Donald Trump says will send US patriot missiles to Ukraine
14/07/2025
EU still seeks trade deal, delaying countermeasures after new Trump tariff threat
Europe
13/07/2025
Several killed in Russian drone strikes on Ukraine
Europe
12/07/2025
Russian drone attack: The goal is to 'terrorise the Ukrainian population'
Europe
12/07/2025
Europe needs infrastructure overhaul to tackle summer heatwaves, expert says
Europe
11/07/2025
France is Russia's 'main enemy' says head of French army this Friday
Europe
11/07/2025
EU orders AI companies to clean up their act, stop using pirated data
Europe
11/07/2025
In Lithuania, baby seals have been released into the Baltic Sea
Europe
11/07/2025
Zelensky appeals to allies for investment & defense aid in Rome
Europe
11/07/2025
Bosnia commemorates massacre of more than 8,000 Muslims 30 years ago
Europe
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Euronews
17 minutes ago
- Euronews
What's at stake in the new EU long-term budget?
Think of any EU policy you care about or benefit from, as a citizen, politician, or stakeholder. Whether it's funding Ukraine's reconstruction, boosting the continent's competitiveness, or maintaining farm subsidies, all of it ties back to one foundational element: the EU's long-term budget. That process begins in earnest this Wednesday, when the European Commission presents its first proposal for what is known in Brussels jargon as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), covering the period from 2028 to 2034. Behind almost every major fight in Brussels, there's a battle over money. And this is the mother of them all. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised a comprehensive overhaul of the EU budget to make it simpler, more effective, and better aligned with strategic priorities. Translating that ambition into actual numbers—especially when it comes to funding areas like defence, which the treaties currently prohibit—will be the start of many difficult negotiations with EU leaders and MEPs. Meanwhile, traditional programmes that may no longer be viewed as top priorities could face deep cuts, sparking fierce resistance. A masterclass in secrecy The lead-up to this MFF proposal has been marked by an extraordinary level of secrecy. Few details have leaked, most of them deliberately and only at a very final stage in the process. This cloak of confidentiality is one of the most successful examples of von der Leyen's consolidation of power and a testament to the control wielded by her powerful chief of staff, Bjoern Seibert. Commission insiders describe a system of 'compartmentalisation' akin to methods used in intelligence operations, where individuals only have access to the information strictly necessary for their tasks. Within the Commission, this has meant that discussions about the budget have taken place in isolated groups, particularly in high-level 'chef' meetings involving Commissioners' cabinets and directorate-generals. A senior EU source told Euronews that most of these discussions occurred in silos, with each group unaware of what others were working on, and especially in the dark about the figures for each fund. 'The truth is: numbers will go directly to the College of Commissioners [tomorrow]. Only like three people know about them,' the source revealed. While Commission staff have been working on structure and governance issues of the funds, which couldn't prevent these from being leaked, details on actual funding levels remain tightly guarded. Two key elements The current MFF for 2021–2027 stands at €1.2 trillion, equivalent to about 1% of the EU's GDP (not including post-pandemic recovery funds). Few expect this figure to change dramatically. Instead, the focus will be on spending smarter and prioritising better. Initially, the Commission considered structuring the next MFF around three major pillars: one for national envelopes covering agriculture and cohesion funds; another for competitiveness, innovation, and strategic investment; and a third consolidating all external instruments. While insiders suggest that some adjustments have been made since then, the drive for radical simplification remains intact. 'Still, expect surprises,' one Commission source said. The current 7-year budget has already reduced the number of funding programmes from 58 to 37 in the name of streamlining. Yet the Commission still sees room for further consolidation, and one major question is how drastic this simplification will be. The other is how far the Commission can go in increasing its flexibility to reallocate funds. Today, the vast majority of the EU budget is pre-allocated to specific programmes, leaving little room for rapid response or discretionary spending. The EU does have mechanisms to address emergencies and unforeseen events, but their size is limited: around €21 billion, just a small fraction of the total MFF. The Commission cannot unilaterally shift large sums from one policy area to another without formal revisions, which require the approval of both the European Parliament and the Council. That rigidity is something the new budget proposal will try to address, as enhancing the EU's ability to course-correct in real time has become a top priority (as shown by the mid-term review of the current MFF). Funds to watch Among the most hotly debated issues will be how to fund Ukraine, how to address defence spending despite legal constraints, and whether to introduce new common debt instruments (considering the EU still has to repay its pandemic borrowing). Nordic countries, for example, have pointed out that if von der Leyen avoids debt-based solutions, some member states may push to introduce it anyway. But what will really draw attention this week are the proposed funds themselves. Leaks suggest that a new European Competitiveness Fund will consolidate into a single instrument up to 12 existing programmes, including: Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research fund; the recently created EU4Health programme; and the LIFE programme for environmental and climate action. Another innovation appears to be something called 'National and Regional Partnerships,' a working title that has surfaced in multiple drafts, and that will be supported by a single "European Economic, Territorial, Social, Rural and Maritime Sustainable Prosperity and Security Fund." This would group together the funds under shared management, namely the agricultural subsidies and the policy to tackle the socio-economic gap between the EU's poorest and richest regions, known as cohesion. With these two funds accounting for the bulk of the EU budget, the expected merging of their structures could have profound implications—not only for governance and oversight, but also for how money is distributed across member states. A tangle of joint programmes will be replaced with 27 national plans specific to agriculture and cohesion, each reflecting EU-wide priorities while tailoring implementation locally. But this raises thorny questions about who controls the funds and how priorities are set. One thing that's likely to remain intact is the European Social Fund, which supports anti-poverty efforts and vulnerable groups. Socialists in the European Parliament claimed this as a key win in exchange for backing von der Leyen's bid for a second term—though in truth, the fund is enshrined in EU treaties and was never really in danger of being scrapped. This week's proposal is only the beginning of what promises to be a long, complex, and politically fraught negotiation process. Member states, the European Parliament (which appears sidelined in the delivery of the EU budget from some leaked drafts), and the Commission will all bring different priorities and red lines to the table. The Danish presidency of the EU Council aims to present the 'nego-box', the first compromise on the Commission's proposal, before the EU summit in December.
France 24
20 minutes ago
- France 24
Divided EU weighs action against Israel over Gaza war
The bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has put forward 10 potential steps after Israel was found to have breached a cooperation deal between the two sides on human rights grounds. The measures range from suspending the entire accord or curbing trade ties to sanctioning Israeli ministers, imposing an arms embargo and halting visa-free travel. But despite growing anger over the devastation in Gaza, EU states remain divided over how to tackle Israel and diplomats say there appears to be no critical mass for any move. "I was asked to give the inventory of the options that could be taken and it's up to the member states to discuss what do we do with these options," Kallas said Monday. The tone of discussions will be shaped strongly by how Israel is implementing a promise to the EU to improve humanitarian access to Gaza. Kallas said Thursday she had struck a deal with her Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, to open more entry points and allow in more food. Gaza's two million residents are facing dire humanitarian conditions as Israel has severely limited aid during its devastating war with Palestinian militant group Hamas. "We see some good signs of more trucks getting in," Kallas said Monday. "But of course we know that this is not enough and we need to push more (so) that the implementation of what we have agreed also happens on the ground." At a meeting of EU and neighbouring countries in Brussels on Monday, Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi said the situation in Gaza remained "catastrophic". 'No justification' Israel's Saar, speaking at the same meeting, sounded confident his country would avoid further EU action. "I'm sure not any of them will be adopted by the EU member states," said the foreign minister. "There's no justification whatsoever." While the EU appears unable for now to take any further moves against Israel, just getting to this stage has been a considerable step. The bloc only agreed to review the cooperation deal after Israel relaunched its devastating operation in Gaza following the collapse of a ceasefire in March. Until then deep divisions between countries backing Israel and those more favourable to the Palestinians had hamstrung any move. The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which led to 1,219 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Of the 251 people taken hostage by militants that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry says that at least 58,386 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's retaliatory campaign. The UN considers those figures reliable. © 2025 AFP
France 24
20 minutes ago
- France 24
China's economy grows 5.2% on trade war truce
The figures offer a rare bit of good news for the country's leadership as it fights a multi-front battle to kickstart growth -- a challenge made all the more difficult by Donald Trump's tariff war. But the knock-on effects of the trade turmoil abroad and persistent sluggish consumption mean the economy could slump in the second half of year, analysts warned. The US president has imposed tolls on China and most other major trading partners since returning to office in January, threatening Beijing's exports just as it becomes more reliant on them to stimulate economic activity. The two superpowers have sought to de-escalate their row after reaching a framework for a deal at talks in London last month, but observers warn of lingering uncertainty. On Tuesday, Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the Chinese economy grew 5.2 percent in April-June, matching a prediction by an AFP survey of analysts and topping an official growth goal for the year set by the government. But it marked a slowdown from the 5.4 percent seen in the first quarter, which was boosted by exporters rushing to shift goods ahead of swingeing US tariffs kicking in. "The national economy withstood pressure and made steady improvement despite challenges," NBS deputy director Sheng Laiyun told a news conference. "Production and demand grew steadily, employment was generally stable, household income continued to increase, new growth drivers witnessed robust development, and high-quality development made new strides," he said. Markets were mixed in response -- after a strong start to the day, Hong Kong pared an early rally while Shanghai dipped into negative territory. Elsewhere, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore and Taipei, but Seoul, Wellington and Manila retreated. "The figures probably still overstate the strength of growth," Zichun Huang, China Economist at Capital Economics, said in a note. "With exports set to slow and the tailwind from fiscal support on course to fade, growth is likely to slow further during the second half of this year," Huang added. Retail sales rose 4.8 percent on-year, below a forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists, suggesting efforts to kickstart consumption have fallen flat. The weak readings come even as Beijing tries to shift towards a growth model propelled more by domestic demand than the traditional key drivers of infrastructure investment, manufacturing and exports. Factory output meanwhile gained 6.8 percent, higher than the estimate -- reflecting continued high demand for Chinese exports that has boosted growth. 'More deflation' But analysts warn that strong exports could be driving deflationary pressures and further dampening already sluggish consumer demand. "Recent efforts to boost spending, such as the broadening of the consumer goods trade-in scheme earlier this year, did temporarily lift retail sales," said Sarah Tan, an economist at Moody's Analytics. "However, this support proved unsustainable, with funding reportedly drying up in several provinces. The scheme's limitations highlight the need for policymakers to address the deeper structural challenges behind consumer caution." Data last week showed consumer prices edged up in June, barely snapping a four-month deflationary dip, but factory gate prices dropped at their fastest clip in nearly two years. "The economy posted a solid first half, supported by resilient exports, though this momentum is contributing to deepening deflationary trends," Louise Loo, Head of Asia Economics at Oxford Economics, said in a note. "The cost of strong exports is more deflation," she said. Disagreements also persist between Beijing and Washington, despite the framework agreement reached last month. Trump upped the ante on Monday, warning Russia's trading partners that he will impose "very severe" tariffs reaching 100 percent if Moscow fails to end its war on Ukraine within 50 days. Western nations have repeatedly urged China -- a key commercial ally of Russia -- to wield its influence and get President Vladimir Putin to stop his three-year-old war with Ukraine. "The economic outlook for the rest of the year remains challenging," Capital Economics' Huang said. "With tariffs set to remain high, fiscal ammunition being depleted and structural headwinds persisting, growth is likely to slow further over the second half," she said.
