EU
EU leaders met in Antwerp to pursue a "Made in Europe" industrial strategy to boost competitiveness and strategic autonomy amid US and Chinese pressure, while the ECB urged eurobonds.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni aligned and opposed French President Emmanuel Macron’s calls for joint EU borrowing and “preference européenne” ahead of an EU summit.
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves urged Britain to speed closer ties with the EU to reassure businesses amid political turmoil, saying stronger alignment was the "biggest prize" for growth.
The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine to fund defence and arms purchases, while Rassemblement national leader Jordan Bardella voted against, calling plan overly permissive.
European politicians and military leaders warned of a growing Russian threat and, citing doubts about U.S. reliability, discussed national nuclear options and urged stronger naval defenses.
European heavy industries pressed EU leaders at an industry summit to secure discounts on climate-related CO2 costs, and the European Commission said it would consider revising the market.
German auto companies shifted production abroad, threatening domestic jobs as Paris urged tougher China protections while Berlin hesitated, industry groups and officials said.
The European Parliament approved a package tightening asylum rules across the EU, allowing outsourced processing and broader deportations, a move critics warned risked detention-like centers and rights abuses.
WHO and UNICEF said measles cases fell 75% in Europe and Central Asia in 2025, even as U.S. outbreaks and declining American vaccine confidence prompted fresh alarm.
Real Madrid and UEFA announced on Feb. 11 that they had reached an agreement of principles ending the Super League dispute and committing to withdraw related legal claims once formalized.
Norway's Attorney General announced a review after criticism that Norwegian police aided Turkish authorities in a criminal case targeting a member of parliament, the office said.
NATO launched an Arctic operation after the Ukraine war reshaped Europe, and NATO said about 1.3 million Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded, a claim uncorroborated.
The European Commission unveiled an EU-wide drone action plan proposing mandatory registration for drones over 100 grams, 5G-based airport defenses and large cooperative exercises to improve detection and response.
Von der Leyen defended preferring European-made components in strategic procurement, urged trade deals and regulatory simplification to boost competitiveness, but said such preference wasn't a universal solution.
Hundreds of farmers staged a tractor protest in central Madrid against cuts to the future Common Agricultural Policy and the EU–Mercosur trade deal, demanding urgent support for the sector.
