European Union

The EU is triggering its new rule of law mechanism against Hungary. The move was announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen two days after the re-election of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. At the end of the procedure that has now been initiated, EU funds to the country could be cut.

The EU Parliament voted in favour of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on 25 March. The new legislation stipulates significantly stricter rules for gatekeepers like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple and is meant to strengthen fair competition and give consumers more choice. Commentators discuss how much clout this new instrument will have.

EU institutions have declared 19 Russian diplomats as personae non gratae in the first-ever such expulsions in the history of the Union. The EU foreign service also summoned Russia's EU ambassador, Vladimir Chizhov, Tuesday to explain the 19 were suspected of "illegal and disruptive actions ... against the interests and security of the EU". The decision came amid "mounting reports about atrocities" committed by Russian troops against Ukrainian civilians.

The EU Court of Justice has once again examined the issue of connection data, reminding Ireland and France of the stringent framework that must surround collection and use. EURACTIV France reports.

Increasing food production in Europe is a priority in light of the Ukraine war, according to the EU's agri-boss, who detailed how the European Commission encourages member states can do this through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Pictures of dead bodies lying in the streets of Bucha have rightly sparked collective outrage across Europe, suggesting wanton slaughter of the Ukrainian people by the Russian army.

Wednesday, 6 April

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

Wednesday, 6 April

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

In the next two years, the European Commission estimates a 30% increase in exports of cereals to mitigate the impact on global markets of the reduced Ukrainian yield due to the war.

Russia who is not following any rules of international humanitarian law, rules of war or any principles and rules of international behaviour is threatening to wipe the people of Ukraine, and if they can, they will continue doing that in the rest of Europe writes Roman Rukomeda.

Austria, the Netherlands and Hungary have flagged concerns about EU plans to ensure the bloc’s gas storage is at least 80% full by 1 November, warning they would bear a disproportionate amount of the cost.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about countries expelling Russian diplomats, France launching investigations into war crimes allegedly committed against its citizens in Ukraine, and so much more.

India on Tuesday (5 April) condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine's Bucha and called for an independent investigation, having earlier declined to explicitly criticise the invasion of Ukraine by its long-time partner Russia.