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Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom
EC - Audiovisual Service - European Union, 2023

Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom

The Commission president’s State of the Union speech usually sets the EU’s political tone for the year ahead; this year’s instalment, due on 10 September, could be in a minor key. It comes as Ursula von der Leyen contends with a string of existential struggles, geopolitical challenges from Washington to Kyiv, cracks in the bloc’s unity, and rising questions about her capacity to lead.
European Commission
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European Parliament
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EU-US relations
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Von der Leyen 2 Commission
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Ukraine war
Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom
EC - Audiovisual Service - European Union, 2023

Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom

The Commission president’s State of the Union speech usually sets the EU’s political tone for the year ahead; this year’s instalment, due on 10 September, could be in a minor key. It comes as Ursula von der Leyen contends with a string of existential struggles, geopolitical challenges from Washington to Kyiv, cracks in the bloc’s unity, and rising questions about her capacity to lead.
European Commission
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European Parliament
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EU-US relations
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Von der Leyen 2 Commission
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Ukraine war
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Russian fuels
US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says
European Union
Interview

US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says

Hungary, a major importer of Russian fuels, has been a thorn in the side of Brussels’ plan to phase out gas imports. Attila Steiner, State Secretary in the Budapest energy ministry, told Contexte it was too early for his country to commit to a phase-out date for Russian gas — and described Ukraine’s strike on the Druzhba oil pipeline as an intolerable attack on ‘critical infrastructure’ A pledge to buy more US gas, made as part of the EU’s recent deal with President Donald Trump, isn’t a workable alternative, he said.
Russian fuels
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EU-US relations
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Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
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Natural gas
US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says
European Union
Interview

US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says

Hungary, a major importer of Russian fuels, has been a thorn in the side of Brussels’ plan to phase out gas imports. Attila Steiner, State Secretary in the Budapest energy ministry, told Contexte it was too early for his country to commit to a phase-out date for Russian gas — and described Ukraine’s strike on the Druzhba oil pipeline as an intolerable attack on ‘critical infrastructure’ A pledge to buy more US gas, made as part of the EU’s recent deal with President Donald Trump, isn’t a workable alternative, he said.
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Édition · FR
La couverture des politiques publiques françaises et européennes ayant un impact en France
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Von der Leyen 2 Commission
Green potatoes and sneaky push-ups: the EU’s energetic energy commissioner Green potatoes and sneaky push-ups: the EU’s energetic energy commissioner
DA Contexte - photo European Union
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Podcaster, negotiator, good guy; a one-time nuclear sceptic with an ability to reach across the aisle — observers within and outside the Brussels bubble have plenty to say about Dan Jørgensen, the EU executive’s most senior energy official. Contexte takes a closer look at the commissioner tasked with shepherding one of Europe’s most polluting sectors through a highly consequential transition.
Von der Leyen, the hyper-president Von der Leyen, the hyper-president
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte
In depth

Von der Leyen, the hyper-president

Since her reappointment to the helm of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has continued to tighten her grip on the institution, reshaping it to such a degree that some wonder how much power her fellow commissioners truly hold.
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Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom

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Green potatoes and sneaky push-ups: the EU’s energetic energy commissioner
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Dan Jørgensen announces an energy omnibus: ‘I'm aware this can be seen as controversial’

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Commissioner Jørgensen promises to simplify EU energy law through sweeping 'omnibus' plan

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Dominate the blocks and dominate the blocs! Learn more about the EU's elected chamber (and take out your summer frustrations) with Contexte’s parliamentary pinball game.
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Dominate the blocks and dominate the blocs! Learn more about the EU's elected chamber (and take out your summer frustrations) with Contexte’s parliamentary pinball game.
European Commission
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DR
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Teresa Ribera: dreamer or miracle worker?

Spain’s European commissioner, responsible for competition and the green transition, is described as a force to be reckoned with, finding consensus on even the most divisive issues. In Brussels, Paris and Madrid, Contexte spoke to those with an inside track on the personality overseeing one of the EU’s trickiest quandaries: keeping things fair in the race to sustainability.
European Commission
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Von der Leyen 2 Commission
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Competition - Energy
Teresa Ribera: dreamer or miracle worker? Teresa Ribera: dreamer or miracle worker?
DR
Portrait

Teresa Ribera: dreamer or miracle worker?

Spain’s European commissioner, responsible for competition and the green transition, is described as a force to be reckoned with, finding consensus on even the most divisive issues. In Brussels, Paris and Madrid, Contexte spoke to those with an inside track on the personality overseeing one of the EU’s trickiest quandaries: keeping things fair in the race to sustainability.
European Commission
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How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking
gremlin/iStock

How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking

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You wait ages for an omnibus, then six come along at once. The European Commission’s omnibus simplification programme is becoming a veritable traffic jam, transforming — if not clogging up — the legislative pipes. And there’s more to come: a 22 July consultation hints at the next phase, a review of EU environmental law. Behind the scenes, frustration is mounting among officials and lawmakers alike, who denounce a top-down process that risks undermining years of work — and shifting the balance of power in Brussels.
How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking
gremlin/iStock

How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking

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You wait ages for an omnibus, then six come along at once. The European Commission’s omnibus simplification programme is becoming a veritable traffic jam, transforming — if not clogging up — the legislative pipes. And there’s more to come: a 22 July consultation hints at the next phase, a review of EU environmental law. Behind the scenes, frustration is mounting among officials and lawmakers alike, who denounce a top-down process that risks undermining years of work — and shifting the balance of power in Brussels.
Multiannual financial framework (MFF)
Five things the new EU budget would mean for energy and climate Five things the new EU budget would mean for energy and climate
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte

Five things the new EU budget would mean for energy and climate

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The European Commission has finally unveiled its €2-trillion proposal for the 2028-2034 EU budget — and there’s plenty for energy and climate watchers to dig into. With a fivefold boost in cross-border energy infrastructure spending, 35% of funds earmarked for green priorities, and a notable new role for nuclear, Contexte sets out some key points to take away.
The EU Competitiveness Fund for dummies The EU Competitiveness Fund for dummies
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte

The EU Competitiveness Fund for dummies

The long and winding road to a new EU budget The long and winding road to a new EU budget
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte
Infographic

The long and winding road to a new EU budget

Multiannual financial framework (MFF)
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2040 climate target
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studiocasper/iStock

Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy

Russia — despite, for some, being an unlikely champion of the rules-based international order — has challenged the EU’s carbon border levy, CBAM, at the World Trade Organization. In the wake of the Ukraine war, Brussels has imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Russia, dulling the impact of any retaliatory tariffs Moscow might apply. But there’s still a healthy — and in some cases growing — trade in CBAM-affected goods, such as steel. Some wonder if Moscow also sees a chance to poke a finger in the EU’s eye, upending its claim to global climate leadership.
2040 climate target
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Emissions trading system (ETS)
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Russia sanctions
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Carbon border adjustment mechanism
Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy
studiocasper/iStock

Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy

Russia — despite, for some, being an unlikely champion of the rules-based international order — has challenged the EU’s carbon border levy, CBAM, at the World Trade Organization. In the wake of the Ukraine war, Brussels has imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Russia, dulling the impact of any retaliatory tariffs Moscow might apply. But there’s still a healthy — and in some cases growing — trade in CBAM-affected goods, such as steel. Some wonder if Moscow also sees a chance to poke a finger in the EU’s eye, upending its claim to global climate leadership.
2040 climate target
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EU-US relations
Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal
Christoph Burgstedt/iStock

Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal

While both parties tout their recent trade deal, experts and officials are looking for answers on everything that Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump’s deal does not say. Many uncertainties remain — not least behind the $750 billion of US energy purchases that Brussels put on the table.
EU-US relations
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Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
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Fossil fuels
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Nuclear power
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Energy policy
Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal
Christoph Burgstedt/iStock

Five open questions about the EU-US energy deal

While both parties tout their recent trade deal, experts and officials are looking for answers on everything that Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump’s deal does not say. Many uncertainties remain — not least behind the $750 billion of US energy purchases that Brussels put on the table.
EU-US relations
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Von der Leyen takes the stage, in a climate of gloom

EU US official: EU must stop buying Russian fuel for Washington to intensify sanctions; EU climate laws ‘threaten’ trade deal
Interview

US no alternative to Hungary’s Russian gas dependence, official says

EU·US US energy secretary in Brussels for $750bn talks with energy commissioner
EU CAN Europe warns EU energy ministers against importing more US LNG after ‘deeply problematic’ trade deal
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Renewables
Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte
Infographic

Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables

Free access
With the exception of three laggards – Belgium, Estonia and Poland – all EU members have now submitted plans setting out how they will contribute to the EU’s 2030 energy and climate targets. The European Commission is expected to publish its review of them within weeks. Contexte offers a sneak peek into how the bloc’s biggest energy consumers are faring in the race to decarbonise, cut greenhouse emissions and future-proof their energy sectors.
Renewables
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Nuclear power
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Biomass
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Greenhouse gases
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Electricity
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Natural gas
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Russian fuels
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Low-carbon hydrogen
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Hydrogen
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Climate change
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Solar power
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Biofuels
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Fossil fuels
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CO2 emissions
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Climate adaptation
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Emissions reduction
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Energy consumption
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Energy policy
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Heating and cooling
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Wind energy
Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables
Jérémie Luciani for Contexte
Infographic

Who’s ahead, who’s behind: EU member states’ progress on renewables

Free access
With the exception of three laggards – Belgium, Estonia and Poland – all EU members have now submitted plans setting out how they will contribute to the EU’s 2030 energy and climate targets. The European Commission is expected to publish its review of them within weeks. Contexte offers a sneak peek into how the bloc’s biggest energy consumers are faring in the race to decarbonise, cut greenhouse emissions and future-proof their energy sectors.
Renewables
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EU Public, environmental impact consultations can run in parallel, EU court says, ruling against NGO in wind farm dispute
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Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
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THEPALMER/iStock
Survival kit

Hop on board the supply chain omnibus: Brussels’ push to simplify corporate sustainability rules

Negotiations on the European Commission’s proposal to simplify twin directives intended to encourage more responsible business practices are fast turning into a bidding war. As EU capitals and MEPs debate everything from climate plans and company size thresholds to legal liability and fines for wrongdoers, the simplification is getting remarkably complicated. Contexte takes a step back to help you understand where these directives are heading.
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
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Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
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Sustainable finance
Hop on board the supply chain omnibus: Brussels’ push to simplify corporate sustainability rules Hop on board the supply chain omnibus: Brussels’ push to simplify corporate sustainability rules
THEPALMER/iStock
Survival kit

Hop on board the supply chain omnibus: Brussels’ push to simplify corporate sustainability rules

Negotiations on the European Commission’s proposal to simplify twin directives intended to encourage more responsible business practices are fast turning into a bidding war. As EU capitals and MEPs debate everything from climate plans and company size thresholds to legal liability and fines for wrongdoers, the simplification is getting remarkably complicated. Contexte takes a step back to help you understand where these directives are heading.
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
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EU EU ombudsman probes simplification of corporate sustainability laws, saying Commission failed to justify urgency
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EU Leak – Draft from Parliament’s environment committee rejects voluntary taxonomy reporting
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Competition - Energy
The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas
Wirestock/iStock

The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas

The European Commission released its highly anticipated subsidy framework on 25 June, setting out how EU state aid can be dished out for the next five years. The clean industrial state aid framework, a key plank of decarbonisation goals, covers everything from nuclear, to clean technology manufacturing, to de-risking private investments in energy infrastructure. Perhaps most controversially, it allows public subsidies to go to a fossil fuel, albeit setting a 2040 phase-out date.
Competition - Energy
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Natural gas
The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas
Wirestock/iStock

The EU’s clean industrial subsidy framework leaves room for gas

The European Commission released its highly anticipated subsidy framework on 25 June, setting out how EU state aid can be dished out for the next five years. The clean industrial state aid framework, a key plank of decarbonisation goals, covers everything from nuclear, to clean technology manufacturing, to de-risking private investments in energy infrastructure. Perhaps most controversially, it allows public subsidies to go to a fossil fuel, albeit setting a 2040 phase-out date.
Competition - Energy
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Teresa Ribera: dreamer or miracle worker?

FR·EU Paris announces deal to settle hydro competition dispute, EDF to open 6GW capacity to market
EU Commission reviews foreign subsidies law, focused on transparency, red tape
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EU
Natural gas
EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say
European Union

EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say

Signing new Russian gas contracts and providing long-term services to Russian entities from EU LNG terminals will be prohibited from 1 January 2026 under proposed trade measures, Contexte has learned from several sources familiar with the matter. Short‑term contracts may remain in force until mid‑2026, and long‑term agreements until 1 January 2028. Hungary and Slovakia have signalled they will strongly oppose the regulation.
Natural gas
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Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
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Russian fuels
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Fossil fuels
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Energy security
EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say
European Union

EU to phase out Russian gas contracts in three stages, sources say

Signing new Russian gas contracts and providing long-term services to Russian entities from EU LNG terminals will be prohibited from 1 January 2026 under proposed trade measures, Contexte has learned from several sources familiar with the matter. Short‑term contracts may remain in force until mid‑2026, and long‑term agreements until 1 January 2028. Hungary and Slovakia have signalled they will strongly oppose the regulation.
Natural gas
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EU NGOs call on Brussels to halt approval of offshore oil and gas exploration in Greek waters
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Interview

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Who’s who

The EU Commission cabinet staff to watch on energy issues

Who are the key personnel steering climate and energy policy in Brussels’ corridors of power? Behind each top official at the European Commission sits a host of cabinet staff, supporting Commissioners in their daily work. From heads of cabinet to expert advisors, this directory gathers staff from the private offices of Commissioners most focused on energy-related issues.
Who’s who

The EU Commission cabinet staff to watch on energy issues

Who are the key personnel steering climate and energy policy in Brussels’ corridors of power? Behind each top official at the European Commission sits a host of cabinet staff, supporting Commissioners in their daily work. From heads of cabinet to expert advisors, this directory gathers staff from the private offices of Commissioners most focused on energy-related issues.
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