European Union

An EU naval operation set for launch in April off the Libyan coast may be derailed following objections by Austria and Hungary. Both want the power to end the mission should migrants be lured into being rescued.

There is no blueprint for this crisis and in view of the rise of populism, Germany may be lucky to have an experienced leader who can actually read and understand scientific briefings.

2020 was supposed to be the crunch year in the fightback against climate change. However, the coronavirus pandemic has flattened Europe and beyond, which is likely to slow down international negotiations to fight climate change

Viktor Orban's government was quick to blame an Iranian legally studying in Hungary as his country's first coronavirus case. In fact, it was a Hungarian woman, who probably caught it in Italy.

In cooperation with the Belgian foreign ministry, Brussels Airlines will use its planes to fly back 9,500 Belgians who are currently on holiday abroad in 14 different countries, luchtvaartniews.nl reports. The airline announced earlier it will keep all its planes on the ground from 21 March until 19 April. The repatriation is possible thanks to crew that volunteered for the operation.

The French government continues to announce stimulus spending, as well as support measures for companies, employees and the research sector worth billions to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis. Although necessary, those measures could send the country's budget deficit through the roof, EURACTIV France reports.

A Chinese aid package sent to the EU, including masks and test kits, will be fully allocated to Italy, as Rome faces the most urgent needs among member states in the coronavirus crisis, EU officials told EURACTIV.

EP President and political group leaders decided to hold an extraordinary plenary session next Thursday, 26 March to allow for implementation of special measures.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

EP President and political group leaders decided to hold an extraordinary plenary session next Thursday, 26 March to allow for implementation of special measures.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by President David Sassoli on European Parliament’s response to COVID-19 crisis

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by President David Sassoli on European Parliament’s response to COVID-19 crisis

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Written by Mar Negreiro,

© 3DDock / Shutterstock.com

Sales in the EU still predominantly take place offline – in bricks and mortar shops – and purchases are still predominantly made with cash. However, thanks to the level of convenience they offer, both online shopping and cashless electronic payments are booming and are among the key drivers of the digital transformation taking place in our economy and society. The real-time accessibility of e commerce products and their availability 24 hours a day, together with the ease of making electronic payments, are disrupting many aspects of traditional consumer shopping behaviour, which is also increasingly driven by widespread use of mobile devices and apps.

Online sales hit a record high in 2019. At the international level, China is leading in both e-commerce transactions and mobile cashless payments. However, the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has put countries across the world, starting with China, into extraordinary conditions, with citizens staying at home; and some sellers trying to extract the highest profit possible from the situation.

In the EU, a large majority of internet users, particularly those under the age of 45, shop online. Clothes, sports goods, travel and online content such as games, videos and music are among the most popular items.

This trend is also driven by the increase in cashless payments, which have become very popular in some countries. The numerous different cashless payment methods in existence are often highly localised. One such example, the e-wallet, is gaining particular importance, driven by the over 2 billion users it enjoyed in 2019.

On the other hand, e-commerce and the cashless society are facing a host of challenges related to cybercrime, fraud, privacy, the digital divide and pollution, among others. The coronavirus outbreak is also posing various challenges to e-commerce supply chains, many of which are based in the hardest-hit countries. However, the opportunities that e-commerce and cashless transactions afford in terms of convenience, efficiency and affordability will help them gain further ground in the years to come; their popularity among younger generations and strong EU-level policy support for digital transformation are also helping boost their prospects.

Read the complete briefing on ‘The rise of e-commerce and the cashless society‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday that millions of people could die if the coronavirus keeps spreading. "If we let the virus spread like wildfire, especially in the most vulnerable regions of the world, it would kill millions of people," he said, urging G20 countries to support those countries whose healthcare systems are weaker. "Solidarity is not only a moral imperative, it is in everyone's interests," he added.

Administrative staff at European Parliament have been tasked with developing technology that will "facilitate the remote participation" of MEPs during the prolonged period of remote working brought on as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, documents seen by EURACTIV reveal.

Boris Johnson wasn’t the only one being criticised for responding slowly to the social and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus.

As Europe has become the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, NATO is scaling down its military exercises to avoid a further spread but will continue its missions, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a video news conference on Thursday (19 march). “Some...

Statement by David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s UK Coordination Group, on the publication of a draft legal agreement on the future EU-UK partnership.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s UK Coordination Group, on the publication of a draft legal agreement on the future EU-UK partnership.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) has promised "far-reaching measures" by the German military (Bundeswehr) to contain the coronavirus pandemic. She said that up to 3,000 military doctors were available, and that the allocation of medical material was already underway.

In France, the coronavirus crisis has put the agricultural sector back in the spotlight as concerns persist about the transport of food and seasonal shortages of farm labourers. EURACTIV France reports.