Stories from Brussels · Belgium

Ursula von der Leyen suggests utilizing 90 billion euros in unused EU funds to drive changes in electricity, transport, industry, and heating. This equates to approximately 500 million euros in daily costs. The figure highlights the economic impact of the ongoing conflict on European energy markets. The European Commission increased the subsidy limit for fuel and fertilizer from 50 percent to 70 percent. The relief applies to agriculture, fisheries, transport, and inland shipping until year-end. Direct aid of up to 50,000 euros will be provided to small and medium-sized enterprises. Measures also extend to the transport and fishing industries. Member States may be able to compensate up to 70% of costs to levels seen before February 28. A simplified fixed compensation option of up to 50,000 euros per beneficiary is also being introduced.

Georges Lui-Boucher, president of the MR party, accused the Socialist party of creating chaos within Belgian democracy. He alleged that the Socialists are preventing the adoption of the government's program law under Prime Minister Wever.

China could potentially restrict the supply of goods such as electronics and textiles to the European Union. Last year, the EU exported nearly 200 billion euro worth of goods to China. Such restrictions would impact both businesses and consumers within Europe. The discussion noted Europe's heavy dependence on China for various products. The European Union is considering a law, 'Made in Europe,' to ensure that goods produced within European countries remain on the market.

Approximately 100 scientists are working on a report from the Copernicus European climate service. The report follows a heatwave in the Mediterranean region that caused severe wildfires in August.

The European Commission has issued a reprimand to Meta regarding its Facebook and Instagram platforms. The source noted that targeting specific design models may be more effective than general bans. The European Commission is investigating Meta regarding artificial intelligence competition and WhatsApp. The probe examines whether third-party providers are being excluded from offering AI assistants within WhatsApp. The source noted that future penalties could increase significantly. Experts suggest children under 13 can access these platforms without hurdles, violating the company's own terms of use. Meta reportedly failed to initiate an adequate risk assessment for its services. Investigators found that children are not sufficiently protected from the dangers of these services.

A study by the World Meteorological Organization and the Copernicus Climate Change Service indicates it will be practically impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees in the coming years without temporarily exceeding the Paris Agreement targets.

European Union members are discussing the possibility of a military tribunal for Russian leadership. The proposal involves demanding the extradition of individuals accused of war crimes from Russia.

The European Union is investigating Instagram and Facebook regarding insufficient age verification processes. The source noted that firewalls or age-gating mechanisms are being scrutinized. Preliminary findings from Brussels indicate that Meta failed to implement adequate solutions to prevent underage access beyond simple age verification questions. This potential penalty could amount to billions of euros. The investigation focuses on whether the company's current measures are sufficient to protect minors. This investigation follows previous EU scrutiny of TikTok regarding child protection concerns. The probe comes amid increasing global pressure on social media platforms regarding user well-being. Meta has expressed disagreement with certain findings, asserting that its platforms have robust detection and removal systems for underage users.

The European Commission issued preliminary findings against social media giant Meta. The investigation specifically addresses restrictions regarding registration on Facebook and Instagram. Preliminary investigation results from the European Commission indicate that Facebook and Instagram have not sufficiently protected children from the dangers of their platforms. The specific nature of the risks to minors was not detailed in the report. The report comes as Meta faces ongoing scrutiny over its data and safety practices in the EU. Brussels is demanding that platforms enforce the minimum age of 13 years as specified in their own terms of use. Failure to comply could result in penalties for the parent company led by Mark Zuckerberg. Android users across the European Union may soon access a wider range of artificial intelligence services beyond Google Gemini.

European Union scientists stated that climate change triggered intense heat waves, wildfires, and droughts last year. They reported that 95 per cent of the continent experienced conditions exceeding those seen a hundred years ago.