The Communists of Russia party has asked the FSB security service and top prosecutors to investigate the possible involvement of Western intelligence services in the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1953, RIA news agency reported on Tuesday (5 March).

Germany's levy on cross-border gas trading puts the EU's energy solidarity at risk and hurts efforts to cut the bloc's reliance on Russian gas, the bloc's energy commissioner and deputy Czech PM told reporters on Monday (4 March) following a meeting of EU energy ministers.

The French government has included agriculture in its list of "short-staffed" sectors to facilitate the recruitment of non-Europeans already irregularly working in France as part of efforts to fill the labour gap.

France signed a bilateral agreement with Denmark on Monday (4 March) for carbon transport and storage, with more deals potentially yet to come, as part of efforts to meet its domestic carbon targets. 

British judges should protect Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from extradition to the US, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday (4 March) in an unusual intervention, adding that the proportionality of Assange’s punishment in the US was questionable.

The sharp drop in the EU's CO2 price, caused by high energy prices and political uncertainty, risks the carbon market's credibility – and becomes an obstacle to the bloc's industrial decarbonisation.

The sharp reduction in the EU’s trade deficit with China in 2023 does not provide evidence that the bloc is successfully “de-risking” from China but rather supports the claim that Beijing is itself seeking strategic independence from the West, experts told Euractiv.

A wiretap leak has prompted Germany to denounce an “information war” and accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to undermine unity in Berlin over its support to Ukraine.

Transport Brief

The European Commission announced on Monday (4 March) a €1.8 billion fine for Apple, saying the tech giant abused its dominant position for music streaming providers.

The top decision-making body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its latest meeting failed to solve issues with trade-distorting measures and unsustainable practices in the agricultural and fisheries sectors nor restore a mechanism to enforce the global trade rules.

Centre right, conservatives and far right are opposing the introduction of mandatory anti-harassment training for members of the European Parliament (MEPs) at the beginning of their mandate, a source from the European Parliament close to the matter told Euractiv.

Recent signs point to a rekindling of relations between Turkey and the West, particularly on action relating to Ukraine. However, long-term energy dependencies indicate that Turkey and Russia will remain close partners for the foreseeable future, writes Francesco Siccardi.

Ukraine should become a full member of the EU's defence industry support scheme, which would also help use the country's expertise and bring Kyiv closer to membership, according to a European Commission draft proposal seen by Euractiv.

As the European Union undergoes a crucial revision of its Waste Framework Directive, there is a pressing need for bold and innovative strategies to address the crisis of waste incineration and landfilling, write Alex Darut and Janek Vahk.  

From influencing tech giants to securing privacy rights and fostering global partnerships, Europe has shown its capacity for meaningful change. Let's dare to dream of a Europe leading the charge in climate neutrality, embracing diversity, and safeguarding digital freedoms. As the European elections approach on the 6-9th June, join us in reflecting on Europe's past achievements and imagining its future potential. Your vote matters. Together, let's commit to shaping a future where freedom, fairness, and progress prevail.

Keeping Europe safe from wars and poverty is the key thread of the narrative the EU socialists pitched for June's European elections as they hammered out their strategy at a congress of the Party of the European Socialists in Rome last weekend.

Tariffs on Chinese solar panels look to be off the table as EU countries look towards drafting a declaration of support to its domestic solar industry – while turning away from past measures like anti-dumping tariffs.

Poland adopted a National Rare Diseases Plan in 2021 - by December 2023, it had lapsed. New efforts are underway to push for a sustainable plan, but an exact date for resuming the Polish Rare Diseases Plan remains undisclosed.

People living with rare diseases in Slovakia are facing a high risk of impoverishment and discrimination, while Slovak access to medicines continues to rank among the worst in the EU.