EU to discuss Brazil beef ban over Amazon fires
The EU ought to consider banning Brazilian beef unless it takes action on forest fires, the Finnish EU presidency has said. A wider free trade deal is also at risk.
News in Brief
- Ocean Viking to disembark in Malta after ordeal
- Germany joins France in world outcry on Brazil fires
- British people lose faith in Brexit deal
- Brexit hardliners want further changes to EU deal
- German manufacturers confirm fear of recession
- Belgian socialists and liberals scrap over EU post
- Fall in EU migration leading to UK skills shortages
- Switzerland makes post-Brexit flight preparations
Investigation
The EU committee's great 'per diem' charade
Around 30 members of European Economic Social Committee, who live and work primarily in Brussels or nearby, have claimed €1.47m in a 'daily subsistence' allowance from European taxpayers to cover accommodation, food and local transport for meetings held in Brussels.
EU ends silence on Hong Kong protests
The EU, in league with Canada, has spoken out on the Hong Kong protests after months of silence in what one expert called "a clear expression of support for the protesters".
Opinion
What happens when trafficking survivors get home
Women, such as Adaura, who escape traffickers and return to Nigeria face fresh trauma and abuses, but the EU does too little to help.
EU plays good cop/bad cop on Brexit
Germany has said the EU could renegotiate the Brexit deal, but France is taking a harder line with Britain's new leader.
Focus
Nordic-German climate action signals broader alliance
Nordic countries and Germany have joined up on climate change, as Trump and Brexit push northern European countries closer together.
Spain heading for yet another general election
A one-month countdown began on Friday for Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez to form a new government or face elections.
EU states and Russia clash on truth of WW2 pact
Five EU states issued a statement condemning a World War 2-era German-Russian treaty which divided Europe, but Russia has defended the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
'Our house is burning,' Macron says on Amazon fires
French and Brazilian presidents have clashed on Twitter over the Amazon fires, as G7 and other states plan treaty to protect biodiversity.
EU considers new rules on facial recognition
The European Commission is exploring stricter rules for facial recognition technology, but not all are convinced they are needed.
EU to pledge Africa security funds at G7 summit
The focus at the G7 summit will most likely narrow down to the global economy and foreign affairs, but the EU is also set to make a number of pledges on transparency and fighting diseases.
Letter
Letter from the EESC on per diem article
The European Economic and Social Committee defends the system of "per diem" payment to its members for the work they do, as they recieve no attendance fees or salaries.
Open Arms may face fine in Spain
Open Arms may face a fine of up to €901,000 for doing "search and rescue" without authorisation, but rescuing people who are shipwrecked is a legal duty, the NGO says.
Belgium's EU commissioner hopeful in free press row
Didier Reynders, Belgium's EU commissioner hopeful and foreign minister backed bill that could sentence whistle-blowers to five years in prison and fine journalists up to €5,000.
Conte turns on Salvini, as Italy prepares for change
Italy's outgoing PM, Giuseppe Conte attacks Matteo Salvini in departing speech, as forces align to eject far-right strongman from government.
Spain calls for legal action against Italy on migrants
Only nation states can take legal action against each other on migration, the EU commission has said, after Spain urged the EU to make Italy accountable for push-backs.
Exclusive
Selmayr did not keep formal records of lobby meetings
The German former secretary-general of the European Commission held some 21 meetings which were registered in the lobby register. But no documents appeared to exist summarising what was said.
Stakeholders' Highlights
- UNESDA reduces added sugars 11.9% between 2015-2017
- EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue: EU to raise key fundamental rights issues
- No evidence that social media are harmful to young people
- Canada to host the joint Nordic cultural initiative 2021
- Cast your vote for your favourite EUSEW Award finalist. You choose the winner of 2019 Citizen’s Award.
- Education gets refugees into work
- Sign the petition to help reform the EU’s Bank
- Child rights organisations encourage candidates for EU elections to become Child Rights Champions
- UNESDA Outlines 2019-2024 Aspirations: Sustainability, Responsibility, Competitiveness
- Record citizens’ input to EU bank’s consultation calls on EIB to abandon fossil fuels
- Annual EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue takes place in Ashgabat
- New campaign: spot, capture and share Traces of North
Latest News
- Spain heading for yet another general election
- EU to discuss Brazil beef ban over Amazon fires
- 'Our house is burning,' Macron says on Amazon fires
- What happens when trafficking survivors get home
- EU states and Russia clash on truth of WW2 pact
- EU considers new rules on facial recognition
- EU to pledge Africa security funds at G7 summit
- Letter from the EESC on per diem article
Irish border plan is 'anti-democratic', Johnson tells EU
UK prime minister writes an open letter to EU council president Donald Tusk to ask for a renegotiation of the Irish border backstop. The EU remains unconvinced.
Polish minister targeted judges in hate campaign
Poland's deputy minister of justice personally organised a hate campaign against selected judges, Polish media have revealed, amid EU concern on rule of law.
Opinion
Is Salvini just closing harbours, or also ending rule of law?
Salvini's attacks on Italian judges who questioned his migrant push-backs have put rule of law in Italy at risk for everybody, not just refugees.
No-deal Brexit would seriously harm UK, leaked paper says
The British government has tried to play down leaked warnings on the dangers to British people of a no-deal Brexit.
Feature
EU asked to solve migrant rescue deadlock
No EU country willing to open its ports for the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms, with France and others turning to the European Commission for help.
Exclusive
Internal EU paper: Second Brexit vote was no longer 'distant dream'
European Commission documents on meeting with Tony Blair describe chances of second referendum have become "credible".
Interview
EU has 'zero incentive' to break open 'trilogue' deals
PhD researcher Alexander Hoppe said street protests against the copyright directive came "way too late", because EU institutions had already found a compromise deal on the text.
Denmark plans import ban on EU-approved pesticide
Denmark is preparing an urgent national ban on food treated with the pesticide chlorpyrifos after an EU health warning, but European law could block the initiative.
US offers Johnson helping hand on Brexit
The US wants to help the UK cushion the blow of Brexit with a bilateral trade deal, the White House has said, as knives come out for Johnson in London.
Italy: New government without Salvini in the making
Former prime ministers Matteo Renzi and Enrico Letta propose to form a new "technical government" without Salvini's League.
Exclusive
Brexit row delays financial products transparency review
A European financial regulatory body set up after the financial crisis is at loggerheads with the European Commission over whether to carry out a transparency review of certain financial products. The reason: Brexit.
Salvini calls for new elections in Italy
League leader and deputy prime minister says he is candidate to be prime minister and that his party is ready to call elections. The latest opinion polls puts the League on 36 percent.
Opinion
Lagarde's ECB must modernise
Christine Lagarde will succeed European Central Bank president Mario Draghi at a time of deepening polarisation among eurozone member states. It will take all of her skills as a leader and communicator to safeguard the institution's independence.
UN report: eat less meat to combat climate crisis
"We don't want to tell people what to eat," said UN climate panelist Hans-Otto Portner. But the impact of humans' carnivorous diet on the climate is substantial.
EU 'outdoing Bush' on sea and train passenger-data warning
The executive director of Privacy International has warned that plans to expand EU rules on passenger data collection to Europe's railway and sea passengers "does not end well."
Feature
'Patchwork' penalties - the EU's perennial fines problem
In EU law, it is often left to national governments to set the maximum level of fines. This leads to a patchwork situation which could be exploited by companies concentrating only on profits.
Stakeholders' Highlights
- Leading Nordic candidates go head-to-head in EU election debate
- New Secretary General: Nordic co-operation must benefit everybody
- MEP Kati Piri: “Our red line on Turkey has been crossed”
- 2018 deadliest year yet for children in Syria as war enters 9th year
- Nordic commitment to driving global gender equality
- Meet your defender: Rasul Jafarov leading human rights defender from Azerbaijan
- UNICEF Hosts MEPs in Jordan Ahead of Brussels Conference on the Future of Syria
- Nordic talks on parental leave at the UN
- Trial of Chechen prisoner of conscience and human rights activist Oyub Titiev continues.
- Nordic food policy inspires India to be a sustainable superpower
- Milestone for Nordic-Baltic e-ID
- EU bank urged to free itself from fossil fuels and take climate leadership
Stakeholders' Highlights
- Roundtable: Muslim Heresy and the Politics of Human Rights, Dr. Matthew J. Nelson
- Turkey suffering from the lack of the rule of law
- Soft Drinks Europe welcomes Tim Brett as its new president
- Nordic ministers take the lead in combatting climate change
- European Parliament takes incoherent steps on climate in future EU investments
- Kyrgyz authorities have to immediately release human rights defender Azimjon Askarov
- Seminar on disability and user involvement
- International appetite for Nordic food policies
- New Nordic Innovation House in Hong Kong
- Nordic Region has chance to become world leader when it comes to start-ups
- Theresa May: “We will not be turning our backs on the Nordic region”
- Open letter to Emmanuel Macron ahead of Uzbek president's visit
