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Europe · Tue, Sep 8

EU ends EES flexibility, risking longer queues for UK travellers

The European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) flexibility that allowed member states to temporarily suspend biometric checks expired on 7 September. British travellers now face mandatory fingerprint and photo registration on arrival, with experts warning of renewed delays and potential missed flights. Ryanair has called for an extension of the derogation until at least April 2027.

Bottom line — Ryanair urges EU Commission to extend EES flexibility until April 2027 after summer delays hit airports.

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Ryanair COO Neal McMahon called the EU's handling of EES 'a shambles from start to finish' and said warnings about increased processing times were ignored, according to Travel Weekly UK.
Aviation expert Anton Radchenko warned that passengers who miss a flight solely due to passport-control queues have no automatic EU261 right to compensation or free rebooking, per the Mirror.
A European Commission spokesperson said the system 'has broadly worked well over the summer' and that it is 'in close contact with those few member states where adjustments are needed,' per the Guardian.
Some countries, including Greece, may continue using manual checks despite the deadline, and France has reported technical problems that could keep the system offline, according to the Coventry Telegraph.
Travel expert Jake Cullum-Hollins advised passengers to go straight to passport control after security and to avoid duty-free to gauge queue length, as reported by iNews.
The pre-registration app for Sweden and Portugal saves only 23 seconds per passenger on average, per Frontex data cited by iNews, and no significant wait-time reduction has been reported by travellers.
Iata's head of external affairs Thomas Reynaert said the delays give Europe 'a bad reputation' and that passengers lose trust when systems fail, according to the Birmingham Mail.
Border control delays of two to three hours were reported this summer at Lisbon, Krakow, Milan, and Rome airports, per Travel Weekly UK.

Sources Mirror AOL.com Travel Weekly UK +5 more

Europe · Tue, Sep 8

Dacia moves Spring EV production from China to Slovenia, keeps sub-€20,000 price

Dacia has unveiled a second-generation Spring built in Slovenia rather than China, making the budget EV eligible for EU subsidies and free of tariffs on Chinese-made cars. Priced from €17,900, it's the first of four Dacia EVs due by 2030. The relocation comes as Chinese rivals take record European EV market share.

Bottom line — Dacia's shift to Slovenian production preserves a sub-€20,000 EV as Chinese rivals push into Europe.

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The first Spring sold 210,000 units since 2021 but missed French subsidies because it was made in China, per Reuters.
France's EV registrations hit record 35% and 38% shares in July and August, driven by fuel prices tied to the Iran war, according to Reuters.
The Spring sits on Renault's RG-EV platform shared with the Twingo; development took under two years, per The Next Web.
Dacia chose an LFP battery because iron and phosphate avoid the nickel and cobalt supply chains Europe doesn't control, The Next Web says.
Dacia says first-gen Spring owners drove 34 km a day and three-quarters charged at home, according to The Next Web.
UK pricing starts under €21,000 (£18,000), and the car may qualify for around €4,400 (£3,750) in grants, according to Autocar.
If the grant applies, the Spring cedes the UK's cheapest-car title to the €15,200 (£12,995) Leapmotor T03, Autocar notes.
Dacia design chief David Durand told CAR that only the Spring's name carried over from the old model.

Sources Reuters The Next Web CAR Magazine +4 more

That's all the news for today

Check out stories from the previous edition below.

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

Thousands mourn war criminal Mladic in Belgrade as EU cancels visit

Thousands gathered in Belgrade on Monday for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb commander convicted of genocide and war crimes. The Serbian government provided a plane and military honours, drawing condemnation from the EU, whose enlargement commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a planned visit. The event underscores tensions between Serbia's EU candidacy and its nationalist politics.

Bottom line — Serbia's EU bid faces further strain as President Vucic dismisses criticism ahead of an early parliamentary election.

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Mladic died on August 27 at age 84 while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-95 Bosnian war, per AP.
His body lay in state at St. Luka Church in Belgrade, with his military officer's cap and sabre on the coffin, flanked by men in fatigues, per France 24.
The Serbian government sent a plane to bring his remains from The Hague and soldiers carried his coffin wrapped in the national flag, per AP.
EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos cancelled a visit to Serbia, saying 'the glorification surrounding his death is incompatible with the values on which the EU path is built,' per France 24.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed the criticism, accusing Kos of 'lying,' and did not attend the funeral due to a prior engagement with the Uzbek president, per Daily Sabah and BTA.
Mladic was convicted for orchestrating the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in 1995, the siege of Sarajevo, and other atrocities, per AP.
Serbia has refused to recognise the Srebrenica massacre as genocide, calling it a 'horrific crime' instead, per France 24.
Last year, Serbia buried another convicted war criminal, former army chief of staff Nebojsa Pavkovic, with full military honours, per France 24.
The Balkan nation's EU bid has stalled due to democratic backsliding and Vucic's refusal to join international sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, per France 24.
A military commemoration was held Saturday at an official Serbian army venue, attended by Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic and Republika Srpska officials, per BTA.

Sources France 24 ANSA.it Daily Sabah +2 more

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt with 44%, falls short of absolute majority

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election on September 6, capturing around 44% of the vote – more than double its 2021 result. The party fell just three seats short of an outright majority, per broadcasters' projections. The result piles pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right CDU, which crashed to 17.2%, its worst-ever showing in the state.

Bottom line — The AfD now holds 39 of 83 seats and remains barred from coalitions by Germany's political firewall.

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The AfD's lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund called it a 'signal to Berlin' and mocked Merz as 'a very good campaigner for the AfD', per The Local and Hurriyet Daily News.
With all mainstream parties refusing to cooperate with the AfD, the tiny leftist BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) – hovering around the 5% threshold – could act as kingmaker, per Politico and The Conversation.
Viktor Orbán celebrated the result on X as a 'huge night for Germany and Europe', adding 'This is just the beginning', according to Hungary Today.
The BBC noted the AfD's win weakens Berlin's position as Europe faces multiple crises, including the war in Ukraine, US tariffs, and China's economic challenge.
Political scientist Oliver Lembcke of Ruhr University Bochum described the outcome as 'a tectonic shift in the party system', per The Local.
The French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad called the result 'a serious moment for Europe', while Spanish Vox leader Santiago Abascal hailed it as 'great hope for Germany and for Europe', per the BBC and Bluewin.
The AfD's softer stance on Russia – backing an end to military aid for Ukraine and lifting sanctions – is being watched closely in Moscow, the BBC reported.

Sources protothemanews.com www.Bluewin.ch Le Monde.fr +7 more

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

EU scrambles to update Arctic policy as superpowers circle

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Greenland as Brussels prepares a revamped Arctic policy, delayed and under pressure to prioritise security and defence. Experts warn that without a robust update, Europe risks being marginalised as Russia, China, and the US compete for influence in the resource-rich region.

Bottom line — The EU's 2021 Arctic policy omitted military defence; the update is overdue, per Euronews.

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The 2021 policy focused on climate, raw materials, and geostrategic influence, but the Commission now admits it needs an urgent revamp due to Russia's militarisation and China's Polar Silk Road, per Euronews.
Estonian MEP Urmas Paet told Euronews the strategy must reflect 'what is ongoing' and that publication is 'very delayed'.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in February the Arctic is 'the front line of the global power competition', citing hybrid threats and Russia's military build-up.
NATO launched Arctic Sentry in February to strengthen its posture; a senior NATO official told Euronews success depends on how Russia and China respond.
Analysts Linda Solstrand Dahlberg and Maria Martisiute argue the new policy must integrate Arctic defence with European security, noting the region 'doesn't exist in a vacuum'.

Sources Euronews English

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

Europe on alert as UK warned 'ripe' for Russian drone sabotage

Former Ukrainian drone warfare adviser Illya Sekirin told the Express that Britain and Europe are particularly vulnerable to drone attacks, after Germany blamed Russia for an attempted strike at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August. A series of suspected Russian hybrid attacks have hit facilities in Bulgaria, Italy, Estonia, Slovakia and Poland, prompting calls for the UK to accelerate national resilience plans.

Bottom line — UK government faces pressure to boost defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 amid rising Russian threats.

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Sekirin said the West 'underestimates' the threat and that proper counter-drone systems would deter Russia from hybrid attacks with plausible deniability, per the Express.
Germany accused Russia of an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August; Moscow denied it, triggering a diplomatic row, the Express reports.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called such incidents the 'new normal' and said Europe must be ready to respond.
Former Army intelligence officer Philip Ingram warned the UK is 'ripe' for sabotage and that MI5 and counterterrorism police are 'hugely under-resourced', urging accelerated national resilience plans.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said Labour must commit to 3% defence spending by 2030, arguing 'you can't protect Britain with words and vibes alone'.
The EU and NATO are working on a 'drone wall' to protect European airspace, expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027, according to the Express.
A UK government spokesperson said defence has seen the biggest increase since the Cold War and that Russia should be in no doubt about the government's resolve.

Sources EXPRESS AOL.com

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

UK government calls far-right Portsmouth protest 'thuggish' after Dover scenes

Hundreds of far-right activists blocked roads in Portsmouth on Sunday night, a day after similar unrest in Dover, attempting to stop asylum seekers arriving by boat from being processed. The government condemned the behaviour as 'thuggish and intimidating', while the local police and crime commissioner warned that people smugglers may target other southern English ports.

Bottom line — The Home Office said all arrivals were processed; one organiser called Portsmouth 'ground zero' per The Guardian.

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Per The Guardian, the crowd was organised by Daniel Thomas, a far-right figure linked to Tommy Robinson, who livestreamed and urged people to join.
Police and crime commissioner Donna Jones told the BBC Portsmouth does not have Dover's processing infrastructure and warned of a 'significant issue' if smugglers shift routes, per The News.
Treasury minister Emma Reynolds said the protest 'crossed the line' of peaceful protest, adding net migration is down and boat crossings at a seven-year low, according to The Independent.
The Guardian reports a boat carrying about 140 people left near Cherbourg around 1am Sunday and arrived about 10 hours later; small-boat arrivals are down over 40% year-on-year.

Sources The Guardian The News The Independent

Europe · Mon, Sep 7

Germany plans anti-drone shield and cyberdome after Leipzig attack

Germany will deploy rapid-response counter-drone units in nine cities and create a national 'Cyberdome' to detect hacking attempts, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told Bild am Sonntag. The measures follow a failed drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August, which Berlin formally blamed on Russia. Operators of critical infrastructure will gain legal powers to fend off drones themselves.

Bottom line — Berlin's plan includes 9 city-based anti-drone units, a Cyberdome, and expanded AI surveillance after a Russian-linked airport attack.

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The plan was presented by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who said Russia's hybrid attacks 'have become a daily reality' and 'will intensify' (per Bild am Sonntag, cited by multiple outlets).
Rapidly deployable federal police units with helicopters and vehicles will be stationed in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Hanover, and Cologne (per Bild, cited by UNITED24 Media and NV).
Critical infrastructure operators — including water, energy, and defence companies — will be legally authorised to detect and actively counter drones, not just report them (per Bild, cited by Reuters and DW).
A national 'Cyberdome' — a network of digital sensors — will be established to detect and intercept hacking attempts on government and business networks (per Bild, cited by multiple outlets).
Germany plans to expand use of AI, biometric facial recognition, and video surveillance at transport hubs to identify suspected saboteurs and spies (per Bild, cited by DW and ThePrint).
The Leipzig/Halle Airport incident on 4 August involved an explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian An-124 cargo aircraft; Berlin formally accused Russia on 1 September (per NV and DW).
Russia denies involvement; Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the accusations 'the start of a real war' (per ABC Australia, citing TASS).
Since early 2026, German authorities recorded 165 suspected sabotage cases and 747 suspicious drone incidents near military sites and critical infrastructure (per UNITED24 Media, citing Bild).

Sources UA.NEWS unn.ua Jordan News | Latest… +7 more