One Europe, One Market: Von der Leyen’s Speech Reveals a President in Campaign Mode

President Ursula von der Leyen’s address to Parliament today was framed as a reflection on the future of the Single Market, but the political reality was far less subtle. Two years into the new parliamentary term, the quiet manoeuvring for the next Commission has already begun, and her speech carried all the hallmarks of a…

World Bee Day – 20 May

On 20th May 2026, the picture is clear. The market of European honey is under pressure. The European Union covers only around 60% of its honey demand, while 46% of imported honey samples analysed were suspected to be non-compliant with the Honey Directive. Together, these figures highlight the urgency of better understanding, protecting and valuing…

They call it red tape. The birds call it home.

Earlier this month, it was World Migratory Bird Day. Honey Kohan, Head of Communications, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia wrote for EU Political Report. Somewhere over the Strait of Gibraltar, a tiny bird weighing less than a €1 coin is crossing between continents. It doesn’t recognise borders. It knows only the pull, ancient and cellular…

Reframing the UK–EU Relationship: Four Strategic Scenarios and Labour’s Brewing European Argument

A decade after the Brexit referendum, the UK’s relationship with the European Union has exploded into life thanks to the anticipated Labour leadership contest. There is now a widespread view that while the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides a minimal framework, it does not address the deeper economic and geopolitical pressures reshaping Europe or the challenges facing the U.K.

Brussels on Alert as Global Fault Lines Deepen

The global order is shifting again, and this time the tremors are being felt in every corridor of Brussels. Donald Trump’s return to the White House has injected a new volatility into international politics, unsettling allies, emboldening adversaries and forcing Europe to confront the limits of its own strategic autonomy. The tone from Washington is…

Belgium: The Small Country with Big Surprises, Angela Dansby

Having walked nearly 1,000 kilometres across every Belgian region andprovince while researching my travel guide, I made a surprising discovery:Belgian residents, including Belgians, often don’t realise how much thiscountry has to offer. Compact yet remarkably diverse, Belgium rewardscuriosity with layers of history, culture and the unexpected.The country is often defined by its icons: beer, chocolate,…

Europe’s AI Turning Point: How Technology Is Reshaping Work, Business and the EU’s Political Agenda

Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from the edges of Europe’s economy to its centre, transforming how companies operate, how people apply for jobs and how work itself is organised. What was once a niche technology is now a structural force, accelerating productivity, reshaping labour markets and challenging long‑standing assumptions about fairness, transparency and human oversight….

Europe’s AI Turning Point: How Technology Is Reshaping Work, Business and the EU’s Political Agenda

Artificial intelligence has moved from the edges of Europe’s economy to its centre, transforming how companies operate, how people apply for jobs and how work itself is organised. What was once a niche technology is now a structural force, accelerating productivity (at times), reshaping labour markets and challenging long‑standing assumptions about fairness, transparency and human…