Comuniq.EU

Qatar should not be dragged into EU corruption scandal, minister tells CNBC

(Reuters) - Qatar's foreign minister said his country should not be dragged into a cash-for-influence corruption scandal at the European Parliament with investigations still ongoing, rejecting allegations of Doha's involvement…

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Iran warns EU against listing Revolutionary Guards as terrorist entity

DUBAI, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Iran warned on Thursday that the European Union would "shoot itself in the foot" by listing the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist entity, Foreign Minister…

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Davos 2023: Europe must seize catch-up chance – EU’s Gentiloni

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 18 (Reuters) - An improved economic outlook gives Europe the chance to double-down on efforts to boost its industrial competitiveness in key sectors from clean energy to…

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Davos 2023: Euro zone could avoid recession, Villeroy says

Jan 18 (Reuters) - The euro zone economy is performing better than feared just a few months ago and the 20-nation bloc could even avoid a recession, French central bank…

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EU tourist stays neared pre-pandemic levels in 2022 – Eurostat

Jan 18 (Reuters) - The number of nights spent in tourist accommodation in the European Union in 2022 approached pre-pandemic levels, the bloc's statistics office Eurostat said on Wednesday, confirming…

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ECB union says staff losing faith in leadership over inflation, pay

40% of ECB staff has low or no trust Two-thirds say confidence is damaged 63% worried about ECB's ability to protect purchasing power By Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT, Jan 17 (Reuters)…

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Euro zone Dec inflation eases to 9.2% y/y as expected

BRUSSELS, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Euro zone consumer inflation decelerated as expected in December, the European Union's statistics office Eurostat confirmed on Wednesday, thanks to a continued fall in energy…

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Marc Angel elected Vice-President of the European Parliament instead of Eva Kaili

The newly elected Vice-President replaces Eva Kaili as the fifth VP in the Parliament’s Bureau. Kaili was arrested on money laundering and corruption charges allegedly involving Qatar On Wednesday, in…

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EU’s Nov 2022 excess deaths drop sharply from 2020/21 peaks

(Reuters) - The European Union saw 6.7% more deaths than usual in November, down sharply from 40% in the same month of 2020 and 26.5% in November 2021, official data…

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EU’s Michel backs tanks delivery to Ukraine

BRUSSELS, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The European Union's chairman on Wednesday spoke in favour of the West providing tanks to Ukraine to help it face off against Russia's invasion. "For…

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UPDATED: Former MEP Panzeri’s tax accountant arrested in Italy over EU graft scandal

ROME, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The tax consultant of a former EU lawmaker at the centre of a cash-for-influence corruption scandal at the European Parliament has been arrested in Italy,…

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EU must seek to de-risk rather than decouple from China – von der Leyen

The European Union needs to work and trade with China on clean tech and push for a level playing field rather than seek to decouple from the world's second-largest economy, European Commission…

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Unshell directive: MEPs adopt position on legislation to clamp down on shell companies

MEPs have proposed to widen the scope and toughen sanctions of proposed legislation aimed at clamping down on shell companies used for tax purposes. MEPs adopted their opinion on Tuesday…

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Fund groups warn over EU legal definition of ‘greenwashing’

European Union regulators should not define greenwashing in law, fund industry groups have told the bloc's markets watchdog, citing concerns this would complicate a sector in "constant flux". Trillions of…

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New rules needed to prevent NGOs being used by foreign actors – EPP Group

The EPP Group calls for new rules to prevent NGOs from being used by foreign actors, for funding transparency of NGOs, for a formal suspension of the S&D Chair of…

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EU may avoid recession, have a more shallow contraction instead -Gentiloni

Latest economic data shows the European Union may avoid a recession that was expected earlier and have a more shallow contraction instead, European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said. "The economic situation is…

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Germany joins battle against EU ban on financial product commission

Banning commission-based sales of financial products from banks and insurers would be a "serious setback" to the European Union's capital market and limit choice for consumers, Germany's finance minister Christian…

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EP reconvenes for first plenary of 2023 as Qatargate dominates proceedings

The European Parliament resumes plenary sessions in Strasbourg this week, where it will be voting for a new Vice President of the European Parliament, deciding its position on a new…

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EU targets first joint purchases of gas by summer

The European Commission aims for EU countries to start jointly buying gas "well before summer", European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said on Monday, an attempt to help countries refill storage…

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EU Commission wants first joint purchases of gas by summer

BRUSSELS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The European Commission aims for EU countries to start jointly buying gas "well before summer", European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said on Monday, an attempt…

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EU official says no going back to Russian airspace charges

DUBLIN, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Russia must stop charging foreign airlines for the use of Siberian airspace as and when overflight restrictions introduced as a result of the Ukraine conflict…

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EU markets watchdog to scrutinise online product sales, use of ‘influencers’

LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The European Union's markets watchdog said on Monday it will review how banks, insurers and investment firms sell products, particularly when using "influencers" in social…

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EU’s record recovery fund at risk as countries struggle to meet deadline

724 billion euro package agreed less than 2 years ago Extending disbursement beyond 2026 would need unanimity Countries already behind in commissioning projects Recipients blame rising costs of raw materials…

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EU inaugurates first mainland satellite launch port

The European Union wants to bolster its capacity to launch small satellites into space with a new launchpad in Arctic Sweden. European officials and Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf inaugurated the EU’s first mainland…

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EU asks member states for proposals on how to ease state aid rules

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission on Friday asked member states for input by Jan. 25 on proposals to ease state aid rules, as the bloc considers measures to prevent…

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EU needs to keep increasing pressure on Russia – von der Leyen

KIRUNA, Sweden (Reuters) - The European Union needs to keep increasing pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. "We need to…

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Irregular EU border crossings hit ‘highest’ level since 2016

In 2022, around 330 000 irregular border crossings were detected at EU’s external border, according to preliminary calculations*. This is the highest number since 2016 and an increase of 64%…

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ECB tells bankers to get picky with risky clients

FRANKFURT, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Euro zone banks must be more selective with customers that make risky bets on financial markets, such as hedge funds, and become more prudent in…

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Euro zone industry output grew by more than expected in November

BRUSSELS, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Euro zone production grew by more than expected in November as output of capital and intermediate goods expanded, in figures released on Friday showing some…

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Hungary denounces EU decision to cut off funds to universities

BUDAPEST, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Hungary on Thursday branded a European Commission decision to cut off some Hungarian universities from EU funding as unacceptable, saying it had met EU requests…

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ECB survey shows moderating inflation expectations

FRANKFURT, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Euro zone consumer expectations for inflation finally declined in November, ending prolonged rise as soaring food and energy prices made everyday life more expensive, a…

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HSBC wins appeal against $36 mln Euribor cartel fine

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, Jan 12 (Reuters) - HSBC .L has won an appeal against a decision by European antitrust regulators to fine Europe's second-largest bank 33.6 million euros…

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Malaysia says it could stop palm oil exports to EU after new curbs

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Thursday it could stop exporting palm oil to the European Union in response to a new law in the bloc that…

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EU draws up plans to stockpile scarce medicines

Brussels is seeking to end a Europe-wide medicine shortage by stockpiling drugs and obliging manufacturers to guarantee supplies. The EU will also try to reduce reliance on China and increase…

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Russia says EU is becoming a vassal of NATO

Russia said on Wednesday that the European Union was becoming a vassal of NATO, citing the signing of a joint declaration in which the two organisations pledged to deepen their…

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Metsola to set out transparency plan to respond to EP scandal

The head of the European Parliament will set out a 14-point plan on Thursday to tighten within weeks rules for lawmakers on financial declarations and contacts with lobbyists, in a…

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Malta lags behind in sanctioning Russian assets – EU

Malta, together with Greece, lags behind their European Union peers in freezing Russian assets sanctioned over Moscow's war against Ukraine, according to an EU official and an internal document, as the…

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German minister promises Ukraine weapons, EU accession help on surprise trip

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made a surprise visit to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv near the Russian border on Tuesday, promising more weapons as well as "concrete offers"…

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ECB’s Centeno: we are approaching the end of the interest rate rise process

LISBON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - European Central Bank's governing council member Mario Centeno said on Tuesday the current process of interest rate increases is approaching its end. The central banker, who was…

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EU should agree remaining climate laws by summer, Sweden says

The European Union aims to finish negotiations by July on laws to deliver its 2030 climate change target, although a contentious overhaul of fossil fuel taxes will likely take longer,…

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Goldman Sachs no longer expects recession in euro zone in 2023

Goldman Sachs said on Tuesday it expects the euro zone economy to grow by 0.6% this year, compared with its previous forecast of a contraction, thanks to a fall in natural gas…

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ECB must step up efforts to ‘green’ monetary policy, board member says

The European Central Bank must adjust its monetary policy to make it more climate-friendly, even as it shrinks its bloated balance sheet to fight runaway inflation in the euro zone, ECB board…

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EU pledges new sanctions against Belarus over support for Russia, von der Leyen says

The European Union will impose new sanctions on Belarus as it keeps up the pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine and extends measures to those countries that…

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NATO and EU pledge to expand cooperation

Spurred by the war in Ukraine, top NATO and EU officials pledged to expand cooperation between the two institutions in a joint declaration signed on Tuesday in Brussels. The 27-member European…

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Economy, migration dominate Meloni-Von der Leyen talks

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission tackled some of Europe's hottest issues in Rome, covering migration, the conflict in…

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Solid start for Croatia’s euro changeover

Almost one week after Croatia's entry into the euro area, a survey has found that its euro changeover has progressed well in its initial phase. The changeover took place on…

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Euro zone unemployment rate unchanged in November as expected

BRUSSELS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The euro zone's unemployment rate was unchanged at a record low in November as expected, with the absolute number of people without jobs falling slightly…

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Euro zone investor morale rises for third consecutive month

FRANKFURT, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Investor morale in the euro zone picked up for a third consecutive month in January to its highest level since June 2022, but remained in…

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ECB sees ‘very strong’ wage growth ahead in next few quarters

FRANKFURT, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Wage growth across the euro zone is expected to be "very strong" over the next few quarters but real wages are still likely to decline…

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Morocco complains of European Parliament ‘harassment’ after graft probe

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's ties with the European Union must be protected against harassment at the European parliament, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said this week, following a European probe into…

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Euro zone inflation falls sharply in December but offers ECB little respite

Euro zone inflation tumbled by more than expected last month but underlying price pressures rose, making it likely the European Central Bank will continue raising interest rates for months to come.…

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Russia’s ceasefire proposal ‘bogus and hypocritical’, EU’s Michel says:

Russian President Vladimir Putin's call on Thursday for a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine is "hypocritical" and the only route to restore peace is for Russia to withdraw its troops from…

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EU is stuck playing catch-up with Amazon and Apple

Europe’s antitrust tsar Margrethe Vestager appears to be clocking up some victories over technology groups like Amazon.com and Apple. But dig into the detail of the behemoths’ possible concessions, and…

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Airline, airport groups slam EU push for pre-flight COVID testing from China

A coalition of airline and airport groups on Thursday criticized new recommendations asking for passengers flying from China to the European Union to show a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding. EU…

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Germany’s Baerbock: Very positive tone to latest EU-Britain N Ireland talks

The tone of the most recent talks between the European Union and Britain on resolving the status of Northern Ireland after Brexit was very positive, giving confidence that a solution…

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Airline, airport groups slam EU push for pre-flight COVID testing from China

LONDON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A coalition of airline and airport groups on Thursday criticized new recommendations asking for passengers flying from China to the European Union to show a negative COVID-19…

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Euro zone producer prices fall m/m as expected in Nov

BRUSSELS, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Euro zone producer prices fell month-on-month as expected in November, the EU's statistics office said on Thursday, pulled down by falling costs of energy. The…

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