European Union

While some European countries have made wearing a face mask mandatory for shopping or going out in public in general, other government are hesitating about introducing such rules due to doubts about their efficacy and lacking availability. For several reasons commentators lean towards the assumption that the Asian approach will also be adopted in Europe.

In the battle against the novel coronavirus almost every state is relying on restrictive measures that limit the freedoms of their citizens. However some have gone further than others. Journalists discuss whether dictatorships are growing stronger under the guise of fighting the pandemic or whether authoritarian rulers will eventually have to realise that they are powerless against the virus.

Finnish alcohol legislation in Finland was eased somewhat just over two years ago. Fears that this would lead to a rise in consumption have not been confirmed. In 2019, consumption was 4 percentage points below the previous year. Is it time to trust the younger generation, loosen the state's retail monopoly and allow wine and spirits to be sold in supermarkets?

Commission v Poland
Principles of Community law
Poland must immediately suspend the application of the national provisions on the powers of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court with regard to disciplinary cases concerning judges

Authorities in Germany have fallen victim to a multi-million-euro fraud involving masks much needed in the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors said Tuesday (7 April).

Hunting, farming and the global move of people to cities has led to massive declines in biodiversity and increased the risk of dangerous viruses like COVID-19 spilling over from animals to humans, a major study has concluded. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.

From donating ventilators to taking in critical patients, EU countries are doing their best to help each other in the corona crisis.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

From donating ventilators to taking in critical patients, EU countries are doing their best to help each other in the corona crisis.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, accused Donald Trump on Tuesday (7 April) of creating a basis to take over other planets by signing an executive order outlining US policy on commercial mining in space.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Madrid firefighters finding death when responding to emergency calls, the number of deaths linked to coronavirus in France passing the 10,000-mark, and so much more.

After a 16-hour teleconference that concluded on Wednesday morning (8 April), eurozone finance ministers failed to find an agreement on the economic package to tackle the  economic impact of the coronavirus.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s statement about Belgrade cherishing “the European myth” is highly important for the Balkan region as it implies a geopolitical shift, according to Russian political analyst and director of the Progressive Policy Foundation, Oleg Bondarenko. “The official...