European Union

In the town of Tukums in Latvia, a 29-year-old man was allegedly set on fire in a suspected homophobic hate crime. The man had received threats prior to the attack and had contacted the police, but they had failed to take action. Acceptance of sexual minorities is generally low in Latvia: most of its political parties and its influential Orthodox Church oppose any extension of their rights. The press finds the constellation worrying.

Portugal celebrated Freedom Day on 25 April, in commemoration of the Carnation Revolution of 1974 when an almost bloodless coup supported by a clear majority of the population put an end to the dictatorship introduced by António de Salazar. Unlike in 2020, this year several thousand people gathered on Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade despite the pandemic. Commentators take very different views of this.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities around the world, and in the EU, it has disproportionately impacted women. The European Parliament's Regional Development (REGI) committee sees cohesion policy as key to gender equality. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/481 of 22 March 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses.

An attempt by the UK government to encourage countries and businesses around the world to quit coal for power generation is failing to make an impact, and in danger of being used as “greenwash”, an assessment has found. EURACTIV media partner, The Guardian, reports.

After four year of Trumpism, the United States made its big comeback on the green diplomacy stage last week by organising a virtual climate summit in Washington.

The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the post-Brexit trade agreement between the UK and the EU, clearing a key hurdle in the ratification process. MEPs approved the deal by 660 votes to five, with 32 abstentions, the parliament said on Wednesday. The agreement will give a framework to relations between the bloc and Britain, which voted to end its 47 years of EU membership five years ago.

Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of granting its consent to the agreement setting the rules of the future EU-UK relationship.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of granting its consent to the agreement setting the rules of the future EU-UK relationship.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Wednesday, 28 April

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Wednesday, 28 April

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about the different recovery plans being presented by EU countries, the threatening statements made by a Greek SYRIZA MP should his party come back to power, and so much more.

France on Tuesday (27 April) called on the EU Commission to expedite its approval of massive spending plans designed to prop up the bloc's economies hobbled by COVID-19 restrictions.

A Russian court on Tuesday (27 April) imposed sweeping bans on Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), its director said, as Russia inches toward shutting down the jailed opposition figure's movement.

Albania’s ruling Socialist Party (SP), led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, has won Sunday’s election with 48% of the vote, handing the party  74 seats in the 140-seat parliament, the same number of seats the party won in the previous...

Economic interests in the Adriatic area are closely linked to the protection of the sea and biodiversity, it was announced on Tuesday at the conference “Innovative Solutions for the Sustainability of the Adriatic Sea” in Zadar, where two new projects...