Author: Press Room
Published on 23/03/2026 – 15:14 GMT+1 The European Commission on Monday took final steps to provisionally apply the Mercosur trade deal from 1 May, covering Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The move uses a special procedure to ensure the deal takes effect despite a judicial review launched by the European Parliament after a pivotal 21 January vote suspended ratification. “The priority now is turning this EU-Mercosur agreement into concrete outcomes, giving EU exporters the platform they need to seize new opportunities for trade, growth and jobs,” EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said, adding: “Provisional application will allow us…
Published on 23/03/2026 – 15:25 GMT+1 The European Commission has called on Hungary to clarify “concerning” reports claiming Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó regularly shared sensitive information from European Union meetings to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The Washington Post reported over the weekend that Szijjártó was routinely in contact with Lavrov during EU meetings in Brussels, communicating with him during breaks. The allegations are explosive as EU member states are bound by the principle of sincere cooperation and the content of the meetings is understood to be confidential. The Hungarian government denied the allegations, calling it fake…
European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen is urging EU countries to begin refilling gas reserves earlier than usual to avoid last-minute pressure and price spikes, a letter seen by Euronews reveals, following supply disruptions caused by delays in Qatari LNG shipments due to the United States and Israel’s military attacks against Iran. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Jørgensen said the bloc’s security of supply remains “relatively protected” due to limited reliance on imports from Qatar and on LNG cargoes that passed through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route that Iran later closed, accounting for 20% of the world’s oil and gas transport.…
Published on 23/03/2026 – 7:30 GMT+1•Updated 10:39 While the Commission wants to invest more than €43 billion by 2027, housing is becoming a structural crisis. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT House prices increased by 60.5%, and rents rose by 28.8% compared to 2015. House ownership in 2024 was 68%, down from 69% in 2023 and 70% in 2020. Today, Luxembourg records the highest price-per-square metre ratio, at €8.000-€9.000. Monthly rent ranges from €800 in Budapest to €2.500 in Amsterdam. Residents in major European cities spend more than 40% of their income on housing, while one in ten cannot pay rent on time. In…
Published on 23/03/2026 – 10:17 GMT+1 Next time you grumble at the petrol pump, who should you really be mad at? The oil companies, your government, or the EU? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The truth is, you are paying for a lot more than just the energy itself. In 20 EU countries, taxes swallow more than half the price of petrol. The EU sets a minimum petrol tax, but national governments pile on the rest. So when the Iran war spikes oil prices, these heavy levies multiply the pain for your wallet. So, are any governments stepping in to ease the pressure?…
The report, adopted with 367 votes in favour, calls for urgent action to tackle rising costs, shortages, and declining living standards across the bloc. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In most European capitals, young people would need to earn much more than they do now to buy a home, since prices have risen much faster than incomes over the past decade. Throughout the EU, there are not enough homes to meet demand, especially in big cities. This has pushed up both property prices and rents. Experts estimate the shortage is in the millions, and in some cities, rents have gone up by more…
Slovenia’s ruling liberals and opposition right-wing populists were tied, according to nearly final preliminary figures in Sunday’s fiercely contested parliamentary election, signalling a time of political unpredictability in the central European nation. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT After tallying about 99% of the votes, the State Election Commission reported the centre-left Freedom Movement, led by Prime Minister Robert Golob, received 28.5% of the vote, while the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party, or SDS, led by former premier Janez Jansa, a supporter of US President Donald Trump, received 28.1%. With the nearly equal results, none of the main parties will have a majority in the…
France’s municipal runoff delivered a mixed verdict for the country’s main political forces on Sunday: the Left held Paris with Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, the far-right and its allies scored a major symbolic win in Nice, and mainstream parties pointed to resilience in several big and mid-sized cities ahead of the 2027 presidential race. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Municipal elections in France are local contests to elect mayors and local councils, but they are closely watched because they test party organisation, alliance-building, and grassroots strength before national campaigns begin. In the capital, Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire defeated conservative rival Rachida Dati, ensuring Paris remains…
By Euronews Published on 22/03/2026 – 16:03 GMT+1 Polls for the hightly contested parliamentary elections in Slovania opened on Sunday, where the incumbent liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob takes on right-wing conservative Janez Janša. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The vote comes down to two main players: Prime Minister Robert Golob’s Freedom Movement and the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) led by three-time prime minister Janez Janša, ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and an admirer of US President Donald Trump. The race is expected to be tight, and will decide whether the country stays on its centre-left course or sways towards the…
By Euronews Published on 22/03/2026 – 12:42 GMT+1 Polling stations across Italy opened on Sunday for a two-day referendum on judicial reform, which would split the career paths of judges and prosecutors, a reform that has sharpened political divisions and unified the centre-left opposition. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT At 12:00 PM, according to the Interior Ministry’s Eligendo portal, voter turnout reached 14.88% of eligible voters. This figure is double the turnout recorded at 12:00 PM for the 2025 citizenship referendum and is also the highest for any referendum in the past 23 years. The reform already passed parliament in October, but failed to…