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In today’s news from the Capitals:
BRUSSELS / ROME
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) is still waiting for current EU Commission chief Von der Leyen to decide whether she wants to re-run for the top job after the 2024 EU elections. Her silence has sparked a hot debate on the right front of the political spectrum regarding the future political orientation of Europe’s largest family.
In Italy, it even caused turmoil in the coalition government, while in Madrid, the socialist Spanish prime minister backed a second mandate for von der Leyen. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Sánchez backs second mandate for von der Leyen, Stoltenberg. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed support for a more federalised EU as his country recently took over the Spanish EU Council Presidency while backing the mandate renewals of EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Read more.
EU parliament trade chief calls for tariffs on US hydrogen. EU lawmaker and head of the European Parliament’s trade committee Bernd Lange (S&D) is calling for taxes to be imposed on US-produced hydrogen – a move Lange views as the bloc’s response to the €370 billion US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) aimed at increasing green investments. Read more.
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BERLIN
Germany should break up ailing national railway company, experts say. The government needs to break up its national rail operator Deutsche Bahn to counter grave quality deficits of the railway system, the German Monopolies Commission warned on Tuesday. Read more.
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PARIS
French riots to cost companies €1 billion, employers’ union says. The cost of a week of riots in France that saw over 450 shops looted and 300 ATMs destroyed is estimated at almost €1 billion, according to the largest employers’ union MEDEF on Tuesday. Read more.
French politicians bicker as tensions on French streets ease. Far from the French government’s call for national unity, politicians, especially from the radical left and the majority, are bickering about their roles in instigating or calming the riots as tensions in the streets have begun to ease. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s 2030 climate targets won’t be met on time. Austria’s climate target for 2030 will not be reached in time, the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) revealed on Tuesday. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Flanders’ plans for mandatory migrant Dutch language classes may fall through. Flanders’ aims to make the NT2 language test compulsory for non-EU citizens from 1 September 2023 may face political obstacles and hard-to-reach deadlines that would make it difficult to adopt. Read more.
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THE HAGUE | LUXEMBOURG| PRISTINA
Dutch, Luxembourgish PMs call for de-escalation between Serbia, Kosovo. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his Luxembourgish counterpart Xavier Bettel advocated for de-escalation between Serbia and Kosovo on Wednesday at the end of their two-day visit to Serbia and Kosovo. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
DUBLIN
Ireland announces enhanced support for solar power projects. The Irish government improved its support for companies switching to solar power on Tuesday, opening up an ongoing scheme providing grants for solar photovoltaic installations to a broader range of businesses. Read more.
Irish public broadcaster to undergo independent review after corruption scandal. Ireland’s government will conduct an independent review of public radio broadcaster RTÉ, Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin announced on Tuesday after the broadcaster’s former star reporter, Ryan Tubridy, came under fire over undeclared pay.
RTÉ recently faced an intensive grilling in parliament and admitted underreporting the annual salary of Tubridy, amounting to €345,000 between 2017 and 2022 – forcing the suspension of former director general Dee Forbes. The government will conduct two separate reviews focusing on governance and culture, while the other will look at contractor fees, human resources and other matters.
(Sophie O’Rourke | EURACTIV.com)
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Swedish government initiative wants law changes after Quran burnings. The Swedish Centre against Violent Extremism (CVE) has called for Sweden to amend its Public Order Act to ensure public events such as Quran burnings can be banned if they threaten national security. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
MADRID
PP leader urges socialists to let him govern, avoid pact with VOX. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader and prime minister candidate of centre-right Partido Popular (PP), called on the Socialist Party (PSOE) on Tuesday to let him govern if he wins the upcoming general elections in Spain, saying this would prevent the far-right VOX from entering a future government. Read more.
Spain records lowest unemployment figures since 2008. The number of unemployed in Spain stood in June at its lowest level since 2008, including a significant drop in the number of young people out of work, fresh government figures published on Tuesday, three weeks ahead of the general election, have revealed. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Socialist MEP accuses Tusk of turning into ‘Trump’. The Polish opposition should side with democracy and human dignity, socialist MEP Robert Biedroń (S&D) said about opposition leader Donald Tusk’s new election campaign spot, which he called ‘racist’ and ‘mindless’. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE
German Greens fume after Vučić said they funded protests. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, speaking on private television TV Prva, said that organisations from Germany like the Heinrich Böll Foundation or the Green party are financing the protests in Serbia and that the authorities in Belgrade have evidence to prove it. Read more.
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SOFIA
Zelenskyy to visit Bulgaria, invited by new pro-EU government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make his first visit to Bulgaria on Thursday at the invitation of the Bulgarian government in what is considered a sign of appreciation for the country’s military assistance provided to Ukraine so far. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romanian government rushes to patch up budget hole before losing EU funds. Bucharest urgently seeks money to patch up its huge hole in the budget as it risks losing European funds due to potential non-compliance with deficit targets. Read more.
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PRISTINA
First effects of EU sanctions sting Kosovo. Kosovo could lose some €500 million in EU funds by the end of 2022 due to sanctions adopted by the European Union following unrest in the north between Kosovar Albanians and Serbs and Pristina’s non-compliance with demands laid down by Brussels and Washington. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College meeting; Hosts President of the European Committee of the Regions Vasco Cordeiro;
- High Representative Josep Borrell with President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum inaugurates the Gouro Banda solar power plant;
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates at high level roundtable on “Energy sustainability trilemma” at the 8th OPEC International Seminar: “Towards a sustainable and inclusive energy transition”; Meets with Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli joins roundtable with ministers responsible for LGBTIQ policies; Gives keynote speech at high level event on “Advancing LGBTIQ+ Rights in Europe”;
- Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean delivers keynote address to the ICAO’s Global Aviation Gender Summit 2023;
- Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton delivers keynote speech at the 156th plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on Net-Zero Industry Act at the European Parliament; Budget and Administration Commissioner Johannes Hahn participates in the debate on the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework;
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Moldovan Parliament President Igor Grosu;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with EURACTIV
First effects of EU sanctions sting Kosovo
Source: euractiv.com
