Poland has confirmed the first fatalities among people trying to enter the EU via Belarus, as the onset of cold weather heightens risk.

Phil Hogan, the former European commissioner for trade, was this month hired by US-law firm DLA Piper, where he will work out of the Brussels office. Critics say the hire poses questions on weak EU ethics oversight rules on lobbying.

There were a total of 1,056 fraudulent irregularities in 2020, with a combined financial impact of €371m. Currently, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain do not have domestic anti-fraud plans.

EU foreign ministers were expected to discuss the implication of a security deal between the US, UK, and Australia on the margins of the UN general assembly. The deal has cast a shadow on the bloc's trade talks with Australia.

The European Court of Auditors called for more consistent EU action on sustainable finance. The European Commission, by its own estimation, will need to invest €1 trillion a year to transition to a zero-carbon economy by 2050.

To estimate the economic footprint, the research takes into account both the costs associated with education, €2.46bn, as well as the potential loss in GDP growth due the loss of the countries' youth.