Europe Street News

Spain’s Sánchez launches AI tool to track hate speech on social media Spanish prime minister says it’s aimed at holding platforms accountable for how their algorithms amplify polarizing content.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez today unveiled a new government AI tool that will rank social media sites based on how much hate speech they host. www.politico.eu/article/sanc... @politico.eu

INTERRAIL SALE NOW ON: 15% off most interrail passes until the morning of 31 March (be aware that promo passes become non-refundable 7 days after buying).
Buy passes and check sale T&Cs at prf.hn/click/camref...
How do Interrail passes work?https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-an-interrail-pass.htm

UK-EU SPS Agreement - Legislation in scope To cut red tape and costs for importing and exporting with the EU, the UK will align with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) legislation.

UK government releases list of 76 EU laws that it says UK will align with under food standards treaty with EU www.gov.uk/government/n...

EU to include UK and Japan in ‘Made in Europe’ plans European Commission offers access to bloc’s subsidies for manufacturing in partner countries with trade agreements

EU to include UK and Japan in ‘Made in Europe’ plans. European Commission offers access to bloc’s subsidies for manufacturing in partner countries with trade agreements. www.ft.com/content/bfe7...

Commission presents new Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 for a more equal, cohesive and successful Europe Today, the European Commission is presenting its new Gender Equality Strategy for 2026 to 2030. The Strategy embeds gender equality into every aspect of life, online and offline, from education and he...

Happy Women's Day! The EU Commission proposed this week a new strategy to improve gender equality. The European Institute for Gender Equality estimates that, at the current pace of change, it would take 50 years to reach full equality in the EU. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Iceland locks in on date for EU referendum | Euractiv As a member of the European Economic Area, Iceland is already aligned with much of the bloc's legislation

Just announced: Iceland has urgently moved up its referendum to join the European Union - to 29 August.

A reminder: 🇮🇸 is in many ways already a non-voting 🇪🇺 member because of the EEA. This would give them voting power to shape the laws they have to follow.

Commission coordinates repatriation flights from the Middle East under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism Yesterday and today, the European Commission\'s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) has supported EU Member States with the organisation of six repatriation flights, bringing European citize...

EU Commission coordinates repatriation flights from the Middle East under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Up to 75% of the eligible costs for the flights can be reimbursed by the EU if at least 30% of available seats are offered to citizens from other EU countries. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Report shows UK-EU couples face 'arduous' system post-Brexit A study finds post-Brexit visa requirements for EU nationals has led to separations and trauma.

Couples consisting of UK and EU citizens are struggling to navigate the UK immigration system, a study has found. Couples are unaware of how complex and costly the system is until they are in it. www.bbc.com/news/article...

I have just held a call with President Pedro Sánchez to express the EU’s full solidarity with Spain.

The EU will always ensure that the interests of its Member States are fully protected.

Commission registers European Citizens\' Initiative calling for a European social media platform Today, the European Commission has registered a European Citizens\' Initiative (ECI), entitled ‘European Public Social Network\'.\nThe initiative invites the Commission to establish, through a legisla...

Commission registers European Citizens' Initiative calling for a European social media platform that “would form an alternative" to the current ones and "work as a service for the society". ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Most Reform members believe non-white UK citizens born abroad should be forced or encouraged to leave, poll finds Nigel Farage’s recent efforts to woo centre-ground voters may cause tension in party’s right flank, says Hope Not Hate

Most Reform members believe non-white UK citizens born abroad should be forced or encouraged to leave, poll finds. www.theguardian.com/politics/202... @theguardian.com

Scotland's Festival of Europe 2026 programme is now out! Day 1, May 7, in Edinburgh, features: Focus on Poland @Studies in Photography Gallery; Live Music Now Vienna @Scottish National Gallery, Mound. And the first in series of 3 Spanish films. Details: www.festivalofeuropescotland.org/events

Statewatch | The US demands exemptions for military and diplomatic staff in the EU’s digital borders system The US has demanded the EU give preferential treatment to its diplomatic, military and other personnel, exempting them from mandatory fingerprinting and facial scanning at the borders of the Schengen ...

US demanded exemptions for military & diplomatic staff in the EU’s digital borders system. If the demand is not met, EU diplomats and officials would have to appear in person at a US consulate for fingerprinting before travelling to the US. www.statewatch.org/news/2026/fe... @statewatch.bsky.social

The programme for the 2026 Festival of Europe Scotland is now out. 24 events so far throughout Scotland - Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kirkcaldy, Dumfries, Stirling - more be announced! Conferences, talks, music, film, art, family events. For details & to book places: festivalofeuropescotland.org/events/

"It is time to reset the partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom."

President Roberta Metsola (@president.europarl.europa.eu) speaking at our 2026 Security and Defence conference called for closer UK-EU ties post-Brexit⤵️

EU Commission rejects new abortion financing proposal, points to existing fund Countries may need to amend an existing fund to use it to support women who wish to travel to access abortion within the EU.

Following a European Citizen Initiative, EU Commission rejects new abortion financing proposal and points to existing fund. Countries may need to amend an existing fund to use it to support women who wish to travel to access abortion within the EU. www.politico.eu/article/euro... @politico.eu

UK citizenship applications surge as Reform vows settlement crackdown Data shows sharp rise in Americans applying, but overall number of people granted British citizenship fell last year

UK citizenship applications surge as Reform vows settlement crackdown.

EU UK table Gibraltar’s post-Brexit status deal. The text will provisionally enter into force on April 10. Gibraltar will not formally join the Schengen area but the treaty provides for free movement of people and dual border controls at Gibraltar’s port and airport.

‘How can I start again at 68?’ Maria has spent 50 years in the UK – and is fighting deportation She left the Netherlands for Britain in the 1970s at just 17. Now, after receiving a short suspended sentence, she faces removal to a country she hasn’t lived in for five decades or visited since 1999

‘How can I start again at 68?’ Maria has spent 50 years in the UK – and is fighting deportation to the Netherlands. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... @theguardian.com

UK visa issuance continues to fall, down 19% in 2025, government data shows The number of work visas issued by Britain in the year to December 2025 fell by 19% from the previous year, government data showed on Thursday, reflecting the ongoing impact of tighter visa rules.

UK visa issuance continues to fall, down 19% in 2025, government data shows. www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-... @reuters.com

‘Roam Like at Home\': Commission proposes to open negotiations to extend EU Roaming to the Western Balkans The European Commission has proposed to open negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to integrate them into the EU\'s ‘Roam Like at Home\' reg...

‘Roam Like at Home': Commission proposes to open negotiations to extend EU Roaming to the Western Balkans. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Metsola: Forging closer ties with EU is just British common sense. EU Parliament President says neighbours who share values & interests do better when acting together. "This is not about reopening old debates. It is about dealing with the world as we find it."

The new European Centre for Democratic Resilience starts its work At today\'s meeting of the General Affairs Council, EU Ministers were invited by the Commission and the Council Presidency to mark the start of the work of the European Centre for Democratic Resilienc...

The new European Centre for Democratic Resilience started its work. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

UK enforces digital permission to travel From today (25 February), non-visa nationals will be barred from entering the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) .

From today it is mandatory for UK visitors to have obtained digital permission to travel. Airlines will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or other valid documentation. www.gov.uk/government/n...

UK’s new passport rules for dual citizens are a result of border control in the digital age The number of people holding both British and EU passports increased significantly between 2011 and 2021.

UK’s new passport rules for dual citizens are a result of border control in the digital age. But dual citizenship and transnational life produce precisely the kind of complexity digital systems struggle to accommodate. theconversation.com/uks-new-pass... @nandosigona.bsky.social @theconversation.com

Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU A referendum on resuming membership talks had been expected in 2027, but could come as early as this August.

Iceland looks to fast-track vote on joining EU. A referendum on resuming membership talks had been expected in 2027, but could come as early as this August. www.politico.eu/article/icel... @politico.eu

Frontex: Severe winter weather contributes to a 60% drop in irregular border crossings in January News about Frontex events, meeting and key milestones.

Frontex: Severe winter weather contributes to a 60% drop in irregular EU border crossings in January.

Home - EU Citizens’ Rights Research Webinar eventbocs, your bilingual virtual venue, by Caboome Ltd

The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens Rights’ Agreements hosts on 24 February an EU Citizens’ Rights Research Webinar. Here are the details and how to participate:

Can a British citizen travel to the UK using a non-British passport? British dual nationals sometimes ask if they can use their foreign passport to come to the UK, for example, because they urgently need to travel and don’t have an up-to-date British passport. The intr...

British dual nationals ask if they can use their foreign passport to travel to the UK if they urgently need to & don’t have an up-to-date UK passport. The introduction of pre-departure checks makes this more difficult. House of Commons Library explainer. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...

New UK border rules for dual nationals are discriminatory against women, campaigners say British women in Spain and Greece face ‘huge problems’ entering UK because of differing surname rules

New UK border rules for dual nationals are discriminatory against women, campaigners say. www.theguardian.com/politics/202... @theguardian.com