Author: Press Room

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa signed on Friday a revamped trade deal with Mexico as part of the EU’s efforts to expand its influence in Latin America, shortly after the Mercosur pact entered into force. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The deal was signed at an EU–Mexico summit in Mexico, with von der Leyen and Costa joined by the country’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, amid rising geopolitical tensions and shifting global alliances following the return of US president to the White House. The economic partnership between the two medium-sized powers reflects efforts on both sides to…

Good morning, readers. Angela Skujins here, guiding you into the final stretch of the working week. A quick reminder: there’ll be no newsletter or Europe Today on Monday for the Whit Monday holiday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT But before Brussels empties out for a sun-soaked public holiday weekend, Friday’s political menu is already sizzling. It’s stuffed with economic tensions, transatlantic ties and the question of how much Europe can still count on Washington. Let’s start with the cash crunch. European Commissioner for the Economy Valdis Dombrovskis spoke to Euronews’ Europe Editor Maria Tadeo about his economic analysis from February to April –…

Published on 22/05/2026 – 9:25 GMT+2 In this week’s episode of Brussels, my love?, we dive into the big conversations around Brexit after recent UK local elections reopened a Pandora’s box about Britain’s future relationship with the EU. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Host Méabh Mc Mahon unpacks why the debate has returned and what the view from Brussels is with guests Dharmendra Kanani, Natalie Sarkic-Todd and Euronews politics correspondent Stefan Grobe. “Brexit was a lie,” according to Darmendra Kanani from the pro-European think tank Friends of Europe said, arguing that “the cost of leaving far, far outweighed the benefits.” But not everyone…

The latest Council of Europe report on overall prison conditions, published on Tuesday, points to a persistent problem of overcrowding, with several countries in a critical situation and others close to maximum capacity. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Based on data supplied by the prison services of the 46 member states of the Strasbourg-based organisation, the document confirms the trend towards rising prison populations, already highlighted in the latest Eurostat survey (+2%), also made public only a few days ago. Between 31 January 2024 and 31 January 2025, the number of prisoners per 100 available places rose from 94.7 to 95.2, despite regional…

French cinema was shaken to its core just days ahead of the iconic Cannes Festival that took place between 12-23 May, as more than 600 professionals signed a petition protesting against the ever-growing hold of conservative businessman Vincent Bolloré on the country’s film industry. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Hollywood stars Javier Bardem and Ken Loach are among those who have since added their names to the petition, which includes names such as esteemed French actresses Adèle Haenel and Juliette Binoche. The petition, which now counts almost 3,500 signatures, was initiated by the collective “Zapper Bolloré”, which translates to “Zap away from Bolloré”,…

Published on 22/05/2026 – 14:07 GMT+2 Police in the United Kingdom investigating former prince Andrew said on Friday that they are also open to probing a claim of sexual misconduct against King Charles’ brother. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the second of the late queen Elizabeth’s three sons, was arrested in mid-February after new revelations stemming from his ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Detectives at Thames Valley Police said they had been in touch with the lawyer of a potential victim following reports a woman was brought to Windsor, west of London, where Andrew was a resident…

The European Union will not immediately attempt to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, despite the new Hungarian government’s readiness to lift the country’s long-standing opposition. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Kirill, a highly controversial figure with both religious and political influence, has been accused of spreading revisionist propaganda to justify the war in Ukraine. Under his leadership, the Russian Orthodox Church approved a document that called for the annihilation of Ukrainian independence and described the invasion as a “Holy War”. His name, however, will not be included in a “mini package” of sanctions currently being prepared in…

Published on 22/05/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2•Updated 15:02 Italian police reportedly shut down a movie wrap party attended by Hollywood stars and rock and roll icon Mick Jagger on the island of Stromboli earlier this week due to a local rule banning music on Wednesdays. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The celebrities had gathered on the volcanic island, which forms part of the Aeolian archipelago, to celebrate after finishing filming for “Three Incestuous Sisters,” an upcoming movie from Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher. Other famous faces in attendance included Oscar-winning Irish performer Jessie Buckley and Italian cinema legend Isabella Rossellini, as well as “Fifty Shades…

Gustav Hasselskog, CEO of the Swedish company Candela he founded in 2014, steps aboard a futuristic vessel at dock in Stockholm’s Frihamnen harbour. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Low and sleek, the Candela P12 pulling away from the quay has more in common with an aircraft fuselage than a traditional commuter ferry. “We will go full power up to 17 and then she lifts above the water and then we fly at around 25 knots.” As Captain Lars Billström calls out the numbers from the helm, the 30-seat vessel rises smoothly above the surface, lifted by hydrofoils controlled by onboard computers. The churn…

Published on 22/05/2026 – 13:58 GMT+2 The European Union is considering the use of “existing flexibilities” within its fiscal framework as part of its response to the energy crisis, European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis told journalists on Friday following a euro area finance ministers’ meeting in Cyprus. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We are currently looking at the policies, including fiscal policy options, to best address the crisis, including the use of existing flexibilities within our framework,” Dombrovskis said during a press conference. On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for greater…