Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. MEPS TELL ECB TO CONSIDER GEOPOLITICAL RISKS AND CHALLENGE DIGITAL EURO While over the past years MEPs mostly battled over how much climate change should influence the European Central Bank’s policy decisions, this week’s discussion in plenary clearly moved on to a much broader set of geopolitical concerns. The debate was heated, with MEPs divided over whether the ECB should prioritise everyday citizens or prepare for geopolitical shocks. ECB President Christine Lagarde acknowledged these challenges, arguing for a cautious, data-driven approach. She also highlighted the role of the digital euro in strengthening Europe's financial autonomy, drawing the anger of some ECR MEPs who had tabled amendments to challenge the decision to develop a digital euro in the first place. Others insisted…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. EU TRADE MINISTERS PREPARE FOR TRUMP'S TRADE TANTRUMS In a diplomatic dance to dodge Trump's trade tirades, EU ministers for trade, the internal market, and industry huddled in Warsaw on Tuesday, seeking strength in unity against the U.S. president's “tariff” threats. Polish Economy Minister Krzysztof Paszyk set the tone: "We have to stick together, otherwise Trump's trade tornado will blow us away like yesterday's news. "The summit exposed familiar cracks in EU solidarity. While most members and the Commission support the Mercosur deal, France remains the party pooper. The EU is now eyeing Malaysia, India and Indonesia for trade talks, hoping to diversify and avoid putting all its eggs in one basket. "The US trade stance is changing by the hour,"…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. THE EU’S € 2 TRILLION QUESTION: WILL PUBLIC PROCUREMENT GO SUSTAINABLE? MEPs are setting the stage for a shake-up of the EU's public procurement rules, but fault lines are already emerging. While there's broad consensus on the need to cut red tape and make it easier for SMEs to bid, the real battle is over how much weight social and environmental objectives should carry. During an exchange of views in the Internal Market Committee on a forthcoming report, right-wing MEPs pushed for simplification, warning that excessive bureaucracy was stifling cross-border competition and innovation. EPP shadow Christian Doleschal called for higher thresholds and a streamlined system to encourage start-ups. Meanwhile, the Greens and S&D insist that procurement should be a lever for…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. TRUMP’S VOICE ECHOES IN DAVOS AS VDL TRIES TO SAVE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP At this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Ursula von der Leyen wasn't afraid to throw down the gauntlet. The Commission President urged Europe and the U.S. to stand together against the looming threats of rising Chinese influence and geopolitical instability. Von der Leyen's message? It's time for the EU and the US to stop being the global good guys in an age of power grabs and backdoor deals. With China's growing presence in high-tech sectors like 5G and AI, Europe risks being sidelined in the next great tech race. Von der Leyen warned that China's growing influence could challenge the shared transatlantic democratic values. Meanwhile, Belgium PM Alexander…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. NEW ECR LEADER PROMISES 'CREATIVE CONTINUATION' OF MELONI’S WORK Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has officially taken over the leadership of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) following the resignation of Giorgia Meloni. Elected in Brussels on Tuesday, Morawiecki's leadership promises to continue the hardline rhetoric of his predecessor, positioning the ECR as an increasingly controversial force in European politics. Under Meloni, the ECR thrived by attracting both far-right groups and moderate conservatives, creating an alliance of unlikely partners. Now, with Morawiecki at the helm, the party's vision seems set to continue to embrace its radical conservative agenda and strengthen ties with far-right movements across Europe. Morawiecki praised Meloni's leadership in his acceptance speech, describing his approach as a ‘creative…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. NEW YEAR, NEW LEADERSHIP: POLAND TAKES THE HELM OF THE EU FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 As the year 2025 begins, Poland takes over the Presidency of the European Union for the second time history. To mark the occasion, a grand gala was held at Warsaw's National Theatre, where Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for a united Europe, emphasising that the continent's future is inextricably linked to its strength and sovereignty. Poland’s Presidency comes at a critical time, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, escalating tensions at the Polish-Belarusian border, and Europe’s broader security concerns. With a focus on defence and European stability, Poland plans to increase EU efforts to support Ukraine and address the growing security threats. Tusk framed…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. EU LEADERS REBUFF TRUMP'S UKRAINE PEACE PLAN EU leaders issued a stark warning against premature peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at their Summit in Brussels this week. Rebuffing US President-elect Donald Trump's hints at brokering a ceasefire, leaders from Belgium, Lithuania, Sweden and elsewhere insisted that Ukraine, not Moscow – or Washington – must dictate the terms of future negotiations. "The priority now is to strengthen Ukraine," said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, suggesting that peacekeepers could be an option. The summit also saw cautious support for a European peacekeeping force, with Sweden and Belgium open to contributing troops after the war. For now, Belgium's Alexander de Croo warned: "First the Ukrainians have to win the war." As Ukrainian President…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. THE EPP'S AUTOMOTIVE PLAN: HARDLINE APPROACH OR STRATEGIC NEGOTIATION? The European People's Party (EPP) has unveiled a strategy aimed at safeguarding the EU's automotive sector amid the environmental pressures of the Green Deal. Under leadership of German MEP Jens Gieseke, the EPP promotes a technology-neutral framework for emission reductions, including alternatives such as biofuels alongside electric vehicles, and calls for a revision of the 2035 ban on internal combustion engines to allow for a more gradual transition. The EPP also opposes the penalties to be imposed on carmakers in 2025 for failing to meet electric vehicle production quotas, arguing that the fines harm an industry that is already struggling with weak consumer demand and insufficient charging infrastructure. Instead, they are pushing…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. EUDR DELAYED: EU STRIKES DEAL TO KEEP LANDMARK LEGISLATION IN PLACE EU member states and the Parliament this week reached a crucial agreement to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, setting a new deadline of 30 December 2025. Despite the delay, the legal text remains unchanged and the regulation's ambitious goal of ensuring deforestation-free supply chains remains intact. The European People's Party (EPP), which had pushed for amendments to weaken the law, eventually withdrew its proposals, signalling a political defeat after failing to garner enough support. The agreement includes a political statement from the European Commission committing to finalise country risk benchmarks six months ahead of the new deadline and to explore ways to reduce…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. EUROPE'S STRUGGLE FOR RELEVANCE IN A FRACTURED G20 The G20 summit in Rio laid bare Europe's struggle to remain relevant in a fractured global arena. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump casting a long shadow, European leaders scrambled to defend their climate and geopolitical priorities against growing resistance. French President Emmanuel Macron didn't mince his words, calling the G20 "a forum that doesn't work" and lambasting its failure to act on climate change or the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for progress on climate finance, but Argentina's provocative new leader Javier Milei – channelling Trump's anti-multilateralism – stalled talks on the final communique. Ukraine, once a G20 focus, fell by the wayside, while German Chancellor…