BRUSSELS — The EU is relaunching its elite recruitment competition after a seven-year break in an effort to find a new generation of high-level administrators to help manage the world’s second largest economy. The European Commission, which last held the competition in 2019, organizes the assessment to inject new blood into Brussels’ corridors of power. A big wage and job security await those who pass the test. “It’s a contract for life,” said András Baneth, managing partner of EU Training, which prepares applicants for the process, and author of a book on how to pass. “This is a great opportunity for predictable career advancement and, of course, a salary and everything that goes with it.” Successful applicants are eligible for roles at grade “AD-5,” which come with a monthly pay packet of between €5,973 and €6,758, as well as the chance to progress through the bureaucracy and take up influential roles in commissioners’ Cabinets — the elite teams of advisers weighing in on key policy areas. The graduate scheme, aimed at generalists, will open on Thursday, according to the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), and close on March 10. It is the first time since 2019 that the contest has been held. The process includes psychometric testing, an EU knowledge assessment and an essay submission for those who pass the initial stages. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it a priority to give younger, harder-working staff a chance to climb the ladder in an institution that has historically had a stiff hierarchy, Commission officials said. “It’s very important to bring a younger talent pool with a different way of thinking in,” said a senior official, granted anonymity to speak frankly. “You’ll have a lot of certain levels retiring and you need to make sure the next generation of public servants is coming through. Of course we need people who understand the institution, but we also need people who understand the technologies of the future from a different perspective.” According to a spokesperson for the Commission, the “extended pause” over the past seven years was due to a move to full online testing. The scrapping of an assessment center stage means “the overall duration of the competitions of EPSO has been shortened.” SET FOR LIFE “After entering the workforce four years ago, this is finally my first chance to enter the [EU] institutions, which until now has seemed impossible,” said one prospective applicant, granted anonymity to avoid harming their application. “Everyone knows that once you pass the [competition], and get a job, you’re set for life. Which is why literally all of my friends will take this opportunity.” Many younger staff in the 33,000-strong Commission workforce currently serve in relatively insecure roles on short-term contracts or as agency employees, meaning they have fewer benefits, worse take-home pay and far less certainty over their future. The executive has launched a review of its structure, designed to improve its efficiency and cost-effectiveness, with concerns that those who do not have official status could be negatively affected by a restructure. A second prospective applicant, working in the private sector, hit out at the irregularity of the process. “I really hope it will be different this time to give external people a chance, since at the moment the system favors candidates already working at the institutions,” they said. Baneth, the test expert, said that about 1,200 applicants will be directly offered jobs from an applicant pool that could exceed 50,000. Others will be added to a reserve list from which “only 30 percent will actually be offered a job … this leads to a lot of negative feelings when someone goes through all this and still they cannot be sure they get a job.”

Pedro Sánchez is the prime minister of Spain. It’s no secret the world is going through a time of turbulence. The principles that held it together for decades are under threat; disinformation is spreading freely; and even the foundations of the welfare state — which brought us the longest period of prosperity in human history — are now being questioned by a far-right transnational movement challenging our democratic systems’ ability to deliver collective solutions and social justice. In the face of this attack, Europe stands as a wall of resistance. The EU has been  — and must remain — a shelter for the values that uphold our democracies, our cohesion and our freedom. But let’s be honest, values don’t put a roof over your head. And at any rate, these values are fading fast in the face of something as concrete and urgent as the lack of affordable housing. If we do not act, Europe risks becoming a shelter without homes. The figures are clear: The housing crisis is devastating the standard of living across Europe. Between 2010 and 2025, home prices rose by 60 percent, while rental prices went up by nearly 30 percent. In countries like Estonia or Hungary, prices have tripled. In densely populated or high-tourism cities, families can spend over 70 percent of their income on rent. And individuals with stable jobs in Madrid, Lisbon or Budapest can no longer afford to live where they work or where they grew up. Meanwhile, 93 million Europeans — that’s one in five — are living at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This isn’t just the perception of experts or institutions: Around half of Europeans consider housing to be an “urgent and immediate problem.” Housing, which should be a right, has become a trap that shapes peoples’ present, suffocates their future and endangers Europe’s cohesion, economic dynamism and prosperity. The roots of this problem may differ from country to country, but two facts are undeniable and shared throughout our continent: First, the need for more houses, which we’ve been falling behind on for years. For nearly two decades now, residential construction in the EU has fallen short of demand. After a period of strong growth in the 1990s and early 2000s, the 2008 financial crisis triggered a collapse in housing investment, and the sector never fully recovered. The pandemic only widened this gap, halting permits, delaying materials and worsening labor shortages that further stalled construction. Second, and just as urgent, is that we must ensure both new construction and existing housing stock serve their true purpose: upholding the fundamental right to decent and affordable housing. Because as we continue to fall short of guaranteeing this basic right, homes are increasingly being diverted to fuel speculation or serve secondary uses like tourist rentals. In fact, according to preliminary European Parliament data, there were around 4 million short-term rental listings on digital platforms across the EU in 2025. In my home country, cities like Madrid and València have witnessed the displacement of residents from their historic centers, which are transforming into theme parks for tourists. For nearly two decades now, residential construction in the EU has fallen short of demand. | David Zorrakino/Getty Images At the same time, housing is increasingly being treated as a financial asset instead of a social good. In Ireland, investment funds have acquired nearly half of all newly built homes since 2017, while in Sweden, institutional investors now control 24 percent of all private rental apartments. Just as no one would dare justify doubling the price of a bowl of rice for a starving child, we cannot accept turning the roofs meant to shelter people into a vehicle for speculation — and citizens overwhelmingly share in this view. Seventy-one percent of Europeans believe that the places they live would benefit from more controls on property speculation, like taxing vacant rentals or regulating short-term rentals. This is what the EU stands for: When it’s a choice between profit and people, we choose people. That choice can’t wait any longer. Thankfully, with yesterday’s Affordable Housing Plan, the European Commission is starting to move on housing, taking steps that Spain has long advocated. Brussels now increasingly recognizes the scale of this emergency and acknowledges that specific market conditions may require differentiated national and local responses. This will help consolidate a shared policy understanding regarding housing-stressed areas and strengthen the case for targeted measures — which may include, among others, restrictions on short-term rentals. Crucially, the plan also stresses the need for EU financing to boost housing supply. The time for words is over. We need urgent action. A growing outcry over housing is resonating across Europe, and our citizens need concrete solutions. Any failure to act with ambition and urgency risks turning the housing crisis into a new driver of Euroskepticism. After World War II, Europe was built on two founding promises: securing peace and delivering well-being. Honoring that legacy today means taking decisive action by massively increasing flexible funding to match the scale of the housing crisis, and guaranteeing member countries can swiftly implement the legal tools needed to adopt bold regulatory measures on short-term rentals and address the impact of nonresident buyers on housing access. The true measure of our union isn’t just written in treaties. It must be demonstrated by ensuring every person can live with dignity and have a place to call home. Let us rise to that promise — boldly, together and without delay.

BRUSSELS — U. S. Vice President JD Vance has hit out at the EU’s digital rules enforcement, saying the EU should not be “attacking American companies over garbage.” “Rumors swirling that the EU commission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage,” Vance wrote on X overnight. X owner Elon Musk immediately thanked the U.S. official, commenting, “Much appreciated.”  The European Commission opened formal proceedings against X under its Digital Services Act in December 2023, roughly a year after Musk bought Twitter and rebranded it as X. But the EU has yet to finalize its probe, after accusing X of breaching its obligations around transparency and blue checkmarks in preliminary findings in July 2024. A decision could come as early as Friday, according to media reports Thursday. Under the EU rules, companies can be fined up to 6 percent of their annual global turnover. French President Emmanuel Macron last week voiced concerns about the slow pace of Brussels’ probes into American tech giants, adding to a growing chorus of criticism that the bloc has been too slow to enforce its flagship Digital Services Act amid U.S. pressure. Washington has repeatedly asked the EU to roll back its digital rule book as part of trade negotiations, and last week U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick put this on the table again as an explicit exchange for scrapping tariffs on steel and aluminum in ongoing talks. Asked earlier Thursday how she feels about a looming diplomatic showdown if she slaps a fine on a U.S. tech giant, Commission digital chief Henna Virkkunen told POLITICO: “I’m quite calm in different situations. I’m not surprised about anything. I’m protecting our laws. But at the same time we are going to make Europe faster and simpler and easier for businesses.” Asked if she’s afraid of the U.S.’s reaction to a fine under the DSA, Virkkunen responded with a single word: “No.”

LONDON — Britain’s man in Geneva is quietly trying to fix the global trading system — without angering President Donald Trump. As World Trade Organization (WTO) members stumble toward a long-anticipated reform effort, U.K. Ambassador Kumar Iyer is working to modernize the organization’s rulebook. Iyer’s vision for WTO reform ahead of its big biennial conference in March centers on shaking up the way the 30-year-old U.N. body enforces the rules of global trade. Speaking to POLITICO earlier this month, Iyer said he wants to have a system “where not everything is always held back by consensus and not everything requires everyone to agree […] and it’s not negatively impacting a range of countries.” Brussels has flirted with building an alternative “rules-based” trade order that would bring together the EU and the Indo-Pacific trade bloc that the U.K. joined last year — an alliance that sidelines Washington, long accused of paralyzing the WTO’s dispute system. Ministers representing the two trade blocs are meeting in Melbourne, Australia, this week for their first official joint dialogue. Kumar Iyer’s vision for WTO reform ahead of its big biennial conference in March centers on shaking up the way the 30-year-old U.N. body enforces the rules of global trade. | Martial Trezzini/EPA But Iyer is keen to downplay talk of an anti-Trump alliance. “We’re really comfortable with other countries having those [agreements],” he said. “But they’re not an alternative to the multilateral system.” ‘BUSINESSES’ FOCUS IS NOW ELSEWHERE’ Iyer’s frustration over attitudes towards the WTO is clear — especially with what he sees as corporate indifference toward the organization, leading to its deprioritization in global politics. “CEOs and corporate leaders have stopped looking towards the WTO as being on the forefront of global trade policy,” he said. “They’ll look at CPTPP […] — that’s where the board-level focus has gone, and that’s very understandable.” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first floated the idea of a wider alliance with CPTPP members in June during EU trade talks with the U.S. She argued that the bloc could “show to the world that free trade with a large number of countries is possible on a rules-based foundation.”  Still, Iyer insists that no new alliances can replace the WTO — or its role as the foundation of the global trade system.  “No FTA is even possible without the WTO,” he said. “The WTO is the operating system, and FTAs are essentially the applications that sit on it. Saying you only need CPTPP is like saying I’ve got Microsoft Word and Excel, so I don’t need Windows.” With the WTO’s next ministerial conference fast approaching, officials are steeling themselves for bruising negotiations on several issues, ranging from e-commerce to agriculture and fisheries.  Washington, however, remains the main obstacle. The U.S. has for years blocked the appointment of new judges to the WTO’s top appeals court, effectively paralyzing one of its core functions in trade dispute settlement.  “This isn’t about coming out with a big bang change immediately,” Iyer said of the coming reform talks. “It’s about getting that political engagement around it and showing a real, genuine willingness.”

Tech tycoon Elon Musk on Wednesday threw a jab at European democracy — and the president of the European Commission. “If democracy is the foundation of freedom, surely your position as leader of the EU should be elected directly by the people?” Musk wrote in a post on social media platform X, which he owns, to Ursula von der Leyen. In another post, the Tesla and SpaceX chief added that the “leader of the EU” should be “elected by the people” of the bloc, “not appointed by a committee.” Musk was reacting to von der Leyen’s unveiling of the European Democracy Shield, a new strategy to step up the fight against foreign interference online, including in elections. “Democracy is the foundation of our freedom. Democracy is the foundation of our prosperity. Democracy is the foundation of our security,” von der Leyen wrote on social media. The German politician had pitched the Democracy Shield idea in a campaign speech at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit last year as she sought another term as Commission president ahead of the 2024 European election. The Commission president — head of the EU’s executive, though not literally the “leader of the EU” — is proposed and voted on by the European Council, comprising the EU’s 27 heads of state and government, for a five-year term. The proposed candidate also has to win a vote among members of the European Parliament. After getting the required backing last year, von der Leyen survived three motions of no confidence by factions in the Parliament in July and October this year. The centerpiece of the Democracy Shield strategy is the European Centre for Democratic Resilience, which draws on expertise across current and aspiring EU member countries to counter disinformation. Other elements include guidance on how to use AI in elections or on using influencers to help people understand EU rules, such as regulations on online content or political advertising. Musk, who played a brief but prominent role earlier this year as U.S. President Donald Trump’s adviser after supporting him vigorously throughout the 2024 election campaign, has often used his platform to amplify controversial views on democracy, free speech and political leadership around the world.

ATHENS — EU fraud investigators on Monday raided the offices of the Greek agency in charge of distributing EU farm funds that is at the center of a massive fraud scandal. The inspection by agents from the EU’s OLAF fraud team lasted eight hours at the offices of OPEKEPE, the state paying agency. It is expected to continue on Tuesday, with the investigators requesting documents concerning the agency’s organizational structure and contracts, according to two Greek officials granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. An OLAF spokesperson declined to comment on the raid, citing the confidential investigation and possible ensuing judicial proceedings. A massive scam to defraud the EU has convulsed Athens this year, after many Greeks improperly received farm subsidies for pastureland they did not own, or for farm work they did not do. POLITICO first reported on the scheme in February. Several ministers and deputy ministers resigned over their alleged involvement in the scandal, which is also under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The EU has already fined Athens €400 million after finding evidence of systemic failings in the handling of farm subsidies from 2016 through to 2023. EPPO had already raided OPEKEPE headquarters in May, meeting physical resistance to its inquiries. This was followed by a raid by Greek police in July. Greece risks losing its EU farm subsidies unless it provides an improved action plan on how it will stop funds being siphoned off into corruption. The original deadline was Oct. 2, but this has now been pushed back to Nov. 4. “The Commission has not received the revised action plans from the Greek authorities,” a European Commission spokesperson said in response to a POLITICO inquiry. “The Commission is awaiting the submission of the revised action plan and in the meantime, it continues to be in contact with the Greek authorities.” Meanwhile, the Greek government announced last week it canceled subsidies for organic farming retroactively for 2024, after being inundated with fake applications. The Organic Farming and Animal Husbandry Program was set to run from June 2024 to June 2027 and had a budget of €287.5 million. More than 60,000 farmers had applied for subsidies under the program and it is not clear yet whether subsidies for 2025 will be paid. The Commission has yet to be notified of the government’s decision to pull the plug on the payments. “The Commission expects to be informed by the Greek authorities whenever EU agricultural funds are withheld, rerouted, or intended to be. As of Oct. 13, the Commission has received no such notification,” the spokesperson said.

Russia is waging a campaign to “unsettle” citizens by flying drones into European airspace, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Wednesday. “Something new and dangerous is happening in our skies … This is not random harassment. It is a coherent and escalating campaign to unsettle our citizens, test our resolve, divide our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine,” von der Leyen said in a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. “And it is time to call it by its name. This is hybrid warfare.” There has been a surge in reports of unmanned aerial vehicles flying over Europe in the past month, including in Poland, Romania, Germany, Norway and Denmark. Some, such as war drones overflying Poland and Romania, have been identified as Russian, while the origin of others has been harder to determine. In response, Copenhagen last week temporarily banned drone flights, while NATO has launched an Eastern Sentry program to tackle gaps in the alliance’s air defenses. Meanwhile, von der Leyen has pitched building a drone wall to protect Europe against Russia, an idea that has drawn criticism over its feasibility and cost. But von der Leyen on Wednesday said protecting Europe’s eastern border is not enough, and a broader approach is needed. “Tackling Russia’s hybrid war is not only about traditional defense. It is about software for drones and spare parts for pipelines. It is rapid cyber-response teams and public information campaigns to spread awareness. This requires a new mindset for all of us,” she said. Europe needs to strengthen its defense industry and focus on the initiatives from member countries, such as the Prague-led ammunition initiative to deliver shells to Kyiv, von der Leyen said.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Wer regiert die Welt – und was treibt sie an? In unserem regelmäßigen Machthaber-Spezial geht es um die mächtigsten und umstrittensten Politikerinnen und Politiker unserer Zeit. Wir zeigen, wie sie denken, entscheiden – und was das für uns bedeutet. Eine Politikerin oder Politiker, alle zwei Wochen, ein Blick hinter die Kulissen der Macht. Die nächste Folge hört ihr am Samstag, 18.10.2025. Dann geht es um den belarussischen Machthaber und letzten Diktator Europas, Alexander Lukaschenko. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. ⁠Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren.⁠ Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:Instagram: ⁠@gordon.repinski⁠ | X: ⁠@GordonRepinski⁠.

BERLIN — U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza represents the best chance yet to end the Israel-Hamas war, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday. “After almost three years of bloodshed, this plan is the best chance, at least the best chance so far, for an end to the war,” Merz told reporters in Berlin. “The fact that Israel supports this plan is a significant step forward,” he said. “Now Hamas must agree and clear the way for peace. This is truly the last step that is necessary, and I expressly call on Hamas to agree to the plan.” Merz’s comments come after the U.S. president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the White House on Monday that they’ve reached a tentative agreement on the Trump administration’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza. The proposal calls for Hamas to disarm, return all the hostages within 72 hours and relinquish power, according to an outline of the plan released by the White House. In return, Israeli forces would withdraw and release around 2,000 Gazans, prisoners and detainees, according to the proposal. Hamas has not yet agreed to the plan. Germany is prepared to assist with implementing the peace plan and rebuilding Gaza in the event a peace agreement is reached, Merz said. “Germany is ready to contribute to the implementation of the plan. This applies politically, it applies in a humanitarian sense, and it also applies, of course, to the reconstruction of the region,” the center-right politician said. “We see this as work towards a Middle East in which Israelis and Palestinians can one day live peacefully and securely in two states,” he added. Earlier Tuesday, Merz met the families of Israeli hostages in the chancellery. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul separately announced he will travel to the Middle East over the weekend, where he is expected to engage in talks with Israeli officials. Merz’s ideologically divergent coalition government — consisting of his conservative alliance and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) — has struggled to agree on a common position on Israel and the war in Gaza, specifically regarding EU proposals to sanction Israel. While SPD politicians support the sanctions proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, members of Merz’s conservative alliance oppose such a step. Merz earlier this month said he would announce his government’s unified position at a summit of European leaders in Copenhagen on Wednesday.  But one day ahead of that meeting, there is no sign his coalition has agreed on a common position.