Germany sent back 570 migrants to Poland in 2024, below media forecasts

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

WARSAW

Some 570 migrants were sent back to Poland from Germany in 2024, according to the official data by the Polish border guard, far from the 40,000 cited in Polish media last week. Read more.

UK & IRELAND

LONDON

Britain seeking EU trade reset: minister. Britain is urgently looking to reset its trading relationship with the European Union, and sees international commerce as key to reviving UK growth, trade minister Douglas Alexander told AFP. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finland urges Germany to lose reservations on Ukraine support ahead of talks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finland’s hawkish President Alexander Stubb will discuss Ukraine’s ‘victory plan’ on Tuesday, as the Finnish foreign minister urged Germany to shed its reservations about weapon deliveries and embrace its “very important role”. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy approves new decree on ‘safe countries’ to secure Italy-Albania migrant deal. The Italian government has passed a new decree to circumvent a recent ruling from the Rome tribunal and European Court of Justice (ECJ) obligations that had challenged its migration outsourcing model with Albania. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain considers regularising hundreds of thousands of migrants. The Spanish government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is finalising the details of a massive regularisation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the country, in sharp contrast to the recent migration control plans of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Read more.

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LISBON | MADRID

Spain, Portugal call for new approach to EU-Africa relations. On Monday, Spain and Portugal called for a new EU approach to relations with Africa at a ministerial meeting in Madrid, where the two countries reaffirmed their alignment on foreign policy and defence. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

BRATISLAVA

Russia’s grip on Moldova elections calls for urgent EU support, say Slovak experts. Some experts have warned about Russia’s nefarious impact on the recent elections in Moldova, highlighting the urgent need for EU support to bolster democratic institutions and counter disinformation, as Moscow’s efforts to influence the country are expected to continue. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

PRISTINA

Kosovo’s Kurti opposes replication of Italy-Albania migration deals in Balkans. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the replication of the Italy-Albania migration deal was “not a solution” and would bring human rights concerns in an exclusive interview with Euractiv on Friday. Read more.

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SOFIA

Prominent Bulgarian journalist attacked by political leaders ahead of snap vote. Prominent Bulgarian television journalist Maria Tsantsarova has been the subject of a scathing political attack by the radical pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane and the populists of There Is Such a People days before snap parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 October. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Moldova EU referendum result viewed as a victory in Bucharest. Politicians in Bucharest are thrilled Moldova voted to join the EU in a close referendum held amidst reported disinformation campaigns and hybrid aggression by Moscow. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian ex-president Meta held on corruption charges. Former Albanian President Ilir Meta has been detained by police over corruption allegations, his lawyer said on Monday, calling the arrest politically motivated. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the College of Commissioners meeting; Receives Co-Chairs of the Greens/EFA Group Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout, Co-Chairs of The Left Manon Aubry and Martin Schirdewan, and Greens/EFA ITRE Committee coordinators Michael Bloss and Ville Ninnistö;
Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Constitution and EU Relations Minister for UK Nick Thomas-Symonds;
Parliament Plenary votes for Single European Sky implementation, Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism establisment, and more;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in a Parliament plenary debate on animal health situation in EU;
Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli delivers Commission statement on findings regarding Poland’s abortion law to the Parliament;
Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at 2024 OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy Agenda;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas meets with Deputy Minister of Education and training Nguyen Kim Son, Minister of Labour Dao Ngoc Dung, in Hanoi, Vietnam;
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders receives Secretary-General of European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) Ingrid Derveaux;
Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson meets with Chief-Minister of the Institutional Security Office of Brazil’s Presidency Marcos Antonio Amaro dos Santos, Minister for Justice and Public Security Ricardo Lewandowski, Director General of the Federal Police Andrei Augusto Passos Rodrigues, in Brasilia, Brazil;
Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni participates in World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund annual meetings, in Washington D.C. United States;
International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen participates in G7 Development ministers’ meeting, in Pescara, Italy;