It’s the 10th Brexit anniversary and one thing stands out: Most of the commentary in media, as well as much of the convos on social media, are still coming from Brits. Europeans seem to have accepted it as a fait accompli, the lingering trauma appears to be largely one-sided

With a peak of 31°C at 4:50pm, this is officially the hottest EU summit day in Brussels in nearly a decade. The last hotter EUCO was on 22 June 2017, when temperatures reached almost 33°C at 2:20pm. (Yes, I went through the data of all past summits until I found the record)

All good things come in threes (except, apparently, European Commission presidencies). On today's Brussels Playbook, we take you inside the private dinner where von der Leyen's chief of staff repeated three times that she won't run for a third mandate

POLITICO Europe@politico.eu · 2mo ago

Ursula von der Leyen won’t seek a third term as European Commission president, her chief of staff has said, according to two senior officials. Brussels Playbook knows what’s behind the claim 👇

Every Italian knows you're in trouble when an Italian mother is waiting for you at the table in that stance. I got childhood-trauma goosebumps just writing this.

Comeback of Hungary's PM Péter Magyar to Brussels is "possibly next week but there's no confirmed date yet" per a Commission spox. The meeting is expected to seal a reset deal with Brussels that could unlock over currently-frozen €10.4 bn EU funds which Budapest is entitled

#EUPolitics and #EUBudget : #EU Commission eyes regional dept. overhaul in spending reset, by @gerardofortuna.bsky.social | Politico www.politico.eu/article/euro...

EU Commission eyes regional dept. overhaul in spending reset

The EU’s regional funding department faces restructure as the bloc seeks to centralize its spending.

politico.eu

UPDATE: Got my hands on an internal email sent by head of DG REGIO herself, titled: “Addressing this morning’s media article.” “I understand the article will be unsettling to read,” the note says, while reassuring staff that their expertise remains “very much valued and needed”

POLITICO Europe@politico.eu · 3mo ago

EXCLUSIVE: The European Commission is considering a major restructuring of one of its oldest departments as Ursula von der Leyen seeks more direct control over EU spending.

On today’s Brussels Playbook, some of the things that matter most in life: love, cars and cohesion funds

POLITICO Europe@politico.eu · 3mo ago

One of the European Commission’s oldest services could soon become the next casualty of Ursula von der Leyen’s broader restructuring of the EU executive. But scrapping it outright could prove difficult. More in Brussels Playbook 👇

How funny's that the OLAF stand at Europe Day has beanbag chairs that look like bags full of cash?

Unmissable opportunity if you’re visiting the Berlaymont for Europe Day to check out the Commission press room. Unconfirmed rumour: there was supposed to be an AI spox ready to answer every question with “we don’t comment on comments” but apparently didn’t pass the AI Omnibus test

Two major trilogues running late into the night (EU–US deal and AI Omnibus) is the Brussels version of the final World Cup group-stage phase: two games happening simultaneously, and everyone constantly switching screens

Young Severus Snape and Lily Potter if Hogwarts were the EPC

On today's Brussels Playbook: There’s a clear winner in the first major reshuffle of the Commission’s top administrative jobs since Ursula von der Leyen took office — and it’s the boss herself. Read more about the Commission musical chairs finally underway: www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...

Magyar starts his Brussels honeymoon

Presented by Altana By GERARDO FORTUNA PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Follow us @gerardofortuna @NicholasVinocur @GabrielGavin | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser On today’s Brussels…

politico.eu

So much great reporting in today's astonishing Playbook from my US colleagues on last night’s events, but this passage really resonated with me. And oh, this quote from @meganmesserly.bsky.social: genuine, human, and a reminder that journos don’t just get great quotes… they give them too

Pedantic note: Ukraine’s €90B hasn’t been “approved” yet, nor even “provisionally approved:” EU ambassadors have only agreed to start the approval process. It may sound similar, but it isn’t: however unlikely, the process can still fall apart, with one condition still pending

Deadline set 🚨 Written procedure for 90B Ukraine's loan ends tomorrow afternoon, per Cypriot presidency spox. This is the first key development ahead of this week's EUCO. More in today’s Brussels Playbook:

ChatGPT seems to be down and two-thirds of Brussels bubble stares blankly at their monitors not knowing how to do its jobs now

Can't wait to see what the new name of the European Commission will be. Any thoughts?

Perhaps this strong politicization (and overt anti-Trump tone) helps explain why António Costa, who was expected to attend the event, canceled at the last minute, reportedly due to personal reasons… 👀

Gerardo Fortuna@gerardofortuna.bsky.social · 4mo ago

It’s pretty clear that this Global Progressive Mobilisation has a strong anti-Trump edge, a reference obvious in @pes.eu president Stefan Löfven's words: “Democracy is not for supposedly strongmen or a platform for domination.” @neeratanden.bsky.social was more explicit: “Trump is failing”

Still @neeratanden.bsky.social: “I want you to know that one day soon, you will have friends again in the U.S. government and the executive branch” hoping for an America that helps solve the world’s problems, not create them

Gerardo Fortuna@gerardofortuna.bsky.social · 4mo ago

It’s pretty clear that this Global Progressive Mobilisation has a strong anti-Trump edge, a reference obvious in @pes.eu president Stefan Löfven's words: “Democracy is not for supposedly strongmen or a platform for domination.” @neeratanden.bsky.social was more explicit: “Trump is failing”

It’s pretty clear that this Global Progressive Mobilisation has a strong anti-Trump edge, a reference obvious in @pes.eu president Stefan Löfven's words: “Democracy is not for supposedly strongmen or a platform for domination.” @neeratanden.bsky.social was more explicit: “Trump is failing”

A global rally of social-democratic parties that somehow feels like Eurovision… Here in Barcelona for the Global Progressive Mobilization, an initiative clearly framed as an international counter to Trump-era politics, with Spain’s Pedro Sánchez positioned as the new face of this pushback

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is set to lose next month’s election, according to polls. Still, the EU is preparing for a world in which he wins. We spoke to 10 diplomats about five ways the bloc could cope with the Hungarian leader if he stays in power 👇 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/5-wa...

“The gloves will come off” if Orbán wins the election, said one senior EU diplomat, granted anonymity to speak freely along with 9 others in this article where @jacopobarigazzi.bsky.social i and I explore contingency options already making the round in Brussels www.politico.eu/article/5-wa...

5 ways the EU could cope with Hungary if Orbán wins again

From less unanimous decision-making to informal sidelining, EU countries are already weighing how to move ahead without Hungary if Viktor Orbán wins reelection.

politico.eu

Burger, sausage, and nuggets are fine for plant-based products, but drumstick isn’t—even though the word originally had nothing to do with food. So are drummers supposed to play with chicken legs now? www.politico.eu/article/vegg...

‘Veggie burgers’ are here to stay. Lab-grown ‘steaks’ never will be.

A compromise that cleared the path for plant-based burgers, but banned other meaty terms, resolved a bitter food fight that pit traditional diets against food innovation.

politico.eu

If Erdoğan’s opposition took power, Turkey would move quickly toward EU membership, says Istanbul’s acting mayor Nuri Aslan: “Within one or two years talks would accelerate, and maybe within three years we could join the EU” www.politico.eu/article/ista...

Istanbul’s acting mayor: EU soft on Turkey because it needs Ankara

Europe’s security needs have dissuaded it from confronting Turkey on rule-of-law issues, Nuri Aslan claims.

politico.eu

After Berlaymonster, BerlayGod? In today’s Playbook: von der Leyen’s powerful chief of staff Björn Seibert—not Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos—was summoned to defend the Commission’s idea of 'reverse accession'. One diplomat said they “don’t want to waste time” and “need to talk directly to God”

POLITICO Europe@politico.eu · 5mo ago

Ukraine’s hopes of fast-tracked EU membership have been dashed after EU ambassadors told Ursula von der Leyen’s chief of staff that member countries won’t back the Commission’s controversial proposal. What’s the plan now? Brussels Playbook has more 👇

Kallas and von der Leyen didn’t speak to each other directly this weekend. This is the story of how the war in the Middle East further exposed uncertainties in the EU’s foreign policy chain of command

Von der Leyen, Kallas and a growing EU foreign policy turf war

The EU’s top leadership is responding in parallel rather than tandem — as the bloc scrambles to find a united front amid war in the Middle East.

politico.eu

Here we go: A meeting of EU-27 ambassadors has been scheduled for today at 4:30pm in restricted format (just ambassadors, no phones) to discuss EU-US trade relations following the newly announced tariffs, per a Cypriot presidency source

On today’s Playbook: An early ECB vacancy could collide with the broader EU re-appointment calendar... and that’s where the fun begins. Brussels may drift into deal-making mode… though whether leaders really want to reopen that Pandora’s box is another matter