European Union

Plus Kubilius' new club, and NATO grapples with its MiG problem

To view the transatlantic relationship only through a lens of security or economy is to miss the forest for the trees. Europe faces a culture war – one in which its values and its identity are at stake

In today's edition: Apple DMA hearing data, MEPs eye AI licencing

"The worst attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date" said Denmark's prime minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday morning

In today's edition: EU-Indonesia, Organic Day, forests

Written by Maria Niestadt.

As the global race to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates, the European Union has set the objective of becoming a leading AI continent. The adoption of the Artificial Intelligence Act in 2024 was a milestone in establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for AI in the EU, but regulation alone cannot make the EU a technological leader. In April 2025, the European Commission published an AI continent action plan, a communication that attempts to look beyond rules and combine regulatory oversight with investment, infrastructure and skills development. It also aims to increase the use of AI in both the private and public sector. The plan illustrates the Commission’s growing attention to competitiveness, moving away from its previous focus on setting usage rules

Despite progress in some areas, the EU is still far from being a global leader in AI, in terms of scale, investment, and uptake of AI. Structural weaknesses such as a fragmented single market, limited private investment, and reliance on foreign cloud and semiconductor technology continue to hinder progress. Stakeholders are divided on the road to follow. While industry representatives call for simplifying regulation to boost innovation, civil society warns against sacrificing democratic safeguards.

The EU’s prospects of becoming an AI continent depend not only on its ability to implement the AI continent action plan but also on its decisiveness in acting on other fronts such as making progress on the Savings and Investments Union, and its progress in reducing reliance on foreign technologies. The European Parliament will play a central role in scrutinising the Commission’s activities and shaping legislation such as the forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Making Europe an AI continent‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

In today’s edition: NATO allies meet to address Russian airspace violations, an internal rift emerges in the Commission over new Israel sanctions, EU capitals push to dilute the AI Act mid-rollout, and the EU palms off the Green Deal with an Indonesia pact

Call for sovereign AI by the EPSU public servants' union also presses the Commission to give workers a say in how workplaces are digitised, per letter seen by Euractiv

Pharmacists across Europe "have taken on more responsibility since our last studies five years ago,” said PGEU President Clare Fitzell

Slovakia’s ruling coalition faces mounting pressure as parliament prepares to vote on a sweeping austerity package, triggering rare unity between unions and employers and fuelling fresh street protests

A nationwide strike over Gaza sparked major disruption across Italy, with blocked ports, halted trains, and clashes in several cities—fuelled by anger over arms exports, war spending, and labour conditions

As Poland moves to tighten residency rules for Ukrainian refugees, Kyiv is preparing for a possible surge in returns, with officials stressing the urgent need for a social support system at home

Boosting demand and investment is key, Eurelectric warns

With millions exposed to so-called “forever chemicals,” campaigners fear EU governments will weaken long-overdue water pollution rules instead of strengthening them

EPP MEP Köhler confident majority will back rejection of forest law

Germany’s decades-long energy transition faces mounting political and economic pressure, as soaring costs, falling demand, and grid bottlenecks fuel calls to abandon the once-celebrated Energiewende model

New composition of the Chambers of the General Court of the European Union

Written by Clément Evroux.

CONTEXT

On 25 June 2025, the Commission published a proposal for a regulation on the safety, resilience and sustainability of space activities in the European Union (EU) (‘the EU space act’). A majority of Member States have already adopted or are considering adopting legislation on space activities. The regulation’s relevance was highlighted by Mario Draghi’s report on the future of European competitiveness, which explained the role of space systems and services in supporting the EU’s sovereignty and economy.

Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – TFEU (internal market) is the legal basis of the proposed regulation. It aims to create a single market for space activities, grounded on common safety, sustainability and resilience rules, which should apply in principle to any space operator providing space services in the EU. The proposal is expected to lay down rules on: the authorisation, registration and supervision of space activities and services carried out by space service providers; orbit traffic management; and the establishment of an EU space label. On resilience, the proposed regulation is expected to complement Directive (EU)2022/2555 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the EU, and Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities. In the Parliament, the file has been referred to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), which has appointed Elena Donazzan (ECR, Italy) as rapporteur. In the Council, the working party on space has started examining the proposal.

LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL

2025/0335(COD) – Proposal for a regulation on the safety, resilience and sustainability of space activities in the Union – COM(2025) 335, 25 June 2025

NEXT STEPS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

For the latest developments in this legislative procedure, see the Legislative Train Schedule: 2025/0335(COD) EU space law

Read the complete briefing on ‘EU space act‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Length of video : 105'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), led by MEP Matjaž Nemec (S&D, SI) traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 16 to 18 September 2025. This was the first official visit of the AFET Committee to the Western Balkans in the 10th legislative term.
The visit aimed to underline the Committee's commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's European integration, grounded in unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity. Members discussed Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress, and the further reforms needed to advance in its accession path towards the EU.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP