Comuniq.EU

Politico reports MEPs doubt on Malta’s Commission nominee Fearne over criminal charges

Members of the European Parliament’s health committeehave questioned the nomination of Maltese Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne for the post of European commissioner after it emerged he will face criminal…

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EU envoys agree to use profits from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

Ambassadors from European Union countries agreed on Wednesday to use windfall profits from Russian central bank assets frozen in the EU for Ukraine's defence, the Belgian government said. Ministers still…

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EU adopts first law tackling violence against women

European Union (EU) countries on Tuesday gave the green light to the bloc's first law devoted to combatting violence against women. The sweeping new legislation aims to protect women in the…

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EU announces deal with Andorra and San Marino

European microstates Andorra and San Marino are to get expanded access to the EU's single market — but their important financial sectors are to be excluded for now. Once ratified,…

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World’s record-breaking temperature streak extends through April

The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on…

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Hard right wants more EU power to reflect likely election gains

Support is not limited to a traditional base of disgruntled older men. A recent German poll showed 22% of under-30s would vote for the country's far-right AfD. RN's president is…

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Conflict of interest concerns raised over MEPs’ second jobs

Half a dozen members of the European parliament earn more from second jobs than as EU lawmakers, according to analysis that raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. The campaign…

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EU ends rule of law proceedings against Poland

The European Union Commission is to end six years of rule of law proceedings against Poland, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, marking the opening of a…

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Air France, Lufthansa Group airlines part of EU greenwashing probe

Air France, its Dutch arm KLM, Norwegian, SAS and several Lufthansa Group airlines are among 20 carriers being investigated by the European Union for potential greenwashing, the companies said. The…

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UPDATED: EU chief will urge ‘fair’ China competition in Paris talks with Xi

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday she will press for "fair" competition with China in talks with its President Xi Jinping, who is in Paris on a state…

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EU’s Charles Michel: We must respond to current geopolitical chaos with further expansion

The European Union needs to respond to current geopolitical chaos with further expansion, European Council chief Charles Michel told Polish daily Rzeczpospolita. In an exclusive interview, he said he believes…

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EU condemns Russian ‘malicious cyber campaign’

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a statement on behalf of the bloc that “the European Union and its Member States, together with international partners, strongly condemn…

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EU offers 1 bln euros in economic, security support to Lebanon

The European Union has offered Lebanon a financial package of 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) to support its faltering economy and its security forces, European Commission President Ursula von der…

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Ursula von der Leyen urges Georgia to stay on European path amid Tbilisi mass rallies

President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen says she is following the situation in Georgia “with great concern and condemning the violence on the streets of Tbilisi.” “The Georgian…

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Croatian president hits out at prospect of EU TikTok ban

Croatia’s president pushed back on a suggestion by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the EU could ban TikTok, saying Wednesday that member countries should be able to…

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Dombrovskis emphasizes that the EU must not neglect its newer members

Expanding the EU’s ranks has been an “overall” success — but an economic chasm between member countries persists, the bloc’s trade and economics chief said. Twenty years after 10 Central…

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EU election campaign stresses importance of voting to protect democracy

Between 6 and 9 June 2024, more than 370 million people across 27 Member States are called to vote in the European elections. To further inform EU citizens and encourage…

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Report cautions that media freedom is nearing a critical juncture in numerous EU nations

Attacks against journalists and limited access to public interest information are profoundly affecting media freedom in Europe, according to a network of civil liberties NGOs. “Media freedom and pluralism still…

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Von der Leyen says TikTok ban in EU is ‘not excluded’

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted that banning TikTok in the European Union is an option, during a debate this evening in Maastricht, featuring parties' lead candidates for the…

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European Council President Charles Michel says Russia’s war in Ukraine boosts EU case for further expansion

Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has given a fresh impetus to the European Union's drive to admit more countries, the bloc's chairman said on Monday, adding he hoped the 27-nation…

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Not enough charging points for electric cars in EU: ACEA

Electric car charging stations have not kept pace with the increasing number of electric cars on the road, European automakers said on Monday. A report by the European Automobile Manufacturers'…

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France’s nuclear weapons should be part of European defence debate, Macron says

France's nuclear weapons should be part of the European defence debate, French President Emmanuel Macron told a group of regional newspapers on Sunday, in comments that drew fire from his…

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EU weighs sanctions on Russian liquefied natural gas

The European Commission is considering sanctions against Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to two EU diplomats, a move that would mark the first time Brussels has dared to go…

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UK anger at MEPs for saying ‘colony’ Gibraltar is undermining Russian sanctions

Britain reacted with fury after European lawmakers accused Gibraltar of making it easy for Russia to exploit sanctions loopholes and branded the territory a "colony." The spat, just the latest…

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UPDATED: ‘Europe could die,’ Macron warns, as he calls for stronger defences

President Emmanuel Macron appealed on Thursday for stronger, more integrated European defences and said the continent must not become a vassal of the United States, as he outlined his vision…

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EU Parliament backs clampdown on single-use plastic packaging

The European Parliament approved a proposed law on Wednesday that would ban certain single-use plastic packaging like mini shampoo bottles in hotels and thin plastic bags for groceries, in an…

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Metsola seen as favourite to succeed Ursula von der Leyen as next Commission President

Roberta Metsola, the current President of the European Parliament, is regarded as one of the leading contenders to potentially succeed Ursula von der Leyen as the President of the European…

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EU lawmakers approve overhaul of budget rules

European Union lawmakers on Tuesday approved a reform of the bloc's budgetary rules aimed at reigning in spending. Brussels has spent two years negotiating the reform. The new rules still…

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Rights concerns, costs undermine Turkey-EU migrant deal

Turkey's poor human rights record and economic factors are undermining the effectiveness of the European Union's migration deal with Ankara, EU auditors said on Wednesday. Under the 2016 deal, Ankara…

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The European Commission to take steps to address Russia’s shadow oil fleet

The European Commission will look into ways to deal with Russia's shadow oil fleet as part of the next package of sanctions, Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said in an…

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UPDATED: EU ministers fail to pledge Patriot systems to Ukraine at key meeting

European ministers said on Monday they were looking urgently at how to provide more air defence to Ukraine but they stopped short of concrete pledges of the Patriot systems that…

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Health-harming heat stress rising in Europe

Europe is increasingly facing bouts of heat so intense that the human body cannot cope, as climate change continues to raise temperatures, the EU's Copernicus climate monitoring service and the…

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EU regulator cautions at Russia LNG ban

The EU's energy regulator, Acer, cautioned against a sudden ban on Russian LNG imports, emphasizing the risk of an energy shock. Acer's warning comes as a group of member states…

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EU backs competitiveness push, but divisions persist

European Union leaders agreed to reforms on nine fronts on Thursday to revitalise the bloc's economy and help it catch the United States and China in the global tech race,…

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EU foreign policy chief warns ‘we are on the edge’ of ‘a regional war in the Middle East’

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the existing EU sanctions regime on Iran would be strengthened and expanded to…

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EU leaders to hear shake-up needed to match global rivals

European Union leaders will hear on Thursday how the bloc could act to catch up to the United States, China and other rivals in a global race in new green…

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Defence and competitiveness on EU’s Special Summit Agenda

The two-day EU summit begins Wednesday in Brussels with discussions on foreign affairs, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, tensions between Israel and Iran and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The EU leaders…

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European court rules drug lord Pablo Escobar’s name cannot be trademarked

The name of late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar cannot be registered as an EU trade mark, the European Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday, after his brother tried to…

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Eurobarometer: Half of Maltese voters want migration to be a priority in MEP election campaign

The latest Eurobarometer reveals that half of Maltese voters prioritise discussing migration and asylum in the upcoming European Parliament elections, while 37% focus on food security and agriculture. Published 50…

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Interest in EU election higher this time around, poll shows

Europeans' interest in the upcoming European Parliament election is significantly higher than before the last vote five years ago, according to an EU poll released on Wednesday, with poverty, health,…

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EU’s Red Sea naval mission not affected by Iran attack on Israel,

The operations of the European Union's naval mission to the Red Sea have not been affected by Iran's first-ever direct attack on Israel but the force needs more combat ships…

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World leaders call on nations to swiftly ratify U.N. ocean treaty

The European Union and the governments of 13 countries urged nations to prioritise the ratification of a U.N. treaty to protect the world's oceans from overfishing and other human activities.…

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Věra Jourová to step in as EU justice chief instead of Didier Reynders

European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová will take over as the EU institution's chief justice official, as Belgian commissioner Didier Reynders starts his campaign to get the top job at…

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European Commission’s business envoy withdraws amid cronyism allegations and opposition

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday her pick for the EU's new business envoy had decided not to take up the post, after critics linked the…

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Poland gets first payment of EU recovery funds

Poland has received €6.3 billion under the European Union's recovery fund, the first payment of its kind. The payment, confirmed on Monday, ends a long wait for the country, whose…

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EU marks anniversary of Sudan war with funding push

Top diplomats from the European Union were set to push for more funding for Sudan on Monday at a meeting in Paris to mark the first anniversary of a war…

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UPDATED: Iran strikes on Israel an ‘unprecedented escalation’: Borell

The European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, has condemned Iran’s strikes on Israel as an “unprecedented escalation”. “The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable Iranian attack against Israel,” he wrote…

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Belgium probing alleged Russian interference in EU election campaign

Belgian prosecutors are looking into possible Russian interference in the upcoming European Parliament election following findings provided by intelligence services, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday. He said…

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EU votes in favour of classifying abortion access as a fundamental right

The European Parliament has voted in favour of including access to abortion in the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. The European Parliament has voted in favour of including access to…

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Code of conduct for fair electoral practices ahead of June EU vote

European political parties have signed a code of conduct ahead of European Parliament elections scheduled in June in which they pledge to "support ethical and fair electoral practices", the European…

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Poland won’t accept migrant relocation mechanism, PM says

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland will not accept a European Union immigrant relocation mechanism despite the European Parliament's approval of legislation meant to curb migration into the continent. European…

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Euro zone investor morale hits two-year high in April

Investor morale in the euro zone improved for the sixth consecutive month in April to its highest level in more than two years, a survey showed this week, adding that…

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EU Parliament approves law to slash trucks’ carbon footprint

The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to pass a law to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from trucks, which will require most new heavy-duty vehicles sold in the EU from 2040…

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EU parliament approves migration system revamp ahead of bloc’s election

By Nette Noestlinger and Gabriela Baczynska European lawmakers on Wednesday approved a revamped migration system that the pro-EU political centre promises would reduce irregular arrivals as it seeks to stem…

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‘Russia must not prevail,’ EU tells the world’

The EU will ramp up its rhetoric against Moscow when finance ministers travel to Washington for international meetings next week, according to draft statements seen by POLITICO. “Russia must not…

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Frontex rattled by probe into contract with travel agency accused of fraud

Europe’s border agency, Frontex, awarded a contract to a Polish travel agency despite knowing it was under investigation by the EU’s anti-fraud agency — until its Executive Director Hans Leijtens…

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EU leaders to demand sweeping competitiveness drive at summit

European Union leaders will use a summit next week to call for decisive action to ensure the bloc's long-term competitiveness and leadership on the global stage, according to draft conclusions…

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