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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13773
Contents Publication in full By article 27 / 36
NEWS BRIEFS / Belarus

EU welcomes release of more than one hundred political prisoners

15/12/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Saturday 13 December, European leaders welcomed the release of 123 political prisoners in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava, as well as European nationals. “This development strengthens [...] our resolve to keep fighting for all the remaining prisoners who are behind bars in Belarus because they had the courage to speak truth to power. The fight for human rights and justice in Belarus...

Contents

Russian invasion of Ukraine
UKRAINE: discussion on Reparations Loan becoming increasingly complicated, admits Kaja Kallas
RUSSIA: EU adopts sanctions against nine “shadow fleet” enablers and fourteen individuals and entities responsible for cyber attacks and information manipulation
BELARUS: EU Council extends scope of sanctions regime to cover hybrid activities against EU Member States
EXTERNAL ACTION
MERCOSUR: tensions in EU Council over potential signing of EU/Mercosur agreement
CHINA: no European country can match China on its own, acknowledges Kaja Kallas
ENLARGEMENT: in its draft conclusions, EU Council acknowledges different levels of progress and maintains strict conditionality
SECTORAL POLICIES
HEALTH: European Commission presents package on biotechnology, medical devices and cardiovascular diseases
HEALTH: MEPs adopt position on critical medicinal products
TRANSPORT/INDUSTRY: European Commission puts finishing touches to ‘Automotive Omnibus’ proposal aimed at encouraging adoption of electric vehicles
TRANSPORT/INDUSTRY: European manufacturers expect European Commission to take measures to stimulate demand for ‘zero-emission’ heavy-duty vehicles
ENERGY: European Commission defends its proposal for a “top-down” approach to network planning
ENERGY: a number of Member States in favour of a “flexible and pragmatic” implementation of ‘methane’ Regulation
ENERGY: EU Council gives its partial agreement to regulation establishing Connecting Europe Facility
FISHERIES: European ministers reach agreement on 2026 TACs in Atlantic and Mediterranean
ENVIRONMENT: European ministers meet in Council to discuss bioeconomy and priorities for 2030
JUSTICE: European Court of Auditors calls for better monitoring of fraud involving EU funds
DIGITAL: DMA expert group calls for clarification on areas of friction between European regulations and AI framework
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
HOUSING: state aid, European financing platform, overtourism - European Commission deploys new tools to boost affordable housing
HOUSING: ‘European Affordable Housing Plan’ - France and Germany call for specific financing methods for social housing to be respected
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: EU Member States’ ambassadors are asked to confirm EU Council’s position on a new regulatory framework for securitisation
FINANCE: EU countries call for a plan to simplify European regulatory framework for financial services
ECB: EU Member States’ ambassadors about to confirm EU Council’s position on digital euro
COMPETITION: European Commission imposes fine of €72 million on manufacturers of starter batteries for cars
TAXATION: EU Council asks Code of Conduct Group to continue efforts on transparency of beneficial owners
INSTITUTIONAL
GENERAL AFFAIRS: financing for Ukraine, post-2027 EU budget and enlargement on agenda of EU’s European Affairs Ministers
NEWS BRIEFS
MONEY LAUNDERING: MEPs approve appointment of Henrica Verbeek-Kusters as a member of AMLA Executive Board
BELARUS: EU welcomes release of more than one hundred political prisoners
COMPANIES: Omnibus I - several NGOs accuse Jörgen Warborn of conflict of interest in his work on legislative simplification
HAITI: EU sanctions former Haitian president Michel Martelly
MIGRATION: Solidarity Pool under ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’ - Member States approve launch of written adoption procedure
DRC: security situation in east to be re-examined at next ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council meeting
HEALTH: European Commission invests in innovative diagnostics to combat antimicrobial resistance
HEALTH: cardiovascular disease remains EU’s main health challenge, according to report
SUDAN: EU launches emergency airlift to deliver aid to Darfur
SYRIA: Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa could visit country in mid-January
VENEZUELA: EU extends sanctions until January 2027 against 69 dignitaries of Maduro regime