European Union

The UK seems to be targeted as it has received 10m vaccines since January from the EU but has not exported back. Several EU countries are cautious about the tighter curbs fearing it could harm global supply chains.

Britain will introduce new rules for those seeking asylum, making it more difficult for refugees entering illegally to stay in the country, UK interior minister Priti Patel said, Reuters reports. "Under our new plan for immigration, if people arrive illegally, they will no longer have the same entitlements as those who arrive legally, and it will be harder for them to stay," Patel said in a statement.

The UN human rights council agreed to set up a team of investigators to gather evidence about the alleged brutality and torture by authorities in Belarus during their post-election crackdown on protesters, Reuters writes. "We must show our support to the people of Belarus and hold perpetrators of grave human rights violations accountable to end the vicious cycle of impunity," Portugal's ambassador Rui Macieira, speaking for the EU, said.

The European Commission has raised concerns about the "alarming" epidemiological situation in some member states, warning that it could worsen in the coming weeks as a third wave of the pandemic hits the continent.

The sanctions announced against Chinese officials are another example of European peddler politics: offering a little tasting of this and a little of that - without impact.

The EU is keen to display its capacity as a global actor: it has leverage in Yemen to be a force for peace-driven change, and to support Yemenis who are already pursuing peace, despite the horrific risks of doing so.

The renewed focus on the COVID-19 crisis and delays with the European vaccination campaign are set to overshadow talks on how to align industrial policy with the EU's climate goals at an EU summit meeting on Thursday (25 March).

The US and Europe have agreed to relaunch a bilateral dialogue on China and work together to address Russia's "challenging behavior," according to a statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prospects for another term looked uncertain on Wednesday (24 March) after partial results from a national election projected no clear path to victory.

The work on the Conference on the Future of Europe has officially started with the constitutive meeting of the Executive Board held on 24 March.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The work on the Conference on the Future of Europe has officially started with the constitutive meeting of the Executive Board held on 24 March.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Most MEPs supported the Digital Green Certificate during today’s debate but warned that all efforts to recover will be void unless Europeans are vaccinated more quickly.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Most MEPs supported the Digital Green Certificate during today’s debate but warned that all efforts to recover will be void unless Europeans are vaccinated more quickly.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on two dozen Russian officials and three French members of the European Parliament who visited Russian-annexed Crimea without Kyiv's permission.

The European Court of Justice has been asked to clarify whether Germany's competition authority was right to order Facebook to halt its data collection practices, due to concerns over alleged abuse of its dominant market position and violations of EU data protection law.

The 10th anniversary of the Syrian uprising passed last week without as much comment as it merited. Next week, the EU will host the fifth international pledging conference tasked with ‘Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region,’ also referred to as ‘Brussels V’.

President Sassoli spoke against Chinese sanctions, led a minute of silence in memory of victims of Soviet deportations and marked the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

President Sassoli spoke against Chinese sanctions, led a minute of silence in memory of victims of Soviet deportations and marked the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

EU officials remain frustrated by the behaviour of AstraZeneca pharmaceutical, which is still struggling to deliver the expected doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Europe, and are set to use all the tools at their disposal to secure further doses for Europeans.

Leading companies in the waste management sector have called on EU lawmakers to revise a draft regulation on sustainable batteries to increase the target for used battery collection and to make it mandatory for battery producers to use recycled content in their production cycles.