Each May, on the 9th, the European Union celebrates Europe Day which stands for peace and unity in Europe. The updates from PfEU’s policy fields this month demonstrate the wide variety of initiatives and the depth of the challenges that the EU addresses in pursuit of this goal. It is clear that as the EU continues striving to be a global leader and a union of members states that adheres to rule of law principles, it needs to keep it’s focus on these basic tenets.

The Foreign Affairs & Security section covers the diversion and grounding of flight FR4978 by Belarusian authorities and the challenges brought by the unanimity principle to EU foreign policy.

Finance, Trade and (Digital) Internal Markets provides updates on the respectively promising and disappointing  developments in trade talks with the  US and Swiss governments.

EU environmental policy saw significant discussion occur on decarbonisation and the Common Agricultural Policy and the European Union summit.

The Democracy and Governance section touches on the theme of being able to express criticism democratically in relation to both activities for Europe Day and for World Press Freedom day.

This month has also brought an increase in migration flows entering the EU, while the EU’s new strategy on return sponsorship continues to prove contentious among Member States.