Central Europe
Polish PM: Poland sets the standards in the EU
"Poland sets the standards, ideas and proposals that are copied by the whole of Europe," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said during an election campaign event for the local elections which are scheduled for 21 October. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Austrian Presidency on the road towards new markets
Austria's Federal Economic Chamber represents the interests of the country's economic operators but is also a cornerstone of the social partnership enshrined in the constitution. Its president, Harald Mahrer, spoke to EURACTIV Germany about Austria's economic goals in a changing global economy.
Polish president vetoes change to European parliament election rules
Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday (17 August) vetoed a controversial reform of European Parliament election rules that would have essentially kept all small parties in Poland out of the running. “I refuse to sign it and am sending the...
Belarus cracks down on independent media, detains jounalists
Belarus on Wednesday (8 August) detained at least six more journalists in Minsk including a freelance correspondent for Deutsche Welle in an ongoing crackdown on independent media, ostensibly over unauthorised access to a state news agency.
Top Polish court halts disputed judge retirements, pending ECJ ruling
Poland's Supreme Court said on Thursday (2 August) said it was suspending the forced early retirement of judges over the age of 65, and judges who want to should stay in place until EU's top court decides whether measures that will effectively allow the government to choose the court's staff breach EU law.
BMW to build €1 billion car factory in Hungary
BMW will invest 1 billion euros ($1.17 bln) to build a new plant in Hungary at a time when a rise in protectionism is forcing carmakers to curb inter-continental exports and to refocus production networks to serve regional trading blocs.
Europe needs to wake up to China’s influencing strategies
As Europe is waking up to the Chinese party-state’s growing influence inside its territory, China experts in Europe need to make themselves heard, write Tabitha Speelman and Matej Šimalčík.
Analyst: Visegrád Group’s anti-European course is anti-Ukrainian
Relations between the Visegrád countries and Ukraine have deteriorated in recent years. But from the point of view of ordinary Ukrainian citizens, Central and Eastern Europe is still a very attractive model, especially in the economic sense, analyst Kateryna Zarembo told EURACTIV.pl.
Visegrad plus Ukraine = V5?
Ukraine hopes that the Slovak presidency of the Visegrad group will resuscitate stalled cooperation between the group and the Eastern European country. But Kyiv still has a lot to learn about how the V4 does business, warns Hennadiy Maksak.
Radio Free Europe resumes broadcasts for Bulgaria, Romania
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has announced plans to re-launch news services in Bulgaria and Romania in a bid to strengthen the media landscape in both countries. In both cases, it marks a return for RFE/RL: the company previously served...
Silk Road financial hub inaugurated in Kazakhstan
The “Astana International Financial Centre” or AIFC, was inaugurated today (5 July) at a lavish ceremony in the Kazakh capital.
Slovakia down in the dumps at €1m EU fine
The European Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday (5 July) that Slovakia has not followed EU rules on landfills and will have to pay a €1 million lump sum fine and penalty payments of €5,000 for every day of delay.
EU summit approves tortured conclusions on migration after sleepless night
EU leaders reached a much-needed deal on steps to tackle migration after resolving a bitter row with Italy's inexperienced prime minister. Extended talks lasted through the night and only wrapped up on Friday morning (29 June).
Poland’s defence of contested judicial changes leaves EU unconvinced
EU ministers held the first-ever Article 7 hearing in Luxembourg on Tuesday (June 26) to determine the state of play in the rule of law dispute between Brussels and Poland. The EU remains unconvinced by Poland's recent efforts, with everyone waiting to see if and how a crucial judicial reform will go ahead on 3 July.
Bulgaria under fire for ill-treatment of asylum-seekers
French lawyers will file a complaint against Bulgaria and ask the European Commission to start an infringement procedure for inhumane treatment of asylum seekers by the country’s authorities, the Green/EFA group announced on Tuesday (26 June).
MEPs call on Parliament to trigger Article 7 procedure against Hungary
The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) recommended on Monday (June 25) triggering an Article 7 procedure against Hungary for breaching the fundamental values of the Union under Viktor Orbán’s rule.
A fateful week for the Chancellor
Chancellor Angela Merkel's presumably last term in office appears to be by far the hardest of her career. EURACTIV Germany looks at the crucial week ahead.
Pro-Russia Communists to back new Czech minority cabinet
Czech president Miloš Zeman said on Sunday (24 June) he may appoint a new two-party cabinet on Tuesday or Wednesday following eight months of political instability after last October's election.
Romania parliament changes criminal procedure; opposition says aims to hide graft
Romania's lower house of parliament on Monday night (18 June) approved amendments to the country's criminal procedure, which critics and the centrist opposition say would weaken prosecutors' powers to probe high level corruption.
Timmermans on Poland: Changes are ‘not sufficient’
Polish authorities need to address key concerns of the Commission over the independence of the country's judiciary by the end of the month, Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg on Wednesday (13 June).
Bulgaria to launch joint application to euro waiting room and Banking union
Bulgaria will seek to join both the eurozone’s waiting room and the bloc’s banking union within a year, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said on Tuesday (12 June).
Poland aims to be ‘keystone’ between diverging EU and US, says PM
Poland's rightwing prime minister has said the growing rift between the EU and the United States is a "great opportunity" for his country, which he hopes will be a "keystone" between them as trade tensions escalate.
Poland’s ruling PiS party considers joining centre-right EPP
Politicians in Poland's ultra-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party are pushing to join the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) after next year's European elections. EURACTIV Poland's media partner, Gazeta Wyborcza, reports.