France wants deadlines for Commission's DSA investigations on Big Tech
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Euractiv
14 hours ago
- Euractiv
The Brief – 1 August 2025: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Good Friday afternoon, and welcome to the penultimate GBU before Euractiv newsletters have a two-week summer break. Many dear readers will have already swapped desks for deck chairs; others might be en route , joining the throngs on Europe's busiest traffic weekend of the year. The month of mass transit gives many of us a chance to test the limits of free movement – whether impeded by border checks or infrastructure in need of upgrades. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas warned this week that billions of euros must be spent to ensure the bloc's roads and rail are fit for defence forces. And whether for leisure or strategic purposes, the continent's grand rail vision is losing momentum, held up by a patchwork of regulatory standards, poor cross-border connections, and the high cost of laying new tracks. On top of which, passengers are lured away from the green transport mode by flights that are often much cheaper, and do away with the complicated business of changing between national networks. But for all the convenience it brings, boarding a plane weighs increasingly on our consciences, as our travel choices are one of the main contributors to personal carbon emissions. Those flying within the EU, however, needn't let the burden of climate guilt spoil their vacation: in fact the bloc's Emissions Trading System means that the CO2 cost is already factored into tickets, Niko Kurmayer explains. The system isn't perfect – other pollutants than CO2 are not yet covered – but it goes some way in accounting for a notoriously un-eco travel option. Deal or no deal? The hotly anticipated EU-US trade "deal" that President Trump and President von der Leyen agreed in Scotland last Sunday generated enormous commentary throughout the week. Panned by most EU pundits as capitulation of the highest order, the general revulsion at von der Leyen's bootlicking was widely seen as the abdication of European values, international trade laws, and an outrageous disregard for national sovereignty in matters of defence. Then again, others have pointed to the imperative of avoiding the crushing 30% tariffs that Trump was poised to launch. It could have been worse, they note, and many sectors let out a tentative sigh of relief. If ostentatious obeisance is what it takes to avoid a ruinous trade war, so be it. But the devil's in the lack of detail, and as Thomas Moller-Nielsen writes, it's hard to judge the "biggest trade deal ever' when so many aspects of the agreement remain unknown. Despite Trump's crowing celebrations as if all was done and dusted, this is really just the start of negotiations. And the stakes are high, with key sectors – such as steel and digital markets – the focus of hard-nosed bargaining. With so much still tba, Trump delayed the new tariffs by a week (now due 7 August, rather than today). Let's see where we are next week. Pendulum swings on Gaza Europe's attitude towards Israel grew notably cooler this week, as the blockade on aid deliveries has led to severe starvation in Gaza. Having been extremely hesitant to take action against Israel, the dial is now moving as European leaders face public outcry and more countries announce plans to recognise the Palestinian state. Within the Commission's ranks, executive vice-president Teresa Ribera has been most outspoken as she denounced the EU leadership's inaction over the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip. Former foreign policy chief Josep Borrell went further on Friday, accusing EU leaders of being complicit in the "genocide of Palestinians". But despite expressing 'great concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza,' Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has so far resisted pressure to suspend EU research ties with Israel. Meanwhile, France, Germany and Spain have started airlifting aid into Gaza – though this is far less effective than opening up secure land deliveries. European defence procurement 18 countries have applied for funds under the EU's SAFE programme, which aims to mobilise €150 billion in loans for defence procurement. After initial hesitation (partly because defence spending is a national competence that has historically been beyond the Commission's remit), a total of €127 billion was claimed – a figure that will likely rise once the United Kingdom and others are accounted for. Countries have until November to submit their proposals to Brussels, with breakdowns of what exactly they will do with the loans. Want to get The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in your inbox? Subscribe to The Brief.
Euractiv
14 hours ago
- Euractiv
France says it can't stop destruction of US contraceptives
France says it has no authority over the fate of a large, still-usable stockpile of USAID-funded contraceptives that are set to be destroyed on French soil. In a statement to AFP on Friday, the French health ministry said it had 'no means to requisition' the contraceptives, which belong to USAID, the US international aid agency. 'Since contraceptives are not considered essential medicines and this is not a case of supply shortages, we have no means to requisition the stock', the ministry said. On 23 July, press reports revealed that the US administration planned to destroy a stockpile of contraceptives worth an estimated €10 million, which had been stored in Geel, Belgium. The products are now being transported to France for incineration by specialist waste companies. The contraceptives were part of USAID's global reproductive health programmes, which were drastically scaled back after the Trump administration cut the agency's operational budget earlier this year. Consequently, many of its aid activities, including the distribution of contraceptives, have ceased to function, rendering its role in this field largely defunct, according to NGOs familiar with the matter. Calls to stop the incineration On Thursday, Sarah Durocher, president of France's Family Planning Association, said that part of the stockpile may already have left Belgium. 'We were informed 36 hours ago that the removal of these boxes of contraceptives had begun', she said on Thursday. Durocher has called on incineration companies to refuse to destroy the stock and 'to oppose this senseless decision.' Several NGOs have tried in recent weeks to negotiate with the US government to purchase or repurpose the contraceptives, some of which remain usable until 2031. "We were informed by the US administration that our offer had been rejected, and we learned then that the government had decided to destroy the products - meaning that offers from our partners were also declined", International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) told Euractiv. The cost of incinerating the contraceptives is estimated at €150,000, a price the US government appears willing to pay rather than opt for donation or resale. "We've been aware of these stockpiles since April and have worked tirelessly to find a solution and negotiate with the US, but our efforts have been blocked at every turn. This leads us to believe that the decision is not about money, but is instead driven by an extreme ideological stance. It's about power and control", IPPF added. The French delegation of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has called on the European Commission to intervene and prevent the destruction, questioning its legality under EU treaties and legislation. While the Commission confirmed that it had taken note of the letter and was monitoring the situation, it did not answer Euractiv's question on whether it would intervene in this case. The European Commission should be more outspoken about the senseless destruction of life-saving contraceptive supplies", IPPF concluded. (bms, de)
Euractiv
16 hours ago
- Euractiv
European allies start airlifting aid into Gaza
A coalition of European countries, including Germany and France, started airlifting aid into the Gaza Strip on Friday, amid increasing pressure on Israel to allow for more deliveries via the land route. European countries had announced their participation in the operation earlier this week after Israel's government had agreed to allow more aid to enter the region to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation caused by its ongoing military operation. Germany said it had run two flights, dropping off 34 pallets containing 14 tonnes of food and medical aid, provided by a charity based in Jordan. Spain said it had dropped off 12 tonnes of food. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that his country had also participated, with the UK expected to join in eventually. Macron stressed, however, that "airdrops are not enough." German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also noted that "sufficient quantities of relief supplies can only be provided to the people by land." Israel had blocked most aid into Gaza since the first phase of a negotiated truce with Hamas ended in March 2025. However, it had reached a deal with the EU in July to slowly resume humanitarian aid deliveries. It has, however, only sparingly allowed for aid to enter the Gaza Strip via land, leaving the population in danger of mass starvation and prompting increasing criticism from European countries. Israel had occupied the region after Gaza-based Hamas led an incursion into Israeli territory on 7 October. The massacre by Hamas militants and the ensuing Israeli military operation have cost the lives of thousands of civilians. "In our talks, we are urging the Israeli government to allow the UN and international aid organisations safe access and, above all, safe distribution," Wadephul said. Germany's top diplomat is currently completing a two-day visit to the region, leading crucial talks with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which will determine whether Germany supports sanctions against Israel at the EU level, according to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The chancellor had announced Germany's participation in the air lift earlier this week, which he called a 'Luftbrücke' (or 'air bridge'), evoking the air drops conducted by the allies to supply West Berlin after it was blocked by the Soviet Union after the Second World War.
