A new testing environment will give blockchain start-ups the chance to talk to regulators before they put products on the market. A wide range of sectors will be covered - with cryptocurrencies a low priority

It’s been a long time coming, with MEPs having voted it through in December 2012. But advocates say the unitary patent remains relevant and will be a boon for the European economy

Mirroring a change in sentiment across the EU, Germany’s ‘future strategy’ demands more reciprocity from Beijing on access to research data. A separate China strategy, currently debated in government, could also shift German policy

EU is to start negotiations on how to finance its plan to become more self-sufficient in semiconductors – including a €3.3B R&D package. The row over where the money comes from is about to hot up

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared a ‘Zeitenwende’, shifting Germany policy towards a new, wary realism. Research policy has only begun to catch up, says Ruppert Stüwe, German Social Democratic Party MP

With signs a deal is being agreed on the Northern Ireland Protocol, association could be near. But having been shut out of Horizon Europe for two years, the UK hopes to renegotiate financial terms, and wants talks to start now

The move mirrors similar strategies announced by the US and governments in Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine

The Commission’s former regional development chief moves over to head the research directorate, amid hopes his experience in Cohesion policy will be applied to bridge east-west disparities in research and innovation

A new report highlights how the complexity of EU technology-related legislation impacts technology start-ups in the region, with data sharing and privacy laws - and the forthcoming artificial intelligence act - all causing concerns