Sarantis Michalopoulos
WHO official: COVID-19 seriously worsened dementia’s state-of-play in Europe
The COVID-19 pandemic has had and will continue to have a negative impact on people suffering from dementia, Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat from the World Health Organisation (WHO) told EURACTIV in an interview.
EU Ombudsman corners Commission after denial to unveil used cooking oil data
The European Commission has until February 2022 to comply with the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation to provide data related to the origins of imported Used Cooking Oil (UCO) biofuel in the EU, amid concerns over alleged fraud cases.
Greece fumes over new Spain-Turkey armament deal
The Greek government reacted strongly after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to enhance their countries’ collaboration in the defence industry.
EU parliament chief demands ‘clear explanation’ from US after MEP is denied visa
European Parliament President David Sassoli has demanded a "clear explanation" from the US caretaker ambassador in Brussels for why a leftist Greek MEP has been denied a visa to travel to the US, EURACTIV has learnt.
British farmers call for government support to reach ‘net-zero’ agriculture
British farmers have set an ambitious strategy to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture by 2040. But for all farmers to be able to contribute, the government should step in and provide the necessary means, the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales (NFU) told EURACTIV.
Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector IGB faces delays due to supply shortages
Greece confirmed on Wednesday (10 November) delays in the construction of a key gas interconnector linking Greece and Bulgaria (IGB), reported earlier by EURACTIV Bulgaria, but insisted that they were due to supply shortages.
Greek PM defends migration policy in heated dialogue with Dutch journalist
A press conference of Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis' and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte was marked by a heated dialogue with a Dutch journalist, when the latter accused the Greek PM of pursuing an “illegal pushbacks” policy.
The Brief, powered by The Martens Centre — Fickle allegiances in the Balkans
What a difference being in power makes. When they were in opposition, Greece’s New Democracy and North Macedonia’s VMRO party, both members of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), rejected the hard-fought solution to the two countries' long-standing name dispute.
Farmers see chances in carbon farming but must be market-led
Agriculture stakeholders see a shift towards carbon farming in the European Union positively but emphasise that details over financial incentives for EU farmers must be determined for its proper rollout.
Slovenian PM’s ‘Soros puppets’ tweet causes EU-wide political storm
Prime Minister Janez Janša is facing criticism after tweeting that some MEPs are “Soros puppets”. The MEP's under attack included Sophie in ‘t Veld.
Expert: Decision makers lack knowledge on advanced breast cancer
Treatments for metastatic breast cancer (MBC), which affects thousands of European women every year, have progressed and can now significantly prolong a patient’s life but decision-makers still don't take this fully into account, an expert has told EURACTIV.
EU Parliament’s Renew in turmoil over group’s next leader
The announcement by Dutch EU lawmaker Sophie In’t Veld that she wants to run for president of Renew Europe has triggered reactions in the centrist political group, as the French, the biggest delegation within the group with 23 lawmakers, seem to have other plans.
The Brief, powered by GIE — French frigates to fight German submarines in the Aegean?
The EU is quick to call for de-escalation in case of conflicts, it is ambitious about setting itself targets such as “strategic autonomy”, and it succeeds to make its voice heard in the world.
Bullmann: SPD electorate rejects coalition with conservatives
The electorate of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) rejects potential collaboration with Christian Democrats (CDU-CSU) and prefers a progressive government looking at the future rather than a return to the austerity-driven past, EU lawmaker and senior SPD official Udo Bullmann told EURACTIV in an interview in Berln.
Global Europe Brief: Germany’s foreign policy after Merkel
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Global Europe Brief, your weekly update on the EU from a global perspective. In this week's edition: Germany's future foreign policy, Franco-German AUKUS divergence and migration spat.
The Brief, powered by EPRA – A China war by the backdoor
As diplomatic snubs go, the announcement by the United States, Britain, and Australia that they would establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific which would also help Australia acquire US nuclear-powered submarines - scrapping a $40 billion French-designed submarine deal in the process - is hard to beat.
EU unprepared to tackle Alzheimer’s disease as new treatments progress
European Union countries are still lagging behind in tackling Alzheimer’s disease despite calls by the World Health Organisation for urgent action as cases in the European region are expected to double.
Commission asks Greece for transparency on pushbacks to release migration funds
The European Commission has asked Greece to set up an “independent” mechanism to monitor and avoid pushbacks of migrants at its border as a condition to release an additional €15.83 million in migration funding requested by Athens.
The Brief, powered by Greens/EFA – Return to the Dark Ages
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Greece this week to protest against the government’s push to effectively make immunisation against COVID-19 mandatory in order to lead a normal life.
Greece pays young people €150 to get vaccinated
The Greek government has announced plans to grant €150 to every young Greek who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 or will get the jab soon, calling it "a gift of gratitude" ahead of the summer.
The Brief – Where have all the Russian tourists gone?
Russian tourists, it seems, will be avoiding beaches in Greece and Bulgaria this year. Our take is that the epidemiological situation surely cannot be the excuse and that the Kremlin has decided which countries to reward with tourists and which...
European Commission puts e-cigarettes to the test
A European Commission report referencing the potential for electronic cigarettes to fall under pharmaceutical legislation has heated up the long-running debate over the health effects of these novel products.
Commission admits fossil fuel share ‘likely’ higher in transport without multipliers
Without multipliers - a statistical methodology used to encourage the uptake of renewable energy in transport, primarily in electric cars - the share of fossil fuels in transport is “likely” to be higher than the official figures published by Eurostat, a European Commission source told EURACTIV.