EUobserver

Volkswagen has received €1.5bn in German subsidies for electric vehicle development while simultaneously lobbying the European Union to impose tougher measures on Chinese carmakers, EUobserver reports. The report has drawn criticism over the automaker relying on state support at home while pushing for protection against foreign competition in the European market.

EUobserver reports that a Chinese company making smart adult toys allegedly supplied technology used in Russian weapons deployed against Ukraine, exposing a gap in EU sanctions enforcement. The report raises questions about how components linked to consumer electronics firms end up in Russian military systems and whether existing EU sanctions rules are equipped to catch such indirect supply routes.