The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
BERLIN
After two and a half hours of deliberation, the SPD arbitration committee in Hannover failed on Thursday to agree on whether to expel former ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder from the party over his ties to Russia. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU lawmakers vote to blacklist soy biodiesel over sustainability concerns. The European Parliament’s industry committee voted Wednesday (13 July) to restrict soy oil as a feedstock for biofuel production, a move that would put the crop on the same footing as palm oil in the EU. Read more.
Russian aggression sees euro tumble along with EU growth forecasts. Rising energy prices saw the euro tumble to parity with the US dollar in the past days, while concerns over the energy supply forced the EU Commission to significantly revise its growth projections downwards. Read more.
LEAK: EU drafts plan to reduce gas consumption ahead of uncertain winter. The European Commission is drafting plans to help EU countries reduce fossil gas demand and, if necessary, curtail consumption in the face of “a likely deterioration of gas supply outlook” this winter, according to leaked policy proposals seen by EURACTIV. Read more.
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PARIS
Macron calls for military investments to face ‘high-intensity wars’. As tanks were paraded across the Champs-Elysées for Bastille Day on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to reinvest in military stocks and train and hire personnel to better face potential ‘high intensity’ wars in the future. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s OMV secures 45% of yearly gas needs from non-Russian sources. Austrian gas company OMV has booked extensive transport capacity from Norway and Italy for the gas year October 2022 to September 2023 to become less dependent on Russia, the company announced on Thursday. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch register first Centaurus variant case. The Netherlands registered its first case of Centaurus, the BA.2.75 COVID-19 variant that has already been found in other countries, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) announced. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
DUBLIN
Hospital opens in Spain for Irish patients on lengthy waiting lists. Patients facing lengthy delays in Irish hospitals can now access treatment abroad after a hospital with dedicated capacity opened in Spain on Thursday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
TALLINN
Estonia’s prime minister resigns in push for new government. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas officially informed the government of her decision to resign as she wants to form a new government coalition. Read more.
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HELSINKI
Finns want to see wine sales liberalised. Most Finns think alcoholic beverages higher than 5.5% proof should not just be sold in Finland’s alcohol retail monopoly Alko, but also in grocery stores and supermarkets, a new survey published Thursday has found. Read more.
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VILNIUS
Lithuania won’t challenge Brussels over Kaliningrad to avoid ‘victory’ for Russia. Lithuania said on Thursday that it would not attempt to challenge a clarification by the European Commission allowing sanctioned civilian-use goods to transit by rail through its territory to Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad, which Brussels stressed constitutes “no change in position” towards Moscow. Read the full story here.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
President rejects Draghi’s resignation, sends him to lawmakers. Italian President Mattarella rejected the resignation tendered by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, asking him to come to parliament and assess the situation next Wednesday. Read more.
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LISBON
Return of international tourism boosts Portugal’s economy prospects. European economic forecasts released by the European executive on Thursday predicted high economic growth for Portugal. Read more.
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ATHENS
Greece eyes TAP pipeline, LNG to face a Russian gas cut-off. The Greek government is looking at the TAP gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to plug the energy supply hole in case Russia decides on a reduced or complete gas cut-off to Europe, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after a briefing on Thursday. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Czech Presidency’s extraordinary Energy Council will discuss solidarity, Nord Stream. Czech Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela has called an extraordinary Energy Council to be held on 26 July in Brussels to discuss the shutdown of Nord Stream 1 and potential solidarity measures. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
Hungary to help get Ukraine’s grain out. Hungary pledged to contribute to the expansion of Ukraine’s grain exports and said it would back an entrepreneurial zone for processing plants on their shared border. Read more.
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WARSAW
Poland allows borrowers ‘loan holidays’. Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a law on Thursday allowing borrowers to postpone loan instalments for several months. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak social partners reach historic deal on minimum wage increase. In a historic first, trade unions and employers agreed to an 8% increase in the monthly minimum wage from €646 to €700 – little relief to the poorest employees as it may not fully compensate for rising prices as inflation reaches double-digit territory. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
LJUBLJANA
Slovenian lawmakers package repeal of previous government’s laws. The Slovenian parliament on Wednesday passed an omnibus act that repeals eleven laws passed under the previous government, an unprecedented move some critics say could be challenged by the Constitutional Court and set the stage for similar future showdowns. Read more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria says no to harsh Covid restrictions amid summer wave. Bulgaria will not impose severe restrictions on citizens and businesses despite already being impacted by the European summer COVID-19 wave, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov announced Thursday at the briefing after the Council of Ministers meeting. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romania prepares for 5G auctions. Documentation for the offering of spectrum for 5G networks was prepared by Romania’s telecom watchdog, ANCOM, with auction starting prices for multiple frequency bands totalling almost €700 million. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Russian state channel RT to open shop in Serbia. Russian state-owned TV and radio broadcaster Russia Today (RT) is set to open offices in Serbia, Sputnik Serbia’s Editor-in-Chief Ljubinka Milinčić confirmed to independent news portal Nova.rs. Read more.
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SKOPJE
French proposal vote to be restructured in North Macedonia’s parliament. Macedonian lawmakers’ vote on the hard-to-sell French proposal designed to unlock the EU accession veto from Bulgaria will now take place on Friday following an extensive debate in parliament on Thursday and a decision to change what to vote on. Read more.
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TIRANA
American business lobby opposes Albania’s fiscal amnesty law. The American Chamber of Commerce in Albania, a private not-for-profit business promotion organisation, has announced its opposition to the proposed fiscal amnesty law put forward by the Socialist party government, calling it a significant risk for money laundering days after the EU Commission expressed its concerns. Read more.
Agenda:
- EU: Informal meeting European affairs ministers, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna attends.
- Partnership agreement signed with Niger on fight against migrant smuggling.
- Commission Vice-President Vĕra Jourová meets French Europe Minister Laurence Boone.
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni participates via videoconference in G20 finance ministers and Central Bank governors’ meeting.
- Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius meets Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
- Germany: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will meet Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca at the Romanian government headquarters.
- Poland: New law amending contested judicial reforms comes into force.
- Algeria: Reopening of the land border between Algeria and Tunisia.
- United States: Former President Donald Trump to testify in New York fraud probe.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Maksimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Eleonora Vasques]
Source: euractiv.com
