European Union

The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 January), leaving the country with just one remaining coal power station in operation, which is scheduled for closure in November.

Pop-up stores and restaurants using converted shipping containers are a growing trend in Europe and across the world, apparently boosted by behavioural changes caused by the Covid pandemic. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.

Greek politicians bicker over the intention of the ruling conservative New Democracy party (EPP) to establish a special police force for the surveillance of universities. All opposition parties have reacted strongly accusing PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis of attempting to establish a...

Travel has become a nightmare lately. In my journalistic capacity, I still do some travel in the EU during COVID-19, although sometimes I come to regret it. Because every country has its own rules. One requires that you bring a...

Hungary's government said it has reached a deal with China's Sinopharm to buy its coronavirus vaccine, the country's latest move to break away from Brussels as it tries to speed up inoculations to lift curbs on the economy.

The Slovenian government said on Thursday (14 January) it had restored the financing of national news agency STA after Brussels warned against any attempt to pressure public media outlets.

A decade ago the European Commission decided to exclude conventional biofuels from contributing to future policy on renewable energy, climate and agriculture, writes Benjamin Lammert. Benjamin Lammert is a farmer and president of the Green Energy Platform. The matter is as...

Britain turned down an EU proposal for visa-free travel for performers and journalists in post-Brexit talks, the European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said in a briefing published Thursday (14 January).

A new US president taking office represents an opportunity to reset transatlantic relations. Find out what the EU is offering to work together on.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Greece is pushing to return 1,450 people currently in migrant reception centres on Lesbos and other Aegean islands to Turkey, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said on Thursday (14 January), calling on Ankara to respect asylum agreements with the European Union.

Foreign Affairs and Trade MEPs welcome the new EU-UK agreement as a good deal but demand proper parliamentary scrutiny powers and thorough access to information.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Foreign Affairs and Trade MEPs welcome the new EU-UK agreement as a good deal but demand proper parliamentary scrutiny powers and thorough access to information.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The latest video report by EURACTIV Bulgaria investigative journalist Valia Ahchieva reveals the brutality, incompetence and unaccountability of the country’s bureaucracy.

There is enough initial evidence of systematic human rights violations to proceed with the case Ukraine lodged against Russia concerning administrative practices in Crimea between 2014 and 2015, the European Court of Human Rights decided on Tuesday (14 January).

In a bid to accelerate the energy transition, the European Commission (EC) recently published its draft proposal to establish an EU Taxonomy of environmentally sustainable investments. The initiative aims to classify investments making a substantial contribution to the European Union’s (EU) fight against climate change.

The draft of Germany's recovery plan promises that 80% of the EU recovery funds will go to climate protection and digitalisation, well above the EU's requirements. However, Green MEP Sven Giegold has complained that only a quarter will go to future investments and most of the money is earmarked for old projects.  EURACTIV Germany reports.

Germany is modernising its competition law to stand up to digital corporations. In the future, the Cartel Office will be able to act faster and tougher when companies dominate the market. Europe can learn from this. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Small companies have been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. MEPs believe the EU can help by easing requirements and supporting their resilience.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

"In the context of the exponential growth of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the President of the European Parliament has announced a number of measures to contain the spread of epidemic and to safeguard Parliament's core activities.

The current precautionary measures adopted by the European Parliament to contain the spread of COVID-19 do not affect work on legislative priorities. Core activities are reduced, but maintained to ensure that the institution's legislative, budgetary, scrutiny functions are maintained.

The meetings will be with remote participation for Members (being able to view and listen to proceedings, ask for the floor and intervene in the meeting). Other participants are invited to follow the meeting through webstreaming.

Following these decisions, the next ordinary AFET Committee meetings will take place on 25-26 January (via videoconference).

EP Calendar 2021
AFET-SEDE-DROI meetings
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Staatssecretaris van Justitie en Veiligheid (Retour d’un mineur non accompagné)
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
Before issuing a return decision in respect of an unaccompanied minor, a Member State must verify that adequate reception facilities are available for the minor in the State of return