Tuesday

15th Dec 2020

Interview

Does North Macedonia really exist?

Its language and history give North Macedonia its identity for president Stevo Pendarovski, but, for Bulgaria, neither of them are real, in a dispute holding up EU enlargement.

News in Brief

  1. Tech firms to risk huge EU fines over hate speech
  2. Report: Russians poisoned Navalny twice with novichok
  3. British navy to enforce fishing rights after Brexit
  4. Turkey faces threat of US and European arms sanctions
  5. Report: Italy conspired to hide WHO corona-study
  6. Work resumes on Russia-Germany gas pipeline
  7. New violence tests Russia peace deal in Azerbaijan
  8. Switzerland blacklists Lukashenko, as Belarus protests go on

Opinion

The rule-of-law deal that saved Merkel's legacy

Although the deal is much more a result of the unswerving positions of the Netherlands and the European Parliament than of the German presidency's negotiation skills, the success is an extremely important face-saving measure for Berlin.

Analysis

Sweden's Nato debate resurfaces

You might have seen headlines about a majority in the Swedish parliament backing the 'Nato option'. But before you conclude that Sweden anytime soon will apply for membership - hold your horses! There is still a vast majority against.

Interview

Cyberattack behind Tigray blackout, says Ethiopia

Hirut Zemene is Ethiopia's ambassador to the European Union. She is demanding for "a balanced view and understanding" by the EU of the conflict in Tigray region. The country is vying for national elections in May.

Green Deal

EU leaders agree on 55% climate target for 2030

After hours of negotiations, EU leaders agreed to increase the bloc's emission-reduction target to 55 percent by 2030. But Poland and Hungary made sure that member states give the final green light to future climate legislation by unanimity.

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EU Defence Agency chief turned lobbyist broke conduct rules

Jorge Domecq spent five years as the chief executive of the European Defence Agency before taking up a job as "Head of Public Affairs" at Airbus. He failed to properly notify the agency of his new job, breaching staff regulations.

Stakeholder

Towards a truly 'European' Union

The EU did not solve the financial crisis, nor fix terrorism or radicalisation. Unlike most other political groups, the ECR doesn't believe these are temporary difficulties, but rather the consequences of the path this Union has taken in recent decades.

Opinion

The EU-Asean dance: an EU diplomat's account

Why did it take so long for the EU-Asean Strategic Partnership to be concluded? The answer is simple: the EU should have been quicker and more forward-looking in recognising Asean's geo-strategic strength. Still, better now, than never.

Post-Brexit talks in last push until Sunday

The probability of no deal has increased as a last-ditch effort by British prime minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen did not bridge gaps.

EU to blacklist more Turkish officials

EU leaders will agree to blacklist Turkish officials at Thursday's summit, but more "hawkish" steps, such as an arms embargo, are "off the table" for now.

Orbán: Summit will be 'D-Day' on rule-of-law blockade

The possible compromise would delay triggering the new mechanism originally designed to police the rule of law in member states. Legal experts in capitals are "digesting" the draft, one EU diplomat said.

Green Deal

EU commission wants 30 million electric cars by 2030

The EU's new mobility strategy aims to reduce transport's carbon footprint by 90 percent by 2050 - with the electrification of road transport, the use of biofuels and more high-speed rail traffic. But no ban on short-haul flights.

EU Commission mulls police access to encrypted apps

The European Commission has not ruled out allowing police access to encrypted services. Instead, it says a balance needs to be found to protect rights while at the same time offering some leeway to law enforcement.

Opinion

What a No Deal Brexit is going to look like

Research by the London School of Economics forecasts that a no-deal Brexit could be three times as bad as the pandemic for the UK economy, writes mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the president of the Committee of the Regions.

Opinion

Mediterranean security lies in Europe's hands

Here is the unhappy truth: Europe's Southern neighbourhood is a security mess, and no-one is going to come to the rescue. The neighbourhood is Europe's geopolitical Achilles' heel.

Orbán says rule-of-law deal 'centimetres' away

One possibility for a compromise could be a declaration, attached to the rule-of-law conditionality, on how it will be used - that alleviates the concerns of Hungary and Poland.

NGO rebuts Athens' charge of aiding people smugglers

Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi presented video testimonies of migrants citing Norwegian NGO Aegean Boat Report as useful in their efforts to get to Greece. Mitarachi said such NGOs contribute to "illegal migratory flows". Aegean Boat Report disputes the account.

Column

Entrenched in the state villa

Vaclav Havel's 2007 play, Leaving, is about chancellor Rieger, his coterie and their refusal to accept the transfer of power. And now there is Donald Trump, barricaded in the White House. Does farce come first, followed by tragedy?

Opinion

The UNRWA has run out of money

The UN Agency for Palestine refugees has run out of money. For millions of Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, Covid-19 is two pandemics in one: a health crisis and a pandemic of abject poverty.

Warsaw and Budapest seek EU funds despite national veto

A senior EU diplomat said Poland and Hungary should lift their veto or give a signal they are willing to do by Tuesday - otherwise there will be alternative plans for a recovery fund with the other 25 member states.