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.
Before you start reading today’s edition of the Capitals, feel free to have a look at EU fruit, vegetable producers scramble to save harvest as energy prices soar by Natasha Foote.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
Today’s edition is powered by AWS AWS and comprehensive data protection in the cloud How do organisations successfully navigate compliance within Europe? What are the cross-border data transfer requirements? AWS experts Esther Stringham (AWS Legal) and Hans Bos (AWS Security Assurance) dive deeper into both topics. Watch the webinars >>
In today’s news from the Capitals:
After Finance Minister Igor Matovič refused to give up his seat, his party is now in charge of a minority government and if it fails, Slovakia’s first-ever snap election could give the power to the parties accused of corruption he vowed to defeat. Read more.
///
EU INSTITUTIONS
How France lobbied against Commission’s proposal on platform workers’ rights. France heavily lobbied the European Commission over the rights of platform workers, favouring the position of platforms and raising more concerns of collusion between French decision makers and industry lobbyists, according to documents obtained by EURACTIV. Read more.
European weapons stocks running low, Borrell warns. European weapons stocks are running low as EU member states are making efforts to send military aid to Ukraine, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell warned on Monday (5 September), renewing calls to better coordinate European supplies to the war-torn country. Read more.
EU Parliament fights over sustainability criteria for insurance sector. In attempts to reach a common position on the review of prudential regulation for the European insurance sector, MEPs expressed starkly diverging opinions on whether and how to account for climate risks in the regulation. Read more.
///
THE HAGUE
Dutch agriculture minister resigns as nitrogen row simmers. Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Minister Henk Staghouwer announced his resignation via Twitter on Monday night as farmers continue to protest government plans to implement EU rules. Read more.
///
BERLIN
Habeck confirms 2022 nuclear exit, two plants to form temporary reserve. The German government will keep to the country’s planned 2022 nuclear exit, shutting down its last three nuclear reactors amid the ongoing European energy crisis. Read more.
///
PARIS
Macron backs European windfall tax. French President Emmanuel Macron said he favoured a “European contribution mechanism” on energy companies that would apply equally throughout the bloc after a video call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
DUBLIN
Dublin does not expect new UK PM to trigger Article 16, says FM. Dublin does not expect Liz Truss, the UK’s new prime minister, to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which would suspend parts of the post-Brexit agreement between the UK and EU, said Foreign Minister Simon Coveney. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Far-right leader hits back over ‘threat’ label. Far-right Swedish Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson denounced Social Democrats’ “political failure” in response to allegations that his party’s “links to Russia” threaten national security in a press conference on Monday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
MADRID
Spain’s PM kicks-off electoral cycle with citizen forum. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez kicked off a long political campaign on Monday by responding, in an event held at the left-wing government’s official seat, to questions from ordinary citizens concerned by the impact of rocketing energy prices. Read more.
///
LISBON
Portugal approves family support measures. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa countersigned the government decree establishing exceptional measures to help families offset the effects of inflation. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poland seeks partners on nuclear, in talks with US, France. Poland is talking with several potential partners to launch nuclear energy in the country, with the aim to have six reactors operating before 2040, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday. Read more.
///
BUDAPEST
Orbán-favoured museum director blasts West over Gorbachev funeral. Mária Schmidt, the director of the government-favoured House of Terror museum, blasted Western leaders for skipping the funeral of the USSR’s last leader in an indignant social media post on Monday. Read more.
///
PRAGUE
Czech EU Presidency to tackle migration reform, further protection for Ukrainians. The Czech EU Presidency is ready to start negotiations on the possible extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said on Monday. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE
Macron, Scholz’s aides head to Belgrade, Pristina in new diplomatic push. EU mediator Miroslav Lajčak will visit Pristina and Belgrade on Friday, with special advisors to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to explore possibilities for progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano told Serbian media BETA. Read more.
///
SOFIA
Bulgaria to supply North Macedonia electricity for winter. Bulgaria has promised to provide North Macedonia with additional amounts of electricity for the winter, as announced after the meeting between Bulgarian Prime Minister Galab Donev and his Macedonian counterpart Dimitar Kovachevski in Sofia on Monday. Read more.
///
ZAGREB
Croatia to unveil ‘comprehensive’ crisis plan this week. A new crisis package, due to be unveiled by the Croatian cabinet on Thursday, will be “just, powerful, comprehensive,” Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said after a meeting of his ruling conservative HDZ party on Monday. Read more.
///
LJUBLJANA
Slovenia summons Serbian ambassador over Vucic’s statements. The Slovenian foreign ministry summoned Serbian Ambassador to Slovenia Zorana Vlatković over statements that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic made during Slovenian President Borut Pahor’s visit to Belgrade last weekend. Read more.
///
PRISTINA
Serbian PM visits north Kosovo amid ongoing tensions. The Prime Minister-designate of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, said she wants to convey messages of peace, stability, and tolerance during a visit to northern Kosovo, a region mainly populated by ethnic Serbs. Read more.
///
TIRANA
Albanian ruling party proposes lustration for electoral candidates. Albania’s Socialist Party has submitted two draft laws to parliament that would prevent anyone who worked for State Security (Sigurimi) during the brutal communist regime from running as a candidate during any government election. Read more.
///
Agenda
- EU: EU-Georgia Association Council, EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell chairs.
- Informal meeting of health minister.
- European Parliament Roberta Metsola has a working lunch with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo.
- Greece: French FM Catherine Colonna visits Slovakia President Zuzana Caputova on an official visit to Athens.
- Spain: Spain’s PM, Pedro Sánchez, discusses on Tuesday in the Senate with the conservative opposition leader, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, about the government’s anti-crisis package.
- Poland: 31st Economic Forum in Karpacz is starting and will last until Thursday.
- Slovakia: President Zuzana Čaputová makes an official visit to Greece and North Macedonia.
- United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth II appoints New PM, Boris Johnson formally resigns.
- Russia: Putin attends Vostok-2022 military exercises.
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Eleonora Vasques, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
