Euractiv.com

The US will impose sanctions on over 500 targets on Friday (23 February) in action marking the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Deputy US Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia and Forza Italia voted against a proposal tabled by government partner Matteo Salvini’s Lega to have three instead of the current maximum two terms for regional governors and mayors of certain municipalities, with Lega already asking parliament to deliver an opinion on the matter.

French Communist and Green lawmakers have called on EU lawmakers to oppose in next week’s vote the introduction of new permits for driving tractors as part of the revised EU driving licence directive.

The government of Prime Minister Robert Fico has reinstated the statute of limitations for violent crimes and withdrawn a bill that would have weakened whistleblower protection, effectively backtracking on its initial controversial proposals to reform the penal code following criticism from the European Commission and nationwide protests.

In a historic move, Latvia’s parliament approved a ban on agricultural imports from Russia and Belarus on Thursday until at least 2025, making it the first EU country to do so.

Far-right pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane has joined the far-right Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament, deputies from the Eurosceptic Bulgarian party announced on Wednesday after visiting Moscow at the invitation of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party.

As Ukraine enters its third year of war, the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlighted the importance of continuing to provide medical and social support to refugees and called for a strong political commitment from the EU.

As Russia’s war on Ukraine enters its third year, Europeans face difficult questions about how to approach the next twelve months and sustain their support to give Kyiv the tools it needs to drive back Russian forces. 

European Parliament is refining its position on two new proposals in ongoing pharmaceutical package deliberations. Czech MEP, Kateřina Konečná, favours Commission’s proposal for a regulatory data protection period while criticizing shift to digital medicine leaflets.

Europe’s 340 million pets are unlikely to swing this year’s European elections, though with cats, one can never be sure. Jennifer Baker looks at Europe’s animal-related policy dynamics and how they could influence June’s electoral mix.

The EIT Summit 2024, which took place on 20 February, revealed the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s (EIT) ambition to harness the power of the sun, focusing on solar technology innovation and the training of thousands of solar engineers.

Trade between the European Union and Russia kept sliding in the final quarter of 2023, as Brussels continues efforts to decouple itself from Moscow in the lead-up to the second anniversary of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

The EU executive proposed measures to loosen monitoring, controls and environmental requirements to alleviate the administrative burden of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on growers and member states, according to a document seen by Euractiv.

Pressure mounted on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine as lawmakers from his governing coalition voted on Thursday (22 February) for a resolution to deliver “long-range weapon systems” to Ukraine.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski blamed the bloc's “trade and climate policies” for farmers’ discontent after the European Parliament’s agriculture committee called on him to stand up for European farming. 

Addressing Europe’s shortage of affordable housing is crucial to tackling the continent’s cost of living crisis and establishing a viable social market economy, panellists convened by the EPP told a group conference.

"Freedom isn't free" is an idiom used to describe sacrifice during times of crisis, used widely in the US to express gratitude to the military for defending freedom.

The next European Commission that will be appointed after June's EU election will focus on implementing green laws adopted in the current mandate and boost investments in clean tech to meet the EU’s 2030 climate goals, a top official has said.

The new Pact on Migration and Asylum will not only violate human rights, but will also prove to be ineffective for the goals it has been conceived for, writes Gaia Romeo.

EU member states should find ways to increase support to Ukraine, particularly the delivery of badly needed ammunition, the bloc's chief diplomat Josep Borrell urged his counterparts in a letter seen by Euractiv.