EU-China troubles loomed large over the Brussels summit on Thursday — despite being left off the official council agenda. The diplomatic spat over the Dutch seizure of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia was explicitly mentioned on the doorstep by both Dutch and German leaders.

Better enforcement of EU pesticide use is not bureaucracy. It is what keeps Europe’s food, water, and people safe. More than 120 NGOs are urging the EU Commission to strengthen implementation of the bloc's pesticide law, and thousands of citizens responded to the commission’s consultation.

Israeli authorities have rejected 94 percent of aid delivery requests from international relief organisations — leaving €43m worth of critical supplies stranded at border crossings, according to 41 humanitarian groups working in Gaza.

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.