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In today’s news from the Capitals:
WARSAW
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki laid out his vision for the future of Europe in a speech at Heidelberg University, Germany, highlighting the role of sovereign nation-states against a European federation. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU seals deal on joint ammunition procurement for Ukraine. EU member states agreed on Monday on a plan to give one million artillery shells to Ukraine within 12 months by digging into their own stockpiles and teaming up to buy more, according to a document seen by EURACTIV. Read more.
Seven countries reject nuclear-derived hydrogen from EU renewables law. A group of seven EU countries led by Germany have rejected calls to incorporate nuclear-made hydrogen into the bloc’s green transport targets, reigniting a dispute with France that has held back an agreement on the bloc’s renewable energy directive. Read more.
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PARIS
French government survives confidence vote, but political crisis continues. The two no-confidence votes tabled to topple French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s government were rejected on Monday, keeping her in power for the time being. Despite this, the political crisis is far from over, MPs and observers note. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austrian agriculture minister says ‘no’ to Mercosur deal amid industry pressure. Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig said he opposes the EU-Mercosur trade agreement during the Agriculture Council in Brussels on Monday despite alleged industry pressure on the minister in charge of giving Austria’s final decision. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch, UK justice officials chair conference on Russian war crimes. Over 30 justice ministers gathered in London on Monday to discuss how they can support the International Criminal Court in holding Russia accountable for war crimes it is committing in Ukraine. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
LONDON | WARSAW
London ready to deliver jets to Poland to ramp up air defence. The UK is ready to help Poland fill any gaps in the country’s air defence that resulted from sending their fighter jets to Ukraine, British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said on Monday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM | HELSINKI
Sweden, Finland on different tracks for NATO accession. As Sweden continues to wait for the next step in its NATO application process with no new meetings with Hungary or Turkey scheduled, Finland is powering ahead in its bid to join the Alliance. Read more.
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HELSINKI
Drug policy key issue for voters in Finnish elections. Drug-related issues and drug policy will be a determining factor for 57% of the voters in Finland’s upcoming April elections, a new survey by the A-Clinic Foundation has found. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy free from Russian gas by year’s end says minister. Italy will be independent of Russian gas by 2023, said Italian Enterprise Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso (Fdi/ECR), pointing to two regasifier ships, one of which arrived at the port of Piombino, allowing the country to rely on countries like Algeria, Azerbaijan and Libya for gas instead. Read more.
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ATHENS
Greece, Turkey back each other in international fora. Greece and Turkey have decided to support each other in the UN’s Security Council and the International Maritime Organisation, respectively, in what is described as a “new era” in their bilateral relations following years of turmoil that has intensified in recent months. Read more.
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LISBON
OECD asks Portugal to enact measures for investor attractiveness. Policy measures should ensure Portugal’s labour market remains attractive to investors, while reforms facilitate the entry of investors and promote competition in “key sectors”, the OECD said in a report released Monday on the regulation of foreign investment. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Czech delegation heads to Taiwan, hopes for chip investments. A delegation of Czech politicians and company representatives, including the Speaker of the Czech Chamber of the Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, is heading to Taiwan this week, hoping to secure investments in the development of chip technologies in Czechia. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Legality of Slovak government sending Ukraine fighter jets questioned. Slovakia’s government, which recently lost a no-confidence vote in December, agreed to send 13 grounded Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine last week, though many still question whether the move was constitutional. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Sofia could meet Dutch Schengen requirements by October. Bulgaria could meet the requirements on corruption and judicial reform by October, Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov said on Monday. Read more.
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PRISTINA
Serbian List confirms boycott of local elections in Kosovo. The leaders of the Serbian List – the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo – reconfirmed on Monday that they will not participate in the local elections in the northern municipalities of Kosovo. Read more.
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PRISTINA | TIRANA
US: Corruption, gender-based violence of concern in Albania, Kosovo. According to the latest United States Department of State report published Monday, corruption and gender-based violence remain critical issues for Albania and Kosovo. Read more.
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BELGRADE
What does Moscow think about the Kosovo-Serbia issue? Russia continues to support Serbia and not recognise Kosovo as the EU-led negotiations to normalise relations between Belgrade and Pristina are currently underway, though experts believe that Russia has not yet made significant statements. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanians amongst unhappiest in Europe, report. Albania is one of the unhappiest countries in Europe, ranking 91 out of 146 countries surveyed with an average happiness evaluation of 5.2 out of 10, according to data published by the United Nations in the World Happiness Index. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: General Affairs Council convenes to discuss EU competitiveness, energy market, the rule of law, and more; Vice President Maroš Šefčovič attends; Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in the working lunch together with Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto;
- Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica meets with UN Secretary-General António Guterres during an official visit to New York; Participates in the China Europe Water Platform high-level dialogue conference;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, Várhelyi receive Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli gives a keynote speech at the opening of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Week on tackling online misogyny;
- Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness receives President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric Egger; Holds meeting with the board of Financial Service Ireland (FSI), IBEC’s financial services trade association;
- International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen meets with Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner; Delivers speech at the EU-LAC high-level Pharmaceutical Forum;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski delivers a speech at the “Energy effective solutions for the EU” conference;
- Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean receives Greek Transport Minister Georgios Gerapetritis;
- Várhelyi hosts Serbian Vice President and Defence Minister Miloš Vučević; Speaks at the Conference “New EU accession perspectives for the Western Balkans in a changed geopolitical environment”;
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers a speech to the event “A comprehensive approach to mental health in Europe: plan, act, change” co-organised by the Coalition for Mental Health and Wellbeing and the MEP Alliance for Mental Health;
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola holds meetings with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, and Austrian Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler;
- Belgium: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg presents annual report;
- Spain: Motion of confidence against the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez filed by far-right party VOX to be voted in parliament;
- Cyprus: Lebanon’s caretaker PM Najib Mikati visits to discuss maritime border deal;
- Poland: Ceremony to inaugurate the first US military garrison in the country;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
