German court slams EU idea on debt ‘flexibility’

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

BERLIN

The German Court of Auditors has criticised the European Commission’s proposal to make EU debt rules more flexible, echoing similar concerns voiced by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner amid ongoing EU negotiations on national debt and deficit rules. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

Stakeholders push for stronger EU regulations to battle anaphylaxis. While the EU has a strong regulatory framework to ensure the quality and safety of life-saving adrenaline autoinjectors, food allergy stakeholders push for more measures also in terms of food labelling. Read more.

Med states press EU for new ‘southern partnership’ with Africa. A group of nine Mediterranean EU countries have urged the bloc to create a formal ‘southern partnership’ with African countries based on cooperation on energy and migration, according to a document seen by EURACTIV. Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgian government signs nuclear extension deal with France’s Engie. Belgium has agreed with operator Engie (ENGIE.PA) to extend the use of the country’s nuclear reactors by 10 years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Belgium’s governing coalition to rethink plans to rely more on natural gas. Read more.

Belgian FM escapes no-confidence vote. Belgian lawmakers voted in support of the mandate of Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib on Thursday evening, bringing to an end a two-week debate that questioned her granting of visas to an Iranian delegation for a mayors’ summit that put the government on the spot. Read more.

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PARIS

French government gears up to face more violence after teen death. France deployed 40,000 police and gendarmes across the country on Thursday in an attempt to contain riots that followed the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old by a police officer on Tuesday, with tensions expected to continue rising, a territorial intelligence memo quoted by several media states. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austrian authorities raid neo-Nazi bikers, seize arsenal of arms, drugs. Austrian authorities recently raided 13 homes in Upper and Lower Austria linked to the far-right biker scene, arresting six people and seizing many weapons and drugs, as well as equipment to make more in the future – equipment which, according to authorities, could only be amassed due to the pandemic. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch farmers‘ protests overshadowed by leak of lawmakers’ phone numbers. Farmers’ protests that disputed the failed Agricultural Accord on Thursday were overshadowed by the leaking of phone numbers of lawmakers from the coalition party Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA/EPP). Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

MADRID

Spain’s digital lobby worried by national elections, call for ‘State Pact’. Spain’s digital lobby wants a ‘State Pact’ between major political forces to anchor favourable digital economy policies in the future government’s agenda amid uncertainty ahead of the parties’ electoral programme presentation. Read more.

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ATHENS

Greek left in uncharted waters, discusses Tsipras’ succession. The sudden resignation of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras from the leftist Syriza party (EU Left) leadership following a heavy electoral defeat has opened a Pandora’s Box as who will now take over his position is a difficult question to answer. Read more.

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ROME

Vatican sent envoy on peace mission to Russia. Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited Moscow to meet Russian government and Orthodox Church officials on Wednesday and Thursday to find an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, and while no agreement has been reached, the dialogue remains open. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese PM calls for EU crisis mechanism. Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa on Thursday called for a permanent crisis stabilisation mechanism to respond to future situations in the EU, calling the proposals to review the seven-year EU budget and budget rules “insufficient”. Read more.

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VALLETTA

Malta’s abortion law reform insufficient, critics say. Malta’s recent reform of the total ban on abortion in all circumstances to now allowing it in cases where the mother’s life is at risk is viewed by critics – including those in the EU Parliament – as a small and inadequate step towards safeguarding women’s reproductive rights. Read more.

V4 & EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Polish raspberry farmers want to stop Ukrainian imports. The association of Polish Fruit-Growers appealed to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, asking for the suspension of Ukrainian fruit imports that are creating a ‘dramatic’ drop in demand for local products and lowering prices. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia opens floor to same-sex marriage debate. Facilitation of marriage for same-sex couples was debated by the Czech parliament –which remains divided on the issue – on Thursday, as the country still belongs to a group of Eastern EU countries which legally only recognises registered partnerships or other types of civil unions. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Road transport emissions rising in car-friendly Slovakia. The rise in cars on the road and increased freight transportation have offset any positive impact in a country that is fighting stricter emission norms as greenhouse gas emissions have tripled since the 1990s, according to new data from the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. Read more.

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CHISINAU

Moldova in search of experts for EU talks after massive migration. As Moldova prepares for intensive negotiations as a part of its path towards EU membership, expected to be started by the end of 2023, a lack of qualified experts capable of leading the talks is causing Chisinau headaches. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BUCHAREST

Romanian president: Slow Schengen progress, no vote until positive outcome certain. The accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen will only be discussed in the Council when it is sure that the outcome will be successful, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday. Read more.

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SOFIA

Bulgarian parliament, euro referendum debate, boycotted by main parties. The main political parties in Bulgaria’s parliament boycotted a scheduled debate on whether a national referendum should be held on postponing the adoption of the euro until 2043, tabled by the radical pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia’s new national planning strategy allows construction of modular nuclear reactors. A new national spatial planning strategy that explicitly paves the way not just for the planned expansion of the country’s only nuclear power station but also for the construction of small modular reactors was approved by Slovenia’s parliament on Thursday. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Tech-crime: Serbia leads regionally for most Meta user data requests. Since 2013, Facebook (now Meta) has released data on transparency every six months – which includes requests for user data sharing from government organisations – with Serbia leading the way in 2021 and 2022. Read more.

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PRISTINA

Kosovar PM reacts to EU measures over Serbia tensions. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has responded to the list of measures proposed against the country by the European Union amid ongoing tensions in the north with ethnic Serbs, reiterating Kosovo’s EU perspective and insisting he is not bitter. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian police tighten security, conduct checks at the Iranian opposition compound. Albanian police returned to the Iranian opposition, People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK) compound near Durres on Thursday, just over a week since a full-scale raid to seize computers and servers resulted in clashes with residents and multiple injuries. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas meets with European Union Intellectual Property Office representatives;
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski participates in EU-African Union Agricultural Ministers’ conference in Rome, Italy;
Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit visits Germany’s Federal Employment Agency;
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton participates in the EU-Korea Digital Partnership Council meeting; Meets with 2nd Vice Minister for Science and ICT of Korea Yun Kyu Park; Delivers keynote speech at the EU-Republic of Korea high-level Cyber Security conference in Seoul, South Korea;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]