The week ahead in EU politics opens with a familiar tension: institutions returning from the summer lull while political actors brace for an autumn defined by legislative crunch points, budget negotiations and a shifting geopolitical landscape. In Brussels, Commissioners and senior officials are preparing for a series of meetings that will test the Union’s ability…
While we are ‘officially’ on holiday, we can’t help but notice that this summer has felt less like a lull in European politics and more like a stress test of the Union’s capacity to act under pressure. Across Brussels and national capitals, leaders have been trying to reconcile three competing imperatives: sustaining support for Ukraine,…
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,…
Eating establishments that aim to raise the standard of British-Asian cuisine will soon be honoured in one of the UK’s premier award events. The awards aim to celebrate special stories as well as honour the dedication and commitment of those who have spread their love for Asian flavours through their passion to take the culture…
Photo by Andrew Lvov on Unsplash The new EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) has entered into force. As of 29 October, the EU and Ukraine will benefit from an enhanced, stable, fair and permanent trade framework. The EU also says the upgraded DCFTA delivers additional, mutually beneficial trade liberalisation, while taking fully into account…
Photo by Ilyas Dautov on Unsplash Europe today is rethinking its economic security and long-term resilience. Questions of energy autonomy, supply chain diversification, and connectivity have risen to the top of the agenda, accelerated by geopolitical fragmentation and the global green transition. At the same time, Central Asia has emerged as a region of growing…
Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash A new report warns of the disastrous implications for the marine environment, animal welfare, and food security of octopus farming and the expansion of carnivorous aquaculture. It claims the world’s first octopus farm proposed by Spanish company Nueva Pescanova, could require up to 28,000 tonnes of wild-caught fish in…
Photo by Siân Wynn-Jones on Unsplash Europe will hit its climate goals only if its smallest construction firms can fully contribute. That is the get tough message from policymakers, social partners and market actors. It came as the European Builders Confederation (EBC) capped its 35th anniversary celebrations at the European Economic and Social Committee with a…
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash It is almost 30 years since the last collaborative defence initiative collapsed, leaving Europe’s military clout weaker than ever, writes Giles Merritt. The Saint-Malo agreement’s promises of hard power proved a mirage, the European Defence Agency largely toothless, and the EU’s battlegroups more a paper army than…
Photo by Yuriy Vinnicov on Unsplash MEPs have greeted the outcome of elections in Moldova which saw the pro-European party of Moldovan President Maia Sandu claim victory and a new majority in parliament. She had warned of massive Russian interference after voting, saying the future of Moldova, flanked by Ukraine and Romania, was on the line.Igor…
