Investigation
EU taxpayers in the dark on US corona-drug deal
The EU recently signed a huge contract for a US anti-corona drug which, the WHO says, might not work, but there's little transparency on how the deal was made.
News in Brief
- UK to ban China's Huawei from 5G grid
- Leak: EU seeks new dawn in US relations
- Riots breaks out at French police-photo law protests
- Belarus protests go on, as Lukashenko talks of quitting
- Danish corona-mink farce continues
- Serbia and Montenegro diplomacy in crisis
- EU condemns Iran nuclear assassination
- Brexit talks pick up pace once more
Pandemic exposed gulf in EU digital-schooling
EU states who invested in digital education were better able to protect students from the pandemic, a new report has said. Meanwhile, poor and rural pupils were worse off.
EU seeks more health powers after dubious Covid-19 response
After the lack of coordination evidenced during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission put forward a set of proposals to strengthen the preparedness of members states in cross-border health threats.
EU seeks new deal for '90% effective' Covid-19 vaccine
After an experimental Covid-19 vaccine developed by the American giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech was found to be more than 90 percent effective, the EU announced that it will sign a contract for up to 300 million doses.
Slovakia: second weekend of nationwide Covid-19 testing
Slovak citizens are required to present their negative "Covid certificate" - which prime minister Igor Matovic tagged their "ticket to freedom" - at their work place, shops and other public spaces or even when casually checked by police when outdoors.
Investigation
Billions of euros, millions of faulty masks, and no answers
In the EU, only Portugal, Poland, Lithuania and Slovenia published all contracts signed by public authorities. Most countries held back information on prices paid, arguing it was necessary to preserve secrecy in order not undermine negotiations.
Amnesty exposes Amazon staff conditions on 'Black Friday'
Attempts by Amazon staff to unionise were met with court action in Poland, while in the UK the online giant checked workers' Facebook profiles for union activity. Meanwhile, extra coronavirus risk-pay for staff ended in May in most countries.
Covid-19: Romania's rural kids hit hardest by pandemic
The Romanian study reveals that over 60 percent of parents in the countryside have not worked during the pandemic, and close to half are unable to provide adequate food, medicine, hygiene products or school supplies for their children.
EU stands by anti-Covid drug, despite WHO doubts
A panel at the World Health Organisation said the antiviral drug remdesivir was 'ineffective' in treating Covid-19. But tens of thousands of doses have already been distributed throughout the EU and a €1bn contract signed with Gilead.
EU could green-light two corona vaccines in December
EU leaders also agreed on Thursday on the need to clearly communicate the importance of vaccines amid rising scepticism, and avoid prematurely ending confinement measures.
EU urges rollout of rapid coronavirus tests
The European Commission recommended a slew of anti-corona measures, urging member states scale up testing capacity, by increasing the use of rapid antigen tests, in order to help ease travel restrictions and prevent laboratory collapses.
Opinion
We need to call Orbán's bluff by going ahead without him
You hear voices already calling for the European Council to give in to the Hungarian and Polish demands, by coming up with supposedly 'technical' solutions allowing them to veto any corruption case or breaches of the rule of law .
EU commission keeps vaccine price secret
The European Commission is about to sign a fourth contract for hundreds of millions of vaccine doses against Covid-19. The contracts include non-disclosure clauses, meaning things like price or even where they will be produced remains confidential.
Exclusive
Greek Nazi MEP upset he won't get EU parliament stipend
The EU Parliament suspended MEPs' €323 daily allowance due to the Brussels pandemic. But neo-Nazi MEP Ioannis Lagos finds that unfair and wants parliament to create "a central register in a Covid-19-free place" so he can still pocket the funds.
Europe is back in (partial) lockdown
The burden on healthcare systems all across the bloc, as a result of the autumn surge in coronavirus infections, is triggering new nationwide lockdowns and restrictive measures in nearly every EU member state.
EU Commission's Covid-19 expert offers bleak outlook
Belgian microbiologist Peter Piot offered a bleak assessment of available options to rid the world of the pandemic caused by Covid-19. Aside from wishful thinking, millions of possible deaths, and crushing poverty, a vaccine appears to be the only solution.
Livestream
Live on EUobserver: UN and the Nordics discuss Covid-19
UN secretary general, António Guterres, discusses the Covid-19 crisis and the challenges the pandemic poses for the global community in a live meeting with Nordic Council party groups and prime ministers. Live on EUobserver today from 18:00 (CET).
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Latest News
- EU taxpayers in the dark on US corona-drug deal
- EU debates first names to go on human rights blacklist
- Lithuania bids to host EU cyber-centre
- Amnesty exposes Amazon staff conditions on 'Black Friday'
- Unblocking Brexit and budget in focus This WEEK
- 25 years on: what next for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation?
- Erdoğan jails hundreds for life, as EU weighs relations
- Italian energy giant director advising EU foreign policy chief
EU's migrants more at risk from coronavirus
Europe's migrants - including EU nationals living in other states - are more at risk of catching coronavirus or suffering from corona-linked poverty, a new study says.
EU outlines vaccine roll-out plan
The European Commission urged member states to scale up efforts to flatten the curve of the second wave of Covid-19 and recommended common measures for the roll-out of potential vaccines.
EU waters down Covid-19 traffic-light travel zones concept
EU countries are set to adopt a 'traffic-light' colour-coding system for coronavirus-affected areas. But member states will have the possibility to set their own strategies, on negative Covid-19 tests or different quarantine periods, for orange and red zones.
Major regional discrepancies in Covid-19 response, report finds
EU regions were unevenly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report. The most economically hard-hit regions were those under strict lockdown measures for the longest - not necessarily those with the highest death-rates or most cases detected.
Opinion
Shock of Covid-19 is catalyst to invest in mental health
According to the World Health Organisation, poor mental health claims the lives of 140,000 people per year by suicide in the European region. Their lives could be saved if mental health care and support were properly funded.
Stakeholder
High-quality data is essential component for decision-making in challenging world
Two services of European Union's Copernicus programme, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission, not only provide quality-assured data but concrete insights to help with crucial decisions.
Finland pioneers using sniffer dogs to test for coronavirus
The only reward the Covid-19 dogs get - in addition to having an interesting job - is a freeze-fried meat delicacy when it marks a positive corona-sample.
EU tries to avoid lockdowns as global death toll reaches 1m
Several member states are putting forward restrictive Covid-19-related measures to try to control the surge of numbers of coronavirus cases, trying to avoid a second lockdown. Meanwhile, the global death toll from the novel coronavirus has reached one million.
Far right using pandemic to win friends in Germany
Far-right zealots in Germany are using the pandemic to "build bridges" with mainstream corona-deniers, in a sign of the political damage of Covid-19 in Europe.
Anti-mask protesters pose challenge for EU authorities
Recent weeks have seen a sudden flare-up in anti-mask protests and coronavirus-denial - posing questions on how to regulate social media.
EU 'failed' to safeguard civic freedoms during pandemic
A new report details how the Covid-19 pandemic triggered bans on protests and demonstrations, censorship of free speech, and the weakening of democratic oversight on policy making.
EU states struggle to better sync Covid-19 measures
EU countries agree on the need to better coordinate their Covid-19 measures, but the issue remains highly sensitive as health competencies belong to member states.
Opinion
Coronavirus: the Swedish model was worth emulating
Stockholm's response to Covid-19 has been an unorthodox set of policies, which has received a faire share of analysis and criticism - but not praise.
Covid-19: How is Eastern Europe bracing for a second wave?
The start of the new school year, the lifting of some indoor restrictions, returning holidaymakers plus cooler weather are raising concerns that a second wave of Covid-19 infections is on the way.
EU seals new Covid-19 deal amid global distribution fears
The European Commission sealed a second Covid-19 vaccine deal, amid fears over the fair distribution of supplies worldwide. So far Brussels has secured, or is negotiating, a stock of nearly two billion doses.
EU regions: pandemic should force decision-making rethink
EU regions say the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe is a "timely opportunity" to debate how to make local and regional authorities full- involved in the EU response to Covid-19 - even including possible EU treaty changes.
