EU public institutions signed 194 contracts worth nearly $3.1bn with Israeli companies between Jan 2022-July 2025, data shows. Despite ongoing ICJ trials against Israel for war crimes in Gaza, deals for advanced technologies and weapons systems increased after Oct 2023.
Major companies and associations have significantly increased their lobbying spending on EU institutions, with a nearly 50% rise since 2020. Tech giants lead the spending, raising concerns about democratic influence.
Air traffic controllers' strike caused cancellation of over 100 flights to and from Brussels and Charleroi airports. Meanwhile, EU institutions are in a race against time to agree on air passenger rights reform by Tuesday, while fears of jet fuel shortages impacting summer travel have eased.
OLAF director general Petr Klement warns that the ongoing legal debate over the EU anti-fraud watchdog's search powers in the European Parliament is damaging both institutions' reputations. The dispute centers on OLAF's access to Parliament premises, particularly highlighted during the 2022 Qatargate corruption scandal. Klement is calling for clarity ahead of an anticipated EU review of OLAF's governing rules later this year.
