NEU newsletter for the European Union

 

ISSUE No. 227 26 MAY 2025

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European Resilience – Blackouts, Energy Supply and Crisis Management How to ensure energy stability in the EU Energy Supply and Migration: The Overlooked Connection Shaping Europe’s Future EU resilience after the blackout in Spain and Portugal Investing in resilience before the next blackout The Day the Lights Went Out: The 2025 Iberian Blackout and Its Economic Shockwaves SME Fund 2025 ‘Ideas Powered for Business`

EDITORIAL  European Resilience – Blackouts, Energy Supply and Crisis Management The recent blackout that struck Spain and Portugal on April 28, 2025, exposed critical weaknesses in Europe’s energy infrastructure. Within seconds, over 60% of Spain’s electricity demand vanished, paralyzing transport, communications, and essential services. The causes are still under investigation, but a failure in the connection with the French grid is suspected to have triggered a chain reaction across the Iberian power system. Click here to read the article

ENERGY How to ensure energy stability in the EU The general blackout that hit Spain, Portugal and parts of southern France on 28 April has highlighted the critical points of the European energy system, opening a debate on the resilience of the continental grid and the role of renewable energy in this dynamic. Although the reason for the problem has not yet been ascertained, much has been said about the vulnerability of a power grid that is not able to guarantee sufficient backup and that therefore exposes the economic system of a single nation or potentially the entire European Union to a drop in electricity of this magnitude, with potentially disastrous consequences.  Click here to read the article

MIGRATION Energy Supply and Migration: The Overlooked Connection Shaping Europe’s Future Europe stands at a pivotal moment as it navigates the complex challenges of an ongoing energy transition and sustained migration flows. Amid these pressures, a critical yet often overlooked question arises: does the availability and reliability of energy—particularly electricity—influence migration patterns both within and into the European Union? Emerging research and policy analyses suggest a decisive yes, revealing connections that stretch from rural communities to the corridors of EU governance. Energy availability is not merely a technical concern but a fundamental driver of economic activity, employment, and quality of life. Regions with abundant, reliable, and affordable energy tend to attract migrants due to the economic opportunities they offer. Empirical evidence from 20 EU countries between 2008 and 2021 confirms a causal relationship between higher energy consumption—often a proxy for economic vitality—and increased migration inflows.  Click here to read the article

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS EU resilience after the blackout in Spain and Portugal The word “resilience” has gained huge relevance in the European public sphere in recent times, as the impact of different crises, from the global pandemic to the war in Ukraine and the consequent inflation dynamic, has shown. Energy has a peculiar role in such a context, and energy security has become a key issue for European leaders, as well as for companies across the whole continent and the EU households. The nationwide blackout that occurred on April 28th in the Iberian Peninsula, affecting both the Spanish and Portuguese energy grids, opened a new discussion about the resilience of European countries in front of such problems.  Click here to read the article

FUTURE EUROPE Investing in resilience before the next blackout On 28th April 2025, a massive blackout swept across Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and parts of southern France, plunging millions into darkness and disrupting essential services such as transport, communications, and payments. While power was largely restored within 24 hours, the incident exposed critical vulnerabilities in Europe’s energy infrastructure and underscored the urgent need for coordinated crisis management and investment in resilience.  Click here to read the article

ECONOMY The Day the Lights Went Out: The 2025 Iberian Blackout and Its Economic Shockwaves  On April 28, 2025, at exactly 12:33 CET, the Iberian Peninsula was abruptly plunged into darkness, as Spain and Portugal—together home to over 55 million people—suffered the most significant blackout Western Europe has seen in decades. The sudden loss of power halted daily life in its tracks, silencing the usual hum of modern infrastructure and creating ripple effects across transport, commerce, public services, and industry. For hours, trains were stalled, traffic lights failed, flights were delayed, hospitals operated on emergency generators, and millions were left grappling with the consequences of a massive, unforeseen disruption. Investigations into the incident, led by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), initially ruled out cyberattacks, instead pointing to a cascade of internal failures in the high-voltage grid.  Click here to read the article

FUNDING SME Fund 2025 ‘Ideas Powered for Business’ The European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) have launched the SME Fund 2025 ‘Ideas Powered for Business’, a funding program dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them protect and capitalize on their intangible assets.  Click here to read the article

NEU - Newsletter for the European Union: Editorial Team www.newslettereuropean.eu

Editorial director:  Nicola Frau Chief editor: Nenad Stekić

Contributors: Margherita Genua Francesco Marino Nenad Stekic Cristina Ceccarelli