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Liberalisation is a way to increase the use of rail transport
The maximum use of the planned CPK’s HSR network will allow Poland to build a sustainable transport system in line with the EC’s Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy. As a step in this direction, CPK published a Report summarizing the best practices of EU countries in liberalising their railway markets.
Find out more >>
In today’s news from the Capitals:
Italy’s recent ban on ChatGPT and looming data protection troubles related to the AI chatbot in Germany have sparked Europe-wide debate between those ecstatic about the tool and others who fear its development. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU’s Michel explains expensive, frequent trips, including abroad private jet. European Council President Charles Michel defended himself against recent criticism over his frequent and expensive trips, many of which are with private jet, citing the international context’s significant change over the past three years as the reason. Read more.
EU socialists, Commission up in arms to protect natural reserve in Andalucía. The socialist group (S&D) at the European Parliament is organising an emergency parliamentary visit to Spain, whereas the Commission is threatening court proceedings over a law to be adopted by Andalucía´s regional parliament that would risk the Doñana National Park, protected by EU law. Read more.
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BERLIN
Baerbock stresses EU unity during China visit. The European Union is pursuing a unified approach vis-à-vis China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on the first day of her three-day trip to the country on Thursday after French President Macron’s remarks on Taiwan drew criticism from EU partners. Read more.
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PARIS
French protest ahead of awaited Constitutional court’s pension verdict. Protesters took to the streets one last time on Thursday to protest the government’s pension reform plans as the Constitutional Council will decide on Friday whether to declare parts or the entire widely opposed text as unconstitutional. Read more.
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VIENNA
Race for Austria’s centre-left leadership enters hot phase. With the leadership vote due on 3 June, the three most promising candidates to become the new leader of the social democrat SPÖ, currently in opposition, have entered the hot phase of getting party member backing. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Report: Dutch government’s efforts to protect citizens against pollution inadequate. The government often responds inadequately to industrial emissions due to a ‘lack of knowledge’ and a missing ‘sense of urgency’, putting the health of its citizens at risk, a new report published by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) on Thursday states. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
LONDON
UK ready to provide guaranteed loans to Ukraine, developing countries. The UK is ready to provide $500 million in additional funds in UK-guaranteed loans to Ukraine, plus an additional $670 million in new loan funding for developing nations, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced during the International Monetary Fund’s Spring Meetings in Washington DC on Thursday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI | COPENHAGEN
Finnish company dismisses Russia sanctions excuse in Danish wind dispute. Finnish state-owned company Fortum has hit back at Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas in the ongoing arbitration case over the construction of wind farms in Russia, saying that the Danish are only using Russian sanctions as an excuse not to pay for the wind turbines it failed to deliver. Read more.
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STOCKHOLM
Sweden sees second prisoner escape within one month. For the second time since February, a convicted murderer escaped during a medical visit, prompting calls for tougher security, including armed guards, in Swedish prisons. Read more.
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COPENHAGEN
Denmark to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty. Denmark will withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) as it creates more uncertainties about investments than certainties, the Danish government announced on Thursday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Breton: Italy holds right cards to support war effort in Ukraine. Italy is key in the EU’s collective effort to produce ammunition for Ukraine, said European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton as he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday. Read more.
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MADRID
Spanish socialists don’t fear losing voters to new leftist group Sumar. Spain’s ruling socialist party PSOE (S&D) is not worried about losing votes to the new left-wing platform Sumar in the general elections in December as it views the grouping as an opportunity to sway undecided voters to the left, several socialist sources confirmed. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese Bishops to set up commission for child sex abuse cases. The Plenary Assembly of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference starts on Monday in Fatima and is expected to set up a body that will replace the Independent Commission for the Study of Sexual Abuse against Children in the Portuguese Catholic Church. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poles at the Polls: A pact against PiS? The ruling PiS’ multi-party alliance will remain the strongest political force in the country but will make losses compared to previous elections and fail to form a majority, Europe Elects polling average shows. Read more.
Commission won’t halt €1 million daily non-compliance fine for Poland. The European Commission rejected the government’s application to halt the daily €1 million fines Poland pays for not complying with an interim EU Court measure to suspend the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, Polish media report. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czech PM’s Asia tour aims to counterbalance Chinese dominance. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, together with a business delegation will on Saturday commence a 10-day working trip to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to create a certain counterbalance to Chinese dominance. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
Hungary to quit International Investment Bank. The government has decided to recall its delegates from the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank following US sanctions on Wednesday, the Economic Development Ministry confirmed on Thursday. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
National Bank of Slovakia’s chief found guilty of corruption. National Bank Governor Petr Kažimír was found guilty of bribery and ordered to pay a €100,000 fine or risk prison for two years, according to a court order from the Specialised Criminal Court that prompted President Zuzana Čaputová and Prime Minister Eduard Heger to call for his resignation. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian chief prosecutor complains about Serbia to Brussels. Serbia does not want to detain the founders of the Nexo crypto company that are wanted in Bulgaria, Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev wrote in a complaint to several European and EU institutions, adding that this is an ‘unprecedented case’. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia extends natural gas, electricity price regulations until year’s end. According to the government, the regulation of retail prices of electricity and gas for households, small business consumers, and protected users and the regulation of electricity prices for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be extended until the end of the year. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbian Ambassador to US discusses relations, visa liberalisation. Serbia and the US expect a strategic partnership, which would even open up the possibility of visa liberalisation between both countries, Serbia’s Ambassador to the US, Marko Đurić, said in an interview for Kurir. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albania pushes to keep children in schools amid rising dropout rates, segregation. Education and Sports Minister Evis Kushi, with representatives from the Italian Embassy in Tirana and UNICEF Albania, announced a new project to stop children from dropping out of school. Read more.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
