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En France, le marché de l’alimentation est de plus en plus fragmenté, tandis que les cas d’inflation alimentaire suscitent des inquiétudes dans toute l’Europe, selon une nouvelle étude de l’Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales (IDDRI).

The post En France, la hausse des prix et les inégalités fragilisent le « Pacte alimentation », selon une étude appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Growing public debt in Europe is no longer just the result of temporary crises, but a persistent, structural trend that dates back to the 1970s. The drivers are an ageing society, low economic growth and the political inability to limit spending. The crises of 2010–2015 exposed the weaknesses of the monetary union – macroeconomic imbalances, fiscal policy mistakes and the lack of common assistance mechanisms. The pandemic, in turn, has further increased government debt. According to the latest regional economic outlook by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), without growth-promoting reforms in Europe, there is a risk of a significant increase in government debt. By 2040, this could reach an average of 130 per cent of gross domestic product, which is 40 percentage points more than the IMF considers stable. In the event of external shocks, an even higher debt ratio is possible.

In addition to the legacy of structural problems, budgetary problems are increasingly exacerbated by geopolitical factors. On the one hand, there is an urgent need for higher spending on defence, energy transition, industrial subsidies and aid to Ukraine due to Russia’s aggression and economic competition from China. On the other hand, rising interest rates on government debt worldwide are limiting European Union (EU) countries’ ability to borrow. This creates the vicious circle: Limited fiscal leeway deepens geopolitical dependence, and geopolitical dependence forces further spending.

Hidden costs of public debt

In the context of rising debt, reference is typically made to the growing costs of debt servicing. This narrows the scope for fiscal policy and diverts resources from growth-promoting sectors such as research and education.

However, rising debt also has hidden geopolitical costs: It reduces the ability of EU countries to act together, exacerbates disagreements – for example between north and south or between large and small member states – and weakens confidence in central institutions such as the European Commission, which monitors compliance with fiscal rules, and the European Central Bank (ECB), whose monetary policy could increasingly be oriented towards stabilising member states’ debt.

In addition, high public debt makes EU countries more vulnerable to external factors such as changes in interest rates internationally. Public debt can also become an instrument of external influence on EU member states. The increasing involvement of investors from third countries – including China and the Gulf states – in European bond markets raises the risk that financial dependencies will be exploited politically.

Escaping the vicious circle

Unlike the United States and China, the EU has few options for mobilising capital. Limited fiscal space and weak capital markets make it vulnerable to external shocks. The integration of financial markets and the restoration of competitiveness in Europe are progressing slowly, according to the conclusions given in reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi. A rapid breakthrough that would lead to a noticeable inflow of capital to Europe cannot be foreseen.

The EU’s highly decentralised fiscal system relies heavily on the economic future of its three largest member states – Germany, France and Italy. Together, these countries account for about two-thirds of the eurozone’s public debt. However, given their limited fiscal leeway, they can no longer reconfigure their economic models and respond to geopolitical challenges. France’s deteriorating public finances are leading to growing populism in economic policy debates. This not only undermines confidence in the country’s economic policy-making capabilities, but could also put the already fragile structure of the EU’s monetary union to the test.

Amid global economic competition, the stability of the euro and the internal market are among the EU’s few “hard” assets that could easily be lost. A new euro crisis – in which Germany no longer plays a stabilising role and the ECB’s measures may no longer prove effective – would not only be an economic but also a geopolitical disaster for the EU. Sustainable public finances must therefore become an essential part of its geopolitical resilience.

 

Alex Iwobi says Nigeria will have to "lock up" Gabon striker, and his former Arsenal team-mate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when the sides meet in African play-offs for the 2026 World Cup.

Um die "Eventin" und ihre Ladung ist ein langwieriger Rechtstreit entbrannt. Der Sanktionsexperte Sascha Lohmann von der Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik sieht Anzeichen dafür, dass die Bundesrepublik das Schiff am Ende wieder freigeben werden muss.

Hannibal Kadhafi, le fils de l'ancien guide libyen, Mouammar Kadhafi, est désormais libre et autorisé à quitter le Liban.

Cette libération intervient après dix ans de détention dans ce pays. Le fils de l'ancien dirigeant libyen avait été arrêté en 2015, soupçonné de détenir des informations sur la disparition du religieux chiite libanais, Moussa al-Sadr, apparu en Libye en 1978, alors que Hannibal n'était âgé que de deux ans.

Sa libération intervient quelques jours après que les autorités libanaises ont levé son interdiction de voyager et ont fait passer la caution de 11 millions à 900 000 dollars, facilitant ainsi sa remise en liberté.

Selon des sources judiciaires et sécuritaires, la somme a été versée par une délégation libyenne. La justice a également précisé que l'équipe de défense de Kadhafi avait retiré la plainte déposée en octobre 2025 à Genève contre l'État libanais, laquelle dénonçait sa détention prolongée sans procédure.

Avant son arrestation, Hannibal Kadhafi vivait en exil en Syrie avec son épouse libanaise, Aline Skaf, et leurs enfants, jusqu'à son enlèvement en 2015 par des militants libanais exigeant des informations sur le sort d'al-Sadr.

Lefaso.net
Source : Africanews

Nach dem Rückzug der USA aus dem Kampf gegen den Klimawandel kommt bei der COP30 China eine Schlüsselrolle zu. Europa wirkt dagegen wenig ambitioniert.

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on 13 November at 13.30 on Parliament’s position on the simplification package for sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on 13 November at 13.30 on Parliament’s position on the simplification package for sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on 13 November at 13.30 on Parliament’s position on the simplification package for sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on 13 November at 13.30 on Parliament’s position on the simplification package for sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on 13 November at 13.30 on Parliament’s position on the simplification package for sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 12 - 13 November plenary session tomorrow at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 12 - 13 November plenary session tomorrow at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 12 - 13 November plenary session tomorrow at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 12 - 13 November plenary session tomorrow at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 12 - 13 November plenary session tomorrow at 14.30.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Draft compromise says WHO decisions should not pre-empt future EU tobacco legislation

Von der Leyen hails ruling as a milestone for Europeans

The industry has long been complaining of problems ranging from high energy costs to onerous European regulations

Written by Clare Ferguson with Sara Raja.

Members gather in Brussels this week for the first plenary session of November, with an agenda featuring plans for the new 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework, among other issues. Members are also set to hear Council and Commission statements on the conclusions of the European Council meeting held on 23 October 2025.

On Wednesday, Members will hear Council and Commission statements on the first European Annual Asylum and Migration report and the setting up of the Annual Solidarity Pool. This regular report, still to be published by the Commission at the time of writing, aims to describe the migration and asylum situation in the Member States and is accompanied by a decision determining which Member States are under migratory pressure, at risk of migratory pressure or facing a significant migratory situation. The Annual Solidarity Pool is aimed at allocating solidarity contributions, like relocations and financial support, to Member States facing migratory pressure. While Parliament does not have a formal role in its implementation, it supported the establishment of the solidarity mechanism under the migration pact.

The EU plans to adopt a new gender equality strategy in early 2026. Based on feedback on the current strategy gathered in 2025, citizens, civil society and public institutions want a binding and inclusive EU framework that prioritises protection from gender-based violence, ensures equal pay and economic participation and improves access to quality healthcare. On Wednesday, Parliament is scheduled to debate a report from its Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) outlining priorities for the 2026 strategy. The report calls for a comprehensive and ambitious approach to tackling violence against women, including its possible definition as a ‘euro-crime’, and to close gaps in political representation, pay and the sharing of care responsibilities. On Thursday, Members are set to address an amendment to the European Electoral Act which would allow Members to benefit from proxy voting in plenary during pregnancy and after giving birth.

Businesses that operate across EU borders face different corporate tax systems in every Member State, with varying rules on depreciation, tax deductibility of losses, treatment of interests and more. As a result, EU businesses have to spend time and resources on complying with complex distinct local corporate tax rules, which is a significant administrative burden. To tackle the issue at EU level, the Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT) aims to create a common corporate tax framework for large EU multinational businesses. On Wednesday, Parliament is due to vote on a (non-binding) report on BEFIT from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON). The report strongly supports the proposal’s overall objectives but calls for improvements to address the challenges of taxing the digital economy. It recommends that a business be treated as tax resident in any Member State in which it generates a substantial level of sales, ensuring it pays fair taxes to the community that supports its operations. Once Parliament has been consulted, the file requires a unanimous vote in the Council.

On Thursday, Members are set to consider a digital trade agreement (DTA) between the EU and Singapore. Digital trade agreements can contribute to securing access to new markets, simplifying electronic transactions, protecting consumers, removing administrative obstacles to trade and increasing legal certainty. Under the EU-Singapore DTA, citizens will benefit from privacy and data protection rules, safeguards against online fraud, and limits on spam. The agreement ensures electronic contracts and signatures are legally valid, duty-free online transmissions and promotes open access to government data. It also supports secure, affordable cross-border digital payments and cooperation to combat cyber threats. Any disputes will be settled under the same rules that already apply under the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

In a debate on Wednesday afternoon, Members are set to consider a report on the proposal to set a 2040 EU emissions reduction target as a step towards ensuring a cost-efficient and realistic pathway to climate neutrality by 2050. Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) would like to see higher ambition on environmental and human rights and to safeguard against funding for projects that contradict EU strategic interests, in relation to international credits which can be used for 2040 but not for the other targets of the climate law. The committee also proposes to delay the new ETS2 emissions trading system for one year (currently set to start in 2027). The vote on amending the European Climate Law will set Parliament’s position for negotiations with the co-legislators.

Almost two thirds of the world’s oceans are outside any national jurisdiction. These marine areas play a vital role in supporting ecosystems, regulating the climate and sustaining economic activities such as fisheries and tourism, but they face threats from overfishing, pollution and climate change. The landmark 2023 United Nations High Seas Treaty, or Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, aims to address the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national borders. Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) has adopted a report on a proposal to establish rules on international management of the high seas, which introduces clarifications for closer alignment with the BBNJ text. The proposed changes aim to improve transparency by requiring that Member States publish the measures they take regarding biodiversity in the high seas and improve flexibility in the process of submitting measures taken related to area-based management tools to the BBNJ secretariat, especially in emergencies. Parliament is set to consider the report on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Members are set to vote on a provisional agreement on a proposal to revise the founding regulation of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The revision, supported by Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), would expand EMSA’s mandate, strengthening its contribution to the green and digital transitions and enhancing its ability to tackle emerging security risks, including cyber and hybrid threats. It also establishes a flexibility mechanism that allows EMSA to take on new tasks at the request of the Commission or Member States. In addition, it updates governance rules to ensure a better balance between oversight and efficiency in the EU’s efforts to improve maritime safety and prevent pollution from shipping.

• European Parliament Plenary Session, November I 2025, agenda
• Conclusions of the European Council meeting held on 23 October 2025
• The first European Annual Asylum and Migration report and the Annual Solidarity Pool
• Gender equality strategy post-2025
• Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT)
• The EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement
• Amending the European Climate Law
• Protecting marine biodiversity in the high seas
• Revision of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) founding regulation