English

Evi Kiorri

EU.XL

Can batteries save the EU's wasted renewable energy?

The EU's first tripartite agreement on energy storage, signed in June, puts batteries at the heart of plans to capture more solar and wind power. The technology is ready and getting cheaper, but market rules, grid delays, industrial policy and raw-material politics still hold it back.

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From sewers to swimming sites: how Europe's cities reclaim rivers

As Europe braces for hotter summers, cities are reopening rivers once written off as polluted waterways. From Paris to Copenhagen, local authorities are investing in cleaner, swimmable rivers to adapt to rising temperatures and meet citizens' needs.

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Which European countries have the cleanest swimming waters and why?

Every summer, millions of Europeans head to beaches, lakes, and rivers. New data shows most of this water is safe, but not everywhere. Where are Europe's cleanest waters? Watch the video.

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EU slaps €3 duty fee on SHEIN, Temu and AliExpress imports

A new €3 customs duty takes effect across the EU on 1 July, ending years of tax-free shopping from platforms like SHEIN, Temu and AliExpress and signalling the end for ultra-cheap online hauls. Watch the video.

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Pay transparency isn't only about women. It exposes more inequalities

The EU's pay transparency rules can help close the gender pay gap and expose how Europe systematically underpays young, migrant, disabled and racialised workers.

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Which EU countries fight pay gaps? Transparency rules split the bloc

Only four EU countries have implemented the EU’s Pay Transparency Directive, missing the June deadline meant to boost enforcement of equal pay rules across the bloc. Watch the video.

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Synthetic opioids: can Europe keep up with a drug created every week?

Fifty new drugs were detected across Europe in 2025 alone, many of them highly potent synthetic opioids. Can the EU’s drugs strategy keep pace with an increasingly dangerous and fast-moving drug landscape?

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How is the EU tackling drug trafficking and synthetic substance use?

Europe's new drugs strategy runs to 2030, but critics warn it prioritises policing over public health. Watch the video!

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Why Europe's labour needs clash with its migration policy

Europe faces a paradox: economies need workers while governments tighten migration rules. This tension grows as the EU’s Migration and Asylum Pact takes effect on 12 June, marking the bloc’s strictest migration policy in decades.

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EU migration rules kick in, but enforcement is already in doubt

Two years after it was signed, the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum takes effect this Friday, and the gap between promise and delivery is already wide. Will it hold? Watch the video.

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EU vs China: Can Europe break its supply chain dependence?

Brussels wants new rules that would make European companies spread out their supply chains rather than rely on a single main supplier. The EU says its trade relationship with China is now "unsustainable." Watch the video.

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Can the EU de-risk from China and make its trade sustainable?

The European Commission declared its trade relationship with China "not sustainable”, pushing for a tougher de-risking but not decoupling strategy. Is this a realistic plan?

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Is the EU betting on a ‘one-ticket’ plan to make rail like flying?

The European Commission is proposing a “one journey, one ticket” system to make cross-border rail travel as simple to book as flying. Is this a bid to close the gap with low-cost airline travel?

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Can the EU make cross-border train travel as simple as a flight?

The European Commission has presented its plan to allow passengers to book multi-operator rail journeys with a single ticket, a single contract, and unified passenger rights. How can the EU simplify rail travel? Watch the video.

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The EU simplified its toughest AI law: what changed and why it matters

EU lawmakers have agreed to simplify the bloc’s landmark AI Act. Supporters call it a pragmatic fix to cut red tape, while critics see a concession to Big Tech. What is changing and what could it mean for businesses and citizens?

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The EU simplifies the AI Act and bans ‘nudifier’ apps

The EU is simplifying its landmark AI Act until 2027 while fast-tracking a ban on ‘nudifier’ apps after fake explicit images of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni circulated online. Watch the video!

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Could the EU’s next budget shrink civil society and NGOs?

The European Commission says its next long-term budget will strengthen democratic values. Civil society groups warn it could instead quietly weaken NGOs by removing protected funding and shifting control to national governments.

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Why the EU needs to rethink its budget to match its priorities

Experts warn that the EU’s next long-term budget needs “fundamental rethinking” and offers little real new spending power as Europe faces growing demands on defence, climate, and Ukraine.

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The EU's record €2 trillion budget: who wins, who loses?

The EU is negotiating its biggest-ever budget, and almost nobody agrees on how to spend it. Watch the video!

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DMA: How the EU’s big tech law changed citizens’ lives

Under the DMA, Europeans can choose their default browser, pay with rival apps, and message across platforms. Enforcement remains a work in progress, and many citizens do not know the law exists.

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