European Union

King Charles III has delivered his throne speech at the opening of the new parliament in the Canadian capital of Ottawa. Although he didn't make direct reference to President Donald Trump's proposal to make Canada the 51st state of the US, his speech contained a few side blows. "The true north is indeed strong and free," said the British monarch in reference to Canada's national anthem. Commentators discuss the royal visit.

IETA welcomes the EU-UK ETS linkage announcement, highlighting its benefits for all. We call for swift negotiations and mutual CBAM exemptions before January 2026, when the EU’s CBAM enters full force

The massive blackout on April 28 exposed critical weaknesses in Iberia’s isolated power grid, triggering multi-agency probes and urgent calls for EU energy integration.

Written by Costica Dumbrava.

The development of the Schengen area is one of the major achievements of European integration. The removal of checks on persons at the Schengen states’ internal borders greatly facilitates the exercise of the EU freedoms of movement, which brings significant social and economic benefits.

The Schengen area has come under increased stress in the past decade, owing to multiple challenges relating to increased migration into the EU, threats to internal security and the COVID‑19 pandemic. In response to these challenges, many Schengen states decided to reintroduce checks at some or all of their internal borders. Despite the prescribed temporary nature of such measures, several Schengen states have prolonged these checks for years on end. The number of Schengen states with checks at internal borders reached its peak (18 states) during the first wave of the pandemic. In May 2025, 11 Schengen states had checks at internal borders owing to serious threats related to irregular migration and/or internal security.

The Schengen area has expanded gradually in the past three decades and is now composed of 29 countries. In January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania were the latest two countries to fully join the Schengen area, 18 years after their accession to the EU. Cyprus is also legally bound to join the Schengen area, but the evaluation procedure for its full accession is still ongoing.

This briefing presents key recent figures and developments in the Schengen area, focusing on the Schengen states’ measures to reintroduce checks at internal borders, and on the current situation regarding the completion of the Schengen area. This is an update of a briefing originally published in December 2023.

Read the complete briefing on ‘State of the Schengen area‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Timeline of Schengen enlargement Cumulative period of checks at Schengen states’ internal borders over the 2006-2025 period (in days) Number of Schengen states with checks at their internal borders (2014-2025)

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read an exclusive interview with Henna Virkkunen, how MAGA weighs into the Polish presidential election, and so much more.

Women’s entrepreneurship is a dynamic and growing force that is making an increasingly significant contribution to innovation and economic progress in the European Union. Despite this, persistent gender imbalances limit women’s participation in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Pride or prejudice? The Commission faces backlash after Euractiv revealed it advised Commissioners to avoid Budapest Pride, raising questions about its commitment to EU values.

The Commission plans to introduce a "simplified and predictable pan-EU harmonised access" framework, a slide reads.

An internal advisory note from the EU's military committee suggested rethinking how NATO and EU authority overlap on defence.

Ireland’s new dementia registry will lean on the European Health Data Space to enable integration across the healthcare system.

"Not only size matters", Virkkunen said, contradicting her senior Commission officials.

If you take Spain's initiative to its logical conclusion, you quickly see how tonto it was from the get-go.

The European Commission president has made her sharpest rebuke yet of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Several EU countries had asked for "more time and more information", a Spanish government spokesperson said.

Bulgaria’s psychiatric sector is crippled by an ageing workforce, with doctors routinely working 12-hour shifts, often left alone to care for hundreds of patients, and paid €1,550 per month.

South Korea’s nuclear gains in Europe are under pressure, as rising friction threatens to short-circuit further expansion.

Europaeum, a Hungarian project aiming to promote European identity, values, and unity has won the 2025 European Charlemagne Youth Prize.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

EU agriculture ministers are challenging a lead ban proposal, injecting defence rhetoric into a debate over hunting and fishing gear.