The European Commission cut its growth outlook for both Europe and the eurozone on Thursday (15 February), revising it down from its autumn projection amid persistent geopolitical headwinds and stubborn economic headaches in Germany.

French cereal producers are calling on the EU to introduce safeguard clauses to protect the sector from Ukrainian imports, along the lines of those granted for poultry and sugar. They are calling on France to bring "all its weight" to bear at forthcoming European meetings.

The European Commission's submarine cable recommendation, seen by Euractiv, suggests phasing out risky providers of telecom subsea cables but does not propose any new form of financial assistance.

The EU's energy commissioner, Kadri Simson, has urged France to raise its renewable energy target to "at least 44%" by 2030, warning it would consider taking "steps" at EU level in case of persistent shortcomings.

Companies making claims like “eco” and “green” will need to send them for prior verification before using them or face fines of “at least at 4% of their annual turnover”, according to a draft EU law voted on in the European Parliament on Wednesday (14 February).

“The vote is never the last vote” - is what you can often hear in the so-called Brussels bubble when following the legislative path of an EU file.

EU pharmaceutical legislation is undergoing a major reform which is an opportunity to increase people’s access to medicines, but worryingly some right-leaning political groups want to give even more power to the pharma industry, writes Monique Goyens, Director General of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

The liberal centrists in the European Parliament, already torn by internal rifts, have a new dilemma: the presence of Czech business mogul Andrej Babiš’s increasingly conservative ANO party, which counters their core values but may bring valuable seats in the EU elections.

Europe’s commitment to bolster its defence industry will not become autonomy overnight, but it is necessary to start now, Belgium’s Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder told Euractiv, as pressure mounts for the ‘old continent’ to step up its security.

Looking into how technology will impact the EU's telecom industry, the Commission has been put into writing its thoughts regarding a regulation of cloud providers and an updated version of the fair share tax.

The French parliament's European affairs committee adopted on Wednesday (14 February) a European resolution tabled by Nicolas Thierry (Europe Écologie Les Verts, NUPES) calling for a revised REACH regulation on hazardous chemicals in everyday products.

Israel will press ahead with an offensive against Hamas in Rafah, the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, after allowing civilians to vacate the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday (14 February).

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Spain’s Sumar leader’s plan to condemn ‘international hypocrisy’ during her upcoming Palestine visit, the Greek Orthodox Church asking for a roll-call vote on the same-sex marriage bill, and so much more.

Watching a favourite influencer chow down on the latest fast food fad or cocktail may feel like entertainment, but those posts are likely adverts in disguise, the EU said Wednesday (14 February).

Cyprus could start producing its first natural gas as soon as 2026, and plans to participate in a high-powered electricity cable project linking the eastern Mediterranean to continental Europe, its energy minister told Reuters.

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The chemical industry drives innovation, creates jobs, and manufactures the products that are indispensable to achieving long-term GHG emission reduction goals. A strong, competitive chemical sector in Europe is crucial to making the technologies needed for the European Green Deal.

Several social-democratic and liberal politicians will eventually join the AUR party, party leader George Simion announced on Wednesday, adding that they have not officially joined the party yet due to the potential risk of losing their current political mandates.

Croatian farmers are holding off on protests until they know the outcome of next week’s EU farmers’ meeting, and are organising another round of negotiations with the government to see if it will meet their demands, according to the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture’s (HPK) press release on Wednesday.

The “need to find a strategic buyer” for the Lukoil Neftochim refinery in Burgas and possibilities of reducing dependence on Russian gas and oil in the Balkan region were discussed by a Bulgarian government delegation during its visit to the US, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday.