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In today's news from the Capitals:
Rome
Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's far-right Lega party, has said that “when people vote, they are always right” regarding the Russian elections, causing confusion in the right-wing coalition government, with Italy's Lega party losing political space. Many speculate that they are having a hard time finding it. The balance of power in the coalition government after the June EU elections. read more.
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EU institutions
The EU is considering how to deal with Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina. EU leaders face tough decisions this week on whether to take next steps on Ukraine and Moldova or risk delaying them until after the EU elections, but developments on Bosnia and Herzegovina add to the situation. expected to be complicated. read more.
The European Union has formally approved an unusual one-time satellite launch from US territory. The European Union agreed on Tuesday to an agreement to launch the EU's Galileo satellite from US territory in a last-ditch effort and an unusual move to save its space program. read more.
The EU's Borrell proposed that 90% of frozen Russian assets should be transferred to a European peace facility. The EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday he intends to submit a proposal to transfer 90% of the income from Russian assets frozen in Europe to the European Peace Facility (EPF) and ultimately help Ukraine. He said that. read more.
The EU is moving to accelerate the introduction of simplified green conditions for farmers. Measures to ease some of the environmental requirements of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will come into force in 2024, with the European Parliament accelerating approval of the Commission's proposal and Member States broadly supporting the initiative. there's a possibility that. read more.
EU elections: trio in the ring for the Liberal Party. As EU liberals launch a joint election campaign on Wednesday with three leading Franco-German candidates, Euractic takes a look at who they are and what they want from Europe. read more.
Berlin
Germany has announced its next 500 million euro military aid plan for Ukraine. Germany will send nearly 200 vehicles worth 500 million euros and 10,000 artillery shells to help Ukraine fight back against Russian aggression, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Tuesday. read more.
The industry's share of the EU economy is on the decline, says the CEO of a German chemical giant. The head of the world's largest chemical company said that as a result of persistently high energy prices, the EU's industrial output as a share of total GDP would fall, adding that such “structural development” was not necessarily a bad thing, but rather a “healthy one.” He added that there is even a possibility that it is. ” for the European economy. read more.
Embattled German Chancellor Scholz points to Brussels for policy choices. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday criticized the general lack of accountability in EU institutions and warned that national governments, as well as the European Commission and parliament, must be held accountable to citizens for their policy choices. read more.
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Brussels
The European Commission has given the go-ahead for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes in Belgium. In a public decision on Tuesday, the European Commission announced its support for a Belgian bill that would ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in the country. read more.
Nordic and Baltic countries
Stockholm | Berlin
A terrorist plot against the Swedish parliament is thwarted in Germany. German police arrest two people People suspected of planning a terrorist attack on the Swedish Parliament in response to the recent Koran burning in Sweden. read more.
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Tallinn
Estonian Prime Minister Kalas warns of “dependence” on state aid during visit to Berlin. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kalas, speaking in Berlin on Tuesday, said increasing reliance on state subsidies risks taxpayers having to absorb companies' losses while profits are kept private. I warned against it as an invitation. read more.
south of europe
madrid
Spain's national security report warns of a growing terrorist threat in the EU. Spain's National Security Council (CSN) anti-terrorism report warns that the European Union faces a “real and direct risk” of an increased “terrorist threat” from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. There is. read more.
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lisbon
Portuguese police raid homes and businesses in connection with €39m EU funds fraud. Portuguese police on Tuesday, as part of Operation Maestro, targeted 78 projects co-financed with EU funds that would have netted the suspects around 39 million euros of illicit profits between 2015 and 2023. Judicial police confirmed on Tuesday that they had conducted a search of the house. read more.
eastern europe
warsaw
Poland's top general has confirmed Russia's preparations for conflict with NATO. Russia is preparing for a conflict with NATO in the next decade, Poland's top general Wiesław Kukwa said at a debate organized to mark the 25th anniversary of Poland's membership in the world's largest military alliance.. read more.
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prague | Warsaw | Bratislava | Budapest
V4 group to hold diplomatic talks despite differences in views on Russia and Ukraine. The foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary (collectively known as the Visegrad Group (V4)) will hold diplomatic talks in Prague on Thursday despite their differences over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. read more.
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bratislava
Slovakia's Special Public Prosecutor's Office will be dissolved amid controversial criminal law reforms. The Special Prosecutor's Office was officially closed on Wednesday following the government's controversial criminal law reforms, with investigators using the final day to bring charges against Prime Minister Robert Fico's aides. read more.
News from the Balkans
Sofia
Bulgaria's ministerial change fails, and a snap election looms. Less than a year after forming a regular government, Bulgaria is once again in the grip of political instability after two major parliamentary parties, Boyko Borisov's center-right GERB (EPP) and the centrist Democratic Bulgaria (PP). I'm stuck in a spiral. -DB) — Could not agree to form a government. read more.
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bucharest
Romanian Constitutional Court: No prison sentence for tax evasion of 1 million euros. Romania's Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by two opposition parties seeking to constitutionally invalidate a law decriminalizing tax evasion of less than 1 million euros, provided that tax evaders pay the outstanding amount along with fines. read more.
agenda:
- european union: The EU-Ukraine Association Council will meet to discuss Ukraine's reconstruction and reform, including EU financial aid and the European Commission's country report recommendations.
- The tripartite social summit is expected to focus on tackling skills and labor shortages, and an industrial strategy that complements the Green Deal, with a focus on quality jobs.
- Chair Ursula von der Leyen will chair the Committee meeting. Meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Welcoming Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal. Welcoming Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
- Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness host a roundtable with stakeholders on the future of the Capital Markets Union.
- Neighborhood and Extension Commissioner Oliver Verhelyi will take part in the trilogue on growth facilities in the Western Balkans.
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson gives an opening address at the European Nuclear Safety Regulatory Group (ENSREG) meeting on “Key policy and regulatory challenges in nuclear energy''.
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli will deliver the keynote address at the Anti-Racism and Diversity Week conference organized by civil society organizations.
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participated in the Ministerial Dialogue on the EU-African Union Global Health Partnership hosted by the Belgian Presidency.
- Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra welcomes Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region.
- Attorney General Didier Reynders participates in the European Corporate Governance Conference.
- Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčić welcomes World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
- Jutta Ulpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships, welcomes Mohamed Belhossin, African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation. Speaking at the closing session of the AU-EU Health Event on “Deepening the EU-AU Partnership on Global Health for Equitable Access: Towards Health Sovereignty in Africa”.
- Parliament's Frontex Scrutiny Working Group holds session.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Olivia Gyapong, Sofia Mandilara]
