Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap!
The EU has announced it will launch the rollout of its new entry system involving fingerprinting and facial recognition instead of passport wet stamping on 12 October (12:41).
Multiple leaders from EU countries lined up to warn about the consequences of the EU-US tariff deal agreed on the weekend, stressing that even thought it’s better than no deal, it would likely still hit the bloc’s economies, including France (14:41), Germany (14:05), and Italy (16:15).
Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador to Rome after comments by the country’s president and two ministers were listed on the Russian government’s website as an example of Russophobic behaviour (12:26), with prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressing her solidarity and criticising Moscow for “yet another propaganda operation” (15:56).
Ukraine’s parliament will vote on a new law on Thursday that would restore independence to two anti-corruption bodies, backtracking on a controversial law passed last week that curtailed their powers and led to a political crisis (17:28).
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Ukraine parliament to vote on law to restore powers of anti-corruption bodies
in Kyiv
Ukraine’s parliament will vote on a new law on Thursday that would restore independence to two anti-corruption bodies, backtracking on a controversial law passed last week that curtailed their powers and led to a political crisis.
Last week’s legal changes prompted rare wartime street protests against the president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and accusations that the presidential office was trying to protect powerful associates from anti-corruption investigations.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Kyiv and other cities, while European leaders spoke with Zelenskyy and made it clear that funding for Kyiv could be affected if he was seen to be hampering anti-corruption efforts.
Surprised and alarmed by the strength of the reaction, Zelenskyy announced late last week that he had listened to the criticism and would table a new law.
“It seems they really miscalculated, they completely underestimated the strength of the reaction,” said a western diplomat based in Kyiv.
Several European leaders spoke last week with Zelenskyy about the law, urging him to find a way out of the crisis. “It was important for him to hear it from his peers,” said the diplomat. European officials have also cautiously criticised the bill in public.
Over the past few week or so, we covered the controversial Ukrainian law changing the way the country’s anti-corruption agencies work, and the later U-turn from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proposing a new bill to address some of the issues that attracted widespread criticism across Europe.
So, let’s go to Shaun Walker in Kyiv for the latest.
Hundreds evacuated after series of rockfalls in Italy’s Brenta Dolomites
Separately, hundreds of hikers and tourists were evacuated and dozens of trails closed after a series of rockfalls on the slopes of Cima Falkner in the Brenta Dolomites in the north of Italy, as experts warned of a sharp rise in landslides in the area linked to thawing permafrost.
In recent days, visitors reported hearing loud booms followed by rockfalls and thick clouds of dust rising from Monte Pelmo in the Val di Zoldo after rocky pinnacles broke away and crashed down into the valley below in the municipality of Selva di Cadore in Italy’s Belluno province.
Another collapse was recorded on Cima Falkner, where experts say the entire area is undergoing a process of erosion linked to rising temperatures and the wider climate emergency.
Rockfalls have always occurred in the Dolomites, but experts this year warned of a striking rise in the number of collapses, driven by extreme heat and weather events intensified by the climate crisis.
German Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier dies in climbing accident in Pakistan
The German double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died after a mountaineering accident in Pakistan, her management confirmed on Wednesday.
The accident occurred at around noon on Monday, at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres at Laila Peak, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Tuesday.
Dahlmeier was climbing with her mountaineering partner when she was struck by a sudden rockfall in the Hushe Valley, part of the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.
“Laura Dahlmeier died on 28 July in a mountain accident on Laila Peak (6,069 metres) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range,” her representatives told Germany’s Die Welt newspaper. “A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July.”
Dahlmeier’s representatives added that she most likely died instantly, while her mountaineering partner was unharmed and remained at the site. Poor weather conditions have prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the location.
US tariffs under EU-US deal to hit Italian economy, minister warns
Italian economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti is the latest senior EU minister warning that the US tariffs under the new EU-US deal will have a significant impact on the economy.
The EU-US deal on tariffs agreed last weekend would have a cumulative, negative impact on Italian GDP of a maximum 0.5% next year, he added, in comments reported by Reuters.
First industry estimates, quoted by the Italian media, indicated a €3bn-4bn damage to the Italian economy, with agri-food and wine believed to be among most affected.
Separately, a survey of 150 Italian companies conducted by Promos Italia, quoted by Corriere della Sera, showed that 71% companies said they would face difficulties exporting to the US, and 77% were dissatisfied with the way the negotiations were handled. 46% expected to change their commercial relations with the US as a result.
Meloni offers solidarity to Italy's president, ministers targeted by Russia
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has backed the country’s president Sergio Mattarella and two government ministers after they were criticised by Russia for making allegedly “Russophobic” comments (12:26).
In a statement on the government’s website, Meloni said:
“The publication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a list of alleged ‘Russophobes’ accused of ‘inciting hatred’ against Russia is nothing more than yet another propaganda operation, aimed at diverting attention from Moscow’s grave responsibility, well known to the international community and which the international community has condemned from the outset.”
She added that Italy “has firmly chosen to stand alongside Ukraine in the face of the brutal war of aggression unleashed by Russia three years ago, and continues to guarantee its support to the Ukrainian people in their heroic resistance.”
EU not feared enough, Macron reportedly told ministers on EU-US trade deal
French president Emmanuel Macron reportedly told ministers that the EU-US deal reached at the weekend showed the bloc had not managed to be “feared” by US president Donald Trump.
“To be free, you need to be feared. We were not feared enough,” he was quoted as telling ministers.
Macron also reportedly said that “this is not the end of the story, and we will not stop there – this is a first step in a negotiation process that will continue,” according to comments relayed to journalists by French officials and reported by BFMTV, Le Figaro and AFP.
Separately, French government spokesperson Sophie Primas told journalists that the government welcomed the stability arising from the new EU-US trade deal reached over the weekend, but offered an equally mixed response to the agreement.
She said that the government was pleased with the fact that some of the “red lines” on agricultural products, health and safety standards, VAT, and digital services were respected throughout the negotiations.
But she also repeated the ministerial criticism that the agreement was “unbalanced” and pointed out that there remained some uncertainty about the finer details of the deal, which needed to be negotiated to get “sector by sector” clarity of the final terms of the agreement.
French prime minister François Bayrou previously said the EU had capitulated to Donald Trump’s threats of ever-increasing tariffs, as he labelled the framework deal struck in Scotland on Sunday as a “dark day” for the EU.
Primas repeatedly declined to say what the president’s view of the deal was, but revealed that French president Emmanuel Macron made it clear to ministers that Europe needs to double down on its efforts to improve its competitiveness, sovereignty and reduce its dependence on foreign services.
EU-US trade deal will hit German economy, finance minister says, as he laments 'weak' EU negotiations
Speaking of the EU-US trade deal, German finance minister Lars Klingbeil joined the growing list of national leaders expressing their dissatisfaction with the agreement today, saying he feared it would hit the German economy.
“I have no illusions about it, it is rather growth-weakening,” Klingbeil said in the presentation of the 2026 draft budget as per Reuters, lamenting that the EU was “too weak” in the negotiations.
“I would have wished for a different outcome,” he said, before adding:
“Still, all in all, it is good that there is an agreement with the US, that there are no further escalations.“
Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump has offered a reminder that his self-imposed deadline for trade deals is coming up on Friday, posting on Truth Social:
THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE IS THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE — IT STANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED. A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!
He then added, with the same, erm, characteristic sense of urgency:
AUGUST FIRST, A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA!!!
As explained earlier, the EU is working out the finer details of the EU-US deal to progress with its implementation (11:37).
Russia claims it is 'immune' to sanctions, dismissing Trump's threat
Back to Ukraine, Russia has claimed it developed some immunity to sanctions because it had lived under a huge number of them for a long time, Reuters reported.
The latest response from the Kremlin comes as Russia continues to assess the recent declaration by US president Donald Trump signalling a 10-day deadline for reaching a ceasefire in Ukraine under the threat of economic sanctions against Moscow.
Updated
EU to start rolling out its biometrics entry system for non-EU visitors from October
in Brussels
The EU has announced it will launch the rollout of its new entry system involving fingerprinting and facial recognition instead of passport wet stamping on 12 October.
The EU entry exit system (EES) system is being introduced ahead of the midterm break on schools and will impact any tourists or business travellers who are not EU citizens, including Britons.
“From 12 October onwards, member states will start introducing the EES gradually over a period of six months. Border authorities will progressively register the data of third country nationals crossing the borders. At the end of this period, the EES will be fully deployed at all border crossing points,” the EU said in a statement.
The plan to capture biometrics is part of the EU’s wider “smart border” programme which will allow the EU to speed up the entry of pre-approved frequent non-EU travellers while at the same time fighting against irregular migration.
Fingerprinting machines are already visible at the Eurostar terminal in London with kiosks being built for car, bus and truck passengers in Dover.
Passengers will be required to have their fingerprints or facial image verified but not both after passing through a border for the first time.
Once up and running fully it will be British tourists and other non-EU visitors will no longer have their passports stamped.
It will also enable the EU to see, at a glance, whether the passenger is overstaying.
“The is an advanced technological system that will digitally record the entries and exits of non-EU nationals travelling to 29 European countries, including Schengen Associated ones, for short stays. It will capture biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial image, and other travel information, gradually replacing the current system of passport stamping,” the European Commission said.
Road transport operators including the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel had hoped an app would be ready for the launch of the EES, but it has been delayed as each member state works to integrate it into their own immigration system, which are of national, rather than EU, competency.
The rollout will take place over six months.
The EES requirements do not apply to all non-EU citizens with exclusions, for instance, for those with residence permits and passport holders from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland or their family members.
Updated
Italy summons Russian ambassador over inclusion of president, ministers on list with 'examples of Russophobia'
The Italian foreign ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador to Rome, Alexei Paramonov, after comments by the country’s president, foreign and defence ministers were listed on the Russian government’s website as “examples of Russophobia.”
The lengthy list, published last week, includes quotes from politicians from Bulgaria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, the EU, France, Germany, Greece, Nato, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, and the US.
For Italy, the list includes the country’s president Sergio Mattarella, foreign minister Antonio Tajani and defence minister Guido Crosetto.
In a much-covered speech in Marseille (Europe Live on 6 February), Mattarella made a reference comparing the sentiments behind the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the rise of Nazi Germany.
The Italian foreign ministry’s press release said that Tajani “considered the inclusion of the head of state on this list a provocation to the Republic and the Italian people.”
EU hold talks with US on 'finessing' trade deal, implementing it legally
in Brussels
The European Commission held phone calls with officials in Washington yesterday with intense work under way to finesse the precise list of goods on the zero-for-zero tariff list.
This is expected to be completed before a joint statement is made giving the detail to the headlines agreed at Donald Trump’s golf course on Sunday.
The US is expected to implement its part of the deal by executive orders by Donald Trump before Friday with the EU still determining what legal instrument it will use to give legal effect to the deal, a move that is unlikely to happen this week.
The EU will seek to copper-fasten the deal legally to guard against any attempts at changes by the US.
Yesterday Howard Lutnick gave the impression that it may yet seek guarantees from the EU that there is no tech tax.
The EU declined to comment on his remarks on CNBC in which he described the deal as “sensational” but insisted it retained the sovereign right to legislation however it saw fit.
It is not clear what the timeline on giving the deal legal effect on the EU side is but nothing is expected before Friday.
Tariff changes on the EU side involving an elimination of import duties are not as transformative to the trade relations with the US, said EU officials as more than 90% of goods the US sells into the EU attract either a zero tariff, or what an official described as a “nuisance tariff” or negligible tariff.
Emergency services battling wildfires in Spain and Portugal
Elsewhere, I am also keeping an eye on wildfires in Spain and Portugal as southern Europe continues to experience extreme temperatures this summer.
Two wildfires broke out earlier this week in Cuevas del Valle in Castilla y León and in Las Hurdes in Extremadura regions of Spain, with firefighters still battling them on Wednesday morning with some residents having to evacuate their homes.
The latest dramatic footage shared by the local authorities showed the contuining blaze captured from drones.
Over in Portugal, while fires remain active in three areas if the country, they are reportedly closer to being under control. In Ponte de Lima, there is a six-kilometer active front, Diario de Noticias reported, with firefighters suffering from shortage of resources to fight the fire.
Some parts of the country are set to be hit by another day of 40 degree heat today, with medium and high fire alert in multiple regions and most concern in the north of the country.
The EU’s Copernicus programme captured the impact of the wildfires in Arouca and Ponte de Barca in a satellite picture posted on its Instagram page.
France builds coalition of countries pushing for recognition of Palestinian state
One other topic to watch is the European reaction to France and the UK’s calls to recognise a Palestinian state.
On Tuesday night, the foreign ministers of 15 countries issued a joint statement backing such move.
France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on X that the group “invite those who have not yet done so to join us,” with AFP noting that Paris is trying to “build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state.”
The group of 15 countries also include Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain, as well as countries outside Europe such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
German, Italian economies shrink 0.1% in second quarter
Elsewhere, we are getting the latest economic figures from Germany and Italy with both reporting -0.1% GDP growth in the second quarter.
Our business blog has more on the figures and their significance for the rate of growth in the eurozone.
Morning opening: D-9 for Trump, Russia and Ukraine
“The Russians want to continue the war. This war can only be stopped through force,” Andriy Yermak, the most senior aide to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warned this morning after another night of Russian attacks.
A missile strike on a Ukrainian training unit killed three and injured 18, following a pattern of similar attacks on Ukrainian training centres in recent months.
US president Donald Trump said last night he would give Russia ten days to cease fire – so that’s until 8 August – or face crippling economic sanctions.
On his way back to the US from Scotland, he said the clock was ticking with 10 days to go. And since that was technically yesterday, we’re on D-9 today.
The key question is what Trump will actually do when the clock runs down to zero, and this is exactly what Yermak’s comments this morning are about. Expect more of that language from various European leaders, joining Ukraine in the effort to push Trump into taking meaningful actions.
Elsewhere, we are obviously following the tsunami warnings issued across the Pacific region after a major 8.8 magnitude earthquake in far east of Russia with all live updates here …
… but on Europe live we will be looking also at the French government’s consultations with industries affected by the new EU-US deal, the wildfires in Portugal, and much more.
I will bring you all key updates from across Europe here.
It’s Wednesday, 30 July 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
