European Union

On the very first episode of our daily podcast Today in the EU, we are taking a deep dive into the upcoming European Parliamentary elections.

The US and EU are supplying the most weapons to the Middle East, including to Israel, as the Gaza war threatens to ignite a regional conflict.

In a bid to stem massive layoffs in Sweden’s emergency hospitals, the Swedish government wants to allocate an extra €530 million to the health sector. But the opposition and Swedens regions say it's not enough.

Fresh from a company merger, Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget came to Brussels with an important ask – to create a level playing field for biosolutions; arguing it makes no sense to treat enzymes and proteins as if they were manmade.

Bulgaria's lack of a comprehensive strategy for rare diseases now poses a serious risk to patient health. Insufficient screening has left Bulgarians with rare diseases diagnosed late, or not at all, while fewer orphan drugs are available on average.

Belgian MEP Frederique Ries has proposed tailoring market exclusivity periods for orphan drugs to foster innovation, advocating a 12-year exclusivity period for orphan drug indications lacking authorised medicinal products in the EU.

In this week's edition: A European defence battle, a Nordic security shift and more.

Armenia is considering applying for European Union membership, foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Friday (8 March), as it seeks to forge closer ties with the West in the face of tensions with traditional ally Russia.

False GPS signals that deceive on-board plane systems and complicate the work of airline pilots are surging near conflict zones, industry employees and officials said.

A defiant and bitter Donald Trump returned on Saturday (9 March) to the state where he faces criminal charges for undermining the 2020 US presidential election, looking to win the battleground of Georgia as a stepping-stone to taking back the presidency.

US, French and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area overnight and on Saturday (9 March) after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and US destroyers in the region, the US military said in a statement.

A year after promising a series of 'cash for migrant control' deals with north African states, the deals are taking shape — but the EU's rhetoric is noticeably softer.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Weekly schedule of President Charles Michel, 11–17 March 2024

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Press briefing ahead of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will take place on 11 March at 10.15. The briefing will be "off the record".

The Council and European Parliament sealed a deal on a proposed EU law related to the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters.

Member states' EU ambassadors agreed on the Council's negotiating mandate on the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.

Press briefing ahead of the upcoming Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy) will take place on Friday 8 March 2024 at 15.00.

The special meeting of the European Council will take place on 17 and 18 April in the Europa building in Brussels.