From the capitals
Severe challenges persist with access to healthcare and aid in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine nears the end of its second month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported continued challenges in accessing healthcare and delivering emergency aid to some of the hardest-hit areas of the conflict, issues that were also discussed by MEPs this week.
CAP talks could impacted by recent French fallow land derogation
While the war in Ukraine continues, French farmers are permitted to cultivate fallow land in order to increase production. The question now is whether the direction of the new Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) will also be affected. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission confirms support for EMA’s advice on antimicrobials for humans only
Health commissioner Stella Kyriakides reaffirmed support for the European Medicines Agency (EMA)'s set of recommendations for antimicrobials to be reserved for humans only despite criticism over the non-inclusion of colistin, an antibiotic used in veterinary medicine.
Industry disputes claims that waiving IP rights will ensure availability of medicines
The European Commission is leading talks on a waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on COVID vaccines and treatments. However, critics from the pharmaceutical industry argue that changes to the current IP system could jeopardise research and development in their sector.
The Brief – (Don’t) look up
On 21 April 2002, I was 18 years old and my friends and I were about to vote for the very first time. And not just in any election, we were going to vote in the presidential election.
ANALYSIS-Win or lose, Le Pen’s nationalism is already changing Europe
‘Frexit’ may be off the menu offered by Marine Le Pen ahead of Sunday’s crucial presidential run-off against incumbent Emmanuel Macron but the threat of a seismic shift to France’s position in Europe looms large ahead of polling day.
Agrifood Brief: Power to the peasants
As the old English joke goes, an advisor to the King went to warn the monarch that the peasants were revolting. “I know they are,” replied the monarch, “but I love them anyway”. And, just as in the joke, the...
Digital Brief: future of the internet, cyber centre delays, DSA’s endgame
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “We call for a new Declaration for the Future of the Internet that includes all partners who actively support...OpinionPromoted content
Cross-border regions suffering from the health crisis
The unilateral closing of the border between France and Germany from March to June 2020, decided by the German government without any consultation with the French regional and national authorities, has been experienced as a traumatic moment, amplified by the mistrust and hostility that has developed among citizens on both sides of the border.
Social distancing worst COVID-19 restriction for mental health, finds studies
New research suggests that the main cause of mental health decline during the COVID-19 pandemic was social distancing rules.
Slovakia forges ahead on carbon farming
While the EU is still waiting for the European Commission to propose a common framework on promoting farming practices that help remove carbon from the atmosphere, Slovakia has charged ahead and drawn up a new land-use climate fund.
Russian general says Moscow aim is to leave Ukraine as a landlocked country
A Russian general declared on that Moscow wants to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, as it presses on with a new offensive after its campaign to capture the capital Kyiv collapsed last month.
EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on license plates fails
Kosovo and Serbia have failed to agree on the issue of license plates, an issue that sparked unrest along the border in September 2021, after the deadline expired on Thursday, 21 April.
Macron, Le Pen spar over disability allowance in TV debate
Incumbent French President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right contender Marine Le Pen clashed over the current practice of taking into account the partner's income when calculating the allowance for disabled adults in a televised debate ahead of their final face-off on Sunday.OpinionPromoted content
We need to develop the heating sector to ensure better air quality
The current geopolitical crisis is of key importance for EU’s plans and strategies Due to the current geopolitical situation, all energy-related themes should also be seen in the context of the war in Ukraine. The European Union, as a community...
A civil society’s view on the Digital Services Act
The DSA is approaching a final agreement in inter institutional negotiations. We discuss key aspects of the flagship legislation with Tanya O’Carroll, an independent expert coordinating the People vs Big Tech coalition. On the menu: content moderation, risk assessment, recommender...
US, EU and Western allies to subscribe to democratic principles of the internet
Washington is promoting a declaration on the future of the internet, outlining a series of democratic principles in an initiative set to receive the support of the EU and other Western allies. The Biden administration was due to launch the...
Warming in Europe reached 2°C on average in 2021, EU data shows
Europe endured record extreme weather in 2021, from the hottest day and the warmest summer to deadly wildfires and flooding, the European Union's climate monitoring service reported Friday (22 April).
Women are the missing key to tackling climate change in the Muslim World
The Muslim world, and its religious leaders, have a duty to empower women to play crucial civil society roles if climate change is to be slowed and – possibly even reversed, writes Dr Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa.
Exxon Mobil may completely withdraw from Russia by 24 June
Exxon Mobil Corp is considering a complete withdrawal from Russia by 24 June, two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters on Thursday (21 April), following the US oil major's earlier decision to exit all operations in the country.
‘Ukraine starts to recover from Russian aggression’
In an area of 50 km around the Ukraine capitals the scars of the Russian aggression are still visible, but hundreds of volunteers are helping the return to normal life, writes Roman Rukomeda.
WHO ‘strongly’ recommends Paxlovid to fight non-severe COVID-19
The World Health Organisation (WHO) called Paxlovid, a Pfizer’s therapeutic, the best therapeutic choice for high-risk COVID-19 patients to date but the “strong recommendation” raises concerns that it may be out of reach for low- and middle-income countries.
Ukraine war spells ‘end of globalisation as we know it’, says EU’s Gentiloni
The war in Ukraine has shown the limitations of the decades-long German approach of seeking to change Russia through trade and spells the end of globalisation as we know it, the European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Thursday (21 April).



















