European Union in February 2026: the most important developments in society
In February 2026, the European Union's social news was led by a Commission statement, made on 26 February and repeated the next day, that the European Social Fund Plus can be used to finance cross-border access to abortion services. The statement followed a citizens' petition. It covers travel and logistical costs for women seeking abortions in other member states where the procedure is legal. Some described the decision as historic.
Migration was the second major theme. On 10 February the European Parliament approved tougher asylum rules, including the EU's first common list of safe countries of origin, which allows faster processing and returns, and the transfer of asylum seekers to third countries deemed safe. The bloc-wide list was reported as adopted again on 23 February. The UN refugee agency urged the EU to halt the return of migrants to Libya. Reports from EU agencies said more underage migrants were arriving in the EU, about 360 vehicles were queuing at the Belarusian border to enter the bloc, and Pakistan and three EU states agreed to counter illegal migration.
Weather and climate formed a third theme. The EU allocated 2.5 billion euros to communities hit by Storm Kristin in Portugal, and Storm Leonardo later brought flooding and power outages to Portugal and Spain, where one man was killed and a 10-year-old girl went missing. EU experts warned that Europe is not prepared for possible four-degree warming and planned new financial protection against billion-dollar weather damage. The European Parliament backed the bloc's 2040 climate target.
Other items included the EU's action plan against cyberbullying, a strict limit advised by the European Food Safety Authority for a toxin in some vegetable oils, which made further infant formula recalls likely, and a recommendation by the EU drug agency for a combined Covid-19 and flu vaccine. Documents released in the Jeffrey Epstein case were followed by suspensions and resignations among political figures in Europe.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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