World
Will Warsaw become the seat of a new EU agency? To be decided in March
At stake is prestige, hundreds of jobs and influence over how the European Union will protect its economic borders for decades to come. The new office is expected to be operational this year and will become fully operational two years later.
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Who will Warsaw face?
The list of candidates is long. In addition to Warsaw, the following are Liège (Belgium), Malaga (Spain), Lille (France), Zagreb (Croatia), Rome (Italy), The Hague (Netherlands), Porto (Portugal) and Bucharest (Romania).
Each city plays its own card. The Hague is promoting closer ties with Europol. Belgium and France are betting on logistics.
Poland is bringing geopolitical and operational arguments to the table: Warsaw is already home to the EU border agency Frontex, and the Polish government argues that, in an age of hybrid warfare, security and the synergy among these institutions are key.
The argument is simple: since customs officers and guards are fighting the same threats, they should work side by side.
Why is it worth the effort?
“On the one hand, hosting the headquarters of the EUCA offers more opportunities to actively participate in the process of reforming the customs union. On the other hand, it is an economic growth opportunity for the host city,” Małgorzata Krok, Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Finance and Economy for the application to establish the headquarters of the EU Customs Authority (EUCA), told Euronews.
“The new agency means increased business and tourist traffic, as well as the arrival of EUCA employees with their families. The EUCA is expected to eventually employ 250 people, but this number may increase in the future,” she said.
“Warsaw offers direct flights to all EU countries, as well as to candidate and partner countries. The synergy with Frontex, the proximity to all types of border crossings and the experience of our administration in customs matters and the creation of large-scale tax and customs IT systems, create optimal conditions for the development of the EUCA,” Krok added.
Polish diplomats also point out, behind the scenes, the weaknesses of rivals, noting that being a logistical hub for e-commerce, like Belgium or the Netherlands, in the era of the flood of cheap parcels from Asia can be a burden.
Poland’s biggest rival, however, is identified as France, which has been courting the agency for quite some time.
Not only taxes, but also security and technology
“The role of the tax collector has evolved into a guardian of the single market, the competitiveness of the economy and the security of citizens. It’s not just a question of smuggling or terrorism, but product compliance,” Magdalena Rzeczkowska, former Minister of Finance, added in an interview with Euronews. Rzeczkowska also previously managed the National Tax Administration and observed the evolution of customs from paper declarations to the digital age.
The former minister draws attention to our asset, namely the Frontex seat. The argument about the synergy of institutions is considered crucial, especially in the context of the security of the eastern flank: “We are talking about integrated border management, and this synergy is an important element. It is at the interface of the work of these institutions that security can really be built.”
Furthermore, the former minister points out that EUCA will also be a technology hub. “It should definitely not be officials in a suit, for the reason that the main task will be not only to build but also to maintain the EU Customs Data Hub,” she points out.
Rzeczkowska is echoed by Minister Krok: “The heart of the current customs reform will precisely be the data hub. The agency itself, on the other hand, will be the brain, analysing customs issues and risk at the EU level. With this, the agency has the potential to become a research and development centre in the customs area.”
What is the Customs Data Hub?
The struggle for localisation is only one dimension of the story. The real challenge is what the EUCA is supposed to manage: The EU Customs Data Hub.
Experts call this system the ‘nervous system’ of the new customs union. Instead of 27 separate national systems, the Union wants to create a single, unified database. This is supposed to enable real-time tracking of goods and the detection of dangerous products using artificial intelligence.
The reform is being driven by the crisis. According to European Commission forecasts, 5.6 billion parcels, the vast majority of which come from China, were expected to enter the Union in 2025. The current system is inefficient, and customs officials themselves are unable to physically control such a mass. The result? Europeans lose billions of euros in unpaid customs duties and taxes. It is this system that the new authority aims to seal.
However, business warns: without cooperation with the private sector (courier companies, e-commerce platforms), the construction of the ‘Data Hub’ could end up paralysing trade. The logistics industry has warned that the deadlines for implementing the changes are very tight and that the technical specifications remain unclear.
The industry itself adds that, without consultation with practitioners, the ambitious digital reform could lead to bottlenecks that will hit European consumers. At the same time, the Polish bid relies precisely on the argument that only a ‘digital stronghold’ with experience in crisis management will bear the burden.
This is why Warsaw, in fighting for the EUCA, is bidding not just to host officials, but to be the operational centre that must bear the biggest customs reform in the history of the European Union.
EUCA. The backstage of the competition
And what does the behind-the-scenes look like at the moment? Here, Minister Rzeczkowska is under no illusions about the nature of the choice of seat: “At the end of the day, it will be a political decision, although it shouldn’t quite be. We should look from the point of view of the independence of the institution”.
“We made a conscious decision to run for this office because we believe that it is in Warsaw that it will develop best. We are now actively persuading the decision-makers to do so,” indicates Krok, recalling that the decision will be made by the EU Council and the European Parliament.
The final verdict will come in March 2026. That is when it will become clear whether Brussels prefers to bet on the proven trade routes of the west or on a digital shield on the eastern flank – and whether the centre of gravity is finally shifting to the east in Europe’s new architecture.
World
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over ceasefire violations
World
Keir Starmer reportedly considering stepping down as PM and could announce timetable for departure
British PM Keir Starmer could face leadership challenge amid internal troubles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces significant internal pressure following Andy Burnham’s special election win, potentially triggering a leadership contest. Starmer is under fire for economic pressures, illegal immigration issues, and controversies surrounding his previous role in prosecuting grooming gangs. Elon Musk also accused Starmer of complicity.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly considering stepping down and could announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, according to a report published Saturday.
Britain’s Observer newspaper reported that Starmer was discussing his future with his wife at his Chequers country residence before making a final decision.
The outlet reported that senior Labour Party figures expect a statement addressing his future as early as next week.
A government source told Reuters that Starmer remains focused on governing and pointed to previous comments in which he vowed to remain in office.
AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer awaits Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday. (Isabel Infantes/Pool Reuters via AP)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the prime minister’s office for comment.
Pressure on Starmer has been building for months amid growing dissatisfaction within his party and concerns over the government’s handling of the economy and cost-of-living issues.
The political threat to Starmer intensified Friday after rival Andy Burnham won a seat in Parliament, positioning him to mount a formal leadership challenge.
LABOUR MP PUTS CABINET ‘ON NOTICE,’ THREATENS TO TRIGGER LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE AGAINST STARMER BY MONDAY
Britain’s Labour party candidate Andy Burnham speaks to supporters after the Makerfield by-election in Ashton in Makerfield, England, Friday. (Jon Super/AP)
Starmer congratulated Burnham following the victory, writing on X that voters, “chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.”
When asked about Burnham’s apparent ambitions to replace him, Starmer insisted he intends to remain in office.
“I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that,” Starmer said.
UK’S STARMER JUGGLES TROUBLE AT HOME AS HE WALKS GEOPOLITICAL TIGHTROPE WITH TRUMP
Sir Keir Starmer is battling to save his position and refusing to stand aside despite dozens of Labout MP’s demanding he resigns. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Starmer has led the Labour Party since 2020 and became prime minister in 2024.
Calls for his resignation intensified last month, with more than 100 Labour lawmakers publicly urging him to step aside or set out a timetable for his departure. Several parliamentary aides also resigned in protest.
The internal revolt followed a series of disappointing local election results for Labour, which lost hundreds of council seats across England, surrendered long-held ground in Wales and fell behind political rivals in Scotland.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks a news conference at Downing Street in London, March 5. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File)
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Starmer’s popularity has also declined amid a persistently high cost of living, sluggish economic growth and criticism over his acceptance of gifts from wealthy donors.
Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone and Emma Bussey, and Reuters contributed to this report.
World
Trump vows Iran will not charge Strait of Hormuz tolls, but says US might
United States President Donald Trump has pledged there will be no tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, unless they are collected by his own country.
Trump’s statement, made in a Saturday afternoon post on Truth Social, is the latest sign that a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) may be unravelling.
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“There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the Cease Fire Period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired,” Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America.”
Since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, Iran has successfully used the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure point, closing the strategic waterway to traffic.
But under the terms of Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum, the strait is supposed to reopen for an interim period of 60 days. During that time, Iran is barred from charging vessels for passage.
On Saturday, however, Iran’s joint military command said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing a “clear breach” of the memorandum’s commitments.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency that oversees military operations in the region, denied that report and maintained that the traffic continues to flow through the waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint in the conflict between the US and Iran. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas is transported through the strait, as well as about 30 percent of the global fertiliser trade.
Closure of the strait has caused global fuel costs to soar and has tested agricultural sectors across the world.
Trump had responded to Iran’s chokehold over the strait by imposing a US naval blockade on Iran’s ports in the region.
But that naval blockade was lifted under the terms of Wednesday’s memorandum. The deal also paused fighting on all fronts in the regional conflict, including in Lebanon.
The memorandum, though, was not intended as a long-term deal. It serves as a launching point for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Several points of divergence also went unaddressed in the memorandum. Nowhere does the memo say that future tolls cannot be collected from the strait after the 60-day period expires.
Before the war, there was no charge for passage through the strait. Trump himself said in an interview with The New York Times that the waterway should remain “permanently toll-free”.
But he appeared to reverse course in Saturday’s post, once again floating the possibility that the US could extract tolls in the strait, while barring Iran from doing so.
No fees should be levied, Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed”.
He explained that such a charge would compensate the US “for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs”.
Trump used similar language in his New York Times interview earlier this week, floating the US becoming “the guardian of the Middle East” in exchange for 20 percent of its revenue.
Saturday’s post is not the first time Trump has mused about the US imposing tolls in the strait, either.
In April, for instance, he discussed the idea with reporters, saying, “What about us charging tolls? I’d rather do that than let them have them. Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner. We won.”
There has been no indication that Trump’s plans have been officially presented to countries in the region, many of whom have struck a careful balance in their dealings with both the US and Iran during the war.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly said they will not rule out imposing tolls in the strait, framing the issue as a matter of sovereignty and regional negotiation. The strait sits between Iran and Oman.
Further discussions are expected on the matter in the coming weeks.
But such negotiations have been thrown into jeopardy amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which threaten to violate Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum.
Iran claimed that Saturday’s closure of the strait was a result of new Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, which killed dozens of people after the ceasefire was announced.
Iranian officials have also said that any upcoming talks should focus on proper implementation of the initial memorandum, and that the 60-day negotiating period stipulated in Wednesday’s deal would begin after that was settled.
Pakistan, a top mediator between the US and Iran, has said that follow-up talks are set to begin in Switzerland on Sunday.
Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that an Iranian delegation, led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, has already arrived for the negotiations.
On the US side, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend.
Vance departed for Switzerland late Saturday.
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