European Union

The US president has been widely mocked for “always chickening out”. No one, however, backs down better than the Europeans.

Wiretaps, resignations, and a €415 million fine: Greece reels from a subsidy fraud scandal tied to EU agriculture funds.

The Polish government’s new draft law on drug reimbursement aims to streamline procedures, empower patients, and ensure faster and more transparent access to essential therapies.

Without a solidly integrated digital data-driven health system, Ireland’s chronic disease burden will sink the boat. More ambition is needed, urgently.

The vote to select the new president, now Ireland’s Paschal Donohoe, is scheduled for the next Eurogroup’s meeting on 7-8 July.

Written by Hendrik Mildebrath with Bente Daale.

While Europeans are adopting TikTok at a remarkable pace, recent headlines on addictive design, data protection violations, election interference, incendiary content and child sexual exploitation incidents are casting a shadow over its success. This briefing maps the key issues associated with the platform and outlines the European Union’s (EU) legal framework to facilitate parliamentary discussions on recent developments, inform debates on future legislation such as the digital fairness act, and support the European Parliament’s scrutiny of regulatory enforcement.

EU investigations into TikTok are ongoing, yet few final decisions are available, and reliable information is sparse. A review of incidents and initiatives in the United States and the United Kingdom provides relevant insights on topical issues relating to TikTok. For instance, hearings and lawsuits linked to the US divest-or-ban law reveal possible national security risks arising from TikTok granting Chinese affiliates access to user data. Lawsuits from at least 16 US attorneys general demonstrate TikTok’s potentially addictive features. Parliament will review the results and formulate its position once EU enforcement actions and regulatory preparations conclude.

More than 10 EU laws regulate social media operations and services. For instance, rules in the Artificial Intelligence Act, the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation on non-manipulation can be invoked to mitigate risks like addictive design. However, precise legal applications remain unclear without established case law. This creates broad enforcement possibilities, but it also suggests a need for clearer guidelines or additional regulation. While enforcement actions may escalate geopolitical tensions with China, these issues could be eased through collaboration on shared priorities such as child protection, enhancing strategic and operational interdependence, and exploring privacy-enhancing middleware solutions.

Read the complete briefing on ‘TikTok and EU regulation: Legal challenges and cross-jurisdictional insights‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Committee and political group meetings

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

At this week's summit in The Hague, the Nato member states agreed to boost their defence spending to the five percent of GDP demanded by Donald Trump in the medium term. In return, the US president reaffirmed the US's commitment to mutual defence as stipulated in Article 5 of the Nato treaty. The war in Ukraine was only a side issue this time round. Commentators are at odds over how much the alliance's newfound unity is worth.

A showdown in Budapest on Saturday? Viktor Orbáns government had amended the constitution to create the legal basis for banning Pride marches, invoking the 'protection of children'. However, Budapest's mayor, Gergely Karácsony, has declared the event to be a 'freedom festival' of the city which is not subject to legal provisions on the right of assembly. Numerous guests from abroad are expected.

Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic primary for the New York mayoral election, making it likely that he will be elected mayor of the largest city in the US in November. The young, progressive politician, who was practically unknown when the campaign began, considers himself a socialist and is calling for affordable rents and free public transport.