A collection of 229 posts
EU member states have approved a EUR 17.5 billion fund which aims to help some countries wean themselves from polluting industries like coal mining and others with high emissions, moving them towards green industries in the push to achieve net zero GHG emissions. The so-called Just Transition Fund (“JTF”
Several European “green” initiatives have provoked resentment in Hungarian government circles. The outrage is mainly due to the European Parliament having failed to endorse a European Council proposal on a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the period 2023-2027. The debate is over the greening of direct payments
A so-called “digital identity wallet,” which would grant access for all European citizens to public and private services through their mobile phones, was proposed by the European Commission on Thursday. The EU body argues the COVID-19 pandemic showed the need for more user-friendly online services. Via the proposal, the Union
One of the biggest car manufacturers of the world, the Czech Republic has a lot to lose if it does not adapt to the fundamental changes of the auto industry. But the country is confident it can host one of the gigantic battery plants of Europe, capitalizing on its skilled
With the aim of rolling out low carbon technologies, the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures is teaming up with the European Union to raise USD 1 billion in funding. The cooperation entails gathering private capital and philanthropic funds by Breakthrough Energy and combining them with EU community funding. The goal
On Tuesday, the EU agreed to new tax rules designed to increase the transparency of multinational companies with established operations in tax haven countries for the purpose of tax avoidance, but some NGOs say the rules don’t go far enough. According to the EU rules, such corporations whose worldwide
Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš should be indicted over charges of fraud involving European Union subsidies, according to a recommendation by Czechia’s national police, who made their announcement about Babiš on Monday. Prosecutors there said they had received an updated police investigation into his alleged involvement in fraud estimated
Usually, at this time of the year in Europe, everyone is already planning where they will spend their summer holiday. However, the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to reinvent many areas of life, like vacationing habits. The European vaccination campaign has accelerated in recent weeks and the third wave of
The EU was unusually unified and prompt in condemning Belarus for “hijacking” the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair plane. The European Council has imposed new sanctions including banning Belarus’s airlines from using EU airspace and airports. Yet, it is still questionable whether tougher sanctions could force Lukashenko to change his
Two European airlines, Austrian Airlines and Air France, have had to cancel flights to Moscow after Russian authorities denied permission for them to divert around Belarus to be in line with new EU sanctions. Russia’s ambassador to Austria, Dmitry Lyubinsky, justified the move on Facebook, writing that the “politicization”
Slovenia’s prime minister, Janez Janša, is facing increasing pressure from the European Union as his country is poised to take over the European Council presidency. For one, he is alleged to be obstructing the work of the Office of the European Public Prosecutor (EPPO), a new EU office whose
After what is being called the hijacking of a Ryanair flight from Athens-Vilnius on Sunday, heads of state and governments of the European Union on Monday rushed to agree a fresh wave of economic sanctions against Belarus. The European Council meeting document “strongly condemns the forced landing of a Ryanair
Following two failed attempts in 2011 and 2016, this week the EU Commission presented its plans for the unification of the corporate tax rule book of member states. Decision-makers in Brussels decision intend to bring a halt to the race among EU member states to lower corporate taxes in their
Public opinion in the EU strongly supports more ambitious national climate targets, according to a poll conducted in 12 European countries. The online poll commissioned by Transport&Environment from leading institute YouGov reveals that 68% of respondents would support their country’s climate target to be increased. The survey
Central and Eastern Europeans were forced to live under a communist regime for four decades, which hindered their development and broke them off from Western European progress. However, the former Soviet block has been reviving, growing twice as fast as the Western part of the continent for years, which has