European Union

EU finance ministers promised on Wednesday (4 March) a coordinated response to address the economic impact of coronavirus but postponed any decision at least until their formal meeting in mid-March.

Panel I As a key part of our society, sport not only offers opportunities for physical activity but it also promotes good health and well-being. It provides a means of social contact and opportunities ranging from intense competitiveness to casual...

This week is the super climate week in Brussels: Greta Thunberg is in town, the Commission has just presented its long-awaited and much-commented climate law, the Environment Council is meeting tomorrow.

The latest draft of the EU's Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), obtained by EURACTIV, specifies that mandatory targets for the reduction of use and risk of synthetic chemical pesticides will be established using the existing Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (HRI1), whose suitability was contested in the past.

The European Commission's proposed climate legislation "is a surrender", Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg said in the European Parliament on Wednesday (4 March) and urged MEPs to do more.

The European Commission wants to look at all greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and not just carbon dioxide, EU Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said in response to criticism by teen activist Greta Thunberg.

The European Commission officially unveiled its Climate Law on Wednesday (4 March), aimed at making the EU carbon neutral by 2050. But Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg criticised the plan as "surrender".

A video featuring a pizzaiolo coughing and spitting on a "pizza corona" was broadcast on French satirical show Groland, sparking outrage across the Italian peninsula and forcing the TV channel Canal + to publicly apologise. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.

The European Commission said on Wednesday (4 March) that train travel should be given special attention in 2021 as part of the EU executive's Green Deal environmental agenda, suggesting that a 'European Year of Rail' should be declared.

A staff member at the Brussels-based European Defence Agency has contracted the coronavirus Covid-19. A spokesperson at the agency said the staff member had been diagnosed over the weekend and "is feeling fine." Agency staff members, who had been in close contact with the person, have been asked to self-isolate themselves for 14 days as a precaution. The EU agency is headed by the EU's foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell.

Kazakh police detained dozens of people in the country's largest city Almaty on Sunday (1 March), after the death of an imprisoned civil activist triggered anti-government rallies and diplomatic concerns.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) confirms that one staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member tested positive and is currently at home in self isolation since symptoms appeared on Saturday evening (29 February 2020). The individual has reported very light symptoms and not returned to the Agency since.

The staff member promptly informed the Agency and since then EDA has taken several steps:

• EDA is in close contact with the Belgian health authorities as the host nation, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EU Inter-Institutional Medical Board and the World Health Organisation (WHO);
• EDA has personally informed the few staff members who were in close contact with the colleague concerned four days prior to the appearance of symptoms;
• EDA has asked these staff members to self-isolate themselves for 14 days as a precaution;
• EDA has taken as a precautionary measure - based on guidance received by the EU inter-institutional medical board - the decision to cancel all meetings to be held at its premises and organised by EDA outside its premises until 13 March 2020 inclusive. Additionally, no EDA staff members will attend any external meetings until after 13 March 2020;
• EDA has already carried out a disinfection of the office and relevant meeting facilities of the staff member concerned.

The staff member had recently travelled to Italy (Milan and Cortina) and returned to Brussels on 23 February. The Agency also wishes to address reports in the media, that the impacted staff member attended a meeting with 30 officials from other EU institutions, as incorrect.

EDA will continue to closely monitor the situation and remain in close contact with the responsible health authorities in order to strictly follow their guidance.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

European Council President Charles Michel together with Presidents von Der Leyen and Sassoli met Prime Minister Mitsotakis. He reiterated EU's full support to Greek efforts, protecting borders with respect for international law and human rights.

Air pollution is the world's leading cause of mortality as it reduces a person's lifespan by three years on average, according to a study published on Tuesday (3 March). EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'Environment reports.

The EU will pay Greece up to 700 million euros due to the tense situation on its border with Turkey. On her visit to the Greek-Turkish border EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that 350 million euros would be paid immediately for "migration management", and the rest would be made available on demand. Europe's commentaries take differing views of this form of crisis management.