European Commission

EASO’s Executive Director resigns amid allegations of harassment and an OLAF investigation

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) Management Board appointed Mr. Jamil Addou as interim Executive Director of Agency. The decision was taken by EASO's management board, which is the governing body of…

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Differences at EU Commission on how to deal with Poland

POLITICO reports that in the battle over the rule of law, Poland is splitting the European Commission at its highest level. EU officials and diplomats familiar with the latest developments say…

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Corporate Dispatch – Saturday’s Morning Briefing

Good morning, The Maltese Newspapers report that the Malta Financial Services Authority said that Ali Sadr Hasheminejad’s arrest in the US “immediately compromised” Pilatus Bank’s entire operation and made it…

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European Union, Canada and US businesses express their dismay and concern following Trump’s decision to impose trade tariffs

The Financial Times reports that European Union has vowed to respond to Donald Trump’s new tariffs with measures of its own instead of returning to the negotiating table, as transatlantic trade…

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60% increase in EU funds for the EU programme for the environment and climate action

"The EU is a global leader for environmental protection and climate action; where we spend our money should reflect this. With more funding, we can strengthen our LIFE programme to…

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Morning Briefing – 1st June ’18

Good morning, Unfortunately today’s morning briefing starts on a sad note as all media portals in Malta report the news of a male cyclist who was killed after he was…

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A bad day for world trade – EU

The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker expressed his concern following the decision by the US that starting on 1 June 2018 ,it will impose additional duties of 25 % and 10…

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Juncker’s comments on Italy, as reported on the Guardian, stirs controversy and criticism.

"Italians need to work harder and be less corrupt". This is what the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, would have said, according to the Guardian. Juncker's declaration has created a…

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New EU directive to curb plastic use

The European Commission proposed new EU-wide rules on Monday aimed at reducing plastic pollution in cities and oceans by banning several plastic products. Through the new directive plastic utensils, straws,…

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JCPOA remaining partners convene after US withdrawal from Iranian Nuclear deal. They welcome the fact that the (IAEA) has again confirmed the continued adherence by Iran to its nuclear-related commitments

China, Russia, France, the UK and Germany have expressed their commitment to maintain the Iranian nuclear deal, but a solution has not yet been found on how to diffuse and…

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#EUandMe – EU releases five films that make Europe more accessible to millenials

The European Union released five short films, directed by prominent European filmmakers, which demonstrate how the rights and benefits enjoyed in the EU improve people’s lives. The films aim to launch…

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European Education Area by 2025

The European Commission is advancing work to build a European Education Area by 2025, reinforce the cultural dimension of the European Union and bolster youth participation, with a new set…

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EU Ombudsman sets up inquiry into appointment of Selmayr to role of European Commission Secretary-General

The EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly announced that she set up an inquiry into the rapid appointment of Martin Selmayr to the role of European Commission secretary-general. Earlier this month, she…

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Europe that protects: Clean air for all’ -European Commission outlines measures available to help Member States fight air pollution

The European Commission is providing national, regional and local actors with practical help to improve air quality in Europe, and stepping up its enforcement against 7 Member States who have…

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EU proposes upgrade for Visa Information System

The European Commission proposed to upgrade the Visa Information System (VIS), the database containing information on persons applying for Schengen visas, in order to better respond to evolving security and…

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European Agenda on Migration: Still fragile situation gives no cause for complacency

While joint EU efforts have continued to show results, the situation remains fragile due to ongoing migratory pressure, as evidenced by newly increased arrivals along the Eastern and the Western…

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House of Lords deliver another defeat for May over Brexit

The House of Lords have inflicted a 15th defeat on the government’s key Brexit bill, underlining the acute political challenge Theresa May faces in seeking a deal that both parliament and her…

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Juncker to meet Polish Prime Minister amid rule-of-law dispute between Poland and the EU

Poland’s prime minister and the European Commission chief will meet for talks on Wednesday amid a protracted rule-of-law dispute between Warsaw and Brussels, according to reports. Radio Poland, reports that the…

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Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on violence in Gaza and latest developments

Dozens of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and hundreds injured from Israeli fire today, during ongoing mass protests near the Gaza fence. We expect all to act with utmost…

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“Europe and solidarity go together. Solidarity is part of Europe’s founding pact” – Juncker

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned against populism in his address at the State of the Union conference in Florence on Friday. "Populists and nationalist have had material to feed…

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European Commission launches online public consultation

On Europe Day, the European Commission launched an online public consultation addressed to all Europeans, asking them what direction they want the European Union to take in the future. This…

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The risk of failure of Brexit negotiations exists – Michel Barnier

The risk of a failure of the Brexit negotiations "exists". In an interview with the German Magazine Der Spiegel, the head of EU negotiations, Michel Barnier, said that he was…

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My Dream of A Truly EU Member State – Matthias Bartolo (16 Year old European Maltese)

The following are the views of Matthias Bartolo, a 16 year old Sixth Form Student attending St Martin’s College. Politics is a passion of his, along with being a football…

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Towards a stronger, more united Europe than ever. Dr. Elena Grech (Head of Maltese EC Representation)

The following reflections have been shared by Dr. Helena Grech, the Head of the Maltese EC Representation for Corporate Dispatch's special edition of Europe Explained on the occasion of Europe…

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Today, Europe stands at a crossroad – Antonio Tajani (President European Parliament)

Insight and reflection by European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, for Corporate Dispatch. Europe’s story is one of freedom and citizen rights, of 70 years of benefits that were simply unimaginable…

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Europe Day

Today is Europe Day. Observed on May 9 each year, this day marks the presentation of the Schuman Declaration in 1950, which proposed and eventually led to the creation of a…

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Special edition of Europe Explained on the occasion of Europe Day

9th May is Europe Day. It involves all of the citizens of the EU because it celebrates the declaration delivered on 9th May 1950 by Robert Schuman. On that day…

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Proposals at EU level to deal with unfair competition rules in the airline industry

Watered-down proposals to tackle unfair competition from foreign airlines seem to be accepted by European diplomats. Countries, such as France and Germany, and the European Parliament, have pushed for airlines’…

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Malta and Estonia register highest increase in CO2 emissions – Eurostat

Eurostat estimates that in 2017 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion increased by 1.8% in the European Union (EU), compared with the previous year. CO2 emissions are a…

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EU Spring 2018 Economic Forecast: Expansion to continue amid new risks

"The economic expansion in Europe is set to continue at a solid pace this year and next, supporting further job creation. However, we also see increased risks on the horizon.…

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Mixed Reactions on EU Budget Proposals

The general sentiment, among the richer states of theEU is that of revolt, at least that's how the Financial Times opens up its report on the reactions on the EU…

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European Commission proposed its post Brexit Budget – It proposes a new mechanism to protect the EU budget from financial risks linked to generalised deficiencies regarding the rule of law

The European Commission today unveiled its proposed budget for 2021-2027 describing it as a a pragmatic and modern. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Today is an important moment for our Union.…

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EU Commission to unveil budget plan

The European Commission is expected to unveil its seven year budget plan today. According to reports on the Financial Times, Brussels is seeking to increase the seven-year EU budget to approximately…

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Malta fl-Ewropa – 14-il sena wara. Riflessjonijiet

Erbatax-il sena ilu, Malta saret membru sħiħ tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. Kien mument storiku li għext mill-viċin u kellu tifsira kbira għal pajjiżi u għalija. Tul dawn l-erbatax-il sena pajjiżi inbidel u…

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Malta needs to depart from the myopic 5-year political cycle – Part 2

In the first part of this series, we argued how both the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission identified certain aspects of the labour market as key challenges to…

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EU Commission proposes new rules to facilitate free movement of companies, safeguarding against unfair treatment of employees and tax evasion

The European Commission has proposed new rules aimed at facilitating the free movement of companies within the Union. This proposal seeks to harmonise rules on moving, merging and dividing companies…

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EU member states approve ban on the use of three pesticides harmful to bees

EU member States on Friday approved a proposal from the European Commission to ban the use in the open of three pesticides found to be harmful to bees. The use…

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EU announces position on vaccines

The European Commission is issuing a set of recommendations for how the EU can strengthen cooperation in the fight against diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. This follows President…

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EU proposes measures to tackle online disinformation

The European Commission is proposing measures to tackle disinformation online, including an EU-wide Code of Practice on Disinformation, support for an independent network of fact-checkers, and a series of actions…

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Macron’s evolution towards becoming a global leader

There was a lot of anticipation for the visit of the French President to the United States. A lot of column inches and words have been said on what was…

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EU Commission opens in-depth investigation into Italian State loan to Alitalia

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether Italy's bridge loan to Alitalia totalling €900 million constitutes State aid and whether it complies with EU rules for…

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EU Commission sets new, EU-wide rules for the protection of whistleblowers

Recent scandals such as Dieselgate, Luxleaks, the Panama Papers or the ongoing Cambridge Analytica revelations show that whistleblowers can play an important role in uncovering unlawful activities that damage the…

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New Poll shows Europeans think life is generally fair

New poll shows most Europeans think life is generally fair, but have concerns over justice, political decisions and income inequality. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made fairness in the EU the cornerstone…

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Northern Ireland’s Border remains an issue in BREXIT talks

The U.K.’s two post-Brexit customs proposals to solve the Northern Ireland border issue have been rejected by the EU. Earlier this week, a report on The Telegraph, indicated that the…

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Europe Explained – EU Enlargement Process Update

While it is generally known that the European Union is on a continuing path to further enlargement, few are those that know which process precedes a country becoming effectively a…

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European Citizen’s Initiative to address concern about use of toxic pesticides

Growing concern has been mounting among citizens of the EU on the use of toxic pesticides and their effect on people and the environment. This led to a European Citizens’…

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15 years ago – The EU Big Enlargement Signed and Delivered

The 16 of April 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the accession treaties of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia,…

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First Citizens’ Dialogue in Gozo discussing the future of the Cohesion Policy for Malta and Gozo

In the first Citizens' Dialogue ever to be held on Gozo, the European Commission Representation in Malta will be discussing the future of the EU's Cohesion Policy with two EU…

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Air Strikes on Syria – Statement by Jean-Claude Juncker

The President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker issued the following statement. Last night, France, the United Kingdom and the United States responded in a coordinated military action to…

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EU countries to commit to doing more together on the digital front

Tomorrow the European Commission will bring ministers, representatives of EU countries, industry, academia and civil society representatives together to encourage cooperation in artificial intelligence, blockchain, eHealth and innovation. Discussions will…

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Cheap euro transfers everywhere in the Union and fairer currency conversions

The European Commission is proposing to make cross-border payments in euro cheaper across the entire EU. Under current rules, there is no difference for euro area residents or businesses if…

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