European Union

Waadtländer Derby im Cup-Achtelfinal: Lausanne trifft am Mittwochabend auswärts auf den nördlichen Nachbarn und Rivalen Yverdon (20.30 Uhr). Trainer Zeidler spricht darüber, was das Ziel in diesem Wettbewerb ist – und was er mit «Wahnsinn» meint.

The Digital Services Act investigation will also look at whether each platform's users can report child sexual abuse material anonymously

Written by Ivana Katsarova.

Energy drinks, widely marketed as performance-enhancing products, contain high levels of caffeine, sugar and stimulants such as taurine and guarana. Rising and excessive consumption among adolescents has raised public health concerns linked to acute cardiovascular effects, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal issues. Although the global energy drink market is expanding rapidly, these beverages still represent a small share of the EU non-alcoholic drinks market. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consumption data indicate that adolescents are the age group with the highest consumption of energy drinks, with some of them being high chronic users.

At EU level, no product-specific legislation exists. However, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires a mandatory high-caffeine warning label. Industry bodies such as UNESDA (representing the non-alcoholic beverages sector) and Energy Drinks Europe apply voluntary marketing restrictions, particularly concerning children. National rules vary widely. Several EU countries – including Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria – have introduced bans on sales to minors, while others rely on voluntary retail measures.

Outside the EU, diverse regulatory models exist, from strict bans to voluntary guidelines. The European Commission considers EFSA’s 2015 scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine sufficient and sees no need for additional EU-level action at this stage.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Energy drinks consumption in minors: EU and national approaches‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

In a town built on overlapping careers and intricate social networks, the appearance of conflict of interest can be nearly as corrosive as the real thing

Some MEPs want to accept the Commission's proposal unchanged, while others are pushing for substantial amendments

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Okamura made clear that the new Czech leadership wants Slovakia as a political partner inside the EU

European People’s Party backs move to ‘simplify’ green investment taxonomy

“We cannot allow air passenger rights to be curtailed," the liberal lawmaker Jan-Christoph Oetjen said

Civil Guard associations say the state has failed to provide adequate resources for units combating transnational drug networks

The report hints at measures to prevent below-cost selling

Own resources, European Competitiveness Fund, EU administration, Erasmus

In this interview, Ruud Tombrock, Executive Director of Humane World for Animals Europe, outlines the organisation’s mission to build a world where animals are free from suffering. He introduces HWA’s work by highlighting the scale of intensive farming in Europe and the growing impact of global crises on animal welfare, offering a clear picture of […]

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Belgium is reducing mononational clinical trial approval timelines by 27 days per application