European news of the week, 26 urr. – 1 aza. 2026 — New €2 fee on imported parcels

European news of the week

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Customs

New €2 fee on imported parcels

Since 1 November, the European Union has been charging a €2 “handling fee” on all parcels bought online from outside the EU, whatever the value of the items. It comes on top of the €3 tax on parcels worth less than €150, in place since July, and is due for each category of item in the same parcel.

Its aim is to fund stronger customs checks, as 5.9 billion small parcels entered the EU in 2025, four times as many as in 2022, 93% of them from China.

Source : TV5 Monde

Elections in Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s presidential run-off

Bulgarians are voting in the presidential run-off, which pits two candidates with opposing views on the war in Ukraine and on relations with Russia.

The outgoing president, Iliana Yotova, argues for dialogue with Moscow and presents herself as a “president of peace”, while defending Bulgaria’s membership of NATO. Her rival, Andrey Gyurov, a former caretaker prime minister backed by the pro-Western opposition, believes Russia must end its aggression.

Source : Le Monde

Water sports

Start of the Route du Rhum

The 13th edition of the Route du Rhum has set off from Saint-Malo for Pointe-à-Pitre, in Guadeloupe, with boats from several classes: Ultim, Ocean Fifty, Imoca, Vintage and Class40.

A week after Storm Austen passed through, conditions look ideal, with a flat sea and a following wind. There are 115 skippers at the start, including 11 women, a number that has fallen from one edition to the next for the first time this century.

Source : Le Monde

Bosnia

Four dead in crash of European force EUFOR helicopter

An Italian military CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in the north-east of the country. There were 15 people on board: three died in the crash, and a fourth person later died of their injuries at Brcko hospital. According to the Italian Ministry of Defence, the victims are two Italian army soldiers and two members of the Italian Red Cross Voluntary Military Corps.

The aircraft crashed “during a routine operation”, EUFOR said, adding that no civilians were injured and no damage was caused on the ground.

Source : Franceinfo

Switzerland

Bern reopens its diplomatic office in North Korea

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis is the first to visit the country since 2003. He met his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui.

Cassis says he offered Switzerland’s help to facilitate direct political dialogue on both sides of the peninsula, an offer that seems to have been well received, and Seoul hopes the office will help it reconnect with Pyongyang, as the North fired around ten short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday.

Source : Euronews

Protests

At the end of October, anger is not subsiding in Europe.

In France, a third day of protests against the cost of living took place. In Italy, a strike drew marches in more than sixty cities, with tensions in Rome and Turin. In Tirana, Albania, another violent protest took place, with several arrests. In Lisbon, thousands of people marched against the rent reform, before police dismantled their camp. In Germany, school students demonstrated in Berlin against a possible return of compulsory military service, and violence broke out in several cities.

Source : Euronews

EU - Canada

The Montreal Summit

The Montreal Summit of 29 and 30 October has led to the creation of an “Alliance for the Future”.

Trade, critical minerals, energy, artificial intelligence and defence are the main areas of cooperation. The two partners also want to define, by 2027, a closer association of Canada with the EU, without membership.

Source : Conseil européen

Spain

Collision of two high-speed trains near Toledo

On 28 October, a Renfe AVE train and an Iryo train collided in the province of Toledo. According to initial reports, the AVE hit the train that was stationary, and the impact is thought to have occurred at a speed of between 160 and 200 km/h.

The provisional toll is 69 dead and more than 200 injured, among the 538 people travelling on the two trains. Forensic teams have not yet identified all the victims, and 31 injured people remain in hospital.

Source : Franceinfo

Ukraine

Ukrainian residents evacuated from Oleshky

This week, a rare local truce allowed residents of Oleshky, which is occupied by Russia, to be evacuated. The Russian and Ukrainian armies fell silent on Tuesday, then the roads were cleared of mines. About 2,000 residents were left, compared with 24,000 before the invasion.

The operation is being presented as a successful test, but it remains an isolated case: no other evacuation of this kind has been announced.

Source : RTBF