Von der Leyen struggles to quell revolt over controversial business envoy pick – POLITICO

The European Parliament is planning to vote on a an amendment to rescind Markus Pieper’ s appointment on Thursday | European Parliament 99 problems The so-called “Piepergate” affair adds to a growing list of potential problems for von der Leyen as she seeks a second term. It comes just days after POLITICO revealed that the … Read more

EU must find ‘enormous amount’ of money to face global challenges, Draghi says – POLITICO

All the participants appeared to agree on what needs to change to boost EU competitiveness, from lowering energy prices to reducing regulatory burdens, but divisions emerged when talking about public money. “They made clear that a lot of discussions would be needed in the months to come,” the Draghi aide said, adding that Draghi called … Read more

Ukraine gets EU aid as Orbán folds – POLITICO

To fulfill that aim, the EU agreed to give Kyiv €50 billion. As an extra concession to Orbán, the latest version of the draft European Council conclusions, seen by POLITICO, states that “if needed, in two years the European Council will invite the Commission to make a proposal for review in the context of the … Read more

Poland on track to unlock €76B in EU funds, Warsaw minister says – POLITICO

Warsaw is on the path to unblocking €76 billion in EU cash that was frozen over rule-of-law-concerns, said Poland’s minister for funds and regional policy.  Payout of the funds from the EU’s 2021-2027 budget have been blocked over legal concerns after the government led by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party implemented judicial reforms … Read more

Make-or-break national election looms over Belgian EU presidency – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. This article is part of the Belgian Presidency of the EU special report. BRUSSELS — Ceci n’est pas une campagne électorale.  As Belgium gears up for its six-month stint at the helm of the Council of the European Union from January 1, the country’s … Read more