Time for some celebration! Europe Express, the Financial Times's morning briefing on all things European, won the best newsletter award by WAN-IFRA! Testament to Henry Foy and Laura Dubois' efforts to bring essential, short and insightful analysis in readers' inboxes day after day👏

NEW: The EU is trying to find legal ways that *don't* involve sanctions that will allow companies to break long term gas deals with Russia but avoid paying heavy compensation to Moscow. Scoop ft.com/content/1c126e… w/ Andrew Bounds

Brussels is exploring legal options that would allow European companies to break long-term Russian gas contracts without paying hefty penalties to Moscow, ⁦alicemhancock⁩ and ⁦Andrew Bounds⁩ report on.ft.com/3Gcgnr5

EU warns over unsafe cosmetics imported from China on.ft.com/4jCc72E

DG MEME stands close to the Christian community in this difficult hour and warns not to take any rash decision. RIP Pope Francis.

EU imposes limited fines on Apple and Meta amid US trade tensions ft.com/content/09af8a… via @ft

The European Commission is set to investigate Universal Music Group’s planned $775mn acquisition of independent music services company Downtown Music, amid claims the deal will give too much power to the industry’s largest player. With Anna Nicolaou on.ft.com/42Mk4v6

I asked our in-house AI to jazz up a Europe Day 2025 press release...and got a 1980s travel brochure🙄: But wait, there’s more! In a world that's a bit all over the place right now, Europe is your rock—championing opportunities, security & all those core values we care about.

What is the future of the EU’s ambitious battery goals? after Northvolt’s collapse? From big manufacturers in France to start ups with leading tech in the Netherlands such as Northvolt . With Ian Johnstone on.ft.com/4jLNyjG via @financialtimes

Spain and Portugal hit by huge power outage on.ft.com/3GvwVdK

The big question: How did Spain’s electricity grid collapse? enterprise-sharing.ft.com/redeem/2c6b7c4… via @financialtimes

Why the EU beats Trump at the art of the deal on.ft.com/3SlwTI0

+++ To make the EU negotiations more interesting a temporary chimney will be installed on top of the Council building

BREAKING EU eyes tariffs on Boeing jets in retaliation plan with Sylvia Pfeifer and Ian Johnston on.ft.com/3F2jy4g via @financialtimes

FTC chairman Ferguson in Edinburgh right now. He’s offered a damming assessment of the EU’s landmark digital rules.

Good chat with Paola Tamma at the EU Tax Observatory this afternoon. It was great to see so many tax enthusiasts in the room. We had an in-depth exchange on CBAM, Pillar 1 and 2 and other top priorities on the taxation front.

EU cuts growth outlook as tariffs fuel uncertainty ft.com/content/fd16af…

Opinion: FT Alphaville would like to wish the best of luck to all the traders currently being forced to have conversations with their colleagues on.ft.com/3YUgVIN

Netherlands down a Nobel Prize as winner loses his Dutch nationality dlvr.it/TLh0j9

The EPPO and Police Luxembourg conducted multiple searches in a suspected €23 million subsidy fraud involving EU regional development funds for the public transport in Luxembourg 🇱🇺. Read more: eppo.europa.eu/en/media/news/…