Russian drones ‘packed with European tech’
New investigations show that European technology continues to fuel Russia's military capabilities in Ukraine, despite numerous European Union sanctions.
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Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
EU gives Austria fiscal leeway to boost defence spending despite ballooning deficit
Austria can spend billions on buying new equipment for its military, even though the budget deficit is soaring and the country is under a European Union deficit…
Public opinion doubts if ‘more Europe’ is the way forward
In Brussels, these are the worst of times, but also the best of times.
All the doomed UK has left is a cackling demented “That’s all, folks!”
The British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, is an interesting (if only sort-of) example of what happens when life follows art.
Dangerously low? Germany’s gas storage has fallen to record lows
While cold temperatures are still dominating and after a chilly start to 2026, Germany is facing historic low gas storage supplies.
Volkswagen mulls plant closures and drastic cuts to stop losing money
Volkswagen is facing its most severe restructuring since the 2015 "Dieselgate" scandal as CEO Oliver Blume proposes a €60 billion cost-slashing programme and refuses…
The death of technocracy and the return of politics
Real political change tends to have more than one cause, and although it has become somewhat fashionable to reduce everything to a single issue – whether it is…
Poland’s tens of billions in debt for defence invites tough questions on priorities
Poland’s request for nearly €44 billion from the EU’s SAFE defence loan programme is being framed in Warsaw as a strategic breakthrough.
EU Hunger Games: Why the EUSSR is sabotaging your table
While enlightened bureaucrats play politburo, Europe’s farmers and consumers are expected to absorb - or maybe fail to absorb - yet another blow.
Carbon permit prices tumble after Germany’s Merz demands emission trading overhaul
European Union carbon permit prices have fallen significantly following remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicating that he may support an overhaul of…
Tony Blair Institute urges UK to drop ban on new oil and gas licences
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has called on the UK Labour Government to scrap its ban on new North Sea exploration licences and bring the Energy Profits…
Dutch energy grid ‘full’ in three provinces: ‘Blackouts looming,’ warns operator
The Dutch electricity grid has reached a critical tipping point in three central provinces.
Mercedes-Benz reports steep drop in annual profits
Mercedes-Benz Group has released its full-year 2025 financial results revealing a dramatic decline in profitability that marks the company's weakest performance…
Europe’s unbreakable dependency on American AI
The global AI race has become the defining feature of our times. It is now taking place on an unfathomable scale and speed, and cutting across all domains.
Dutch giant Heineken to cut up to 6,000 jobs on falling demand, despite solid profits
Dutch brewing giant Heineken has announced plans to eliminate between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs globally over the next two years.
Macron says Spanish blackout was due to over-reliance on renewable energy
French President Emmanuel Macron has attributed the major blackout that hit the Iberian Peninsula in April 2025 to Spain's heavy dependence on renewable energy sources,…
German town turns down €2.5 billion data centre project by US investor
Politicians in the German town of Great-Gerau near Frankfurt have refused plans by a US company to build one of Europe’s biggest data centres.
First time: German court allows prosecution of ‘climate activists’ as criminal group
A German court has allowed an indictment of a group of people who committed crimes in the supposed interest of the global climate as a criminal organisation.
Begrudging critics need to admit Trump is delivering a US boom
European incomprehension of President Trump has now been stretched to reluctant acknowledgement of the success of his economic policies with dire warnings of the…
Most Germans think welfare state is unfinanceable as reform attempts fizzle out
A large majority of Germans think their country’s welfare state cannot be upheld financially in its current form.
Apple, Google offer app store changes under new UK rules
Apple and Google have pledged changes to ensure fairness in their app stores, the UK competition watchdog said Tuesday, describing it as "first steps" under its…
EU warns Meta it must open up WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots
The EU executive told Meta to give rival chatbots access to WhatsApp after an antitrust probe found the US giant to be in breach of the bloc's competition rules.
Europe’s dependency on US LNG increases
European countries are increasingly dependent on US gas following sanctions on Russia, cold weather and structural changes in power generation, according to reports…
Another state launches probe into driver-assisted systems after reports of ‘phantom breaking’
The rush to impose advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) across the European Union has triggered a a new state investigation amid concerns the systems may be…
Greenpeace turns to Dutch courts in bid to overturn €292.6m US fine
Environmental network Greenpeace is turning to the Dutch courts in an attempt to have a multimillion-dollar fine imposed in a US lawsuit set aside.
VW and Stellantis urge help to keep carmaking in Europe
Europe's largest carmakers Volkswagen and Stellantis have called for subsidies to keep carmaking in the EU as they struggle with challenges from US tariffs to Chinese…
German nuclear phase-out a ‘historic mistake’, says head of IEA
The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has called Germany’s decision to abandon its nuclear power plants a “historic mistake”.
Paying for a selfie: Rome starts charging tourists to visit Trevi Fountain
Italy's Trevi Fountain has launched a new ticketing system, making the famous Rome landmark the latest tourist site to charge entry in a bid to raise funds and battle…
President of German automobile association who called for fuel price hike steps down after mass exodus of members
The president of Germany’s largest automobile association ADAC has resigned from his post after he backed raising the price of diesel and petrol.
Ban on road salt puts Berliners on a slippery slope
For days on end pedestrians in Berlin have had a difficult time moving around the German capital.