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euobserver — EU news that matters @euobserver.com · 11m

MEPs grilled a Meta lobbyist over its decision to cease political ads in the EU after new political advertising regulations

MEPs confront Meta about removing political ads

MEPs grilled a Meta lobbyist over its decision to cease political ads in the EU after new political advertising regulations

euobserver.com

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Andrew Stroehlein @andrewstroehlein.bsky.social · 28m

You can call these "extrajudicial killings" - the Trump regime acting as executioner without any trials for the accused.

Or you can put it simply: this is murder. Multiple murders.

And the regime doesn't even seem to know who they are murdering.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

US airstrike near Venezuela may have killed two Trinidad citizens, police say

The Trinidadians were believed to be on a boat Donald Trump alleged was carrying drugs from Venezuela to the US

www.theguardian.com

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European Civic Forum @civic-forum.eu · 5h

NEW: NGOs condemn European response to Global Sumud Flotilla, from violence at solidarity protests, to silence about the unlawful interception of the boats.

With @liberties.eu, @solidar-eu.bsky.social, @fidh-official.bsky.social, @euromedhr.bsky.social and others.

👉 civic-forum.eu/press/repres...

Repression on protests in solidarity with Flotilla and Palestinian people: NGOs demand EU Council action - European Civic Forum

civic-forum.eu

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Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · 3h

The minutes from meetings with corporate lobbyists on #deregulation that the EU Commission publishes on its website are often ultra brief, lacking real substance

We've submitted a complaint to the European Ombudsman concerning the #secrecy around these meetings
➡️ corporateeurope.org/en/deregulat...

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Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · 3h

The EU’s #deregulation machine is running full-speed - and the Commission isn't keen on letting the public see how it works

In less than a year the Commission had 605 meetings with lobbyists on ‘simplification’ but #transparency is deeply insufficient

New post: corporateeurope.org/en/deregulat...

Deregulation Watch | Corporate Europe Observatory

Check out our new posts on Deregulation Watch which helps civil society monitor new developments in the deregulation agenda, assess what’s at stake, and organise in defence of strong social, environme...

corporateeurope.org

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Mats Engström @matsengstrom.bsky.social · 4h

Reading today's @contexte.com analysis of how the EU Regulatory Scrutiny Board rejected a revised #Reach approach, it seems clear that the Board is now taking an ideological line in promoting "simplification" instead of a balanced analysis of different costs and benefits. Worrying.

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Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · 7h

Today is #WorldFoodDay ! It happens that EU bans toxic pesticides... but then still exports them to all corners of the world. And that is ⤴️ ever more: 120.000 tons in 2024, so we decided to send them back to the Commission. They have been waiting 5 years to act & stop this unethical double standard!

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Denktank Minerva @denktankminerva.be · 7h

De teruglopende ontvangsten van staat en sociale zekerheid, een bewuste politieke keuze, dragen veruit het grootste deel van de verantwoordelijkheid voor de oplopende begrotingstekorten. 👇

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Who Targets Me @whotargets.me · 7h

Check out Campaign Tracker NL, looking at the use of AI in the Dutch election campaign (and here are some particularly egregious examples from Geert Wilders' PVV and aligned pages)
www.campaigntracker.nl/explore/

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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2d

Elon Musk is paying Tommy Robinson's legal bills.

The British media and political establishment is still on X and maybe this is the wake up call they need.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Tommy Robinson says Elon Musk is paying his legal costs as trial begins

Far-right activist is accused of refusing to comply with counter-terrorism police request at Channel tunnel

www.theguardian.com

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Mats Engström @matsengstrom.bsky.social · 1d

Times are changing when social democrats such as Antonio Costa and Mette Frederiksen are forcing deregulation on trade unions and environmentalists. www.politico.eu/article/eu-l... @estherlynch.bsky.social @faustine-bd.bsky.social

EU leaders to double down on deregulation drive

Leaked document reveals top priorities for this month’s European Council summit.

www.politico.eu

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Max Bank @maxbank.bsky.social · 1d

Member states are increasing pressure to weaken EU's rules including the EU's chemical regulation #REACH, according to Politico. EU member states, in particular Germany, are key driver's of the EU's deregulation agenda. www.politico.eu/article/eu-l...

EU leaders to double down on deregulation drive

Leaked document reveals top priorities for this month’s European Council summit.

www.politico.eu

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OEGB-EU Office @oegb-eu.bsky.social · 2d

Nach massivem Lobbying der Wirtschaft schwächt der EU-Rechtsausschuss das #Lieferkettengesetz.😠

‼️ÖGB-Präsident Katzian macht klar:
„Wir werden nicht tatenlos zusehen, wie Konzerne ihre Wunschliste abarbeiten – ohne Rücksicht auf Beschäftigte, Klima und Menschenrechte.“

www.oegb.at/themen/gewer...

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 2d

This Thursday, the European Parliament’s @imco.europarl.europa.eu will vote on the ‘transparency of third-country lobbying’ directive. The directive is intended to counter foreign interference by introducing mandatory national transparency registers for third-country lobbying. 1/

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Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · 3d

Today in Bxl, Big Polluter event #ICMSummit25 is promoting carbon capture & storage as a get-out-of-jail-free card for fossil fuels, no matter how unlikely, costly or risky www.linkedin.com/showcase/icm...

Listen to #PeopleNotPolluters like Eni, Equinor & #CCS lobbies like ZEP ⬇️ #FossilFreePolitics

Screenshot of the 'Our current members' page of the website of Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP), one of the co-organisers of the ICM Summit, showing its energy company members, with the logos of fossil fuel companies including Equinor, Eni, Repsol, Shell, ExxonMobil, BP and TotalEnergies.

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Alice Stollmeyer @stollmeyer.bsky.social · 2d

It’s time to stop worshipping Mario Draghi as the leading advocate of European technological sovereignty: his conclusions are deeply flawed.

techpolicy.press/its-time-to-...

It’s Time to Stop Worshipping Mario Draghi | TechPolicy.Press

Mario Draghi is steering Europe toward tech sovereignty. But his vision for industrial reform may repeat old and costly mistakes, writes William Burns.

techpolicy.press

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Camille Perrin @perrincam.bsky.social · 2d

“Legislative and regulatory self-restraint” 🙄
A document obtained by @politico.eu shows EU leaders will be calling on the Commission not to bring in any new laws… except for dismantling existing ones of course (no restraint on “omnibuses”!).
#deregulation #RulesToProtect

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Marjory van den Broeke @mvandenbroeke.bsky.social · 2d

"Het tegengif voor het fascisme: morele moed.

Fascisme krijgt ruimte door een hardnekkige misvatting: dat jij het niet kunt stoppen. Dat klopt niet. Gezamenlijk kunnen we ons weren tegen de woede en het wantrouwen die onze democratie overspoelen. "

decorrespondent.nl/16393/tien-m...

Tien manieren om je te verzetten tegen fascisme

Fascisme krijgt ruimte door een hardnekkige misvatting: dat jij het niet kunt stoppen. Dat klopt niet. Gezamenlijk kunnen we ons weren tegen de woede en het wantrouwen die onze democratie overspoelen....

decorrespondent.nl

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Rei Takver @rtakver.bsky.social · 2d

OpenAI *really* isn't hiding its intention to power the AI boom with fossil fuels.

New from me @desmog.com

www.desmog.com/2025/10/13/o...

OpenAI’s New Energy Chief Is a Trump Administration Natural Gas Evangelist

The ChatGPT creator hired John McCarrick, a gas-loving former Trump energy official, to guide how the company will source huge quantities of power for its colossal supercomputers.

www.desmog.com

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EuropeanPowell @europeanpowell.bsky.social · 4d

The Digital Coup: How Silicon Valley Billionaires and Tech Giants Are Capturing Britain’s Future
I investigate the web of influence connecting Larry Ellison, Tony Blair, Keir Starmer, and the corporations vying to control Britain’s digital infrastructure.
open.substack.com/pub/european...

The Digital Coup: How Silicon Valley Billionaires and Tech Giants Are Capturing Britain’s Future

An investigation into the web of influence connecting Larry Ellison, Tony Blair, Keir Starmer, and the corporations positioning themselves to control Britain’s digital infrastructure

open.substack.com

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Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · 3d

Synthetic fertilizers poison our food system, deplete our soil, and put food prices in the hands of a few corporations.

Fertilizers poison our bodies, water, and air.
They are linked to cancer, birth defects, and respiratory illness.

Read more: bit.ly/4nYirn7
#GlobalFertilizerDay

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SOMO - Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations @somoamsterdam.bsky.social · 3d

Today, the European Parliament will vote on the Omnibus I proposal. And behind this vote lies a massive lobby campaign by ExxonMobil, our investigation reveals.

This is outrageous.

The EU cannot let those causing the crisis write the rules to get out of it.

www.somo.nl/how-big-oil-...

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Peter Teffer @peterteffer.bsky.social · 3d

"Big Alcohol has lobbied intensely against the Irish government’s plans to introduce cigarette-style health warning labels on alcohol. [..] The industry collaborated with a consultancy firm that previously worked with the tobacco, fossil fuels and asbestos sectors."

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 3d

🍺 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 – 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭. And as far as Heineken is concerned, that’s how they’d like it to stay. The brewer giant fiercely opposed Irish plans for health warnings on alcohol, using tricks straight out of the tobacco industry’s playbook.

Read our latest story 👇

This is the warning Big Alcohol wants to keep off your bottles of beer

Ireland was set to become the first EU country to put cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks. But following a massive lobby campaign by Big Booze – stretching from Dublin and Brussels to Washington...

www.ftm.eu

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Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 3d

Varhelyi has repeatedly acted in breach of relevant EU rules with Von der Leyen repeatedly ignoring his rogue behaviour as well as ignoring the European Parliament's request in *2023* to investigate Varhelyi when he was busy doctoring rule of law assessments to please Orban's autocratic buddies...

Alberto Alemanno @alemanno.bsky.social · 3d

What can the EU do NOW to address the Varhelyi’s affair:

1. Von der Leyen can compel resignation
2. Refer to CJEU for compulsory retirement (precedent: Cresson case)
3. Leave post UNFILLED until 2029—deny Hungary replacement

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Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 3d

The European Commission launched a new AI strategy last week. But it barely mentioned the huge amount of energy gobbled up by AI, and the devastating environmental fallout.

Find this in our latest newsletter: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

AI’s power problem? Brussels isn’t losing sleep

The AI fever gripping financial markets has delayed the phase-out of coal plants in the U.S. and is sparking fresh investment in nuclear energy. Yet, despite rising concerns over AI’s carbon footprint, the new European Commission push to “Apply AI” appears unworried about the technology’s soaring energy demands. Instead, the new report urges the energy sector to adopt AI to optimise energy grids and storage, while offering only a cursory nod to the rapid rise in energy consumption the technology is expected to bring.

Its only tangible commitment? Hidden deep in an annex: a plan to ask companies to report AI-related energy consumption under a common standard. But even that’s not expected until late next year – while Big Tech’s servers, and the coal plants feeding them, keep burning.

Alexander Fanta

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