Europe Explained

Quality of Europe’s bathing water rated as high

The quality of Europe's bathing water remains high, according to this year's European bathing water quality assessment published today. Just under 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2019…

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EU enhances fundamental rights during operations at its borders

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) signed an agreement on developing Frontex's fundamental rights monitors. Under this agreement, FRA will…

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EU strengthens action to tackle disinformation, expects reports from social media giants

Facebook, Google and Twitter should provide monthly reports on their fight against disinformation, two senior EU officials said on Wednesday as they called out Russia and China for their roles…

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Europe pushes forward trials of gene-engineered COVID-19 vaccine

European officials aim to speed up trials for coronavirus vaccines containing genetically modified organisms, two EU sources told Reuters, in a move that could help shots developed by companies like AstraZeneca and Johnson &…

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Malta welcomes EU recovery plan but challenges distribution criteria and taxation plans

Finance Ministers got together online to discuss the EU's proposed Recovery Plan, intended to kickstart the European economies after the challenges broughout about by the coronavirus pandemic. During his intervention…

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Health threats: boosting EU readiness and crisis management

The EU is proposing to substantially increase its health funding by €9.4 billion through a new Europe-wide programme, EU4Health, which aims to strengthen Europe’s health systems to respond better to…

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European Parliament revises rules to encourage banks to lend to companies and households

The European Parliament has approved new rules to temporarily ensure favourable conditions for banks in order to support credit flows to companies and households and absorb losses, mitigating the severe…

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EU grants €314 million to innovative companies to combat the virus and support recovery

The European Commission has warded nearly €166 million, via the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot, to 36 companies set to combat the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, over €148 million…

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COVID-19 and German constitutional court decision top meeting with ECB’s Lagarde

MEPs quizzed ECB President Christine Lagarde for the first time since the pandemic and the German constitutional court’s ruling on the ECB’s bondbuying programme. During the quarterly ‘Monetary Dialogue’ with…

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EP Transport Committee approves major reform of road transport sector

Transport Committee MEPs endorsed on Monday the deal reached with EU ministers on a major reform of the road transport sector. The revised rules for posting of drivers, drivers’…

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Carers deserve more than some applause as MEPs propose EU-wide strategy

The centre-right EPP Group in the European Parliament has called for the creation of a Europe-wide strategy focusing on carers, describing it as a priority and calling on the Union…

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Temperature heats up as EU states share divergent views on migration

Summer is not yet here and migratory challenges across Europe have already increased tensions across EU Member States. As countries insisted with their standoffs to raise visibility of their plight,…

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Maltese workers’ work-life registers highest duration increase in EU

In 2019, the expected average duration of working life for the European Union’s (EU) adult population aged 15 years and more was 35.9 years. This was 0.2 years longer than…

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EU wants power to investigate Chinese firms buying EU companies with state aid

European Union competition regulators want more power to investigate Chinese companies benefiting from state subsidies seeking to acquire EU firms because of the distortive effect of such aid, Reuters revealed. The…

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Swift return to functional Schengen area key to EU’s economic recovery – MEPs

Civil Liberties Committee MEPs express their concern about the current situation of internal border controls in the Schengen area and their impact on people and businesses, in a resolution adopted on Thursday by…

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Science and space among the industries of the future – EU Council

Space policy can play an important role in achieving a sustainable EU economy. Earth science and European space data, services and technologies may contribute to the European Green Deal, enabling…

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ECB to decide on further stimulus to eurozone today

The European Central Bank is certain to give the ailing euro zone economy another shot in the arm and the only question is the timing, with arguments split between a move later…

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EU Commission consults with social partners on fair minimum wages

The European Commission has launched the second-stage consultation of European trade unions and employers' organisations on how to ensure fair minimum wages for all workers in the European Union. This…

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Combat 5G COVID-19 fake news, urges EU

European Union (EU) nations banking on 5G to boost economic growth are eager to tackle conspiracy theories linking the wireless technology to the spread of the novel coronavirus that have seen masts…

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Renew Europe condemns George Floyd murder and calls for the fight against racism to be stepped up

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament condemns the appalling murder of George Floyd in the US and the subsequent police crackdowns on peaceful US protesters and European journalists.…

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European cloud computing platform taking shape

A proposed European cloud computing platform that seeks to break the continent's reliance on Silicon Valley will take shape in the coming weeks when a group of 22 French and…

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EU bank supports Kosovo through €11m investment for wastewater treatment

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest €11 million to improve wastewater management and provide affordable access to water and wastewater services for more than 90 000 people in the municipality…

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EU to initiate controversial digital platform reforms

A significant, and politically-sensitive revolution in EU regulation is expected to be kicked off this afternoon by the European Commission. The EU's executive branch will be launching a public consultation…

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COVID-19 could lead to more resilient EU asylum procedure

Initially limited by the emergency measures, national asylum authorities largely made strong efforts to resume services wherever possible, often within weeks. At the same time, Member States should be prepared…

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UK willing to compromise on fisheries and trade if EU backs off hardline stance

The United Kingdom is expected to indicate its willingness to compromise on fisheries and trade rules if the European Union agrees to back off from its "maximalist" demands related to regulatory alignment and…

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Strong multilateral system key to delivering for world’s most vulnerable, EU Foreign Policy Chief tells UN

The COVID-19 pandemic is a test of the multilateral system’s ability to overcome global challenges through collective action, the European Union’s foreign policy chief told the Security Council in a…

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EPP calls for European health ‘independence’

The EPP Group wants to bring back part of the production of medicines to Europe to make it medically independent from third countries such as India and China. Also, stockpiling…

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Eurojust steps up the fight against migrant smuggling

To further strengthen the fight against migrant smuggling, Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, has launched a new initiative, the Focus Group for Prosecutors on Migrant Smuggling. In…

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Demonstrations in Europe to condemn George Floyd killing

Protests spread across Europe on the weekend to condemn the killing of George Floyd, the black man in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. George Floyd, 46, died after…

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EU proposes financial instrument to support private investment

Private industry and investment need to be at the forefront of the recovery, according to the European Commission. In this context, it has proposed a new instrument to mobilise private…

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WHO warns second more deadly wave of coronavirus expected ‘to hit Europe this winter’

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Dr Hans Kluge, director for the WHO European region warned European countries should brace themselves for a deadly second wave of coronavirus infections…

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EU Commission launches new global fundraising campaign to finance development and distribution of vaccines against Covid-19

The European Commission launched a new global fundraising campaign on Thursday to finance the development and worldwide distribution of testing, vaccines and treatments against COVID-19, seeking to address concerns they may not be…

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Austria, Italy, Portugal, Spain receive €279m after natural disasters in 2019

On Thursday, Budgets Committee Members approved €279 million in EU aid following extreme weather events in Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain in 2019. The draft report by rapporteur José Manuel Fernandes, (EPP,…

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Supporting the recovery: MEPs adopt budget priorities for 2021

The 2021 budget priorities should be to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and support the recovery, building on the Green Deal and digital transformation. In the resolution by…

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EU Commission proposes a public loan facility to support green investments

The European Commission has today presented a proposal for a public sector loan facility encouraging investments that support the transition towards a climate-neutral economy by public sector authorities to the…

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PES: The recovery cannot wait, Member States must put EU plan into action

European Socialists welcomed the European Commission recovery plan announced yesterday, defining it as "a historic opportunity to kickstart the reconstruction of the Union and move towards a more progressive and…

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EP budget negotiators: recovery plan crucial, but do not trade long-term for short-term

The European Parliament's budget negotiators welcomed yesterday's proposals by the European Commission, though expressing regret that the original proposed was reduced. "We positively acknowledge the reinforcement of the current MFF…

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Malta set to benefit one billion euro from EU Recovery Plan

Malta will be receiving around a billion euro to support its economic and social efforts in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is understood that this allocation will consist…

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European Commission lays down plan for unprecedented €750 billion recovery plan

The European Commission has this afternoon put forward its proposal for a major recovery plan. To ensure the recovery is sustainable, even, inclusive and fair for all Member States, the…

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Italy and Spain to get lion’s share of EU recovery fund

The European Commision will propose later today that Italy and Spain -- the countries most affected by the coronavirus epidemic -- get the lion's share of a new recovery fund offering a…

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European citizens want stronger role for EU, especially at times of crisis

An independent survey commissioned by the European Parliament found that nearly seven out of ten respondents (69%) want a stronger role for the EU in fighting this crisis. In parallel,…

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EU Investment Bank approves €25 billion Pan-European Guarantee Fund to respond to COVID-19 crisis

The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed on the structure and business approach of the new Pan-European Guarantee Fund to tackle the economic consequences of…

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EU terminates controls on export of coronavirus protective equipment

The European Union ended its controls on the export of coronavirus protective equipment on Tuesday after concluding that supplies for European medical and other workers were now adequate. It's the latest phasing down of coronavirus…

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COVID-19: EU Council adopts relief measures for aviation and railways

The Council of Ministers of the European Union adopted a temporary amendment to the rules on air services to support airlines and airports in the face of a sharp drop in air…

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ECB considering plans to implement bond-buying programme even if Germany’s Bundesbank quits

The European Central Bank (ECB) is drafting contingency plans to carry out its multi-trillion bond-buying programme without the Bundesbank in case Germany's top court forces the main participant in the…

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MEPs raise alarm on rule of law in Poland

The attacks on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights in Poland need to be addressed urgently, say a majority of MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee. In…

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EU Parliament to look into precarious situation of cross-border and seasonal workers

The Employment and Social Affairs Committee is set to delve into alleged breaches of EU law on working time, health and safety of cross-border workers, later on today. Following disturbing…

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EC adopts Biodiversity strategy in bid to work towards a competitive, sustainable future

The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive new Biodiversity Strategy to bring nature back into our lives and a Farm to Fork Strategy in its efforts towards a fair, healthy…

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Eight EU states make case for natural gas industry

Eight EU countries published a joint position paper to highlight the potential of natural gas in the European strategy towards a net-zero emissions policy. The document is signed by…

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No agreement with UK without fisheries deal – EPP

"Fisheries must not be an adjustment variable or a political symbol in the Brexit equation. No fisheries agreement means no post-Brexit agreement. The European Parliament has shown that it wants…

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Eurogroup chief calls Franco-German 500 bln euro recovery fund a step towards EU fiscal union

Eurogroup chief Mario Centeno said plans by Germany and France to set up a 500 billion euro ($545 billion) recovery fund to cope with the coronavirus pandemic would be a…

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EU approves €8 billion Austrian scheme to compensate companies for damages related to COVID-19

The European Commission has found a €8 billion Austrian scheme to compensate companies for damages related to the coronavirus outbreak to be in line with EU State aid rules. Under…

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Eurojust finds increase in cumulative charges for terrorism and war crimes

Prosecutors in the EU are increasingly cumulating charges against returning foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), members of ISIS and its affiliates, with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, so-called core…

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The new face of travel: the EU’s plans to get you back in the skies

While the public is still engaged on social media debating whether airports should open any time soon, the EU is forging ahead with its plans to make travel a reality…

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EC approves €9 billion scheme to support the Italian economy

The European Commission has approved a €9 billion Italian scheme to support the Italian economy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State aid…

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EU launches new tool for tracking measures to mitigate social, economic impact of COVID-19

Governments, social partners, businesses and other institutions have moved swiftly to implement measures to control the spread of COVID-19 across Europe and to mitigate the social and economic impact of…

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Cost of living around Europe drops

In April 2020, a month marked by COVID-19 containment measures in all countries, the euro area annual inflation rate was 0.3%, down from 0.7% in March. A year earlier, the…

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