brussels bureau EU to press on with legal case against Hungary despite referendum "We find Hungary has failed to explain why the exposure of children to LGBTIQ content as such would be detrimental to their well-being or not in line with the best interests of the child," 22/07/2021
world news EU wants a bigger share of the microchips market Brussels says it wants the EU to have a 20% share of the global market for microchips by the end of the decade. 22/07/2021
brussels bureau Judicial independence is a concern in some EU countries, says Brussels The European Commission again highlighted Poland and Hungary as being of particular concern. 20/07/2021
state of the union Europe's week: Macron's vaccine push, EU's green plans and deadly floo The trio of stories occupying minds in Brussels this week. 16/07/2021
brussels bureau Hungary left waiting as 12 EU states have COVID spending approved A dozen EU countries have had their COVID recovery spending plans approved, paving the way for funds to arrive later this month. 13/07/2021
brussels bureau Brussels presses pause on plans for an EU-wide digital tax The decision coincides with a landmark OECD deal to reform the global tax system and the visit of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. 12/07/2021
World MEPs demand Brussels break global deadlock over Antarctica protection In a resolution passed on Thursday, MEPs overwhelmingly called on the Commission to demand the intensification of bilateral and multilateral efforts in order to reach an agreement over the creation of two so-called Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). 08/07/2021
brussels bureau Brussels slaps German car makers with a €875 million fine The European Commission accuses Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen of creating a cartel and illegally colluding in the area of nitrogen oxide cleaning. 08/07/2021
real economy Brussels Economic Forum 2021: what will Europe’s economy look like post-pandemic? The hot topic at the Brussels Economic Forum is how to build Europe’s new economy post-pandemic. We speak to some business owners, EU commissioners and the head of the WTO about vaccines, international trade and the economic outlook. 07/07/2021
brussels bureau EU unveils 'gold standard' sustainable finance strategy The European Commission wants to consolidate the EU's position as global leader of green bonds, a growing market that surpassed €850 billion in 2020. 06/07/2021
brussels bureau EU reforms to common agricultural policy branded 'greenwashing' Even European Commission Vice-President Timmermans admitted that the reforms - which took three and a half years to put into place - did not go far enough. 30/06/2021
brussels bureau Europe saw record low numbers of refugees seeking asylum last year The report released by the European Asylum Support Office noted that the pandemic played a major role in less people seeking refuge. 29/06/2021
Europe EU launches antitrust probe into Google's digital ad tech practices It will focus on whether the company is stifling competition by restricting access to third parties to user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps, while using that data itself. 22/06/2021
Europe AstraZeneca ordered to deliver millions of COVID vaccine doses to EU Brussels and AstraZeneca both claim victory in court battle over COVID-19 vaccine deliveries 18/06/2021
brussels bureau Portugal's COVID recovery plan is first to receive Brussels' approval The funds are expected to start flowing in July. 16/06/2021
brussels bureau Brussels begins legal action against Germany over ECB ruling The case relates to a May 2020 ruling issued by the German constitutional court that challenged the competences of both the European Central Bank and the European Court of Justice. 09/06/2021
Europe EU's handling of COVID dents confidence in European project - survey The slow vaccine roll-out and the extensive media coverage of it were seen as having had a particularly bad impact on citizens' perception of Brussels. 09/06/2021
