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Europe's southern arc, spanning the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel, is increasingly viewed as a potential arena for renewed great-power rivalry, with some observers contending that such competition is already underway. In parallel with the European Union's broad engagement in the region, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has, since its founding, developed a range of initiatives aimed at its southern periphery, to deepen situational awareness, strengthen its regional presence ...

The United States' 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) continues the foreign-policy reorientation set out in the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS). It frames the United States (US) as confronting intensified threats at home and abroad and sets four lines of effort: defending the homeland, deterring China in the Indo-Pacific, increasing allied burden-sharing, and 'supercharging' the United States' defence industrial base. Russia is portrayed as a persistent yet 'manageable' threat, mostly to ...

The 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be held in London from 27 April to 1 May 2026. This briefing aims to support the European Parliament delegation to MEPC 84 by providing an overview of the developments since the last MEPC meetings and discussing the key issues at stake, in particular the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships. This document was prepared by the Policy Department for Transformation ...

On 3 February 2026, the European Commission adopted the first delegated regulation supplementing the Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products with its first methodology for certification. Covering permanent carbon removals, the methodology paves the way for three types of removal activities to become EU certified: direct air capture with carbon storage (DACCS); biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage (BioCCS); and biochar carbon ...

This briefing aims to discuss how the current legal framework applies to Territorial Supply Constraints (TSCs). Firstly, it will briefly discuss what TSCs are and how they might manifest themselves in practice. Secondly, it will illustrate the ways in which competition law has been applied and can be applied to TSCs. Thirdly, it will offer a perspective on tackling TSCs emanating from the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) legislation in the agri-food supply chain. Finally, it will summarise and offer ...

Several EU countries possess islands and insular territories. Various EU islands constitute world famous tourist destinations as they are home to considerable natural, heritage and cultural wealth. Certain islands also produce renowned agricultural products and handcrafts. However, islands also face considerable challenges. They struggle for adequate transport links with the nearest mainland. Their ecosystems are vulnerable, and natural resources are often scarce. Some of them are small and mountainous ...

This briefing examines how effectively existing EU and national rules can address unjustified TSCs in practice, identifies the remaining gaps, and draws lessons for the design of any EU legislative response. It was prepared to inform the workshop on Territorial Supply Constraints which took place in the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection on 15 April 2026.

The European Union's (EU) economy depends on a single market where goods, services, and capital move freely, supported by the general prohibition of state aid – understood in the EU as government support to businesses that could distort competition or trade. However, state aid may be authorised under the Treaty for targeted policy goals, such as developing poor regions, achieving common EU goals, addressing market failures or fighting crises. The European Commission, tasked with controlling state ...

Obstacles to businesses' cross-border operations and expansion constitute a major hurdle to an effective single market. The International Monetary Fund estimates that persistent barriers to the single market represent the equivalent of a 44 % and 110 % tariff on goods and services, respectively. The Letta report emphasised that a single business code would be a 'game-changer', making all business procedures – from establishment to end of activity – smoother and more transparent. To address this issue ...

The EU energy security framework, comprising the Security of Gas Supply Regulation (SoGS), the Electricity Risk Preparedness Regulation and emergency measures, such as mandatory gas storage and joint procurement, has played a crucial role in safeguarding the EU's energy supply. While the framework demonstrated resilience during the 2022 2023 energy crisis, the Commission's 2025 fitness check highlights significant gaps that require reform to address evolving threats and the accelerating energy transition ...