EU Reporter

29/04/2026

Germany: Shen Yun Performing Arts Faces Multiple Allegations of Abuse and Forced Labour, Triggering Investigations

According to multiple reports in German media Vorsprung Online and The New York Times, Shen Yun Performing Arts—which promotes itself as reviving “5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture”—has recently become embroiled in a series of controversies. Several former dancers have accused the o...

29/04/2026

Shen Yun Performing Arts Faces Multiple Allegations of Abuse and Forced Labour, Triggering Investigations

According to multiple reports in German media Vorsprung Online and The New York Times, Shen Yun Performing Arts—which promotes itself as reviving “5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture”—has recently become embroiled in a series of controversies. Several former dancers have accused the o...

22/04/2026

Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič (pictured) and South Korean Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo co-chaired the thirteenth EU-Republic of Korea Trade Committee, under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The two sides strengthened their partnership by holding their first Strategic Dialogue on Trade, Supply Chains and Technology, while also endorsing the final text of the EU-Korea Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) to be signed at the EU-Korea Summit later this year.

During the Trade Committee meeting, both sides highlighted the FTA’s tangible benefits for businesses and citizens. Commissioner Šefčovič emphasized in particular the constantly growing trade in goods, as well as the significant level of investments. Both sides welcomed progress on the update of the Motor Vehicles and Parts Annex, an agreement to work towards a Mutual Recognition on Electronics, and a decision to set up a Working Group on Cosmetics.

At the same time, a frank discussion was held on key trade irritants and issues that European businesses, farmers and other stakeholders face when operating in Korea. Commissioner Šefčovič raised in particular areas such as market access for agricultural products, offshore wind, and the automotive sector, and restrictions on the online sales of alcoholic beverages.

With the Strategic Dialogue, the EU and Korea established a platform for forward-looking cooperation on key shared geo-economic priorities, including economic security, critical raw materials, advanced tech supply chain protection, and battery cooperation. Commissioner Šefčovič and Minister Yeo also agreed to start preparations for launching an EU-Korea Future Strategic Partnership, in time for the EU-Korea Summit to be held later this year.

Finally, both sides welcomed agreement on the final, ambitious DTA text, which reflects the EU’s commitment to setting high-standard digital trade rules, while connecting further the digital economies of the EU and Korea. The deal provides binding rules that build consumer trust and ensure predictability and legal certainty for businesses, as well as trusted data flows. Full article online

22/04/2026

From April 14 to 16, 2026, Ashgabat 🇹🇲 hosted the International Tourism Exhibition and Conference “Turkmentravel – 2026”, a major event reflecting Turkmenistan’s ambition to position itself as an emerging destination at the crossroads of culture, history, and sustainable tourism. The forum gathered representatives of government institutions, international organizations, tourism professionals, investors, academics, and private‑sector actors from across Europe, Asia, and the wider region.

Opening Ceremony and Official Addresses

The exhibition and conference officially opened on April 14, 2026, at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, with a ceremonial session underscoring the growing importance of tourism diplomacy.

The greetings address of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, was delivered to participants, officially inaugurating the event and setting the tone for international cooperation in the tourism sector.

The opening session was attended by high‑level representatives of the Turkmen government and foreign delegations, emphasizing tourism as a strategic pillar of economic diversification.

High-level Conference

International participation

The conference also served as a platform for regional cooperation, featuring speakers from neighboring countries and international institutions, including:

- Nadir Alpaslan, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye;

- Erdenet Kasymov, Deputy Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic;

- Kanan Firdovski oglu Aliyev, Head of the Office of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

- Muhammetdurdy Mamedov, Head of the National Directorate of Turkmenistan for the Protection, Study and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments;

- Geoffrey Serembe, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Uganda;

22/04/2026

The European Commission has approved a €3.7 billion Czech scheme to support the construction of biomethane production stations in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025. The scheme is expected to support installations with a total output of 350 million standard cubic meters of sustainable biomethane, which contributes to the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal.

The aid will take the form of a direct price support scheme, with a two-way contract for difference that provides a bonus for each MWh of biomethane produced for a duration of 15 years, based on a so-called strike price. If market prices of natural gas are lower than the strike price, the State will pay the producers. If they are higher, the companies will pay back the difference. The beneficiaries will be selected through a competitive tendering procedure.

The Commission found that the Czech scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the CISAF. In particular, the aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated volume and budget, and the aid will be provided as direct price support through a two-way contract for difference, which will be awarded via a competitive bidding process.

A Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera (pictured) said: “With this €3.7 billion scheme Czechia will boost the EU’s production of sustainable biomethane that will be used for transport and heating. It will also help Czechia meet its emissions reduction target. The measure will contribute to a cleaner, more secure and more resilient energy mix, while preserving a level playing field and minimising potential distortions of competition.’’ Full article online

22/04/2026

The European Commission has presented an age verification app aimed at protecting minors online. Announced by the Commission President, the app allows users to anonymously verify their age when accessing online services, with the goal of blocking harmful content without compromising privacy.

The initiative follows a political commitment first made in von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech in September, where she elevated child safety online as a key EU priority. “When it comes to the safety of children online, the situation is extremely worrying. One child in six is bullied online,” she said. She also pointed to addictive platform design and growing screen time, warning that such an environment “does not benefit young developing minds”.

“Our technical solution is ready,” von der Leyen said, describing a system that builds directly on the EU’s COVID certification app, repurposing a model that enabled secure, cross-border verification during the pandemic. Like its predecessor, the new tool is designed to be user-friendly, interoperable, and widely adoptable.

22/04/2026

On 17 April, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshio Ino attended the first meeting of the EU-Japan Defence Industry Dialogue, launched by the industries of both the EU and Japan under the EU-Japan Competitiveness Alliance established at the EU-Japan annual Summit meeting in July 2025, recalling the EU-Japan Security and Defence Partnership signed in November 2024.

The Defence Industry Dialogue brought together defence industries and associations from the EU and Japan. The event also featured a video message from Masahisa Miyazaki, State Minister of Defence, and was attended by representatives from Japan, including officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). Representatives from the European Commission’s Directorates-General DEFIS, GROW and TRADE, as well as the EEAS, likewise participated.

Representatives from EU and Japan agreed on the following points:

Both sides recall that this dialogue forms part of the implementation of the EU -Japan Competitiveness Alliance, which aims to further enhance our joint competitiveness in a strategic manner and grow together through this Alliance, and jointly lead international discussions.

Both sides recognise that strengthening the defence industrial base is a shared priority for the EU and Japan, and that reinforcing security through partnership is essential in an increasingly challenging security environment. They express a strong shared interest in enhancing the resilience of defence supply chains—including dual-use sectors—between the EU and Japan, and confirm that they will continue to exchange views to advance various forms of cooperation related to defence industrial matters. Full article online

22/04/2026

About this initiative
Hard-won gains on women’s human rights are being curtailed by authoritarian regimes and anti-rights movements worldwide at an unprecedent scale, and more than 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action. Donors’ cuts are compounding the backlash, causing major setbacks. The GAP IV will set the EU vision for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment as a strategic priority in all external actions, in an increasingly fragile global environment.
More info online

20/04/2026

EU politicians have broadly welcomed the outcome of Hungary’s keenly-awaited elections. But there are also warnings from some quarters that the new PM must be « judged on his record. » The Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, won a two-thirds majority in the Hungarian parliamentary elections, with 98.9% of the votes counted on Monday (13 April). Voter turnout hit a record high of close to 80%.

According to the results available at the time of writing, Tisza won 138 out of 199 parliamentary seats, with the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition dropping to 55 seats and far-right Hazánk securing six mandates. No other party is set to enter the next parliament. Viktor Orbán (pictured) conceded defeat on election night, with Magyar writing on social media that the prime minister had called to congratulate him. “The election results are painful for us, but clear… We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition,” Orbán reportedly told his followers.
Full article online

20/04/2026

On Wednesday (15 April), MEPs on the European Parliament’s powerful Budget Committee endorsed their negotiating position on the 2028–2034 EU budget - known as the MFF – Multiannual Financial Framework - including a breakdown of the amounts they want to allocate to each EU funding programme.