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In today’s news from the Capitals:
Russia’s war in Ukraine has forced the German government to reconsider many of the plans it presented a year ago when the “traffic light” coalition was first formed, changing the shape of many of the country’s key policies and lines. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU gas price cap proposal deemed ‘unworkable’ and ‘a joke’, even by advocates. France, Spain and other member states have called on the European Commission to “significantly raise its ambition” on a proposed EU gas price cap ahead of an extraordinary meeting of the bloc’s 27 energy ministers in Brussels on Thursday. Read more.
EP comes under Russian cyber-attack hours after ‘state terrorism’ vote. The European Parliament came under a major cyber-attack on Wednesday afternoon, just hours after EU lawmakers voted to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Read more.
MEPs push for legislation on rainbow families’ cross-border rights. Members of the European Parliament pushed the European Commission on Wednesday to craft a proposal to enshrine the cross-border rights of ‘rainbow families” into EU law. Read more.
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BERLIN
Scholz accused of not living up to defence spending promise. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his government’s defence policy in the Bundestag plenary Wednesday, following renewed criticism from opposition leader Friedrich Merz over defence spending. Read more.
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PARIS
French bronchiolitis crisis highlights staff shortages. A bronchiolitis epidemic impacting infants and children is ripping through France, putting increased strain on the overburdened and understaffed health sector. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria backs Schengen for Croatia, not Bulgaria, Romania. Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed his support for Croatia’s accession to the Schengen area, a club of mostly EU countries without border controls, an invitation not extended to Bulgaria or Romania. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch must compensate victims of 2007 Afghan bombing. The Dutch state must compensate the victims who succumbed to the unlawful bombing of a residential complex during the battle of Chora in 2007, the District Court of the Hague ruled on Wednesday. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
LONDON
Court rules Scotland cannot hold independence vote without UK approval. The Scottish government cannot hold a new referendum on independence without the consent of the UK government, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday (23 November), in a major blow to the pro-independence campaign. Read more.
Explainer: Scottish independence: After Supreme Court defeat, what options are left? After the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday (23 November) rejected an argument that the Scottish government can pass legislation allowing it to hold a second independence referendum next year, can Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon still hold a new referendum? Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy, France agree to strategic cooperation after Ocean Viking fallout. Italy and France agreed on Wednesday to set up bilateral working groups and cooperate in strategic sectors, seemingly thawing the icy relationship that developed over the reception of migrants from the Ocean Viking rescue vessel. Read more.
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MADRID
Spain rejects Commission’s gas price cap proposal, wants more ambition. The European Commission’s proposal for a gas price cap is clearly insufficient and not going in the right direction, said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday. Read more.
Smooth sailing for Spain’s 2023 budget. The government is on the right track to getting its proposal for the 2023 budget approved after pro-independence Basque party EH Bildu promised it would vote in its favour in an extraordinary parliamentary session scheduled for Thursday. Read more.
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ATHENS
Greece pleased after EU Parliament’s call to annul Turkey-Libya MoU. The European Parliament called for the cancellation of a controversial 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Libya, which has caused tensions in the Mediterranean ever since. Read more.
Athens seeks majority to lower Commission’s €275 gas price cap. Greece’s objective at the energy council on Thursday is to make sure there is enough opposition from member states to decrease the gas price cap recently proposed by the European Commission, Greek energy minister Kostas Skrekas said. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poland seeks allies for German WW2 reparations claim. Poland has sent diplomatic notes to its EU and NATO allies to drum up support for its dispute with Germany over €1.3 trillion in World War II reparations, Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk said on Wednesday. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czech presidency postpones Kosovo visa liberalisation over car plates dispute. The Czech EU Council has withdrawn the proposal of visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens due to current political tensions with Serbia over license plates, just hours before a deal was struck between Pristina and Belgrade. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak FM, MEPs express disgust over Orbán’s nationalist scarf. Foreign Minister Rastislav Káčer and EU lawmakers strongly criticised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for wearing a scarf with the historical map of Greater Hungary. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
PRISTINA
Kosovo, Serbia reach deal to end dispute over car plates under EU dialogue. In an eleventh-hour effort, Belgrade and Pristina reached an EU-brokered deal late Wednesday to end a dangerous dispute over car licence plates in northern Kosovo, which the West had warned could trigger ethnic violence. Read more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria’s pro-European parties ready to form minority government. The leaders of the pro-European parties We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria are both ready to form a minority government if Boyko Borrissov’s GERB fails to form one first, they announced Wednesday. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanian environmentalists sue state over controversial airport. A group of Albanian environmental organisations have sued the government over Vlora Airport as they claim its construction violates several laws, and risks irreparable damage to the valuable ecosystem, mirroring concerns echoed by the European Commission. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Energy ministers hold extraordinary meeting to seek political agreement on a Council regulation for enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks;
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the New European Bauhaus into the Woods conference;
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas participates in the signing ceremony between EIF & RRF with the presence of Alternate Minister for Fiscal Policy Theodoros Skilakakis, in Athens, Greece; Holds meetings with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the parliamentary opposition and president of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras;
- Vice President Dubravka Šuica on official visit to Berlin, Germany;
- Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates at the EU Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial meeting and Seventh Union for the Mediterranean Regional Forum, in Barcelona, Spain;
- Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis participates in the 6th European Union – Gulf Cooperation Council Business Forum;
- Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager delivers keynote speech at the UN Women Leaders’ Network event;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski delivers opening speech at conference organised by the Commission on “An EU school scheme fit for the future
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attends plenary session, European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents, in Strasbourg, France;
- EU Parliament debates establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030; Votes on non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions, repression of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus, state of play of the negotiations between the Commission and the Hungarian Government linked to the Conditionality Regulation and the RRP and more; Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in a European Parliament Plenary Debate on ensuring the availability of medical devices;
- Parliamentary Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) debates legal aspects of the situation of women in Iran and on current developments;
- OSCE 20th Autumn Parliamentary Assembly discusses the war against Ukraine, economic and environmental security amid the current crisis, lessons learned to safeguard the Organization’s toolbox and comparative advantage, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms during armed conflict and humanitarian crisis;
- Sweden: Trial of two brothers charged with spying for Russia begins;
- Slovakia: Summit of Visegrad 4 prime ministers;
- Mexico: Pacific Alliance Summit takes place;
- UN: Human Rights Council hosts a special session on the situation in Iran;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
