The Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has approved a decree that aims to ensure strategic coherence in the spending of all EU funds received by Italy, while economists remain cautious about its potential impact.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s conservative CDU party prefers a deal with left-wing rather than right-wing forces to support her second mandate in an investiture vote, the party’s delegation leader Daniel Caspary said on Thursday, adding, however, that it depends on whether left-wing parties are reliable.

Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting US troops, a senior US defense official told Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger's junta to expel US forces from the country.

Vladimir Putin sees domestic and international developments trending in his favor and likely will press on with aggressive tactics in Ukraine, but the war is unlikely to end soon, the top US intelligence official said.

France and Japan agreed on Thursday (2 May) to start formal talks on a reciprocal troop access deal, strengthening military cooperation in amid rising maritime tensions in the Indo-Pacific region and the war in Ukraine.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron promised three billion pounds (€3.5 billion) of annual military aid for Ukraine for "as long as it takes" on Thursday (2 May), adding that London had no objection to the weapons being used inside Russia.

With France set to host China's President Xi Jinping on his first state visit to Europe in five years, Paris and Brussels are trying to find the right balance between taking an offensive stance against Beijing and attracting new investments.

EU countries generally agree that green technologies are crucial to meet climate targets and stay competitive in the renewable energy market. They agree less on how to boost their competitiveness vis-à-vis the United States and China. 

Europe must boost its investment in R&D, skills, infrastructure, and the integration of eco-friendly and advanced technologies if it is to achieve its environmental objectives and maintain a competitive edge, say institutional banks.

Tech leaders are warning that Europe faces a tech skills shortfall. Estimates indicate only 12 million skilled professionals may be available, despite EU targets of employing 20 million ICT specialists by 2030.

The European Commission is moving fast to reduce Europe’s dependence on imports of raw materials. However, the raw materials industry worries that continued ‘hazard-based assessments’ for project approval will stifle investment.

A Bulgarian research team is developing a high-end biometric access system powered by artificial intelligence for public events. The product, still under development, will soon replace the current access control systems for mass events.

The EU executive announced on Thursday (2 April) a six-month extension of the extraordinary framework allowing member states to grant support to farms and fishermen, set to expire in June, due to "persisting" market disruptions.

France is the European country with the highest tax burden for pharmaceutical companies, according to a study published on Thursday (May 2) by Entreprises du Médicament en France (Leem), an association of French pharmaceutical companies.

Twenty years ago, on a sunny Saturday on 1 May 2004, three former Soviet Republics, three former Soviet satellite countries (one of them having split in two), one former Yugoslav republic, and two former British colonies joined the EU.

The Happy Planet Index (HPI) claims to have found that higher levels of consumption are not translating into higher levels of well being. The index is an attempt to go beyond GDP and find a way to measure how countries are providing citizens with a good sense of well being without placing an excessive burden on the planet.

Key figures from Spain’s liberal party Ciudadanos (Renew) switching to the right-wing Partido Popular (EPP) have cast doubt on the future of southern Europe’s liberal parties. 

Depopulation poses a significant challenge for the entire EU, but the cohesion policy offers a solution. By investing in areas like construction, transport, energy, digital and social infrastructure, it aims to improve our lives.

Ahead of a new European Commission, following June's European elections, ARTICLE 19’s Mark Dempsey outlines a vision for a European Union where the information environment is open, decentralised, fair, diverse, and inclusive.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday (2 May) €1 billion in financial aid to Lebanon, disbursed over three years, to support the country’s economy and address the challenges posed by refugees and migration.