Health
Spanish soccer star starts sapling-seed scheme
Spanish international footballer and Arsenal defender Héctor Bellerín has started to make good on his pledge to plant 3,000 trees every time the London club wins a match, as part of a campaign to tackle deforestation in the Amazon.
Coronavirus, pension reform and more – what France’s new PM has said so far
France's new prime minister, Jean Castex, shed some new light on his government team, coronavirus, pensions and unemployment insurance reform in just his second interview since his appointment on 3 July. EURACTIV's partner, Ouest-France reports.
MEP: A common EU tool to incentivise production and availability of orphan drugs
When it comes to rare diseases and 'orphan drugs', technology is there to support an “objective” EU tool that could provide the pharma industry with the necessary incentives to research and produce orphan drugs and simultaneously avoid exhausting ailing health systems, MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos told EURACTIV in an interview.
Slovenian PM calls for mandatory coronavirus app, against Commission advice
Coronavirus contact tracing applications should be made mandatory as a means of helping the European Union transition out of the public health crisis and open up its borders, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša said on Wednesday (8 July).
Italy will not accept ‘weak compromise’ on EU recovery fund, PM says
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday (7 July) the European Union must act decisively to build a common response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, urging that support measures be activated rapidly.
EU orphan drugs law and the emergence of SMEs
The legal framework provided by the current EU orphan drugs regulation has encouraged a number of small and medium sized companies (SMEs) to develop innovative technologies in the fight against rare diseases in Europe, stakeholders told EURACTIV.com.
Commission’s ‘risky’ move to re-visit orphan drugs regulation
The European Commission is expected to present by the end of July an evaluation study on the pros and cons of the application of orphan and paediatric regulations, which deal with a niche segment of rare diseases that affect fewer than five in 10,000 people.
Belgium and most EU countries exempted from UK travel restrictions
The UK will lift its two week quarantine requirements for people travelling to and from most EU countries from next week, as Boris Johnson’s government continues to ease restrictions put in place to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
NGOs call for moratorium on controversial ‘gene drive organisms’
After over 78 environmental and agricultural organisations signing a letter this week calling for a moratorium on gene drive technology, EURACTIV took a closer look at the controversial technology to find out about what it is and the implications it holds.
Resurgence of COVID-19 observed in some EU countries, says EU disease centre
Several European countries have reported a resurgence of cases or large localised outbreaks of COVID-19, and there is still 'community transmission' in most EU/EEA countries, according to a report released on Thursday (2 June). The report called for continued vigilance despite noting decreasing trends in incidence across Europe overall.
New initiative hopes to get football clubs reporting their carbon footprint
As European football leagues began to resume play, the NGO Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) rolled out a new initiative to get more clubs thinking about their carbon footprint. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Europe’s hospitality sector makes last appeal ‘before it’s too late’
Hit hard by the pandemic, Europe’s hospitality sector is struggling to find a way out of the current chaos. Speaking to EURACTIV, its representatives have painted a bleak picture and called on governments to take immediate action to help the sector revive rapidly before it’s too late.
EU market for medical cannabis still far from full bloom
A temporary shortage of Dutch hemp flowers intended for export to Germany has put the spotlight on a lack of diversified supply sources and uniform quality standards in the growing European market for medical cannabis.
US influence wanes as China rises, according to a new transatlantic opinion poll
The pandemic may be quickly reshaping views of geopolitics, according to new polling data. More people in France, Germany and the US view China as the most influential world power, as US hegemony wanes. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU countries still struggle to approve border reopening ‘safe list’
EU member states are still struggling to approve a list of “safe countries” from where travellers could visit Europe in July, with the issue now being put to a vote, diplomats said on Monday (29 June). EU envoys on Friday...
WHO says pandemic ‘not even close’ to over as death toll passes 500,000
The COVID-19 pandemic is "not even close to being over", the WHO warned Monday (28 June), as the global death toll passed half a million and cases surged in Latin America and the US.
Stars help raise billions in EU vaccine drive
Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson lent support to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a coronavirus fundraising drive on Saturday that raised €6.15 billion.
COVID-19 was in Spain a year before breakout
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Ireland's new prime minister, Croatia's spikes in new daily COVID-19 cases, Serbian high-ranking officials testing positive for the virus, and so much more.
EU delays decision on external border reopening
The EU cannot agree on a list of "safe countries" from where travellers could visit Europe in July, with some member states requiring more time to decide, diplomats said Saturday (27 June).
COVID-19 health crisis threatens EU’s green objectives, says IEA
While the COVID-19 crisis has had a positive impact on the energy sector by reducing emissions of polluting gases, it has also hampered green investments, making it difficult to implement the EU climate programme. EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.
Europeans disillusioned with EU coronavirus response, new poll finds
A new poll conducted in nine member states has revealed both widespread public disapproval of the EU’s coronavirus response and agreement on the need for greater European cooperation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Europe faces virus upsurge as cases soar in Americas
Europe is facing an upsurge in coronavirus cases, the World Health Organisation warned on Thursday (25 June), as the disease continued its rampage through the Americas.
Spanish care homes bear brunt of COVID-19 crisis
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Croatia debating whether Prime Minister Andrej Plenković should self-isolate after meeting with COVID-positive Novak Đoković, Portugal's growing foreign population, and so much more.