The EU says the Middle East conflict has added more than EUR 22 billion to its fossil fuel import bill, sharpening pressure on energy prices and trade.
Business
EU economic confidence fell in March as consumer and retail sentiment weakened, employment expectations dropped and price pressures rose.
Travel
The EU Entry/Exit System becomes fully operational on April 10, replacing passport stamps with digital border records and biometric checks for non-EU travelers.
Technology
Austria’s patent filings rose sharply in 2025, beating wider European growth as industrial companies and inventors lifted national and EPO applications.
UNESCO urges nations to regulate AI and digital tools in education as new charter promotes equitable access amid funding cuts and rising global inequality risks.
WIPO launched the AI Infrastructure Interchange in Geneva, creating a technical forum on AI and intellectual property with creators, companies and governments.
BMW Group begins Germany’s first in-plant humanoid robot pilot, deploying Hexagon Robotics’ AEON at Leipzig to support battery and component production.
India and Finland launched a strategic partnership focused on digitalisation and sustainability, highlighting cooperation from AI and 6G to clean energy and quantum computing.
European Parliament disables built-in AI tools on work-issued devices in Brussels, citing cybersecurity and data-protection risks tied to cloud processing today.

