European Union

The conflict in the Middle East is pushing up oil and gas prices. Threats from Iran have paralysed maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, with tankers piling up on both sides. After deliveries from Qatar were suspended the price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the Amsterdam stock exchange jumped from below 32 euros on Friday to more than 62 euros per megawatt hour on Tuesday. Europe's press looks at the short-, medium- and long-term consequences.

Dans l’optique d’étendre son réseau et de renforcer l’offre de transport national, la compagnie Domestic Airlines, filiale d’Air Algérie, a officialisé mardi l’ouverture de nouvelles […]

L’article Domestic Airlines étend son réseau : plusieurs nouvelles liaisons annoncées est apparu en premier sur .

Written by Ionel Zamfir

Despite strong political commitments to gender equality at EU and national level, women still remain politically under-represented at all levels of political power. In the European Parliament, as well as in national parliaments, governments and local assemblies, their share most often is under the symbolic 40 % mark. Moreover, after successive electoral cycles in which women’s share in representative assemblies had increased, this trend has slowed down or come to a halt. Progress has also been uneven among Member States, with women remaining markedly under-represented in some Member States.

Gender-balanced political representation is not only important for women and female politicians but also for political parties themselves and the rest of society. It increases trust in the political system and strengthens economic and political governance.

The EU has committed to achieving gender balance in political representation and participation in the EU; however, except for the European elections, its powers in the area remain limited mainly to soft action. It can support the specific actions to be taken by the EU institutions, national governments, political parties, civil society and the media, by issuing recommendations, facilitating the exchange of good practice or funding projects.

There is substantial evidence of the obstacles to women’s political participation and the means to overcome it. This picture is nevertheless not static, as new challenges emerge, particularly from mounting opposition to gender equality, as well as from digital technologies, most recently artificial intelligence, which can both empower women and discourage them.

This updates a March 2024 briefing by Ionel Zamfir.

Source: European Institute for Gender Equality (2025)

Read the complete briefing on ‘Women in politics in the EU: State of play in 2026‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, President of the Eurogroup, is travelling to Luxembourg where he will give a keynote speech at the EIB Forum.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/383 of 17 February 2026 amending Decision 2011/101/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe.

Braucht es noch Bewerbungsschreiben, wenn sie sowieso KI-generiert sind? Die Firmen sind gespalten. Doch noch fehlt eine valable Alternative.

Wollen die Berner die europäischen Plätze in dieser Saison erreichen, ist ein Sieg gegen Luzern Pflicht. Sonst spitzt sich der Strichkampf weiter zu – das YB-Inside zum Sechs-Punkte-Spiel.

Written by Ivana Katsarova.

Food contact materials (FCMs) include all materials that come into physical contact with food during its production, processing, packaging and storage. They contain thousands of chemicals, some of which can migrate into food, especially at high temperatures, during long contact times or with certain food types.

Scientific evidence shows that such migration is common and may contribute to human exposure to hazardous substances, including endocrine disruptors, carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. Well-known examples include phthalates, bisphenols and PFAS, which remain authorised in some applications despite links to adverse health effects. Current risk assessments often consider substances individually and may underestimate combined or cumulative exposure.

The EU’s core legislation is Regulation (EC) 1935/2004, which sets out general safety and labelling rules, supported by the Good Manufacturing Practice Regulation (EC) 2023/2006. However, only four material types – plastics, ceramics, regenerated cellulose film and active/intelligent materials – are subject to fully harmonised EU rules. The remaining materials (paper, inks, coatings, rubber, metal, etc.) rely mostly on national rules, leading to regulatory fragmentation, uneven safety standards and unclear requirements for industry. In addition, existing rules focus largely on known intentionally added substances, while non‑intentionally added substances (NIAS), impurities and degradation products remain insufficiently addressed.

A 2022 Commission evaluation found the framework only partially effective, with gaps in enforcement, control of NIAS and harmonisation. The Commission has recently reiterated its commitment to further harmonising EU legislation on FCMs.

The European Parliament has pushed for stronger rules, contributing to recent EU‑wide bans on BPA and PFAS in food packaging.

Citizens and stakeholders broadly support a comprehensive revision establishing clearer standards, harmonised testing and stronger consumer protection.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Food contact materials in the EU: State of play‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.