The ‘big four’ speed up consensus on EU migration pact

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.

Today’s edition is powered by Equinor. How can hydrogen help accelerate the energy transition? To be Fit-for-55 in 2030, we need to use all technologies available and remain technology-open going forward. Clean hydrogen technologies are already available and can provide our industries with a versatile and environmentally-friendly energy carrier. Continue Reading >>

The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.

In today’s news from the Capitals:

ROME

Italy, France, Spain, and Germany regularly meet and consult each other to find common ground and reach a wider consensus within the EU Council, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said at an event organised by EURACTIV Italy on Tuesday. Read more.

///

BERLIN

Scholz confident in finding diplomatic solution after Russia talks. After four hours of talks in the Kremlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday that there was enough common ground to continue diplomacy to avert war between Russia and Ukraine. Read the full story.

///

PARIS

France to push for a Europe of space. President Emmanuel Macron said he would push Europe to “engage in international competition” on space issues – describing it as a central issue for European sovereignty – at a summit to be held in Toulouse on Wednesday. Read more.

///

VIENNA

Feeling of freedom at a ‘low point’ in Austria. Following pandemic restrictions and a series of political corruption scandals, Austrians feel increasingly restricted, 2021’s “freedom index” by the SORA Institute has shown. Read more.

UK AND IRELAND

LONDON/BELFAST

Intra-Irish trade booms after Brexit. The value of Northern Irish goods exported to the Republic of Ireland surged by more than 60% in the first year after Britain left the EU’s single market, according to new data published on Tuesday by Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO). Read more.

///

DUBLIN

Ireland to set up agency for anti-domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy. Ireland will set up a new statutory agency to oversee the implementation of the government’s approach to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), it was announced on Tuesday. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finland may consider helping Ukraine financially. Finland could assist Ukraine financially if it is attacked militarily, Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) said at her monthly press conference on Tuesday, noting that whether help would also include arms exports is a “more complicated” issue. Marin also commented on possible sanctions and the discussion on NATO membership. Read more.

///

STOCKHOLM | VILNIUS

Lithuanian Ambassador in Sweden: We can’t sacrifice Ukraine. “We can’t sacrifice Ukraine, keep silent and pretend that nothing is happening”, said Lithuania’s Ambassador Giedrius Čekuolis to P1 Morgon on Tuesday, commenting on the escalating situation at the Ukrainian border. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

MADRID

Spanish car company SEAT risks 8,000 jobs due to e-cars. The Spanish car industry could see 8,000 people lose their jobs in the future as electric cars require less workforce than combustion engine cars, Spanish car manufacturer SEAT has warned, newspaper Cinco Dias reported on Tuesday. Read more.

EU Commission congratulates Spain on labour reform. European Commissioner for Employment, Nicolas Schmitt congratulated the Minister of Employment Yolanda Díaz on labour reform and the 2030 plan for the European Social Pillar during a meeting of EU employment ministers in Bordeaux eldiario.es reported on Tuesday. Read more.

///

ROME

Italian gas, electricity prices surge despite government interventions. Electricity and gas prices have rocketed 94% and 131% in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same quarter last year, the Italian regulatory authority for energy, networks and environment (ARERA) told the Senate on Tuesday. Read more.

///

LISBON

Sugar, salt content of food in Portugal cut by over 11% in three years. Some food products in Portugal saw their salt and sugar content reduced by about 11% between 2018 and 2021, according to a study on the reformulation of food products, published on Tuesday. Read more.

VISEGRAD

WARSAW

Polish, Russian FMs meet amid OSCE promise to create conditions for prisoner swap. Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the Ukraine crisis and as the head of the OSCE, currently presided over by Poland. Read more.

///

BUDAPEST

Hungarian academia and authorities clash over COVID drug. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) leadership condemned the national drug control agency’s move to take legal steps against media who questioned the efficacy of favipiravir – an antiviral drug used in coronavirus treatment, Telex reported. Read more.

///

BRATISLAVA

Slovakia does not expect boom of gas projects despite new taxonomy. Key Slovak investors have for now ruled out the revival of several big projects involving natural gas and nuclear despite the government welcoming the European Commission’s decision to include these energy sources in the new green taxonomy. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

TIRANA

Data leaks and corruption on agenda of EU-Albania talks. The EU-Albania committee monitoring the country’s EU integration progress met on Tuesday with discussions including the fight against corruption and last year’s massive data leaks which saw almost a million people’s data including name, ID, salary, phone number, voting preference, and even car registration in the public domain. Read more.

///

SOFIA

Bulgarian army not able to face risks arising from global crises. The Bulgarian army does not have the weapons, equipment or people to meet the risks arising from the Ukrainian crisis, the conflicts in the Middle East and Asia, international terrorism, and migrant flows, according to the conclusion made during the meeting of the National Security Advisory Council and the president. Read more.

///

BUCHAREST

Romania’s economic growth not as predicted. Romania’s gross domestic product dropped in the fourth quarter of 2021, and growth for the entire year fell short of expectations, preliminary data from the statistics institute published Tuesday showed. Read more.

///

ZAGREB

Croatian finance ministry issues about €180 million in treasury bills. Croatia’s finance ministry sold 1.3 billion kuna (€ 173 million) and €6.5 million worth of treasury bills at an auction on Tuesday. Read more.

///

LJUBLJANA

Slovenian health and social care workers stage strike. Slovenian nurses and workers in social care will stage a one-day strike on Wednesday due to an absence of “meaningful progress” on demands that include a pay rise and better work conditions. Read more.

///

BELGRADE

Serbian President dissolves parliament, calls for early elections. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Tuesday dissolved parliament and called for parliamentary elections to be held early on 3 April, a year and a half after forming the government on the back of a vote boycotted by the main opposition. Read more.

///

SKOPJE

Expert: North Macedonia’s epidemiological situation still ‘not that good’. The total COVID-19 death toll is 3% since the onset of the virus, the President of the Commission for Infectious Diseases, Aleksandar Petličkovski has said, adding that while the epidemiological situation in the country has improved, it can still not be said that it is good. Read more.

///

PRISTINA | BELGRADE

US Secretary of State calls for recognition of Kosovo’s independence. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has written to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić regarding the recognition of Kosovo. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell joins debate on Russia at European Parliament / European Parliament debate on mechanism linking European funds and rule of law / Commissioners Jutta Urpilainen and Adina Vălean participate in the EU-Africa Business Forum /
NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels on Russia-West tensions.
France: French President Emmanuel Macron will host leaders from the African Sahel region and senior EU officials for dinner / EU space ministers attend an informal meeting / Nightclubs allowed to reopen after Covid shutdown.
Luxembourg: ECJ decision on appeal by Warsaw and Budapest against a new mechanism linking European funds and rule of law.
Poland: The EU Court of Justice is to issue a ruling on Wednesday on the EU conditionality mechanism, connecting EU funds with the rule of law; the same day, Polish Constitutional Tribunal will decide on whether the mechanism is consistent with the Polish constitution.
Italy: Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio visits Moscow.
Hungary: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visits Budapest on Thursday.
Romania: Government meeting – several acts regarding aid for SMEs and EU funds are on the agenda.
Croatia: Prime Minister Andrej Plenković will present a comprehensive set of measures to buffer the gas and electricity price blow to living standards. At the same time, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will visit the country.