Warsaw is one of the candidates for the location of the new EU Customs Office. In the background, however, there is a political battle and a race against a gigantic technological challenge. At stake are prestige, hundreds of jobs, and influence over how the European Union will protect its economic borders for decades. The office is expected to begin operations this year and reach full functionality within two years.

The list of contenders includes Liège (Belgium), Malaga (Spain), Lille (France), Zagreb (Croatia), Rome (Italy), The Hague (Netherlands), Porto (Portugal), and Bucharest (Romania). Each city is promoting its own advantages. The Hague emphasises links with Europol, while Belgium and France focus on logistics expertise.

Poland is highlighting Warsaw’s strategic and operational strengths. The city already hosts the EU border agency Frontex, and Polish officials argue that customs officers and border guards should work together in the fight against hybrid threats. “Integrated border management and synergy among these institutions are key to security,” said former Finance Minister Magdalena Rzeczkowska.

Małgorzata Krok, Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Finance and Economy for Warsaw’s EU Customs Authority (EUCA) bid, stressed the economic benefits of hosting the new office. “The agency means increased business and tourist traffic, as well as the arrival of EUCA employees with their families. It is expected to eventually employ 250 people, but this number could rise,” she said. Warsaw offers direct flights to EU countries, proximity to border crossings, and experience in large-scale tax and customs IT systems, she added.

The EUCA will not only serve as the administrative hub but also as a technology centre. Central to its operations will be the EU Customs Data Hub, designed to replace 27 separate national systems with a unified database. The hub aims to track goods in real time, detect dangerous products, and improve the collection of customs duties, especially as the European Commission anticipates 5.6 billion parcels entering the Union in 2025, mostly from China.

Experts warn that the system’s success depends on cooperation with private sector partners, including courier and e-commerce companies. Without consultation, technical and operational bottlenecks could disrupt trade and affect consumers. Poland argues that its experience in crisis management and digital operations makes it the most capable host for the ambitious reform.

Behind the scenes, Warsaw is actively lobbying EU decision-makers. “At the end of the day, it will be a political decision,” Rzeczkowska said, noting that the final choice will be made by the EU Council and the European Parliament. The verdict is expected in March 2026, determining whether Brussels prioritises traditional Western trade hubs or a digitally focused centre on Europe’s eastern flank.

Moves to close the gender pay gap will not be successful until 2056 if progress remains at its current rate, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The union federation highlighted that women in the UK earn on average 12.8% less than men, equivalent to £2,548 a year.

Analysis of official pay data shows the gap is widest in the finance and insurance sector at 27.2%, while the leisure service industry records the smallest difference at 1.5%. Even in female-dominated fields such as education and health and social care, pay disparities remain high, at 17% and 12.8% respectively.

The gender pay gap measures the difference in salaries paid to men and women within the same industries. Employers in the UK with more than 250 staff are required to publish pay data. The TUC noted that these disparities mean the average woman effectively works for 47 days each year without pay compared to male colleagues.

“Women have effectively been working for free for the first month and a half of the year compared to men,” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said. He stressed that the ongoing cost-of-living pressures make this inequity even more pressing, adding, “They deserve their fair share.”

Nowak acknowledged recent changes under the Employment Rights Act as a step toward pay parity but called for broader reforms. He urged the government to improve access to paid parental leave so that “mums and dads can better share care,” and emphasised the need for flexible working and affordable childcare.

The TUC also pointed to age as a factor in the pay gap, noting that women aged 50-59 experience the largest disparities. The organisation attributes this in part to long-term effects of women pausing or reducing their careers to take on caring responsibilities.

Business groups have warned that expanding benefits and leave provisions could increase costs for employers and discourage hiring. Matthew Percival, director for the Future of Work and Skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said, “The cost of doing business is already leading to firms cutting jobs. With major changes to employment laws coming down the line, the government must be extra careful not to add to those pressures.”

Employers will soon be required to publish plans outlining how they intend to reduce the gender pay gap. A government spokesperson highlighted ongoing measures, saying, “Combined with changes to flexible working, stronger protections for expectant and new mothers, and wider action to review parental leave and to expand childcare entitlements, we are tackling the root causes of the gender pay gap and backing women to succeed at work.”

The TUC’s warnings underline the scale of the challenge, suggesting that without accelerated efforts, progress toward pay equality remains decades away.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew significant attention at the Munich Security Summit on Saturday, as European leaders awaited his address with a mix of curiosity and caution. While Rubio’s speech did not completely ease all worries, it reassured allies that despite strains under Donald Trump, US-Europe relations remain intact.

Rubio was not the only American political figure present at the summit. Even if his remarks had not landed so well, other US politicians offered messages of steadiness and continuity. California Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking at a Friday conference event, reminded attendees, “If there’s nothing else I can communicate today, Donald Trump is temporary. He’ll be gone in three years.” Newsom was among a large contingent of American legislators and governors, including Democrats who may contend for their party’s 2028 presidential nomination.

Several US officials emphasised the continued strength of the US partnership with Europe. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said, “The reason we’re here is to provide reassurance that we understand how important our European allies are.” Republican Senator Thom Tillis echoed her sentiment, stressing that the US and Europe are not in a “civil war” and advising allies to avoid being swayed by “the rhetoric of American politics.”

Such reassurance comes after years of tension. During the Trump administration, the US imposed steep tariffs on multiple trading partners and adopted policies that reshaped foreign relations, including a focus on the western hemisphere. Trump’s proposals regarding Greenland, reiterated before a weekend trip to Florida, exemplify this shift.

Domestic concerns also featured prominently at the summit. Virginia Senator Mark Warner warned that Trump’s talk of nationalising elections and introducing strict voter ID requirements through executive action could threaten the integrity of November’s midterm congressional elections. “I never thought I would say that in 2026 America,” he added. Trump defended these measures and the SAVE Act, which would establish a national voter identification system, arguing they are widely supported and necessary to prevent voter impersonation.

Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, recently targeted in an unsuccessful Department of Justice indictment for urging US soldiers to disregard “illegal” orders in a video, shared their perspectives on the heightened political climate. Slotkin described the moment as a profound period for the nation, adding, “We’ll get through it.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the centre of attention at the Munich Security Summit, as European leaders wondered apprehensively what tone he would strike in his remarks on Saturday. While his speech did not fully allay their concerns, it has been viewed as a reassurance to allies that while US relations may have frayed under Donald Trump, they will not break.

This version is within 450 words, keeps the narrative chronol