Czech debate on joining Eurozone moved forward ‘significantly’, says minister

The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by Euractiv’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by Euractiv.

Today’s edition is powered by WindEurope

Our wind, our value.

Come to WindEurope’s Annual Event in Bilbao to find out how wind energy is creating value for Europe while living up to Europe’s values. 12,000+ attendees, 40+ sessions, 250+ speakers, 480+ exhibitors, excellent networking opportunities and much more!

Find out more >>

In today’s news from The Capitals:

PRAGUE

The Czech discussion of joining the Eurozone has moved forward significantly, European Affairs Minister Martin Dvořák told Euractiv Czechia, despite having his “envoy for euro“ delegate cancelled after they were appointed without prior approval from coalition partners. Read more.

///

BERLIN

German climate activists enter EU-Elections: Last Generation aims to ‘shake up’ Parliament. The list of fringe parties in Germany aiming for a seat in the European Parliament is getting longer, as climate activists want to “really shake up” politics this time. Read more.

///

PARIS

Some RN MEPs sign resolution to ‘abolish’ Green Deal. At least six of the 18 MEPs in the EP far-right French RN party’s delegation have already signed or will sign on Thursday a resolution tabled by their Belgian Vlaams Belang colleague, Tom Vandendriessche, calling for the Green Deal to be “abolished”.  Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

LISBON

EU threatens Portugal with sanctions over conservation failings. The EU Commission started legal proceedings against Portugal at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on Wednesday in two individual cases for its alleged failure to comply with a ruling on the conservation of sites considered Special Areas of Conservation and threatened sanctions. Read more.

///

MADRID

Spanish PM pledges to strengthen farmers’ power in food chain. Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, pledged on Wednesday 7 February to strengthen the national Food Chain Law, and to streamline the processing of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aids, to avoid what the far-right Vox party has described as “the rebellion of the tractors”. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Polish opposition storms parliament to let in former MPs. Lawmakers from the Law and Justice Party (PiS) tried to storm the Polish parliament on Wednesday, forcing security to allow two expelled ex-lawmakers, Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik, to enter. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgaria to launch investigation against Kremlin regime’s ‘aggression’. Bulgarian authorities are preparing amendments to the country’s criminal code to allow prosecution of the Kremlin regime for the war of aggression against Ukraine, Bulgarian Justice Minister Atanas Slavov told Euractiv Bulgaria. Read more.

///

BUCHAREST

EU Commission warns Romania over landfill waste management. Romania received a warning on Wednesday for failing to fully comply with the Landfill and Waste Framework Directives despite having already been fined by the European Court of Justice in December. Read more.

///

ZAGREB

Parliament elects Turudić as new chief prosecutor, opposition, and NGOs predict democratic erosion. Parliament elected Ivan Turudić as the new Attorney General on Wednesday, further deepening the divisions in the already deeply polarised Croatian political scene. Read more.

///

BELGRADE 

EU must continue to promote dialogue between Serbia, Kosovo, says Chinese Ambassador. China has encouraged the EU to continue making positive efforts to promote dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and hopes it will play a constructive role as a mediator, Chinese Ambassador Li Ming said following a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Read more.

///

PRISTINA

Kosovo PM debunks ‘fearmongering’, clarifies key points of euro-only policy. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has published a statement clarifying the decision to enforce Article 11 of the constitution regarding a single official currency in the face of increasing criticism from the EU and the US after Serbia claimed it amounts to a ‘ban’ on the Serbian dinar, still used illegally in Kosovo’s Serb-majority north. Read more.

AGENDA:

• EU: Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers expected to discuss public procurement reinforcement, strategic autonomy, industry & innovation, and more;
• Commission President Ursula von der Leyen together with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, on official visit in Nouakchott, meet with President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould El-Ghazaouani;
• Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica delivers keynote speech at “Reconnecting EU citizens with the Single Market and the specific role of SGEI” event, organised by the Belgian Presidency, in Liege, Belgium;
• Vice President Maroš Šefčovič participates in Network of Heads of EU Agencies meeting;
• Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis receives Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Andrii Pyshnyi;
• Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni in Washington D.C., United States: participates in closed-door roundtable discussion at Brookings Institution; Meets with Chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell; Meets with Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen;
• Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli participates in trilogue on European Disability Card; Delivers online keynote speech at 9th International Day of Women & Girls in Science Assembly;
• Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra holds meetings with President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Nadia Calviño, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso;
• Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in trilogue on platform work directive;
• Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova participates in Parliament’s plenary session debate on working conditions of teachers in the EU;
• Parliament’s plenary session votes on automated data exchange for police cooperation, EU priorities for the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, situation in Serbia following elections, russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the EU;

***

[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]

Read more with Euractiv

Kosovo PM debunks 'fearmongering', clarifies key points of euro-only policy

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has published a statement clarifying the decision to enforce Article 11 of the constitution regarding a single official currency in the face of increasing criticism from the EU and the US after Serbia claimed it amounts to a ‘ban’ on the Serbian dinar, still used illegally in Kosovo’s Serb-majority north.