Mario Draghi’s call for EU policymakers to reduce companies’ regulatory burden to boost the bloc's faltering competitiveness was praised by European business groups on Monday (9 September) but criticised by Europe’s largest trade union confederation.

Mario Draghi handed to Ursula von der Leyen the highly anticipated report on European competitiveness stressing the urgent need to boost productivity to achieve the EU’s political and economic goals.

A new conservative left-wing alliance is in the process of forming in the European Parliament, with the potential of officially being established within a year, Czech MEP Ondřej Dostál (non-attached) revealed in an interview for Euractiv.cz. 

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is part of a broader initiative to combat deforestation and forest degradation, aligning with the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the Farm to Fork Strategy, its task force is meeting this month in Brussels.