The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
Today’s edition is powered by Cosmetics Europe
Cosmetics Europe Annual Conference 2023 (14-15 June)
CEAC 2023 taking place in person, in Brussels, will gather industry experts, policy makers, companies & other stakeholders to discuss latest cosmetics industry developments. Register now to benefit from the early bird discount!
Available until 20 April.
Find out more >>
In today’s news from the Capitals:
LONDON | MADRID
Spanish sovereign assets in London, including the country’s cultural institute premises and its bank accounts and the Catalan government’s embassy building, may be seized as part of a World Bank international arbitration decision against Spain, which faces claims worth €2 billion related to renewable energy subsidy schemes, according to a UK High Court order from 27 March seen by EURACTIV. Read more.
///
EU INSTITUTIONS
European Commission cracks down on internal transparency over security. The EU executive has removed the names of officials below the middle management level from its public register, citing security and data protection reasons. Read more.
Industry criticises EU stance on illicit tobacco trade. Tobacco stakeholders and the European Commission disagree over the practical value of the EU-led track and trace system on tobacco products, the initial aim of which was to curb rises in illicit trade. Read more.
///
VIENNA
Austria wants food labelling transparency amid likely gene editing deregulation. The European Commission must implement a safety assessment of genetically modified products and maintain mandatory labelling, Austrian Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler and Consumer Protection Minister Johannes Rauch said in a letter to EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides as Brussels is expected to push for the deregulation new genomic techniques. Read more.
///
BERLIN
Germany escapes recession but is slammed for economic policy. The government was criticised for its economic policy by some of Germany’s leading research institutes despite announcing that the country would not enter a recession in 2023. Read more.
German business calls for renegotiation of China investment agreement. The Federation of German Industry (BDI) effectively called for a renegotiation of the frozen EU-China investment deal in a somewhat surprising statement on Wednesday (5 April). Read more.
///
PARIS
French PM won’t back down on pension reform despite union objection. The government will not change the widely opposed pension reform text adopted without a vote and led to mass protests around the country, unions confirmed after Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne met with them for the first time since January. Read more.
///
BRUSSELS
Flemish minister against ‘Ramadan Friendly’ label in cultural centres. The Ramadan Friendly label that indicates that no violence will be shown in a performance or art at about 20 cultural centres in Brussels could lead to self-censorship, said Minister-President and Culture Minister in the Flemish Parliament Jan Jambon who also deems the initiative to be ‘paternalistic’. Read more.
///
THE HAGUE
Dutch opposition slams government handling of nitrogen crisis. Opposition forces in parliament were united in criticising the government for its lacklustre and uncertain approach towards the nitrogen crisis during a parliamentary debate about the results of the recent regional elections on Wednesday. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
LONDON
UK to introduce new customs rules on EU goods from November. After more than two years of post-Brexit delays, the UK has promised to introduce a light-touch set of customs rules on goods from the EU later this year. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Sanna Marin’s resignation broadens government options. Outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s surprise announcement to resign from her position as the Chair of the Social Democrats – following her defeat in the elections – could broaden the composition of Finland’s possible future coalition. Read more.
///
STOCKHOLM
Swedish defence to get extra €58 million for NATO accession expenses. Swedish Armed Forces will receive SEK 660 million (€58 million) in increased funding this year to pay for its much-expected NATO accession, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said on Wednesday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Former PM Matteo Renzi starts media career. Italia Viva leader and senator Matteo Renzi will become the new director of the in-depth political newspaper Il Riformista from May while keeping his job as Senator. Read more.
Spanish PM visits Meloni in Rome. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in Rome on Wednesday to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who welcomed him at Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the government. Read more.
///
ATHENS
Greek neo-Nazis seek ‘loopholes’ to run in elections. Far-right “National Party – Greeks” founded by jailed Elias Kasidiaris, a key figure of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, is trying to find ways to bypass a law banning criminal organisations from running in the elections. According to polls, the case lies in the hands of Greek justice, while the party seems likely to enter parliament. Read more.
///
MADRID
Half of Catalans against independence, two-thirds want referendum. Half of the Catalans oppose secession from the rest of Spain, while 77% want a referendum to decide the region’s destiny, data from a new survey published on Wednesday revealed. Read more.
///
LISBON
TikTok faces €1.12 billion lawsuits in Portugal. Portuguese-based NGO lus Omnibus has filed two lawsuits against TikTok, claiming damages of up to €1.12 billion for illegal practices, making Portugal the second European country in which a case against the social media giant has been filed. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Zelenskyy promises solution to Ukrainian grain flooding Polish market. Poland and Ukraine will find a solution to the issue of cheap Ukrainian grain flooding the Polish market to the detriment of Polish farmers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his visit to Warsaw on Wednesday. Read more.
///
PRAGUE
Czech coal mining regions want to be ‘hydrogen valleys’. Three coal mining regions in the Czech Republic want to become Central European leaders in hydrogen technologies, the joint memorandum signed by the three regions’ governors in Prague on Tuesday reads. Read more.
///
BRATISLAVA
Slovakia’s decision to build first LNG terminal in Bratislava port faces criticism. The €40 million project to build an LNG terminal in the port of Bratislava to refuel cargo ships while reducing greenhouse emissions and pollutants for river transport has been approved by the Environment Ministry, but activists have vowed to appeal and stop the project. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Lukoil Group in Bulgaria fined €100 million for abusing dominant position. The Lukhoil Group in Bulgaria must pay €100 million for abusing its dominant position by limiting access to tax warehouses and transport infrastructure, which can reduce the import of fuels into the country, according to the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC). Read more.
///
PODGORICA | PRISTINA
Montenegro won’t withdraw recognition of Kosovo as the EU calls for calm. The new President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, stated that the country will not withdraw its recognition of Kosovo’s independence and will continue along its current line of foreign policy. Read more.
///
BUCHAREST
Most Romanian children eager to leave country. More than half of Romanian children want to leave their country, with most stating that they think elsewhere offers better education opportunities, a study conducted by Save the Children reads.
According to the survey, 26% said they wanted to leave to find better education opportunities, while 21.9% were dissatisfied with the conditions Romania offers. At the same time, only 5% of those surveyed want to leave to reunite with relatives or friends abroad.
(Catalina Mihai | EURACTIV.ro)
///
ZAGREB
Croatia’s property prices jumped to record highs in 2022. Real estate prices increased exponentially between 2021 and 2022 as price increases almost doubled compared to the EU average increase for the same period. Read more.
///
BELGRADE
What does it mean to be poor in Serbia? In Serbia, as in EU countries, poverty is discussed from the aspect of risk, which is 21.2%, according to the latest available data. EURACTIV explores what it means to be poor in Serbia. Read more.
///
TIRANA
Albanian draft law on legal online gambling published. Albania made public its draft law on legalising online betting on Wednesday after it had banned all forms of gambling, except in a handful of land-based casinos in 2019. Read more.
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
