European Policy Centre

Cities across Europe are searching for ways to expand affordable housing as shortages in major urban centres become an increasingly explosive social issue. A Deutsche Welle report examines models already being tried across the continent, from public construction to rent policies, as pressure grows on governments to respond to rising costs and limited supply.

Friedrich Merz and the CDU are pushing for stricter migration measures at a large gathering of the European People's Party in southern France. The push comes after electoral defeats in German state elections, with an amendment proposed to sharpen the party's migration policy at the European level.

A new CEPR analysis examines the true scale and structure of the European Union's debt, aiming to make the often opaque accounting of EU liabilities more transparent. The discussion centres on how much debt the EU and its member states actually carry, how it is recorded, and what the hidden obligations could mean for future fiscal policy and budget negotiations in Brussels.

Researchers at the Centre for Economic Policy Research argue that the European Union's slow pace of innovation in frontier AI models leaves it exposed in cyber defence and undermines its goal of strategic autonomy. The piece warns that failing to innovate carries real security and economic costs, as the EU remains dependent on foreign technology in critical areas.

Commentary under the DREW banner highlights Canada's efforts to build closer ties with the European Union. The discussion centres on Ottawa courting Brussels at a time of shifting trade and security alignments. Little additional detail is available beyond the headline itself, and the specific policy steps being discussed remain unstated.

Attention is on the IAA mobility show in Munich, where European policymakers and industry leaders are presenting proposals to strengthen 'Made in Europe' manufacturing, particularly in the automotive sector. Discussion centres on which initiatives the European Commission and member states may put forward to boost European industrial competitiveness against competition from China and other rivals.

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament has jointly organised a Trade Union Forum with the European Trade Union Confederation. The gathering brings together centre-left MEPs and union representatives to discuss workers' rights and labour priorities in EU policy. Little detail has been released so far about the agenda or outcomes of the event.

Commentary from Green Central Banking argues Europe has reached a decisive point on climate resilience, with adaptation and financial preparation for climate risks moving to the centre of policy debate. The piece suggests institutions and regulators across Europe are now treating climate preparedness as an immediate priority rather than a distant concern.

The European Commission has put forward a five-point plan aimed at tightening security at the EU's external borders. The proposal centres on expanding the mandate of the border agency Frontex, introducing new sanctions targeting people-smuggling networks, and stepping up digital surveillance capabilities. Observers in Brussels are weighing how the measures will reshape the EU's migration and border policy in practice.

European integration is entering what is being called an autumn of enlargement, with debate focusing on the European Union's next round of expansion. Discussion centres on how the EU will manage accession prospects for candidate countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, and what enlargement means for the bloc's institutions, finances and decision-making.

A European Policy Centre commentary argues the EU applies a double standard on the rule of law: member states are largely held to soft mechanisms with limited consequences, while candidate countries face strict, enforceable conditionality on their path to accession. The piece fuels debate over fairness and credibility in EU enlargement, especially as enlargement talks with the Western Balkans and Ukraine advance.

EU enlargement policy is facing renewed scrutiny, with analysts arguing that the bloc must now make difficult decisions about admitting new members. The debate centres on whether the European Union can keep expanding without reforming its own institutions, as candidate countries in the Western Balkans, Ukraine and elsewhere wait for progress on their membership bids.