EURACTIV.com
The Brief – Demoralising is ugly, not delivering is worse
Why do some European leaders keep saying that it may take decades before Ukraine can join the EU? Out of a pure sense of self-preservation.
No Russia oil embargo discussion at EU summit, says Hungary’s Orbán
Hungary will not drop its opposition to an EU embargo on Russian oil any time soon, and so EU leaders should not discuss the issue at next week’s summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told European Council President Charles...
The price vs the cost of flying
If EURACTIV were a sensationalist tabloid, the headline would have written itself: “EUROCRATS GIVE CHEAP FLIGHTS THE KISS OF DEATH”. It has the twin tabloid virtues of being grabbing and not entirely true.
Von der Leyen: Russia weaponises hunger, grain as way to wield global power
Russia is deliberately weaponising food and hunger to wield global power, according to European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, who warned that it is the world’s most vulnerable who will bear the brunt of its actions.
Freedom and security more important than profit, NATO chief tells Davos
Western countries should not trade security for economic profit, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Tuesday (24 May), pointing to the risks of leaving close economic ties with Russia and China unchecked.
Ukraine war crimes ‘another Nuremberg moment’, US says
Prosecutors will be ready with indictments in hand to hold Russians accountable for war crimes in Ukraine, US ambassador for global criminal justice Beth Van Schaack told EURACTIV, adding that prosecuting Vladimir Putin personally would be possible, though difficult. VideoPromoted content
Media Partnership: Achieving the energy transition through active energy efficiency
Heating and cooling account for half of the gross final energy consumption in Europe. Most of it is still based on fossil fuels. Decarbonising thermal needs will therefore contribute massively to addressing both, the energy and the climate challenge. From...
Countries urged to focus on monkeypox diagnostics, contact tracing as cases increase
Health authorities have been urged to be alert, expand surveillance, and facilitate contact tracing as cases of monkeypox continue to appear in countries that are not used to seeing the virus.
Fearing Russian supply cuts, Berlin puts oil and coal power plants on standby
The German ministry for economy and climate action is ensuring that significant coal and oil power plant capacities are at the ready in case the country's Russian gas supply is cut, according to a government plan seen by EURACTIV.
Former Greek anti-corruption chief: Novartis scandal has harmed EU budget
The scandal involving Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis in Greece has affected the health budgets of other EU countries and the bloc’s finances, Greece’s former anti-corruption prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Mixed reactions to suspension of EU fiscal rules
While EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday (23 May) discussed the pros and cons of the EU Commission’s proposal to keep the EU’s fiscal rules suspended for another year, civil society organisations used the opportunity to question the fiscal rules more fundamentally.
Hydrogen industry scores EU win with draft ‘additionality’ proposal
The European Commission has drafted new rules clarifying how "green" hydrogen produced from renewable energy can be legally counted as "additional" and verified as such. The draft rules are seen as a boon for the fledgling European industry.
The Brief – Russia’s hub in the heart of Europe
The European Union has gone to great lengths to sanction Russia over its military aggression against Ukraine and the war crimes committed there. Some of the sanctions are very painful for EU countries, as many of them depend on Russian...
EU fiscal rules to be suspended for another year
Reacting to the economic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission postponed the renewed enforcement of its fiscal rules by a year, to 2024.
EU countries urged to prepare for Russian gas cut: summit draft
EU member states need to step up preparations for a possible major disruption of Russian gas supplies, according to the draft conclusions of an EU summit meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday next week (30-31 May).
Platform workers: French presidency clings to criteria approach
The French Presidency of the EU Council suggests not to stray too far from the Commission's proposal regarding the determination of the status of platform workers but could share the same ambition as the European Parliament regarding algorithmic management.
Zelenskyy tells Davos: Thousands of lives could have been saved had the West acted faster
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed for more weapons and "maximum" further sanctions against Russia on Monday (23 May), as he declared that tens of thousands of lives would have been saved had the international community acted faster.
Agrifood Podcast: New French agri minister, CAP on pause, EU Ombudsman
This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team discusses the agenda for the upcoming meeting of EU agricultural ministers, which will be the first for France’s new agricultural minister, Marc Fesneau, who has a shiny new addition to his title, we talk about...
The bankers of the social economy
From the EU Commission to the European Investment Fund, banks and venture capitalists, and then social enterprises, money changes hands many times before reaching its final destination.
Conference on the Future of Europe is over, what’s the outcome?
This is the end of the journey, but not the end of the story. Citizens approved their recommendations in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe (COFOE), the first EU deliberative democracy experiment where ordinary citizens took...
Several transparency issues during COVID could have been avoided, says EU watchdog
The EU response to COVID-19 has been a balancing act between being fast and being transparent. While issues still remain, European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly tells EURACTIV about the issues she has looked into and what to consider for next time.
Toxic particles from brakes to be included in ‘Euro 7’ emission rules
Ultra-fine particles from brake pad abrasion will for the first time be covered under an EU regulation to curtail vehicles’ contribution to air pollution, a move aimed at reducing the high level of the toxic particles in urban areas.
Scholz travels to Africa to forge closer ties with democracies amid Ukraine war
German chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Africa on Sunday (22 May) in an attempt to forge closer ties with like-minded democracies in an increasingly multipolar world order currently being reshaped by Russia's war in Ukraine.