WIPO: Connecting Innovators to Global Markets

EU Parliament Eases Waste Rules for Small Firms

The European Parliament has adopted its position on simplifying waste compliance obligations for small and micro enterprises, exempting them from the requirement to appoint authorised representatives in each EU member state where they sell products. The move covers sectors including packaging, batteries, textiles, footwear, electronics and single-use plastics, and is set to last until 2035 or until a broader circular economy act is adopted.

The idea of the ‘company man’ was forged decades ago. Its problems still haunt leaders today

If we are serious about equality, appointing more women to leadership roles should be accompanied by questioning the model of leadership itself.

Gianni Infantino wants to sell the World Cup – but it’s not his to sell

The game belongs to the fans. Fifa would do well to remember that. It’s clear from the generally horrified reaction to Gianni Infantino’s plan to turn the World Cup into an investment vehicle that the Fifa boss has gone too far.

Why Europe wants to boost its Arctic presence

EU leaders are scrambling to increase the bloc’s presence in the Arctic.

Europe's Street-Level Commerce Holds Its Ground

Across European cities and towns, traditional markets, independent bakeries, and neighbourhood shops continue to serve as central points of daily life. These spaces function not only as retail outlets but as enduring fixtures of local culture and community.

When Europe’s monastic libraries were looted, Britain’s richest book collectors went hunting

The forgotten story of how Britain acquired Europe’s rarest books.

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

Both far left and far right will try to make political capital out of the unrest.

A bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize after AI accusations – what next?

The latest literary AI scandal forces us to question what we expect of writers. Some French authors argue AI is now part of our lives – and authorship is evolving.

Spain Records 38th Femicide of 2026 in Madrid Province

Spain's Ministry of Equality has condemned the presumed femicide of a 34-year-old woman in the province of Madrid, whose body was found on 19 September 2026. The case brings the total number of women killed by intimate partner violence in Spain to 38 in 2026 and 1,379 since records began in 2003.

Anne Carson wins Nobel prize in literature – how she discovered new possibilities within language

At a time when scholarship and creative writing are often treated as separate pursuits, Carson has shown how deeply they belong together.

Bulgaria Bridges State and Civil Society on Corruption

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova has met with the leadership of Transparency International Bulgaria to discuss anti-corruption efforts, good governance, and closer cooperation between state institutions and the non-governmental sector. The talks also touched on Bulgaria's bid to join the OECD as a key foreign policy priority.

Brussels Bids for BBNJ Ocean Treaty Secretariat

Belgium has launched an active campaign at the UN General Assembly's 81st High-Level Week to secure the secretariat of the new BBNJ ocean biodiversity treaty for Brussels. Justice and North Sea Minister Annelies Verlinden led the diplomatic push, mobilising international support through a series of events on the sidelines of UNGA81 in New York.