European Union

After the wildfire tragedy near Athens which claimed almost 90 lives, Nikos Toskas, Alternate Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection, has resigned. Politicians and the media have for days been discussing the consequences of the mistakes that have come to light. The media believe that much more than one minister's resignation is needed.

More than 1,500 refugees and migrants have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in the first 7 months of this year, the UN refugee agency said Friday (3 August).

The European Commission decided to grant EU farmers more flexibility in implementing the green requirements in order to face alarming droughts across Europe, the executive said in an announcement.

Heatwaves in Europe have become twice as likely due to global warming.

A group of MEPs has called on the European Commission to turn down an industry proposal on alcohol labelling, claiming that alcoholic beverages should no longer enjoy a preferential regime compared to other foodstuffs.

Tom Watson, the deputy leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party increased pressure on its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, over anti-Semitism on Sunday (5 August), saying the party could "disappear into a vortex of eternal shame" unless he tackled a growing crisis.

Despite all that EU money, Greece seems to do a worse job educating asylum-seeker children than countries like Jordan and Turkey.

The number of Europeans with allergies has been growing extensively since the mid-1950s. Although some European countries have reached a peak, the overall number of citizens with allergic diseases continues to grow.

The United Kingdom is now likely to leave the European Union without a deal due to the "intransigence" of the European Union, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told the Sunday Times.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has pointed the finger at Colombia following the alleged assassination attempt on him during a military parade in Caracas at the weekend.

More than 200 Slovak celebrities have signed a petition demanding prime minister Peter Pellegrini takes action against the "scandalous" activities of the nationalist Russian 'Night Wolves' motorcycle gang, which has set up a base in Dolna Krupa, about 65km northeast of the Slovak capital, Bratislava. Footage from a drone flown over the compound showed ex-army tanks, other armoured vehicles, and anti-aircraft guns parked on the site.

The UK's former foreign minister, Boris Johnson, has said banning the burka "is not the answer", after Denmark became the fifth EU state to ban the niqab and burka in public. France, Belgium, Austria, and Germany have all implemented similar rules. Writing in Daily Telegraph, Johnson suggested the ban could increase tensions between Muslims and other demographic groups. Hundreds of people protested in Copenhagen against the ban last week.

Iran's national air line, Iran Air, on Sunday received five passenger airplanes produced by the Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR. The delivery took place on the eve of US sanctions against Iran, which would target ATR and other European companies doing business with Iran. EU countries have given European firms legal cover to continue operating in Iran, despite the US pullout from the nuclear deal in May. Sanctions resumed on Monday.

The chances of a no-deal Brexit are now "60-40", according to UK's pro-Brexit trade minister Liam Fox. In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said "I think the intransigence of the Commission is pushing us towards no deal." "It's up to the EU-27 to determine whether they want the EU commission's ideological purity to be maintained at the expense of their real economies," he added.

The secretary general of Germany's ruling CDU party, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has launched a summer debate about reinstating military conscription for men and women, following recent online polls showed military conscription was popular among supporters of the competing rightwing AfD party. Former CSU defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg warned however of "exorbitant costs" in funding up to 700,000 young people serving the army. Germany scrapped general conscription in 2011.

Ten years ago, in August 2008, Russia and Georgia went to war over South Ossetia, a small separatist Georgian region which Moscow would later controversially recognise as independent, in the face of international criticism.

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for disabled road users.

Perhaps you, or someone you know, are one of the estimated 14 to 17 % people aged over 15 in the EU who suffer from a disability? You are not alone, as these numbers are expected to rise, mainly due to the aging population. By 2020, approximately 120 million Europeans will have a disability. The EU is working to remove barriers preventing your equal participation in life activities, particularly as regards your access to transport.

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© Christophe Fouquin / Fotolia

People who are entitled to a disability parking card can use it in all EU countries, because the cards are issued according to a standardised EU model and recognised by all Member States.

On long-distance journeys (over 250 km) by bus and coach, disabled Europeans are entitled to assistance at designated terminals, and help with getting on and off the bus. The carrier must also allow you to be accompanied by a person of your choice free of charge, if this solves security or safety concerns that would otherwise prevent you from travelling. The EU also introduced common rules on adapting and approving vehicles used to transport persons with disabilities, and requires EU countries to put national rules in place on transporting people with reduced mobility. EU rules should ease access for disabled passengers by standardising solutions, such as priority seats, limits on step height, handhold and ramp availability, and clear marking. In addition, the European Accessibility Act, which will set EU-level requirements to increase supply of key services at more competitive prices for disabled users, includes transport.

Further information

• EPRS publication on European disability policy, 2017, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/603981/EPRS_IDA(2017)603981_EN.pdf
• EPRS publication on European Disability Strategy,2017,http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/603252/EPRS_BRI%282017%29603252_EN.pdf
• EPRS publication on European Accessibility Act, 2017, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/603973/EPRS_BRI%282017%29603973_EN.pdf
• EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service: www.epthinktank.eu