EU member states and the European Parliament have agreed on the bloc’s first-ever law to combat violence against women. But the final text fell short on one key element: the inclusion of a common definition of rape. Despite legislative efforts, violence against women and domestic violence persist across the European continent.
With the bloc reeling from a farmers’ revolt against green reforms, and four months before the EU elections, the EU unveiled this week its climate targets for 2040 and a roadmap for the next stage of its energy transition.
Following geopolitical developments such as Russia’s war against Ukraine, the EU’s interests towards the African continent began to shift. The bloc’s foreign ministers sought to rethink their approach and interests towards their African partners.
The EU is one of UNRWA’s top donors. Following Israeli allegations that some staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attack, the EU announced to review its support. While some believe this to be an urgent measure, others warn of collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
For weeks now, farmers across the continent have taken their anger and worry about their livelihoods to the streets. After protests in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen opened the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture the following day.
MEPs have called for further steps to prepare a court case against the European Commission over the unblocking of billions of EU funds for Hungary. In December, the Commission released funds to win Hungary’s support for Ukraine. The European Council is due to discuss the financial aid to Kyiv again at an extraordinary summit in February.