Antonio Costa succeeds Charles Michel as President of EU council

Monte dei Paschi di Siena announced that the European Central Bank approved its €13.3bn takeover of Mediobanca, despite initial expectations for shareholder hurdles due to cross shareholdings. Mediobanca, which rejected the offer as contrary to its interests, has postponed a shareholder meeting for a competing acquisition, while MPS plans to report to the ECB on its control of Mediobanca if investor backing falls below 50%. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Monte dei Paschi...

Brussels to Regulate Stablecoins Amid ECB ConcernsBrussels plans to announce new regulations for stablecoins, despite the ECB's warnings about potential risks to financial stability during market volatility. The European Commission aims to clarify the legal status of non-EU stablecoins, which may be treated similarly to EU-issued tokens, while addressing concerns over reserve management and cross-border risks. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Brussels is getting ready to set new rules for stablecoins, a type...

New EU cultural property laws, effective June 28, aim to prevent the trade of illegally exported goods but may overwhelm art dealers with excessive bureaucracy. While intended to protect cultural property, these regulations require proof of legitimate export for items over 200 years old valued above €18,000, posing significant challenges for the art market and potentially driving dealers out of the EU. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: New EU laws aimed at preventing...

Nato leaders are concerned that Donald Trump may redefine the alliance's mutual defence pact, jeopardizing US security commitments to Europe. As Trump meets with 31 allies in The Hague, European leaders hope their increased defence spending will reassure him, despite his ambiguous statements on Article 5 and demands for equalized defence spending among members. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Nato leaders are worried that Donald Trump might change the rules about how they...

European Competition Chief Teresa Ribera advocates for governments to invest in clean tech by acquiring equity in companies instead of providing direct subsidies, which she deems illegal and distortive. As the EU prepares to adopt new state aid guidelines, Ribera emphasizes the importance of balancing industrial policy and competition enforcement to enhance Europe's green tech competitiveness against China and the US. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: The EU's competition chief, Teresa Ribera, says...

The EU is preparing to leverage a "credible threat" of retaliation against US tariffs in ongoing trade negotiations, as warned by Bjoern Seibert, chief of staff to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. With Trump threatening a 50% tariff unless a deal is reached by July 9, EU officials are considering tariffs on €95bn of US goods and other measures, while acknowledging challenges in eliminating existing US tariffs. Need More Context? 🔎