EU institutions
EU defence ministers to talk Ukraine, Strategic Compass
Meeting in the western French seaside town of Brest, EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell underlined that the EU must define concrete steps in its response to Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s border. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, Borrell said...
Two weeks to see if a new vaccine is needed
In almost two weeks, EU scientists will have an idea of whether a new adapted vaccine will be required to face the Omicron variant, which is expected to dominate Europe by mid-January, EURACTIV has learned. But are boosters offering enough...
EU plans massive vaccination campaign in Eastern Europe
**This article has been updated to reflect the EU Council’s change of position regarding the COVID recovery certificate. In close coordination with governments in eastern and southeastern Europe, the European Commission is currently preparing massive awareness campaigns over the need...
EU minister: COVID certificate update will force vaccination
Updating the COVID-19 digital certificate with a booster dose will “inevitably force” EU member states behind in vaccination rates to catch up, an EU minister told EURACTIV.com amid talks over bloc-wide mandatory vaccination. Speaking to EURACTIV on the condition of...
EDITOR’S TAKE: Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence
“We are living through an era of dramatic change in the security landscape.” Doh, tell us something we do not know, you might say. But think again, this time knowing that the author of the first sentence is Richard Moore,...
EU nuclear renaissance financed by US and Russia?
A fight has been taking place in Brussels for over a year, fought publicly in the media and behind the scenes. Should Brussels grant nuclear a green investment label? A French-Eastern European coalition of nuclear power has been pushing for...
NGOs urge EU to sanction Israeli NSO Group
86 NGOs and experts have called on the European Commission to sanction NSO Group and prohibit the sale and use of its spyware Pegasus. They sent an open letter to the EU’s diplomacy chief, Josep Borrell, and to foreign ministers of the...
Africa’s revenge to West’s greed?
Northern and Eastern Europe are currently in the grips of the fourth COVID-19 wave, and governments are resorting to harsher measures to encourage the uptake of vaccinations. We were praying for a vaccine just under two years ago, but today,...
How to pay off debts in Taliban’s reality: Selling children for $2,000
Parwana Malik, a nine-year-old girl from Afghanistan, was sold to an older man because her father had debts. Thanks to journalists and NGOs, she is now back with her family. While the EU says it has no option other than...
Editor’s take: New pact for more spending?
Some European leaders had long been preparing for the challenge of Angela Merkel’s departure. One of the outcomes is the Quirinal Treaty, the “French-Italian Enhanced Cooperation Treaty”, that French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will sign on...
Editor’s take: Commission to update COVID pass validity in early December
The European Commission is expected to propose introducing a third COVID-19 shot in the validity of the EU digital certificate in early December, an EU source told EURACTIV. The scenario of having a third jab within nine months after the...
The Mediterranean battle exposes EU strategic autonomy illusion
The ongoing silent “war” over which EU state will have the Mediterranean region under its sphere of influence threatens EU goal for a more coordinated approach in foreign matters. France has signed a defence deal with Greece. In response, Spain...
Conservatives call for recovery solidarity with Poland
The European Parliament’s Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) have called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to approve the country’s currently blocked recovery funding despite the rule of law standoff with Brussels in light of the pandemic and...
Source: COVID certificate to expire 12 months after second jab
The European Commission is set to propose either a recommendation or a delegated act to extend the use of COVID certificated to travel in the EU, a source close to the matter told EURACTIV.com. The source added that the certificate...
Did China really never start a ‘single war or conflict’?
US President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, president of PR of China, held a virtual meeting on Monday/Tuesday. Two of Xi’s remarks made during their three-and-a-half-hour-long conversation deserve closer scrutiny. “Since the founding of the People’s Republic, China has never...
European Commission staff gets third dose next week
The European Commission will start administering the third dose for its staff next week, EURACTIV has learnt. An EU source said the executive expects to finalise the process at the end of January early February 2022. The certificates of commission...
EU Parliament pressures Commission to block Poland’s recovery plan
In October, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined a compromise for de-escalating a rule of law crisis with Poland and unlocking up to €36 billion in recovery funding for Polish citizens. However, the EU Parliament shares a different...
Commission mulls introducing third dose for COVID certificate
The European Commission is preparing a delegated act to introduce a third dose for the COVID certificate, a source close to the issue has told EURACTIV.com. EURACTIV was informed that EU Commissioners Didier Reynders and Stella Kyriakides would meet with...
Who can bring Poland out of isolation?
Poland is becoming increasingly isolated. Initially, Warsaw bet on Trump, but now it is Biden leading the US. It antagonised EU institutions and member states at a time when Visegrad’s cohesion was weakening. The PiS government has been digging a...
EU-Poland tensions towards de-escalation?
An EU source close to the issue has told EURACTIV that the European Commission is mulling partly backing off on its demands and may concentrate on just one - abolishing the Disciplinary Chamber.
Germany not interested in joint EU gas purchases
EU leaders should do everything possible at the EU summit on Thursday (21 October) to avoid a “clean or cheap’ dilemma, which poses a severe political risk, an EU diplomat told EURACTIV. No major developments are expected on the rule...
Leftist MEP: Slovenian PM Janša is a “coward”
Janša attacked the leftist opposition LEVICA party on Twitter, saying its members represent “the political wing of the terrorist #antifa”. Leftist MEP Kostas Arvanitis from GUE-NGL, described the attack as “creepy and brazen” and called Janša cowardly for not answering...
MEP: Afghan crisis has “serious implications“ for the EU
On Thursday (7 October), a high-level resettlement forum on Afghanistan is taking place as Lithuania and Poland trying to legalise push-backs, initiated in the Aegean by the Greek authorities while the EU is falling short in reversing those practices which...