On 12 June, the Council adopted a regulation imposing new customs duties on agricultural products and certain fertilisers from Russia and Belarus that were not yet subject to such customs duties. The aim is to make the European Union less dependent on these imports and to reduce Russia's export revenues, thereby limiting its ability to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine. The increases in customs duties on fertilisers will be introduced gradually over a transitional period of three years.

On 12 and 13 June, the Ministers of Justice and the Interior meeting in Luxembourg adopted the priorities in the fight against serious organised crime for the next four years (2026-2029). They reached agreement on a draft regulation that will guarantee the rights of adults in need of protection or support in cross-border situations, and agreed to extend temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine. They also commemorated the 40th anniversary of Schengen.

During a visit to Yerevan on 13 June, Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, praised Armenia's commitment to democracy and called for lasting peace with Azerbaijan. He highlighted the Organisation's support for the country's reform process, in particular through the 2023–2026 Action Plan. He announced €2.8 million in aid for refugees from Karabakh. He encouraged Armenia to join new European conventions and stressed the importance of young people in defending democratic values.

Until 22 September, the Centre Pompidou is hosting an exhibition by Wolfgang Tillmans. The artist has taken over the Bibliothèque publique d'information with an installation combining photography, video, music and text, interacting with the architecture of the space and questioning its role as a place of knowledge. Through 35 years of work, he addresses topics such as social change, contemporary culture and the transmission of knowledge. His work invites us to reflect on our times and the means of disseminating information.

The Hamburger Kunsthalle is hosting the exhibition 'Rendezvous der Träume' until 12 October, featuring more than fifty surrealist artists. This exhibition explores the similar symbols and visions of the Romantics and Surrealists, revealing how Romanticism fuelled the imaginative power of Surrealism.

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is presenting a solo exhibition of Sam Gilliam's work until 25 January 2026. Since the mid-1960s, Sam Gilliam has established himself as a pioneer with his famous draped paintings, which merge painting, sculpture and performance in dialogue with the architecture of the exhibition spaces. The undulating, theatrical forms of his works evoke the wild grandeur of the Irish coastline, with fluid compositions that capture the organic and unpredictable nature of the land and sea.

On 11 June, French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati welcomed her European counterparts and representatives from the cultural sector to Paris. The meeting was marked by a discussion between Rachida Dati and her German counterpart, Wolfram Weimer. Both expressed their desire for the Franco-German partnership to drive the transformation of ARTE into a European broadcasting platform capable of combating disinformation, particularly in the face of Russian and Chinese influence, and of strengthening democratic resilience. This meeting follows on from the European Council of Culture Ministers on 13 May in Brussels and the forum signed in Cannes by 25 Member States in favour of the European cultural model.

The Lillehammer Kunstmuseum is presenting 'Bonnard and the Nordic Countries' until 19 October, an exhibition dedicated to Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), master of 20th-century colourism. The exhibition highlights Bonnard's influence on Nordic artists, emphasising the aesthetic dialogue between France and Scandinavia since the 1920s. It explores more than a hundred works by Bonnard as well as Nordic pieces inspired by his legacy.

On 13 June, the European Commission proposed that the Council authorise the signing and conclusion of a comprehensive package of agreements with Switzerland, marking a step towards a modernised partnership. The package includes the updating of five agreements on free movement, transport, agriculture, conformity assessment and trade in agricultural products, with a view to bringing them into line with EU law and ensuring fair competition. New agreements extend cooperation in areas such as food safety, health, electricity and space. The European Union and Switzerland will now proceed with the ratification of these agreements.

According to a statement by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, the number of irregular migrant arrivals in the European Union fell by 20% in the first five months of 2025. The largest decreases in irregular crossings were recorded on the Western Balkan route (-56%), the West African route (-35%) and the Eastern Mediterranean route (-30%). There was also a 7% decrease in migrant crossings from Belarus to Poland and the Baltic countries. In its latest report, Frontex reported a 30% decrease in irregular crossings between 2023 and 2024.

The European Space Agency wants to increase its 'autonomy' in the face of uncertainties arising from budget cuts planned by the Trump administration, which would affect several programmes developed in collaboration with NASA, its Director General Josef Aschbacher said on 12 June at the end of the agency's 334th Council meeting.

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King Felipe VI and Spanish Minister of Defence Margarita Robles visited the Cincu military camp in Romania, where they met with Romanian President Nicusor Dan on 10 June. The visit gave the minister an opportunity to speak about the presence of Spanish troops in Romania as proof of the country's commitment to collective defence. She also emphasised NATO's unity in Europe.

One year after the adoption of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the European Commission has presented an encouraging review but stresses that further efforts are needed. Significant progress has been made in areas such as the Eurodac database, border procedures and reception conditions. However, challenges remain, particularly with regard to returns, the identification of reception facilities and coordination between Member States. Full implementation of the pact is scheduled for mid-2026.

According to a study by the Kiel Institute published on 16 June, increased aid from European countries to Ukraine in early 2025 helped fill the gap left by the withdrawal of Donald Trump's new US administration, with Ukraine receiving more aid between January and April 2025 than the average for the same period in previous years.