European Parliament

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has been named European Christmas Capital 2025 – and it’s easy to see why. The city has a stunning Christmas market and barely any crowds.

If you’re dreaming of a festive getaway complete with Christmas markets and cosy eateries, but can’t bear the thought of battling through crowds, then some destinations are off the table.

For instance, Paris, despite its charm and beauty, welcomed 22 million tourists last year, while Vienna, another popular winter destination, saw an astonishing 19 million visitors.

Over tourism can turn a holiday into a stressful experience, particularly during the festive season when all you want to do is unwind.

However, there’s one stunning European city that remains relatively crowd-free – and it boasts an award-winning Christmas market.

Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, attracted just 1.2 million tourists last year – a mere fraction compared to Europe’s busiest hotspots.

With the holiday season fast approaching, now is the ideal time to consider a trip to this extraordinary city.

Vilnius has been crowned European Christmas Capital 2025 by the Christmas Cities Network, backed by the European Parliament.

It offers a spectacular Christmas tree, a UNESCO-listed Old Town, and of course, markets brimming with mulled wine and handmade crafts, reports the Express.

The holiday season in Vilnius kicks off on 29 November with its most eagerly awaited tradition, the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Cathedral Square.

Each year, the tree showcases a fresh bold design, drawing people to the city to celebrate with their loved ones.

If you fancy being there for the big switch-on, Skyscanner is currently offering return flights from London to Vilnius starting at just £42 – arriving on 29th November and departing on 1st December.

As for digs, prices kick off from a mere £21 per night, making it an ideal budget-friendly getaway – just remember to save some suitcase space for all those pressies.

Published on
08/10/2025 – 18:10 GMT+2

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It’s a narrow win — but a win nonetheless — for the opponents of the controversial trade agreement reached with the Mercosur countries in December 2024.

A show of hands from European lawmakers on Wednesday saw 269 of them reject a paragraph of a resolution on the EU’s political strategy for Latin America that welcomed the conclusion of the Mercosur agreement — offering a preview of the showdown taking shape in the European Parliament over the controversial trade deal.

The Strasbourg vote was decided by just 10 votes, as 259 other MEPs voted in favour, reflecting a divided hemicycle over this controversial agreement.

“The European Parliament is once again expressing its scepticism about the trade agreement with Mercosur,” French MEP Pascal Canfin (Renew) wrote in a post on LinkedIn.

“The political signal is very clear: there are more MEPs who have profound doubts about the merits of this agreement than MEPs who want it adopted immediately.”

The European Commission, which had been at the helm during more than twenty years of negotiations for this agreement, submitted it for ratification to the Council and for its consent to the European Parliament on 3 September.

However, it remains uncertain whether the final step for the EU to conclude the agreement will proceed smoothly.

The deal, which liberalises trade between Mercosur countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — and the EU, reduces tariffs on many products, including some agricultural goods, raising concerns among European farmers about facing unfair competition from Latin American producers.

‘We will continue fighting’

In the Parliament, a group of lawmakers is preparing to submit a resolution to their colleagues calling for the EU Court of Justice to be seized to suspend the deal’s approval.

Opponents of the agreement also fear that Mercosur countries will not comply with European phytosanitary and environmental standards.

The agreement “abandons agriculture and livestock, harms the environment, fuels deforestation, rolls out the red carpet for extractive multinationals,” Spanish MEP Irene Montero (The Left), who prompted the vote on Wednesday, told Euronews.

“We will continue fighting to ensure that this agreement is not ratified and to stop the danger it poses to the environment and our primary sector.”

Supporters of the deal argue, on the other hand, that this text — which creates a free trade area of 700 million people — is necessary in the new global trade context to face Chinese competition in Mercosur countries and diversify trading partners, especially as the US is raising tariff barriers around its market.

The part of the resolution that was rejected welcomed the conclusion of the deal’s negotiations, highlighting “the fact that the agreement would be a real game changer for the relationship between the two regions.”

The deal “would be the largest trade agreement ever signed by the EU in terms of population, covering more than 700 million citizens, and the most significant in terms of its economic impact,” the resolution emphasised.

The resolution also stressed the “geopolitical value” of the deal, “as an essential tool for advancing the EU’s strategic interests in the current international context.”

The plenary vote on the Mercosur agreement itself has not yet been scheduled. A source familiar with the matter told Euronews that the European Parliament’s administration hopes it will be on the MEPs’ agenda by the end of the year.

A new EU rule change could mean that passengers are able to bring two bags on board at no extra cost

Ryanair and easyJet travellers could soon be permitted to bring two cabin bags aboard flights without paying extra fees. At the moment these airlines allow those flying on basic tickets to bring one small personal item onboard, with any additional baggage incurring supplementary charges.

Ryanair has been forced to expand the dimensions of the personal bag it permits, following amendments to EU regulations. Under fresh rules, passengers flying with the budget carrier will be permitted to carry hand luggage measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, representing a 20% expansion from its previous 40 x 20 x 25 cm size limits.

easyJet’s personal bag dimensions already met these requirements, reports Plymouth Live. And another EU rule change could mean travellers are able to bring a cabin bag measuring up to 100cm, alongside a personal bag, without additional charges.

The proposed legislation requires backing from at least 55% of EU member nations. Should it receive approval, the regulation would apply to all flights within the EU, plus routes travelling to and from the EU.

Members of European Parliament (MEPs) also seek to ensure children under 12 years old are seated alongside an accompanying passenger without extra cost. Currently, airlines face no legal requirement to seat children with their parents, though the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises they should do so.

The CAA states: “Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults.

“This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.”

Published on 15/09/2025 – 15:34 GMT+2
•Updated
15:53

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A French liberal MEP has gathered signatures from 20 other lawmakers for a letter seen by Euronews calling on the European Commission to review its commitment made under the EU-US trade agreement to purchase US energy.

In the document— soon to be sent to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, and Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen—the MEPs led by Christophe Grudler of Renew call on the EU executive to reconsider its pledge to buy $750 billion worth of US energy products over the next three years.

These products include liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil, nuclear fuels, and small modular reactors (SMRs). The signatories argue the deal will undermine the EU’s climate goals, industrial competitiveness, and strategic sovereignty.

“Increasing LNG imports from US shale gas directly undermines our climate agenda and our methane emissions regulation,” the letter says, adding: “LNG is highly polluting when liquefied, shipped across the Atlantic and regasified. Such dependence is a climate time-bomb.”

The initiative was launched by Christophe Grudler, a French MEP from the liberal Renew group.

The letter also warns that beyond energy concerns, the deal risks exposing the EU to “political blackmail”, the US demanding changes to EU climate policies, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, under which the bloc will apply levies on the carbon footprint of foreign imports from 1 January 2026.

The energy purchase commitment forms part of the EU-US agreement reached over the summer.

Some MEPs view the arrangement as deeply unbalanced, given that the US continues to impose 15% tariffs on EU goods, while the EU has agreed to make major investments in the US, including in the energy and defence sectors.

‘Economic imbalance’

In their letter to the Commission, MEPs also slam what they describe as the “economic imbalance” created by the pledge to purchase $250 billion’s worth of energy over three years. 

The letter describes this figure as “astronomical” adding: “To put this in perspective, the entire Competitiveness Fund proposed in the MFF amounts to €362 billion over seven years. How can we ask European companies to massively buy from the US while urging them to strengthen our competitiveness at home?”

The inclusion of US small modular reactors in the deal has also raised concerns among MEPs.

“At a time when the EU is building its own SMR supply chain, opening the door to US competitors is total nonsense.”

They further stress that commercial decisions “should remain the prerogative of companies, not be preempted by political pledges.”

Published on
03/09/2025 – 8:00 GMT+2

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MEPs are set to complain widely about the EU-US trade agreement when they confront Commission trade chief and agreement negotiator Sabine Weyand during a Parliamentary hearing on the deal on Wednesday.  

“While clearly we understand that the EU has chosen stability, diplomacy and to keep a cool-minded approach, however this cannot translate into the acceptance of an unfair and asymmetric trade relation with our American friends and partners,” Italian MEP Brando Benifei.

“As it is now, it is not acceptable,” Benifei told Euronews, speaking on behalf of his Socialists & Democrats group.

Last week the Commission proposed reducing tariffs on most US industrial goods, as well as less sensitive agricultural products, to 0%, as it began implementing the agreement reached with the US at the end of August. At the same time, the agreement provides that the EU will pay a 15% tariff on its exports to the US.

The Commission’s legislative proposal must now navigate its way through the Parliament and the EU Council for approval.

The Greens are also speaking out against an unbalanced agreement and rejecting the Commission’s argument that it will ensure stable trade relations with the US.

“The deal has major disadvantages for the EU,” German Green MEP Anna Cavazzini said, adding: “The only ‘gain’ that the Commission is selling us is stability. However, Trump’s incessant demands and new tariff threats are turning this process into a waste of time.”

Just after the agreement was concluded, US President Donald Trump threatened countries with digital legislation — like the EU — with tariffs, accusing them of directly targeting Big Tech.

According to the German MEP, the proposal to reduce EU tariffs on US imports will clearly “not have a smooth sailing through the European Parliament.”

The agreement, which is still under discussion within the Parliament’s largest group, the centre-right EPP, has nonetheless failed to win the full support of some of its individual members within the parliamentary committee on trade.

“Capitulation”

“This is an outright capitulation — we’re committing to colossal sums for investments and pledges to purchase billions worth of chips and military equipment, while granting the US 0% tariffs,” French MEP Celine Imart (EPP) said, “all this for the reindustrialisation of the US !”

Swedish MEP Jörgen Warborn, who coordinates the work of the EPP within the trade committee, is more cautious.

“It is hard to put yourself in the situation of the negotiators of the Commission,” he told Euronews, adding: “It is good that we have a framework agreement, because hopefully this can give us more stability. But at the same time, I don’t see the deal as balanced as I would have hoped it to be.”

Within Renew, the liberal group at the Parliament, some MEPs are also angry. The treatment granted to US agricultural products — benefiting from 0% tariffs or favourable quotas for certain items — is not going down well.

“I’m outraged by the whole situation. Yes, of course, there are the US’s promises when it comes to defence, but this agreement truly exposes our total dependence, which forces us to sign just about anything,” Belgian MEP Benoit Cassart (Renew), who is also a farmer, said, adding: “I disagree with those who think the EU has ‘won’ just because things didn’t turn out worse. If that’s the logic, then next time the US will start at 50% and we’ll end up with 40% tariffs on all our exports.”

French MEP Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, who coordinates Renew in the committee, considers too that “there is a widespread feeling that we [the EU] failed to put any real leverage on the table.”

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The EU Commission made its opening move in implementing the trade agreement reached on August 21 with the United States, but the legislative proposal for tariff reductions on a wide range of US industrial and agricultural products will face a tricky path through the European Parliament which will start considering the measure next week.

This legislative move should offer immediate relief to the EU automotive sector, as the US committed to retroactively lower its 27.5% tariffs on EU cars to 15% from 1 August, once the Commission proposed the legislation. 

Among the concessions granted to the US, the Commission’s proposal provides for reducing tariffs to 0% on the vast majority of US industrial products – ranging from machinery to pharmaceutical products, some chemicals, plastics and fertilizers – for which the EU aims to break its dependence on Russia. The proposal also targets some agri-products, such as fruits, juices and certain seeds.

“This is not costly for us,” a senior EU official said, pointing out that existing tariffs levied by the bloc on these products are very low.

The Commission has also declared privileged access to its market for certain agricultural products, whose tariffs will be reduced — such as certain vegetables, fruits and grape juices.

Tariff-rate quotas are also planned for 20 product groups, including pork (25,000 tonnes), dairy products (10,000 tonnes), cheese (10,000 tonnes), and soybeans (400,000 tonnes), which will benefit from 0% tariffs below the set thresholds.

Despite a trade agreement widely seen as heavily tilted in favour of the US — with the EU facing 15% tariffs under the deal — Brussels foresees the possibility of suspending these tariff advantages on US products if the US fails to implement the 21 August agreement, or if a sudden surge in US imports on the European market poses serious risks to EU industry.

The legislative proposal needs the buy-in of the European co-legislator, the European Parliament and the EU Council, which represents the member states.

MEPs responsible for monitoring trade issues will meet for what promises to be a heated session on 3 September, with some having criticised the deal as unbalanced. Sabine Weyand, Director-General of DG Trade and one of the chief negotiators, will attend to answer their questions.

“Politically, some MEPs saw the conclusion of the agreement as a humiliation and a surrender,” French liberal MEP Marie-Pierre Vedrenne told Euronews, adding: “Especially since we were promised predictability — yet Trump is already threatening tariffs on countries implementing digital legislation. The Commission is clearly uncomfortable.”

On top of the proposal on tariffs reduction, the MEPs are waiting for a second legislative proposal on the whole deal.

“We need to understand the agreement much better before we can be decisive and say yes or no,” Swedish MEP Jörgen Warborn (EPP) told Euronews, “I’m myself concerned because I have not yet understood whether the deal was compatible with WTO rules.”

According to WTO rules, any country that grants a preferential tariff to one country must extend those terms to others.

“There is a lot of turbulence when it comes to trade at these times. We need a rule-based space and not that the EU is part of breaking WTO rules,” Warborn added.

Within the S&D group, some are betting on the continuation of the negotiations to improve the deal.

“The deal is quite unbalanced and we need to see real effort from the EU Commission to obtain more exemptions and a clear path for an agreement on steel and aluminium,” a lawmaker from S&D said, adding: “Otherwise we should go back to the possible countermeasures.”

The deal published on August 21 does not address the aluminium and steel sectors, which remain subject to tariffs of up to 50%.

The days of being charged additional fees for your hand luggage on flights could soon be a thing of the past – at least in the EU

UK holidaymakers have been warned of a significant change to hand luggage rules on flights to Europe. The BBC has highlighted a considerable shift in hand luggage regulations for European Union flights. The era of being slapped with extra charges for your cabin baggage on flights may soon be over – at least within the EU.

On June 24, 2025, legislators voted in favour of a proposal that would allow passengers to bring a small carry-on bag weighing up to 7kg (15.4lbs) onto their flight free of charge, even on budget airlines. This development comes as Ryanair‘s chief, Michael O’Leary, has fired back at ‘unimplementable’ proposals that could permit each plane passenger to bring two free cabin bags on board.

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This development comes as Ryanair‘s chief, Michael O’Leary, has fired back at ‘unimplementable’ proposals that could permit each plane passenger to bring two free cabin bags on board, reports Birmingham Live.

During Ryanair’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2026, its CEO vehemently criticised the ‘impractical’ move. As per Travel Weekly, he stated: “The idea that everyone is entitled to two free bags on board is unimplementable – they don’t fit in the aircraft.

“There’s not room on largely full aircraft for one small carry-on bag and one large trolley bag. About 50 per cent of the passengers can bring a trolley bag and we do that using the priority boarding service.

“Any rules that would alter that would be infringing EU rules guaranteeing the freedom of airlines to set pricing and policies, and we don’t believe that will happen.”

READ MORE: Holidaymakers in France could be turned away at the border for five reasons

Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines For Europe, Europe’s largest airline association, expressed her concern: “Europe’s airline market is built on choice. Forcing a mandatory trolley bag strips passengers of that choice and obliges passengers to pay for services they may not want or need,”.

She further questioned: “What’s next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket? The European Parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don’t.”

Meanwhile, Mr O’Leary announced his consideration to increase the incentive to “eliminate the scourge of passengers with excess baggage. I think it’s unlikely to play out but there’s clearly going to be some kind of negotiation between the parliament and the commission on passenger rights.”

By eliminating carry-on baggage fees, airlines will make travelling abroad easier. Even better, it will save them from spending hundreds of pounds to send off a small piece of luggage.

At the moment most easyJet and Ryanair passengers are only allowed to take a small personal bag on board for free

Passengers flying with Ryanair and easyJet may soon be able to take two cabin bags onboard without paying any extra charges. At the moment, these airlines allow those on a basic fare to bring one small personal item onto the plane, with any extra luggage incurring additional fees.

Ryanair has recently had to expand the dimensions of its personal bag allowance, due to a change in EU regulations. Under a new rule, travellers with the budget carrier will be entitled to take hand luggage measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, representing a 20% expansion from the previous 40 x 20 x 25cm size limits.

easyJet’s dimensions are already in line with the new rule. And an additional EU law change could mean passengers are able to bring both a cabin bag measuring up to 100cm and a personal bag without extra charges.

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The proposed legislation will only be given the greenlight, though, with backing from a minimum of 55% of EU member nations. Discussions are scheduled to begin later this month.

Should it receive approval, the rule would apply to all journeys within the EU, plus routes travelling to and from the EU. European Parliament members (MEPs) are also pushing for children under 12 to be seated alongside an adult companion without additional fees.

Currently, airlines face no legal requirement to ensure children sit with family members, though the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suggests they should do so. The CAA states: “Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult.

“Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults. This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.”

Published on
24/06/2025 – 18:17 GMT+2

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The Brazilian ambassador to the EU has told MEPs in Brussels that a disinformation campaign surrounds the trade deal signed in December 2024 between the EU and the Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva strenuously countered the arguments of the deal’s critics during a hearing of the Parliament’s trade committee on Tuesday.

“The occurrence of animal diseases is much higher in the EU than in Brazil. It shows the need to check the veracity of some narratives,” the ambassador said, holding up a sheet of paper and adding: “In any case, I need to stress that nothing in the agreement changes the right of the EU and its member states to protect human, animal, or plant health.”

The Mercosur agreement aims to establish a transatlantic free trade zone encompassing 750 million people and nearly one-fifth of the global economy.

The EU member states have yet to adopt the deal, but some – led by France – oppose it, facing strong domestic resistance from environmental activists and farmers who argue that it would create unfair competition and fail to uphold environmental and phytosanitary standards.

“The debate about this agreement has not always been a balanced one. Some people want to apply a unique benchmark to Mercosur and ask us to engage in an endless loop of negotiations,” Da Costa E Silva said.

He denounced what he described as unfair treatment of the deal when compared to others the EU has negotiated – citing recent agreements between the EU with Chile or Mexico, and those under discussion with India and the US – claiming these haven’t faced the same kinds of “accusations, and unreasonable demands and expectations”.

The ambassador also sought to counter the arguments raised by farmers concerned that their Brazilian counterparts would gain unfair competitive advantages.

“The [market] access we received in products considered sensitive by the European producers is very limited,” he said. And he claimed that some Brazilian standards are more stringent than European. “For example: the share of land that our farmers need to set aside for the protection of native vegetation varies from 20% of their properties in the south of Brazil to 80% in the Amazon region. This is far beyond the requirements asked of European farmers.”

Published on
12/06/2025 – 8:00 GMT+2

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The EU is wrangling over a provision of Donald Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” for the US budget that could see European companies taxed higher than others in retaliation for certain taxes imposed on US enterprises overseas, the vice-chair of the European Parliament’s tax subcommittee has told Euronews.

The German European People’s Party MEP Markus Ferber said the European Commission has raised the proposed legislation—already approved by the House of Representatives—in ongoing tariff negotiations with the Trump administration.

“We are concerned because within this ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ there are special taxes aimed at jurisdictions that impose taxes on the US,” Ferber told Euronews.

He added that jurisdictions like the EU, which have already implemented the OECD agreement establishing a global minimum tax of 15% on multinationals, are directly targeted.

“It could also affect member states that have introduced a digital services tax,” he noted.

The OECD agreement, approved by 140 countries – though as yet unratified by the US – introduced a global minimum tax of 15% on the profits of multinational companies, regardless of where those profits are declared, with effect from 1 January 2024. The EU has transposed the agreement into law and applies it to multinationals operating within the Union, to the ire of the Trump administration.

Meanwhile countries such as Denmark, Portugal and Poland have implemented digital services taxes targeting US tech giants, while others are in the process of creating one.

The US is now looking to retaliate against taxes it deems unfair through a provision of the “Big Beautiful Bill” which would hit foreign investors with a bump in US income tax by five percent points each year, potentially taking the rate up to 20%, in addition to existing taxes.

The Commission is concerned, officials said.

According to Ferber, the EU executive has put this provision of the US budget bill on the negotiating table. “But we are not sure yet that the US agreed to put it in the basket,” the MEP said.

For several weeks, the EU and the US have been discussing a resolution to the trade dispute that has been ongoing since mid-March.

The US impose 50% tariffs on EU steel and aluminium, 25% on cars and 10% on all EU imports.

For its part, the EU has prepared countermeasures targeting around €115 billion worth of US products. These measures are either suspended until July or still awaiting approval by EU member states.

The EU rule, which will apply to UK holidaymakers, will cover companies including easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air and TUI

The European Union is planning a change in the rules on carry-on bags on flights, which would cover planes flying between the UK and countries including Spain, Portugal, Greece, France and Italy. At the minute, some airlines charge passengers for each item they want to take aboard.

Different airlines have different rules – meaning the size of the bag you can take aboard and how much it will cost you – is different each time. The new EU rule would set a specific size of bag you would be allowed to take on flights operated by companies like easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

And the rule would stipulate that the take-on bag would be free, the airline would not be able to charge you extra to take a bag aboard the plane.

The rule would change the confusion that see people being charged extra when they get to the airport for bags deemed too big, or too heavy. And people being charged for a bag by one airline but allowed to take it without additional fees by another.

EU transport ministers this week proposed standardised sizing for free underseat baggage on EU airlines. It will become law if it is accepted by the European Parliament. The new rule would mean passengers are guaranteed one free personal item, measuring up to 40x30x15cm (including wheels and handles) – or which could reasonably fit under a plane seat.

The rules would apply to EU-based airlines, including when they are carrying passengers from a non-EU country like the UK to an EU country and vice-versa.

11 years ago, an EU court ruled that hand baggage should not be subject to an additional fee so long as it is a reasonable size. But the ruling did not define ‘reasonable’.

Currently, Ryanair allows a free carry-on bag of 40x20x25cm, while easyJet’s rules for a free bag are 45x36x20 cm, including wheels and handles. The new rule would cover under-seat bags, but does not currently mention bags you put in overhead lockers.

In November, five airlines in Spain were fined £150million for ‘abusive practices’, including charging for hand luggage. Spain’s Consumer Rights Ministry said it planned to ban charging extra for carry-on luggage.

Ryanair told the BBC it fully complied with EU law. A spokesman said: “If airlines were forced to include additional carry-on bags as part of the basic fare, it would reduce choice and drive up air fares for all passengers, which would harm consumers.”

Industry group Airlines For Europe said charging different amounts depending on baggage “allows passengers to choose the exact services that best suits their needs”.

Travel consumer expert Jane Hawkes, told the BBC: “A one-size-fits-all kind of approach would make it a lot simpler for passengers.”