Germany walks tightrope on handling China

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

BERLIN

The German balancing act between de-risking its political relationship with China while maintaining strong economic relations will be one of the main challenges both countries will face during government consultations on Tuesday, Claudia Schmucker, head of the Center for Geopolitics at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) told EURACTIV. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

EU Parliament elections campaign will cost €0.08 per citizen. The Parliament’s communication strategy for the 2024 EU elections will rely on a network of media and civil society organisations, with a €37million budget – or €0.08 per citizen – , “almost peanuts” compared to other institutions and governments’ budgets, Communications Director and EU Parliament Spokesperson Jaume Duch told EURACTIV. Read more.

EU countries to start talks on how to make future enlargement work. With EU enlargement on the rebound since Russia invaded Ukraine, member states have been asked to explore how a future enlarged bloc could function though, at least initially, without considering EU treaty reform, according to an internal note seen by EURACTIV. Read more.

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PARIS

Meloni to discuss Franco-Italian relations in Paris after months of tensions. French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Élysée Palace to discuss European issues and Franco-Italian relations in Paris on Tuesday following months of tension between both governments. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany to re-evaluate subsidies amid budget cuts. Germany will re-evaluate all subsidies that are not aligned with its key priorities as part of its efforts to reduce public spending, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at an industry conference in Berlin on Monday. Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgium joins next-generation European fighter jet programme. Belgium announced on Monday it will join the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme to build the next-generation European systems of combat aircraft, teaming up with France, Germany and Spain. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Netherlands, Namibia to intensify cooperation on green hydrogen. Increased cooperation in the field of green hydrogen as well as dialogue with third countries concerning the war in Ukraine, were the main topics during Prime Minister Rutte’s (VVD/Renew) visit to Namibia on Monday. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finland may cut aid to African countries supporting Russian war in Ukraine. Finland will not give any development aid to governments and countries that support Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to the programme of Finland’s new right-wing government, Foreign Trade and Development Minister Ville Tavio told YLE on Monday. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM

Russian attack on Sweden cannot be ruled out: report. An armed attack against Sweden cannot be ruled out at a time when Sweden is waiting to join NATO, according to a report on Sweden’s security policy, presented by the Swedish Defence Commission to Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson on Monday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italian parliament debates criminalising surrogacy abroad. Right-wing parties in government proposed to make gestational surrogacy a ‘universal crime’, meaning Italian citizens abroad could be prosecuted, to discourage ‘procreative tourism’, according to MP Carolina Varchi (FDI/ECR), who presented the bill on Monday. Read more.

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MADRID

Basque separatist party fuels clash between PSOE, PP. Support provided by Basque pro-independence party EH Bildu to socialist party PSOE’s (S&D) government sparked a bitter dispute between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and right-wing PP (EPP) chief Alberto Núñez Feijóo on Monday due to the Basque party’s terrorist past. Read more.

VISEGRAD

WARSAW

Most Poles want referendum on EU relocation scheme. Over half of Poles want a referendum on Poland’s participation in the EU relocations scheme – an idea put forward by ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jarosław Kaczyński – according to a poll carried out by the United Surveys Institute and published by Wirtualna Polska on Monday. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia to push for lower VAT on recycled products. The idea of a lower VAT rate on products made from recycled materials, which could be applied at the EU level, will be presented by Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík at the meeting of EU environment ministers on Tuesday. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Renew’s Progressive Slovakia eyes comeback from second place in poll. Party of EU Parliament Vice President Michal Šimečka narrowly missed the quorum last time and is now polling second ahead of the September snap elections, but has an unclear path to government, which also goes for the competing camp. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Almost 400 websites spread Russian propaganda in Bulgaria. Almost 400 ‘mushroom’ sites – created in bulk by malicious actors with the sole purpose of seeding disinformation and fake news – are spreading Russian propaganda in Bulgaria. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romanian government wants to decrease mark-up on basic foods. The new government is working on an emergency ordinance to cap the additional costs imposed by retailers, as Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu plans to meet with representatives of retail chains to discuss the first draft of this emergency ordinance on Tuesday. Read more.

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PODGORICA

Montenegro sentences fugitive Korean crypto king to jail. A local court in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica sentenced on Monday international fugitive Kwon Do-hyeong, the founder of a collapsed crypto company, also known as Do Kwon, and his business associate Hon Chang Yon, to four months in prison for falsifying travel documents, FENA reported. Read more.

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PRISTINA

Shock bombs in Kosovo, EU ups pressure for Pristina-Belgrade meet. Monday saw two shock bombs set off near the police station in Zvecan, north Kosovo, as tensions continue to simmer and the EU issued an ultimatum to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic to return to dialogue. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian PM warns cooling relations with Serbia over arrest of Kosovo police. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that if the three Kosovo policemen apprehended by Serbia last week are not released this week, bilateral relations between Albania and Serbia will deteriorate. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Environment Council convenes to discuss nature restoration law, air quality, CO2 emission targets for new heavy-duty vehicles, and more;
EU-US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial meeting, hosted by the Swedish Presidency, discusses joint response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, counterterrorism and information-sharing, cross-border cooperation in criminal matters, visa reciprocity and more;
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the College of Commissioners meeting;
Commission Vice Presidents Vĕra Jourová and Dubravka Šuica participate in the European Partnership for Democracy Annual Conference on Defence of Democracy;
Vice President Dubravka Šuica meets with members of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE);
Vice President Maroš Šefčovič holds online meeting with gas suppliers to discuss the EU Energy Platform;
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski hosts Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea;
Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in event to mark the second anniversary of the European Child Guarantee;
Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness delivers keynote speech at the annual General Meeting of the European FinTech Association (EFA);
Parliament President Roberta Metsola on official visit to Zagreb, Croatia, meets with Speaker of the Parliament Gordan Jandroković; Addresses the Croatian Parliament Hrvatski Sabor;
UN: Security Council meeting on mission in Central African Republic, and Sudan;