European Union

Albania registered a slight improvement in the Freedom House Nations in Transit 2023 report, although the accompanying country report reveals serious systemic problems yet to be resolved. The US-based NGO publishes an annual report that takes stock of democracy in...

The United Kingdom has pledged to continue contributing to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) Mission in Kosovo until at least 2026, Minister for Armed Forces James Heappey said during a visit to Kosovo this week. During a visit to Pristina,...

Czechia will refrain from the Council of the EU vote on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the Czech government decided on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Council Decision ratifying the Convention was approved by COREPER. The final Council vote should...

Portugal has expressed its intention to request €3.3 billion in additional loans under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the European Commission announced on Wednesday, calling for the country to speed up implementation. “It is important to accelerate the implementation...

The Spanish Civil Guard arrested seven people Wednesday and is investigating three for allegedly buying postal votes in Mojácar just four days before Spain’s key regional and municipal elections. Sources close to the case reported that two detainees are on...

One of Russia's top spy chiefs on 23 May said the West had sown the seeds of its destruction by turning away from its core traditions and told it to "go to the devil" and stop interfering in global affairs.

The Czech Republic will buy 246 CV90 combat vehicles from Swedish BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik in a SEK 22 billion (€2 billion) deal, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration revealed on Wednesday. For the Czech Republic, this is the largest...

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Finnish wind energy company Myrsky Energia announced a partnership Wednesday (24 May) that aims to generate some 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind power over the next decade in Finland, a move that would increase the country’s current output by a third.

Norway hosting the world’s largest warship, the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, in its waters over the next four days, is an illogical and harmful show of force, the Russian Embassy to Oslo said. The USS Gerald R....

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen maintained her position that Crimea is Russian, claiming that Crimea’s inhabitants freely voted for the referendum to validate the attachment to Russia in a Wednesday parliamentary hearing. Le Pen was heard by the National...

To face the issue of climate change and today’s multiple societal, energetic and economic challenges, we need to create a greener growth model. The Circular Choices Coalition - a coalition of the wood, fibre-based, paper and board, and renewables sectors   - believes the choices we make can shape a more sustainable present and future.

Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria continues to enjoy “de facto free gas” from Russia’s Gazprom – a situation which satisfies no one but ensures political stability in the Russian-controlled region, the country’s energy minister told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Belgium’s Green Party, including  Climate and Environment Minister Zakia Khattabi, criticised Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s call for a regulatory break on EU climate that echoes French President Emmanuel Macron’s call, also condemned by national Greens.

Business associations have expressed concern over a proposed energy tax on fossil fuels in a letter to parliament claiming this could lead to a steep rise in costs due to a lack of alternative energy sources.

Austria does not have a clearly defined short-term plan to reduce Russian gas imports, the European Commission said as part of its European Semester review on Wednesday (24 May).

MPs of the largest Bulgarian party, GERB will vote “against” all requests to remove parliamentary immunities until the judicial reform bill is passed, effectively boycotting the prosecutor’s office, the party said after the prosecutor’s office filed a request to lift...

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suffered a chaotic start to his 2024 presidential election race on Wednesday (24 May) when glitches marred an online forum hosted by Twitter owner Elon Musk that was meant to showcase DeSantis' fitness for the job.

The European Commission has asked Bulgaria to suspend the current scheme of state subsidies for the private sector to reduce the budget deficit and implement measures to reduce electricity consumption. As part of the 2023 European Semester Spring Package, the Commission...

The Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni (Fratelli d’Italia/ECR) continues to work for a greater presence on the African continent, with a particular focus on the Horn of Africa region, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani (Forza Italia/EPP)...

The ongoing row between members of Germany’s three-party coalition reached new heights on Wednesday (24 May), with the ruling Greens warning trust within the government is now severely damaged.