Ireland set to assume its eight EU presidency
By Martin Banks Ireland will take on one of the European Union’s most influential roles when it assumes the presidency next week.
EUROPE
-
EUROPE
June 26, 2026 -
EUROPE 
June 26, 2026 CPMR welcomes “dedicated European vision for islands”
By Martin Banks The first-ever EU Strategy for Islands has been greeted as an “important political milestone for Europe’s maritime territories.”
-
EUROPE
June 26, 2026 EU commissioner heads to Budapest for annual Pride event
By Martin Banks Belgium’s EU commissioner will take part in Budapest Pride 2026 this weekend, which serves as one of Central Europe’s most politically significant LGBTQ+ resistance events.
-
EUROPE
June 24, 2026 Hitting the right notes… that’s Brussels’ Cathedral summer series
By Martin Banks The 14th organ festival, organized by “Ars in Cathedrali” at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, is set to woo audiences in the city this summer.
-
EUROPE
June 23, 2026 Fresh crackdown on “evil” of child abuse welcomed
By Martin Banks MEPs have warmly welcomed new EU moves to combat what one MEP calls the “evil” of child abuse.
-
EUROPE
June 23, 2026 Ten years is a long time in politics. .. “It is an eternity in geopolitics”
By Martin Banks MEPs are calling for “greater ambition” in rebuilding the EU UK relationship ahead of the next EU UK Summit in July.
-
EUROPE
June 21, 2026 EU leaders commit to protecting artistic freedom
By Martin Banks The Presidents of the European Parliament, Council and Commission have pledged to “protect, promote and support” culture in Europe.
-
EUROPE
June 21, 2026 Support for EU membership remains high among candidate countries.
By Martin Banks That is the message to emerge after the European Commission published the results of the latest perception surveys on enlargement among citizens in the Western Balkans, Eastern Neighbourhood and Türkiye.
-
EUROPE
June 20, 2026 No agreement on new taxes could see EU budget shrink by 40%
Europe’s leaders were warned on Friday that a failure to agree on new EU-wide taxes could force spending cuts of up to 40% in the bloc’s next long-term budget, according to a European Commission assessment presented to capitals.
-
EUROPE
June 19, 2026 An overly complex legal provision could force Nvidia out of EU AI projects
The Commission’s review of the EU Chips Act appears designed to give the EU executive full discretion to exclude US chipmaker Nvidia from the bloc’s advanced AI chip projects.
