Eurotopics.net

On Tuesday, the European Commission presented new proposals for automotive industry regulations, including an easing of the ban on combustion engines which would allow the registration of vehicles with combustion engines even after 2035 under certain circumstances. Car manufacturers would have to guarantee that the carbon emissions of their new cars are on average 90 percent lower than in the reference year 2021. The move elicits mixed reactions from commentators.

A decision is to be reached on a "reparations loan" for Ukraine secured by frozen Russian state assets at an EU summit taking place this Thursday and Friday. According to a plan put forward by the EU Commission, the initial loan would be for 90 billion euros. However, Italy, Bulgaria and Malta have now joined Belgium – where most of Russia's capital is held by the financial services – in voicing objections.

A Hong Kong court has found pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai guilty of "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces" following a two-year trial. The sentence will be handed down to the 78-year-old at a later date. For Europe's media, the verdict highlights the dictatorial nature of the Chinese system.

Portugal has been named the "Economy of the Year" for 2025 by the British magazine The Economist. Thirty-six wealthy countries were included in the assessment. The government in Lisbon has seized the opportunity to give itself a pat on the back, but Portuguese media outlets take a different view.

A new law banning children under the age of 16 from using social media comes into force in Australia today. Platform operators are required to ensure that children in this age group can no longer create an account. Commentators in Europe discuss whether the ban makes sense and can be effective.