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Europe & Eurasia
European Political Community summit advances connectivity, energy security
At a time of profound geopolitical transformation, the eighth summit of the European Political Community (EPC) on May 4 brought together leaders from across...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Social media giants found liable for child addiction: What happens next?
On March 25, a Los Angeles jury delivered a judgment poised to reshape the social media landscape for years to come. After nine intense...
Minerals, Mining and Rare Earths
MINE.IO – A Holistic Digital Mine 4.0 Ecosystem
Turning mining into a high-tech, data-driven industry, where decisions are smarter, faster and safer, MINE.IO is a European research project creating a “Digital Mine...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Europe’s regulatory reset: Why simplification must go further
The late motorsport innovator and founder of Lotus Cars Colin Chapman lived and worked by the maxim “simplify and add lightness.” The same tenet...
Democracy & Human Rights
After Orban’s defeat, Hungary set to rechart a European trajectory
The world is becoming an increasingly tough place for incumbent leaders everywhere when coming up for re-election. Even so, the April 12 parliamentary elections...
Global Energy Supplies
EU calls for coordinated action to mitigate the impact of high energy prices
As the Iran war enters its second month, EU energy ministers discussed on March 31 a coordinated response to protect EU citizens and industries...
Oil & Gas
Industry warns EU Methane Regulation risks disruption to Europe’s oil and gas supply
Oil and gas companies have urged the European Union to pause its Methane Regulation, warning that it could put EU gas and crude oil...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
An odd couple and the diminished EU Membership as an opportunity for the Western Balkans?
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest political move brings to mind a blunt Old Testament warning: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so...
Sanctions and related policies
U.S. waiver for Russia oil sanctions brings dismay, not price stability
On March 12, the United States temporarily waived existing sanctions on Russian oil that is already at sea, allowing it to be delivered to...
Energy
With Middle East war underway, Southern Gas Corridor reinforces EU energy security
The European Union and Azerbaijan reconfirmed their strategic energy partnership this week in Baku as the EU continues to reduce its dependencies on Russian...
Defense & Security
Transatlantic security relationship evolving after Munich conference
This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC 2026) ran from February 13-15, traditionally held over the weekend. Running for three intense days, it was significantly...
Emissions targets and regulations
EU Parliament approves binding 90 percent emissions reduction target for 2040
Following a vote by the European Parliament on February 10, the EU will have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent in 2040...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Why the EU–India trade deal marks a strategic turning point
The Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore once said that you cannot cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. The importance...
Energy
UK and Europe sign historic pact to boost North Sea wind energy
In an era of changing geopolitical landscape, high energy costs and severe impact of climate change, the United Kingdom and European allies signed on...
Global Economy
Davos 2026 — threats, climbdowns and false constructs
The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (#WEF26) convened nearly 3,000 leaders from government, business, civil society and academia under the theme...
United Nations
High Seas Treaty to protect oceans enters into force
After almost two decades, the High Seas Treaty, also known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
EU-Mercosur: a positive step away from the folly of isolationism
It is often said that pursuing protectionism is just like locking one's self in a dark room: wind and rain might be kept out,...
EU Institutions
Cyprus vows to strengthen Europe’s autonomy as it assumes EU Presidency
At the official opening ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Nicosia on January 7, President Nikos Christodoulides...
Finance
Bulgaria quietly enters the eurozone
Bulgaria officially adopted the euro on January 1, 2026, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone. The transition began with the lev circulating alongside...
Emissions targets and regulations
EU weakens combustion engine ban and unveils measures for a cleaner and competitive auto industry
The European Commission has overturned the previous deadline for its controversial combustion engine ban, presenting on December 16 the Automotive Package to support the...
Finance
Greek Minister Pierrakakis takes the helm of the Eurogroup
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Economy and Finance of Greece, was elected President of the Eurogroup on December 11 in line with Protocol 14 of...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Australia’s under-16 social media ban: A new blueprint for global digital regulation?
Australia steps first -- now the question is which governments will follow and how far they will emulate Australia’s experiment. For the first time,...
Interviews
Lithuania sees LNG, renewables on the road to energy independence
Lithuania, which along the other Baltic states Latvia and Estonia disconnected their electricity systems from Russia's power grid earlier this year, is increasingly transitioning...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Europe risks doubling down on its big green mistake
John Maynard Keynes once said that when the facts change, he changes his mind. The words of that world famous UK economist should be...
Environment
Stronger EU Arctic strategy needed to counter Russia and China
As the Arctic region is becoming a key geopolitical hotspot, the European Union needs to strengthen cooperation with its NATO allies to contain Russian...
The Negroni Diaries
Another Russia-tilting Trump peace proposal emerges
President Donald Trump apparently has no more refined strategy than to disrupt the flow of world business/diplomacy with an outrageous opening salvo to make...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Europe Should Regulate, Not Ban, Nicotine Pouches
As France moves toward banning nicotine pouches, it risks pushing users back to cigarettes or into unregulated and potentially harmful markets. Sweden, by contrast,...
Interviews
EU-Uzbekistan agreement to boost trade, regional integration
After the historic visit to Brussels of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, NE Global discussed with Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director at the Development...
Connectivity
Three elements of EU cooperation with Kazakhstan: connectivity, sustainability and partnership
The European Union views Kazakhstan as an important partner in Central Asia linking East and West, advancing interregional connectivity as Brussels and Astana expand...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
How Europe should avoid the fate of Ophelia
In her hit single “The Fate of Ophelia” Taylor Swift sings about the plight of the Shakespearean heroine and draws parallels with her own...
Freedom of Movement and Travel
Taking a digital leap forward, the new EU Entry/Exit System progressively starts operations
The Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Union’s new digital border system which will apply to non-EU travellers entering or leaving the EU, became operational...
Renewables
EU, Central Asia boost cooperation in green energy
The European Union strengthened its cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in Brussels in a significant boost to energy and water security...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
When Will Ukraine Become the Outpost of European Defense?
The security landscape of the European continent hinges on the European Union’s determination to halt Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and to prevent the...
Trade
Trump trade deal leaves some in EU unhinged
U.S. President Donald Trump completed his five-day “private visit” to Scotland on July 25-29, which beyond his golf course visits included a number of...
Russia Sanctions
EU finally clears the roadblocks, adopts new Russia sanctions package
On July 18, the EU finally adopted its long-delayed 18th package of sanctions on Russia, focusing heavily on the oil trade, but which also...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Summer food for thought: why Brussels needs a pro-business reset
The American author Charles Bowden once said that summertime is always the best of what might be. As the traditional European summer break approaches,...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Moldova: Engaging neighbors, not just Global powers
In this era of Great Power competition, or Cold War 2.0, there are a plethora of analyses and commentaries about evolving geopolitical affairs, including...
Defense & Security
NATO shifts into high gear at 2025 Hague Summit
Many are calling the June 24-25 NATO Summit in the Hague “the Trump Summit,” noting it was “historic” and “transformational.” But most of the...
Energy Policy
Hungary, Slovakia want to stop EU proposal to phase-out Russian oil and gas imports
The EU will gradually and effectively stop the import of Russian gas and oil by the end of 2027, whether delivered via pipeline or...
Interviews
Go West: Azerbaijan boosts energy projects that connect Caspian region with Europe
As energy demand grows fueled by AI and vehicle electrification, Azerbaijan is actively developing new interconnections with the West, especially for green energy exports,...
United Nations
Washington orders sanctions responding to ICC actions targeting the United States and Israel
On June 5, the United States announced sanctions against four judges currently serving as International Criminal Court (ICC) judges for what it described as...
Columns
EU Commission plans Russian gas phaseout as MEPs propose easing pre-winter storage targets
Ensuring gas supply security ahead of the winter season, the European Parliament approved in Strasbourg on May 8 the Commission's proposal to extend the...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The ruling of the EU Court on “Golden passports” and the consequences in Tirana
“Whatever the European Court decides," and “If it says it can’t be done, we won’t do it; if it says it can, we will.”This...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Zeno’s Arrow and Albania’s membership in the EU
Recently, the position of the incoming German government coalition (government) between the CDU/CSU and SPD parties regarding the enlargement of the European Union into...
Europe & Eurasia
Kallas reiterates close cooperation ahead of EU-Central Asia summit
Ahead of the first summit between the leaders of the European Union and the five countries of Central Asia in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April...
Germany
Germany removes key debt brake budget limits in historic move
Rushing to arrive at a workable arrangement before the new post-election German parliament convened on March 25, Friedrich Merz’s victorious CDU/CSU bloc and the...
Kazakhstan
EU signs critical raw materials, energy and infrastructure deals with Kazakhstan
As part of the visit of EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela to Astana, the European Union and Kazakhstan signed on March 13...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Weaning Europe off its Russian gas addiction
The Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok once said “don't waste your time looking back. You're not going that way.” The words of the former king...
Kazakhstan
EU-Kazakhstan boost cooperation in energy, raw materials, transport, sustainability
The European Union and Kazakhstan have discussed at a meeting in Brussels the successful implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Central Asian...
Environment
From Cali to Rome: Governments agree to mobilize resources to protect biodiversity
The resumed meeting of the parties to the UN’s COP16 Global Biodiversity Conference in Rome has reached agreement, after intense negotiations, on a landmark...
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