Workers’ involvement should not be ‘decorative’ in coronavirus recovery, expert says

If EU leaders agree on the EU's seven-year budget and the recovery fund on Friday (17 July), this could facilitate the transition to a more modern and greener Europe. But labour representatives also want to ensure that workers have a say in the entire policymaking process. 

Lessons learned from ongoing clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia’s sudden attack on its border with Azerbaijan in recent days testifies to Armenia’s intention to draw Russia more extensively into its conflict with Azerbaijan, writes Vasif Huseynov.

The Brief – Orbán’s Christianity has limits

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly stressed that Europe can only be saved if it returns to its Christian roots.

Jointly shaping energy and economic policy – and thus strengthening the voice of Europe [Promoted content]

Germany is taking over the EU Council Presidency at a time when Europe is facing a key challenge for the future. The coming months will be decisive in many ways. Germany has a great opportunity to assume a positive leadership role. And, like any great opportunity, this entails considerable responsibility.

Huawei banned from UK 5G network, pleads with Johnson to reconsider

The UK has excluded Huawei from its future 5G network infrastructure, the government announced on Tuesday (14 July). The Chinese telecommunications firm immediately urged Boris Johnson's administration to reconsider the decision, seen as a substantial setback for its business in Europe.

‘Normandy format’ talks on Ukraine to be EU presidency priority, says Germany’s Maas

Engaging with Ukraine and Russia will be a priority for Germany during its presidency of the EU Council, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told a meeting of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) while presenting Berlin's EU Council presidency priorities on Monday (13 July).

Green Finance Taxonomy: sustainable opportunities for transport [Promoted content]

The recent adoption of the Taxonomy Regulation by the European Parliament marks the last legislative step for creating the world’s first classification of sustainable economic activities. It is expected to leverage on private investments to set in motion the transformation of the EU economic activities, transport systems included. A rational roadmap to implement available solutions without risky shortcuts is not planned yet.

Schrems charts US surveillance pushback after ECJ ruling

Silicon Valley should seek to further distance itself from a culture of surveillance established by US law, Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems has said ahead of a key ruling on global data flows later this week.

MEP: Precision farming should be part of member states’ recovery plans

Precision farming practices, including digital farming, are the best way to deliver the EU's strategic goals of being green, smart and safe and should be part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans of all member states, according to MEP Petros Kokkalis.

Eurostars, Mobility Package denouement & safer virus roads

Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more! In this edition: aviation bailouts, car sales plummet and billions of euros in satellite contracts awarded.

EU budget plan falls far short on climate goals, researchers say

A European Commission proposal for the European Union’s long-term budget and recovery fund risks leaving a huge shortfall in the “green” investment needed to meet Europe’s climate goals, researchers said on Tuesday (14 July).

UK unveils post-Brexit border plans and ad campaign

Britain on Monday (13 July) launched another Brexit advertising blitz and unveiled its first detailed proposals for managing the country's borders after cutting ties with the European Union.

Czech government mulls firearms as constitutional right

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Austrian anti-racism NGO ZARA reporting a record increase of racial discrimination in the month of June, the Czech government favouring the right to self-defence with a firearm to be included in the fundamental rights and freedoms, and so much more.

SOFIA – Bulgaria’s prosecution requests inspection of Lukoil’s port

An inspection into the concession agreement for the Lukoil Bulgaria port, which was signed nine years ago during Boyko Borissov’s first government and where nearly one-third of the country’s oil is unloaded, has been launched by Bulgaria’s prosecutor’s office. Russian...

BELGRADE – Ukraine urges Serbian politicians not to ‘meddle’ in internal affairs

Ukraine’s embassy in Serbia said on Monday (13 July) that Ukraine didn’t interfere in Serbia’s internal political affairs in any way, describing Serbian officials attempts at interfering in Ukraine’s internal political affairs as intolerable.  The Ukrainian embassy responded to a...

LJUBLJANA – No apology for Srebrenica tweet

An opposition Social Democrat MP asked the national assembly speaker on Monday to call on Prime Minister Janez Janša “to apologise to all the victims of Srebrenica for the insulting tweet he wrote a few days ago”.   Janša tweeted that...

LUXEMBOURG – Budget of military satellite project reduced

The budget of Luxembourg’s new military satellite project, LUXEOsys, which has troubled MPs for some time now, will be cut by €41 million, Defence Minister François Bausch announced. It still awaits approval by parliament. The project was first launched and...

ROME – Italy’s birthrate hits record low

While Italy’s births in 2019 hit a record low since the country’s unification, its deaths and number of people moving abroad increased during the same period, according to data published on Monday (13 July) by the national statistics office ISTAT....

PRAGUE – A human right to defend oneself with firearms?

The Czech government had thrown its support behind amending the country’s constitution to add the right to defend oneself and others with a firearm to the list of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Czech Senate proposed the amendment after...

Poland ‘divided in two’ after president narrowly wins re-election

Polish President Andrzej Duda squeezed past a europhile rival to win re-election, official results showed Monday, but the narrow victory put allies in the populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party on the back foot.