EU states competing to attract Ukrainian workers

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

Ukrainians coming to EU countries following Russia’s invasion could fill significant gaps in national labour markets, but their possible massive return to Ukraine or competition among EU countries is causing employers headaches.

Around 4.8 million people from Ukraine benefit from the temporary protection mechanism, which grants them access to the EU countries’ labour markets. Moreover, 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens were authorised to stay in the EU before the war. Read more.

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A WORD FROM THE NETWORK

When the French left plays with fire. As the French National Assembly debates pension reform, a section of the left has launched a radical and sometimes violent battle that risks undermining their cause. Read more.

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BERLIN

No new money for refugee accommodation, German government tells regions. The German government will work more closely with regions on accommodating refugees but will not give more money, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Tuesday as regions warned that they are being pushed to their limit. Read more.

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PARIS

Electricity exporter for 42 years, France became a net importer in 2022. The French electricity network manager, RTE, announced on Thursday that after more than four decades of being an energy exporter, France became an electricity import country in 2022, a shift that has major consequences on the country’s energy bill. Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgium outlines seven measures to fight drug criminality. Belgium presented a seven-point federal action plan to fight against drug criminality, Prime Minister Alexander de Croo and several ministers announced during a press conference after a National Security Council meeting on Thursday. Read more

NORDICS AND BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Stockholm police refuses second Quran burning application. An application to burn a Quran outside the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm has been processed and refused by the police on Thursday as tensions with Turkey over Sweden’s NATO applications are still high. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ATHENS

MEP Kaili remains in jail as her lawyer attacks Panzeri. Belgian justice rejected on Thursday jailed MEP Eva Kaili’s third request to get released until the trial of the Qatargate takes place. Meanwhile, her lawyer lashed out against Pier Antonio Panzeri, the alleged mastermind of the scandal, saying he is “completely untrustworthy”. Read more.

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ROME

Italy will ‘probably’ help Ukraine amid risk of Russian nuclear threat. Italy, while struggling to meet NATO spending requirements, will probably help Kyiv against the risk of Russian nuclear threat as a ceasefire appears very unlikely for now, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told lawmakers during a hearing Thursday. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish lawmakers approve abortion, transgender rights reforms. Reforms to the country’s abortion rules and new legislation allowing teenagers over the age of 16 to change their gender without permission from a doctor or psychologist were approved by Spanish lawmakers on Thursday. Read more.

Spain, Austria to push for EU consensus on migration, asylum before 2024. Austria and Spain will seek consensus at the EU level to ensure the European Pact on Migration and Asylum is approved before next year’s European Parliament elections, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer pledged in Vienna on Thursday. Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal to end controversial yet lucrative golden visa scheme. Portugal will end its golden visa programme, which fast-tracks residence permits for large investors from outside the EU and has raked in billions of euros in investments, in a push to combat property speculation, Prime Minister António Costa announced on Thursday. Read more.

VISEGRAD

PRAGUE

Czech automotive sector calls EU emissions plans ‘unrealistic’. The European Commission’s new plan to reduce CO2 emissions from newly produced heavy lorries by 90% by 2040 is unrealistic, the Automotive Industry Association (AutoSAP) said in a press release on Thursday. Read more.

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WARSAW

Polish president visits London as relations reach new heights. Polish President Andrzej Duda began his two-day visit to the UK in a move which, according to an expert, further strengthens Polish-UK relations that have gradually tightened since the war in Ukraine. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovak parliament condemns Russia, and calls it a terrorist regime. The National Council adopted a resolution Thursday, labelling Russia as a terrorist regime and condemning its widespread attacks on civilians, civilian objects, and a key energy structure. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgaria, Greece revive forgotten Russian oil project. The project for an oil pipeline between Burgas in Bulgaria and Alexandroupolis in Greece has been officially revived by Bulgarian Energy Minister Rosen Hristov and his Greek counterpart, Kostas Skrekas, following several months of negotiations. Read more.

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ZAGREB

Concerns over food quality in Croatia confirmed in recent findings. Undeclared and oftentimes cheaper ingredients were added to 5% of food products analysed on the local retail market, with meat, honey, milk and cheese being the most ‘spoiled’ foodstuffs, the Health Ministry has found. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenian firefighters become the latest group to demand higher pay. Flares, blasts, and loud chants flooded Ljubljana on Thursday as professional firefighters from all over the country gathered for one of the largest protests against the current government to date, making it the latest group to demand higher pay. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albania has third anti-government protest this week, PM called to resign. The opposition and supporters held the third anti-government protest in a week outside of parliament in Tirana on Thursday, calling for the prime minister to resign and attempting to disrupt the parliamentary session. Read more.

AGENDA

EU: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the Munich Security Conference 2023;
Vice President Frans Timmermans meets with President of Moldova Maia Sandu;
Vice President Dubravka Šuica meets with Secretary General of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Helga Maria Schmid;
Vice President Vĕra Jourová holds meetings with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas holds meetings with US Secretary for Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya;
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on official visit in Italy; Holds meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, and more;
Austria: Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on official visit;
Belgium: Belgian and Dutch governments sign commitment with shipowners for better security;
Slovenia: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on official visit;
Russia: President Vladimir Putin hosts Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko;
South Africa: South Africa, Russia, China stage joint naval drills off KwaZulu-Natal province;