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In today’s news from the Capitals:
An investigation by Belgian authorities into alleged corruption between World Cup hosts Qatar and members of the European Parliament, leading to the arrest of Greek MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, has caused a political earthquake in Athens ahead of crucial elections due next year. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU Parliament corruption scandal: ethics rules need improvement. Several NGOs, EU officials and scholars are calling for an urgent debate on how to improve ethics rules following a corruption scandal in the European Parliament revealed on Friday by Belgian media. Read more.
EU to discuss Russia, Iran drone sanctions, start debate on arms fund top up. EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to try to agree on further sanctions on Iran for military aid provided to Russia and to top up the bloc’s European Peace Facility (EPF) with an additional €2 billion for arms deliveries to Ukraine. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s Nehammer stands by Schengen veto. Chancellor Karl Nehammer affirmed on Sunday his commitment to keeping both Romania and Bulgaria out of Schengen, the border-check-free region within the EU. Read more.
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BERLIN
Putin will not give in, says Scholz. Russian President Vladimir Putin is sticking to his plan of violently conquering Ukrainian territory, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this weekend while discussing his recent calls with the Russian leader. Read more.
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PARIS
Macron, Zelenskyy discuss peace after controversial comments. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he discussed the implementation of his country’s ‘ten-step peace formula’ with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dozens arrested in Netherlands after Morocco’s World Cup win. Police arrested several people throughout the country on Saturday night following Morocco’s win against Portugal in the World Cup’s semifinal stage. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finnish Defence Ministry procurement strengthens nation’s defence. The Defence Ministry’s recent purchase of a new missile procurement was the latest in a series of decisions to strengthen the country’s defence capability. Read more.
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Flag-gate flares up between Finland, Russia. A group of people torched the Russian flag while celebrating Finland’s independence day on 6 December, leading to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry issuing a statement on Saturday demanding that those responsible for ”an unprecedented unacceptable act of desecration of the state symbol of our country” should be brought to court to face charges. Finnish authorities have not reacted to demands. Burning a Finnish flag is an offence in Finland but the law does not say anything about burning other countries’ flags.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
EU Commission approves first ‘energy corridor’ between Italy, Africa. A project to construct a new submarine power line that will transport clean energy from Tunisia to Italy was given the green light by the European Commission. Read more.
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MADRID
Spanish PM announces new measures to curb food prices. A new social aid package with special mechanisms to curb food prices was announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Sunday but it still needs to be approved by Spain’s left-wing ruling coalition before the end of the year. Read more.
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LISBON
Portugal raised €65.6 million from golden visas in November. Investment raised through so-called ‘golden visas’ for foreigners in November increased 40% year-on-year and 48% compared to October, according to calculations made by Lusa based on data from Portugal’s immigration and borders service, SEF. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Hungary could come round on EU loan for Ukraine, says Czech Deputy Minster. It is still possible Hungary could agree to an EU loan of €18 billion to Ukraine next year, Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Jaroslav Kurfürst said on Sunday. Read more.
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WARSAW
Germany prepares to deploy Patriots in Poland. Bundeswehr is starting preparations to deploy the US-produced Patriot anti-missile systems in Poland, with an evaluative unit to due to visit the country on Tuesday. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak steel producer VP: Commercial use of hydrogen by 2030 is utopia. The only steel producer and biggest emitter in the country – US Steel – is ready to heavily invest in decarbonisation, but Vice-President Miroslav Kiraľvarga says it is impossible to completely abandon old, coal-fired processes of steel production in the short term. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
PRISTINA
North Kosovo attacks intensify, Belgrade asks NATO to send in military. The situation in the north of Kosovo has intensified over the weekend with attacks on local police, including roadblocks, gunfire, and explosions, leading to the postponement of the scheduled elections for local officials and the Serbian president’s announcement he would ask NATO to send Serbian military into the country. Read more.
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SARAJEVO
LEAK: EU member states set to grant Bosnia candidate status. Bosnia and Herzegovina is set to be granted EU candidate status this week, EURACTIV has learned, following a recommendation from the European Commission in October as the bloc has started to give heed to the region’s strategic importance. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia imposes windfall tax on energy companies. Energy companies in Slovenia will pay a special tax on windfall profits under legislation that will channel revenue towards promoting renewable energy sources and price subsidies following a law passed on Friday. Read more.
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TIRANA
IMF asks Albania to step up reform, shelve fiscal amnesty. The International Monetary Fund has called on Albanian authorities to improve judicial and anti-corruption reforms while stressing the importance of an expedited exit from the FATF grey list, something that will be critical in EU accession discussions. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers meeting takes place, bringing together EU foreign ministers and their counterparts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, under the chairmanship of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell;
- Foreign Affairs Council follows Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers meeting to exchange views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Iran and more;
- Agriculture and Fisheries Council discusses CAP strategic plans, agriculture market situation, animal welfare and more;
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen receives Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Fatih Birol; Holds a joint press conference; Participates in the G7 Leaders’ meeting;
- Vice President Dubravka Suica, on an official visit to Zagreb, participates in the first annual conference on the HR National Recovery and Resilience Plan organized by the EC Representation and the Ministry of Finance;
- Vice President Vĕra Jourová receives Member of the European Court of Auditors Laima Liucija Andrikienė;
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas participates in the EPP Foreign Affairs Minister meeting;
- Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in the North Africa Migration Team Europe Initiative Launching Event; Receives Olivér Várhelyi holds meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Ilia Darchiashvili and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Nicu Popescu;
- International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen receives Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi; Gives speech at the EU-ASEAN higher education cooperation event; Attends launch of two Team Europe Initiatives on migration: Comprehensive Migration Approach in the Atlantic Western Mediterranean Route and Comprehensive Migration Approach in the Central Mediterranean Route;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni participates in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) trialogue at European Parliament’s Plenary session, in Strasbourg;
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; Attends European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, France;
- European Judicial Cybercrime Network (EJCN) discusses Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Rights, Digital Evidence and Encryption in a plenary meeting;
- Network of Competent Authorities on Pricing and Reimbursement (NCAPR) holds meetings regarding accessibility, pricing and reimbursement of medicines;
- France: Franco-Ukrainian business conference takes place;
- Italy: Hearing in the defamation trial brought by Giorgia Meloni against journalist Roberto Saviano;
- Spain: In the framework of the political crisis in Catalonia, PSOE and Unidas-Podemos submit Monday in Parliament a proposal to reform the Spanish Criminal Code, incorporating a new legal definition for embezzlement.
- Russia: FM Sergei Lavrov meets envoys from the Commonwealth of Independent States;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
