The EU unveiled a €800bn plan to fast-track defence spending, streamline permitting, and encourage mergers in a bid to rebuild its fragmented arms industry and prepare for "high-intensity conflict". “We’re not trying to be alarmist here, but we’re just facing the facts,” EU commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters.

Diplomats expect EU foreign affairs chief Kallas to find Israel in violation of its 25-year-old "association agreement" over the Gaza war, but with no EU action before July. 

EU Commission trade officials remain optimistic that they can broker a trade pact with Donald Trump by 9 July in order to head off higher tariffs threatened by the US president. 

Legal scholars have dubbed it a "sleeping beauty" — a potent yet practically unused EU Parliament instrument akin to the EU's own Article 7, designed to safeguard the rule of law and the integrity of its institutions.

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.