LONDON — EU countries have agreed to fast-track talks on an electricity trading agreement with the U.K. — in a major win for Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset. At a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels Wednesday morning, member states instructed the European Commission to draw up a mandate for negotiations on the subject by the end of the year. They also approved mandates for talks on an agri-food deal to ease cross-Channel trade frictions, and to link the EU and U.K. emissions trading systems. Negotiations in those two areas can now get underway in earnest, with London keen on a tight timetable so that Brits see the benefits of both deals as quickly as possible. The decision came after days of wrangling in Brussels over the extent to which London might be expected to pay for access to the EU’s single market. While all EU countries agreed that the U.K. should be asked to pay into the bloc’s “cohesion” fund — as other states like Norway accessing the single market do — some were concerned that going too hard on the demand could hold up negotiations in key areas. In particular, member nations most keen to improve cross-channel electricity trading arrangements like Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium — dubbed the “friends of electricity” by one EU official — had pushed for caveats and softer language. Electricity trading between Britain and the continent has become harder since Brexit, which the industry on both sides of the Channel says has resulted in higher prices and uncertainty for renewables investment in the North Sea. In the end a compromise text was brokered by the Danish presidency of the Council overnight into Wednesday after two days of deadlocked meetings. It committed to a swift timetable on electricity trading and included carefully crafted language on the financial contribution. The agreed text states that “the Council and the Commission share the view that should any further agreement be concluded that provides for the United Kingdom’s participation in parts of the Union’s internal market, they will reflect upon the appropriate level of financial contribution towards reducing economic and social disparities between the regions of the Union, and that will reflect the level of the United Kingdom’s participation in the Union’s internal market.” It adds: “We hope these talks can be pursued without delay, and we invite the Commission to recommend a mandate for negotiation on electricity trading before the end of 2025.” ‘WE’LL SEE SOME DRAMA’ The EU official quoted above said that the statement was a “guarantee to [the concerned countries] that the relevant agreement won’t be delayed.” Like others cited in this article, they were granted anonymity to speak freely about the negotiations. The U.K. has already shown a willingness to pay for access to EU markets and programs such as the Horizon Europe science system and the SAFE rearmament fund. But talks in both areas have demonstrated the potential for delay when large amounts of money are involved. The hope is that the position agreed in Brussels on Wednesday will mean talks can move at speed — while making clear to London that it is expected to pay for any benefits it gains. A second person familiar with the outcome of the discussions, an EU diplomat, told POLITICO: “I think we will see a little bit [of] back and forth during the negotiation, because also that’s the British negotiation style, and we’ll see, you know, some drama. “But I think at the end of the day, if you sit in London or sit in Westminster, and you’re looking at that text, I’m sure you’ll be thinking ‘this we can work with.’ There would be absolutely no surprises … They know us very well, we know them very well.” The two mandates on the agri-food deal and emissions trading, which are not expected to be published in full, will be formally rubber-stamped at the next meeting of the EU’s General Affairs Council on Monday Nov. 17. Movement on talks is likely to be welcomed on the U.K. side. Questioned about the slow progress of the reset at a Westminster committee hearing on Tuesday, the U.K.’s Trade Secretary Peter Kyle told lawmakers: “I can assure you that if there are time delays any of these [topics], they are not coming from the U.K. side.”

The European Commission floated the possibility of withdrawing or amending its proposal to partially suspend the EU–Israel Association Agreement and sanction two ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The measures were “proposed in a given context, and if the context changes, that could eventually lead to a change of the proposal,” Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said Monday, adding that the goal of the measures was to bring about a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. A ceasefire began in Gaza on Friday as part of the  “first phase” of a peace deal agreed by Israel and Hamas. In September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to restrict trade with Israel and sanction “extremist ministers” in Netanyahu’s cabinet. Brussels also suspended EU funding that supports cooperation with Israel, worth a total of around €14 million, and floated freezing participation in parts of the Horizon Europe research program. “We are very, very pleased, as everybody across the world is, to see that we now have a ceasefire, and we want to really see this peace implemented,” the spokesperson said, but cautioned that when it comes to changing planned measures, “we are not there yet.” BALL IN EU MINISTERS’ COURT The Commission said it will now assess whether there is a need to revise its proposals based on how the next stage of the peace process unfolds, and the topic will be raised at the next meeting of EU foreign ministers on Oct. 20. Asked by POLITICO, another Commission spokesperson said that “the ball is now in the [foreign ministers’] court,” and the EU executive will wait until after that discussion before taking any further action on the package. Although the Commission can technically withdraw its own proposal, two EU spokespersons told POLITICO that doing so may now be politically difficult, as the measures were adopted in a formal College meeting and publicly announced by von der Leyen during her State of the Union address — making a unilateral reversal unlikely without first consulting EU ministers. Speaking to POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook, Israel’s newly appointed ambassador to the EU, Avi Nir-Feldklein, said that for a reset of EU–Israel relations, the EU should restore funding for cooperation with Israeli institutions that von der Leyen had suspended, in addition to reconsidering the proposed restrictions on joint projects.

BRUSSELS — Israel’s new ambassador to the European Union is calling on the bloc to lift the penalties it imposed on his country over the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, now that a ceasefire negotiated with a push from Donald Trump has begun. In his first interview since officially taking up the post last week, Avi Nir-Feldklein said he was “optimistic” that the ceasefire would allow for a reset in Israel’s relationship with the EU, which has been severely strained by the fallout from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  The ambassador conceded that it had been a “challenging” period for Israel-EU relations. But he downplayed the rift and argued there was now a window “to overcome this short, uncomfortable situation that we have between us right now and to resume the good relations that we had,” given that the peace initiative was underway.  “We cherish very much our relationship with the EU,” the ambassador said. “I’m optimistic because I believe the EU member countries, most of them, would like to see it happening and right now the Trump initiative has started in a very good way and I believe that the EU would like to be part of it. “And if you want to be part of it, you need, really, to clear the table of what is hanging above our relationship.” Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to restrict trade with Israel and impose sanctions on “extremist ministers” in Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration. She also suspended Commission funding for support to Israel, worth a total of around €14 million, as she demanded “the horrific events taking place in Gaza on a daily basis must stop.”  EU officials have been bitterly critical of Israel over what they have described as the “man-made famine” hitting tens of thousands of Palestinians and the failure to distribute aid supplies to those who need it. Some senior figures have labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza “genocide.” A number of EU countries moved last month to recognize a Palestinian state, angering the Israeli government.  The ambassador said two issues need to be resolved to allow for a reset in relations with Brussels. First, the EU funding for cooperation with Israeli institutions that von der Leyen put on hold should be restored. “This is one topic that we hope will be off the table and those projects that were put on hold will be resumed,” he said.  The second point the Commission needs to address is the proposed suspension of parts of the EU-Israel association agreement on the Horizon Europe research program and preferential trade terms. “There’s just no reason any more for it,” he said. “This needs to be totally off the table.”  EU and U.K. officials have said they want Europe to have a seat on the “board of peace,” the body that is intended to oversee the transitional governance of Gaza by a Palestinian committee. Nir-Feldklein said it would be up to Israel’s foreign minister to discuss the question of the peace board’s composition with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.  “But there’s probably going to be some reluctance in Jerusalem before we clear the table” of the issues “hanging above our relations.”  TWO-STATE SOLUTION  Nir-Feldklein said the success of the Trump initiative was “extremely important” for Israel, bringing an end to the conflict and returning the Israeli hostages Hamas seized two years ago.  The EU, U.K. and other Western powers regard a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, as the only viable long-term option for peace in the Middle East.  Netanyahu has flatly ruled out such an option, and the new ambassador said it would be impossible while Hamas remained active in Gaza and while Palestinians continue to deny the right of the state of Israel to exist, two issues that have not been addressed under the current ceasefire. A representative of the Palestinian mission in Brussels was contacted for comment, but did not respond.  But Nir-Feldklein did not rule out that at some point in the future, if the Palestinians take a radically different approach, a two-state solution could return as an option.  “They need to recognize Israel as a Jewish state,” he said. “What we need to see is much more sincere attitudes from the Palestinian leadership toward a future solution and then who knows? Maybe then it might be again on the table. Out of three times they rejected it, twice we were the ones putting it on the table.”  The ambassador added, “It was on the table, now it’s off the table, but you know, life far away [is] dynamic. So maybe I don’t know what — maybe after we see real sincere efforts, then it might be.”  A few years ago, even Netanyahu was saying publicly he supported a two-state solution, the ambassador said, but the Israeli prime minister now has “good reasons” not to support the concept. 

Epilepsy affects 50 million people globally and 6 million in the EU.1 Despite this, it is a chronically underfunded and underserved condition in need of strategic investment. The latest report from Headway1 — a survey dedicated to tracking and analysing epilepsy care in the EU — underscores the urgent funding gap across the EU in epilepsy care. At the launch of the latest report in Brussels, members of the European Parliament, advocacy and patient organizations, key industry leaders, and I discussed the current picture painted by the report, and the decisions we must make to support the European epilepsy community.  Overcoming barriers to epilepsy care  Epilepsy continues to be one of the most significant neurological conditions across Europe. As the fourth most common neurological disorder,2 it takes a startling toll on people’s health. People with epilepsy tend to have more physical problems (such as fractures and bruising from injuries related to seizures), as well as higher rates of psychological conditions, including anxiety and depression.3 Defined as a chronic non-communicable neurological disease, epilepsy is characterized by unprovoked seizures often associated with neurobiological, cognitive and social consequences.4   Despite the size of the patient population, the condition is often hidden and therefore heavily stigmatized, with such stigma contributing to a crisis of care. Nearly 40 percent of people living with epilepsy in Europe remain untreated, a figure that rises as high as 90 percent in underserved areas.5 Moreover, individuals with epilepsy have more than a twofold increased risk of premature death compared with the general population, and their life expectancy is reduced by approximately 10-12 years.6   > Individuals with epilepsy have more than a twofold increased risk of premature > death compared with the general population, and their life expectancy is > reduced by approximately 10-12 years. Epilepsy is not currently recognized in some countries as a brain disorder, and while new treatments have been coming to the EU, the scarce investment in brain health impacts access to care, which is already unequal — subject to geographic lottery, socioeconomic status and gender. Additionally, the stigma associated with epilepsy, alongside limited seizure control, significantly hinders social and economic inclusion, resulting in individuals with epilepsy feeling isolated, engaged in lower employment rates and without long-term financial security.   Addressing these barriers is not just a healthcare imperative, but a societal one  via Angelini Pharma Embracing brain capital  Central to the Headway report is the concept of ‘brain capital’. This framework underscores that investing in brain health, including epilepsy, is a robust economic strategy. Avoidable epilepsy-related costs are estimated to reach €49.2 billion annually within the EU27 and the U.K., which is approximately 0.28 percent of the combined GDP of the EU and the U.K.. These figures include €20.1 billion in direct costs and €29 billion in indirect costs.7   > Avoidable epilepsy-related costs are estimated to reach €49.2 billion annually > within the EU27 and the U.K., which is approximately 0.28 percent of the > combined GDP of the EU and the U.K. The Headway report outlines three return-on-investment models that address both the human and financial costs:  1. Closing the treatment gap by ensuring timely access to appropriate care could yield a return on investment of €1.9 for every €1 invested.8,9,10  2. Addressing psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety and depression, by integrating mental health support into standard epilepsy care can offer a return of €1.5 per €1 spent.11,12 This intervention is critical, as mental health disorders often exacerbate the challenges faced by individuals with epilepsy.  3. Preventing avoidable cases through public health strategies such as stroke prevention and improved perinatal care could present a return of €1.7 per €1 spent.13   If national health systems across the EU and the U.K. invest €1 in each of these targeted actions and allocate a larger portion of their total national healthcare budgets to brain health services such as diagnostics testing, hospitalizations and antiseizure medications, to name a few, it’s obvious that it repays itself. It also yields an additional €0.50-€0.90 in reduced healthcare spending and increased productivity of patients and caregivers. In a climate of tight healthcare budgets and growing demand, these findings provide an evidence-based roadmap to better care and stronger systems.  A unified approach to a healthier future  The Headway report is a clear wake-up call for European policymakers to prioritize epilepsy as part of the broader brain health agenda. By investing in epilepsy care and engaging the public, countries will not only improve individual health outcomes but also realize substantial economic and societal benefits in both the short and long term. Moreover, they can lead the way in global best practice by scaling up proven solutions such as deploying epilepsy-specialist nurses and modernizing clinical trial regulations, especially for complex studies, to promote person-centered care and improve outcomes.  > By investing in epilepsy care and engaging the public, countries will not only > improve individual health outcomes but also realize substantial economic and > societal benefits. Countries should establish dedicated additional funding for epilepsy and brain health research within the forthcoming EU Brain Health Partnership and Horizon Europe. Additionally, strengthening cross-border networks like EpiCARE and aligning with the World Health Organization’s IGAP framework will support EU member states and the U.K. in implementing effective national responses, improve access to highly specialized care and shared expertise, and knowledge from the inclusion of patient-reported indicators and real-world evidence. Epilepsy should be included as a distinct priority in the EU’s and member states’ mental health strategies with tailored indicators and goals for the best possible outcomes.  > The Headway report lay the foundation for a clear path to a more resilient and > inclusive society, one that ensures a future where every individual living > with epilepsy has the opportunity to thrive. The EU27 and the U.K. stand at a crossroads. The research we’ve done, the insights we’ve discussed in Brussels and the findings outlined clearly in the Headway report lay the foundation for a clear path to a more resilient and inclusive society, one that ensures a future where every individual living with epilepsy has the opportunity to thrive. The need now is for committed action. It is crucial that policymakers, medical and healthcare professionals, and those living with epilepsy come together to effect change, improve access to treatment and turn our vision into reality.  > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Szaflaraski M (2014), “Social determinants of health in epilepsy” 2. TEHA on GBD 2021 Nervous System Disorders Collaborators (2024), “Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990-2021: a systemic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021,” 2025 3. World Health Organisation. Epilepsy. Signs and Symptoms. Available online here: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/epilepsy. (Accessed August 2025] 4. Fisher RS, et al. Epilepsia 2014;55: 475-482 5. IBE, ILAE, WHO (2011), “Epilepsy in the WHO European Region.” and European Parliament (2011), “Proceedings of the workshop ‘Treating and living with Epilepsy’” 6. Thurman DJ et al. (2014), “The burden of premature mortality of epilepsy in high-income countries: A systematic review from the Mortality Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy”. Epilepsia. 7. TEHA on Begley C et al. (2022), “The global cost of epilepsy: A systematic review and extrapolation”, Strzelczyk et al. (2015), “Costs of epilepsy and cost‐driving factors in children, adolescents, and their caregivers in Germany”, and Willems LM et al. (2021), “Multicenter, cross-sectional study of the costs of illness andcost-driving factors in adult patients with epilepsy”, 2025 8. Kwon C et al. (2022), “The worldwide epilepsy treatment gap: A systematic review and recommendations for revised definitions – A report from the ILAE Epidemiology Commission”. Epilepsia. 9. De Zélicourt M et al. (2014), “Management of focal epilepsy in adults treated with polytherapy in France: The direct cost of drug resistance (ESPERA study)”. Seizure. 10. Willems LM et al. (2022), “Multicenter, cross-sectional study of the costs of illness and cost-driving factors in adult patients with epilepsy”. Epilepsia 11. Dewhurst E et al. (2015), “A prospective service evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with refractory epilepsy”. Epilepsy & Behavior. 12. TEHA Group elaboration on OECD data and Fleishman JA et al. (2006), “Using the SF-12 health status measure to improve predictions of medical expenditures”. Medical Care 13. The European House of Ambrosetti and Angelini Pharma. (2025) Brain Health in Uncertain Times: A strategic investment for Europe’s future

The deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have finally persuaded officials in Brussels to step up their efforts to punish Israel. It’s not likely to help. On Wednesday, the European Commission will set out detailed proposals for suspending preferential trade terms and sanctioning “extremist” ministers and violent Israeli settlers.  The timing of the announcement is critical. It comes just 24 hours after a United Nations commission concluded Israel was perpetrating “genocide” and as Israeli forces begin major ground operations designed to occupy Gaza City. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks to take a tougher line against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened.  According to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, the new package will see duties imposed on more than one-third of Israel’s trade with the EU, which was worth €42.6 billion last year.  On paper, the impact would be significant as the EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner. “Definitely this step will have a high cost for Israel,” Kallas told Euronews in a Tuesday interview.  But in reality the proposal has almost no chance of winning enough support from European governments to be implemented in the short term, or perhaps ever.  The EU’s record of action against what its leaders have condemned as Israel’s man-made famine this year has been one of strong words immediately undermined by weak follow-through.  It’s been 51 days since the Commission proposed what at the time was seen as the mildest possible penalty against Israel in protest at the mass starvation of Palestinians: suspending parts of the Horizon Europe research cooperation program. But not even that limited proposal made it beyond the debating stage.  While ever more governments have taken their own steps — sanctioning Israeli ministers and pledging to recognize a Palestinian state — the EU as a whole remains hopelessly split.  As von der Leyen herself admitted last week, “this is stuck without a majority. We must overcome this. We cannot afford to be paralyzed.” Europe’s “inability to agree,” she said, is “painful.”  Ursula von der Leyen has been under mounting pressure to take a tougher line against Benjamin Netanyahu. | Omar Havana/Getty Images The most tortured position of all is that of the bloc’s economic and political powerhouse: Germany.  Friedrich Merz, Germany’s new leader, who hails from the same conservative political family as von der Leyen, has grown increasingly outspoken in his criticism of Netanyahu’s administration since taking over as chancellor in Berlin in February. Last month he banned the export of all German weapons that could be used by Israel in Gaza. But that immediately triggered a party backlash. Now, nobody in Brussels believes Merz is about to buckle and endorse von der Leyen’s plans to suspend the EU’s trade deal with Israel, even if some believe Germany and others will support more sanctions against violent Israeli settlers.  Without Germany’s support, the penalties on trade will not have the backing of the qualified majority of EU countries they need to be enacted. Formal sanctions against Israeli ministers will be even harder, as these measures require the unanimous support of all 27 EU governments to pass.  For Germany’s Merz, the question of how to handle Israel is miserably difficult. The Nazi legacy of the Holocaust casts a long shadow over German politics: On Monday night, an emotional Merz fought back tears in a speech at a synagogue in Munich denouncing a new wave of antisemitism.  “In politics and society, we have turned a blind eye for too long to the fact that a considerable number of the people who have come to Germany in recent decades were socialized in countries of origin where antisemitism is virtually state doctrine, where hatred of Israel is taught even to children,” Merz said. Countries that fail to act to stop genocide can potentially be treated as complicit under the Genocide Convention, a fact that could theoretically push more European governments to support the EU’s sanction plans.  Nobody in Brussels believes Friedrich Merz is about to buckle and endorse Ursula von der Leyen’s plans to suspend the EU’s trade deal with Israel. | Omar Havana/Getty Images Yet for Merz, domestic considerations are likely to make it impossible for his government to endorse the assessment that genocide is under way, still less to take concrete action to curtail Israel-EU trade.  Katja Hoyer, a German-British academic and author of Beyond the Wall, said Merz’s relations with his own Christian Democrats will likely weigh on his thinking. “Surveys suggest that Merz has the majority of the German public on his side when it comes to a tougher stance on Israel, but his problem is the backlash he’d get from his own party,” she said.  “The CDU/CSU has long been the home for those who staunchly support Israel. For many, this is an integral part of the party’s soul. Already under pressure for various broken promises and for having disappointed conservative purists on a number of issues, I don’t know if Merz will feel that he can survive a policy change in this area unscathed.”  As for von der Leyen, the pain of Europe’s paralysis is likely to continue.  Karl Mathiesen contributed reporting. 

The EU is considering granting Moldova a big step forward in its bid to join the 27-member bloc ahead of parliamentary elections there in late September ― putting it ahead of Ukraine for the first time. Under the scenario being studied by EU officials, European countries would vote to open a first “negotiating cluster” for Moldova — a key legal step on the path to membership — early next month after a meeting of EU ministers, according to three diplomats and an EU official. Such a move would grant a powerful electoral boost to President Maia Sandu, whose party is campaigning on a pro-EU platform and faces determined efforts from Russia to sway the vote in Moscow’s favor. “A way needs to be found to open the first cluster,” said Siegfried Muresan, a conservative EU lawmaker who chairs the EU-Moldova Association Committee in the European Parliament. “It would send a signal to Russia. It would take away the argument for the narrative of the Russians, which is to say that there is no progress on the path to EU membership.” But allowing Moldova to move forward while leaving Ukraine on hold risks angering Kyiv, whose EU membership bid has moved in lockstep with Moldova’s since both countries received an initial green light from the European Council in 2023. “There is a danger here of sending the wrong signal to Ukrainians,” said a Ukrainian diplomat. “At a time when future peace is being discussed in Alaska, we need to keep the perspective of EU membership as strong as possible.” Both Moldova and Ukraine have undertaken far-reaching reforms to join the EU, completing all the necessary steps to open a first negotiating cluster, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission. “There is no objective reason to block Cluster 1,” the spokesperson added in an emailed comment. POWERFUL MESSAGE The problem is that Ukraine’s bid is being blocked by Hungary, whose prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has made opposing Kyiv’s entry into the bloc a key plank of his own bid for reelection next year. So while Moldova could win approval from all 27 member countries for opening a negotiating cluster at an informal General Affairs Council gathering on Sept. 1, Ukraine is unlikely to get unanimous backing. This has put pro-enlargement countries, including EU presidency holder Denmark, in a bind. If they keep Moldova’s candidacy strictly tied to Ukraine’s, they are unable to move forward with either. Allowing Moldova’s to move forward before Sept. 28 would send a powerful message to pro-EU voters in Moldova — but could infuriate Ukrainians. Allowing Moldova’s to move forward before Sept. 28 would send a powerful message to pro-EU voters in Moldova — but could infuriate Ukrainians. | Dumitru Doru/EPA According to an EU diplomat closely following the process, several options are under consideration to show Ukraine that its candidacy is moving forward even if no negotiating cluster is opened — including granting Kyiv access to the Horizon Europe program or the Erasmus student exchange program. “There are a lot of things we can do to bring Ukraine closer to Europe in other ways than the formal negotiation procedure,” the EU diplomat said. “The key thing is to keep pushing forward and make clear that Hungary’s opposition is not seen as legitimate, and that the real carrot is the end of the process.” HISTORIC MOMENT Diplomats and officials also stressed that circumstances could rapidly change, notably in light of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Alaska on Friday. If the leaders strike a deal and determine that EU membership for Ukraine is a crucial part of it, Trump could prevail on Orbán to lift his opposition to Kyiv’s accession. Advocates of keeping the two bids coupled argue that Europe shouldn’t risk demoralizing Ukrainians who are committed to joining the EU, and that a better strategy would be to push Trump to force Orbán to lift his blockade. “This a historic moment and you have to look at this situation in its totality. EU membership is a crucial part of any peace deal,” added the diplomat.

Europe’s crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib on Tuesday issued a grim warning over Israel’s expanding military offensive in the Gaza Strip.  “Gaza is on the brink of famine. Aid is blocked, airdrops are ineffective & new NGO re-registration rules risk worsening the crisis,” Lahbib said, adding that “a full Israeli military takeover would be catastrophic: mass casualties, collapsed services & hostages at risk.” Lahbib is the second EU commissioner in recent days to publicly denounce Israel’s actions. Last Tuesday, European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to push for full control over the Gaza Strip as an “unacceptable provocation.” Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its war on Hamas militants in Gaza, where it has reportedly killed nearly 61,500 people since October 2023. A violent attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 killed some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and around 250 people were captured by Hamas and other groups and taken into Gaza, triggering retaliation from the Israel Defense Forces. Lahbib has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics among the EU’s College of Commissioners about Israel’s Gaza offensive, previously warning of a “man-made famine,” pressing for a ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access. In recent weeks, the European Commission has adopted a markedly tougher stance toward Israel, proposing to suspend its participation in the Horizon Europe scientific program. Meanwhile, several member countries have pushed for targeted sanctions and the suspension of the trade chapter of the EU–Israel Association Agreement.

Sweden on Thursday became the latest EU member country to publicly call for the suspension of the trade component of the bloc’s association agreement with Israel, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate. “The situation in Gaza is utterly deplorable, and Israel is not fulfilling its most basic obligations and agreed-upon commitments regarding humanitarian aid,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said. “Sweden therefore demands that the EU, as soon as possible, freezes the trade component of the association agreement,” Kristersson added. “Economic pressure on Israel must increase. The Israeli government must allow unrestricted humanitarian aid in Gaza.” Sweden’s call adds to growing pressure within the EU against Israel over its ongoing assault in Gaza, where tens of thousands of people have been killed in military retaliation against Hamas militants over their Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. On Monday, the European Commission proposed suspending parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement involving a flagship research project, citing a “humanitarian catastrophe” that it said threatens “virtually the entire Gaza population.” The initiative was ultimately blocked at a meeting of envoys on Tuesday by Germany and three other member countries. On Wednesday, the Netherlands also announced it advocated suspending the trade chapter of the agreement. Commenting on Sweden’s announcement, a spokesperson for Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said “the minister welcomes that Sweden joins the Netherlands in our call.” “We need to increase pressure on the Israeli government because they must do more to facilitate humanitarian aid. The agreement between the EU and Israel on humanitarian aid and access must be fully honored,” the spokesperson added. The EU-Israel Association Agreement, in effect since 2000, forms the legal basis for EU-Israel relations, including preferential trade. Trade measures can be modified with a qualified majority vote among all 27 EU member states. 

BRUSSELS — As famine looms in Gaza, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces pressure to drop staunch support for Israel and allow Brussels to penalize Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The European Commission this week proposed halting parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, warning that the Israeli government has triggered a “humanitarian catastrophe” that threatens “virtually the entire Gaza population.”  A growing number of EU countries favor taking such a step, but Germany has so far refused to sign off on the proposal, which would mark a clear break from its traditionally unwavering support for Israel. Diplomats from multiple EU countries privately voiced their frustration with Berlin after Merz suggested he wanted to see how the situation on the ground develops in the coming days. International pressure has intensified on Israel in the past two weeks amid increasingly dire warnings about the situation facing hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza. In Europe, leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron and the U.K.’s Keir Starmer have announced they intend to recognize a Palestinian state, demanding Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu halts hostilities and opens up meaningful access for aid agencies to deliver food and medical supplies.  Even Donald Trump acknowledged this week that there is “real starvation” in Gaza.  FAMINE RISK On Monday, the Commission dropped months of diplomatic niceties in a scathing assessment of the situation that directly accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law. The document proposing action against Israel stated the risk of famine for the entire Gaza population as well as “thousands of civilian deaths” and a “collapse of basic services.” The Commission’s proposal, which circulated among EU ambassadors on Tuesday, calls for the partial suspension of Israel’s access to Horizon Europe, the bloc’s flagship research program. But despite the urgency, the measure did not appear to have enough backing among EU countries at the meeting of envoys, and Germany and three other countries blocked it. But there are signs Merz’s opposition is softening. The German leader said Monday that Berlin would await the outcome of a planned visit to Israel next week by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the U.K. “We naturally reserve the right to hold further discussions and make further decisions,” he said. “We assume that the Israeli government is quite willing to recognize that something must be done now.” At home, Merz is also facing increasing pressure. The German coalition’s Social Democrats (SPD), along with parts of the opposition, have begun to question the country’s unwavering support for Israel in light of the Gaza emergency. Government talks are scheduled for after the German foreign minister’s visit, said Derya Türk-Nachbaur, an SPD lawmaker. “I would like us to decide on more concrete measures.” “Coordinating at the European level also means possibly increasing the pressure with France and England, and perhaps also not blocking measures announced by the EU,” she added. In June, the SPD formally urged the government to stop blocking partial suspension of the association agreement at the EU level. NO MORE COVER-UPS “Pressure on Germany might come more from internal parties than from other EU countries,” one diplomatic source told POLITICO. Even Merz’s Christian Democrats “can no longer justify or cover up Israel’s actions.” Italy, which has aligned with Germany in resisting the Commission’s plan, is also reconsidering its stance. “Italy is with Germany, but in fact, both countries are considering changing their position, and discussions are underway with the Israeli government,” the same person added. Other EU diplomats and officials, all also granted anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, corroborated the stance.  Several countries are now impatient and want the Commission to go further and suspend key trade links with Israel, including potentially a ban on importing all goods from the occupied territories, according to the diplomats and officials.   A spokesperson for the Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told POLITICO that due to “the lack of progress” on the agreements between the EU and Israel on humanitarian aid for Gaza, the Netherlands had decided to advocate for the suspension of the trade chapter of the EU-Israel association agreement .  CRITICAL DAYS AHEAD If Berlin shifts, the delicate balance in the Council could tip in favor of a formal EU rebuke of Israel, beginning with the Horizon Europe program but potentially extending to broader trade measures. The diplomatic situation is changing rapidly, and observers think Germany could change its position in the coming hours or days. EU countries’ ambassadors could be recalled to Brussels for an emergency meeting to vote on the Commission’s Horizon plan, potentially within the next week.  One hold-up is the need for the Commission’s draft legal text to be translated from English into other EU languages for countries to give proper consideration to the proposal, one official told POLITICO.  France and the U.K., meanwhile, are charting their own course, with both set to formally recognize the Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Elsewhere in Europe, the question of what to do about Israel and Gaza is also dominating debate. On Monday, the Dutch parliament interrupted its summer recess to hold an emergency session on the worsening humanitarian situation. The Netherlands also became the second EU country after Sweden to sanction Israeli ministers by banning two members of Netanyahu’s cabinet from entering the country.  “That’s because we see that the steps in Brussels are taken slowly,” Veldkamp said at a press conference on Wednesday, adding that for The Netherlands, “a country that’s traditionally friendly to Israel, that is quite a step.” Still, Veldkamp ruled out unilateral recognition of Palestine, saying, “At this moment, there is no process underway. Recognizing a Palestinian state now will not make much of a difference on the ground.” ‘POLITICAL GESTURE’ Italy, another key player, is waiting to see the outcome of the U.N. meeting in September before deciding whether to back recognition. “If Hamas remains, then declaring the willingness to immediately recognize Palestine as a state is a political gesture, not an anathema,” said one Italian official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But we need to see what opportunities may arise in a week’s time. As things progress with the current situation, or rather the continuation of Israeli military attacks, even the Italian government could change its mind,” he added.  In Belgium, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said that any decision on recognition will be postponed until at least early September. The country’s five governing parties remain split on the issue, though opposition groups are intensifying calls for Belgium to align with France’s position. By contrast, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have already taken the step to recognize Palestinian statehood, a signal that the EU consensus is fracturing further as pressure mounts for a more coordinated response to the war in Gaza. Inside the Commission, divisions are increasingly public. European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera broke ranks in a radio interview on Wednesday, accusing the Commission of dragging its feet. Ribera said that “for months, practically every week,” she has urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take a stronger stance. “The Commission is a reflection of national sensibilities. Institutionally it shouldn’t be so, it is supposed to be independent and represent the interests of the EU, but the truth is that everyone comes with their cultural context, their beliefs.” For people on the ground, the EU’s inability to agree on what amounts to a largely symbolic measure underscores the toothlessness of its response. “The mere fact that the EU can’t even agree on the smallest step possible … is a joke in the face of the scale of the suffering,” Bushra Khalidi‏, the policy lead for Oxfam in the Palestinian territories, told POLITICO. “Some countries say they need more time, but it’s just more time for more death in Gaza.” Giorgio Leali contributed reporting from Paris and Ben Munster contributed reporting from London.

The European Commission’s second-most powerful politician Teresa Ribera on Wednesday slammed her colleagues for failing to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, declaring that while Brussels looks the other way, history will judge it harshly. Ribera, the Commission’s top-ranking vice president, said that “for months, practically every week” she had urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to adopt a stronger position against Israel’s military operations and their devastating impact on Gaza’s civilian population. In a rare public chiding of her colleagues, Ribera lamented that the members of the College of Commissioners were hopelessly deadlocked on the matter, mirroring the deep divisions that exist among EU member countries when it comes to the war in Gaza. “The Commission is a reflection of national sensibilities,” Ribera said in an interview on Spain’s Cadena Ser radio network. “Institutionally it shouldn’t be so, it is supposed to be independent and represent the interests of the EU, but the truth is that everyone comes with their cultural context, their beliefs.” Ribera herself hails from Spain, one of the EU’s most vocal critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, and was serving as the country’s deputy prime minister when Madrid recognized Palestinian statehood last year. The Commission vice president said that EU ambassadors’ refusal to back Brussels’ proposal to curtail Israel’s access to the flagship Horizon Europe research and development program revealed just how divided the bloc was on the issue. She added that there was “no consensus” within the College of Commissioners regarding stronger measures like the outright suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, or the imposition of sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel launched its military offensive in October 2023 in retaliation for an attack by Hamas militants that killed more than 1,000 people on Israeli territory. Palestinian health authorities this week said more than 60,000 people had died in Israel’s ground and air campaign in the Gaza Strip, with nearly a third of the dead under the age of 18. According to United Nations-backed global food security experts, Israeli-imposed limits on the flow of aid into the region have resulted in a “worst-case scenario of famine” in the region. Comparing the suffering of civilians in Gaza to that of Jews imprisoned by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust, Ribera criticized the EU for idly standing by while “one of the worst humanitarian scandals [in history]” unfolds, adding that “history will not look the other way.” “We are in a race against time, with people dying of hunger,” she said. “Europe must react and consolidate itself as a political actor … And mobilize the principles that inspired the construction of the European project.”