EU institutions
Weber: Nord Stream 2 detrimental to Europe as a whole
Manfred Weber, the conservative EPP leader in the European Parliament, has described as “important” an agreement struck between Germany and the US over Nord Stream 2 as it sends a signal to the Russian leadership not to abuse the controversial pipeline...
EU ministers discuss preparations for COP26 conference
EU environment ministers meeting for an informal session at Brdo pri Kranju have discussed the UN climate conference COP26, to be held in Glasgow in November. Slovenian Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said the discussion on Tuesday sought to analyse the...
UPDATE: Polish delegation ‘about to pull out’ from EU conservatives?
***Updates with ECR Group reaction Poland’s Law and Justice party (PiS) is close to pulling out of the European Conservative Party, a source from an ECR member party has told EURACTIV. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the...
EU wants its flag to fly at Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony
European Commissioner Margaritis Schinas and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa on Sunday (18 July) said they had asked athletes from Slovenia – currently holding the EU Council’s rotating presidency – to be allowed to bear the bloc’s starred flag as well as their own national flag at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.
Recovery plans: When the game will toughen up
The recovery plans of 12 member states are expected to be adopted by EU finance ministers at a meeting on Tuesday. For now, the atmosphere is positive but things are expected to change when the first payment requests are made...
Afghanistan turmoil causes EU new migration headaches
US President Joe Biden’s decision to pull out from Afghanistan combined with the increasing advancement of Taliban insurgents has caused severe headaches in Brussels, as Europe fears a new migration wave from the east, an EU diplomat told EURACTIV. “The...
EU source: A third booster dose ‘highly likely’
Although the European Medicines Agency (EMA) says that for now there is no evidence that a third booster dose would be needed, an EU source told EURACTIV that such a scenario is “highly likely”. The same source does not rule...
EU politicians demand Wembley to be stripped of Euro 2020 final
Hosting the Euro 2020 semifinals and final at Wembley Stadium in London while cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant are soaring across the UK is a “recipe for disaster”, Pascal Canfin, chair of the European Parliament’s environment committee, said in...
Delta variant puts EU COVID-19 certificate to the test
Three EU Commissioners have called on member states to stick to their promise to implement without travel restrictions the new EU COVID-19 certificate due to be officially launched on 1 July. However, the new Delta variant casts doubts over the...
Is Austria facing its own Orbán moment?
The 'Orbánisation' of Austria has become a standing term in the Austrian political discourse. But what is behind the allegations about vanishing media and judiciary independence in the Alpine republic?
Tsikhanouskaya: Belarus unrelated to EU-Russia relations
The future of Belarus has nothing to do with the type of relations between the EU and Russia, exiled democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV in an interview. Asked about the internal divisions in the EU when it comes...
Diplomat: Hungarian FM’s stance on EU partners ‘quite aggressive’
The rhetoric of Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó during the discussion over LGBTQI+ law was “unprecedented”, “unacceptable” and “quite aggressive” toward other EU partners, an EU diplomat told EURACTIV. The diplomat, who spoke to EURACTIV on condition of anonymity, claimed...
EU to support Turkey with another €3.5 billion for refugees
EU leaders will decide today at a summit to provide Turkey with another €3.5 billion to help the country manage the refugee crisis. Almost €530 million will be provided by the Commission by the end of the year for humanitarian...
Borrell set to present report on new Russia strategy
The EU‘s new strategy for its fraught relationship with Russia will be based on pushing back, constraining and simultaneously engaging with Moscow, the bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said ahead of the presentation of a Russia report on Wednesday (16...
LEAK: EU, US to mend trade ties, align on Russia-China
Brussels and Washington aim to renew ties during a joint summit with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (15 June), but – from the tariffs dispute to China – the transatlantic alliance still has areas of disagreement. EURACTIV has seen...
Sassoli: US Congress wants to collaborate with EU, national parliaments on migration
European Parliament chief David Sassoli has said that US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked him for more cooperation on migration and asylum among European national parliaments, the EU House and US Congress. “Last week before the G7, I had a...
Shipping ETS ‘fuels’ the fire in the Commission
The European Commission’s inter-service consultation over the measures for shipping included in the “Fit for 55” legislative package has resulted in a huge clash between DG Move and DG Clima, EURACTIV has learned. Particularly, sources close to the issue told...
Commission: Vaccinating children is not a political decision
The decision to vaccinate children is not a political decision, but an evidence-based scientific decision, a European Commission official told EURACTIV. “The establishment and implementation of vaccination strategies is a member state competence. This includes the decision to vaccinate children....
EU parliament calls for the suspension of Turkey’s EU talks
The European Parliament called on the European Commission on Wednesday to suspend Turkey’s EU accession talks. The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of 480 in favor, 64 against and 150 abstentions. The European People’s Party group (EPP) tweeted...
German minister: EU lost ‘credibility’ in defence of rule of law
Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth said on Tuesday that the EU had not been firm enough in upholding the rule of law and had lost credibility with countries that do not respect it. “I want to be very honest. The EU has not been firm enough in defending...
Convicted Greek MEP to flee Belgium?
Greek MEP Giannis Lagos, who was convicted in October for directing the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party as a “criminal organisation”, is planning to travel to Norway one day after the European Parliament is to lift his immunity, news website TVXS...
Josep Borrell deletes tweet about waiving vaccines’ patents
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has deleted a post he made on Twitter regarding the need to waive intellectual rights for vaccines. In the tweet, Borrell quoted US economist Joseph Stiglitz as saying, “at one point, scaling up vaccination...
EU sources: Europe could see regular vaccinations until 2023
Vaccinating Europe is not a problem to be solved in six months, but is an ongoing process that will likely last until 2023, EU sources have told EURACTIV. Though the pandemic will not remain in its current acute phase, the...