A collection of 174 posts
EUR 700 million spent on developing the rule of law in the Western Balkans has failed to deliver tangible results, according to a report released by EU finance watchdog the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on Monday. Despite the funding extended from 2014-20 on promoting justice and freedom of expression,
Austria will delay its controversial mandatory vaccination programme by two months until April for technical reasons, electronic health record office ELGA GmbH, which is overseeing the process, announced Friday. The news came as scepticism rose in Austria’s epidemiological and academic communities regarding the programme. Karl Stoger, a member of
Aspirant EU-member Moldova could receive EUR 150 million from the bloc after the European Commission approved funding on Tuesday. The EU will extend EUR 30 million in grants and EUR 120 million in preferential loans over the next two years if the Chisinau government fulfils commitments to improve governance and
The European Commission (EC) is considering classifying investments in nuclear and natural gas as sustainable under its new “green taxonomy” regulations , it said in a statement on 1 January. Brussels aims to cut Europe’s carbon emissions to zero by 2050. While green stock and bond portfolios do not currently
Central and Eastern Europe’s premier budget air carrier appears to have initiated a significant pull-back in terms of where it flies. Based in Budapest, Wizz Air has cut flight service to 84 destinations, with Western Europe seeing most of the reductions. The airline has confirmed to Simple Flying that
The European Commission (EC) granted conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) for the Nuvaxovid jab on Monday after it was greenlit by the European Medicines Agency. The US-developed vaccine joins Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson on the list of EU-approved jabs. “This is our first protein-based vaccine”, Stella Kyriakides,
Construction of the Mateševo-Smokovac section of Montenegro’s 41-kilometre long Bar-Boljare highway is set to be finished in January 2022. Now, how the country’s largest-ever infrastructure project, built and financed by Chinese interests, will be paid for remains in question. Not only has Montenegro’s largest-ever infrastructure project gone
The EU is rewriting its energy infrastructure investment rules to fully align them with its Green Deal programme. The three main arms of the EU – the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission – have revised the “TEN-E” framework and are set to agree on the removal of funding of oil
EU lawmakers overwhelmingly adopted a position in favour of the Digital Markets Act on Wednesday, which would put constraints on “gatekeeper” tech companies such as US tech giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft. MEPs voted 642 in favour and 8 against, with 46 abstentions. Under the new rules big
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in no uncertain terms that her country will pursue EU accession ahead of today’s Eastern Partnership summit. “We will insist that it is our choice and we would like other countries to respect that choice,” Sandu told Reuters. Moscow is fully aware of this
Electric vehicles (EVs) and gas will reportedly be similarly classified as sustainable investments in Europe from 2026 under the new EU Taxonomy regulations formulated by the European Commission (EC) expected on 22 December. “The classification of EVs as sustainable vehicles is possibly the most advanced green classification in financial markets,
Lower value added tax (VAT) rates may be on the horizon for goods and services linked to mitigating climate change, like bicycles and solar panels sold in the European Union. Products contributing to digitalisation and health protection (like face masks) could also see reduced rates. EU finance ministers agreed to
The European Union is not happy with proposed US tax credits towards the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs), which it says would put European EV manufacturers at a disadvantage. An element of the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better Act which has passed in the US House but is being
The G7 group of countries has issued a statement that aligns with the European Union’s recently unveiled Global Gateway Strategy, which aims to finance quality and sustainable infrastructure globally. The G7 Statement on Partnership for infrastructure and investment also commits to narrowing the existing investment gap. Through its strategy,
After 20 years of fierce debate, the plan to construct a EUR 2 billion stretch of ring-road on Vienna’s north-eastern outskirts has been cancelled after scientists warned against building a motorway tunnel underneath a nature reserve. Austrian Climate, Environment and Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler announced the kiboshing of the