Talking of seizing money
Former EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders has been charged with money laundering and other potential offences, following questioning by a Belgian investigating judge last month, according to multiple media reports. Belgian authorities raided his home last December, shortly after his term as commissioner ended.
Serafin’s budget showdown
Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin faces a Parliament united against him today as he meets MEPs demanding changes to his €2 trillion proposal for EU spending between 2028 and 2034.
It’s the only formal meeting between the warring institutions ahead of next week’s rejection deadline – and will show whether compromise is still possible, or if MEPs are ready to go nuclear and reject the plan outright. The Parliament’s centre ground will be needed to reject or approve any future budget deal, but political manoeuvring is already rocking its platform.
The EPP sided with the far right in committee allocations, then excluded the Greens from leadership talks to ensure heavyweight German member Christian Ehler would oversee both the €175 billion Horizon research fund and the €234 billion competitiveness fund, to be formally approved today. That has enraged the ECR, which will stage a protest.
Abortion access vote
MEPs on Parliament’s women’s rights committee will vote on Wednesday on whether to back an EU fund enabling women to travel for abortions restricted in their home countries.
The proposal, from feminist campaign My Voice, My Choice, stems from a citizens’ initiative that gathered 1.2 million signatures across all 27 countries – enough to trigger a formal Commission response.
The fund would be voluntary for member states and could help women in Malta access procedures abroad. Despite support from Slovenia and Finland, the plan is expected to face resistance in Parliament, where the centre-right EPP is the largest group.
One EPP lawmaker has threatened to block the measure, though several Scandinavian and Greek members may break ranks, a source close to the talks told my colleague Martina Monti. Socialists, Liberals, and Greens are expected to support it.
Ursula, you’ve been served
The Parliament’s legal affairs committee on Tuesday voted to take the Commission to the Court of Justice for scrapping the Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) law, my colleague Anupriya Datta reports.
The SEPs regulation was withdrawn from the Commission's 2025 work programme despite Parliament adopting its position last year.
Under EP rules, President Roberta Metsola will now decide the next step – either launching a case before the Court or consulting political group leaders in the Conference of Presidents. Her office said only that she would act in line with the rules.
Tariff turbulence
MEPs largely backed trade chair Bernd Lange’s push to toughen the EU-US tariff deal but warned it still falls short of protecting Europe’s interests.
The Commission’s proposal, borne of the von der Leyen-Trump “Turnberry” accord, would scrap tariffs on hundreds of US goods while EU exports face a 15% baseline. Lange’s draft, centred on five “S’s” – steel, safeguard, standstill, suspension, and sunset – demands tougher terms, including keeping EU steel tariffs in place until Washington lifts its own.
The EPP opposed removing US steel products from the zero-tariff list, warning it could erode trust. Lawmakers also flagged risks for EU agriculture and a potential €4 billion hit to the bloc’s budget from lost tariff revenues. Amendments are due on 11 November, with a vote expected in early 2026.
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