European Union

«Nahe an der Magie» – so fasst der Satiriker, Autor und KI-Dozent Patrick «Karpi» Karpiczenko die technologischen Sprünge von 2025 zusammen. Das Jahr war wild. Im Special von «Prompt Zero» drehen wir mit Karpi am KI-Glücksrad.

Claudio Del Principe zieht eine kulinarische Bilanz des Jahres 2025. In seinem Rückblick erzählt er von Wildpflanzen, einfachen Gerichten und einem veränderten Blick auf das Kochen – und schlägt damit den Bogen ins kommende Jahr.

Auf der Autobahn nahe Teano in Italien kommt es zu einer grossen Explosion. Nach einem Auffahrunfall gerät ein mit Flüssiggas beladener Tanklastwagen in Brand. Kurz darauf explodiert er.

The plan would freeze the front line and drop any demand that Kyiv renounce NATO membership

Written by Anna Flynn.

On 18 December 2025, International Migrants Day was marked, honouring the contribution and value of migrants.

This commemoration follows a year of notable reforms.

For example, in November 2025, the Commission adopted the EU’s first annual Asylum and Migration Report. The report outlined that there has been a 35 % reduction in illegal border crossings between July 2024 and June 2025 – but challenges remain.

In parallel, the Council agreed on the proposed Annual Solidarity Pool for migration. The pool ensures that Member States that are under migratory pressure may be assisted by other Member States, for example, through financial aid and facilitating relocation. This will be evaluated based on population size and GDP. Parliament has no formal role in its implementation, but has nevertheless supported the scheme.

In the same month, Parliament voted in favour of a law establishing the European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling within the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). This will protect victims by increasing information sharing and providing a range of support to Member States.

Underpinning all of this is the new pact for migration and asylum – this became law at the end of 2024, and will apply in full from June 2026. The pact has 10 separate but interconnected legislative acts.

Some of the Commission’s proposals that complement the pact have been criticised.

In April 2025, the first, formal EU list outlining safe countries of origin was announced. This means that asylum applicants from countries that are deemed safe (according to this list) will generally not be considered eligible for international protection. It is mandatory for Member States to abide by this list, but they are also permitted to keep or create their own national lists.

Various human rights organisations, civil society, and other stakeholders condemn this. There are questions about the transparency of how these lists are compiled, as well as the repercussions for individuals who are migrating from a safe country of origin but do need protection. However, Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee endorsed this list on 3 December 2025 as a way to better manage migration.

In March 2025, to further build upon the migration and asylum pact, the Commission proposed a common approach to returns for citizens illegally residing in a Member State. Part of this is the creation of return hubs – centres in safe non-EU countries that people may be sent to if they cannot legally reside in the EU. A mutual recognition of returns is also proposed, allowing Member States to recognise and apply return decisions made by another Member State.

The Council’s position on the regulation was finalised on 8 December 2025, so this will now be negotiated with Parliament.

Looking ahead, 2025 marked the start of decisions on how the pact will be financed over the coming years. In July, the Commission’s unveiled its proposal for the EU’s long-term budget for 2028-2034. This included information on how migration policies are to be financed during this period.

A proposed €12 billion (in 2025 prices) is to be allocated for migration policy. This is similar to the current budget for 2021-2027, where around €12.6 billion in 2025 prices has been dedicated to this.

One aspect that differs, however, is that this money will be allocated through national plans crafted by each Member State. Members of the European Parliament have highlighted their concern about how this will impact their capacity for oversight and scrutiny in this area.

Overall, the current and future budgets reflect the increasing importance of migration as a political issue.

Links to EPRS publications

• International Migrants Day: 18 December 2025
• Union support for asylum, migration and integration
• Stronger role for Europol to fight migrant smuggling and human trafficking
• European Parliament Plenary Session November I 2025
• The first annual Asylum and Migration Report and the Annual Solidarity Pool
• ‘Safe country of origin’ concept in EU asylum law
• Planned revision of the EU Return Directive
• Implementation of the EU pact on migration and asylum

From cheap toys that double as choke-hazards or contain hormone-disrupting plastics to AI-powered teddies that veer into sex chat, child safety risks are outpacing EU rules

Alec von Graffenried war in Bern ganz oben – bis er als Stadtpräsident abgewählt wurde. Jetzt muss er sich in der Stadtregierung unterordnen. Wie geht er damit um? Im Interview spricht offen über seine Niederlage – und wie er heute regiert.

Neu gebaute Quartiere und Liegenschaften helfen kaum, die Wohnungsnot zu entschärfen. Die Mieten steigen 2026 weiter, Junge bleiben länger im Elternhaus.

Viele Weissweintrinker empfinden Rotwein als schwer und tanninreich. Doch kühl servierte, fruchtbetonte und harmonische Stile machen den Übergang erstaunlich leicht. Sechs Regionen zeigen, wie Rotwein auch eingefleischte Weissweinfans begeistern kann.

"There are good ideas that can work toward a shared outcome and the lasting peace," he said on social media

Le Soleil Invaincu avait un festival qui faisait partie du calendrier romain très chargé des fêtes de fin d'année, qui comprenait les Brumales et les Saturnales.

"At certain stages of the route, long-range bombers were escorted by fighter jets of foreign countries," Russia's defence ministry said

EU lawmakers are eyeing controls on 'loot boxes' and other addictive features in video games, via the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, to protect kids

The opposition criticised the plan for targeting consumers rather than imposing stricter rules on manufacturers

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would hold presidential elections only after an agreement is signed

A German government spokesperson said on Friday that there was still ample time before the end of the year to find a solution for FCAS

Breton was described by the State Department as the "mastermind" of the European Union's Digital Services Act

Written by Anna Flynn.

Parliament has, on many occasions, supported the EU’s active role in ocean governance. the Commission adopted the European Ocean Pact in June 2025. It serves as a non-legislative framework for all ocean-related policies, covering a wide range of issues such as research, maritime security, ocean health, coastal communities, and more.

A proposal for an EU ocean act is expected by 2027.

Notably, throughout 2025, Parliament gave its consent to a number of fisheries agreements with third countries. An important example is the protocol with Greenland. Moreover, the approved EU-Côte d’Ivoire agreement is significant for the EU’s tuna fleet.

Since July 2025, citizens have written to the President of the European Parliament to call for higher standards and stronger regulation of EU fishing practices outside the Union. In response, EPRS highlighted that the EU’s agreements with third countries promote local sustainability, conservation and development.

For instance, in the agreement with Guinea-Bissau, €4.5 million is allocated to the country’s fishing sector – namely towards control and surveillance capacities, as well as for communities in the region. Moreover, the agreement with Cabo Verde is viewed by the Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries as balanced; due to the fact that the EU’s financial contributions are higher than the cost of the access rights.

In July 2025, Parliament adopted a text agreed with the Council on improving the EU’s measures tackling third countries’ unsustainable practices concerning shared fish stocks. These are stocks that are not limited to the waters of a single country. This means that there is now clarity on exactly what actions are subject to EU penalties.

Beyond fisheries, in 2025, the Parliament also adopted its position on the Commission’s proposed directive on the high seas.

This directive integrates the UN’s High Seas Treaty into EU legislation. The treaty protects marine biodiversity beyond country’s borders. No nation has jurisdiction over nearly two thirds of the ocean, and the high seas make up a large part of this.

Parliament’s report amends the proposal by suggesting that Member States need to publish their actions in the high seas (related to biodiversity). The objective of this is to improve transparency. However, MEPs also called for greater flexibility in reporting.

In the same week, Parliament also adopted a provisional agreement on expanding the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) mandate. The aim of the proposed regulation is to strengthen EMSA’s ability to tackle security risks by broadening its remit. For example. the agreement introduces a flexibility mechanism so that the agency can undertake additional tasks for the Commission and Member States.

Post-2027, there is no separate fund outlined for the common fisheries policy (CFP). Currently, there is a European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) for the 2021-2027 period – but in July 2025, the Commission proposed merging this with other policies, such as agriculture. This means that there would be no specific, allocated sum of money for this sector. The CFP encompasses ‘conservation of marine biological resources’ – one of only five areas in which the EU has exclusive competence.

Links to EPRS publications

• Plenary round-up – November I 2025
• Protecting marine biodiversity in the high seas
• Revision of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) founding regulation
• Conditions for EU support to the CFP (2028-2034 programming period)
• Sustainable fishing outside the European Union – answering citizens’ concerns
• EU-Côte d’Ivoire fisheries agreement
• EU fisheries agreement with Greenland: Conclusion of a new protocol (2025-2030)
• Measures against countries that do not cooperate on shared fish stocks
• The European ocean pact
• EU fisheries agreement with Guinea-Bissau
• EU fisheries agreement with Cabo Verde: Conclusion of a new protocol (2024-2029)

Efforts to protect the pig sector from reputational damage come as the origin of the outbreak remains unresolved

Euractiv brings you a fresh twist on an old classic