EU member states

France has proposed that fines imposed on Google by the European Union should be used to reduce the contributions that member states pay into the EU budget. The suggestion, reported by Reuters, would redirect competition penalty revenues away from general spending. The idea raises questions over how the bloc should treat one-off fines from large technology companies in its long-term financial planning.

European Union member states have approved five major pan-European defence projects, a step in the bloc's push to strengthen collective military capabilities and reduce reliance on external partners. The move is being reported by international outlets including Reuters, amid ongoing debate in Europe about security, rearmament, and funding for joint defence initiatives.

Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg are pushing the European Union to adopt a binding renewables target for 2040, according to Bloomberg. The joint appeal calls on Brussels to set a clear goal for expanding clean energy as part of the bloc's next phase of climate policy, signalling that member states want firmer commitments ahead of negotiations over the EU's post-2030 emissions and energy framework.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is pushing back against the European Union's proposed budget, according to a report cited by German media. The revolt signals friction between Berlin and Brussels over spending priorities, and the dispute is drawing attention as negotiations over the EU's long-term financial framework intensify among member states.

Germany has issued an ultimatum to the European Union over the EU budget, according to the Financial Times. The exact demands and deadline were not specified in the available reporting. The move signals tension between Berlin and EU institutions over spending plans, a perennial flashpoint given Germany's role as the bloc's largest net contributor and its insistence on fiscal discipline among member states.

The European Union has urged member states to reduce energy demand and fill gas storage facilities as it keeps watch over an emerging price crisis in Europe's energy markets. The appeal, reported by Bloomberg and carried by Japanese outlets, reflects concern that tight supplies could push prices higher and strain households and industry across the bloc in the coming months.

The Council of the European Union has identified the first five projects of common interest for the European defence industry. The move is part of EU efforts to strengthen European defence capabilities and industrial cooperation, encouraging member states to jointly develop and procure key military equipment.

Greece has announced plans to establish a European deportation centre in Africa during its EU Council presidency, which begins in summer 2027. The government says preparations are reportedly already underway. The proposal revives long-debated plans to process returns and deportations outside Europe, a highly contentious idea among EU member states, human rights groups and migration experts.

France has proposed that fines imposed on Google by the European Union should be used to reduce the amount member states pay into the EU budget. The suggestion would redirect competition penalty revenues away from general EU funds and toward lowering national contributions. The idea touches on long-running debates over how the bloc should use multibillion-euro antitrust fines against major US tech firms.

The European Commission has launched an initiative targeting bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, two of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Europe. The move signals a push for stronger prevention policies across member states. Details of specific measures, funding, or timelines have not yet been reported, and reaction from health bodies and member states remains to be seen.

Five European Union member states are planning to send rejected asylum seekers to countries outside the bloc starting in 2027, according to an EU Today report. The scheme reflects a broader tightening of EU migration policy, with governments seeking third countries willing to accept deported migrants whose asylum claims have failed. Critics are likely to raise concerns about the legality and ethics of such returns.

France has proposed that fines collected by the European Union from Google be used to reduce the budget contributions paid by member states. The idea would channel antitrust penalties against the US tech giant into easing national payments to the EU budget. The proposal is drawing attention as the EU weighs how to spend the multi-billion-euro fines imposed on Google under competition rules.

The European Union has agreed on five priority areas for defense investment, creating a framework to channel joint spending among member states. The move is part of broader efforts to coordinate European defense capabilities and reduce fragmentation across national armed forces. Details of the specific priority areas and funding mechanisms are expected to shape future EU defense cooperation.

European Union members are finding it increasingly difficult to agree on new sanctions against Russia, as the straightforward measures have largely been exhausted. Further restrictions now involve real economic trade-offs among member states, complicating consensus and slowing the bloc's sanctions momentum.

Attention is on the European Central Bank's upcoming leadership changes, with reporting framing the succession as a contest shaped by political bargaining among EU governments rather than a purely technocratic decision. Key posts at the bank are expected to open up as senior officials' terms near their end, prompting jockeying over which nationalities and candidates fill them. The process matters because the ECB's leadership steers eurozone monetary policy and its balance between hawkish and dovish voices.

A CEPR discussion examines the true scale and structure of the European Union's debt, arguing that headline figures obscure how liabilities are distributed across member states and EU institutions. The analysis has drawn attention among economists and policymakers debating fiscal rules, joint borrowing and the sustainability of public finances across the bloc.

The Council of the European Union has adopted the so-called pharma package, a major revision of the bloc's pharmaceutical legislation aimed at making the sector fairer and more competitive. The reform is intended to modernise rules on medicines' authorisation, availability and affordability across EU member states, and now forms part of the Union's wider health policy agenda.