🍷 The health NGO funding cuts are starting to bite - Europe's anti-alcohol NGO, the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), will close its Brussels office after the Commission withdraws funding 🍷

pro.politico.eu/news/207703

🇪🇺 mini-scoop! 🇪🇺

The EU's watchdog is probing whether the European Commission acted secretively in its dealings with industry before launching a series of business-friendly initiatives

www.politico.eu/article/ombu...

🕵️The alleged Hungarian embassy spy ring was an open secret in Brussels, say EU officials who tell us they were approached by intelligence officers.

So what did the European Commission know?

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Viktor Orbán’s rival Péter Magyar has accused Hungarian Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi of holding back information as an ambassador during a period when a spy ring is alleged to have operated out of his office.

"Some were left wondering what Hoekstra hoped to achieve when he attacked Beijing for a “clearly disappointing” climate plan — especially after the EU had failed to present its own strategy."

w. @l-guillot.bsky.social and @marieccles.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/wopk...

thank you!

diolch!

Top colleague @roneilll.bsky.social got hold of the EU's plan to secure Europe's drug supply a day before the Commission announces it. Full Critical Medicines Act doc from him and @claudiachiappa.bsky.social here for Pros (€) pro.politico.eu/news/195310

With Smoke Free Partnership, we've written to European Parliament President Metsola about #tobacco industry interference 🚭

MEPs held 100+ meetings with tobacco #lobbyists during 2019-2024

Since the elections, there were already more than 33 such meetings 🤯

www.corporateeurope.org/en/tobacco-i...

Teresa Anjinho, who sits on the supervisory board of the European Anti-Fraud Office, was elected on Tuesday as the new European ombudsman for a five-year term.

If any news outlet is looking for a stringer in the region, my former Politico colleague @clothildegouj.bsky.social has moved to Amman — reports in French and English + speaks Arabic + is an excellent journalist

WHO: Up to 1 in 5 households in Europe experience “catastrophic spending” because of high #healthcare costs.

“No one should have to choose between paying for life-saving #medicines and meeting basic needs like food and housing.”

Dr Hans Kluge of @who.int Europe

www.who.int/europe/news-...

The EPP's (draft) legislative wish list for the next 12 months w/ @ziaweise.bsky.social for Politico Pros 🎄🎁
pro.politico.eu/news/190693