European Defence Industry Programme

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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…

Europe Needs a Strong Climate Policy

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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…

Ukraine Builds, Europe Gains

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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

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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…

Pause, Freeze or Continue Aggression?

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Photo by Olga Zakharchenko on Unsplash Russia is aiming to resolve their “Ukrainian issue” by 2026 to reallocate resources for expanding its aggression against the European Union (EU) and NATO member states. Numerous political and military analysts, as well as various European intelligence agencies, share this assessment. Should the war against Ukraine continue for another…

Peripheral Regions Vital for EU’s Success

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Photo by Eleonora Altomare on Unsplash Regional leaders from across Europe gathered in Bari, Italy, for a key conference on maritime-related issues. It was organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) which represents more than 150 regional authorities from 24 countries across Europe and beyond.  It was the first CPMR Political Bureau of 2025,…

Hijacking EU Structural Funds a “New Low”

An MEP has said the proposed hijacking of structural funds such as regional development funds for possible military use would be a new low in the militarisation of the EU. The comments were made on Thursday by Ireland South MEP Kathleen Funchion. She was reacting to documents reportedly circulated by the Polish EU Presidency suggesting…