Euractiv.com

Dear readers, Welcome to EU Politics Decoded, where Benjamin Fox and Eleonora Vasques bring you a round-up of the latest political news in Europe and beyond every Thursday. This edition is curated by Eleonora, as Benjamin is currently on paternity...

Despite efforts by the EU to make public authorities consider work conditions when choosing contractors for public orders, most public contracts are still awarded to the lowest bidders, a study by the European Parliament shows.

EU leaders are on Thursday (26 October) expected to call for the establishment of 'humanitarian corridors and pauses' to ensure aid can make its way into the Gaza Strip, after days of wrangling over wording that highlighted divisions within the bloc over the Israel-Hamas war.

While the Spanish EU Council Presidency reaffirmed its commitment to address gender-based violence, the European Parliament’s rapporteurs are not so confident and do not expect an agreement this year.

Bulgarian insurer Eurohold made public its intention on Thursday (26 October) to sue Romania to the tune of €500 million if the case of the "hostile takeover" of Euroins, its Romanian unit, is not solved to the satisfaction of the Bulgarian side.

Israel said its ground forces had pushed into Gaza in the night to Thursday (26 October) to attack Hamas targets as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "preparing for a ground invasion" that could be one of several.

Following the first negotiating session on the European Media Freedom Act, the Spanish presidency of the EU Council of Ministers on Wednesday (25 October) briefed national delegations about the first compromise reached and where tension with the European Parliament is expected.

Join us as we delve into the Brussels Effect, a term coined by Professor Anu Bradford, which refers to the European Union’s unique ability to regulate and set standards that influence companies and markets worldwide. The EU’s influence is especially...

Slovakia is stopping military aid to Ukraine, the country's freshly sworn-in pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Thursday (26 October) in a move likely to cause tensions with his European counterparts at an EU summit in Brussels later in the day.

EPR has been widely recognized and celebrated as being an effective way of making producers responsible for products (and their subsequent waste) they produce. On the one hand, based on a partnership between companies, municipalities and waste managers, it allows the financing of the public service of waste management by producers, while reinforcing its efficiency. On the other hand, it could generally encourage companies to enter a circular economy logic in the design of their products thanks to instruments like eco-modulation, thereby favoring products with a smaller environmental footprint.

The Council of the EU approved on Wednesday (25 October) its position on the revision of safety and quality standards of substances of human origin (SoHO), which has been welcomed by patients' associations and parliamentarians. 

Lawmakers in the European Parliament’s environment committee voted on Tuesday (24 October) their position on a new law to tackle packaging waste in Europe as discussions become increasingly fraught.

Speaking on the sidelines of a World Health Organisation conference in Astana, a European Commission official praised Kazakhstan's "impressive" efforts to improve its healthcare but recognised that similar long-term efforts can be challenging for many developing countries that struggle with funding.

The EU has fallen behind the US and China in terms of economic growth and innovation, the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) warns in its latest paper, calling for a deeper integration of the EU's single market, a capital markets union, and better incentives to invest in Europe.

Global carmaker Stellantis said Thursday (26 October) it will buy a 20% stake in Chinese electric car maker Leapmotor, making it the latest European brand seeking a foothold in the country's highly competitive market via partnerships with local manufacturers.

Russia's parliament completed the passage of a law on Wednesday (25 October) withdrawing ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests, evidence of the deep chill in relations with the United States as Moscow pursues its war in Ukraine.

This week the Beyond the Byline podcast takes a deep dive into the global rules governing warfare – or international humanitarian law, as it’s officially called. The rules, established in the wake of the Second World War, seek to limit...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Russian drone attack early on Wednesday (25 October) in the western Khmelnitskyi region had probably targeted the area's nuclear power station.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Von der Leyen responding to the EU staff letter on her Israel stance, Fiala’s plans to push the EU Council to support Israel’s right to self-defence and condemn Hamás, and so much more.

EU leaders on Thursday (26 October) are expected to call for a ‘humanitarian pause’ in fighting between Israel and Hamas, but the bloc remains divided over the exact wording. After days of negotiations, the latest summit draft communiqué expects EU...