EU ministers will discuss more aggressive deportations of migrants this week and visit Ukraine, amid crunch talks on how to fund Kyiv.

Asylum seekers reaching Europe's shores will start being relocated to other EU states from 12 June next year. Interior ministers agreed that at least 21,000 people should be relocated — short of the European Commission's 30,000 initial figure.

Germany, France and Italy are all suffering from erosions to civic freedom, according to a report by the global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, published on Tuesday.

EU states are struggling with upcoming border rules that critics say could led to detention-like centres. Under the new regime authorities will have only seven days to screen a prospective asylum seeker.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.