Europe

European companies ARE ready to help people and organizations with DigitalSovereignty. Here 2 great examples:

1. The French Ministry of Education provides cloud storage for 1.2 million employees using Nextcloud architecture: https://www.cio-online.com/actualites/lire-l-education-nationale-offre-le-stockage-cloud-a-ses-1-2-million-d-agents-sans-gafam-16726.html

2. Airbus is 80% certain they can find a European supplier to provide in their complex needs for a cloud: https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/19/airbus_sovereign_cloud/

If even Airbus and ministries are migrating to European solutions, then smaller businesses, non-profits, governments, people and families certainly can!

@murena@lemmy.world @murena@mastodon.social

TL;DR:

• The vast majority of cotton used by global fashion brands is sourced in East Turkistan, China's Xinjiang region, where a largely Muslim Uyghur population as the biggest minority group is subject to extreme persecution by the Chinese state, including torture, rape, forced sterilisation, and slave-like labour conditions
• Experts say the EU Forced Labour Regulation that will come into force in December 2027 is an important step, but urge for further steps, e.g., a law forcing brands to disclose their steps taken to prevent forced labour in their supply chains
• Financial issues and costs of tracking material back to their origin is no excuse, experts say

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Most customers walking into Dublin city centre clothes shops would not dream of buying products linked to forced labour practices.

And yet many of them may be doing exactly that, without realising. That was the core claim made in a recent RTÉ Investigates documentary, which reported that supplies sold to many Irish retailers could be linked to forced labour.

Many of these firms reportedly source cotton from Xinjiang, a region in northwest China where the largely Muslim Uyghur population is the biggest minority group.

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Many international retailers have pledged to stop buying cotton sourced from the region. However, RTÉ revealed that suppliers to many Irish retailers still have links to these areas.

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Rubens Carvalho, deputy director at environmental non-profit Earthsight, points out: “The average person who walks into a shop doesn’t wish to be complicit in forced labour and would probably be upset to find out they could be inadvertent accomplices.”

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Take the example of Xinjiang. If brands have said they will not buy from the area, why does cotton linked to the region still end up in shops?

A key problem ... is the certification systems used by retailers. Most of these schemes don’t give significant detail on where cotton is actually sourced from.

For example, a type of certification system used by many retailers is called “mass balance”.

Here, the certification body inspects cotton farms to ensure they operate ethically. However, it allows for the mixing of certified and non-certified cotton. So a product can be sold with ‘60 per cent certified’ cotton. This means that while 60 per cent of the cotton is from certified farms, the source of the remaining 40 per cent is unknown.

“The problem is that once you attach a sustainability label to goods, it can provide a misleading image,” says Carvalho.

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Take Better Cotton, which describes itself as the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world. The body is funded by retailers and brands.

It clearly states that cotton which is certified under the Better Cotton Initiative “is not traceable to its country of origin”.

“This doesn’t allow consumers of goods to have visibility over where their goods come from,” says Carvalho.

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“For large companies, it shouldn’t be hard or expensive to do,” he says. “You could use barcodes or QR codes in cotton bales, for example.” But Dr Len Wassenaar, a leading expert in the type of testing used by cotton retailers, says this could also cause issues. “It is easy to change a label or a barcode,” he says.

“When there are pennies on the pound to be made, there will be fraud in so many areas, not just cotton. That’s why chemical tests are so compelling.”

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Dr Wassenaar points out that the testing companies often don’t publicly share their work, meaning it can’t be verified by other scientists.

“[Chemical testing] is a powerful tool, but transparency is needed,” he says.

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Patricia Carrier, a human rights lawyer with the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur region, says attempts to certify cotton late in the supply process create too many issues.

She says it would be better if large retailers and brands insisted on traceability from the very start of the production process.

“No certification is going to be able to guarantee a retailer that their product isn’t tainted by cotton from the region… Only a full mapping of the supply can show if a brand or retailer is linked to a region.”

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Carrier says [costs of tracing back cotton are] no excuse. She also points out that EU legislators are pushing for this reform to happen.

Last year, the EU introduced the Forced Labour Regulation.

This bans products made with forced labour from being sold in the bloc. Regulators can force retailers which break the rules to withdraw their products from the market.

The rules will only come into force in December 2027 and Carrier says there are still question marks over how enforcement will work in practice.

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“The EU Forced Labour Regulation is a great starting point.”

Carrier says retailers should start looking now to “shift their supply chains out of the Uyghur region”, so they’re not caught out once the new rules take effect.

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Nessa Cosgrove, a Labour senator, says the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation ... also calls on the Irish government to “go further” and pass Labour’s Exploitation and Trafficking Bill.

This would require companies to report annually on the measures they are taking to ensure that forced labour materials aren’t in their products.

“Irish people want to know that when we shop on our own high streets, we’re not contributing to misery and exploitation elsewhere,” she says.

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Archived link

Of 46 business associations surveyed, 22 anticipate workforce reductions next year. Only nine expect to increase hiring and 15 foresee stable employment levels.

An important figure in Lithuania’s drive for independence after World War One, Smetona was elected the first president of the young republic by the State Council in April 1920 and stayed in the post for one year. In 1926, however, he led a military coup and headed a nationalist dictatorship until 1940. Following the Soviet occupation of the country, Smetona fled the country, initially to Germany and eventually ending up in the United States. He was killed in a house fire in 1944.

https://archive.is/c3U7L

For example, in the production of active ingredients, Europe's market share by value has slumped. While it exceeded 80% at the end of the 1990s, it had fallen to 48% by 2014. "Today, it's closer to 30%, and it's likely to drop further," noted Vincent Touraille, president of SICOS, France's union of players in the organic chemistry and biochemistry industries. Meanwhile, China and India have soared to reach respective market shares of 35% and 20%.

A study conducted by German generic drug industry association Pro Generika found that at least three commonly used antibiotics – doxycycline, clarithromycin and cefaclor – now have only one or two manufacturers left in Europe. More broadly, 80% of the active ingredients in medicines consumed on the continent now come from India or China.

https://archive.is/xtYdt

At the center of the criticism is the planned Article 88c, which provides for special relief for data processing in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The experts Peter Hense and David Wagner warn here of an "unlimited special legal zone". Since the term "AI system" is extremely broadly defined, companies could in the future declare almost any automated data processing as AI-relevant in order to evade strict data protection rules. This would replace the technology-neutral logic of the GDPR with a technology-specific privilege that primarily benefits service providers.

https://archive.is/Y2Aee

According to the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations lobby group, by 2022 the continent’s share of R&D investment in rich world countries had fallen to 31 per cent, compared with 41 per cent two decades previously.

In 2024, R&D spending in Europe increased 4.4 per cent year-on-year but it was outpaced by the US at 5.5 per cent and China with 20.7 per cent.

Eli Lilly paused plans for a laboratory site in central London in September and Merck, known as MSD in Europe, has scrapped a proposed £1bn research centre. In January, AstraZeneca cancelled a £450mn plan for a UK vaccine manufacturing plant.

This has led to the continent for the first time falling behind China for the launch of new medicines, while the share of clinical trials in the European Economic Area has nearly halved over the past decade, falling to 12 per cent in 2023, from 22 per cent in 2013 despite a global increase in trials.

https://archive.is/4tPVy

A comprehensive study conducted by EIT Hub Israel - the Israeli innovation hub of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), an EU organization - together with the VC fund Planven and the consulting firm KPMG, reveals that over the past three years Israeli technology companies have significantly expanded their activities across Europe. These companies now employ more than 30,000 workers throughout the continent, with an average annual growth rate of 4.8% in employment over the past three years.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/44463627

Russia has imported critical equipment for its nuclear power infrastructure from China for the first time, highlighting growing weaknesses in its domestic engineering capacity and increasing reliance on Beijing.

According to a December 26 report from Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZR), the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has purchased two turbo-generator units from China’s state-owned Dongfang Turbine Company.

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The equipment is intended for use at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, marking a historic first: the acquisition of core nuclear technology from a foreign supplier.

The Ukrainian intelligence assessment argues that this deal underscores Russia’s declining capacity to independently manufacture critical components for its nuclear sector.

“This is not only a demonstration of technological degradation,” the SZR stated, “but also establishes a long-term dependence on China.”

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Rosatom has also reportedly approached Chinese manufacturers to request the transfer of technology for low-speed steam turbines—an essential component for nuclear reactors. Delivery of these components is expected to continue through 2030, potentially delaying the development timelines for several Russian nuclear projects.

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This reliance on Chinese technology comes at a time when Russia’s ability to produce key energy infrastructure domestically has been curtailed by Western sanctions and international isolation.

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Archived version

Bulgaria is preparing to adopt the euro in January amid fresh domestic political turbulence and fears that Russia-aligned disinformation is deepening distrust of the new currency.

The Balkan country of 6.5 million people will become the 21st country to join the eurozone on 1 January, as policymakers in Brussels and Sofia hope it will boost the economy of the EU’s poorest nation and cement its pro-western trajectory.

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On a recent visit to Sofia, the [EU] economy commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis said the move was key at a time of Russia’s war with Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty that “underline the importance of European unity”.

“Most European countries – including Bulgaria – are far too small to shape today’s world on their own. They only stand to gain necessary weight by fully integrating into the European Union’s larger political and economic structures,” he said.

Despite the touted benefits, however, Bulgarians are far from united. A recent survey by the ministry of finance showed that, while 51% of citizens were in favour of joining the single currency, 45% were against it.

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A fight broke out in the parliament in June when the euro entry was approved by the European commission, with MPs from the far-right, pro-Russian Revival party blocking the podium.

Petar Ganev, a senior research fellow at the institute of market economics, a thinktank based in Sofia, said the division on the euro was symptomatic of broader political tension.

“This is not surprising. The country is divided on almost everything that you can imagine,” said Ganev. “And after the political instability, we ended up in a very hostile political environment.”

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A four-year political crisis marked by seven parliamentary elections and widespread corruption have eroded trust in the government and contributed to the polarised political climate. Last week, the government of the former prime minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned after less than a year in office after weeks of mass anti-corruption protests across the country.

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Victor Papazov, a macro economist and adviser to the anti-EU Revival party that has campaigned against euro membership and is close to Vladimir Putin’s United Russia, claimed Bulgaria was heading for a Greek-style crisis.

“Any person in their right mind would oppose adopting the euro.” said Papazov, in a lengthy written statement. He added: “Joining now will make things worse and faster. In my opinion there is not a single serious positive in adopting the euro.”

The leader of Revival, Kostadin Kostadinov, faced criticism earlier this year when he made the unfounded claim that Bulgarians would lose their savings after joining the euro due to a different exchange rate.

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Investigative reports, meanwhile, have found that a network of Russian-linked social media campaigns sought to undermine support for the euro by spreading disinformation.

Asked about alleged Russian influence on public opinion about the euro, Dombrovskis said it was “no secret” Russia was waging a hybrid war against Europe. “It is provocation, acts of sabotage, violation of European airspace, meddling in political processes in the European Union, also in other countries, and it is spreading disinformation,” he said.

Despite the protests and fears about joining, many remain positive. Maria Valentinova, 35, a pharmacist from Sofia, said the euro “will be good for the economy of the country in the long run”. She was glad her six-year-old son would grow up in a country belonging to the eurozone.

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Archived link

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In Syktyvkar, Teremok (literally "the little house") is one of many pre-schools across Russia that have set up "junior cadet" groups since the Kremlin launched its so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022. As in the "Rainbow" class, the children take part in "educational meetings." They participate in marching and military singing contests, gather for cadet assemblies and balls and regularly meet with military personnel. They learn how to protect themselves in the event of gunfire and to deliver a report with military precision. They also wear the red cadet beret. The target age group is children from 4 to 7 years old.

Focused on patriotism and basic military preparation, these programs began appearing in pre-schools as early as 2014, during Russia's annexation of Crimea. After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the movement grew. According to figures from the independent Russian online media outlet Viorstka, at least 57 towns and cities in 26 regions of Russia have created such groups in schools, most of them after the war in Ukraine began.

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The program varies by institution. But the setting is always intended to be playful. Children may meet participants in the "special military operation," be introduced to shooting and hand-to-hand combat, try on gas masks and bulletproof vests, weave camouflage nets and take part in municipal events in parade uniforms. Teachers and school principals share their methods, with some even establishing partnerships with military universities. They claim to contribute to the "early training" of children.

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Gradually, common standards are already being established across Russia. According to accounts from educational staff on social media, a ritual has begun to take shape for the initiation ceremony: the national anthem resounds in the classroom; the Russian flag is raised; and, three times, the children shout "I swear!" as a sign of their loyalty to the flag and the nation.

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In some cities, these junior cadet groups are created with a view to incorporating them into military schools. In Syktyvkar, kindergarten No. 112 has set up a special group for future police officers. In the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine, which in summer 2024 was partially occupied by Kyiv's forces, children in a pre-school are automatically placed in the "border guards" class of a neighboring school. This class is run by a veteran of the "special military operation."

In Kostomuksha, a small town in Karelia, a region bordering Finland, cadets have been integrated into the Ministry of Emergency Situations. A section was created there called "The Little Rescuers." In Saransk, 600 kilometers east of Moscow, children have been directly admitted by the cadets of the National Guard, an autonomous police structure under the direct authority of the presidential administration.

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In many cities, the programs are openly military. In Kursk, the youngest cadets learn the basics of close combat. In Samara, they take part in a camouflage net workshop. In Khabarovsk, a major city in Russia's Far East, children are perfecting their marching in step. In Karaidel, a small town in Bashkortostan in the center of Russia, children receive explanations on how to build military equipment. This presentation was followed by a small performance called "How Kolobok [a legendary character from a Russian folk tale] prepared to join the army."

"Children love to discover new things," explained Larissa Dermenji, creator of the "Cadet from Early Childhood" project in Pokatchi, in September 2024 on local television. Her pre-school, Skazka, was awarded the status of a regional innovation platform thanks to its unconventional methods of fostering love for the homeland. In uniform – red or blue, depending on the class – the children begin, since 2024, class with a ceremony to raise the Russian flag, which they hoist themselves in front of a mural depicting the Kremlin. They then learn both Russian history and current events, celebrating the "success" of the "reunification" of Crimea. "If the teacher captivates them and prepares the activity well, the children absorb everything like sponges," said Dermenji.

Air traffic was disrupted in Hanover in the northern German state of Lower Saxony after unidentified drones were detected in the area, a Hanover airport spokesperson said on Saturday.

The closure of Hanover airport lasted from 9:47 p.m. local time (2047 UTC) on Friday until 12:16 a.m. on Saturday.

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Connections to Frankfurt and Paris were canceled, and two flights did not land in Hanover and were thus not able to depart on Saturday.

At least five drones were spotted, [according to reports].

The first drone was seen at an altitude of around 80 meters (just over 262 feet) near a model aerodrome near the airport, according to the report.

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Drone sightings have increasingly disrupted traffic at airports in Germany and other parts of central and northern Europe in recent months.

Early in October, Munich Airport halted air traffic control operations as the city held its world-famous Oktoberfest event. Last month, Berlin Brandenburg Airport also briefly halted flights due to drone sightings.

German authorities say the country also has been dealing with increased cyberattacks and sabotage plots, which they suspect to be part of a "hybrid" campaign on the part of Russia.

Last Sunday, the head of Germany's criminal police agency (BKA), Holger Münch, told the Bild newspaper that over 1000 suspicious drone sightings had been registered in 2025.

He said that the drones were mostly spotted near military facilities, airports and other critical infrastructure such as harbors and the premises of arms manufacturers.

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The country faces unique challenges, including anti-corruption protests that recently swept a conservative-led government from office.

Bulgaria will become the 21st country to adopt the euro on Thursday, but some believe the move could bring higher prices and add to instability in the European Union’s poorest country, where the government recently resigned after mass protests.

But successive governments have pushed to join the eurozone and supporters insist it will boost the economy, reinforce ties to the West and protect against Russia’s influence.

“The euro is a tangible symbol of European strength and unity,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said as the EU executive concluded that Bulgaria was ready to adopt the currency in 2026.

Joining the euro area would strengthen Bulgaria’s economy through deeper trade ties with eurozone partners, higher foreign investment and easier access to finance, she added, arguing that the move would ultimately support job creation and real incomes.

The single currency first rolled out in 12 countries on January 1, 2002, and has since regularly extended its influence, with Croatia the last country to join in 2023.

But Bulgaria faces unique challenges, including anti-corruption protests that recently swept a conservative-led government from office, leaving the country on the verge of its eighth election in five years.

Boryana Dimitrova of the Alpha Research polling institute, which has tracked public opinion on the euro for a year, told AFP any problems with euro adoption would be seized on by anti-EU politicians.

Any issues will become “part of the political campaign, which creates a basis for rhetoric directed against the EU”, she said.

While far-right and pro-Russia parties have been behind several anti-euro protests, many people, especially in poor rural areas, worry about the new currency.

The Bulgarian government resigned earlier this month after protests drew tens of thousands onto the streets of the capital, Sofia. While the resignation was not directly linked to the country’s plans to adopt the euro, public unease has been heightened by concerns over potential price rises.

The latest survey by the EU’s polling agency Eurobarometer suggested 49% of Bulgarians were against the single currency.

President of European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde predicted the impact on consumer prices would be “modest and short-lived”, saying in earlier euro changeovers, the impact was between 0.2 and 0.4 percentage points.

But consumers – already struggling with inflation – fear they will not be able to make ends meet, according to Dimitrova.

Food prices in November were up five percent year-on-year, according to the National Statistical Institute, more than double the eurozone average.

Parliament this year adopted empowered oversight bodies to investigate sharp price hikes and curb “unjustified” surges linked to the euro changeover.

But analysts fear wider political uncertainty risks delaying much needed anti-corruption reforms, which could have a knock-on effect on the wider economy.

“The challenge will be to have a stable government for at least one to two years, so we can fully reap the benefits of joining the euro area,” Angelov said.

With Bulgaria in, only six EU countries — Denmark, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania — still retain their own currencies. Of those, Romania is the only country with plans to adopt the euro.

Ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received assurances of support from Western leaders.

Zelensky held a video call with leaders from nearly a dozen countries in Europe and Canada, plus top officials from the European Commission and NATO, on Saturday.

A German government spokesman said leaders gave Zelensky "their full support and emphasized their commitment to working closely with the US to achieve a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened the conference call at Zelensky's request, the spokesman said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Europeans must be fully involved in discussions that affect them, according to officials at the Élysée Palace. Macron is set to host another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing - a group of countries that have pledged strong support for Kiev - in Paris in January.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also took part in the call, said on X that all efforts leading toward "our shared objective - a just and lasting peace that preserves Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Europe is watching closely as Zelensky, who met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax on Saturday, heads to talks with Trump in Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday.

The White House said late on Saturday that the bilateral meeting at Mar-a-Lago will take place at 1 pm (1800 GMT), two hours earlier than originally planned. No reason was given for the time change.

Zelensky lays out 'red lines'

Zelensky has said he will make clear during the talks that Kiev will not accept capitulation or a dictated peace with Moscow.

"Of course, there are red lines for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he said in a statement posted on social media ahead of the meeting.

He has repeatedly rejected demands by Russia — also raised by Trump — for Ukraine to cede territory that is not currently under Russian control, though he has said Kiev has put forward "compromise proposals" on unresolved territorial issues.

He said he plans to discuss with Trump a 20-point framework for a possible peace plan that he presented earlier this week, adding that security guarantees would be central to any ceasefire to protect Ukraine from renewed Russian attacks.

Zelensky said Russia's daily airstrikes showed it had no interest in peace and that he would press Trump for additional air defence systems, noting Ukraine's need for more missiles to counter ongoing drone and missile attacks.

He added that parallel negotiations were under way with European partners on security guarantees and welcomed the European Union's decision to provide further financial support in the form of multibillion-euro loans. However, funding gaps remained, particularly for weapons production and drones, he said.

Russia is not taking part in the talks in Palm Beach, and Zelensky acknowledged that no peace was possible without an agreement with Moscow.

He also said he intends to discuss investment for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction with Trump, adding that rebuilding the country would require the creation of dedicated funds and total financing of up to $800 billion.

The French people's confidence in President Emmanuel Macron has reached an all-time low, according to a new survey.

Only 25% of respondents to a poll conducted by the research company Toluna-Harris Interactive and LCI news said they trusted the 48-year-old leader to pursue good policies for the country.

According to the data, released on Friday, this is the lowest level since Macron took office in 2017. The president already reached this level once in October.

A total of 1,099 people took part in the online survey on December 22 and 23.

The so-called political confidence barometer is surveyed every month. Compared to November, Macron's popularity fell by four percentage points.

His ratings have hovered below 30% for months amid growing pressure, mainly stemming from national challenges.

Despite lengthy wrangling, the highly debt-burdened country still does not have a proper budget for the coming year. This week, parliament passed a stopgap solution.

In September, the government collapsed due to protests over austerity measures proposed by then prime minister François Bayrou. Under his successor Sebastién Lecornu, a further collapse was only narrowly averted.

Confidence in Macron peaked at the beginning of his term and during the coronavirus pandemic. According to Toluna-Harris Interactive, more than 50% of respondents expressed confidence in him at that time.

The latest survey shows that Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally party, is one of the country's most popular politicians with 42% support.

He is followed closely by Marine Le Pen with 39%, who is considered Bardella's political mentor.

In the French government, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin enjoys the highest level of trust this month with 38%.

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Voters in Kosovo cast ballots on Sunday in an early parliamentary election in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the small Balkan nation for much of this year.

Brigitte Bardot dies at 91 Somaliland Ravens beat Packers Tyler Perry End of the year quiz World News Kosovo voters cast ballots in a second attempt this year to elect a government and avoid more crisis By ZANA CIMILI Updated 11:28 AM +1, December 28, 2025 Leer en español PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Voters in Kosovo cast ballots on Sunday in an early parliamentary election in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the small Balkan nation for much of this year.

The snap vote was scheduled after Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s governing Vetevendosje, or Self-Determination, party failed to form a government despite winning the most votes in a Feb. 9 election.

The deadlock marked the first time Kosovo could not form a government since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following a 1998-99 war that ended in a NATO intervention.

The prime minister’s party is again the favorite in the race, but it is unclear whether it will manage to muster a majority this time in the 120-member parliament, after other mainstream parties refused an alliance.

After voting Sunday, Kurti urged Kosovo’s 1.9 million voters to turn out in large numbers to grant “more legitimacy for our institutions.”

“Once the election result is known, we will do our best to constitute a new parliament as soon as possible and to proceed with the election of the new government,” he said.

In the post about European semiconductor decline my comment about average citizens having to invest more, was massively downvoted. Since nobody will read my reply there, here is the quote from the Draghi report that shows why more private investment is necessary.

Unless you plan a revolution, please take a moment to read the quote.

Part B, page 281

The failure of high EU savings to flow into productive investments in Europe comes down to less efficient financial intermediation. The persistent shortfall of investment vis-à-vis the US has occurred even though EU households save more than their peers in the US. In 2022, EU household savings were EUR 1,390 billion compared with EUR 840 billion in the US, reflecting the lower savings rate of US households, which is around a quarter of the EU level04. However, despite their higher savings, EU households have considerably lower wealth than their US counterparts, largely because of the lower returns they receive from financial markets on their asset holdings.