On 9 July, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the High Representative, Kaja Kallas, presented a new sanctions regime aimed at combating migrant smuggling, human trafficking and other forms of organised crime. The main objective of this initiative is to disrupt the business model of people smugglers and reduce their profits. The proposed restrictive measures include asset freezes, travel bans and prohibitions on the provision of resources to those on the list.

. On 9 July, the Eurogroup finance ministers adopted a statement on the euro area's budgetary stance with a view to drawing up the national budgets for 2027. Following the presentation of the European Central Bank's annual report, they held an exchange of views on the international role of the euro, which is used on a daily basis by around 350 million people. Finally, the ministers held an exchange of views on the implications of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity for the financial sector, with the participation of Mistral's CEO, Arthur Mensch.

On 10 July, the Economy and Finance Ministers approved Hungary's new recovery plan. This is expected to provide €10 billion to Budapest under the NextGenerationEU programme. At the same time, they approved targeted amendments to the national plans of eight Member States. They discussed measures relating to market integration and supervision. They expressed their intention to establish the Council's negotiating position on this package by October. The Irish Presidency presented its work programme, guided by three priorities: competitiveness, values and security. Finally, the ministers decided to open an excessive deficit procedure against Bulgaria, whose projected public deficit for 2026 stands at 4.1 per cent.

On 8 July, the General Court of the European Union dismissed Apple's challenge to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European law on digital markets. The company brought the case before the General Court in 2024, seeking to challenge its subjection to the DMA in respect of certain services, such as iMessage and the App Store. With this rejection, the General Court confirms that Apple must continue to comply with the interoperability obligations relating to iOS, its operating system, as set out in the DMA – the aim of which is to ensure fair competition in the markets.

The Salzburg Festival, one of the most prestigious classical music and theatre festivals, will run until 30 August. Centred on the theme of exploring the different forms of love, this 106th edition offers a rich programme of operas, concerts and performances depicting the many facets of love, human relationships and the perception of time. A total of 208 performances are scheduled to take place at various iconic venues across the city.

Until 2 August, the resort of Verbier is hosting the 33rd annual international classical music festival. Over the course of 19 days, more than 60 concerts and 100 masterclasses will bring together the biggest names on the international scene and emerging talents in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

From 16 to 19 July, the Les Vieilles Charrues Festival returns to Carhaix in the heart of Brittany for its 34th year. Known for its eclectic musical line-up, this year's festival will feature a host of stars.

Until 6 September, the 72nd Puccini Festival is taking place in Tuscany, in Torre del Lago, where Giacomo Puccini lived and composed much of his work. The festival's programme focuses on his most famous operas, alongside several gala concerts featuring internationally renowned artists. The 2026 edition marks the centenary celebrations of "Turandot", with a new production of the opera.

The Olmedo Clásico Festival is celebrating its twentieth anniversary until 26 July with thirteen performances, carefully selected from the works of the great names of classical theatre, including Cervantes, Shakespeare and Molière, combining comedies, intrigues, tragedies and music.

On 10 July, the Commission adopted a decision confirming Hungary's participation in the European Public Prosecutor's Office, following its application to join in May 2026. It thus becomes the 25th member. Established in 2020, the European Public Prosecutor's Office is responsible for investigating and prosecuting financial offences affecting the EU budget. Only Denmark and Ireland do not participate.

On 7 and 8 July, the 32 NATO leaders met in Ankara, Turkey, for the organisation's 36th summit. In a joint statement, they reiterated their commitment to collective defence, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Treaty. They renewed their unwavering support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, and pledged to provide €70 billion for military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine, as well as to provide aid of at least the same value in 2027. They also announced new investments and procurement in defence and technology, and committed to maximising their industrial cooperation.

On 7 July, MEPs adopted the amendments to the rules on air passenger rights agreed with the Council. These will allow passengers to benefits from simplified compensation procedures in the event of flight delays, fares that include hand luggage on booking platforms, and free seat allocation for children.

On 7 July, MEPs approved the revision of the social security coordination rules for European workers who live or work in another Member State of the European Union. These updated rules introduce clearer criteria for determining which country applies social security legislation, such as unemployment benefits, family benefits or long-term care. They also encourage better information sharing between Member States in order to combat fraud and abusive practices effectively.

On 8 July, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin outlined the priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Council to MEPs. Under the slogan 'Strength in Unity', the Taoiseach explained that the Presidency would focus on strengthening the European Union's competitiveness, values and security. In particular, the aim is to encourage trade within the single market and remove unnecessary regulatory burdens, whilst continuing to deepen trade relations with the European Union's key partners. This presentation was followed by a debate with MEPs, who welcomed the emphasis on competitiveness and raised the issues surrounding the EU's next long-term budget on several occasions.

On 9 July, the European Commission published the European Innovation Scoreboard, which assesses countries' performance each year to monitor the EU's progress in closing the gap with its competitors. Between 2025 and 2026, analysts noted a 1.7 per cent improvement in European performance, with Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands topping the rankings. These results are part of a positive trend since 2019, with the overall score for the 27 Member States having risen by 11.6 per cent since then. Beyond the European Union, South Korea remains the world's most innovative competitor, followed by China.

On 8 July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published an update to its World Economic Outlook. The growth forecast has been revised down to 3 per cent in 2026, compared with the 3.1 per cent anticipated in April, before bouncing back to 3.4 per cent in 2027. The IMF attributes this revision to the consequences of the war in the Middle East, which has led to a rise in energy and commodity prices, fuelling inflationary pressures and weighing on economic activity. It emphasises, however, that the development of artificial intelligence continues to support growth in economies that are most closely integrated into technology value chains. Despite a global economy that has so far proved more resilient than expected, the IMF believes that the risks remain predominantly on the downside.

On 7 July, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a cooperation agreement on drones during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. The agreement provides, in particular, for the export of Ukrainian products to Estonia, and the joint development and manufacture of new capabilities between the two countries. Furthermore, it will facilitate closer collaboration on knowledge sharing, technological development and industrial cooperation.