Politics
EPP gets another top job: Finland’s Itala to head OLAF
Finland’s Ville Itälä will be the new director-general of OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud office. He comes from the Finnish Kokoomus party, affiliated with the centre-right European Peoples’ Party (EPP) and will move to Olaf from his current post with the European Court of Auditors.
Hungary approves ‘STOP Soros’ law, prohibits ‘resettlement of alien population’
Hungary’s parliament yesterday (20 June) approved a package of bills that criminalises some help given to illegal immigrants, defying the European Union and human rights groups. Parliament, where Fidesz has a two-thirds majority, also passed a constitutional amendment stating that...
Theresa May survives Brexit vote, EU steps up pressure
British Prime Minister Theresa May survived another knife-edge Brexit vote in parliament yesterday (20 June) but came under fresh pressure from the European Union to step up the withdrawal negotiations.
Quarrel between Merkel and Seehofer threatens Macron too
French President Emmanuel Macron rode to Chancellor Angela Merkel's aid on migration policy this week - because he is aware that the political crisis in Berlin might affect him as well. EURACTIV Germany's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Italian region shows two sides to the immigration story
Images of distressed refugees arriving on Italian shores have become increasingly familiar in recent years. EURACTIV reports on the situation on the ground in Italy.
NGOs demand asylum reform on World Refugee Day
68.5 million people in the world are displaced due to wars, conflict and persecution - a new high in 2017 for the fifth year in a row, an UNHCR report published on World Refugee Day revealed.
No trade deal before the end of Brexit transition, Verhofstadt warns UK
A new EU-UK trade deal will not be concluded before the end of a post-Brexit transition period, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, told UK MPs on Wednesday (20 June).
Unravelling the Macron-Merkel agreement
A meeting between Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron was meant to foster a breakthrough on possible eurozone reforms. But the declaration brokered on Tuesday (19 June) is full of language that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Macron wins Merkel’s backing on budget for eurozone
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (19 June) won German Chancellor Angela Merkel's backing for reforms that are aimed at bolstering the eurozone against crises, including a vaunted budget for the bloc.
Barnier: ‘Serious divergences’ remain in Brexit talks over Northern Ireland
Brussels and London have made progress on several technical sections of Brexit negotiations but "serious divergences" remain over the issue of Northern Ireland after a final round of talks ahead of this month's European summit, the EU said Tuesday (19 June).
‘Disembarkation platforms’ outside EU considered to end migrant row
The EU is considering setting up "disembarkation platforms" outside the bloc to process migrants, according to draft summit conclusions seen Tuesday (19 June) by AFP, as Brussels tries to solve a political crisis over immigration.
Slovak farmers drive tractors into capital to protest alleged EU subsidy fraud
Dozens of farmers from across Slovakia drove their tractors into the capital Bratislava on Tuesday (19 June) to protest against alleged irregularities in EU farm subsidy payments first made public by murdered journalist Jan Kuciak.
Salvini sparks outcry over Roma census and expulsion plans
Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Tuesday (19 June) defended his plans to count the Roma community living in the country and deport those without legal status, despite outrage at home and abroad.
The Brief – Side-stepping the migration issue
No one can say that the EU and its leaders are not exorcised by migration. Its next seven-year budget is expected to include a plethora of new tools, including a “migration management window”. An investment fund for African countries has been set up to “tackle the root causes of migration”.
Barnier: UK needs to show ‘realism’, will be shut out of Arrest Warrant
The UK needs a reality check and will not be able to remain part of the European Arrest Warrant after it leaves the European Union, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said on Tuesday.
Spain’s new prime minister aims for regular elections in 2020
Spain's new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took over earlier this month after his conservative predecessor lost a no-confidence vote, said on Monday (18 June) he plans to stay in office until the regular ballot scheduled for 2020.
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.
Salvini wants census of Roma communities to expel non-Italians
Italy's new government plans to carry out a census of the Roma community with an eye to kicking out anyone staying in the country illegally, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said yesterday (18 June).
Czech PM flatly rejects EU post-Brexit budget proposal
Czech billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babiš yesterday (18 June) rejected the European Commission's multi-year draft budget as "completely unacceptable", lashing out at spending priorities imposed by Brussels.
Conte: Germany is aware EU needs to change its migration policy
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (18 June) she wanted to support Italy in its efforts to reduce the number of migrants arriving on its shores, possibly handling asylum requests for Europe in non-European countries including Libya.
Half of Aquarius migrants seek asylum in France
Almost half of the 630 migrants that were rescued from the Mediterranean and arrived in Spain's port of Valencia at the weekend want to seek asylum in France, the Spanish government said yesterday (18 June).
Merkel avoids government collapse over immigration but faces deadline
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Bavarian allies agreed to give her two weeks' breathing space yesterday (18 June) to find a European solution to a row over immigration that threatens to scupper her three-month-old coalition government.
Europe and refugees causes rift among the French right
The theme of Europe and refugees is the main cause for division in the French conservative party Les Républicains. The leader of the party has dismissed its vice-president Virginie Calmels, who accused him of “defending his own ideas”. EURACTIV.fr reports.