EU co-legislators sealed a provisional deal in the early hours of Tuesday (5 March) on rules that will ban forced labour products from the bloc's import and export markets, overturning expectations that the law would fail to pass within the current legislative mandate after months of stalling progress. 

Nuclear technologies should benefit from all types of EU funding, such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and innovation funds, the French-led nuclear alliance, which now has 12 EU member states, said at its meeting on Monday.

The controversial overhaul of the EU’s packaging waste rules was agreed in Brussels on Monday, paving the way for a 15% reduction in waste, banning plastic sauce cachets and EU-wide bottle deposit schemes.

France, Estonia and Poland are calling on the European Commission and other EU member states to pledge larger sums to Europe's defence industry as the EU executive is set to propose a re-industrialisation strategy for the sector.

Ukrainian sea drones damaged a Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship off occupied Crimea, Ukrainian military intelligence said on Tuesday (5 March).

The Council of Europe's press freedom report, released on Tuesday (5 March), underscores the absence of international spyware regulation, disputes over the draft law on online child sexual abuse material, and more.

The European Union has reached a provisional deal on a new law to cut packaging waste and ban single-use plastics, such as supermarket bags for fruit and mini hotel shampoo bottles in hotels, albeit with exemptions for certain sectors.

Israeli forces raided the Palestinian administrative capital of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank overnight, killing a 16-year-old in a refugee camp during their biggest such operation into the city in years, Palestinian sources said on Monday (4 March).

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, described Ukraine on Monday (4 March) as part of Russia and said what he called historical parts of Russia needed to "come home."

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Finland’s top military official saying European NATO countries must go beyond their 2% pledge, the Kucova NATO airbase officially opening in Albania, and so much more.

France has become the first country in the world to enshrine the right of women to have an abortion in the constitution, following a vote from MPs and senators who met in Congress at the Château de Versailles on Monday.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suffered his first defeats over his legislation to send asylum seekers to Rwanda after the upper house of parliament demanded greater protections to be introduced before deportation flights can take off.

NATO’s Kucova air base in Albania was officially opened on Monday in the presence of key government officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, who described it as an important security element for the Western Balkans and the wider region.

The Croatian Parliament will be dissolved by 22 March at the latest and general elections will be held before the European Parliament elections scheduled for 9 June in Croatia, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced on Monday afternoon.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has launched plans to reform the judiciary under the label of restoring the rule of law in Poland following the rule of the conservative PiS, Justice Minister Admar said in a presentation of the plan on Monday.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) should cover more products, such as building or textile materials, Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík told Euractiv Czechia, adding that it could encourage the world to reduce emissions.

The next European Commission needs a dedicated portfolio to combat disinformation as Russian President Vladimir Putin uses it as a weapon to weaken democracy by stoking mistrust of the EU,  Eugen Toma, Romanian MEP and President of the People’s Movement Party (EPP), said at an event organised by Euractiv’s partner HotNews.

Bulgaria has started negotiations with Azerbaijan to increase gas supplies to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine through the future vertical Balkan gas corridor, the Bulgarian parliament’s press centre announced on Monday.

European countries need to increase their defence budgets and the capacity of their defence industries beyond 2% of their GDP, Timo Kivinen said in his last speech as commander of the Finnish Defence Forces on Monday.

Greece’s independent Data Protection Authority has launched an investigation after numerous Greek voters living abroad complained that centre-right MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP) sent them pre-election emails without their consent.