The Parliament Magazine

From energy grids, transport and telecoms infrastructure to the digital and financial sectors, European infrastructure is becoming increasingly connected — yet it’s still addressed in silos. Our latest policy report aims to connect the dots, evaluating the strengths and vulnerabilities of EU connectivity. Discover the full policy report here: buff.ly/m4MOGAt

When Elon Musk restricted Russian access to Starlink, the battlefield impact was immediate: Ukraine reported a roughly 50% drop in offensive capacity. The message for Europe is clear: Space has emerged as a critical layer of modern warfare and infrastructure. But with Russia and China ramping up their capabilities, European governments’ efforts to catch up in the space race are yet to translate into a coordinated EU strategy. Read the full story here: buff.ly/dNvx5LZ

Since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on Feb. 28, a string of terrorist attacks has rocked several European cities. For now, it’s unlikely the attacks will alter the EU’s reluctance to enter the conflict. Yet, should they escalate, and Iran’s hand become harder to ignore, European countries could find themselves in an increasingly untenable position, Thomas Renard, Director of the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, told The Parliament. Read the full story here: buff.ly/yd6GWVC

In a new op-ed, MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis, Maurizio Scarpa and Ruth Ladenstein argue the EU needs a 28th Regime for life sciences. To make it a reality, they write, the proposed EU Inc. regulation must be paired with the European Commission's proposed Biotech Act, along with other targeted legislative tools. Read their argument: buff.ly/Rq3NDie

For years, Europe’s ambition to extend its boundaries eastward has languished as little more than a dormant file, rich in rhetoric, short on progress and shadowed by growing frustration. But today, enlargement is a reality, said Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. In an interview with The Parliament, Kos discussed how the EU is helping Yerevan fight ongoing Russian interference in the elections, the prospects of Montenegro and Albania joining the bloc and why enlargement is ultimately Brussels’ best weapon against political destabilization. Read the full interview here: buff.ly/Fq2ifyI

National governments across Europe are moving ahead quickly on social media bans for minors. That could leave the European Commission, long the standard-setter in tech regulation, far behind. Read the full story by @pedersschaefer: buff.ly/qPj22Pk

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Helsinki has resurrected an idea once dismissed as far-fetched: a fixed link across the Baltic to Sweden, its closest EU partner and NATO ally. At its core, they say, the project is about resilience, ensuring Finland isn’t cut off if the Baltic Sea becomes a chokepoint in a future crisis, FDS reports: buff.ly/LbXnIrS

The European Commission recently unveiled EU Inc., a regulation to harmonize, digitalize and speed up company formation across the bloc. However, according to Apostolos Thomadakis, senior research fellow at @CEPS_thinktank, the Commission should not "oversell its proposal," arguing that EU Inc. cannot be presented as a full 28th regime, as European companies would still have to navigate national legal, tax and administrative systems. Read his argument: buff.ly/rSjz76H

Ending months of foot-dragging, European lawmakers on Thursday moved to ratify a widely unpopular trade agreement with the United States, clearing the biggest hurdle to implementing a deal originally meant to restore predictability in transatlantic relations. But whether the new conditions will survive the last round of negotiations remains anybody’s guess, writes Federica Di Sario. Read the full story here: buff.ly/d8Qo6Op

As the G7 meet in France today, foreign ministers will seek clarity on Washington’s endgame in the Middle East, while the U.S. is set to pressure allies for support. Neither side is likely to get what it wants. Iran is holding firm and has already rejected Washington’s peace plan. At the same time, European countries have little incentive to deepen their involvement, especially as Russia’s backing of Iran highlights Washington’s limited success in bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. Read the full analysis in the week’s newsletter, and find out what else we are up to here: buff.ly/exrsMSw

After a year back in the White House, Donald Trump has already shattered Poland's hard-won defense concensus. Only 30% of Poles still believe the U.S. is a reliable ally, and more Polish voters and leaders are beginning to look toward the European Union instead. Read the full story by @pedersschaefer: buff.ly/mJwJoA9

Should the EU punish Hungary ahead of next month’s elections? In an exclusive interview with The Parliament on Wednesday, MEP @daniel_freund said member states and EU leaders have ignored “the Orbán problem” for too long, and that the bloc should immediately cut Hungary out of sensitive negotiations. Read the full interview in our website: buff.ly/UNXq2Bh

The European Union and Australia on Tuesday finalized a long-awaited free trade agreement. The deal marks a key step in Brussels’ push to diversify trade ties, following recent moves with Mercosur and India. In a recent op-ed, Sorin Moisa, former rapporteur for the EU-Australia FTA negotiations, underscored the urgency of closing the trade deal. Read his argument: buff.ly/lN544GV

A recent report by @OSCE highlights significant democratic backsliding and increasing restrictions on civil society in Georgia. Ana Tsitlidze, a former Georgian MP and a member of the opposition United National Movement, argues that “these developments reflect a process of state capture” that began after the 2012 Georgian Dream’s election victory. According to Tsitlidze, Georgia’s democratic decline has direct implications for the EU’s eastern enlargement and requires a more targeted response. Read the full argument: buff.ly/BQQ5gK4

On Thursday, EU leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit that was meant to focus on the bloc’s competitiveness agenda. Instead, once again, Budapest — and a war, this time in the Middle East — overshadowed the official program. Get the full story in this week’s newsletter by @pausoler98 here: buff.ly/GFtst0p

As Europe rearms, integrating women is becoming a strategic necessity. With aging populations, relying on men alone won’t cut it. Women make up 13.9% of NATO forces. But progress is uneven, and retention is still shaped by culture, stereotypes and limited career paths. Are Europe’s militaries ready to adapt? Read the full story here: buff.ly/MP9ep4B

A free trade agreement between the EU and Australia is underway. For the EU, it's a step toward a pragmatic trade policy, writes Sorin Moisa, prioritizing stable trade relationships and reaffirming the importance of a rules-based approach to international trade. Most importantly, a trusted partner like Australia wouldn’t weaponize access to its natural resources, such as rare earths and critical minerals, argues Moisa, ex-rapporteur for the EU-Australia FTA negotiations. Read the full op-ed: buff.ly/py0tH9y

The ambitious 28th Regime plan to create pan-European company law came a step closer to becoming reality today, after the Commission unveiled its legislative proposal. While business groups were happy with the direction of the proposal, they had concerns that with no EU-level court for business disputes the implementation would remain a 27-state patchwork. “Not the full ambition we had asked for, it needs improvements,” said Simon Schaefer, the president of Allied For Startups, an organization advocating for Europe’s start-up community. “But definitely wins for Europe’s business community." Read the full story by @pederdschaefer: buff.ly/1Qlo9t7

Home prices across the European Union have increased by a staggering 60% over the past decade. Sorcha Edwards, the secretary general of Housing Europe, helps explain why, pointing to the failure of many member states to support public and social housing programs. Read the full story by @pedersschaefer: buff.ly/ASmky8F