There is talk of new momentum in the EU accession process. However, when EU citizens think about EU enlargement, 37 percent are concerned about “costs to European taxpayers,” according to Eurobarometer. Yet preliminary plans for the next EU budget (2028-2034) do not mention costs of enlargement.

The European Court of Auditors examined the major EU anti-fraud offices and found there were communication issues between agencies, with burdensome and confusing administration. It also found the European Commission lacked proper fine-collection oversight.

The EU Commission has urged France and Italy not to derail its trade accord with the South American bloc Mercosur, which it described on Monday as a test of the EU’s “credibility”.  The scene is now set for a row at the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

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.

A French banker inside Euroclear, who flew to Russia 155 times for "private" reasons, allegedly tried to connect the company's CEO, Valérie Urbain, with Russian spies and threatened her when she declined, according to an investigation by EUobserver, Humo, De Morgen, and Dossier Center.

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.