Stories from brussels · Belgium

Some European countries are considering classifying trifluoroacetic acid as a toxic substance and introducing product restrictions. Specialists warn that substance accumulation in plants and animals could impact reproductive abilities and ecological systems.

António Costa stated that work is required this year within the European Council. Key priorities include the 2028-2034 budget for the 27 member states, support for Ukraine, and regional competitiveness.

The European Commission is investigating Facebook for potential violations of EU digital regulations. Igor Berezin, president of the marketers guild, stated that fines could reach 6% of the company's annual revenue, potentially totaling billions of euros.

European Parliament members who are pregnant or on maternity leave may soon be able to delegate their votes to colleagues. Lara Walters, an MEP for the Dutch Green Labour Party, is campaigning for the measure to modernize the parliament. Walters stated the change is necessary to help members combine parliamentary duties with new parenthood. The proposal would allow female MEPs to delegate votes for three months pre-birth and six months post-birth. European Union lawmakers are proposing changes to electoral acts to include voting rights related to maternity leave. The proposal involves both technical changes to rules of procedure and addressing political debates regarding parliamentary mandates. The Council of Ministers has given its approval regarding maternity leave rights. Independent and salaried mothers will now receive the same maternity leave, totaling one week.

EU Commissioner Hanna Wirkonen stated that approximately 12 percent of children under the age of 13 in the EU use Instagram or Facebook. MEP Andreas Schwab of the CDU stated that the EU Digital Act must be upheld and that age limits set in terms of use must be actively enforced in practice. EU regulators are investigating whether Meta complies with its own terms of service regarding minor users to prevent account generation. The CDU-CSU group in the European Parliament demanded that age limits established in terms of use must be actively enforced rather than just checking birth dates. This follows the EU Commission's push for compliance with digital laws. The CDU-CSU group's internal market policy spokesperson in the European Parliament stated that merely asking for a date of birth without effective verification is insufficient to meet age limit requirements.

Portugal and Spain are working to increase European competitiveness according to Radio Renascença. The broadcaster noted that the Draghi report has not been implemented more than 18 months after its presentation. Political plans for Europe include institutional reforms within the European Union. These reforms involve ending the principle of unanimity in decision-making among the 27 member states.

The European Union is working to secure alternative fuel supplies from the United States.

The European Commission plans to introduce a minimum age of 13 for digital services across Europe by the end of the year. The spokesperson said that the EU Digital Services Act must be upheld. This follows a report from the European Farmers in November requesting stronger enforcement of age limits. Lawmakers stated that these measures are necessary to ensure compliance with EU digital laws and internal market rules. The demand aims to address the ongoing challenges regarding minor safety in the digital space. Simple verification of birth dates is considered insufficient for effective enforcement. New reports indicate EU legislation will require online platforms to provide specific tools to enforce age limits. An EU Commissioner stated the draft is available online for testing and feedback. Officials stated the app will be absolutely secure once online.

Activists sent an appeal to the European Parliament regarding the actions of the Caucasus Assembly president and secretary. The decision allows for the future use of more potentially harmful chemicals in cosmetics. This follows a change in the standards that cosmeticians must meet. The Parliament approved standards for substances that can be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic in larger quantities. However, the Parliament rejected a proposal to completely remove bans on substances that are harmful only when inhaled or swallowed. Under the new rules, cosmetics will no longer be required to meet the same standards as food products. The new regulations will affect how cosmeticians must meet safety standards. The decision aims to regulate chemicals that can cause health damage in large quantities.

European defense capabilities require increased speed and stronger leadership to address current challenges. The report cites the Draghi report, presented over 18 months ago, as an example of slow execution. A credible voice in foreign policy requires the ability to mobilize resources at scale. António Costa stated that European defense cannot continue to move slowly, framing the issue as a choice between being subjects of history or objects of others' choices. He noted that Portugal and Spain have chosen to be subjects.