Do you fancy rubbing shoulders with British football legends … and enjoying one of the world’s most idyllic destinations? If so, a soccer academy this summer could be just for you. It will feature English football heroes Harry Redknapp, seen by many as the best manager England never had, John Barnes, considered one of the…
Month: April 2025
European Defence Industry Programme
Photo by Bedirhan Akyüz on Unsplash MEPs will next week vote on the report for the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). The aim is that the EDIP lays the foundation for deeper integration of the European defence industry and serves as a cornerstone of a common European defence. With an ongoing war in Ukraine and uncertainty about the scale of future U.S…
Ukraine at the Crossroads
Photo by Žilvinas Ka on Unsplash Ukraine is entering a decisive phase of defence against Russia’s war of invasion – not only on the battlefield but also in the realm of international diplomacy. While pressure mounts from Western partners to negotiate a ceasefire, Russia continues its military operations with open disregard for peace initiatives. The…
New Study on Environmental Compliance
Photo by Anil Sharma on Unsplash The quality of the maps used to assess deforestation has been assessed for the first time. It also assesses tree planting (reforestation/agroforestry), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removal monitoring. The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) study supports cocoa companies who rely on these sources to meet regulatory compliance and…
ESA Forest Mission Ready for Lift-Off
With the launch of ESA’s Biomass satellite scheduled for 29 April, preparations at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, have reached a key milestone. The satellite has now been sealed inside the protective fairing of the Vega-C rocket – now hidden from view, the satellite is almost ready for its journey into space. Once in…
Europe Needs a Strong Climate Policy
Photo by Shawn on Unsplash Climate and meteorological institutions have declared Europe the fastest warming continent, with 2024 the warmest year on record. The new European State of the Climate 2024 report, released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, paints a stark picture. It says 2024 saw a record 335…
Trump’s Global Trade War
Photo by syahmi syahir on Unsplash The ongoing global trade war has created major uncertainty for businesses operating on both sides of the Atlantic, including the EU. One key area of Donald Trump’s trade policy is China and the question is: how will China respond to these policies and what will be the impact on…
MEPs Call for More Support for 3 Seas Region
Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash MEPs have demanded dedicated EU funding to strengthen infrastructure, connectivity and resilience across the Three Seas region, a forum of thirteen states, in the European Union, running along a north–south axis from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic and Black Seas in Central and Eastern Europe. This comes just…
Ukraine Builds, Europe Gains
Photo by CrowN on Unsplash As Europe navigates an increasingly unstable security environment, Ukraine is undergoing a profound transformation. No longer just a frontline state, Ukraine is becoming one of the fastest-growing defence manufacturing powers in Europe. Over three years of full-scale war, Ukraine has rapidly expanded its defence production capacity, developing into a strategic…
Damning Report by ECA on NGO Funding
Photo by Eduard Delputte on Unsplash EU funding granted to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) suffers from a lack of transparency, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). Despite improvements, information on EU funding awarded to NGOs that are active in the bloc’s internal policies remains inaccurate and incomplete. The European Commission…