Other EU
Germany’s EU Presidency Report Card: Did Merkel Succeed or Fail as the EU President? – TLDR News
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For the last six months, Germany has been holding the position as President of the Council of the EU. Going in they had some pretty ambitious targets – but with major disruptions caused by COVID & Brexit we discuss whether Germany achieved their aims & if they were successful stewards of the EU.
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TLDR is all about getting you up to date with the news of today, without bias and without filter. We want to give you the information you need, so you can make your own decision.
TLDR is a super small company, run few people with the help of some amazing volunteers. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, following and backing on Patreon. Thanks!
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1 – https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/presidency-council-eu/
2 – https://www.politico.eu/article/report-card-for-angela-merkel-how-german-eu-council-presidency-performed/
3 – https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-euco-summit-on-track-to-become-longest-on-record/
4 – https://www.politico.eu/article/deal-reached-to-unblock-eu-budget-and-recovery-fund/
5 – https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-move-toward-sanctioning-turkey/
6 – https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-agree-to-cut-emissions-55-percent-by-2030/
7 – https://www.politico.eu/article/report-card-for-angela-merkel-how-german-eu-council-presidency-performed/
8 – https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-13084-2020-REV-1/en/pdf
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Other EU
The EU’s Sneaky Plan to Tax Big Tech Explained
Go to https://hensonshaving.com/TLDR and enter “TLDR” at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase.
In this video, we’ll discuss the EU’s new plan to quietly tax US Big Tech – and whether it could work.
📰 Too Long: https://toolong.news/
🎉 TLDR Party: https://toolong.news/pages/tldr-party
📖 Read our Manifesto: https://tldrnews.co.uk/manifesto
Our mission is to explain news and politics in an impartial, efficient, and accessible way, balancing import and interest while fostering independent thought.
TLDR is a completely independent & privately owned media company that’s not afraid to tackle the issues we think are most important. The channel is run by a small group of young people, with us hoping to pass on our enthusiasm for politics to other young people. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, engaging and sharing. Thanks!
Sources:
The EU’s plan to capture US Big Tech revenue
https://www.ft.com/content/ad06ed89-f600-4694-8c95-7d53b6d3315b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/brussels-looks-capture-big-tech-through-tax-large-corporations-ft-reports-2026-10-07/
EU rejects France’s calls for an EU-wide digital services tax
https://www.ft.com/content/e5a76494-71df-4ee0-a85f-b28f2c94ded6?syn-25a6b1a6=1
https://www.vatcalc.com/global/eu-holds-back-on-digital-services-tax-as-us-raises-retaliation-threat/
EU’s proposed CORE mechanism
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2025/08/28/the-commissions-foray-into-corporate-taxation-a-core-problem-for-the-eu-budget/
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/eu-budget/long-term-eu-budget/eu-budget-2028-2034_en#driving-prosperity-via-competitiveness-research-and-innovation
US exempted from Pillar 2 of OECD’s global minimum corporate tax agreement
https://youtu.be/85voZ2FJhZk?si=6jVOHTB5CBTKvigd
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/06/us-exemption-oecd-global-tax-deal-multinational-companies
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/08/oecd-deal-imposes-global-minimum-corporate-tax-of-15
G7 statement on global minimum tax
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/06/g7-statement-on-global-minimum-taxes.html
https://www.ey.com/en_gl/technical/tax-alerts/canada-g7-releases-statement-on-global-minimum-tax-pillar-two-and-canada-rescinds-digital-services-tax
European Digital Services Taxes (DSTs)
https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/eu/digital-services-taxes-europe/
https://taxfoundation.org/testimony/pillar-one-digital-services-taxes/
https://www.reuters.com/en/germany-seeks-levy-10-tax-online-platforms-like-google-2025-05-29/
Accusations of tax avoidance by Silicon Valley tech companies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/15/silicon-six-accused-of-avoiding-almost-278bn-in-us-corporation-taxes-over-10-years
https://itep.org/trump-meta-tesla-alphabet-amazon-obbba-taxes/
https://itep.org/amazon-alphabet-meta-tesla-pro-trump-tech-companies-avoided-taxes/
0:00 The EU’s Sneaky Plan to Tax US Big Tech Explained
7:36 Sponsor
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Other EU
Has Ukraine De-Russified the Internet?
Go to https://hensonshaving.com/TLDR and enter “TLDR” at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase.
In this video, we will investigate how Russia uses bots for its influence campaigns, how the recent strikes may have affected Russian bots and what this could mean for Russia.
📰 Too Long: https://toolong.news/
🎉 TLDR Party: https://toolong.news/pages/tldr-party
📖 Read our Manifesto: https://tldrnews.co.uk/manifesto
Our mission is to explain news and politics in an impartial, efficient, and accessible way, balancing import and interest while fostering independent thought.
TLDR is a completely independent & privately owned media company that’s not afraid to tackle the issues we think are most important. The channel is run by a small group of young people, with us hoping to pass on our enthusiasm for politics to other young people. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, engaging and sharing. Thanks!
0:00 Has Ukraine De-Russified the Internet?
7:41 Sponsor
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Other EU
Why the Trump-Putin Diesel Deal is Already Falling Apart
Go to https://hensonshaving.com/TLDR and enter “TLDR” at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase.
In this video, we’re going to explain why the Trump-Putin diesel deal is probably illegal; whether it’ll get struck down; and why – either way – it’s a pretty rubbish deal anyway, even from Trump’s perspective.
📰 Too Long: https://toolong.news/
🎉 TLDR Party: https://toolong.news/pages/tldr-party
📖 Read our Manifesto: https://tldrnews.co.uk/manifesto
Our mission is to explain news and politics in an impartial, efficient, and accessible way, balancing import and interest while fostering independent thought.
TLDR is a completely independent & privately owned media company that’s not afraid to tackle the issues we think are most important. The channel is run by a small group of young people, with us hoping to pass on our enthusiasm for politics to other young people. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, engaging and sharing. Thanks!
Sources
Diesel prices/components
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/us-diesel-sales-price-$-per-gallon-w-na-fed-data.html
https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/brent-crude-oil
https://www.ft.com/content/f117f347-e1e0-457c-83fc-ba4745581bb2?syn-25a6b1a6=1
Fuel vs Dem congressional ballot
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2026/09/17/high-petrol-prices-could-hand-democrats-a-mighty-midterm-victory
Trump Truth Social posts
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117412435306815143
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117422699218841250
Zelenskyy comments
https://www.axios.com/2026/10/09/exclusive-zelensky-putin-trump-diesel-deal
https://thehill.com/policy/international/6141601-russia-strikes-ukraine-power-plant/
Laws
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6140830-fitzpatrick-bill-block-russian-oil/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6968
https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/countering-americas-adversaries-through-sanctions-act-related-sanctions
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5025
Reports that Russia lacks refining capacity
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/10/why-is-us-turning-to-russia-for-diesel-despite-sanctions
0:00 Why the Trump-Putin Diesel Deal is Already Falling Apart
7:11 Sponsor
source
Other EU
What Would a “European Security Council” Look Like?
Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 100 people to join Planet Wild with my code NEWSEU10 will get the first month free on me: https://planetwild.com/r/tldrnewseu/join/10
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their mission bringing wildlife back to Bristol: https://planetwild.com/r/tldrnewseu/m43/10
Last month, Ursula von der Leyen announced the formation of a European Security Council that would help to coordinate a response and strategy against hybrid attacks. In this video, we’re taking a look at how this could look like and the hurdles standing in the way.
Von der Leyen’s New Plan for European Independence Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec_4Un6JrAY
📰 Too Long: https://toolong.news/
🎉 TLDR Party: https://toolong.news/pages/tldr-party
📖 Read our Manifesto: https://tldrnews.co.uk/manifesto
Our mission is to explain news and politics in an impartial, efficient, and accessible way, balancing import and interest while fostering independent thought.
TLDR is a completely independent & privately owned media company that’s not afraid to tackle the issues we think are most important. The channel is run by a small group of young people, with us hoping to pass on our enthusiasm for politics to other young people. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, engaging and sharing. Thanks!
Sources:
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/ov/SPEECH_26_1868
https://sieps.se/en/publications/2026/forging-european-strategic-unity-the-case-for-a-european-security-council/
https://www.martenscentre.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/european-security-council-blueprint.pdf
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-greenland-crisis-revives-calls-for-european-security-council/
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/07/future-e3/origins-and-development-e3
https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/the-consultation-process-and-article-4
https://www.iss.europa.eu/publications/commentary/european-security-council-between-strategic-need-and-institutional
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/757822/EPRS_BRI(2024)757822_EN.pdf
00:00 – Introduction
01:52 – Historic Attempts
03:49 – The Alternatives
08:01 – Planet Wild
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Other EU
Spain’s Housing Crisis Explained
Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 100 people to join Planet Wild with my code NEWSEU10 will get the first month free on me: https://planetwild.com/r/tldrnewseu/join/10
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their mission bringing wildlife back to Bristol: https://planetwild.com/r/tldrnewseu/m43/10
As protests take over the streets of dozens of Spanish cities, we explain what caused the country’s housing crisis, how it eventually toppled Sánchez’s government, and what might happen in November.
📰 Too Long: https://toolong.news/
🎉 TLDR Party: https://toolong.news/pages/tldr-party
📖 Read our Manifesto: https://tldrnews.co.uk/manifesto
Our mission is to explain news and politics in an impartial, efficient, and accessible way, balancing import and interest while fostering independent thought.
TLDR is a completely independent & privately owned media company that’s not afraid to tackle the issues we think are most important. The channel is run by a small group of young people, with us hoping to pass on our enthusiasm for politics to other young people. We are primarily fan sourced with most of our funding coming from donations and ad revenue. No shady corporations, no one telling us what to say. We can’t wait to grow further and help more people get informed. Help support us by subscribing, engaging and sharing. Thanks!
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@christopher9727
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
@RannonSi
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
My understanding is that the responsibility for the delays for the vaccine but that the members put all the blame on EU. Do correct me if I'm wrong.
@editorrbr2107
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
The revanchism against Britain via “vaccine safety” was inexcusable and created an artificial scarcity that need not be there — months after the rest of the world had validated the safety of AstraZeneca.
And as for that “backdrop of demographic change,” “migration policy overhaul,” and “security”…well look in the mirror. From Cologne to Malmo to Nice, so much of this mess lies at the feet of Angela Merkel. Europe is going to be dealing with the mess that she created unilaterally for a century, assuming Europe survives.
@Chris-tw9xm
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
I hate the EU countries. Regards, Englishman
@Chris-tw9xm
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Marginally better than hitler
@georgedevries3992
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Yeah true Germany did quite well. Too bad that they didn't do so well in regards taking sides with Greece who is on the brink of war with Turkey. On the contrary, she is flirting with Erdogan all the frigging time. Jeez. Such a disappointment to see Greece being betrayed like that and not ONLY from Germany but from multiple EU countries as well. I mean does the U in EU stand for anything nowadays? Are we a Union or what? It's pretty disappointing when the USA sides more with Greece (for whatever personal interests they have) than fellow EU member Germany.
Same goes with the migrants that are stuck in Greece and Italy (not completely sure how things are going in Italy though…). Those 2 countries are left to fend this problem off themselves. Oh yeah "mb" they do get some money from the EU vaults to tackle this problem so they are "fine" I guess.
@Europeancitizen
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
We Europeans will miss Merkel.
@fadid5372
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
0:59 "Every EU member"
Where's Hungary?
@daniescc9622
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
I will be forever amazed that first world countries consider failures what banana continent Latin America considers a complete victory
@blaertes4976
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Thanks for the migrant crisis lol
@mcvgs1780
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
The Germans did pretty good. Bravo
@dexterding1080
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Obv failed
@wildsurfer12
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
The vaccine rollout was a bigger failure for Germany than Stalingrad.
@zlatko8051
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
If a summit is less than a week.We'll be fine.Could be worse.
@ios_engineer
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Nord Stream 2, coal fired powered power stations, Greta will not be happy.
@rogerdiogo6893
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Germany wants to turn America into a Brasil, and this time around they are being sucessful…
@emiljanorossi8134
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Very poor management especially in external affairs, very slow decision making , in general Germany is blackmailing 5he Europe…. you should do an episode only for that
@Stefan556
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
It's NOT "EU Presidency". It is chairmanship of the "Council of the European Union".
@SocialNomad
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Yeah, do talk about the vaccine rollout!
@RTORC78
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
So Germany runs the EU? As in it’s their train set, do what we say or we won’t let you play. It all makes sense now.
@christheswiss390
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Germany's presidency oversaw the debacle arising from the missmanagement of the vaccines to be purchased and distributed to the EU members. It was the complete failure of a person that – as a minister in her own country – had miserably failed at every single job she was always handed by her girlfriend Angie. Due to her incompetent leadership, thousands more than necessary are dying from Covid in the EU compared to other states. And from the EU we hear: roaring silence. Apart from the blame game towards the industry and the usual framing and spin doctoring of EU propaganda being spewed across the continent at hightened rates.
@LudicrousPlatypus
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
It’s a shame Germany is pushing through a free trade deal with China even though China is using slave labour and concentration camps
@horatiohornblower741
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Failed
@daisyduke4246
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Just seen the anniversary of the holocaust ,and how Germany was rebuilt after the war and to see that in my view they are trying to destroy the world again, my dad was a British paratrooper during the war, he may forgive but I wont
@michaelbritain5546
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Failed just like it did in 1945…
@paulwood6729
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
You skirted over Germany going its own way on purchasing vaccines. Solidarity is something for others apparently.
@panossubasis5532
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
No
@LucasBenderChannel
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Too bad that covid got in the way of more meaningful strides forward. I'm sure Germany would've pushed for some big things, if it weren't for Brexit and the Pandemic, going on at the same time.
@schtreg9140
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Like most EU presidencies it was neither a success or a failure because of a lack of criteria on how to make that decision. The objectives (which I generally tended to agree with) were very vague and not exactly a check list we can go through to put a score under Germany's presidency. Also 6 months is just not a long time. I don't think this is a good way to phrase the question. We shouldn't ask whether presidencies are/were successes or failures, but whether they were done properly and in accordance to the law. I think the commission is a better entity to judge as "success" or "failure".
@Am-hq8xn
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
could u make a video about the blatant corruption of malta labour party
@DJVaughan
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
I would like to know about Europe vaccines rollout.
@MaSilvie
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Wish you made one of these about Romania's first EU presidency. I actually couldn't find anything else about it than the then-PMs opinion piece, I wonder how you feel it went given the begining of Covid and Brexit? Apparently they got a lot of legislation through.
@arrielradja5522
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Fucking hell just make the federation of europe plssss
@rnlspurlock
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Neither. The executive of the EU is the Commission, not Germany. Technically, the EU operates as a Parliamentary inter-governmental member-based system, with a Head of State and a Head of Government. The last being the Commission. But no single state is “president” over the EU. State governments still preside over the Council of Ministers, which is really a European Senate. That’s what’s Germany just got done presiding over. It would be like the state government of Texas presiding over the US Senate for six months. Doesn’t make much sense, but it’s because the EU isn’t a full-fledged federation yet.
@juliand.l.4310
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
She enslaved two continents, Europe and Africa so yes. She (Germany) succeeded. Third try is the charm.
@RidireOiche
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Merkel saw the obstinate, detrimental and untrustworthy uk out of the EU. So, yeah by all accounts that matter, she succeeded.
@apollonmagg4603
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Germany: we need to protect each member state and show solidarity
Also Germany: keeps selling weapons to Turkey……..
@TurKlack
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
How likely is it for Europe to become a single Nation in the future?
Always funny to read the comments. Some are good if you want a surface level understanding of some events, some are simply the regular conspiracy theorists, and most of the comments are beating the previous commenters to death.
@pawog04youtube3
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
This is clearly a video based on no facts. Italy and its pizza island are connected!
@1987fanofyours
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Germany looks always for saving its own arse first, no matter what it takes them to save their economy or their flagship industries like their automobiles; and their Chacellors are very very Pragmatic. Be it from the lengendary Bismarck to Adolf Hitler, or from Helmut Kohl to till Angela Merkel. All concentrate for future of Deustchland und Deutscher. Thats about it. While there is nothing wrong in it, and its good for germany and bad for the world, Germany must stop taking spade of European Unity and human rights and dont try to lecture any dictatorships from now onwards.
@lolbenz
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
They failed.
@hunali7343
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Italy, Portugal and France will leave EU very soon, all anti eu candidates are rising up. I think EU will not exists in the near future as we know it!
@hubertthegreat5076
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Can you do a video of the fall of the Dutch gouvernement and the upcoming elections?
@elihoy5977
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Germany did well.
@JayJay5244
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Hmm first comment section I’ve seen of a video about Germany without a substantial German presence… Did we just win?
@robharris8844U
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Massive failure. Put europe on the precipice of unbridled illegal immigration, has lost the second biggest contributor member country and now is on the verge of losing Poland, Hungary, Italy and slovenia – with ongoing crisis with Denmark and Netherlands. EU is only for one member.
@physiocrat7143
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
The EU ignores the herd of elephants in the room. The entire trade and economic policy needs root and branch reform.
Post Brexit, Ireland is plagued with supply problems and we are even experiencing them in Sweden. Fish prices are going to soar.
What a great success.
@callumbriton4227
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
Would be interesting in a vid comparing UK and EU response to rolling out the vaccine and why the rates are so different.
@simonjandrell5897
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
you should do something on how much they all pay themselves??? get ready for a Shocker!
@simonjandrell5897
February 27, 2024 at 4:34 am
They were all known as Rich Disconnected BUREAUCRATS