EU

EU condemns Russia’s termination of Ukraine grain deal, vows help

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called Russia's decision to suspend a Black Sea grain export deal a "cynical move", adding that the EU would continue…

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Let’s make it worthy of its name, says MEP Casa on Daphne’s Law

The European Parliament voted strongly in favour of the anti-SLAPP Directive, following a lively debate during today's plenary session in Strasbourg. “After the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Maltese media…

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Australia PM Albanese to push to overcome EU trade obstacles with Macron

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was important for exporters to gain access to European markets under any EU free trade deal, and he would raise obstacles to an agreement in talks…

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New Zealand, EU ink historic trade deal

New Zealand and the European Union signed a free trade agreement overnight Sunday after negotiations were completed in 2022, with expectations it will come into force in the first half of…

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Migrants in Libya: MEPs concerned about the systematic violations of human rights

MEPs have urged the Commission to review urgently the EU’s approach towards Libya and the rights of migrants. In a joint meeting of the Committee on civil liberties, Justice and…

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ECB backs draft EU rules for winding down smaller banks

The European Central Bank on Thursday backed proposed new EU rules for closing down smaller banks when they fail, but said they should be more ambitious and apply across the…

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Democracy ‘not radically worse’ in EU than a year ago, says executive

BRUSSELS (Reuters/MaltaToday) - The European Union's latest democracy health check showed there was no significant deterioration across the 27-nation bloc in areas like media and court freedoms or efforts to…

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Battling Brexit, some British firms turn to invest in Europe

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Sick of customs delays and extra bureaucracy since Britain left the European Union, Farrat, a small manufacturer on the edge of Manchester, is ramping up investment…

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EU will respond to new Chinese export rules – Dutch Foreign Ministry

AMSTERDAM, July 4 (Reuters) - The European Union must respond to new rules introduced by China requiring a license to export two metals widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, the Dutch government said…

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EU weighs concession to Russian bank over Black Sea grain deal

The European Union is considering a proposal for the Russian Agricultural Bank to set up a subsidiary to reconnect to the global financial network as a sop to Moscow, the…

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Reform of EU fiscal rules expected by end of year

European Union members are expected to reach a compromise on a proposed reform of EU fiscal rules by the end of the year, the finance ministers of Germany, France and…

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EU nature law on knife-edge after losing first vote

European Union Parliament committee on Tuesday rejected the bloc's landmark law to protect nature, which the Parliament's biggest lawmaker group is leading a campaign to block in a decisive vote…

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Britain says to sign cooperation pact with EU in financial services

Britain said on Tuesday it will sign a cooperation pact with the European Union in financial services, the latest sign of a thaw in relations since Brexit. The memorandum of…

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EU starts debate on economic security with eye on China

The European Union executive on Tuesday launched its bid to convince the bloc's 27 member states to agree to stronger controls on exports and outflows of technologies that could be…

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EU countries fail to agree energy reforms after coal subsidy clash

European Union countries failed on Monday to agree on planned new rules for the bloc's power market, having clashed over a proposal to extend subsidies for coal plants as part…

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EU told to slash greenhouse gas emissions 90-95% by 2040

The European Union should commit to slash its net greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 95% by 2040, official advisers said on Thursday, as Brussels prepares a new goal…

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ECB to raise rates further even as economy stutters

The European Central Bank is all but certain to raise borrowing costs to their highest level in 22 years on Thursday and leave the door open to more hikes, extending…

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Eurobarometer: Europeans believe digital technologies will be crucial in their daily lives

According to a new Eurobarometer survey released today, four out of five Europeans believe that digital technologies are growing more important in their daily lives and that Europe should take…

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Low-tax Switzerland votes on global minimum corporate tax rate

Swiss citizens vote this weekend on whether to raise business tax to 15% from an average of 11% to align with a global minimum tax rate, although even with the…

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Maltese top EU charts for accessing pirated content

Europeans are increasingly aware of the risks and consequences of buying counterfeits and accessing content from illegal sources, according to a new study on the perception of citizens towards intellectual…

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EU countries amend draft proposal on gig workers’ rights, companies unhappy

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, June 12 (Reuters) - EU countries on Monday tweaked draft rules aimed at giving workers at online companies such as Uber UBER.N and Deliveroo ROO.L employee benefits, ahead of negotiations with…

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Maltese citizens concerned on erosion of Malta’s democratic credentials – EU survey

Concern about Malta's democratic credentials appears to have increased significantly in the past months. According to a recent Eurobarometer study conducted by the European Parliament in March 2023, approximately half…

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Malta amongst EU countries against network fee levy on Big Tech, sources say

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, June 3 (Reuters) - A majority of EU countries have rejected a push by Europe's big telecoms operators to force major tech companies such as Google to…

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EU, US to weigh China, AI, trade strains at high-level Sweden talks

Top U.S. and European Union officials meet in Sweden on Tuesday to weigh how best to deal with China and cooperate on artificial intelligence and other future technology as well as EU complaints…

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Twitter cannot hide from EU rules after exit from code, EU’s Breton says

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, May 26 (Reuters) - Twitter cannot run away from its obligations even after quitting a voluntary EU code of practice to tackle disinformation, EU industry chief Thierry…

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EU to send human rights envoy to Cuba, but will not ‘impose’ demands

AVANA (Reuters) - The European Union will send a special human rights envoy to Cuba this year to discuss the aftermath of anti-government protests in July 2021, but the EU's…

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EU sets out plans to cut the price of financial products

LONDON (Reuters) -The European Union set out plans on Wednesday to cut how much retail investors pay banks and insurers for financial products to encourage investment and make its capital…

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EU seeks top court backing in $14 billion tax fight against Apple

U competition regulators appealed to the bloc's highest court on Tuesday to override a lower tribunal and make Apple AAPL.O pay a record 13 billion euros ($14.3 billion) in Irish back taxes. The case,…

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EU will not rewrite contested nature law, bloc’s green chief says

The European Commission will not redraft a landmark law to restore damaged environments, the bloc's green policy chief said on Monday, in the face of calls from some lawmakers to throw…

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Euro zone economy barely moves in first quarter

Euro zone economic growth was 0.1% quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of the year, the EU's statistics agency confirmed on Tuesday, with rising employment and a sharp increase in…

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EU states approve world’s first comprehensive crypto rules

European Union states on Tuesday gave the final nod to the world's first comprehensive set of rules to regulate cryptoassets on Tuesday, piling pressure on countries such as Britain and…

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Fossil fuel-centred growth is obsolete, says EU’s von der Leyen

An energy mix based on fossil fuels cannot deliver sustainable economic growth for future generations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday as she sought to add impetus to…

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EU’s Gentiloni sees no risk of EU real estate or debt crisis as rates rise

BRUSSELS, May 15 (Reuters) - Europe is not in danger of a real estate or debt crisis as a result of the rapid rise in European Central Bank interest rates, Economic Commissioner…

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EU’s Gabriel gets mandate to form Bulgaria’s new cabinet

SOFIA, May 15 (Reuters) - European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, a member of Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party, got a mandate on Monday to form a new cabinet following last month's elections. President Rumen…

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Zelenskiy collects Charlemagne Prize on behalf of Ukrainian people

BERLIN (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy collected the prestigious Charlemagne Prize on behalf of the Ukrainian people on Sunday in honour of services to Europe, capping a visit to Germany…

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EU must speed up supply of ammunition to Ukraine – Borrell

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The European Union must speed up the supply of ammunition to Ukraine as the country's forces need 1,000 artillery shells every day in the Bakhmut area alone,…

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EU and US to pledge joint action over China concerns

By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, May 13 (Reuters) - Washington and the EU will pledge joint action to tackle concerns focused on China about non-market practices and coordinate their export controls on semiconductors…

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Malta gets first European Bench on Campus

The first European Bench in Malta was launched today at the University of Malta Campus in Msida by MEP Alex Agius Saliba with JEF Malta and the European Parliament Office…

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Italian court refuses to extradite former EU lawmaker’s accountant to Belgium

MILAN, (Reuters) - An Italian court on Tuesday refused to hand over to Belgian authorities the tax consultant of a former EU lawmaker at the centre of a cash-for-influence corruption…

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Increasing ammunition production is about the EU’s credibility, Breton tells parliament

The European Parliament on Tuesday (May 9) will vote on a Commission proposal to increase ammunition production to help Ukraine and replenish the stocks of EU member countries. Under the…

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EU’s China envoy says consultancy crackdown, anti-spy law worrying for business

The European Union's ambassador to China said on Tuesday that a broadening of Beijing's anti-espionage law and investigations into consultancies operating there were concerning and could hurt efforts to open…

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EU regulators set out ideas to plug climate ‘insurance gap’

Issuing "catastrophe bonds" and setting up public-private partnerships could help plug the "insurance gap" to better cover damage from climate change, a discussion paper from the European Central Bank and European Union…

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Airlines in line for green fuel funding boost under EU climate law

Airlines could be in line for 2 billion euros in European Union funding to help them switch to sustainable fuels, under reforms to strengthen Europe's climate change policies. The European Parliament on Tuesday approved…

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Casa’s Social Climate Fund becomes law after final European Parliament approval

The European Parliament today approved the most ambitious climate package yet, with a multibillion social mechanism delivered through Casa’s Social Climate Fund. “The Social Climate Fund is the most significant…

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Campaigners sue EU for labelling gas and nuclear investments as green

Greenpeace and other campaign groups are set to take the European Commission to court on Tuesday, seeking to overturn European Union rules that class nuclear energy and natural gas as climate-friendly investments.The…

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Casa calls for Venice Commission mandate to investigate Sofia inquiry refusal

MEP David Casa urged the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to raise the issue at the Assembly, and mandate an investigation into the Maltese…

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EU cannot trust China unless it seeks peace in Ukraine -Borrell

European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said it would be hard for Europe to trust China if it did not try to find a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. The comment was contained…

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European privacy watchdog creates ChatGPT task force

The body that unites Europe's national privacy watchdogs said on Thursday it had set up a task force on ChatGPT, a potentially important first step toward a common policy on setting…

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EU vote on human rights ‘due diligence’ looms for financial firms

Financial services companies would be required to take action if their clients were failing to protect human rights and the environment, a preliminary deal due to be voted on later…

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EU launches LNG benchmark in attempt to tame price spikes

European Union energy regulators have launched a liquefied natural gas (LNG) benchmark price in an effort to avoid the market mirroring spikes in volatile costs for pipeline gas. The EU…

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As families struggle with medicine shortages, EU revamps drug laws

The EU is revamping laws governing the 136 billion euro ($148 billion) pharmaceuticals industry aimed at reviving investment and boosting access to affordable drugs at a time when health budgets…

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EU reaches deal on service stations for EVs, alternative fuels

The European Union on Tuesday reached a provisional deal on the deployment of more service stations for cars running on electricity and alternative fuels as the bloc seeks to reduce the carbon…

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Banking rebound remains fragile as regulators review response to failures

Investor confidence in the banking sector remained fragile on Tuesday, with the European Central Bank (ECB) saying recent volatility highlighted the need for greater regulatory scrutiny.European bank stocks held steady…

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EU banking regulator warns sector still at risk

The head of the European Banking Authority (EBA) warned that the banking sector remained very vulnerable even after measures to stem the fallout of crises at Silicon Valley Bank and…

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EU agrees on retaliation to counter economic coercion

The European Union has agreed to allow retaliation against countries that put undue economic pressure on EU members to change their policies, such as the trade restrictions the bloc says…

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Nuclear row threatens EU deal on renewable energy goals

European Union countries are split over whether to allow nuclear energy to contribute to meeting their renewable energy targets, a dispute threatening to delay one of the EU's main climate…

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EU and China to discuss competition policy and enforcement as relations hit low

Officials and experts from the EU and China will meet from 28 to 31 March 2023 to discuss their cooperation on competition law and enforcement in the EU and China.…

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