Author: Press Room

Good morning from Brussels. I’m Mared Gwyn. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT While you were sleeping: Down under in Canberra, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clinched a free trade deal designed to bolster the two blocs’ economies at a time of increased geopolitical and trading volatility. It comes on the heels of a string of similar other EU pacts with the South American Mercosur bloc and India. Our trade reporter Peggy Corlin has been following events in Canberra from Brussels overnight and has all the details in our top story below. In other trade news,…

The European Parliament adopted its first-ever report on the Housing Crisis in the European Union. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT With 367 votes in favour and 166 against, the report calls for a joint EU action to tackle the housing crisis and lift citizens out of precarious living conditions. Recommendations include reducing red tape, scaling up the bloc’s construction and innovation sectors, and mobilizing greater investment and fiscal support. With the 2008 global financial crisis, housing became a pan-European social emergency, worsening significantly after the 2020 pandemic. House prices rose by 60.5 percent from 2015, while rents increased by 28 percent. In 2025,…

Published on 24/03/2026 – 1:25 GMT+1 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday sealed a free-trade agreement with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, slashing tariffs on most EU goods and farm exports. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The deal marks another win for Brussels as it races to diversify trade ties and lock in strategic partners amid rising global tensions. The pact will save the EU €1 billion a year in duties, the Commission said, with exports projected to climb as much as 33% over the next decade. Agriculture proved a flashpoint, with EU farmers already pushing back against the Mercosur…

Radicalisation in Europe has been on the rise, especially among young people, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Bartjan Wegter told Euronews, with Europe’s security services now dealing with cases involving children as young as 12. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We’re talking about minors (and youth) aged between 12 and 20 years old,” Wegter told Euronews’ 12 Minutes With, adding that a huge challenge for law enforcement is that young people radicalise very quickly. “Sometimes, it’s a matter of weeks.” Wegter explained that at that age, minors are generally very susceptible and are therefore targeted online for criminal activity, even if in real life they…

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…