European Union

Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) has signed contracts for the design of the railway line, which is the first element of the new railway network and at the same time the first section of the first high-speed railway line in Poland. The contractors were selected under the largest framework contract for this type of service in Europe.

The lead rapporteur on asbestos, Danish MEP Nikolaj Villumsen, responds to EUobserver's two-part investigation.

The European Commission unveiled plans on Wednesday (30 November) for setting up a specialised court, backed by the United Nations, to investigate and prosecute possible war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought death, devastation...

The European Commission on Wednesday (30 November) laid out legal options for the confiscation of Russian state and private assets to be used for funding Ukraine's reconstruction.

Countries around the world such as Brazil or India are scaling up the production of biofuels to decarbonise transport, while the EU is still stuck in the “food versus fuel” debate, the executive director of the World Bioenergy Association told EURACTIV in an interview.

The EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) agreed to support the adoption of an ambitious, comprehensive and transformative post-2020 global biodiversity framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss ahead of the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 meeting in Montréal, from 7 to 19 December. This is critical since the alarming decline of biodiversity is threatening food security, health, economies and livelihood for billions of people.

This text will regulate the organisational and procedural aspects of information exchange between law enforcement authorities, contributing to make it more efficient.

Press briefing ahead of Eurogroup meeting will take place on 1 December 2022 at 10.00.

The Council and European Parliament agree on the general product safety regulation

Austria v Commission
State aid
Construction of new nuclear reactors: the General Court dismisses the action brought by Austria to contest Hungarian investment aid approved by the Commission

Last Thursday (24 November), EU ministers gathered once again to face the seemingly eternal question of how to tackle the energy crisis that has raged in Europe for the last 17 months.

Written by Issam Hallak (1st edition).

The European Parliament will shortly vote on adopting the regulation on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA). The regulation would establish harmonised rules for crypto-assets at EU level, thereby providing legal certainty for crypto-assets not covered by existing EU legislation. By enhancing the protection of consumers and investors as well as financial stability, the regulation promotes innovation and use of crypto-assets.

The regulation identifies and covers three types of crypto-assets, namely asset-referenced tokens (ART), electronic money tokens (EMT), and other crypto-assets not covered by existing EU law. The legislation would regulate issuance and trading of crypto-assets as well as the management of the underlying assets, where applicable, with additional regulatory rules aimed at ‘significant’ ART and EMT. The provisional agreement resulting from the negotiations aims at securing liquidity and redemption, and envisages the inclusion of the environmental impact of crypto-assets in communications to investors.

Versions

• November 2022: Markets in crypto-assets (MiCA) (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Markets in Crypto-assets, and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 Committee responsible:Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)COM(2020) 593
24.9.2020Rapporteur:Stefan Berger (EPP, Germany)2020/0265(COD)Shadow rapporteurs:Eero Heinäluoma (S&D, Finland)
Ondřej Kovařik (Renew, Czechia)
Ernest Urtasun (Greens, Spain)
Antonio Maria Rinaldi (ID, Italy)
Andżelika A. Możdżanowska (ECR, Poland)
Chris Macmanus (The Left, Ireland)Ordinary legislative procedure (COD)
(Parliament and Council on equal footing
– formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Final first-reading vote in plenary

EU member states have handed out nearly €100 billion worth in free CO2 pollution credits to industry since 2013 – more than they earned themselves from the EU carbon market, a new study shows.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Environmental NGOs starting legal proceedings against the Finnish government, Bulgarian hoteliers threatening to expel Ukrainian refugees, and so much more.

FBI agents have raided the Croatia-moored luxury yacht of Ukrainian tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk, accused by Kyiv of treason for his pro-Russian activities. The search of the 92-metre-long Royal Romance yacht, moored at the Adriatic town of Trogir, was carried out...

The approval of the decision on the liberalisation of visas for Kosovo is expected to be on the agenda at the meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday. At the Coreper meeting, the decision is expected to be approved...

MEPs are concerned that eavesdropping with Pegasus-type software is escalating, but the bloc is unlikely to impose rules as the final word rests with member states who dislike such oversight, experts said on Monday (28 November).

Poland plans to charge Ukrainian refugees for food and housing after 4 months of staying in state accommodation, the government said on Tuesday (29 November).

An item of traditional Albanian clothing, the xhubleta has been declared as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage and thus protected by UNESCO, according to Culture Minister Elva Margariti. The xhubleta is and is traditionally worn by women in...