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😴 EUROPE STRONGLY CONSIDERS WAKING UP

Ben Snelson

It feels surreal to say it again, but here we are – another surreal week. Geopolitical storms rage, deregulation fever continues to burn, and the news cycle spins faster than ever. 

Amid all this change, Europe’s environment faces challenges that can feel overwhelming – but there is reason for perspective. The continent has cards to play, solutions to pursue, and viable pathways to resilience. And perhaps most importantly, each of us has more influence than we often realise – our choices, our actions, and our voices can help shape the future we want to see. 

This edition of New Leaf explores growing tension in global relations, with menacing power plays provoking some of Europe’s leaders to – at least consider – waking up. We remind ourselves what’s in Europe’s toolbox, including our own ‘Freedom Deal’. We’ve got drama in the agri-sphere as the Commission gives a leg-up to the biggest agribusiness (spoiler: we didn’t hold back). We’re sharpening our vision for the future of industry in Europe – and what it can and must look like. And we’ll focus on one of Europe’s more precious pieces of legislation that was left out of last week’s ‘files to watch for 2026’ (sorry Alberto!) 

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☎️ EUROPE’S WAKE-UP CALL?    

Rise and shine babes – For years, warnings about Europe’s growing vulnerability were brushed aside as abstract or alarmist. No longer. 

This week, speaking at Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave voice to what many now reluctantly accept: the era of “extreme globalisation” is over, replaced by a rupture in the rules-based international order. Trade, finance and supply chains are no longer tools of “shared prosperity”, but increasingly “weapons of coercion”.

Direct threats to the EU’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including from a global superpower long considered a close ally, have jolted Brussels out of an age-long coma.  

Pulled from all sides – External pressure on the EU is not limited to geopolitics. Powerful overseas industry interests are increasingly shaping Europe’s regulatory agenda, pushing for rapid deregulation under the banner of “competitiveness”. As a result, we are being strung along and blackmailed to weaken our own protections while becoming ever more dependent on the external forces doing the blackmailing.

*Checks the toolbox* – French President Emmanuel Macron has pointed to the need to invoke the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument – often described as its trade “bazooka”. If Europe is serious about resisting coercion, it must also recognise that coercion is already well underway. The breakneck push for deregulation is systematically stripping away Europe’s economic, environmental and public health safeguards. This is not reform driven by evidence or public interest, but pressure exerted by unaccountable global corporate power (in cahoots with an orange monster).

When pressure gets personal – This is not theoretical. EU officials themselves are being directly targeted. The case of former Commissioner Thierry Breton – who faces a US visa ban for his hand in the EU’s Digital Services Act – closely mirrors tactics already used against UN officials: apply pressure, discredit, intimidate, ban from vital services. When officials (high-ranking or not) are attacked for doing their jobs, it is a warning sign for fundamental rights – and democracy itself.

Dependent on dependence? Europe talks a lot about autonomy and sovereignty. But sovereignty does not exist without protections. Protections for businesses against unfair competition. Protections for people’s health. Protections for nature and the ecosystems our food and farmers’ livelihoods depend on. If we want to lead rather than follow, to act rather than react, the foundation is strong, clear rules. And as Gramsci might have said today, as the old world dies, let’s not make it easier for monsters by removing the rules that protect us.

Green Deal = Freedom Deal – The irony is striking. The very policy that external powers are pressuring the EU to abandon, the European Green Deal, is precisely what would reduce Europe’s dependence on volatile, toxic and coercive relationships. As Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera noted this week, it is time to recognise the Green Deal for what it truly is: a Freedom Deal. A strong Green Deal means energy independence, resilient food systems, healthier citizens, and less exposure to bullying petrostates and unaccountable global corporate power.

So… is Europe waking up? Faced with lawless global chaos, aggressive geopolitical threats and the growing influence of broligarchic elites, we all need European leaders to act decisively. Will Europe listen to its citizens, or trade its long-term sovereignty, health and environmental security for short-term appeasement? The stakes could not be higher.

🧑‍🌾📉 THE AGRI CORNER: STANDING UP TO CORPORATE CAPTURE OF FOOD 

The halls of power – Yesterday, there was drama in the Berlaymont as Europe’s expert board on agriculture, a trusted space for scientists, policymakers and civil society, held its first 2026 plenary on the EU Livestock Strategy.

At the last minute, the EU Commission flooded the room with industrial livestock business lobbies, tilting the discussion in favour of Big Meat and Dairy. The Commission’s duty is to uphold democratic principles, and the EU Livestock Strategy must be built on transparency, balance and science – not cruel, polluting, profit-driven business as usual. The EEB was there. See what we had to say.

Wait, what are we paying for? A new Greenpeace report shows that in some EU countries, 1% of recipients take up to 40% of farm subsidies, while across six Member States the top 20% capture 80% of the money. The €55 billion-a-year Common Agricultural Policy (1/3 of the EU budget!) is meant to support farmers and protect ecosystems, yet most of it goes to large industrial farms while small-scale, sustainable farmers struggle to survive. 

Welfare for the rich – funded by EU taxpayers. Our vision shows there is a better way forward. 

Planting the seeds of progress – One bright spot in Europe’s agri-food debate this week is growing support for a European Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods. Backed by 130+ organisations and the tens of thousands of members they represent, this plan would strengthen the food chain from farmers to consumers, make healthy and sustainable food the easy choice, boost EU protein autonomy, and open new opportunities for farmers. It also supports healthier diets, cuts emissions, builds climate resilience, and brings much-needed coherence to EU food policy.  

🍃🏭 EUROPE WANTS INDUSTRIAL POWER      

Leaked. Delayed. Debated. The EU Commission has postponed the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) again, now to 25 February. But thanks to a leaked draft, we already know where it’s heading. The IAA is meant to revive the EU industry in a world of Chinese overcapacity, US subsidies and geopolitical chaos, without abandoning climate goals. The problem is that “without” is not rising to the occasion.

Reward fossil-free, not fossil-fools – The draft introduces a voluntary EU label for low-carbon steel, meant to boost demand for green production. Steel alone causes 8% of global emissions, so this is long overdue. But a label only works if it’s strict. Our red line is simple: coal- or gas-based steel should never qualify in the top classes. This label must reward fossil-free production. Nothing else. 

Speed up, but not at any cost – The Commission wants to speed up permitting, calling industrial decarbonisation a matter of public interest. But not all “decarbonisation” is equal. Marginal tweaks to fossil plants (like adding CCS to coal-heavy blast furnaces) shouldn’t get a fast track. Faster permitting must come with real decarbonisation ambition, and environmental safeguards and public participation must remain non-negotiable. 

Made in Europe – but green! Public procurement and EU-content rules could help build clean industrial markets at home – if they’re tied to strong low-carbon criteria. Origin alone isn’t enough. ‘Buy European‘ without climate ambition is just protectionism with a different sticker. Read our carousel. 

🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS  

💧 The year we defend Europe’s water – Last week, my colleague Alberto listed the key EU policy files to watch this year. One major piece I forgot to mention (oops!) was the Water Framework Directive. To make up for it, I shared a reminder of what it does and why it matters.

Late last year, we exposed the self-interested industries trying to weaken Europe’s water protections, putting drinking water, public health and nature at risk. If you’ve got a few minutes, watch this video on what’s at stake for Europe’s water. And if you’re a journalist looking to dig deeper, we’re mapping the data for big stories. Let’s work together! 

🩸 Curtain call for the bloody catwalk – Also last week, we were among those who took to the streets of Brussels to support France’s bold move to rein in ultra-fast fashion. France’s proposed law targets overproduction and would hold brands accountable for the textile waste they create, a major step forward for workers, the environment and second-hand markets.

But the law is now stalled after the Commission asked for revisions, just as fast fashion giants stepped up their lobbying in Brussels. We stand firmly with France. The law is compatible with EU rules, and governments have the right to go further to protect people and the planet. See the joint letter signed by 65 civil society organisations. 

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🧠✨ DOPAMINE HIT

As ever, here are a few happy updates to get your weekend off to a perky start: 

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