Chancellor Merz signals potential free trade agreement with India, aiming to boost economic ties, reduce reliance on China and Russia, and resolve years-long negotiations amid rising global protectionism

Greece hesitates because its agricultural sector has yet to complete the modernization that would allow it to benefit meaningfully from openness

The EU’s trade pact with South America’s Mercosur bloc lowers tariffs and expands market access for Greek exports, while raising concerns among farmers over competition, food standards and the long-term protection of products like feta

The EU’s largest-ever free trade agreement with South American nations clears a key hurdle, with safeguards for farmers and a European Parliament vote still required before implementation

The French president pledged to oppose the agreement as farmers blockaded Paris over fears of cheap imports, adding political pressure ahead of key elections while protests highlight broader anger over costs, regulation and cattle culls

Under the exemption, eligible businesses will not be required to submit VAT returns and can issue simplified invoices, reducing overall administrative costs.

Prosperity, geopolitical power, utilitarian benefits, and democracy

We must boldly pursue deeper integration, ensuring European sovereignty and respect for fundamental values and rights

Russian president claims Moscow has made compromises in talks and says the conflict could stop if Kyiv and Western nations provide security guarantees, while denying any intent to attack Europe

The French president says a one-month postponement could allow the EU and Mercosur to agree on stronger protections for farmers, as protests and political divisions across Europe cloud the future of the long-negotiated trade pact

European farmers plan mass demonstrations in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement and proposed Common Agricultural Policy funding, citing risks to local agriculture and food security

EU diplomats report progress on financing Ukraine with immobilized Russian sovereign assets, though key legal and financial risk-sharing decisions are set for a crucial leaders’ summit in Brussels on Thursday

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls Western warnings of war “a lie” and says Russia may use force to claim disputed Ukrainian territories if peace talks fail

A recent European Court of Auditors report reveals gaps in coordination and oversight among EU bodies responsible for investigating fraud, raising concerns about unrecovered funds and low reporting levels

Leaders meet in The Hague to create an international body reviewing claims against Russia, with over 80,000 damage submissions and reconstruction costs estimated at $524 billion

The three European leaders who met with Zelensky in London nevertheless acknowledged that they are in an “extremely difficult position,” but have a “desperate need” to keep the Americans on their side

The freezing of the Russian state assets by the European Union clears the way for borrowing against the assets to help finance Ukraine’s defence.

Following a €120 million fine on his X platform, Elon Musk accused the European Union of being a tyrannical, unelected bureaucracy, sparking controversy over his criticism of Brussels and Strasbourg officials

The former EU foreign policy chief steps down as director of the College of Europe after being formally charged in a probe into alleged favoritism in a European Commission contract for diplomat training, while cooperating fully with investigators

Federica Mogherini, ex-EU foreign policy chief, and two others face allegations of procurement fraud, corruption, and conflict of interest linked to EU-funded training for junior diplomats, Belgian prosecutors say