European Union

Presidents Roberta Metsola and Emmanuel Macron will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 14.45, after the debate on the priorities of France’s Presidency of the Council.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting to shore up his premiership on Wednesday (19 January) amid a revolt by his own lawmakers who are angry over a series of lockdown parties in Downing Street.

EU Council president Charles Michel will miss this week's European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, after being in close contact with a positive Covid case, he tweeted on Wednesday. French president Emmanuel Macron is due to address the session on Wednesday, setting out the priorities for the French presidency of the EU which runs from January to June. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is also currently in isolation.

Failing to enforce animal transport rules pose a risk to animal welfare and are unfair on farmers, says Tilly Metz, the chair of Parliament’s inquiry committee regarding this.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

Member states are keen to step up talks on carbon sequestration in farming under the French EU presidency, given the Commission's legislative proposal expected by the end of the year.

Wednesday 19 January

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

As Europe waited to welcome 2022, those in the energy policy bubble suddenly found themselves drawn away from the myriad of fireworks by buzzing phones. 

Tuesday, 18 January

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

Security forces blocked several downtown streets and cordoned off one of the squares in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on Wednesday (19 January) as an opposition group planned to stage protests, a Reuters correspondent reported from the scene.

Germany signalled on Tuesday (18 January) that it could halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia if Moscow invades Ukraine, and Western nations rallied behind Kyiv over a Russian troop buildup that has stoked fears of war.

Marco Cavaleri, the head of vaccines strategy for the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has encouraged vaccine developers to “explore the feasibility” of making multivalent vaccines: those that cross-neutralise COVID-19 virus variants. 

As the EU moves to label energy from nuclear power and natural gas as "green" investments, Austria is gearing up to fight this, including with a legal complaint.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Romanian PM being accused of plagiarism, Finland not joining the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games, and so much more.

The EU should start paying out its €72bn fund for helping poor households shift to green energy in 2024, instead of 2025 as previously planned, according to a European Parliament proposal seen by Reuters. "The green transition should be feasible for everyone," Dutch centre-right MEP Esther de Lange said. "The fund should not be used to buy Teslas .... but rather small- and medium-sizes cars for everyday families," she added.

German centre-left chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday in Berlin it was "clear that there will be a high price to pay and that everything will have to be discussed should there be a [Russian] military intervention in Ukraine", referring to sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany. Scholz had previously opposed stopping the project. German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock also voiced a tough line while visiting Moscow Tuesday.

A group of more than 100 billionaires and millionaires has issued a plea to political and business leaders convening virtually for the World Economic Forum: make us pay more tax.

Marian Banaś, the head of Poland's Supreme Audit Office (NIK), has said Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of the ruling Law and Justice party, should answer questions on alleged government use of Pegasus spyware against political opponents. "Kaczyńsi, as deputy prime minister in charge of security, should appear at the headquarters of NIK at the summons of inspectors and answer questions under threat of criminal charges for perjury," Banaś said Tuesday.

Amidst rising military tensions between Ukraine and Russia, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to Kyiv focused on the massive amounts of renewable hydrogen Germany aims to import in the future.

The impeachment trial of Albanian President Ilir Meta has been postponed to 1 February after the case judge at the Constitutional Court tested positive for COVID. The proceedings were originally scheduled to start on Tuesday. In a historical first, the...

Households in Kosovo could see their electricity bills double if a proposal by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) is approved. The ERO suggested doubling the price of energy for households that exceed more than 600 kW per hour. If accepted, the hike would hit...