News

India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive has achieved a historic milestone of administering 1 billion vaccine doses, mostly India-made, the authorities in New Delhi announced on Thursday (21 October).

France's "trusted cloud" strategy is sending "contradictory messages" and leaving little room for competition in the race for digital sovereignty already dominated by the likes of Amazon, Google and Microsoft, French cloud industry players have said. EURACTIV France reports.

Leaders of the EU-27 came together on 21-22 October for a summit dominated by a debate about Poland, whose increasingly defiant stance on rule of law and the role of Brussels has challenged the fundamentals of EU order and put the bloc to a serious test.

EU co-legislators appear to be approaching common ground on several key points of the e-Evidence proposal including notification obligations, order suspensions, and grounds for refusal, according to an internal document.

The European Parliament has voted by a vast majority to adopt a report on protecting workers from asbestos in what has been dubbed a "historic" move.

A resolution to support the EU’s media sector in the “Digital Decade”, including better protecting media freedom and safeguarding independence has passed by a large majority in the European Parliament.

The European Commission has brushed off industry criticism that the upcoming EU battery regulation could raise the cost of electric vehicles, arguing that prices will fall thanks to increased manufacturing capacity ushered in by EU policies.

China on Wednesday (20 October) promised the World Trade Organization it would further open its vast market, but the United States swiftly countered that Beijing showed "no inclination to change".

European Union leaders will tackle their Polish counterpart on Thursday (21 October) over a court ruling that questioned the primacy of European laws in a sharp escalation of battles that risk precipitating a new crisis for the bloc.

Russia delivered a blow to hopes of a breakthrough international deal on climate change when the Kremlin said on Wednesday (20 October) that President Vladimir Putin would not fly to Scotland for talks starting at the end of this month.

EU leaders will take stock of the European Commission's proposed "toolbox" of measures to tackle rising energy prices when they meet in Brussels today (21 October), but will leave energy ministers to discuss the details next week, according to draft summit conclusions seen by EURACTIV.

Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann, who on Wednesday (20 October) announced his decision to stand down more than five years early, led a decade-long fight inside the European Central Bank against the easy-money policies espoused by successive ECB presidents.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Germany's Seehofer saying he is opposed to closing the border to Poland, the Green certificate becoming the main topic of discussion in Bulgaria's election campaign, and so much more.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu will visit Slovakia next week on a rare trip to Europe that will also include a trip to the neighbouring Czech Republic and a virtual address to a forum in Rome, his ministry said.

The United States and the European Union voiced support on Wednesday (20 October) for Western Balkan countries' efforts to join the EU but expressed concern about "increasingly divisive rhetoric" in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ensuring sufficient plasma collection in Europe remains a thorny issue but the forthcoming revision of the EU framework for pharmaceuticals offers the potential to turn the tide.

NATO defence ministers are set to adopt a number of strategy papers and agree on a new master plan on Thursday (21 October) on how to defend against any potential Russian hybrid attack, diplomats and officials said.

France's food and public health agencies, Anses and Santé Publique France, have announced that they would be launching a study on pesticide exposure among people living in wine-growing areas. The issue is of growing concern in France and the EU.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša discussed the significance of social dialogue, cooperation, green and digital transition, lifelong learning and sustainable work as he addressed a virtual Tripartite Social Summit ahead of the EU summit. The social summit, which is being organised …

Following a long will-they-won't-they saga, European Parliament President David Sassoli announced on Wednesday (20 October) his institution will sue the European Commission if it fails to trigger the regulation linking EU funds to rule of law before 2 November.

Days before the Commission is expected to publish its proposal to change capital requirements rules, billionaire hedge fund manager Chris Hohn called for a stricter treatment of fossil fuel investments in banks’ balance sheets. His call is supported by activists and experts who fear the effects of climate change on financial stability

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was awarded the European Parliament's annual human rights prize on Wednesday (20 October) for his efforts to challenge President Vladimir Putin's grip on powe

Georgia's jailed ex-president and opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili on Wednesday (20 October) vowed to keep refusing food in prison after doctors recommended that he be hospitalised.

The European Commission, battling the growing threats to its core democratic values at home, has promised to dedicate more funds to rule of law programmes for countries in the Western Balkans, against a backdrop of increasing frustration in the region with the sluggish speed of the EU's enlargement process.