eu

EU China Trade: October Deadline and Retaliation Risk

The European Union has set an October 2026 deadline for China to make tangible concessions on bilateral trade imbalances, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warning that the EU will retaliate if Beijing fails to meet the terms. The warning, issued in early July 2026, marks a significant hardening of the EU’s position...

EU Russia Sanctions: 21st Package Proposed

The European Union has proposed its 21st package of EU Russia sanctions, putting forward more than 170 new designations in what EU foreign policy officials have described as the bloc’s largest set of sanctions listings in over two years. The package targets Russia’s military-industrial complex, energy sector, financial services, drone production and individuals categorised as...

EU Commission Agrees to Unlock $19B in EU Funds for Hungary

The European Commission has agreed to unlock more than $19 billion in EU funds for Hungary, a decision that arrives as the state’s newly formed government confronts one of the most acute fiscal inheritances in the nation’s recent history. Hungary’s budget deficit is projected at 6,2 per cent of gross domestic product, a figure attributed...

EU Unblocks 90€ Billion Loan for Ukraine

The European Union (hereinafter: EU) reached an agreement on 22 April 2026 to unblock a 90€ billion loan for Ukraine. The decision by EU ambassadors in Brussels followed the restoration of Russian oil transit through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, which had been suspended since January 2026. The resumption of energy flows prompted the governments...

EU Moves Toward ‘Forever Chemicals’ Ban

The European Union’s (hereinafter: EU) forever chemicals ban moved closer to implementation on 26 March 2026 as scientific committees of the European Chemicals Agency endorsed broad restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (hereinafter: PFAS). The recommendation follows growing evidence of environmental persistence and health risks associated with these substances, alongside ongoing regulatory discussions within the...

EU Launches €38bn Defence Investments Under €150bn SAFE Scheme

The European Union (hereinafter: EU) has approved 38€ billion in initial defence investments under the broader Security and Defence Investment Framework, known as the SAFE scheme. These are the first major defence allocations from a total planned envelope of 150€ billion, designed to strengthen EU defence capabilities, industrial capacity and strategic autonomy in response to...