Europe

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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European gas prices hit new lows as demand weakens, supply rises

European gas prices are hitting new lows due to high temperatures, strong renewables generation and rising supplies from pipelines and liquefied natural gas. With gas storage at record highs and…

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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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Staycation or Vacation – Summer holidays loading: The situation in Europe

Not more than four weeks ago as new cases of coronavirus spiked and peaked across Europe, the prospect of catching a plan or a ferry to another European destination seemed…

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Santander to appoint HSBC’s Simoes as regional head of Europe

Spain's Santander announced the appointment of Antonio Simoes, head of global private banking at HSBC, as its regional chief for Europe at a time when the euro zone's No. 2…

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Malta: “Malta is fulfilling its obligations according to the Search & Rescue convention” – PM

Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Malta is fulfilling its obligations according to the Search & Rescue convention, with Malta’s position being in accordance to the principles agreed upon so…

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European diplomatic feuds on Libya and migration, as clashes and bombing keep going on

Shelling of Tripoli's Mitiga airport early on Saturday, part of an intensified barrage of artillery fire on the capital in recent days, hit fuel tanks and damaged passenger planes, the…

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Ailing airline and automotive industry pose biggest hurdle for European Green Deal in post Covid-19 scenario

POLITICO reports that "Berlin and Paris are under enormous pressure to save their airlines and carmakers from the coronavirus pandemic, but they are struggling to make their support for national…

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CiConsulta Views – Re-Setting trust in the EU – the pandemic offers the right opportunity to do so

by Jesmond Saliba & Keith Zahra - CiConsulta EU Affairs Division For the past week, and those preceding it my 'European' soul was put under a stress test. I am a…

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CiConsulta’s View – Vaccine in Europe Day

Seventy-five years ago, Europe woke up to a new dawn. Until just a few hours before, the old continent was thrown into the burning furnace of total war. For nearly…

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Foreign predatory buying of EU crucial industries

by Claire Hollier Considering the current economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are signs of increased concern that European companies, notably those in critical sectors, are increasingly vulnerable…

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Commission steps up fight against money laundering and terrorist financing

The European Commission has put forward a comprehensive approach to further strengthen the EU's fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. This ambitious action plan, targeting one of the biggest…

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75th anniversary of end of WWII in Europe

Several nations will today mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Commemorations that this year will be held among various coronavirus pandemic restrictions and with the main attention being on…

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Putting more ‘Europe’ in European Solidarity

by Dr Joanna Drake The eyes of Europeans are turned upon EU institutions as national governments struggle under the weight of the coronavirus. In the wake of the Covid-19 threat,…

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German court rules ECB bond-buying programme as legal, wants re-assurances on cost-benefit analysis

Germany’s top constitutional court has ruled the European Central Bank's vast debt purchasing programme as legal, but ordered the German Government to ensure that the ECB has carried out a…

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Prof Charmaine Gauci joins international leaders in supporting EU’s Coronavirus Global Response Fund

Malta's Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci has joined a number of renowned personalities ranging from world political leaders to leading CEOs, from world-stage football managers to renowned international journalists in…

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National authorities should do more to raise awareness of EU action on COVID-19 – EP

The European Parliament has called on member states to do more to inform the public about EU action and solidarity in combatting COVID-19. “Information and communication are crucial in tackling…

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EPP calls for stronger EU migration policy based on solidarity

In the wake of recent migratory crisis, particularly in the Mediterranean, the EPP Group in the European Parliament has insisted for a stronger, more efficient EU migration policy that is…

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EU drugs agency evaluates potential coronavirus treatment

The European Medicines Agency said Thursday it will start a rolling review of remdesivir, an investigational therapy for COVID-19 originally developed by drugmaker Gilead to treat Ebola. EMA’s human medicines committee…

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EU protecting workers’ fundamental rights in tackling impact of COVID-19

COVID-19 is disrupting the lives and livelihoods of billions of workers across the globe. On the occasion of International Workers’ Day, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) underlined the need…

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If there ever was a May Day

by Jesmond Saliba There have not been many International Workers’ Days, down the decades, as significant as this one. The socially-mobile, knowledge-based, IT-powered economies that power contemporary society have remoulded…

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EU pledges €3.3 billion to Western Balkan countries

The European Commission has announced over €3.3 billion of EU financial support mobilised jointly with the European Investment Bank to the benefit of the Western Balkans' citizens. This package aims…

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EU Commission adopts banking package to facilitate lending to households and businesses in the EU

The Commission has today adopted a banking package to help facilitate bank lending to households and businesses throughout the European Union. The aim of this package is to ensure that…

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Fight against terrorism and humanitarian response top agenda for today’s EU-Sahel video conference

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, current Chair of the G5 Sahel, will co-chair an EU-G5 Sahel video conference later on today, with the…

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“Joy, bright spark of divinity and talent” Melania’s rendition of Ode to Joy makes it special in many ways

Over the past few days, our editorial team noticed what can be described an extraordinay feat by talented Melania, who will be turning four in a month’s time, where was…

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Countries should not run to reopen tourism destinations too early – German foreign minister

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday urged European countries not to reopen tourism destinations too early, or risk another wave of coronavirus contagion. “A European race to see who…

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EU, Germany, Italy and France call for humanitarian truce in Libya

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Italy and the EU's top diplomat made a joint call on Saturday for a humanitarian truce in Libya, saying all sides must resume…

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Coronavirus Global Response: EU launches pledging effort

The European Union is joining forces with global partners to kick-start a pledging effort – the Coronavirus Global Response – starting on 4 May 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) and global…

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We can’t relaunch economies unless we act together – EP President

Europe’s economies can only be relaunched by member states acting together, Parliament President David Sassoli warned EU leaders. Speaking at the start of an EU Summit on 23 April on…

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European Union pledges €3bn assistance package for 10 neighbouring countries

The Commission has adopted a proposal for a €3 billion macro-financial assistance (MFA) package to ten enlargement and neighbourhood partners to help them to limit the economic fallout of the…

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Russian, Chinese sources keep pushing false narratives on coronavirus and EU efforts to fight pandemic

Russian and Chinese sources are pushing through fake narratives in the European Union, aimed at audiences in Europe and its neigbourhood with misinformation and "conspiracy narratives about COVID-19". This emerges…

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European Investment Bank pushes businesses to go digital

In the fight against the Coronavirus, digital technology is playing an unprecedented role in the maintenance of daily life and economic and social activities, as well as in the recovery…

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EU Commission launches research-sharing platform in fight against coronavirus

The European Commission together with several partners launched a European COVID-19 Data Platform to enable the rapid collection and sharing of available research data. The platform, part of the ERAvsCorona Action Plan,…

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EU Commission lays down the law on contact-tracing apps

The European Commission rolled out a set of parameters to guide developers building contact tracing and warning apps to be used within the EU. The ‘toolbox’ allows governments in member…

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Covid-19 concern for Erasmus students

A quarter of students currently on Erasmus programmes have had their study experiences cut short by the coronavirus emergency. A report by the Erasmus Students Network (ESN) discovered that some…

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Quarter of Europe’s jobs at risk from coronavirus crisis

More than a quarter of all jobs in Europe could be impacted by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis from McKinsey. The consultancy estimated that…

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The coronavirus death toll in Europe has now surged past 100,000 victims.

The coronavirus death toll in Europe surged past 100,000 on Saturday. Accounting for 100,510 deaths — nearly two-thirds of the 157,163 global fatalities, according to a tally by the AFP…

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COVID-19: Stepping up EU’s response to alleviate the effects of the crisis

MEPs adopted additional measures so that EU funding can be granted immediately and with exceptional flexibility to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In Friday’s extraordinary plenary session, the European Parliament endorsed…

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European Web Survey on Drugs launched to assess impact of pandemic

A new survey, available in most European languages including Maltese, will gather information on how patterns of drug use, access to health services and the drug market may have changed…

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Europeans expect the EU and Governments to act decisively in front of crisis – MEPs

Europeans expect the EU and governments to act decisively to pave a way out of the crisis and build a more resilient Europe, MEPs said during a plenary debate on…

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EU Parliament voting on €3 billion emergency support for national health care systems

The European Parliament is today voting on new measures mobilising €3 billion of targeted support for health care systems in EU regions that have been hit the hardest by the…

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EU Commission presents guidance on asylum and resettlement

In the light of recent challenges facing Member States with regards to persons seeking asylum as well as procedures related to resettlement in the context of the current pandemic, the…

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Easing restrictions and releasing lockdown intentions around Europe: the situation so far

Aware that EU Member States failed to coordinate the implementation of lockdown strategies, including the imposition of internal and external border controls, the European Commission seems intent that that exit…

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Malta: Nearly 5,000 migrants in a year: ‘We have no place for more’ – Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo this morning said that Malta received nearly 5,000 migrants in the last 12 months, and there is no place for more. Bartolo said that in the…

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EU guidelines play down infection risks posed by domestic waste

Household waste does not facilitate the spread of Covid-19 infections, according to guidelines issued by the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC). The centre listed recommendations on the…

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Europe’s new jobless urged to pick fruit amid huge farm labour shortage

From Italy to Britain, travel bans to curb the spread of COVID-19 have left farms across western Europe short of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, raising fears that…

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European Parliament seeks reassurances and reimbursements for Erasmus+ students

The 165,000 current Erasmus+ exchange students and 5000 EU volunteers need reassurance that they will be reimbursed and retain their status, MEPs say. In a letter addressed to Commissioner Mariya…

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WHO warns that Europe is still “in the midst of a storm”

Despite optimistic signs that there have been declining numbers of new Covid-19 cases in some European countries, the World Health Organization’s regional director for the continent warns “we remain in…

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EU auditors ask Commission to ensure accountability in COVID-19 temporary support measures

The European Commission is proposing a temporary relaxation of spending rules for the European structural and investment (ESI) funds in order to help Member States in mitigating the effects of…

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EP to discuss, vote on latest support measures supporting EU countries

The European Parliament will meet in plenary today and tomorrow to debate and vote on the latest Commission proposals to address the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak in the EU.…

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Life will get back to normality if we all pull the same rope – Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner

Among the women at the helm of the EU’s Coronavirus Crisis Team is Cypriot Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. Like many other leaders, she describes the current fight against the pandemic as…

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Let Europe rise!

by Jesmond Saliba, Nathanael Muscat, Keith Zahra As the world grapples with the spread of the novel coronavirus, politicians, political experts, social media commentators and the general public have chastised…

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EU Commission wants coordinated approach in easing of lockdowns and border restrictions

In an effort to avoid the confusion that characterised the European approach during the first week of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission is strongly insisting with Member States to…

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EU approves Swedish support scheme for airlines

In what is being considered as the first major bailout of coronavirus-affected airlines, the European Commission has approved Sweden's 450 million euro support scheme for airlines, with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS),…

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Western Balkan states request help from EU

The European Union is considering a joint proposal submitted by the Western Balkan states requesting an exemption from the ban on the export of medical supplies from the Union. The…

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EU Commission coordinating supply of vital medicines to treat coronavirus patients

The Commission has initiated the coordination of European efforts to ensure that Europeans have access to essential medicines during the coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic has highlighted significant challenges in ensuring…

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€3.3 billion in support to Romania’s SMEs approved by EU Commission

The European Commission has approved around €3.3 billion in support to Romania's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State…

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