European Union

Hungary condemns EU move to fine Poland over judicial reform

Hungary labelled EU authorities as arrogant after they moved to impose financial penalties against Poland in a dispute over judicial reforms. The European Commission said on Tuesday it had asked…

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EU seeks penalties on Poland in dispute over judicial reform

The European Commission said on Tuesday it had asked the EU's top court to impose financial penalties on Poland over the activities of a judges' disciplinary chamber, stepping up a long-running dispute with Warsaw over the…

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EU Weekly agenda

Here are the latest events in the European Parliament and European Commission for the week 6 September until 10 September Monday 6 September: Members of the Women's Rights Committee and…

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Malta, Croatia only two EU countries to experience negative growth in Q2

In the second quarter of 2021, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 2.2% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU compared with the previous quarter, according to an…

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Poland, Latvia worry over Russia’s war games on tense EU-Belarus border

Poland and Latvia expressed concern over Russia’s looming military drills held jointly on Belarus’ western border where the European Union accuses Minsk of pushing migrants over to put pressure on…

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Germany says EU should enable military coalitions to tackle crises

Germany called on the European Union to enable coalitions of the willing within the bloc to rapidly deploy a military force in a crisis as members discussed the lessons learned…

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Connecting Europe Express now leaving the station

The ‘Connecting Europe Express', a special train put together as part of the European Year of Rail 2021, will pull out of Lisbon train station on 2 September. It will stop in…

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UPDATED: EU must create deployable rapid reaction force

Two senior European Union officials urged the bloc's governments on Thursday to set up a rapidly deployable military force to intervene around the world, saying the crisis in Afghanistan offered…

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Back to school: EU support to pupils, students and teachers

As millions of pupils and teachers in Europe start the new school year, the Commission continues to accompany and support them. The pandemic has highlighted schools' capacity to innovate, but…

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Euro zone inflation surges to 10-year-high, in headache for ECB

Euro zone inflation surged to a 10-year-high in August with further rises likely, challenging the European Central Bank's benign view on price growth and its commitment to look past what it deems…

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EU says it has reached goal of vaccinating 70% of adults

The European Commission said on Tuesday that 70% of the European Union's adult population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, hitting a target it set at the beginning of the…

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Polish court to rule on primacy of EU law amid deepening row with Brussels

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal is set to rule on Tuesday on whether the country's constitution or European Union treaties take precedence, a judgement that could further strain Warsaw's already troubled relationship…

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EU to start talks on security, migration amid Afghanistan turmoil

The European Union will kick off discussions this week on what consequences recent developments in Afghanistan may have for security and migration in the 27-nation bloc, a spokesman for the Slovenian EU presidency…

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EU Funds Encouraging Sustainable Waste Practices in Households and Beyond

According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, climate change ranks among the biggest concerns of the Maltese population, with citizens asking for more action to protect the environment. Research shows that…

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Austria’s Kurz says he opposes taking in any more Afghans

Austria's conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz opposes taking in any more people fleeing Afghanistan now that the Taliban have seized power, he said in remarks published on Sunday. Austria took in…

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Greece says cannot become gateway to EU for fleeing Afghans

Greece does not want to become the entry point into the European Union for Afghans fleeing the escalating conflict in their homeland, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said, calling for a…

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EU lowers limits for toxic metals in baby food, vegetables

Baby food, vegetables, fruit, cereals, meat, fish and other foodstuffs will have to meet stricter limits of cadmium and lead content before they can be sold in the European Union,…

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Latvia starts pushing back migrants at tense Belarus border

Latvian border guards turned back dozens of migrants into Belarus overnight under a new state of emergency designed to stem a flow of arrivals the European Union says is orchestrated…

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A new model for EU tourism emerges from the pandemic

If tourism is Europe's oil, the pandemic has stopped it pumping.Europe, which accounts for 51% of the world tourism market, has suffered a collapse in demand that threatens 6.6 million…

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EU summons Belarus envoy over migrant stream to Lithuania

The European Union has summoned the Belarusian envoy in Brussels and held talks with the Iraqi government after accusing Belarus of using illegal migrants, largely Iraqis, as a political weapon against EU…

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Businessmen and a confederation of trade unions call for rethinking Europe’s economy for a more humane society

A federation of Christian businessmen has joined with a confederation of trade unions in calling for “fair wages that are social, just and good for growth, demand, productivity and society…

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Poland should not stay in EU at all costs, says minister

Poland should not remain a member of the European Union at all costs, the justice minister said in an interview published on Friday, as he railed against what he called…

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EU supports Member States with transport of essential Coronavirus supplies

The Commission continues to provide further financial support to six Member States through the Mobility Package of the Emergency Support Instrument amounting to over €14 million, for the transport of…

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Biden to tap ex-ambassador Gitenstein as EU envoy

President Joe Biden has nominated former U.S. ambassador Mark Gitenstein to serve as the nation's ambassador to the European Union, the White House said. Gitenstein, U.S. ambassador to Romania in…

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China says EU’s planned carbon border tax violates trade principles

China said on Monday the European Union's plan to impose the world's first carbon border tax will expand climate issues into trade in violation of international principles and hurt prospects…

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Merkel does not see Turkey joining EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday praised Turkey for hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees as part of an agreement with the European Union and said she wanted close relations…

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Polish justice minister says Warsaw cannot comply with EU’s court ruling

Poland’s justice minister said it was not possible to comply with a ruling by the top European Union court that the country’s new system for disciplining judges broke EU law…

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UPDATED: Britain tells EU on Brexit deal: it wasn’t going to last forever

British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Thursday the European Union had been inflexible over renegotiating the Northern Ireland part of the Brexit divorce accord and cautioned Brussels that it…

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EU calls Turkish plans for Cyprus unacceptable

The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell voiced deep concern over Turkish plans for the divided island of Cyprus, calling them unacceptable. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said peace talks can…

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Brexit deal’s N.Ireland protocol not sustainable – UK’s Frost

The element of the Brexit deal which relates to trade with Northern Ireland is not sustainable and Britain is keeping all options on the table over how it might act,…

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Poland’s Tusk says conflicts within the EU could eventually end the bloc

Poland and Hungary's conflicts with the European Union could start a process that results in the bloc falling apart, former European Council President Donald Tusk warned, amid a worsening standoff…

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Hungary PM calls EU action on LGBT rights ‘legalised hooliganism’

Hungary's Prime Minister on Friday accused the European Commission of "legalised hooliganism" for an infringement action against measures by his government that the EU executive said discriminated against LGBT people.…

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Austria says it opposes EU plan to cap cash payments at 10,000 euros

Austria on Thursday reinforced its status as one of Europe's most cash-loving countries by saying it opposed a plan by the European Commission to cap cash payments at 10,000 euros…

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Ireland unmoved on global tax deal after meeting with US’s Yellen

Ireland's finance minister Paschal Donohoe maintained his reservation about a global minimum corporate tax rate in a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday, a spokesperson for Donohoe…

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Orban says Hungary will not let LGBTQ activists into schools

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that EU efforts to force Hungary to abandon a new law banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools would be in vain. His…

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EU Commission says grey-listing may impact Malta’s recovery

Malta’s economy grew at a solid quarter-on-quarter rate of 1.9% in the first quarter of this year, driven mainlyby service exports. After a considerable decline (-7.8%) in 2020, real GDP…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that anti-EU sentiment in Italy, Malta and other member states will continue to grow unless the EU comes up with effective and humane solutions to the…

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Malta: Country registered third biggest increase in retail sales in the EU

Eurostat figures show that, on an annual basis, Malta had the third biggest increase in retail sales with an increase of 22%, compared to May last year. Bulgaria with 23.9%…

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EU mobilises €25 million in humanitarian aid to fight hunger

The Commission is allocating €25 million in humanitarian funding from its Solidarity Emergency Aid Reserve to fight hunger in Afghanistan. Urgent actions to save lives and livelihoods are required due…

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Slovenian presidency, rule of law and LGBT rights to top EU Parliament agenda next week

The rights of LGBTIQ people in Hungary, the Slovenian presidency’s priorities and rule of law are some of the hot topics on Parliament’s agenda during the 5-8 July plenary session.…

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EU digital COVID certificate, the key to summer travel

The European Union launched on Thursday it digital COVID certificate system designed to help citizens travel more freely across the 27-nation bloc and open up summer tourism. WHAT IS IT?…

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Britain working with EU countries as momentum grows for wider travel reopening

Britain is working with countries across the European Union to encourage them to accept its fully vaccinated travellers, its business minister said on Thursday, as momentum builds for a fuller…

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Caged animal farming must end in EU, European Commission says

The European Commission said on Wednesday it would propose legislation to phase out caged farming of animals, after a citizens' petition calling for the ban gathered more than one million…

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EU drafts plan to tighten carbon market, expand it to shipping, cars, heating

The European Union wants to overhaul its carbon market to cut planet-warming emissions faster and put a price on pollution from shipping, road transport and heating systems in buildings, a…

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EU moves closer to new legislation on motor insurance

The Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee gave its support to the political agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament’s negotiators during the trilogue on 22 June 2021 on the…

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UPDATED: EU strikes deal on huge farm subsidies, ending three years of negotiations

European Union negotiators struck a deal on reforms to the bloc's huge farming subsidy programme on Friday, introducing new measures aimed at protecting small farms and curbing agriculture's environmental impact.…

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EU slightly cuts estimates for vaccine deliveries this year

The European Commission estimates European Union countries will receive about 900 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the second half of the year, compared to nearly 1 billion shots it…

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EU leaders to commit to finishing banking union

European leaders will promise on Friday to complete the EU’s banking union in the future, but will leave it to their finance ministers to work out when, their draft conclusions…

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Missing the deadline, EU citizens will receive 28-day notice for UK residency

European Union citizens will be given a formal 28-day notice if they fail to apply for settled status in Britain in what the government bills as its pragmatic approach to…

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ECB policymakers at odds on inflation strategy, hope for September deal – sources

European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers are still some way apart on their new inflation strategy but hope to reach an agreement before debating the future of their pandemic-fighting programme in…

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Innovation performance keeps improving in EU Member States and regions

The Commission has today released the European Innovation Scoreboard 2021, which shows that Europe's innovation performance continues to improve across the EU. On average, innovation performance has increased by 12.5% since…

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EU warns Lebanon’s leaders of sanctions over ‘home-made’ crisis

The European Union's foreign policy chief told Lebanon's leaders on Saturday they were to blame for the country's political and economic crisis and some could face sanctions if they continue…

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Pope puts Robert Schuman, a father of Europe, on sainthood path

Pope Francis on Saturday put 20th century statesman Robert Schuman, one of the founders of modern Europe, on the path to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. A Vatican statement…

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UPDATED: AstraZeneca says EU loses legal bid for more vaccine supplies by end-June

AstraZeneca said on Friday the European Union had lost a legal case against the pharmaceutical firm over the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, with a court in Brussels rejecting an EU…

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Apple’s Cook says proposed EU tech rules threaten security of iPhones

Apple boss Tim Cook took aim at proposed European rules aimed at curbing the power of U.S. tech giants, saying they could pose security and privacy risks to iPhones. Cook,…

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EU wants faster vaccine production in “age of pandemics”

The European Union plans to boost its early warning system and have a permanent capacity to produce about 300 million vaccines in the first six months of any new health…

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EU set to add United States to safe travel list

European Union governments agreed on Wednesday to add the United States to their list of countries from which they will allow non-essential travel, EU diplomats said. Ambassadors from the EU's…

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