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This week, Slovenia became the first country in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) to issue 10-year sustainability bonds to the tune of EUR 1 billion, whose proceeds are to go to investments with environmental and social objectives. The country was able to raise over EUR 8.4bn from 210 investors.
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In recovery plans being submitted by member states to the European Commission to tap into the EUR 750 billion in available funds, 37% of spending must go toward green investments. Nine such plans have been approved so far by the Commission. But some NGOs are afraid the Commission may be
Slovakia
The European Commission has approved the economic Recovery and Resilience Plan submitted by Slovakia, which was among the first EU member states to present how it intends to spend EUR 6.3 billion in Union funds on things like education, healthcare and the environment. EC president Ursula von der Leyen
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The future of natural gas and how it is funded by the EU are deepening the divide between eastern and western Europe. Countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) like the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania continue to see natural gas as a key energy source and would
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It’s been over a year since the EU’s ban on non-essential travel, but as of 18 June US travelers and those from 13 other countries – Albania, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Republic of North Macedonia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and China – will once again be
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A leaked draft version of the European Commission’s renewable energy directive has received loud criticism from the renewables industry and NGOs. They claim the proposal is lacking ambition and that it must be in line with EU’s new climate goals. The proposal is due to be adopted in
Hungary
On Tuesday, Hungary’s parliament passed a so-called pedophile law, which critics say is actually directed at the LGBT community and also restricts freedom of expression. Introduced by the ruling Fidesz party which has a two-thirds majority in parliament, the legislation includes a public register of convicted sex offenders and
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In the final days of the Portuguese EU presidency, transport ministers agreed with members of the European Parliament revisions to Eurovignette, the rules on road charging to reduce emissions of polluting gases and infrastructure congestion. Portugal’s minister of infrastructure and housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, stated that the agreement “with
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On Tuesday at the EU Summit, EU leaders and US president Joe Biden struck a conciliatory tone and made efforts toward ending disagreements on trade, including a dispute concerning aircraft subsidies that has dragged on for 17 years. The two sides also agreed to remove USD 11.5 billion in
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As its first attempt to test financial markets, the European Commission on Tuesday announced it had raised EUR 20 billion in 10-year bonds successfully. The EU wants to finance the EU27’s COVID-19 crisis recovery. Speaking to the press, EC president Ursula von der Leyen said that the inaugural transaction
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China poses security challenges to NATO, which will engage the country to address them, according to an official statement from the organization following US president Joe Biden’s first NATO summit as president on 14 June. The Atlantic defense alliance also recognized Beijing’s nuclear military buildup as a threat.
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Poised to take the presidency of the European Council on 1 July, Slovenia will prioritize regulation of the digital agenda in its 6-month stint, according to Iztok Jarc, Slovenian ambassador to the EU. In regards to the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act, Jarc said Slovenia will