The energy shock unleashed by the war in the Middle East is forcing a strategic rethink in Brussels, blending emergency relief with a longer push for resilience and economic security. The European Commission’s Spring 2026 Forecast cut EU growth to 1.1% and raised inflation to 3.1% for the year, with energy commodity prices expected to…
The European Union is staking its economic future on finally completing its own single market. The presidents of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission have signed a Joint Declaration backing the One Europe, One Market roadmap, agreed on the sidelines of the informal meeting of EU leaders held in…
After two years of deadlock, the European Union’s enlargement file is showing tentative signs of movement. A change of power in Hungary – with Peter MAGYAR stepping into the prime minister’s role in early May 2026 – has raised cautious hopes in Brussels that the Hungarian veto blocking Ukraine and Moldova could ease. The chapters…
Crude oil closed May with its steepest monthly fall since the Covid-19 pandemic, as traders weighed the prospect of a durable US-Iran ceasefire against fresh military exchanges. Brent ended the month near USD 92 a barrel, down roughly 19% over May and about 20% from its 2026 peak. A deal almost done, but not signed…
The European Central Bank heads into one of its most consequential meetings in years with a new figure at the top table. Boris VUJCIC, governor of the Croatian National Bank, takes office as ECB Vice-President on 1 June 2026, beginning a non-renewable eight-year term after his appointment by the European Council. He succeeds Luis DE…
The European Union is pressing ahead with an active trade agenda as it seeks to diversify partnerships amid global tensions. On 22 May 2026, the Commission signed trade agreements with Mexico, deepening ties with one of Latin America’s largest economies and reinforcing the bloc’s network of preferential arrangements at a time of transatlantic uncertainty. The…
The European Union is entering a pivotal phase on enlargement, with a Western Balkans summit scheduled for 5 June 2026 and a broader June package expected to bundle progress on Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans into a single coordinated push. The choreography reflects Brussels’ attempt to keep multiple accession tracks advancing in parallel without…
European energy markets endured another volatile session on Wednesday 28 May 2026, as renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran reignited the geopolitical risk premium that has dominated crude pricing since February. The July Brent contract swung sharply, trading around $96 a barrel after the US military downed four Iranian drones and struck…
The European Commission’s Spring 2026 Economic Forecast, published on 21 May, paints a markedly gloomier picture than just six months ago. EU GDP growth is now projected to slow to 1.1% in 2026, down from 1.5% in 2025 and a downward revision of 0.3 percentage points from the Autumn 2025 forecast. The euro area fares…
