Weekly report
Right to repair: new consumer rights apply across the EU from 31 July · Eurostat: euro-area GDP up 0.4% and EU GDP up 0.5% in the second quarter · AD7 Audit competition: testing dates confirmed for late September · AD5 Graduate competition: reasoning tests still expected from October–November
The Directive on the repair of goods becomes national law across EU countries, favouring repair over replacement. Consumers can request repair of products such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, phones and tablets even after the legal guarantee has expired, at a reasonable price and within a reasonable time.
European CommissionThe preliminary flash estimate published on 30 July shows quarter-on-quarter growth of 0.4% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU, comfortably above expectations. Year-on-year, GDP rose 1.0% in the euro area and 1.2% in the EU.
EurostatFlash estimates put euro-area annual inflation at 2.9% in July, up from 2.8% in June and still well above the ECB's 2% target. Energy inflation accelerated to 10.0% from 8.5% as US-Iran hostilities resumed, keeping pressure on the ECB ahead of its September meeting.
EurostatThe Commission's trade service confirmed an extension of the suspension of the EU's rebalancing countermeasures against the US, keeping retaliatory tariffs on hold while negotiations continue.
European Commission (DG TRADE)Under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, the Commission notified Temu of grounds concerning possible obstruction of an inspection — a procedural escalation in the EU's scrutiny of the platform, separate from the Digital Services Act proceedings it already faces.
European Commission (DG COMP)The scheme was approved under EU State aid rules to support the production and uptake of sustainable aviation fuels in the Netherlands, part of the bloc's push to decarbonise air transport.
European Commission (DG COMP)Slovenia may support the roll-out of battery energy storage systems with €59 million, aimed at integrating more renewable generation into the grid and improving system flexibility.
European Commission (DG COMP)The Union Civil Protection Mechanism was activated to deploy aerial firefighting assets and personnel to France and Spain during a severe heatwave. Firefighters in France's Gironde region later described the situation as stabilised.
European Commission / European UnionFinance ministers met in the Budget configuration of the Council on 27 July in Brussels, taking forward work on the annual EU budget procedure for 2027.
Council of the EUThe Commission published practical guidance on EU passenger rights covering air, rail, bus and ship travel, setting out what travellers are entitled to in cases of delay, cancellation and denied boarding during the busiest weeks of the year.
European CommissionEPSO announced that more than 7,000 candidates applied to the AD7 specialist auditor competition. Testing is scheduled for late September 2026, with a submission deadline of 30 September 2026.
EU Careers (EPSO)More than 170,000 candidates applied to the AD5 graduate administrator competition, which closed on 10 March 2026. Everyone with a valid application sits the reasoning tests first — verbal, numerical and abstract — expected as of October/November 2026.
EU Careers (EPSO)EPSO's published calendar shows no selection procedures opening during August 2026. The next opening is the ICT Experts (AD8) competition for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity profiles on 8 September, with applications closing 13 October.
EU Careers (EPSO)After the ICT competition, EPSO plans Data Management Experts (AST3) on 6 October, Lawyer-Linguists for the Court of Justice (AD7) on 21 October, Lawyer-Linguists for Parliament, Council and Commission (AD7) on 4 November, and Lawyers (AD7) on 9 December. All dates remain to be confirmed.
EU Careers (EPSO)EPSO carried out technical maintenance on its online contact forms on 27 July between 08:00 and 10:00, during which the forms were unavailable to candidates.
EU Careers (EPSO)Hamas says it has accepted a disarmament plan under which it lays down its arms in phases, matched by a staged Israeli withdrawal from the territory. The roadmap forms part of the US Board of Peace's 20-point plan; implementation and sequencing remain the open questions.
BBC NewsTehran said it hit targets in Kuwait in response to US strikes on multiple locations inside Iran, including Qeshm island — widening the geography of a conflict that had until now centred on Iranian and Gulf military sites.
Al JazeeraAsked what Tehran can expect over the next four weeks, the US president said American forces would be hitting Iran hard, while simultaneously promoting progress on the Israel-Hamas track — a two-front posture that leaves allies uncertain about the next phase.
CNNSpain said most of those who crossed into the enclave by land and sea had returned to Morocco by Friday evening, while Italy suspended its Schengen free-movement arrangement with Madrid. The European Commission called the situation unacceptable.
BBC NewsAround 500 people, mostly tourists, were evacuated by boat from Agios Vasileios after becoming trapped by fire, with further evacuations in Crete. Europe's wildfire season is running at roughly three times the long-term average area burned.
BBC NewsCooling-water shortages on the Danube forced Hungary to shut down its sole nuclear power station. Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia are grappling with the same combination of prolonged heatwaves and low rainfall, raising questions about river-cooled generation across the region.
BBC NewsThe strike left a 10-metre-wide crater near the village of Tarnawa Kolonia, roughly 100 km from the Ukrainian border. The Polish prime minister said the missile was probably Russian — a NATO-territory incident with obvious escalation risk.
BBC NewsUefa's 55 member associations voted to boycott future tournaments unless Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino drop proposals to sell minority stakes in the competition. Uefa's position: 'the World Cup is not for sale.'
BBC SportHadi Matar, 28, was convicted of attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah through his 2022 attack on the British-Indian author, adding terrorism convictions to the attempted-murder sentence he is already serving.
BBC NewsRiyadh announced a multinational naval alliance to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks, bringing fourteen countries into a new regional security arrangement as the Iran conflict spills into shipping lanes.
Democracy NowDestatis reported that price-, seasonally- and calendar-adjusted GDP rose 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2026, beating the 0.1% consensus, and 0.9% year-on-year. Exports increased while final consumption was subdued and capital formation declined.
Destatis (Federal Statistical Office)German annual inflation rose to 2.8% in July from 2.3% in June, above the 2.7% expected. Energy inflation jumped to 8.3% from 3.4% as renewed Middle East hostilities lifted oil prices; core inflation, excluding food and energy, is put at 2.4%.
Destatis (Federal Statistical Office)The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in July from 6.3%, above expectations. The number of jobless increased by 71,000 to 3.007 million, crossing the three-million mark; a seasonal rise is normal in July, though this one ran slightly ahead of forecasts.
Bundesagentur für Arbeit / Trading EconomicsThe Ifo Institute's headline index climbed to 86.6 from 85.7 in June, with the expectations component jumping to 86.7 from 84.3 — a third consecutive improvement and above every forecast in Bloomberg's economist survey. Firms were, however, somewhat less satisfied with current business.
ifo InstituteThe expiry of the government's temporary fuel tax cut fed straight through to pump prices in July, and economists had flagged it in advance as the single largest contributor to the month's acceleration in consumer inflation.
Reuters / Yahoo FinanceThe Q2 flash estimate came with a revision of the historical national accounts series, changing the recorded path of the German economy over previous quarters and complicating direct comparisons with earlier published figures.
Destatis (Federal Statistical Office)Bloomberg reported German business confidence improving for a third month, read as evidence of resilience to the energy-price shock and geopolitical uncertainty, and as tentative support for the government's expectation of a second-half recovery.
BloombergJuly polling puts the AfD first on 27.6%, ahead of CDU/CSU on 21.7%, the Greens on 14.1%, the SPD on 12.3% and Die Linke on 11.2%. On these numbers the governing CDU/CSU-SPD coalition would hold only about 39% of seats and lose its parliamentary majority.
PolitPro / Infratest dimapAn Infratest dimap survey for the Berlin state election puts Die Linke on 19.3%, just ahead of the CDU on 19%, with the AfD on 17.7%, the Greens on 16.9% and the SPD on 12.8% — a four-way contest in the capital.
Infratest dimap / PolitProThe 34-measure 'Programme for Revival and Employment' agreed at the start of July — roughly €10 billion a year in income tax relief for lower and middle earners, a pension overhaul, tighter sick-leave rules and a bureaucracy cut — now moves into the implementation phase as parliament returns from summer recess.
BundesregierungO Conselho Curador do FGTS aprovou o cálculo da distribuição do lucro do fundo, que vai repartir R$ 15,2 bilhões pelas contas dos trabalhadores. O crédito é proporcional ao saldo de cada conta vinculada em 31 de dezembro.
Agência BrasilO resultado primário do Governo Central ficou negativo em R$ 48,2 bilhões em junho, mantendo a pressão sobre a meta fiscal do ano. O número reacende o debate sobre o ritmo das despesas obrigatórias num ano eleitoral.
Tesouro Nacional / Agência BrasilA moeda americana recuou ao patamar mais baixo em quase dois meses, favorecida pela melhora do humor nos mercados internacionais. O movimento antecede a reunião do Copom de 4 e 5 de agosto, com a Selic hoje em 14,25% ao ano e o Focus projetando 14% no fim de 2026.
Agência Brasil / Banco CentralA Receita Federal libera nesta sexta-feira o terceiro lote de restituição do Imposto de Renda de 2026. O crédito é feito diretamente na conta indicada na declaração, com prioridade legal para idosos, pessoas com deficiência e professores.
Receita Federal / Agência BrasilO Executivo autorizou a liberação de capacidade no gasoduto da Petrobras com o objetivo de reduzir o custo do gás natural para a indústria. A medida integra o esforço do governo para melhorar a competitividade industrial via preço de energia.
Agência BrasilO novo desbloqueio de recursos orçamentários beneficiou sobretudo os ministérios das Cidades, dos Transportes e da Fazenda. A liberação amplia a capacidade de execução de obras e programas no segundo semestre.
Agência BrasilO partido Novo confirmou oficialmente o governador de Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema, como seu candidato à Presidência da República. A definição consolida mais um nome no campo da centro-direita para a disputa de outubro.
Agência BrasilO MDB anunciou que não lançará candidatura própria à Presidência em 2026, optando por concentrar esforços nas disputas estaduais e no Congresso. A decisão redesenha o tabuleiro das alianças nacionais.
Agência BrasilO PSB formalizou o nome do vice-presidente Geraldo Alckmin para concorrer à reeleição na chapa encabeçada por Lula, mantendo a aliança que venceu em 2022.
Agência BrasilO Tribunal Regional Eleitoral de São Paulo aplicou multa ao presidente Lula por propaganda eleitoral antecipada. A decisão ainda cabe recurso e alimenta o embate jurídico-eleitoral no arranque oficial da campanha.
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