Establishing a list of critical raw materials list to defend Europe’s security and competitiveness was set as an essential goal by President von der Leyen, and she delivered. MEPs say now the EU has the list, it’s time to act.

The European Commission initiated a second formal proceeding against TikTok under the Digital Services Act on Monday (22 April), focusing on the launch of TikTok Lite in France and Spain, signalling intentions to suspend its "Reward Program" in the EU.

The EU has clearly set out its aims to lead the world on green growth. Yet only the most optimistic would say the road has been smooth so far. Initiatives including the Energy Performance Buildings Directive and the Nature Restoration Law have been the subject of unusually contentious debate.

With European elections looming from 6 to 9 June, the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the Greens have two main goals: win votes from the right and be clearly distinguishable from their traditional allies.

During the COVID-19 confinement, many contagious pathogens were also suppressed; with society opening combined with vaccine hesitancy, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough (pertussis) are on the rise.

In the debate about a follow-up programme after the end of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), a think-tank close to centre-right EPP has criticised “significant flaws” in the current programme, including the lack of a plan for repaying the joint EU debt.

Is it possible that a single piece of legislation could sway Georgia - an official candidate for EU membership since December - away from its EU path? And if so, does it mean that Vladimir Putin is winning back this former Soviet republic, the birthplace of Stalin?

EU member states are increasingly under pressure to provide Ukraine with urgently needed advanced air defence systems, but efforts are bogged down in national security considerations.

MEPs from left-wing groups in the European Parliament will try to make changes to the Commission’s proposal to relax some environmental requirements in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), to be voted on Thursday (25 April).

After an unprecedented wave of protests and demonstrations across the EU, and with June's European Parliament elections approaching, EU politicians of all colours are seizing upon the agricultural sector's discontent for electoral gains. 

Poland is ready to host nuclear weapons on its territory, President Andrzej Duda announced on Monday (22 April), confirming he had been in talks on the matter with the US administration during a recent visit.

The fact that we finally have a law to ban products made with forced labour on the EU market is an immense achievement of this legislature. Shirts, shoes, or cars made by enslaved Uyghurs, Turkmens, or any forced workers have no place in our shops.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Lithuanian president saying Polish President Andrzej Duda's visit to Trump Tower has influenced Trump's stance on Ukraine, Czechia wanting to reintroduce a proposal to curb the travel of Russian diplomats within the Schengen area, and so much more.

The United States Embassy in Kosovo has said the country met its obligations by holding a referendum to dismiss ethnic Albanian mayors in four northern Serb-majority municipalities, despite Serbs boycotting the vote despite calling for the elections for around one year.

Romanian pro-Russian party AUR denies allegations that it may soon launch a disinformation campaign with anti-Ukrainian messaging.

New rules for buildings approved this month can be lifechanging for millions of EU citizens. Contrary to some of the arguments heard ahead of agreement on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the health, climate, financial and employment benefits of investing in building stock are all good news for Europeans.

The current geopolitical context is pushing the Weimar Triangle of France, Germany and Poland to prioritise defence and security. On the occasion of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 22 April, NGOs, think tanks, and businesses argue that a ‘Green...

The transition towards a thriving green industry in Europe is a top priority of the S&D group. We believe that this transition will have to be based on a true European vision, founded upon regulatory stability and joint financing.

TikTok on Sunday (21 April) repeated its free-speech concerns about a bill passed by the House of Representatives that would ban the popular social media app in the US if Chinese owner ByteDance did not sell its stake within a year.

Bulgaria risks losing €1.2 billion from the Recovery Plan after cancelling tenders for the renewal of trains at Bulgarian State Railways BDZ.