Euobserver.com

Proofing European security against Russian aggression must include more than just military hardware: equally pivotal is the improvement and expansion of the continent's critical transport infrastructure. European policymakers have been aware of this need since at least 2017.

Unpaid internships "reduce social mobility, because depending on the socio-economic level of your family, you will have more or less difficulty in accessing the labour market," warns María Rodríguez, president of the European Youth Forum.

Europe's first mainland satellite launch port is taking shape amid promises to launch reusable rockets. But the Sami, a local indigenous population, are increasingly worried about the spreading of the militarisation of the Articic.

MEPs on Wednesday are set to choose a new parliament vice-president following the removal of MEP Eva Kaili, who has been arrested over on Qatar corruption allegations.

All the articles you should not have missed this week.

"The idea behind it is for traineeships to be a transition to the labour market, not for young people to be doing traineeships until they are 30 years old", one leading MEP warned.

New year, new Swedish leadership in the European Council. And in 2023 political pariahs, once associated with violent racists and swastika-wearing Nazi sympathisers, are dangerously close to the helm.

Half a kilometre down a mine some 150km north of the article circle, Sweden's centre-right energy and industry minister Ebba Busch holds up a large rock of iron ore.

Even those EU citizens who have not encountered a lot of difficulties are worried about the cost of living (91 percent), with 96 percent of those who deal with difficulties most of the time worried too.

Free-market Sweden was scrambling as it took over the EU presidency this week to defuse ever more explosive calls for EU state subsidies — to match the Joe Biden's US Inflation Reduction Act.

As Europe ushers in 2023, attention will soon turn to the most pivotal known unknowns of the year ahead. Spain, which will hold national parliamentary elections in December, is worth watching closely.

The European Parliament is set to unveil proposals to crack down on corruption following the on-going scandal over alleged Qatari and Morocco influence peddling.

Sweden is demanding Hungary ratify its Nato accession, following fears Budapest may leverage rule of law and frozen EU funds in exchange.

EU countries should consider a new round of Russian diplomatic expulsions, Estonia has said after ejecting 21 more Russians.

The Berlin Forum showed for a successful German foreign and defence policy, Berlin needs to make some difficult decisions on what price they are ready to pay for peace, and also learn how to communicate and execute those decisions.

The European Commission is hoping to mitigate regional and industry-specific labour shortages with the launch of a new mechanism to facilitate the arrival of workers from third countries.

Emmanuel Macron's government has proposed to raise France's pension age from 62 to 64 and abolish sweetheart pension deals that allow public-sector workers to retire in their fifties. It's about time. France is late to raise its retirement age.

Turkey and Sweden have hit a wall in talks on Nato accession, with some predicting Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won't give way till July.

A European 'Foreign Agents Registration Act' would systematically expose the countless lobbyists and influence-peddlers on foreign powers' payrolls, giving Europeans an idea of which countries are lobbying most aggressively and toward what goals.

Dutch media authorities have granted a broadcasting license to TV Rain, a Russian news channel suspended in Russia and then also forced to leave Latvia following a row over its coverage of the Ukraine war.