We wish all those celebrating a happy and peaceful Christmas throughout Europe!  What’s your language’s way of wishing everybody a happy Christmas? Let us know in the comments.

As the year draws to a close, here are a few European stories we found uplifting. What headline would you like to see in 2026? Let us know in the comments and we’ll look back again next year.

At first glance, the map suggests Bosnia and Herzegovina is cut off from the sea, surrounded by Croatia’s long Adriatic coastline. A closer look reveals a small but significant opening at Neum, highlighted on the map as the country’s only link to the water.

She’s got the degree. He’s got the job. In 2024, the gender gap in employment across the EU stood at 10 percentage points: 80.8% of working-age men (20–64) were employed, compared to 70.8% of women. This gap persists despite significant progress made by women in the field of education.

The share of people in the EU who consider themselves poor fell to 17.4 percent in 2024, down from 19.1 percent the year before. The decline points to a modest improvement in how households perceive their financial situation across the bloc.

Finland has been ranked as the world’s happiest country for seven consecutive years according to the World Happiness Report. The report, compiled by a consortium of international organizations, compares average life evaluations among citizens in more than 140 countries.

What is your preferred payment method? Cash was the most frequently used payment method at the POS (explanation below) in the euro area and was used in 52% of transactions. This share has declined from 59% in 2022, 72% in 2019 and 79% in 2016.

Europe continues to lead the world in press freedom, with all of the top 15 countries in the latest Reporters Without Borders ranking located on the continent.

Across Europe menstrual equity looks very different from one country to the next. Some states have removed taxes on essential products while others still apply some of the highest rates worldwide.

Household real income per capita in the EU rose by 22 percent since 2004, though not smoothly. Growth held until the financial crisis, stalled from 2008 to 2011, slipped in 2012 and 2013, recovered until the 2020 pandemic drop, then rebounded in 2021 before slowing again.

Education spending varies widely across Europe, with some governments allocating a notably larger share of their budgets to schools and universities than others.

Nearly 6 percent of people in the EU say they faced discrimination while searching for a home with big differences across countries from Spain and Slovenia at the top to several others below one percent.

Europe is struggling to keep its climate promises. The new Climate Change Performance Index shows that some progress is being made, with emissions per person slowly falling and renewable energy growing quickly. However, the overall transition is still far too slow to stay close to the 1.5°C goal.

Are there any wild monkeys in Europe? Yes, in Gibraltar! A population of around 230 monkeys live on the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar on the shores of the Mediterranean.

Sometimes there is still some month left at the end of the money. And rent is becoming an increasingly significant challenge.

Across Europe, diabetes affects almost one in ten adults, yet the burden is far from evenly shared. Countries across the Balkan region as well as Portugal and especially Türkiye show some of the highest prevalence rates in the continent.

Union membership across Europe is moving in different directions. Nordic countries continue to show some of the highest levels of organisation, while several Central and Eastern European countries remain at the lower end. In most of the selected countries membership has fallen compared with 2016.

Ever wondered who's on those fake IDs in movies or sample credit cards?

When you look at this map, one thing stands out. Across Europe, countries experience very different levels of climate impact. The numbers show each country’s position in the worldwide Climate Risk Index 2026 for the years 1995 to 2024. A lower number means a higher toll from extreme weather.

Europe Magazine helps people understand the European continent as a whole, because important developments and stories don’t stop at borders. To continue strengthening this cross-border perspective, we are looking for people who want to contribute their skills and grow along the way.

The EF English Proficiency Index 2024 remains a key reference point for understanding global English skills.

Women continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles across the European Union. In 2024, women held only around 35% of senior positions on average in the EU.

In 2022 almost one in seven people in the EU earned a low wage. This is defined as earning less than two thirds of the median wage, making it a measure of wage structures within each country.

Behind every political decision lies a personal signature. These autographs stand for authority, responsibility and the power to shape Europe’s future. Which of these leaders do you feel has the strongest influence on Europe today? And which Signature do you like the most?

The seasonal clock change took place from Saturday to Sunday, and many people are still adjusting to it today. Twice a year our rhythm shifts as most European countries move the clock forward in spring and back again in autumn.

Iceland has lost its rare status as one of the world’s last mosquito-free places after three specimens were confirmed near Reykjavík. The insects were lured by a sugared wine rope placed by a local insect enthusiast, leading scientists to verify the first documented wild mosquitoes in the country.

It is getting colder again across Europe and more households are struggling with energy costs. Bulgaria and Greece record the highest share of people unable to heat their homes at 19 %, followed by Lithuania and Spain. The EU average sits at 9.2 percent, showing a clear divide between countries.

In the small twin towns of Baarle Hertog and Baarle Nassau the border between Belgium and the Netherlands twists through streets doorways and even living rooms. What looks like one village is in reality a mosaic of tiny enclaves inside enclaves.

Traditional media remains strong across Europe. According to the Eurobarometer Social Media Survey 2025, two-thirds of respondents rely on TV, radio, and newspapers to stay informed about social and political current affairs.

Cozy season is here. Time to wrap yourself in a blanket, make a cup of tea, and watch your favorite films. Do you prefer to watch foreign films with subtitles rather than dubbed?

In 2024, 6.4 percent of people in the European Union lived in severe material and social deprivation. This means they could not afford at least seven out of thirteen basic items that define a decent standard of living.

Unemployment in the European Union has seen significant shifts over the past 15 years. After peaking in the early 2010s, the overall rate steadily declined, reaching a low of 5.9% in 2024. The economic shock of the COVID-19 crisis briefly reversed this trend, but recovery followed quickly.

France faces renewed political turmoil as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigns just 27 days after taking office, the shortest time in office for any French head of government since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958.

The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights has released the European Abortion Policies Atlas 2025. It maps abortion laws, policies and access across Europe, using four criteria: legal status, access, clinical care and service delivery, and information.

In 2022, people in the European Union wasted on average 129 kilograms of food per person. Food waste here means food and inedible parts that entered the food supply chain but were then discarded and treated as waste.

Moldova’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity has secured a decisive victory in parliamentary elections, winning just over 50 percent of the vote. The result gives President Maia Sandu’s party a new majority, a crucial step as she pushes for closer ties with the European Union.

When do young people leave the nest? In Croatia, Slovakia and Greece, young people stay in the parental home the longest, often well into their early thirties. At the other end of the scale, young adults in Finland, Denmark and Sweden move out much earlier, typically around 21 or 22 years old.

A growing number of European nations are moving to recognise Palestine, accelerating a diplomatic shift that gained fresh momentum this week.

Online banking has become the norm in many parts of the EU, with countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland leading the way as more than 90 percent of people handle their finances digitally.

Liechtenstein became the most recent country in Europe to allow same-sex couples to marry. This visual shows the year in which each European country introduced marriage equality. The Netherlands was the first in the world to do so in 2001, setting a precedent that many others would follow.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her 2025 State of the Union speech, framing it as Europe’s “Independence Moment.” She warned that the continent faces an unforgiving world shaped by war, shifting power blocs, and rising costs of living.

Russia’s hostility toward Europe reaches far beyond Ukraine. Sabotage attacks against undersea cables, dams or satellite systems illustrate how the Kremlin seeks to destabilize the continent by targeting its critical infrastructure.

Do you think the EU’s voice counts in the world? A new Eurobarometer survey shows that most Europeans believe the EU’s voice counts on the world stage. On average, 71% across the member states agree with this statement, while 27% disagree. The numbers, however, vary widely from country to country.

In 2024, 8.5% of people in EU households could not afford a meal containing meat, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent every other day.

Who are Europe’s biggest dog lovers? In Hungary, every second household lives with a dog, while Poland and Romania are not far behind. Western Europe paints a different picture: in France and Germany, only about one in five households counts a dog as part of the family.

For the first time, all 32 NATO members are projected to meet the 2 percent of GDP benchmark for defence in 2025, according to figures released on 28 August 2025.

Can you imagine your life without the internet? For most people, the internet has become as essential as the air we breathe, shaping nearly every aspect of our daily lives.

Denmark plans to abolish its 25% VAT on books, the highest rate in the world, in an effort to tackle what officials call a growing “reading crisis.” The government hopes that lower prices will encourage more people, especially children, to pick up books.

Ever wondered why the UK is +44, France +33 or why some countries only received their own codes decades later? Europe’s telephone numbers carry a hidden history of politics, power and technology.

Diplomacy was on display at the White House as Donald Trump met with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in an effort to push forward negotiations on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The talks presented a largely united front, but left many key issues unresolved.