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NATO member states' failure to spend more on defence may threaten its ability to defend and deter aggression, NATO's Military Committee chief warned on Wednesday (10 May), as the alliance redesigns its plans ahead of July's Vilnius Summit.

In a parliamentary debate on the European Commission’s proposal for new fiscal rules, EU lawmakers offered views diverging widely along both ideological and national lines, putting the Parliament’s ability to make its voice heard in the upcoming negotiations in doubt.

EU lawmakers expressed concerns over the EU budget’s capacity to repay funds borrowed for the coronavirus recovery plan without new sources of income, calling on the European Commission to consider new streams of revenue.

Several EU countries are blocking agreement on a new law to promote sustainable product design in an unfolding dispute over whether to include a ban on destroying unsold textiles.

Qualified majority voting could become a bulwark against Russia and Poland should lead the movement towards it, writes Pierre Haroche.

Many things have been called the “new oil” - data, water and hydrogen among them. But as the world wants to reduce harmful CO2 emissions, the one that probably comes closest is electric power.

Last week, EU health ministers gathered in Sweden to discuss accessibility to drugs at a time when shortages of medicines across the bloc are still perceived as a tangible threat that could materialise at any moment.

As temperatures begin to climb across Europe ahead of the peak of the summer holiday season it is worth considering the scale of the challenge we face in cooling our homes, our businesses and, indeed, the foods and beverages we consume.

New EU legislation marks a watershed in aviation climate regulation, acknowledging both the need to tackle the non-CO2 effects of flying and the safety challenges posed to air transport by climate change, writes Denis Bilyarski.

A series of measures were presented by the French government on Tuesday (9 May) to fight tax fraud committed by both individuals and multinationals, though it lacks ambition and fails to tackle the problem at its roots, experts warn.

A Ukrainian military unit said on Wednesday (10 May) it had routed a Russian infantry brigade from territory near Bakhmut, claiming to confirm an account by the head of Russia's Wagner private army that the Russian forces had fled.

The General Court of the EU announced on Wednesday (10 May) that the European Commission was mistaken in permitting Germany to provide state aid to airline Lufthansa during the COVID-19 pandemic, legally annulling the decision.

The European Commission on Wednesday (10 May) launched the first round of tenders for gas sellers to link with EU buyers on the joint gas purchasing platform to help maintain security of supply and tackle high energy prices.

Products available in school canteens should take into account children’s dietary restrictions such as food intolerances and allergies, which may include plant-based alternatives, lawmakers said - an issue which has proved divisive among stakeholders. 

The EU needs to continue to adopt new sanctions on Russia and work to ensure they are not circumvented, writes Anrike Visser.

A new legislative initiative is being discussed in Paris that would implement landmark EU legislation but also introduce new proposals on digital fraud, online harassment, child protection, media bans, and cloud switching.

The animal welfare legislation is under revision and some voices are questioning the economic feasibility of the changes benefiting animals. The main arguments are that it would be too expensive for farmers and consumers, but is that really the case?

 

An important piece of EU legislation outlawing products linked to deforestation is in the making, but its effect on the EU’s trade policy is far from certain, writes Piter Cleppe.

Berlin’s push for an EU-wide electricity tariff for industry has underlined the complex web of energy taxation and compensation schemes currently in place across the European Union, writes Nikolaus J. Kurmayer.

A group of MEPs advises the EU executive to proclaim 2024 as a European year of 'sustainable and resilient food systems' in a letter seen by EURACTIV.