Good morning from Brussels, 

Following the European Commission's request, Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö presented on Wednesday a security plan to prepare the EU for crises such as war, natural disasters, and pandemics.

The plan provides multi-level measures to be taken by member states, ranging from households being ready for self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours to increasing defence funding and deterring hybrid warfare, such as cyberattacks or sabotaging critical infrastructure like energy. 

Another key element touches upon the hardcore of national sovereignty: enhancing intelligence sharing and gathering among member states.

But for this, “we have to build trust”, Niinistö said.

To some extent, EU member states' intelligence services already collaborate but only with those they trust. 

This was obvious after Russia invaded Ukraine:  For example, several member state officials told Euractiv they were uncomfortable speaking out loud with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán in the room.

Building trust without simultaneously building the relevant institutional framework will still need to be answered.  

Volkswagen’s historic decision to shut factories in Germany is a symptom of a broader crisis confronting the European economy—one that could be compounded by Trump's US re-election or Beijing's tariffs against EU duties on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), analysts said.

The EU Commission presented its annual report on enlargement policy on Wednesday, stating that recommending opening accession talks with Georgia won’t be possible unless it changes its current course.

BERLIN

With British Prime Minister Keir Starmer taking office, the old EU axis of France, Germany, and the UK is experiencing a revival, while questions are raised over the progress of the Franco-German-Polish Weimar Triangle. Read more.

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PARIS

French interior minister orders police crack down on irregular migration, note reveals. Top police officials across France are expected to get “personally involved” in ramping up actions against irregular migration and prioritising detention before returns as the EU mulls renewed common practices for deportation, according to a note seen by Euractiv. Read more. 

LONDON

UK detects first case of new mpox variant. A single human case of Clade Ib mpox was confirmed in the UK on Wednesday, although the risk remains low to population health, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Read more.

MADRID

Devastating floods have left at least 95 people dead and several others missing in Spain, wreaking havoc in the regions of Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, authorities said on Wednesday. Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal says rejection of judge for EU court 'illegal'. The EU Court of Justice's rejection of Judge Gonçalo Almeida Ribeiro for a judgeship is illegal because the criteria put forward are not included in the EU's operating treaty, said Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. Read more.

WARSAW

The European Ombudsman has found that the Commission failed to fully address potential conflicts of interest concerning outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, following a complaint by the Polish farmers' association Dzierżawcy.pl. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech anti-monopoly office halts progress of nuclear tender. The planned construction of new nuclear reactors at Czechia’s Dukovany plant has come to a halt after the country’s Anti-Monopoly Office issued a preliminary measure to halt the progress of a contract with South Korea's KHNP. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovak Prime Minister Fico to visit Russia on WW2 80th anniversary. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico intends to visit Russia next year to take part in events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, he confirmed on Russian state television. Read more.

SOFIA

Former Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov and his GERB (EPP) party will get enough support to form a pro-European government in Sofia if they declare that they are not dependent on Delyan Peevski, a controversial politician who has been sanctioned by the US for corruption. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Ex-NATO official in Romanian presidential race accused of troll farm use. USR presidential candidate Elena Lasconi has accused independent candidate and former NATO deputy secretary-general Mircea Geoană of possible collaboration with a ‘troll farm’ ahead of the presidential elections slated for the end of November.  Read more.

• EU: Parliament President Roberta Metsola participates in the Santander International Banking Conference 2024 "Growth in a Disrupted World";
• Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders participates in the Global Privacy Assembly, in St. Helier, Jersey; Meets with President Director of the Brazilian Data Protection Authority Waldemar Gonçalves Ortunho Junior; Meets with Chairperson of Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission Haksoo Ko;
• Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra participates in ministerial meeting on the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe]