What does Europe look like when independent civil society is silenced, sidelined or slowly starved out of existence? This is not dystopian fiction. It is the logical end-point of a trend already visible in Brussels and in several capitals: a deliberate effort to delegitimise, defund and constrain those who defend the public interest.

The Dutch asylum system has been in crisis mode for years. An international investigation by Dutch investigative journalism collective Spit, together with Altreconomia in Italy, scrutinised the enormous amounts of public funds in Europe disappearing into asylum reception and detention. Who benefits from the cash flow generated by the asylum crisis?

An EU official has warned the US not to interfere in the Brazil UN climate talks (COP30), citing aggressive personal tactics at last month’s International Maritime Organization meetings — while contrasting Washington’s approach with China’s constructive engagement.

EU states are struggling with upcoming border rules that critics say could led to detention-like centres. Under the new regime authorities will have only seven days to screen a prospective asylum seeker.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.