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.
Before you start reading today’s edition of the Capitals, feel free to have a look at Has the EU reached ‘peak unity’ on sanctions? by Alexandra Brzozowski.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
PRAGUE
Czechia started its six-month stint at the helm of the EU Council by preparing a questionnaire for bloc members to understand if and where countries would be open to change in the EU’s decision-making process.
The questionnaire will focus on “changes that can be made within the current treaties, particularly through the passerelle clause”, the Czech EU Minister Mikuláš Bek told EURACTIV.cz. Read more.
///
EU INSTITUTIONS
Commission kept in the dark on Slovenia’s plan to buy local wheat. The European Commission has not been officially informed about the plans of the Slovenian government to purchase all wheat Slovenian farmers produce this year to stabilise prices and protect food supplies. Read more.
New EU rules on blood, tissue, cells to be adapted to evolving science. The proposed new rules on substances of human origin (SoHO) aim to provide donors and patients with a future-proof and harmonised framework for transplants and donations while maintaining some limits on the supply side of these therapies. Read more.
European Commission goes after Hungary in salvo of proceedings. The Commission on Friday (15 July) started an infringement procedure against Hungary for its discriminatory fuel price policy and took Budapest to EU court over a law banning LGBTQ content to minors and the closure of an independent radio station. Read more.
///
PARIS
Fires in South-West France spiral out of control. Eleven thousand hectares of forest have burned down, and 16,000 people have been evacuated due to two fires in Gironde, in La-Teste-De-Buch and Landiras, the South-West of France, that have been raging since Tuesday. Read more.
///
VIENNA
Austria looks at capping electricity bills. Politicians and experts are debating the details of a possible price cap on electricity following the government’s announcement that it would examine such a policy. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI | ROME
Finnish company angers Italian labour unions, politicians. Finnish company Wärtsilä’s announcement that it will reduce its operations in Trieste has been met with an angry response from Italian labour unions and politicians alike. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Berlusconi, Salvini call for early elections amid political crisis. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of Forza Italia, and the head of the right-wing Lega Matteo Salvini met on Sunday to discuss the political situation, demanding early elections. Read more.
///
MADRID
Heatwave causes damage in Spain. Blazes have incinerated thousands of hectares of land. across Spain, while a series of weather warnings were in effect in a number of provinces that saw temperatures rise to 42℃. Read more.
///
LISBON
Portuguese government lowers fire risk status as weather cools. The government lowered the country’s alert level regarding fires on Sunday, suspending the state of contingency that was in place due to improved weather conditions, Internal Administration Minister José Luís Carneiro announced. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poland to spend 5% of GDP on defence. Poland will soon spend 3% of its GDP on defence spending, while the ultimate target is 5%, ruling Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczyński has said. Read more.
///
PRAGUE
Czech EU Presidency aims for 15% corporate tax deal by end of October. Czech EU Presidency will push for an EU-wide agreement on a 15% corporate tax, and Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura wants to have the deal by the end of October. Read more.
///
BRATISLAVA
MEPs slam Slovakia over ‘medieval conditions’ in Roma communities. A delegation of five MEPs said the living conditions facing Roma communities are ‘shameful’ after visiting eastern Slovakia to assess how the country uses EU Cohesion Policy funds to integrate Roma people into society. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA | SKOPJE
Sofia and Skopje sign bilateral protocol but road to EU is far from clear. North Macedonia and Bulgaria signed on Sunday the bilateral protocol, a vital piece of the EU negotiating framework paving the way for the first intergovernmental conference to take place early this week, but despite this historic step, the road ahead is likely to be far from smooth. Read more.
///
ZAGREB
Croatia, Serbia lock horns over banned Vučić visit to WW2 site. Diplomatic relations between Croatia and Serbia quickly soured on Sunday after Zagreb banned what Serbia said was meant to be a private visit by President Aleksandar Vucic, to the site of a notorious World War II concentration camp in Croatia, where thousands of Serbs had perished. Read more.
///
LJUBLJANA
Slovenia plans significant increase in solar capacity. The Slovenian government is gearing up to increase solar energy production, with Prime Minister Robert Golob announcing a plan to set up giant solar power plants to supply households in the next three years. Read more.
///
BELGRADE
Cargo plane with weapons from Serbia crashes in Greece. Antonov 12, a Ukrainian cargo plane carrying weapons from Serbia, crashed in northern Greece on Saturday night, leaving all eight Ukrainian crew members dead, Serbia’s Defence Minister Nebojša Stefanović confirmed on Sunday. Read more.
///
Agenda
- EU: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Foreign Affairs Council, Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visits Azerbaijan.
- Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn visits Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia for meetings with government representatives and investors to present the NextGenerationEU funding strategy.
- EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell chairs EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council, and receiver deputy PM of Moldova for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian.
- Germany: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz holds a press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
- Czech Republic: Taiwanese Head of Legislative Yuan You Si-kun visits.
- United States: Trial of ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon starts, accused of contempt of congress.
- India: Lawmakers vote to elect new president.
- World: Nelson Mandela International Day.
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Eleonora Vasques, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
