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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13732
Contents Publication in full By article 34 / 37
NEWS BRIEFS / Human rights

Serbian students, humanitarian aid workers in Palestine, and Belarusian, Georgian, and Palestinian journalists are finalists for 2025 Sakharov Prize

16/10/25 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday, 16 October, MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Development voted for the three finalists for the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The finalists are imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia, nominated by the EPP and the ECR; journalists and humanitarian workers in Palestine and in all conflict zones, represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the Red Crescent, and UNRWA, nominated by the S&D and the Left; and, finally, students in Serbia, nominated by Renew Europe (see EUROPE 13715/18). The winners will be announced during the plenary session in Strasbourg on 23 October, and the prize will be awarded on 16 December. (CG)

Contents

SECURITY - DEFENCE
DEFENCE: European Commission wants ‘European drone wall’ to be operational by end of 2027
EXTERNAL ACTION
MEDITERRANEAN: Europeans want to make a fresh start in their relations with ten Mediterranean countries
WESTERN BALKANS: EU growth plan for Western Balkans - new funding released for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia
DEVELOPMENT: MEPs hold hearing with key players in EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy
SECTORAL POLICIES
CLIMATE/ENERGY: climate diplomacy - European Union wants to make clear it remains “reliable partner”
ENERGY: ‘REPowerEU’ - large majority in European Parliament committee to open negotiations with EU Council
ENERGY: EPP group in European Parliament does not support Conservative and far-right motions to reject ‘low-carbon hydrogen’ delegated act
TRANSPORT: compensation thresholds for delays central to interinstitutional negotiations on air passenger rights in EU
DIGITAL: digital majority - MEPs approve an age limit of between 13 and 16 for access to social networks
DIGITAL: in its work programme for 2026, Commission focusses on AI, ‘cloud’ and online fairness
DIGITAL: six Member States want European Commission to draw inspiration from their national initiatives to establish a digital majority in EU
INTERNAL MARKET: René Repasi wants 28th regime with establishment rules that are as harmonised as possible
RESEARCH: MEPs express concerns about simplification and governance of ‘Horizon Europe’ 2028-2034 proposal
AGRICULTURE: successful launch of EU Council/European Parliament negotiations on unfair commercial practices
FISHERIES: European Commission rules out Baltic Sea’s total closure to fishing
HEALTH: WHO calls for stronger alcohol policies to prevent cancer in Europe
ENVIRONMENT: Sweden asks European Commission for more information on revision of ‘REACH’ regulation
REGIONS: European Commission rewards six innovative ‘RegioStars’ projects
COHESION: Raffaele Fitto open to dialogue to improve certain aspects of 2028-2034 MFF proposals
INSTITUTIONAL
BUDGET: S&D Group in Parliament calls on Ursula von der Leyen to “reconsider” several elements of 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework
BUDGET: EU Member States will debate MFF this autumn, aiming to set parameters for unquantified negotiating framework in December
PES: meeting in Amsterdam, Party of European Socialists calls for mobilisation around social justice, world peace, and climate efforts
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
CUSTOMS: co-legislators make progress on shape of future EU authority
FINANCE: study commissioned by European Commission highlights persistent fragmentation of EU venture capital ecosystem
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOCRACY: MEPs adopt position on directive on transparency of interest representation carried out on behalf of third countries
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: gender-based violence, LGBTIQ+ rights and promoting independent living on agenda of European equality and social affairs ministers
HOUSING: access to affordable housing - The Left in European Parliament wants to create a “popular counter-lobby” to tackle excesses of speculation
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
CONSUMERS: pets are not excluded from concept of ‘baggage’, says EU Court of Justice
CONSUMERS: a lightning strike to an aircraft may constitute an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ not giving rise to compensation in event of delays, rules CJEU
RUSSIA: EU Council is competent to impose obligations to report economic resources on persons sanctioned by EU, CJEU confirms
NEWS BRIEFS
DEFENCE: CoR calls for strong European preference in common defence markets
CLIMATE: 131 companies call on EU to adopt an ambitious 2040 target
AGRICULTURE: European Commission presents a delegated act on labelling of fruit and vegetables originating in Western Sahara
HUMAN RIGHTS: Serbian students, humanitarian aid workers in Palestine, and Belarusian, Georgian, and Palestinian journalists are finalists for 2025 Sakharov Prize
UNITED STATES: French National Assembly calls for rejection of EU-US agreement on tariffs
FINANCE: EBA and ESMA publish joint advice on EU regulatory framework on prudential requirements for investment firms
Op-Ed
OP-ED: Building, not dividing: the Progressive path for Europe - by Stefan Löfven