Czech presidency ‘Christmas package’ to push for EU reforms

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The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.

In today’s news from the Capitals:

The Czech EU presidency will prepare a “Christmas package” containing proposals for bloc reform, with an aim to entice those who remain unenthusiastic and unconvinced on the need for change. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch asylum application backlog close to 2015 migration crisis levels. The immigration service has not yet responded to almost 30,000 people who applied for asylum in the Netherlands, a backlog close to that formed in the wake of the 2015 migration crisis, despite application levels being much lower. Read more.

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BERLIN

Scholz secures gas deal with Abu Dhabi amid pressure on human rights. Chancellor Olaf Scholz secured an agreement with Abu Dhabi on fresh, natural gas shipments during his two-day Gulf visit over the weekend, though the pressure to address human rights issues remains high. Read more.

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PARIS

World’s largest produce market feeding millions near Paris catches fire. A fire broke out on Sunday in a warehouse at the 7000 square metre Rungis market, the world’s largest fresh produce market that supplies Paris and its surrounding area. Read more.

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VIENNA

Vienna receives monkeypox supply package early, insufficient to meet demand. The Austrian government has allocated extra monkeypox vaccine supplies to Vienna so it can meet high demand, though this will still not be enough to cover all of the city’s pre-registered people. Read more.

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BERN

Swiss vote to raise women’s retirement age to equal men’s. The Swiss voted in four referenda over the weekend, among them a positive vote to raise the retirement age for women to 65, the same as for men, albeit by a small margin. Read more.

UK AND IRELAND

DUBLIN

Thousands march in Dublin cost of living protest. Thousands gathered in Dublin this weekend to protest the skyrocketing prices days before the government is set to release its next budget which ministers have promised will focus on the cost of living crisis. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finnish foreign committee chair hopes southern states restrict entry for Russians. Foreign Committee Chair Jussi Hallo-aho said on Saturday he hopes the decisions by Finland and the Baltic states restricting Russians from entering their respective countries would add pressure on southern EU countries to do the same. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy elections catapult national conservatives into big league at EU leaders’ table. The Sunday general elections that saw a right-wing alliance led by far-right candidate Giorgia Meloni win a resounding majority in both upper and lower houses of the Italian legislative will likely see her national conservative European political family becoming the third-largest bloc in European Council by population. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish PM tests positive for COVID, suspends agenda. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Sunday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would have to suspend his agenda. Read more.

VISEGRAD

BRATISLAVA

Looming minister no-confidence vote rattles Slovak minority government. Parliament is set to likely vote to dismiss Finance Minister Igor Matovič, whose refusal to resign has already resulted in a minority government and helped contribute to his status as the country’s most disliked politician. Read more.

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WARSAW

Krakow wants Roger Waters declared persona non grata over Ukraine comment. Krakow councillors demand that Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters be declared persona non grata in their city following the musician’s critical comments on Ukraine. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BELGRADE

Serbia doubles down on plan to coordinate foreign policy with Russia. Following the signing of an agreement between Russia and Serbia on foreign policy, Belgrade’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković defended the plan in the face of sharp criticism. Read more.

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SOFIA

Former Bulgarian minister slams the country’s ‘neutral’ stance on Ukraine. Bulgarian former foreign minister Ivailo Kalfin criticised his country’s stance in the context of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, insisting that calls for “neutrality” were completely out of place. Read more.

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TIRANA | PRISTINA

Albanian PM strengthens call for review of damning Kosovo war report. Prime Minister Edi Rama attacked the Dick Marty 2011 report on the Kosovo war during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, following a decision from his government to condemn it. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian market lacks drugs for rare and serious diseases. Albania is suffering from a serious lack of innovative medicines and therapies, with just 3% of drugs approved by the European Union in the last three years available locally, leading to calls from pharmacists to improve the way drugs are brought to the market. Read more.

Agenda

EU: Commissioner Mariya Gabriel in Sofia to participate in the Bulgarian Innovation Forum presenting the New European Innovation Agenda;
Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen receives African members of the Climate Parliament;
Commissioner Vĕra Jourová visits Ukraine;
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Receives NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg;
France: Draft 2023 budget is presented to Council of Ministers;
Austria: UN nuclear watchdog IAEA holds annual General Conference;
Luxembourg: EU Court of Auditors report on EU action against illegal fishing;
Sweden: Opening of new parliament and elections of the new speaker;
Spain: EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders to visit from Wednesday to Friday amid controversial reform of the Spanish General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ);
Poland: Warsaw Conference on human rights in OSCE area;