Union européenne

Dans l'édition de mercredi : sanctions contre la Russie, retraite des commissaires, accord commercial UE-États-Unis, États-Unis-Inde, Mercosur

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Le projet de la Commission européenne de financer une partie du prochain budget pluriannuel de l’Union de 2 000 milliards d’euros grâce à de nouvelles taxes européennes suscite de fortes réserves parmi les États membres. Derrière la proposition d’introduire de nouvelles ressources fiscales communes se joue en réalité un délicat rapport de force politique.

The post Le financement du futur budget européen ravive les tensions entre États membres appeared first on Euractiv FR.

L’éventuel retour politique de l’ancien Premier ministre irakien Nouri al-Maliki suscite de vives inquiétudes aux États-Unis, au moment où Washington s’apprête à ouvrir de nouveaux pourparlers régionaux avec les États arabes et l’Iran. Considéré comme proche de Téhéran, l’ex-dirigeant pourrait rebattre les équilibres politiques irakiens et renforcer l’influence iranienne dans le pays.

The post Irak : le possible retour d’al-Maliki inquiète les États-Unis appeared first on Euractiv FR.

La crise politique serbe remonte à 2024, lorsque 16 personnes ont été tuées dans l'effondrement d'une verrière en béton de la gare récemment rénovée de Novi Sad, la deuxième plus grande ville du pays.

The post Serbie : attaques contre la justice et répression du mouvement étudiant appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Le gouvernement espagnol s’apprête à franchir une nouvelle étape dans la régulation du numérique. Madrid prévoit d’interdire l’accès aux réseaux sociaux aux moins de 16 ans dans le cadre d’un projet de loi qui doit être présenté dès la semaine prochaine, a annoncé mardi le Premier ministre Pedro Sánchez lors du Sommet mondial des gouvernements à Dubaï.

The post L’Espagne va interdire les réseaux sociaux aux moins de 16 ans appeared first on Euractiv FR.

770 litres d'alcool communément appelé Sodabi, reconnu impropre à la consommation humaine ont été saisis à Ayomi-Centre dans la commune de Dogbo, département du Couffo.

La Police républicaine a dévoilé ce 03 février 2026 sur son canal digital, les résultats d'une opération qui remonte au 23 octobre 2025.

Le commissariat de l'arrondissement de Dévè a saisi 770 litres de Sodabi dans le village de Ayomi-Centre, commune de Dogbo.

La boisson réquisitionnée a été transférée au Laboratoire de la Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (ABSSA). Les analyses ont révélé après trois mois d'expertise que le Sodabi saisi est impropre à la consommation.
M. M.

À l’Assemblée nationale, les députés ont rejeté deux nouvelles motions de censure lundi 2 février, confirmant l’adoption définitive du budget de l’État pour 2026. Mais qui sont les vainqueurs et les perdants des cinq derniers mois de négociations ?

The post Budget 2026 : qui sont les gagnants et les perdants des cinq mois de bataille à l’Assemblée ? appeared first on Euractiv FR.

La Commission prévoit de conclure son processus de désignation au titre de la loi sur les services numériques au cours du premier trimestre 2026.

The post ChatGPT sera-t-il soumis aux règles les plus strictes de l’UE en matière de droit numérique ?  appeared first on Euractiv FR.

L'affaire est présentée comme le plus grand recours collectif jamais intenté en Europe pour contamination par des polluants éternels.

The post Pollution aux PFAS : près de 200 habitants de la métropole de Lyon assignent en justice deux groupes industriels appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Malgré l’augmentation des importations d’électricité en provenance de l’Union européenne, le système énergétique ukrainien apparaît de plus en plus vulnérable après plusieurs années de bombardements russes visant les infrastructures critiques du pays.

The post Le réseau électrique ukrainien au bord de l’effondrement malgré le soutien de l’UE appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Le président américain prévoit de se rendre en visite officielle en Grèce, a fait savoir l'ambassadrice américaine à Athènes, Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle, signe de l'intérêt croissant de Washington pour la région sud-est de la Méditerranée.

The post Trump se rendra en Grèce alors que l’intérêt pour la région ne cesse de croître appeared first on Euractiv FR.

L’ambassadeur du Brésil auprès de l’UE, Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, estime que l’accord commercial entre l’UE et le Mercosur fait l’objet d’une politisation excessive en Europe. Il dénonce également une remise en cause injustifiée de la qualité des exportations agroalimentaires sud-américaines.

The post UE-Mercosur : pour l’ambassadeur du Brésil auprès de l’UE, l’accord commercial est devenu un « bouc émissaire » politique appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Dans l'édition de mardi : le budget français, le Mercosur, les dossiers Epstein, l'armée européenne, le réseau électrique ukrainien.

The post Achetez européen, oui, mais comment faire ? appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Credit: UN/Monicah Aturinda Kyeyune

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 3 2026 (IPS)

A sharp cut in funding for “South-South Cooperation” (UNOSSC) has triggered a strong protest from the 134-member Group of 77 (G-77), described as the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries within the United Nations.

The protest has been reinforced by four UN ambassadors, two of them former chairs of the G77—Colombia (1993) and South Africa (2015), along with Brazil and India.

Traditionally, the G77 has been backed by China, the world’s second largest economy, and a veto wielding member of the Security Council

A letter of protest, addressed to Alexander De Croo, Administrator, UN Development Programme (UNDP), which funds and oversees the UNOSSC, says South-South cooperation remains a central pillar of the work of the United Nations and is of particular importance to the Group of 77 and China.

The UNOSSC, established by the UN General Assembly at the initiative of the G-77, “plays a critical role in supporting, coordinating and implementing South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives and projects across the United Nations development system, including in support of the UN development agenda”.

“Against this background, the G-77 and China wish to express its serious concern regarding the significant reduction in resources proposed to be allocated by UNDP to UNOSSC under the 2026–2029 Strategic Framework,” says Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations and Chair of the Group of 77, in a letter to the UNDP Administrator.

The scale of the proposed reduction is described as “substantial and, if implemented, would severely constrain the Office’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate.”

The reduction is estimated at 46% of funds allocated by UNDP to UNOSSC under the proposed 2026-2029 Strategic Framework. And in dollar terms, the proposed allocation amounts to USD 16.6 million, down from the USD 30.7 million under the 2022-2025 Strategic Framework. (the amount actually disbursed was approximately USD 22 million).

Of particular concern, is the potential impact of these funding reductions on the management and operational capacity of Trust Funds administered by UNOSSC, including the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation (PGTF) and other financing mechanisms that provide critical support to developing countries.

The G77 Chair has received a demarche from the Chair of the Committee of Experts of the PGTF conveying the concerns that the ability of the PGTF to continue fulfilling its regular operations might be at stake.

“Reduced institutional capacity to manage these Trust Funds would undermine their effectiveness and would have adverse consequences for beneficiary countries that rely on these instruments to advance development priorities”, warns the letter.

The Group of 77 (and China) is of the view that consideration of the proposed Strategic Framework requires further clarification before approval and should therefore be postponed.

Furthermore, the Group underscores the importance of continued transparency and structured dialogue with Member States.

“Any proposals involving the restructuring or reconfiguration of UNOSSC should be submitted for review and approval, in line with the fact that the Office was established by a resolution of the General Assembly and therefore falls under the authority of Member States.”

“In light of the above, the Group of 77 and China respectfully requests that UNDP give due consideration to all available options to substantially increase the allocation of resources to UNOSSC.”

Such action, the letter said, would be essential to safeguard the effective implementation of the Office’s mandate, protect the integrity and functionality of Trust Fund operations, and avoid negative impacts on developing countries.

Meanwhile, the letter from the four ambassadors reads:

1 “South-South cooperation remains a central pillar of the work of the United Nations and is of particular importance to developing countries. The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation plays a vital role in supporting, coordinating and implementing South-South cooperation initiatives across the United Nations development system, including in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. It is, therefore, with grave concern that we note the dramatic reduction (46%) of funds allocated by UNDP to UNOSSC under the proposed 2026-2029 Strategic Framework: only USD 16.6 million, down from the USD 30.7 million allocated under the 2022-2025 Strategic Framework, the amount actually disbursed having been approximately USD 22 million.

3. While we fully understand the current financial difficulties faced by the UN system as a whole, we believe that the allocation of funds proposed to South-South cooperation imposes losses that are considerably higher than the average reduction experienced by UNDP programs. In addition, given the said current difficulties, it is even more likely that, in 2026-2029, the actual disbursement could be significantly less than the original allocation.

4. In this case, UNOSSC would be left with very modest funding. It is beyond doubt that expected deep cuts in funding will negatively and profoundly impact the Office’s ability to continue providing its invaluable support to developing countries, including in trust fund management. In this particular regard, reduced capacity in UNOSSC to properly support trust funds would be detrimental to the best interests of dozens of developing countries.

5. In light of the foregoing, we kindly request that UNDP promptly consider all means at its disposal to substantially increase allocation to UNOSSC, thus allowing for the effective implementation of the Office’s mandate and avoiding damage to many developing countries.

6. A second concern relates to the proposed shift of the Office toward a more policy-oriented approach, which could aggravate the steep cut in funding mentioned above. While we fully recognize the importance of policy guidance, we strongly believe that an appropriate balance between policy and programming functions must be preserved in UNOSSC, thus ensuring that strategic orientation is underpinned by adequate programmatic capacity.

7. We trust that these considerations will be duly taken into account, acted upon and unambiguously reflected in the final version of the Strategic Framework for 2026-2029.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Evelis Cano, mother of political prisoner Jack Tantak Cano, pleads with the police for her son’s release outside a detention centre in Caracas, Venezuela, 20 January 2026. Credit: Gaby Oraa/Reuters via Gallo Images

By Inés M. Pousadela
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Feb 2 2026 (IPS)

When US special forces seized Nicolás Maduro and his wife from the presidential residence in Caracas on 3 January, killing at least 24 Venezuelan security officers and 32 Cuban intelligence operatives in the process, many in the Venezuelan opposition briefly dared hope. They speculated that intervention might finally bring the democratic transition thwarted when Maduro entrenched himself in power after losing the July 2024 election. But within hours, those hopes were crushed. Trump announced the USA would now ‘run’ Venezuela and Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in to replace Maduro. Venezuela’s sovereignty had been violated twice: first by an authoritarian regime that usurped the popular will, and then by an external power that deliberately violated international law.

A cynical intervention

Under Trump, the USA has abandoned any pretence of promoting democracy. Trump wrapped the intervention in the rhetoric of anti-narcotics operations while openly salivating over Venezuela’s oil reserves, rare earth deposits and investment opportunities. He repeatedly made clear that US regional hegemony is the number one priority. His contempt for Venezuelans’ right to self-determination was explicit: when asked about opposition leader María Corina Machado, Trump dismissed her as lacking ‘respect’ and ‘capacity to lead’. The message to Venezuela’s democratic movement was clear: your struggle doesn’t matter, only our interests do.

Ironically, the US intervention achieved what years of Maduro’s propaganda failed to do, giving anti-imperialist rhetoric a shot in the arm. For decades, Latin American authoritarian regimes have justified repression by pointing to the threat of US intervention, even though this was a largely historical grievance. Not anymore: Trump has handed every Latin American dictator the perfect justification for continuing authoritarian rule.

The global response has been equally revealing. The loudest defenders of national sovereignty are authoritarian powers such as China, Iran and Russia: states that routinely violate their citizens’ rights expressed their ‘solidarity with the people of Venezuela’ and positioned themselves as champions of international law. By blatantly violating a foundational principle of the post-1945 international order, Trump made the leaders of some of the world’s most repressive regimes look like the adults in the room. And across Latin America, the political conversation has now shifted dramatically: the question is no longer how to restore democracy in Venezuela, but how to prevent the next US military adventure in Latin America.

Authoritarianism continues

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s authoritarian regime remains intact. Maduro may be in a New York courtroom, but the structures that kept him in power – the corrupt military, embedded Cuban intelligence, patronage networks and the repressive apparatus – continue unchanged. Rodríguez will likely try to run down the clock, claiming Maduro could return at any moment to avoid calling elections while quietly negotiating oil deals with US companies and reasserting authoritarian control. For both Rodríguez and Trump, democracy seems like an inconvenient obstacle to resource extraction.

For Venezuelan civil society, this creates real dilemmas. As she was sworn in, Rodríguez denounced the operation that put her in charge and vowed that Venezuela would ‘never again be a colony of any empire’. She has wrapped herself in the flag, framing regime continuity as a patriotic stand against western imperialism, and can now easily paint opposition activists who have long demanded international pressure for democracy as treasonous collaborators with foreign powers. This is despite being an insider of a regime that welcomed Cuban intelligence, Iranian oil traders and Russian military advisers, and is now negotiating oil deals with the USA and crossing its own red line by promising legal changes to enable private investment.

A Venezuelan solution for Venezuela

But there may be some cracks in the regime. With Maduro gone, frictions inside the ruling party have become apparent. For instance, there have been obvious disagreements on how to handle the pressure to free Venezuela’s over 800 political prisoners. These may yield opportunities the democracy movement can exploit.

This is the time for the democratic opposition to reclaim the narrative. In the immediate aftermath of the intervention, families of political prisoners mounted vigils outside detention centres, demanding releases the government has only partially delivered. Civil society must amplify these voices, making clear that any transitional arrangement requires the dismantling of the repressive apparatus, not merely a change of faces at the top.

A broad coalition of civil society organisations has issued 10 demands that chart a path to democratic transition. They call for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners, the dismantling of irregular armed groups, unfettered access for human rights monitors and humanitarian aid and, crucially, a free and fair presidential election with international observers. These demands deserve international backing, not as conditions for oil contracts, but as non-negotiable requirements for any government that can claim to represent Venezuela.

Venezuela’s democratic forces can either accept marginalisation as Trump and Rodríguez carve up their country’s resources, or use this chaotic moment to advance a genuinely Venezuelan democratic agenda. That means rejecting both Maduro’s authoritarianism and Trump’s intervention, and insisting that any legitimacy Rodríguez’s government claims must come from Venezuelan voters, not US armed forces or oil contracts. Any window of opportunity may however be closing fast. The question is whether Venezuela’s democratic movement can seize it to build the country they have strived for, or whether they will remain spectators while others decide their fate.

Inés M. Pousadela is CIVICUS Head of Research and Analysis, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report. She is also a Professor of Comparative Politics at Universidad ORT Uruguay.

For interviews or more information, please contact research@civicus.org

 

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L’UE explore de nouvelles solutions pour permettre aux armées et aux autorités de défense des États membres de partager des informations sensibles sans recourir à des infrastructures technologiques américaines. Selon une présentation interne de l’Agence européenne de défense (AED), Bruxelles travaille à la création d’une plateforme européenne de partage de données militaires pleinement opérationnelle d’ici 2030.

The post EXCLUSIF : L’UE souhaite sécuriser ses données de défense sans recourir à la technologie américaine appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Le Royaume-Uni a enregistré plus de 250 incidents impliquant des drones à proximité de ses installations militaires en 2025, soit le double de l'année précédente, a déclaré lundi 2 février le ministère de la Défense dans un communiqué.

The post Les incursions de drones ont doublé au Royaume-Uni l’année dernière appeared first on Euractiv FR.

L’Union européenne a établi un seuil sanitaire harmonisé pour la céréulide, une toxine bactérienne suspectée d’avoir contaminé des préparations pour nourrissons, après une vague de rappels ayant touché plus de 60 pays.

The post L’UE fixe un seuil de sécurité pour une toxine après des rappels mondiaux de lait infantile appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Les entreprises du secteur de la défense demandent aux capitales de soutenir les investissements à long terme afin qu'elles puissent planifier l'avenir.

The post Dans la course au réarmement de l’Europe, les capitales et l’industrie de la défense peinent à se coordonner  appeared first on Euractiv FR.

La proposition vise les émissions de carbone noir et la fonte des glaces polaires.

The post Les défenseurs de l’environnement militent pour l’usage de carburants plus propres dans l’Arctique  appeared first on Euractiv FR.