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Euronews
11 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
EU remains ‘highly vulnerable' and dependent on US defence production
Despite recent efforts to boost European defence production, the bloc remains 'highly vulnerable' and heavily reliant on the United States—particularly for major, high-end defence equipment—according to a new analysis by the Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel. Trade statistics show that the value of weapons imported to Europe increased from approximately $3.4 billion for the period 2019–2021 to $8.5 billion for 2022–2024 across the 27 member states, with the US leading this increase despite concerns over its capabilities. 'Europe has the industrial production capacities to increase production of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles,' said Guntramm Wolff, Bruegel's senior fellow, during the launch of the report Fit for war by 2030? on Friday morning.* 'What is more concerning is the more modern weapons systems, where we have limited capabilities,' he added. Bruegel and Kiel Institute for the World Economy researchers have detected that the reliance on the US for certain defence and security domains is very high, including hypersonic missiles, next generation jets, AI integrated systems and intelligence services. 'There has been some increase in various systems—artillery in particular has grown substantially—but these increases are still relatively small compared to the overall demand,' Wolff said. For example, the report notes that Europe held 1,627 main battle tanks in 2023, while projections suggest 2,359 to 2,920 will be needed in the coming years, depending on the scenario. As for air defence systems such as the Patriot and SAMP/T, stock levels in 2024 stood at 35 units—far below the 89 required. 'Major investments in research and development will be essential,' the authors advise EU policymakers and national governments, especially given Europe's lagging defence R&D compared to global competitors. In 2023, Europe invested €13 billion in military R&D. By contrast, China invested €21 billion, while the US allocated a staggering $145 billion. In March, the European Commission unveiled its rearmament initiative—now called Defence Readiness 2030—with a target of mobilising up to €800 billion to address the bloc's most critical defence shortfalls. Meanwhile, NATO is expected to call on its 32 members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2032—or potentially by 2035—a target Spain has already criticised as 'unreasonable'. But simply increasing budgets won't solve the problem, the report warns. 'More military spending will not automatically and immediately translate into military capabilities, especially if the defence industrial base is already under strain,' the researchers argue. The real challenge, they stress, lies in converting funding into tangible capabilities through a coherent, forward-looking strategic and operational plan. With the European defence market still highly fragmented, greater integration would improve cost-effectiveness. But alongside procurement reform, military planning must also be strengthened. 'This is really about rebuilding the ability to understand war through the lens of peer conflict—and that is just as much of a challenge as disbursing the money,' said Dr. Alexandr Burilkov, assistant director for research at the GLOBSEC GeoTech Center. According to the researchers' estimates, even the proposed €800 billion may fall short—insufficient to cover the development of missile capabilities, procurement of tanks, artillery, and infantry fighting vehicles, modernisation of forces, and investment in air defence systems. Russian drones struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv overnight, killing at least one person, Ukrainian officials have said. The attacks against Odesa sparked fires in several apartment blocks, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. Flames engulfed a four-storey residential building in the city, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate blaze spread across the upper section of a 23-storey high-rise, leading to the evacuation of 600 residents. In total, one person was killed and 14 others were wounded in the overnight strikes against the port city, according to Odesa's regional prosecutor's office. At least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv, injuring two children and two others, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. A further four people were wounded in a second Russian strike on Friday. Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, with Ukrainian air defences intercepting or jamming 70 of them. A Russian missile strike on a nine-storey Kyiv apartment building earlier this week was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. 'This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing,' Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to 'feel the real cost of the war". As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive across the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt to Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the date for the next round of peace talks is expected to be set next week. Ukrainian officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on 2 June, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers.
Euronews
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
World Refugee Day: Why the Dance4refugees campaign matters
"Wake up, wake up" is the chorus of the Felix Flavour music that Jeny BSGchoreographed for the Dance4Refugees campaign on Instagram and at the Bozar arts venue in Brussels. It's also the call to action for people everywhere to speak out and show their support for refugees. "Everyone needs to wake up. It's time to talk about it, it's time to help, it's time to react. We can't stay silent, we have to speak out for the oppressed and that's what I'm doing," she told Euronews. Jenybsg (@jenybsg)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi The social media campaign challenges people to post their versions of the choreography on Instagram and donate funds. It is aimed primarily at young people, who Jeny works with at her dance school and when she travels abroad. 'I try to reach out to the younger generation because for me they are the change, they can make a difference in this world. Dance was, for me, a great way to bring attention and change the narrative, to celebrate the strength, potential and resilience of refugees,' Jeny said. The dancer and choreographer was born in Belgium, where her family sought refuge from the decades-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A background that left its mark on the artist and led her to activism in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "My family fled violence in the 1990s. My elder brothers spent time in a refugee camp. My mother and my father have experienced displacement, violence, fear, struggle", she recalls. More than 6.9 million people are internally displaced across the DRC, with an additional one million refugees and asylum-seekers in neighbouring countries, according to the UNHCR. This 'legacy' brought additional self-imposed responsibilities for Jeny, who set herself the task of 'not failing' and being a voice for the Congolese diaspora: 'Today I am living proof that the origin of refugees does not define the limits of refugees, but rather their strengths.' Jeny uses her platform to promote marginalized voices, having founded the AfroHouseBelgium, a Brussels-based dance school. She's also been working with the UNHCR since last year to amplify the stories of those forced to flee. "Dance is universal and the refugee cause today is also universal. We know that refugees come from all around the world: Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, DRC and other countries. But they are not only statistics or numbers. Their lives matter, and they are like us", she says. The UN says there are currently 123 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, twice more than a decade ago. Almost 37 million of them are refugees. The organisation warns that recent drastic cuts in humanitarian aid funding are putting their lives at risk. Funding for the agency is now roughly at the same level as a decade ago, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, at the launch of the annual Global Trends Report on 12 June. 'We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering", Grandi highlighted. The report found that, contrary to widespread perceptions in wealthier regions, 67 per cent of refugees stay in neighbouring countries, with low and middle-income countries hosting 73 per cent of the world's refugees.
Fashion United
2 days ago
- Business
- Fashion United
Counterfeits, dangerous products: AliExpress threatened with EU fine
The European Commission on Wednesday took a significant step towards imposing a substantial fine on Chinese e-commerce giant AliExpress. The Commission preliminarily found that AliExpress has not adequately managed risks related to the sale of illegal products, despite numerous improvements. The Brussels-based regulator, acting as the EU's digital watchdog, believes AliExpress breached its obligation to assess and mitigate risks associated with the distribution of illegal products—ranging from counterfeits to items that fail to meet European safety standards. This marks the first time the Commission has targeted this Alibaba subsidiary under the EU's new Digital Services Act (DSA), which came fully into force last year to strengthen protections for internet users. In its statement, the Commission highlighted that AliExpress underestimated these risks due to the limited resources allocated to its moderation system. It also failed to correctly enforce its sanctions policy against sellers repeatedly posting illegal content. The regulator pointed to systemic failures that rendered moderation efforts ineffective and easily circumvented by malicious sellers. AliExpress now has access to the case file and may respond in writing to the preliminary findings. Should the Commission's accusations be confirmed, the platform could face a fine of up to six percent of its annual global turnover and be placed under enhanced supervision until corrective measures are implemented. The formal challenge announced Wednesday follows an investigation launched by the Commission in March 2024. However, it also acknowledged progress made over the past year, with AliExpress proposing improvements that the Commission has validated. The regulator specifically noted that AliExpress addressed concerns related to monitoring and detecting illegal products—such as medicines, food supplements, and adult content that could harm users' health and minors' well-being. The platform's reporting mechanisms and complaint handling systems were deemed satisfactory. Brussels also confirmed that AliExpress complies with legal requirements regarding advertisement transparency, recommendation systems, seller traceability, and data access for researchers. 'The measures taken today demonstrate the strength of the Digital Services Act in creating a safer online environment,' said European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen. She welcomed AliExpress's commitment to becoming a safer platform for its users. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Euronews
4 days ago
- Climate
- Euronews
Portugese landowners face fines as wildfire inspections begin
Portugal's police force, the National Republican Guard (GNR), began nationwide inspections on Monday after the deadline passed for mandatory land clearing intended to prevent wildfires. Landowners had until Sunday to clear undergrowth near properties, a deadline that was previously extended due to rainy weather. On the ground, GNR officers explained the specific regulations to property owners. An officer from the GNR's Environmental Protection Unit in Coruche, Felizardo, pointed out an infraction: "In this case, the grass is a bit taller than the prescribed limits, and therefore, fuel management should have been carried out within 50 metres around your building to comply with the established regulations." For some landowners, the wet weather that led to the extension created its own problems. A landowner was asked if she knew she had to clear the land. "Yes, we do know, but sometimes things don't happen the way we want. It rained a lot. My son was supposed to plough the land before going to the fields, but the soil couldn't support the tractor's weight, and it got stuck, so he had to leave it like that." Those who have failed to comply now face significant fines, which can reach up to €5,000 for individuals and €60,000 for companies. By the end of April, authorities had already identified over 10,000 potentially non-compliant properties. Despite the threat of penalties, the GNR's commander in Coruche, Mateus, expressed that the immediate focus is on education rather than punishment. "At this time, and despite being authorised by law to carry out inspections and issue fines, our approach is always focused on prevention," he said, adding that the ultimate objective is clear: "What we want is for the land to be cleared and for there to be fewer forest fires in 2025." The urgency of the campaign has increased in significance due to an impending heatwave. All of the Portuguese mainland's districts are already under a yellow weather warning, with maximum temperatures forecast to fluctuate between 33 and 40 degrees Celsius over the next few days. Once reliant on coal for the majority of its electricity, the country of 36 million that currently holds the EU rotating presidency is trying to reduce its dependence on the fossil fuel. With many mines becoming unprofitable and old infrastructure in decline, the Polish government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has planned a gradual closure of coal facilities in the south of the country. As the coal regions of the country come to terms with this shift, northern Poland adjacent to the Baltic Sea is booming. Ignacy Niemczycki, the deputy minister in the Chancellery, briefed a handful of Brussels-based journalists on board the Jantar passenger ship, telling Euronews that the wind farm should have a lifecycle of up to 30 years and be a major part of the energy transition. 'It's in the interest of the Polish economy to invest in renewables, nuclear, and gas to stabilise the grid,' the minister told Euronews. Situated 23 kilometres off the northern coast near Choczewo and Łeba, the wind farm is among the most advanced renewable energy projects in the Polish Economic Zone. The final installed capacity of the project is expected to reach 1140 MW, enough to supply electricity to approximately 1.5 million Polish households. Renewables will only be one part of the Polish energy mix. Plans for the first ever nuclear plant, which will also be located on Poland's northern Baltic Sea coast, were put in place under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government and have been continued by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's current ruling coalition. Niemczycki told Euronews that a second nuclear project is being considered and Poland is keeping a close eye on Canada as it experiments with the first ever mini nuclear plant, known as a Small Modular Reactor (SMR). SMRs could can potentially power up to 300 MW(e) per unit. 'We will see a major change in Poland's energy mix over the next 15 years,' said Niemczycki. 'Nuclear will become the new baseline, with renewables and gas providing flexibility and stability.'
Euronews
4 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Coal-hooked Poland constructs first ever offshore wind farm
Once reliant on coal for the majority of its electricity, the country of 36 million that currently holds the EU rotating presidency is trying to reduce its dependence on the fossil fuel. With many mines becoming unprofitable and old infrastructure in decline, the Polish government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has planned a gradual closure of coal facilities in the south of the country. As the coal regions of the country come to terms with this shift, northern Poland adjacent to the Baltic Sea is booming. Ignacy Niemczycki, the deputy minister in the Chancellery, briefed a handful of Brussels-based journalists on board the Jantar passenger ship, telling Euronews that the wind farm should have a lifecycle of up to 30 years and be a major part of the energy transition. 'It's in the interest of the Polish economy to invest in renewables, nuclear, and gas to stabilise the grid,' the minister told Euronews. Situated 23 kilometres off the northern coast near Choczewo and Łeba, the wind farm is among the most advanced renewable energy projects in the Polish Economic Zone. The final installed capacity of the project is expected to reach 1140 MW, enough to supply electricity to approximately 1.5 million Polish households. Renewables will only be one part of the Polish energy mix. Plans for the first ever nuclear plant, which will also be located on Poland's northern Baltic Sea coast, were put in place under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government and have been continued by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's current ruling coalition. Niemczycki told Euronews that a second nuclear project is being considered and Poland is keeping a close eye on Canada as it experiments with the first ever mini nuclear plant, known as a Small Modular Reactor (SMR). SMRs could can potentially power up to 300 MW(e) per unit. 'We will see a major change in Poland's energy mix over the next 15 years,' said Niemczycki. 'Nuclear will become the new baseline, with renewables and gas providing flexibility and stability.' A Russian missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight on Tuesday killed at least 14 people and wounded more than three dozen others, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack is the latest in a series of mass drone and missile attacks on Kyiv. It came at a time when world leaders convened at the Group of Seven – or G7 – meeting in Canada, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend. Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko told reporters at the scene that a US citizen was among those killed in the attacks after suffering shrapnel wounds from the blast. Explosions could be heard for hours throughout the night in the early hours of Tuesday. Thirty apartments were destroyed in a single residential block, according to Klymenko. He noted the death toll is likely to rise as emergency workers descended to the scene of a collapsed apartment building to search for bodies buried under the rubble. People were wounded in the city's Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said fires broke out in two other Kyiv districts as a result of falling debris from drones shot down by Ukrainian air defences. Canada, which assumed the presidency of the G7 this year, invited Zelenskyy to the summit, where he is expected to hold one-on-one meetings with world leaders on Tuesday. Zelenskyy was set to meet with US President Donald Trump in Canada on Tuesday, though the White House announced that Trump would be returning unexpectedly to Washington on Monday night instead of Tuesday due to rising tensions in the Middle East. Russia has launched a record number of drones and missiles in recent weeks. Moscow escalated attacks after Ukraine's Security Service agency executed an operation targeting war planes in air bases deep inside Russian territory. The Ukrainian leader says little progress has emerged from direct peace talks held in Istanbul, with the exception of prisoner exchanges, expected to conclude next week.
