A controversial free trade agreement between the European Union and countries in the South American trade bloc Mercosur continues to divide Europe, with Germany and Spain pushing for the deal and France leading fierce opposition. Will this year see the end of decades of negotiations?
The EU member states rejected their foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell’s proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel regarding the country’s conduct during the war in the Gaza Strip. EU countries remain deeply divided over the situation in the Middle East.
At the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, discussions on the global climate crisis intensified, with sharp warnings on emissions and rising temperatures taking centre stage. Calls for more climate funding are growing louder, including from the European Union.
The candidate to become the next EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, wants a stronger position for the EU on the global stage. Members of the European Parliament have questioned the former prime minister of Estonia on a number of areas, including relations with the United States, the Middle East, China and Ukraine as part of the confirmation process for Kallas’ expected appointment.
Former US president Donald Trump’s election victory in the United States is sending shivers through Europe, which fears a déjà vu of transatlantic tensions over defence spending and tariffs on EU products sold to the US. What’s at stake for Europe and the EU when Trump returns to the White House?
How much progress are the candidate countries making towards joining the EU? In its annual Enlargement Package, the European Commission has presented a comprehensive assessment of the progress and current status of all candidate and potential candidate countries.