Author: staff

A study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) shows that Europeans no longer see the US as an ‘ally’, and revealed a broad variety of opinions on the future of the EU. A majority of Europeans considers the US is a “necessary partner” rather than “an ally”, according to a poll published on Wednesday by the pan-European think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), against the backdrop of friction between the EU and US over tariffs.This view was shared by half of the respondents to the survey, and a majority of those questioned in countries traditionally close to…

A daily download of the topics driving the tech policy agenda, from Brussels to London to Silicon Valley. By TOM BRISTOW with JOSEPH BAMBRIDGE and LAURIE CLARKE View in your browser or listen to audio SNEAK PEEK — Where does the Paris summit leave the U.K.’s AI policy? — MPs tackle the data bill, amendments and all. — Patrick Vallance sets out his plan to remake science. Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, This is Tom, heading back to London from a gloomy City of Light. Come and say hi if you’re at the AI Fringe today.You can get in touch with…

Later today, EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra will host a second meeting on the crisis in Europe’s car industry, driven in part by strict new limits on carbon emissions for new cars. Where is the balance between making the car sector more environmentally friendly, respecting the EU’s targets, and maintaining a profitable business?Radio Schuman speaks with Julia Poliscanova, who leads work on electric vehicles at the green group Transport & Environment in Brussels. Today, EU Climate Commissioner Hoekstra will lead the “Clean Transition and Decarbonisation” Working Group as part of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the Automotive Industry,…

What’s that: The 2018 regulation targeted unjustified online restrictions for European consumers based on their nationality or place of residence — meaning you should, in theory, be able to buy any good or service across Europe seamlessly. But, but, but: It came with a carve-out for audiovisual, allowing Netflix and others to restrict the availability of series for instance by country. The EU executive recently said it would be exploring whether to scrap that exemption — an option sure to enrage the European film industry, which sees geoblocking as vital to its sustainability and Europe’s cultural diversity. DSA MEETING BARRAGE:…

— Vorbereitungen für den Tag nach dem Wahlsonntag: Wie sich die Parteien auf den 24.02. vorbereiten, wer mit wem zuerst spricht, wo politische Karrieren befördert und womöglich beendet werden. Einblicke von Rasmus Buchsteiner dazu. — Im 200-Sekunden-Interview: Bundesinnenministerin Nancy Faeser über Migrations-Streit, Terror-Schutz und den Zwist zwischen Union und SPD über Zurückweisungen an der Grenze. — US-Delegation in Europa unterwegs und EU-Außenministertreffen in Paris: Wie Europa versucht, Klarheit über Trumps Ukraine-Strategie zu erlangen.  Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es morgens um 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team bringen euch jeden Morgen auf den neuesten Stand in Sachen Politik…

The idea is to protect the sector to ensure Europe remains self-sufficient in chemicals used in everything from fertilizer production to plastics manufacturing. France, a top global chemical producer, warns the sector is facing a “major crisis,” citing a 12 percent drop in production between 2019 and 2023, which it blames on rising energy costs and “fierce or even unfair competition from non-EU countries.” “Regarding petrochemistry alone, by 2035, about 20 steam crackers may be shut down, affecting 50,000 jobs, if no collective action is taken,” reads the draft proposal obtained by POLITICO. The proposed “Critical Chemicals Act” would identify…

Next, Trump must exercise restraint when considering summit encounters with Putin: An early summit would be a completely undeserved reward for the Russian leader. It should only be considered toward the end of a promising negotiation process. Moreover, the Russian side may well be planning a surprise military attack or major offensive in order to undermine Western or Ukrainian ideas about the negotiating framework. And while the West certainly shouldn’t make things easy for Russia, there has to be room for realism. U.S. President Donald Trump, on the heels of his inauguration speech, made it clear he wouldn’t be a…

Danish MEP Anders Vistisen, from the right-wing Danish People’s Party, hit back late Tuesday, saying the legislative stunt would undermine Washington’s relationship with Denmark. “There is clearly a need for more adults in the room when the U.S. administration formulates foreign policy,” he told POLITICO. “If these people can’t see how absurd they appear, they are out of touch with reality.” Trump has been fixated on acquiring Greenland, claiming the mineral-rich Arctic island is vital to American security. He has refused to rule out using economic coercion or military force to seize Greenland, adding to the alarm in Copenhagen and…

“Restreindre son développement maintenant non seulement profiterait injustement aux opérateurs historiques, mais reviendrait aussi à paralyser l’une des technologies les plus prometteuses que nous ayons vues depuis des générations”, a-t-il considéré lors de son premier grand voyage à l’étranger depuis son entrée en fonction. Vance s’en est pris au règlement européen sur les marchés numériques (DMA) et celui sur les services numériques (DSA), exposant aux participants, dont la présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, qu’il s’agissait de “règles internationales onéreuses” qui ont étouffé l’innovation et créé des obstacles inutiles pour les entreprises américaines. Interrogée par POLITICO en…

Après la large victoire des formations de droite aux élections européennes de juin dernier, la Commission européenne a troqué l’écologie contre la compétitivité. La première grande initiative de son nouveau mandat, la “boussole pour la compétitivité”, va d’ailleurs dans ce sens. La lutte contre la désindustrialisation est désormais la priorité. Le Parlement européen suit le même chemin. Et aucun groupe n’a changé aussi radicalement de cap que celui de centre droit, le Parti populaire européen (PPE) — la famille politique de la présidente de la Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, et le bloc le plus important tant au Parlement que…