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The NATO Summit, taking place on 7-8 July 2026, will be hosted by Türkiye at Ankara's Beştepe Presidential Compound. This marks the second time that Türkiye hosts a NATO Summit, following Istanbul in 2004. The summit is expected to be a key moment for demonstrating Allied unity amid evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and calls for Europe to assume a stronger role in its security. Agenda items will likely include defence planning, spending targets, burden-sharing ...

The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) establishes a broad but residual framework for crypto-assets not already covered by existing EU financial legislation, combining rules for stablecoins with a wider regime for crypto-asset service providers. By contrast, the US GENIUS Act focuses specifically on payment stablecoins, establishing rules on issuance, reserve backing and supervision within the existing US regulatory structure. This briefing compares both frameworks, examining their ...

The United States remains a leading global health and life sciences actor, driven by high spending, strong research capacity and a regulatory environment that accelerates innovation. At the same time, the system faces persistent structural challenges, including high costs, fragmented insurance coverage and unequal access. Since the start of President Trump’s second term, federal reforms, budget cuts and institutional restructuring have reshaped the roles of HHS, CDC, NIH and FDA. Reduced engagement ...

The issue of Taiwan (Republic of China, ROC) and of its future has been a major bone of contention between the United States and the People's Republic of China, at least since the US Congress passed the 'Taiwan Relations Act' in 1979. This issue has, however, gained considerably in attention in Europe, particularly since the start of the illegal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.According to the Chinese readout published after the summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President ...

This briefing assesses the impact of the recent energy price shock on the EU economy, with a focus on oil and gas price developments, their implications for growth, inflation and competitiveness, and the extent to which the current shock differs from the 2022 energy crisis. It also reviews the main EU and national policy responses, including the Commission’s “Accelerate EU” package, the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework, the proposed extension of fiscal flexibility under the National ...

Qatar's foreign policy is driven by its status as a small, hydrocarbon-rich state in a volatile region. By taking advantage of its position as a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) superpower, Doha projects influence beyond its borders through a 'smart power' strategy. This approach combines financial assets and sovereign wealth investments with soft power tools, including mediation, nation branding, and the Al Jazeera media network. While this strategy has secured Qatar's independence, it has also ...

On 20 May 2026, Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the Commission proposals for two regulations to implement the EU's tariff commitments under the EU-US Joint Statement of 21 August 2025. The trilogue agreement is to be voted in plenary during the June part-session.

The US military intervention in Venezuela, and the capture and extradition of Nicolás Maduro and his wife in January 2026, meant a window of opportunity had opened for the democratic transition of the South American country. However, almost half a year after that intervention, the domestic political, economic and social situation under acting President Delcy Rodríguez remains critical. Moreover, Rodríguez did not commit to a clear roadmap for free and fair elections, and the Amnesty Law has not resulted ...

EU-Mexico trade in both goods and services continued to grow in 2025 and reached an all-time high of €86.8 billion in goods and €29.7 billion in services. Rising EU imports of goods from Mexico compensated for a slight decrease in exports, and reversed the trend of a growing trade surplus, which still amounts to €19.1 billion in favour of the EU. Mexico ranks as the EU's 11th most important trade partner, with a share of 1.7 % of total EU trade with the world, while the EU ranks third on the list ...

Since September 2025, the United States has been combating drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, including through the use of lethal military force against alleged drug trafficking boats coming from Latin America and the Caribbean. These operations, which have reportedly caused at least 185 fatalities, have drawn criticism from international players and legal experts, who argue that they violate international law and human rights. As the EU is hit by unprecedented quantities of drugs ...