On 19 May, the European Commission presented an action plan aimed at securing Europe's supply of fertilisers, supporting farmers in the face of rising costs, and reducing Europe's dependence on imports. Twenty-five immediate and longer-term support measures were set out. The Commission also intends to diversify its supply sources by encouraging the development of bio-based and low-carbon fertilisers, strengthening its investment partnerships with third countries, and establishing a European fertiliser value chain partnership.

On 20 May, the European Commission allocated €49 million to Albania, €44.2 million to Montenegro and €65.7 million to North Macedonia under the Reform and Growth Facility. This follows the Commission's positive assessment of the reform measures implemented in the areas of business competitiveness and innovation, education and digitalisation. Under this financial instrument, which has a total budget of €6 billion as part of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia have received €212.8 million, €89.3 million and €142.1 million respectively.

Until 1 November, the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the contemporary art collection of the German collector Christian Duerckheim. Acquired over four decades and regarded as one of the most significant private collections in Europe, it comprises 90 works by 34 artists from the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Until 27 September, the former National Gallery in Berlin is paying tribute to Paul Cassirer (1871–1926), a leading art dealer of his time. Thanks to the rich, ongoing exhibition programme at his gallery, he played a decisive role in promoting French Impressionism in Germany, notably showcasing artists such as Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir and Vincent van Gogh. This exhibition presents over 100 works of Impressionism and classical modernism, bearing witness to Paul Cassirer's commitment to the arts.

Until 6 May, the Giorgio Cini Foundation is presenting Georg Baselitz's latest works in an exhibition paying tribute to the artist, who passed away last month. On display is a series of self-portraits and monumental portraits of his wife Elke, created during the last two years of his life.

Until 6 September, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid is hosting an exhibition devoted to Polish artist Ewa Juszkiewicz, bringing together some twenty works centred on her critical reinterpretation of the classical European female portrait. Through a meticulous painting technique, the artist subverts the conventions of the 18th and 19th centuries by concealing the faces of her figures with compositions of fabrics, plant motifs or organic materials, thereby questioning the criteria for representing beauty and femininity.

From 28 May to 25 July, the Nuits de Fourvière, a cultural festival bringing together theatre, music, dance, film and circus arts, returns to Lyon. For its 80th anniversary, there are over 60 performances to discover at the Roman theatres of Fourvière and other iconic venues across the city.

On 18 May, the European Commission gave a positive assessment of Lithuania's sixth payment request, for an amount of €178 million, and made a fourth payment, amounting to €249 million, to Ireland. With regard to Lithuania, this sixth payment request will bring the total funds disbursed to Lithuania to €2.8 billion, representing 73.7% of its total allocation of €3.85 billion. With this payment, Ireland has now received 80% of its total allocation of €1.15 billion. The Robert Schuman Foundation provides a summary of the various national recovery plans on its website, setting out the amounts, timetables and priorities.

On 13 May, the new government led by Peter Magyar was sworn in. It comprises 17 ministers, including four women. On 19 and 20 May, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar travelled to Poland for his first overseas visit. After stopping in Krakow, he travelled to Warsaw where he met his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, as well as the President, Karol Nawrocki. On 21 May, Peter Magyar travelled to Austria, where he met with Chancellor Christian Stocker. The two heads of government emphasised the historically close ties between their countries. They also spoke in favour of strengthening regional cooperation and the enlargement of the Union to include the Western Balkans.

On 20 May, MEPs voted in favour of a resolution expressing their concern at the deterioration of the rule of law in Slovakia. They want the Commission to determine whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the Union's values. To protect these values, they are calling for the activation of the EU's rule of law conditionality mechanism. This is the second resolution voted on by MEPs regarding the rule of law in Slovakia in less than a month.

On 19 May, MEPs approved new rules on the mandatory screening of foreign investments in sensitive sectors such as defence, semiconductors, financial services and critical raw materials. Essential for European economic security, this new regulation is expected to strengthen cooperation between national screening authorities and lead to greater harmonisation of procedures. An initial screening regulation came into force in October 2020, and the Commission had proposed a review in 2024

On 21 May, MEPs approved new rules strengthening legal support and protection measures for victims in criminal proceedings. They adopted the establishment of a European helpline for victims and the use of digital tools to report criminal offences online. To strengthen victims' rights during criminal proceedings, a new right to privacy and the non-disclosure of a victim's details to the offender have been approved. Finally, access to healthcare for victims of sexual violence is guaranteed.