Author: Press Room

The European Commission’s new initiative, called AGILE, Accelerating Groundbreaking Innovation for Defence in Europe, targets small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and scale-ups working on AI, drones, robotics, quantum technology and cybersecurity. Unlike existing funds, it does not require companies to form consortia to apply. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The Commission describes the gap between a working prototype and a deployed capability as the “innovation valley of death.” AGILE is designed to close it, offering up to 100% cost coverage and a retroactive clause allowing firms to claim costs incurred up to three months before a call closes. Between 20 and 30 projects…

Stressed or disengaged employees aren’t just a retention risk — but can potentially drag down productivity. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT That’s according to management consulting firm Gallup, which sets the loss as high as 9% of global GDP, in its 2026 State of the Global Workplace report. The trend appears to be worsening. Worldwide, employee engagement is dipping, with workers feeling less motivated, connected and committed. Gallup puts the global rate at just 20%, the lowest since 2020. Are workers more stressed in Europe or in the Americas? The global picture reveals a striking dichotomy. Europe is less stressed, but also the…

In an interview on Euronews’ flagship programme, MEP Marc Botenga (The Left, Belgium) welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement mere hours before the expiration of his ultimatum to Tehran. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Yet Botenga was highly critical of the EU’s response to the crisis, telling Euronews’ flagship morning show Europe Today that the EU’s position had been “horrible”. “The European Union has done nothing, no diplomatic efforts whatsoever for a crisis that not only is violating human rights, is violating international law, but was also violating our interests,” said Botenga. The…

Trump is not always praising other people, but there is one exception – Mark Rutte. And as the NATO boss is set to visit Trump on Wednesday, your reporter wonders: could the US president one day say “bye, bye” to the alliance? Let’s take a look at what the actual rules say.

Good morning from Brussels. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire overnight, barely an hour and a half before Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to capitulate was set to expire, avoiding a military escalation. Speaking to Europe Today, The Left group’s member of the European Parliament Marc Botenga said: “We should celebrate this. The position of the EU on this has been horrible, ignoring the fact that Israel and the US are illegally attacking Iran.”Watch. The agreement was announced by the US President on his social media platform Truth Social, and by Iran’s Supreme…

Recent air travel restrictions at several Italian airports due to concerns over fuel shortages linked to the Middle East conflict are raising the alarm that the trend could spread to other airports in the European Union. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Jet fuel prices have increased by 95% since the United States and Israel launched military attacks against Iran on 28 February. The war has culminated in the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy trade route handling around 20% of global crude oil exports, placing significant strain on global energy markets. The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has…

Between 27 and 28 March, Italy refused a request from the US military for aircraft to land at the Naval Air Station Sigonella on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean, before continuing towards the Middle East. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The decision came shortly before Spain announced it would close its own airspace to US planes reportedly involved in strikes on Iran, prompting speculation about a coordinated political stance from the two European countries. On social media, some users have claimed the refusal reflected a political stance by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, suggesting Italy was distancing itself from US policy or…

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the former detainees in Iran, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris”are free and on their way back to French soil”, in a message posted on X on Tuesday 7 April, amid the conflict in the Middle East. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “This is a relief for all of us and, of course, for their families”, added the head of state, thanking the”Omani authorities for their mediation efforts, the state services and the citizens who mobilised tirelessly and thus helped secure their return”. Also on X, French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he had spoken by telephone…

The European Union has urged United States President Donald Trump to refrain from bombing civilian infrastructure in Iran — which could be considered war crimes under international law — and exercise “maximum restraint” to achieve a negotiated settlement. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “Diplomacy is the answer,” Anitta Hipper, the European Commission’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, said on Tuesday in response to an Euronews question. “From our side, we reject any threats also to attacks regarding critical civilian infrastructure. Such attacks risk impacting millions of people across the Middle East and beyond, and also may lead to further dangerous escalation.” The priority, Hipper…

Europe is stepping up efforts to build up its military space assets, driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine and its decision to distance itself from its longstanding dependence on the US in the space domain. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Today, European governments, armed forces and societies make heavy use of space-enabled services, including satellite communications. Yet, for years, it was perceived as a useful addition rather than an essential strategic asset. This perspective has only changed since the KA-SAT satellite network cyberattackin February 2022, just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The targeted attack on Viasat’s US-operated network disrupted telecommunications, energy infrastructure,…