Since her reappointment to the helm of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has continued to tighten her grip on the institution, reshaping it to such a degree that some wonder how much power her fellow commissioners truly hold.

Podcaster, negotiator, good guy; a one-time nuclear sceptic with an ability to reach across the aisle — observers within and outside the Brussels bubble have plenty to say about Dan Jørgensen, the EU executive’s most senior energy official. Contexte takes a closer look at the commissioner tasked with shepherding one of Europe’s most polluting sectors through a highly consequential transition.

The European Commission has finally unveiled its €2-trillion proposal for the 2028-2034 EU budget — and there’s plenty for energy and climate watchers to dig into. With a fivefold boost in cross-border energy infrastructure spending, 35% of funds earmarked for green priorities, and a notable new role for nuclear, Contexte sets out some key points to take away.

On 17 June, the European Commission proposed its boldest move yet to cut ties with Russian gas: a complete import ban by 2028. But behind the strong political message lie serious legal and financial risks, with billions in compensation potentially at stake and arbitration cases looming.

Long confined to the margins of EU energy policy, the nuclear industry is trying to find its voice in Brussels. Trade association NuclearEurope is under pressure from its members to raise its profile, modernise its lobbying, and step out of France’s shadow — but overcoming scepticism remains an uphill battle.

A multi-billion-euro deal to build two nuclear reactors in southern Czechia, frozen by a Brno court after South Korea’s KHNP outbid EDF, is having significant political consequences. Czech ministers have accused the French state-owned energy company of meddling in their domestic politics in an election year; the involvement as an EU arbiter of Stéphane Séjourné, France’s commissioner in Brussels, has obliged him to deny accusations of national bias. The prospect of an escalating row with Prague has led even some officials in Paris to think the affair might have gone too far, and that EDF might end up being asked to rein itself in.