On 10 July, the European Commission reached a preliminary conclusion that the addictive design of Meta's apps, Instagram and Facebook, breached the Digital Services Act. In particular, features such as highly personalised recommendations, autoplay, infinite scrolling and push notifications contribute to compulsive and unhealthy use by users. The measures taken by Meta to mitigate the addictive design of its apps are, at this stage, insufficient. If these preliminary findings are confirmed, the Commission may adopt a decision finding an infringement, which could result in a fine being imposed on Meta.

On 8 July, the General Court of the European Union dismissed Apple's challenge to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European law on digital markets. The company brought the case before the General Court in 2024, seeking to challenge its subjection to the DMA in respect of certain services, such as iMessage and the App Store. With this rejection, the General Court confirms that Apple must continue to comply with the interoperability obligations relating to iOS, its operating system, as set out in the DMA – the aim of which is to ensure fair competition in the markets.

The Salzburg Festival, one of the most prestigious classical music and theatre festivals, will run until 30 August. Centred on the theme of exploring the different forms of love, this 106th edition offers a rich programme of operas, concerts and performances depicting the many facets of love, human relationships and the perception of time. A total of 208 performances are scheduled to take place at various iconic venues across the city.

Until 2 August, the resort of Verbier is hosting the 33rd annual international classical music festival. Over the course of 19 days, more than 60 concerts and 100 masterclasses will bring together the biggest names on the international scene and emerging talents in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

From 16 to 19 July, the Les Vieilles Charrues Festival returns to Carhaix in the heart of Brittany for its 34th year. Known for its eclectic musical line-up, this year's festival will feature a host of stars.

Until 6 September, the 72nd Puccini Festival is taking place in Tuscany, in Torre del Lago, where Giacomo Puccini lived and composed much of his work. The festival's programme focuses on his most famous operas, alongside several gala concerts featuring internationally renowned artists. The 2026 edition marks the centenary celebrations of "Turandot", with a new production of the opera.

The Olmedo Clásico Festival is celebrating its twentieth anniversary until 26 July with thirteen performances, carefully selected from the works of the great names of classical theatre, including Cervantes, Shakespeare and Molière, combining comedies, intrigues, tragedies and music.

Until 26 August, the Bayreuth Festival – an annual event dedicated to the artistic exploration of Richard Wagner's music – is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The 2026 programme features several opera performances. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, conducted by Christian Thielemann, is also on the programme.

Until March 2027, the George Economou Collection in Athens is presenting *The Way We Live Now*, its first group exhibition of contemporary art drawn from its own collections, bringing together major artists such as David Hockney, Louise Bourgeois and Jenny Saville. The exhibition is structured around three themes — Intimacy, Politics and Being — to explore how art challenges our relationships with power, identity and freedom in today's world.

Given geopolitical instability, the climate emergency and the need to remain competitive, Europe must rethink its energy model. In this new episode of Station Schuman, Valérie Plagnol, an economist and former member of the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), examines the key choices that will shape the continent's energy future and analyses the European Union's ability to balance security of supply, the climate transition and energy sovereignty.

On 10 July, the Commission adopted a decision confirming Hungary's participation in the European Public Prosecutor's Office, following its application to join in May 2026. It thus becomes the 25th member. Established in 2020, the European Public Prosecutor's Office is responsible for investigating and prosecuting financial offences affecting the EU budget. Only Denmark and Ireland do not participate.

On 7 and 8 July, the 32 NATO leaders met in Ankara, Turkey, for the organisation's 36th summit. In a joint statement, they reiterated their commitment to collective defence, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Treaty. They renewed their unwavering support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, and pledged to provide €70 billion for military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine, as well as to provide aid of at least the same value in 2027. They also announced new investments and procurement in defence and technology, and committed to maximising their industrial cooperation.

On 9 July, the European Commission published the European Innovation Scoreboard, which assesses countries' performance each year to monitor the EU's progress in closing the gap with its competitors. Between 2025 and 2026, analysts noted a 1.7 per cent improvement in European performance, with Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands topping the rankings. These results are part of a positive trend since 2019, with the overall score for the 27 Member States having risen by 11.6 per cent since then. Beyond the European Union, South Korea remains the world's most innovative competitor, followed by China.

On 8 July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published an update to its World Economic Outlook. The growth forecast has been revised down to 3 per cent in 2026, compared with the 3.1 per cent anticipated in April, before bouncing back to 3.4 per cent in 2027. The IMF attributes this revision to the consequences of the war in the Middle East, which has led to a rise in energy and commodity prices, fuelling inflationary pressures and weighing on economic activity. It emphasises, however, that the development of artificial intelligence continues to support growth in economies that are most closely integrated into technology value chains. Despite a global economy that has so far proved more resilient than expected, the IMF believes that the risks remain predominantly on the downside.

On 17 July, the European Commission adopted a communication on the competitiveness of the European Union's banking sector, setting out measures aimed at strengthening the sector and supporting its growth. In response to the challenges hampering the growth of the banking system, the measures aim to achieve three objectives: removing barriers to cross-border banking, applying international standards whilst taking into account the specific characteristics of the EU, and simplifying the regulatory framework for banks.

On 7 July, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a cooperation agreement on drones during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. The agreement provides, in particular, for the export of Ukrainian products to Estonia, and the joint development and manufacture of new capabilities between the two countries. Furthermore, it will facilitate closer collaboration on knowledge sharing, technological development and industrial cooperation.

On 12 July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a cabinet reshuffle, with the aim of supporting a "change in political strategy". Relations with the United States, strengthening defence cooperation with European partners and EU accession are among the priorities announced. A new Prime Minister will be appointed shortly.

On 15 July, Ukraine hosted the 5th Ukraine–South-East Europe Summit, which brought together the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the leaders of Albania, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Slovenia and Croatia, as well as representatives from North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bulgaria. The meeting focused on regional security and Ukraine's European integration. In a joint statement, they reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine and its accession, as well as for Moldova; their condemnation of Russian aggression; the need to strengthen Ukraine's air defence capabilities; and the pressure of sanctions against Russia.