On 5 February, the European Commission announced measures to combat the risks arising from low-value imports in the context of e-commerce. It is thus encouraging action, particularly in the areas of customs and trade. The market for low-value products (goods worth less than €150) accounted for almost 4.6 billion shipments in 2024, double the number in 2023 and triple the number in 2022. This influx may lead to the proliferation of harmful products and unfair competition for European sellers who comply with EU standards.

The College of European Commissioners travelled to Gdansk in Poland on 6 and 7 February. This visit took place within the framework of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Polish commissioners and ministers were thus able to discuss the priorities of the Polish presidency in plenary and thematic sessions. The main themes of this presidency concern concepts such as competitiveness and the defence of the European continent. The issue of European climate objectives was also raised, in particular the renewal of the commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.

On 6 February, the European Commission requested that the company Shein provide it with information on the risks associated with the presence of illegal content and products, as well as its recommendation system. This request has been made within the framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission is asking the Chinese company to provide details of the measures it has adopted to mitigate these risks. The company has until 27 February to submit this information. This request is part of a broader investigation into the company's compliance with the Digital Service Act.

On 5 February, the General Court of the European Union confirmed the penalty payment of €320 million imposed on Poland for the period from 15 July 2022 to 4 June 2023. On 1 April 2021, the European Commission had brought an action before the Court of Justice against Poland for failure to fulfil obligations, seeking a declaration that certain legislative amendments to the organisation of the Polish judicial system were in breach of European law.

From 15 February to 18 May, the Barberini Museum in Potsdam is presenting the exhibition 'Kandinsky's Universe: Geometric Abstraction in the 20th Century'. Works by Wassily Kandinsky, a key artist of geometric abstraction, an artistic movement of the early 20th century, are on display. The exhibition features nearly 125 works by more than 70 artists, including Sonia Delaunay and Victor Vasarely.

Until 21 September, the Olivier Debré Centre for Contemporary Art in Tours is hosting the first exhibition in France by the Dutch artist Koen Taselaar. Drawing his references from multiple fields of pop culture, the artist immerses us in his visual universe through a collection of sculptures, drawings, furniture and tapestries, one of which is 19 metres long.

The annual conference of EU ambassadors was held in Brussels from 3 to 7 February, in the presence of the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. He recalled the unstable state of the world and the need for the Union to guarantee respect for the rules of international order, particularly in its support for Ukraine. Relations with the United Kingdom and the United States were also discussed, as was the issue of enlargement.

A Eurobarometer survey published on 3 February presents the results on citizens' knowledge and attitudes towards science and technology. Thus, 83% of those questioned consider that science and technology have a positive influence and 67% that they make our life easier, healthier and more enjoyable. Numerous subjects were broached, such as the desire for free distribution of the results of public research, perceptions of research in the field of AI and the desire to be better informed about scientific developments.

An initiative of the Robert Schuman Foundation, the Schuman Network brings together groups of researchers who are experts in European issues, promoting the exchange of ideas and reflection on the future of Europe. On 6 February, a new member joined the network, bringing the Schuman Network to 22 members from 13 European countries. The network provides a privileged framework for the sharing of analyses on various European issues. Since its creation, almost 155 studies have been shared, enriching the debate and expertise on European issues.

On 31 January, 14 deputies and senators, meeting in a joint committee, reached an agreement on the finance bill for 2025. On 3 February, Prime Minister François Bayrou applied Article 49, paragraph 3 of the Constitution to have the text of the joint committee adopted without a vote by the deputies. The motion of censure having been rejected on 5 February, the senators approved the text on 6 February and the 2025 budget was adopted.

On 7 February, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, made a statement on the situation in Georgia. They mentioned the country's violations of democratic standards, particularly with regard to hasty amendments to fundamental legal codes. They denounce the practices of the Georgian authorities, who use intimidation and violence to silence the opposition, and deplore the attacks on fundamental freedoms such as freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of the media. This situation is worrying and distances the country from the prospect of EU membership.

The Greek Parliament was still unable to elect the President of the Republic after the third round of voting on 6 February. Konstantinos Tasoulas, nominated by the ruling New Democracy party, once again received 160 votes, narrowly missing the 180 required to be elected President at the end of the third round. A simple majority will be required in the fourth round of voting, scheduled for 12 February, in accordance with the Greek Constitution.

On 6 February, the Greek civil defence service declared a state of emergency in Santorini until 3 March, due to the intense seismic activity that has hit the Aegean island in recent days. Faced with violent winds and earthquakes, more than 11,000 residents have been forced to leave Santorini and ferries have been prohibited from sailing to and from the island.

The University of Aix-Marseille awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic, in recognition of his career, characterised by a commitment to democracy and justice. Through his various roles (lawyer, MP, minister, constitutional judge, then President), the Italian Head of State has always defended the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and Italy's European commitment. During his speech, Sergio Mattarella referred to bilateral relations between France and Italy and called for peace in the world.

The European Commission published its reports on the state of water on 4 February. These reports provide an account of the progress made in improving the state of water bodies over the last six years. The first report, on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, shows positive trends but emphasises the need for significant work to achieve the objectives in terms of the quality and quantity of fresh water. The report on the 'Floods' directive notes significant improvements in risk management, but regrets the absence of quantitative objectives in most plans. Finally, the last report, which dealt with the programmes of measures under the 'Marine Strategy' framework directive, notes limited progress.

The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, received German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in London on 2 February. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and the strengthening of the European defence industry. They also discussed the evolution of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Keir Starmer announced that he wanted closer collaboration with the EU in certain strategic areas, particularly defence, trade and energy, while ruling out a return of the UK to the European community.

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, announced on 6 February that France would send the first Mirage 2000 fighter planes to Ukraine. This delivery follows the announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had announced the transfer of these military aircraft to Ukraine in June 2024. Ukrainian pilots have been trained on these aircraft for several months in France.