects of life. It’s affecting the way humans think and behave.