Euractiv.com

The French government has included agriculture in its list of "short-staffed" sectors to facilitate the recruitment of non-Europeans already irregularly working in France as part of efforts to fill the labour gap.

France signed a bilateral agreement with Denmark on Monday (4 March) for carbon transport and storage, with more deals potentially yet to come, as part of efforts to meet its domestic carbon targets. 

British judges should protect Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from extradition to the US, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday (4 March) in an unusual intervention, adding that the proportionality of Assange’s punishment in the US was questionable.

The sharp drop in the EU's CO2 price, caused by high energy prices and political uncertainty, risks the carbon market's credibility – and becomes an obstacle to the bloc's industrial decarbonisation.

“We’re not de-risking,” one expert told Euractiv. “What’s happening is that China is not importing from us. And the main reason is that they are substituting our imports.”

A wiretap leak has prompted Germany to denounce an “information war” and accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to undermine unity in Berlin over its support to Ukraine.

The European Commission announced on Monday (4 March) a €1.8 billion fine for Apple, saying the tech giant abused its dominant position for music streaming providers.

The top decision-making body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its latest meeting failed to solve issues with trade-distorting measures and unsustainable practices in the agricultural and fisheries sectors nor restore a mechanism to enforce the global trade rules.

The centre-right, conservative and far-right lawmakers oppose the introduction of mandatory anti-harassment training for members of the European Parliament (MEPs) at the start of their mandate, a German EU lawmaker involved in the process told Euractiv.

Recent signs point to a rekindling of relations between Turkey and the West, particularly on action relating to Ukraine. However, long-term energy dependencies indicate that Turkey and Russia will remain close partners for the foreseeable future, writes Francesco Siccardi.

Ukraine should become a full member of the EU's defence industry support scheme, which would also help use the country's expertise and bring Kyiv closer to membership, according to a European Commission draft proposal seen by Euractiv.

As the European Union undergoes a crucial revision of its Waste Framework Directive, there is a pressing need for bold and innovative strategies to address the crisis of waste incineration and landfilling, write Alex Darut and Janek Vahk.  

From influencing tech giants to securing privacy rights and fostering global partnerships, Europe has shown its capacity for meaningful change. Let's dare to dream of a Europe leading the charge in climate neutrality, embracing diversity, and safeguarding digital freedoms. As the European elections approach on the 6-9th June, join us in reflecting on Europe's past achievements and imagining its future potential. Your vote matters. Together, let's commit to shaping a future where freedom, fairness, and progress prevail.

Keeping Europe safe from wars and poverty is the key thread of the narrative the EU socialists pitched for June's European elections as they hammered out their strategy at a congress of the Party of the European Socialists in Rome last weekend.

Tariffs on Chinese solar panels look to be off the table as EU countries look towards drafting a declaration of support to its domestic solar industry – while turning away from past measures like anti-dumping tariffs.

Poland adopted a National Rare Diseases Plan in 2021 - by December 2023, it had lapsed. New efforts are underway to push for a sustainable plan, but an exact date for resuming the Polish Rare Diseases Plan remains undisclosed.

People living with rare diseases in Slovakia are facing a high risk of impoverishment and discrimination, while Slovak access to medicines continues to rank among the worst in the EU.

In Sweden, every seven minutes, someone is diagnosed with cancer. Faced with complex health education and lifestyle challenges, the government is developing a new National Cancer Plan, hoping to turn the tide on cancer.

Innovative therapies are key to early diagnosis of rare diseases, but soaring costs are pricing quality treatment beyond the reach of many patients, a Czech patient organisation has warned.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will meet former US President Donald Trump on 8 March in Florida, Orbán's press chief told Hungarian state news agency MTI late on Sunday (3 March).