The March meeting is an apparent example of a European Council agenda dictated by external events. The meeting was originally due to focus almost exclusively on competitiveness and follow up on the informal retreat of 12 February 2026 with concrete decisions. However, with Hungary and Slovakia refusing to sign off on the EU loan for Ukraine, as well as the joint US-Israel attack on Iran, the meeting's focus is likely to shift. The main aims will now be to overcome the two-country veto on the Ukraine loan, and to define a common approach to a rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East – notably to prevent escalation, promote a diplomatic path to end the crisis and provide support to partner countries in the region, while addressing the possible impact on global energy security. In that context, the European Council will discuss the Middle East as well as multilateralism with the UN Secretary General, António Guterres. However, despite a probable change of focus, competitiveness will feature prominently in the European Council conclusions and provide a high degree of detail, probably going beyond the EU leaders' role of setting the general priorities. Other topics on the agenda are the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), European security and defence, and migration, which, due to time constraints, are expected to trigger less discussion. Following the European Council meeting, EU leaders will convene for a Euro Summit focusing on the economic situation in the EU, the international role of the euro and the savings and investment union. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This briefing provides background information for the members of the Special committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) on election infrastructure vulnerabilities to foreign interference and on corresponding countermeasures. The briefing focuses on the criticality of election infrastructure and on safeguarding electoral integrity, also in light of the approach set out in the Commission’s Communication on the European Democracy Shield. Moreover, the paper considers the role of private sector election interference services. The briefing begins with an introduction to the different components of election infrastructure and general information on the conduct of elections. It continues with an overview of the election infrastructure interference threat landscape, taking the findings of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) into account. It then examines recommendations provided by the European Cooperation Network on Elections to mitigate these threats. Next, the briefing presents a section on critical infrastructure legislation and on the measures outlined in the European Democracy Shield to protect election infrastructure. This briefing has been prepared internally by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Justice, Civil Liberties and Institutional Affairs at the request of the EUDS Committee Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

La 9ᵉ édition du Heiva Taure’a s’ouvre ce jeudi soir à To’ata, célébrant la richesse de la culture polynésienne à travers la danse, la musique et les traditions. Huit établissements participent cette année, dont trois venus des îles de Tahaa, Nuku Hiva et Tubuai.

Le conflit social au sein des filiales du groupe OPT se poursuit ce jeudi 12 mars, avec près d'un tiers des effectifs en grève. Si une trentaine d’agences Fare Rata sont restées fermées aujourd’hui, une issue semble proche : les accords pourraient être signés dès vendredi, selon la CSIP.

Dans le cadre de l’opération Mata’i Rorofa’i, la gendarmerie a intensifié les contrôles côté piste à l’aéroport de Tahiti Faa’a. Alcool et drogues ont été dépistés sur conducteurs, pilotes et personnels navigants. Bilan : un conducteur positif à l'ice et au paka, et un passager interpellé avec 20 grammes de cannabis.

La hausse du pétrole liée aux tensions internationales pourrait se répercuter sur les prix en Polynésie, très dépendante des importations. L’Iran bloque actuellement le détroit d’Ormuz, un passage stratégique par lequel transite environ 20 % du pétrole mondial. Pour limiter l’impact sur le panier des ménages, le gouvernement mise notamment sur la prise en charge de certains produits essentiels.

Reconstruire les écoles, redonner la parole aux gens et mettre l’accent sur la proximité : ce sont les axes de campagne de la liste "Moorea-Maiao, Ia ora na, menée par Temaire Chavey-Teinaratai. L’un de ses colistiers, Matarii Maire, était l’invité café de la matinale radio ce jeudi.

Haretaua Ellacott est une novice en politique, comme ses colistiers de No oe Taiarapu-Est, liste menée par Gerry Picard. La candidate met en avant la nécessité de redynamiser la Presqu’île et d’investir dans l’éducation.

Face à la flambée des prix du baril, le groupe augmente ses tarif sur les trajets long-courriers. La hausse sera de 50 euros pour un aller-retour.

Joint procurement of defence equipment by the EU has gained renewed strategic importance in response to the recent deteriorating security environment and persistent fragmentation within the European defence market. Although the European Defence Agency set a 35 % collaborative procurement benchmark back in 2007, cooperation among Member States remains limited. The 2022 coordinated annual review on defence reported that only 18 % of defence investment took place collaboratively, far below agreed targets. While total EU defence expenditure reached €381 billion in 2025, increased spending has not translated into commensurate growth in joint acquisition. EU institutions continue to highlight duplication issues, capability gaps and over-reliance on non EU suppliers. To address these shortcomings, the Union has expanded financial and regulatory instruments. EDIRPA, EDIP and SAFE provide grants and loans to incentivise joint procurement, while the defence readiness roadmap 2030 raises the ambition to 40 % joint procurement by 2027. Targeted adjustments to the Defence Procurement Directive aim to reduce administrative barriers and facilitate multinational contracting. Joint procurement offers potential economies of scale, stronger bargaining leverage, greater industrial predictability and enhanced interoperability. Studies indicate that meeting collaborative benchmarks could generate annual savings of several billion euros. Yet significant constraints persist, including differing threat perceptions by national governments, industrial competition that often runs counter to consolidation, governance complexity and risks of cost overruns in multinational programmes. The European Parliament has consistently supported deeper pooling and interoperability, urging collaborative acquisition to be prioritised in EU instruments while cautioning against incentives that may reinforce national disparities. Sustained progress therefore depends on credible demand aggregation, coherent defence planning and effective coordination across EU and NATO frameworks. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The Statistical Dialogue is a regular exchange between the Director-General of Eurostat and the ECON Committee, enabling its Members to engage on key statistical issues related to EU economic governance. It is based on Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, which enshrines principles of professional independence and accountability, and was reinforced by Regulation (EU) 2015/759, introducing a formal obligation for regular appearances before Parliament. This is the second Statistical Dialogue of the 10th parliamentary term. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB), Dominique Laboureix, scheduled for 18 March 2026 in the ECON Committee. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), Claudia Buch, scheduled for 18 March 2026 in the ECON Committee. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Après les réactions de responsables politiques, des étudiants de l'Université de la Polynésie française critiquent à leur tour publiquement l'organisation à huis clos d'un colloque sur la souveraineté. Ils dénoncent l'exclusion du public et réclament des explications ainsi qu'un nouveau débat ouvert à la communauté universitaire.

Installé sans autorisation dans un lotissement de la Dorsale, le chenil chapeauté par la fédération Ta tatou mau animara est au cœur d’une controverse depuis plusieurs mois. Nuisances pour les riverains, fermeture ordonnée par le Pays, procédure judiciaire en cours : à quelques jours de l’audience en référé prévue le 16 mars au tribunal de Papeete, la présidente Vatea Ioane de TTMA s'exprime pour la première fois.

Record de précocité, la surfeuse Tya Zebrowski a remporté mercredi, à l'âge de 15 ans seulement, le circuit des Challenger Series, le deuxième échelon mondial du surf, à quelques semaines de son entrée en lice au sein de l'élite du Championship Tour (CT).

Denmark's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) corresponds to 0.2 % of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), or 0.5 % of Denmark's 2019 gross domestic product (GDP). Spillover gains from other Member States′ plans are expected to more than double the direct impact of the Danish plan. The third and latest revision of the Danish NRRP was approved by the Council on 8 July 2025. The EU financial contribution totals €1 625.9 million, including RRF grants (€1 429 million), a REPowerEU grant (€130.7 million) and a transfer of part of the Danish allocation under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to the plan (€66.0 million). Denmark has so far received 78 % of the NRRP resources in the form of pre-financing and four payments; this is well above the current EU average (68.6 %). The final payment will depend on full implementation of the plan. Denmark has delivered 75 % of its milestones and targets, against an EU average of 52 %. The amended plan reinforces green initiatives and seeks to enhance the resilience of the Danish economy and society, devoting 69 % of the plan to the green transition (up from 59 % in the original plan). In its 2025 country report, the European Commission assessed the implementation of the Danish plan as 'well under way'. On 2 March 2026, Denmark submitted a request to modify its plan. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on NRRP implementation and scrutinises the Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fifth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Europe is one of the world's primary destinations for international migrants. In 2024, the region hosted approximately 94 million migrants, the highest number of any region in the world. The biggest share enter via legal means. The EU is experiencing skills shortages, which is partly because of its ageing population, and migrants could play a role in helping to plug them. The EU shares competence on migration and asylum policies with its Member States; EU legislation plays a significant role in managing legal migration, although its impact varies by type of migration. Nonetheless, data consistently show that most EU legal migration tools are under-used. Blue Cards, an EU initiative to attract highly skilled workers, account for only a fraction of permits issued for employment reasons and few EU countries make significant use of them, which would suggest more work is needed to make them an attractive option. Similarly, the Single Permit, which is a combined work and residency permit, is mostly used by just a handful of EU countries. In recent years, the EU has also launched new initiatives with non-EU countries such as Talent Partnerships and a Talent Pool, but it is too early to say anything about their impact. There is also a directive for seasonal workers, but again only a few EU countries make much use of it. The EU plays an important role when it comes to asylum by setting common standards, clarifying which EU country is responsible for processing an application, and encouraging solidarity. The European Commission has proposed a Return Regulation to make it easer and faster to return non-EU citizens who were unsuccessful in their bid to obtain asylum. It includes the possibility to create return hubs in non-EU countries, which many Member States are interested in. Temporary protection was used for the first time to help Ukrainians after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Un nouvel arrêté adopté ce mardi en Conseil des ministres prévoit de généraliser la prise en charge de la restauration scolaire pour tous les collégiens et lycéens des établissements publics et conventionnés, tout en renforçant le soutien financier aux familles dès la rentrée 2026-2027.

Le service de communication du groupe OPT, touché par un mouvement de grève entamé depuis hier matin, vient de dresser la liste des bureaux de la poste encore ouverts à travers la Polynésie.

Interviewée dans notre matinale radio, Mireille Duval secrétaire générale de la Fédération des Interprofessionnels des Services de la Santé en Polynésie (FISSAP), est revenue en détail sur les raisons du préavis de grève illimitée prévue pour le 15 mars au sein du système de santé polynésien. Le syndicat réclame une augmentation budgétaire massive pour le centre hospitalier, estimant que les financements actuels sont insuffisants face à l'alourdissement des pathologies traitées.

L'Australie a accordé l'asile à cinq joueuses de l'équipe iranienne féminine de football, désignées comme «traîtres» dans leur pays après avoir refusé de chanter l'hymne national avant un match de la Coupe d'Asie. Cette décision a été prise de crainte qu'elles ne soient persécutées à leur retour, a annoncé mardi le ministre de l'Intérieur Tony Burke.

The impact assessment (IA) identifies four problems relating to slow development and deployment of advanced digital networks in the EU. Relying on the evaluation of the current regulatory framework, the IA discusses the problem drivers, defines specific objectives, and compares and ranks policy options. The objectives are generally well defined. However, the second specific objective refers to closing the high-quality connectivity gap with competing regions without acknowledging that its achievement also depends on developments in those regions. The third specific objective, on increasing pan-European network operation and service provision, is defined in rather generic terms. The policy options seem relevant and sufficiently distinct, although the presentation of the options is not well balanced, with some options discussed in more detail than others. The IA assesses the economic, social and environmental impacts of policy options, although the analysis varies in depth across the problems and options. The costs and benefits for major stakeholders are analysed, including for small and medium-sized enterprises. The preferred options are chosen transparently, and they generally follow the conclusions of the comparative assessments. However, several preferred options could have been justified more effectively. For example, the preferred option for governance has been selected despite ranking second best in the comparison of policy options. Whereas subsidiarity is sufficiently addressed, proportionality is discussed only briefly and selectively. The IA defines a set of indicators and operational objectives to monitor actual impacts. However, some of these indicators are not sufficiently explained, and lack specific targets. The IA makes use of a wealth of data and sources, including feedback from all major stakeholders. The methodology, data and sources are generally explained, although some references are missing or are incomplete. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) issued a 'positive with reservations' opinion on the draft IA after initially issuing a negative opinion. The revised draft appears to have addressed the RSB's comments. The proposal appears generally to follow the preferred policy options identified in the IA. One notable addition in the proposal is the creation of a voluntary conciliation mechanism to facilitate dialogue on technical and commercial arrangements, which was not properly addressed in the IA. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This study provides an overview of the EU policy instruments, including Cohesion Policy Funds, that are used in natural disaster response and recovery. It assesses their contribution to strengthening resilience to climate change and to meeting disaster-relief and reconstruction needs. The study also examines how the ‘Build Back Better’ approach can be integrated into future Cohesion Policy to ensure that disaster-affected areas are rebuilt in a more resilient and sustainable manner. Recommendations are provided on how Cohesion Policy can be improved to support EU regions in responding to disasters. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

On 16 December 2025, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation to simplify the rules governing medical devices in the EU. The proposal forms part of a broader package of measures aimed at improving citizens' health and strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the health sector. An evaluation of the current EU regulatory framework for medical devices concluded that it has led to unnecessary costs, administrative bottlenecks, regulatory uncertainty for companies, and delays in patient access to medical devices. The proposed revision seeks to address these challenges while ensuring that patient safety remains the highest priority, with faster access to safe and innovative devices. It also aims to reinforce the EU's competitiveness in the medical technology sector, by establishing a more coherent framework enabling companies to better respond to evolving market conditions, technological developments and patient needs. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

L’Association des éditeurs de Tahiti et des îles (AETI) lance le «Bouquin Challenge» à l’occasion du Quart d’heure de lecture national, le 10 mars à 10h. Écoles, entreprises, associations et particuliers sont invités à se figer livre à la main pour réaliser un “Bouquin Challenge” - à la manière du célèbre «mannequin challenge» - et à partager leur vidéo sur les réseaux sociaux.

À l'occasion de la semaine mondiale du rein (du 7 au 14 mars), les professionnels de santé de Polynésie organisent une journée de dépistage et d'information gratuite. La population est invitée le mercredi 11 mars, de 8h à 13h, au centre Vaima Plaza (niveau haut) à Papeete.

À l’approche des élections municipales de mars, les têtes de liste de l’île de Raiatea sont réunies pour un débat organisé par Polynésie la 1ère. Un rendez-vous à suivre en direct ce lundi 9 mars sur la page Facebook du média.

Face à la progression de la consommation d'ice en Polynésie, les autorités renforcent la prévention auprès des jeunes. Un dispositif pédagogique, basé sur la projection de courts-métrages et des échanges en classe, commence à être déployé dans les établissements scolaires pour sensibiliser les élèves aux dangers de la méthamphétamine.

À Newcastle, le verdict est tombé : Kauli Vaast disputera la saison prochaine le World Surf League Championship Tour. Le Tahitien valide son accession dans l'élite mondiale du surf... Un rêve qui se réalise. Le champion olympique franchit ainsi une nouvelle étape majeure de sa carrière.

Une nouvelle discipline sportive se fait une place en Polynésie française : le HYROX, un format d'entraînement et de compétition qui mêle course à pied et exercices fonctionnels. Plusieurs athlètes du fenua se sont récemment illustrés lors de compétitions nationales et internationales. Des cours commencent ce lundi à Tamanu.

La grève est effective depuis minuit au sein du groupe OPT. Et depuis 8 heures ce matin, une soixantaine de salariés ont installé un piquet de grève devant le siège de l’entreprise à Fare Ute. Un second piquet est également en place sur le site de la poste à Faa'a. A peine entamées, les discussions entre la direction et salariés se sont vite arrêtées.

Un accident de la route s'est produit il y a peu sur la RDO dans le sens Faa'a - centre-ville. La circulation est perturbée.

Les Etats-Unis ont mené dimanche une nouvelle frappe dans le Pacifique contre un bateau de trafiquants de drogue présumés, tuant six personnes, a annoncé l'armée américaine, dernière frappe en date dans une intense campagne qui dure depuis des mois.

Since 1 January 2024, the United Kingdom (UK) has been associated to Horizon Europe, with almost 6 000 UK Horizon projects as of 9 January 2026. The legislative proposals for Horizon Europe (2028-2034) and the Euratom training programme (2028-2032) represent a timely opportunity to discuss the future of bilateral EU-UK cooperation in research and innovation, including in the field of nuclear science and technologies. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP