European Union

“It would be irresponsible, scandalous and a betrayal of the country to leave things as they are,” Bayrou warned. But his proposals to balance state finances will face tough opposition.

The US president’s “tariff firestorm” should be addressed through the “tools” provided by the WTO-led trading order rather than through unilateral retaliation, a senior official said.

EU lawmakers head to Rome to probe Italy’s spyware scandal, as outrage grows over claims Graphite was used to surveil journalists and activists.

As Pernod Ricard celebrates 50 years since its founding and 30 years in Brussels, Euractiv sits down with CEO Alexandre Ricard to discuss the importance of free trade, the role of the EU, and how a business rooted in geographic origin depends on open global markets to succeed.

Heavy industry is an important part of the European economy. Sectors such as iron and steel, cement, chemicals and mining not only provide essential materials, but also boost European industrial competitiveness.

Written by Saša Butorac.

The modernisation and expansion of electricity grids lies at the heart of the EU’s energy transition and decarbonisation efforts. In the context of the rising share of electricity in final energy consumption, there is increasing demand for grid upgrades to accommodate the new generation capacity and to adapt, in particular, to the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Key concerns include ageing infrastructure, investment shortfalls, and regulatory complexities that hinder rapid modernisation of grids and efficient integration of decentralised energy production. Interconnectivity between EU Member States is important to ensure energy security and reliability: the integration of European electricity markets benefits consumers by up to €34 billion every year.

To meet the challenge posed by electricity infrastructure modernisation, various innovative solutions, including the adoption of smart grids, digitalisation, and grid enhancement technologies, should be considered. In addition, ways of increasing private and public sector financing should be explored to meet the challenge of the massive investments that are needed in this sector in the coming decades; methodologies and scenarios for anticipating future needs constitute an essential element in ensuring a cost-effective approach to the development of grids. Globally, electricity grids will need to increase by more than 20 % in length by 2030 to meet energy and climate pledges in time and in full, which requires annual average investment in grids to rise to US$600 billion from around US$300 billion today, according to the International Energy Agency.

Concerning supply chain risks, the need for resilient and effective grid manufacturing supply chains is recognised by the Net-Zero Industry Act, which designates grid technologies as strategic net-zero technologies. Recognising the critical importance of grids for the EU energy union and economy as a whole, the European Commission came forward with an EU action plan for grids in November 2023, while a new European grids package is expected in the coming months. Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted an own-initiative report on the subject on 13 May 2025.

Read the complete briefing on ‘EU electricity grids‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about Sweden launching an inquiry into stripping gang criminals of citizenship, MEPs heading to Rome demanding clarity on the spyware scandal, and so much more.

Marking a strategic shift from donations to co-production, a €430M tranche of Sweden’s Ukraine aid package will fund air defences, drones, and domestic arms production.

Sweden to summon Israel’s ambassador over blocked Gaza aid, as PM Kristersson urges EU sanctions and a human rights-based review of ties.

Conspiracy theories linking bug protein to Brussels continue to distort facts and fuel political posturing in Slovakia and Czechia.

Newly sworn-in President Nicușor Dan pledged sweeping reform, fiscal discipline, and anti-corruption efforts, while navigating a fractured parliament.

Poland set to build Europe’s largest logistics hub in Sławków, with Tusk tying the €1B project to Ukraine’s reconstruction and Poland’s strategic economic ambitions.

By closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship, the European economy could unlock billions in untapped revenue and regain its potential as a global leader. Discover how adopting entrepreneur-friendly policies for women can strengthen European competitiveness and drive sustainable growth.

At the Nordic summit in Turku, leaders projected unity and defiance, warning Moscow and subtly rebuking Washington while expanding the regional table to include Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

'The rules for tobacco taxation are no longer fit for purpose,' a source told Euractiv.

Fears that AI will decimate newsrooms and cripple the traditional media landscape appear to be exaggerated, for now.

Kazakhstan once accounted for over 27 per cent of global Bitcoin mining - in 2021, it was the second-largest player. Today, it’s charting a steady new course.

Hungary’s export risk exposure has further undermined Orban’s fiscal flexibility while EU recovery and cohesion funds remain frozen.

For cohesion to remain a meaningful instrument of unity, the EU must balance pressure with pragmatism while upholding its core values. This Special Report looks at the road ahead.

Simplifying the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy is much like simplifying a Rubik’s Cube, but the Commission is trying anyway – Euractiv scopes the road ahead.