MAGA fine-storm | Euractiv

Welcome to Friday’s Rapporteur. This is Nicoletta Ionta in Brussels, with Eddy Wax.

Send us your ideas, paperwork and story concepts: nicoletta.ionta@euractiv.com and eddy.wax@euractiv.com

Need-to-knows:
🟢  EU tech enforcers really feel threatened by Elon Musk’s assault and MAGA rhetoric
🟢  College of Europe’s prime decision-making physique convenes amid the corruption scandal
🟢  Ursula von der Leyen, Manfred Weber agree on main U-turn in EU clear automobile legislation

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From the capital

The Commission’s €120 million positive in opposition to Elon Musk’s platform X final week has produced an surprising ripple impact in Brussels: the officers tasked with implementing the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) all of a sudden really feel like targets.

Within hours of the announcement, Musk fired up his personal platform to rail in opposition to the choice, accusing the EU of “personally” punishing him and branding the ruling “insane.”

He went additional nonetheless, threatening retaliation not solely in opposition to the bloc but additionally in opposition to “the people who took this motion in opposition to me.”

The positive landed on the identical day because the publication of the new US National Security Strategy. In the doc, the US takes intention on the EU, portray it as a continent in decline, calling for restoring “European greatness” and swatting on the bloc’s “regulatory suffocation”.

His remarks landed awkwardly in Brussels, from the place DSA officers recurrently journey to the US for talks with tech giants – and are actually questioning how welcome they could be. “I’m definitely not planning on doing my Christmas buying in New York,” one EU tech official mentioned, solely half in jest.

No formal Commission journey steering has been issued for workers heading to the US, a second EU tech official instructed Rapporteur. But they mentioned unease is creeping in, particularly amongst these instantly concerned in enforcement.

Even the US administration’s newly unveiled proposal to require travellers to submit 5 years’ value of social media historical past “has develop into a diplomatic matter,” the official mentioned. The Commission confirmed to my colleague Anupriya Datta that Brussels is conscious of the draft plan for social media screening, although she careworn the chief has not but seen something “concrete.”

In the meantime, EU staffers are taking precautions. Several lawmakers and officers mentioned they’re contemplating burner telephones for US journey – already commonplace observe in cybersecurity circles – and reviewing what private knowledge is seen on their profiles.

Christel Schaldemose, the Danish socialist MEP who steered the DSA via Parliament, acknowledged that Musk’s feedback gave her pause. “Does that imply I’m liable to being attacked by Musk in a technique or one other?” she mentioned. “But I stand by what we’ve performed right here.”

Others struck a lighter tone. French MEP Nathalie Loiseau quipped that she felt “grateful, not threatened.” “Please reply once more, Elon, however solely after you’ve paid your positive.”

Read our full story right here.

Kallas says scandal ‘rocking’ EEAS

EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas instructed workers on Thursday {that a} new whistleblower coverage is within the works, because the European External Action Service grapples with a fraud scandal implicating former EU prime diplomat Federica Mogherini and ex-EEAS Secretary-General Stefano Sannino, attendees instructed Euractiv.

One participant described the interior session as “anticlimactic,” whereas one other mentioned a number of key factors “wouldn’t have been talked about in any respect” with out workers urgent for solutions.

In Bruges, the College of Europe is ready to nominate Vice-Rector Ewa Ośniecka-Tamecka as interim rector at the moment, following Mogherini’s resignation, my colleagues reported. The College’s administrative council, chaired by its president Herman Van Rompuy, will even convene for the primary time since her arrest.

EU freezes Russia’s money (indefinitely)

EU international locations agreed on Thursday to indefinitely immobilise Russian sovereign belongings, clearing a significant hurdle for a proposed €210 billion “reparations mortgage” to Ukraine, my colleague Thomas Moller-Nielsen reported.

The resolution got here the day after Belgian PM Bart De Wever publicly questioned the legality of the European Commission’s plan to depend on Article 122 – an emergency clause within the EU Treaties – to forestall the belongings being returned to Moscow if sanctions are lifted.

Belgium fears that it might finally be chargeable for repaying Russia ought to the mortgage proceed. It is predicted to abstain when EU envoys formally greenlight the measure later at the moment, in response to two diplomats. All different international locations besides Hungary and Slovakia are anticipated to vote in favour.

EU finance ministers will even focus on the mortgage scheme in Brussels at the moment, and ambassadors will meet once more on Sunday as they race to beat Belgium’s objections forward of subsequent week’s crunch European Council.

Mercosur: save the date

EU capitals are anticipated to take a choice subsequent Tuesday on the Mercosur commerce deal, two diplomats instructed my colleague Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro, following a Strasbourg plenary vote the identical day on “safeguards” designed to defend European farmers from a possible surge in imports from agricultural heavyweights Brazil and Argentina.

They mentioned the vote on the deal – twenty-five years within the making – would happen in the course of the General Affairs Council. A blocking minority nonetheless appears unlikely. France stays firmly opposed, as does Poland, whereas others – notably Italy – have been sending blended alerts. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida has voiced help for the brand new safeguards, however Giorgia Meloni has but to spell out a transparent place on the general settlement.

Yesterday, Minister for European Affairs Tommaso Foti reiterated that Italy requires “reciprocity of guidelines, particularly well being guidelines, to be assured.”

EU makes use of maritime legislation to internet Russia’s ghost ships

The EU is getting ready to tighten controls on Moscow’s shadow fleet by making use of worldwide maritime legislation extra forcefully, in response to a draft declaration below negotiation amongst capitals and seen by my colleague Aurélie Pugnet.

National governments are engaged on a shared interpretation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that may give authorities extra leeway to board vessels suspected of threatening subsea cables and pipelines. At first look, the declaration seems primarily to restate present treaty provisions. But in actuality, EU international locations are spelling out their very own interpretation – and doing so in unusually specific language.

A sequence of sabotage incidents over the previous 12 months, involving ships believed to be linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, has highlighted Europe’s hassle in bringing suspects to justice.

The nice reignition

Ursula von der Leyen and the European People’s Party chief Manfred Weber have agreed a significant U-turn on the EU’s clear automobile laws to ban petrol and diesel automobiles by 2035.

The German newspaper Bild reported on Thursday that the 2 conservative leaders determined to roll again the 100% CO₂ emissions discount purpose for brand new automobiles to 90% and scrap a tough ban on combustion engines in 2040.

A Commission spokesperson instructed my colleague Stefano Porciello that inside discussions had been ongoing because the EU government is ready to suggest a revision of the legislation on 16 December. Weber, who has lengthy criticised the 2035 combustion engine ban, wrote on X that it was a significant mistake and vowed: “We will “reverse it.”

Weber vs E3

Weber has additionally renewed his criticism of the “E3” diplomatic format bringing collectively the leaders of Germany, France and the UK. In a gathering of his parliamentary group on Wednesday, he argued the format doesn’t characterize Europe, in response to three folks current – echoing feedback he delivered in Strasbourg final month.

One MEP mentioned Weber’s stance is pushed by Poland’s exclusion from the grouping, whereas one other particular person mentioned he objects as a result of it sidelines von der Leyen. His place units him on a collision course with Friedrich Merz, who’s attempting to tug Britain nearer to the EU on defence and safety cooperation. Merz will meet Weber’s MEPs in Heidelberg at the moment, alongside Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

The capitals

PARIS 🇫🇷

American officers are anticipated to satisfy their Ukrainian, French, German, and British counterparts in Paris on Saturday to debate Donald Trump’s peace plan, Axios reported. The talks come after a proposal outlining potential Ukrainian territorial concessions was submitted to the US president on Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned on Thursday. The Élysée didn’t instantly verify the report.
– Laurent Geslin

ROME 🇮🇹

Forza Italia warned on Thursday {that a} “critical political drawback” looms if the League refuses to again the 2026 arms-to-Ukraine decree. Spokesperson Raffaele Nevi insisted the measure should be accredited earlier than year-end “as a part of Italy’s worldwide and European commitments,” pushing again in opposition to the League’s name to delay a vote pending developments within the US peace initiative. The warning comes because the League hardens its opposition to additional arms deliveries. Matteo Salvini has mentioned he wouldn’t “take cash from Italy’s healthcare system for a struggle that’s already misplaced.”
– Alessia Peretti

MADRID 🇪🇸

Spanish authorities have made a new spherical of arrests because the National Court investigates alleged irregularities in public procurement linked to state holding SEPI. UCO officers detained businessman Anxton Alonso, former SEPI president Vicente Fernández, and ex-socialist official Leire Díez, with searches carried out throughout a number of state-owned companies. The case centres on suspected manipulation of SEPI contracts tied to the broader Koldo kickbacks scheme. Díez additionally faces a separate probe over alleged affect peddling. Judicial secrecy means particular prices stay undisclosed.
– Inés Fernández-Pontes

WARSAW 🇵🇱

Poland’s Internal Security Agency has detained a Russian scholar linked to St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum, accusing him of finishing up unlawful archaeological excavations in Russian-occupied Crimea that allegedly triggered losses exceeding 200 million hryvnias (€4.1 million). Ukraine mentioned it’ll search his extradition. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the arrest as “a authorized scandal” and accused Poland of an “arbitrary train of energy.”
– Aleksandra Krzysztoszek

PRAGUE 🇨🇿

PM Andrej Babiš met von der Leyen and António Costa on Thursday for talks on Ukraine, EU enlargement, migration, and the bloc’s subsequent funds. He mentioned future financing for Kyiv should be underpinned by a transparent path and agency ensures. Despite becoming a member of Patriots for Europe, Babiš dismissed solutions he’s aligning with EU disruptors corresponding to Viktor Orbán or Robert Fico, saying he’s searching for companions throughout Europe to advance Czech pursuits. His authorities will even evaluate proposals on Ukrainian help and the Czech ammunition initiative.
– Aneta Zachová

BRATISLAVA 🇸🇰

President Peter Pellegrini on Thursday vetoed a legislation that may abolish the nation’s Whistleblower Protection Office, citing rushed parliamentary process and unresolved issues from the European Commission. The invoice, adopted solely a day earlier, sought to interchange the authority after it fined the Interior Ministry €114,000 for failing to guard whistleblowers. The plan has drawn criticism from the Commission, authorized specialists, and anti-corruption NGOs. Pellegrini returned the legislation to parliament, whereas opposition events filed a constitutional problem searching for to analyse it.
– Natália Silenská

BUCHAREST 🇷🇴

Romania was gripped by controversy on Thursday after a two-hour Recorder documentary, Captured Justice, alleged systemic corruption inside the judiciary, sparking demonstrations and an unusually forceful institutional response. The investigation claims high-profile circumstances are delayed till they expire, court docket management manipulates choose assignments to favour highly effective defendants, and whistleblowers face intimidation. Hundreds protested outdoors the Superior Council of Magistracy, whereas the Bucharest Court of Appeal held an emergency press convention to disclaim the claims – just for one choose to publicly verify them. More than 140 magistrates expressed help for whistleblowers as political leaders demanded full investigations.
– Charles Szumski

Also on Euractiv

Ukraine’s former PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk instructed Euractiv that Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s readiness to carry elections marks welcome progress however mentioned the subsequent parliament is unlikely to return a single-party majority.

He warned that the contours of any peace settlement can be pivotal to Kyiv’s political future and urged the EU and US to offer the safety situations wanted for voting. Yatsenyuk additionally criticised what he sees as Europe’s geopolitical hesitancy, arguing that the EU should be an energetic celebration to any eventual peace deal.

In a frigid aspect room of the European Parliament – the air vent chirping like a disoriented fowl – the unique architects of the Paris Agreement reconvened to ponder what, precisely, stays of their decade-old creation.

Outside, the world they sought to remake has tilted towards rivalry and exhaustion; inside, they spoke of misplaced mates, shrinking leverage, and a local weather course of that now feels extra like quiet group remedy than the stage for sweeping transformation it as soon as promised.

Contributors: Anupriya Datta, Elisa Braun, Aurélie Pugnet, Stefano Porciello, Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro, Thomas Møller-Nielsen, Magnus Lund Nielsen, Nikolaus Kurmayer

Editors: Christina Zhao, Sofia Mandilara