European Union

Kazakhstan, the most impressive reformer in the Central Asian region, is set to benefit enormously from China’s Belt and Road initiative as an equal partner, Kate Mallinson of Chatham House said at an international conference marking the 20th anniversary of Astana, on 5 June.

The Bulgarian Presidency of the EU has tabled fresh options for the bloc’s energy ministers who are meeting on Monday (11 June) to finalise their position on three laws that will shape Europe’s energy and climate policy until 2030.

Denmark is the last country still to complete its national permit procedure for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline designed to bring Russian gas offshore to Germany under the Baltic Sea, after Nord Stream 2 obtained a permit from the Swedish government yesterday (7 June).

Despite an anti-German campaign run by the Law and Justice party (PiS) government and the media that support it for almost two years, Polish people's attitude towards Germans and the German view of Poles have not worsened in the slightest. EURACTIV’s media partner Gazeta Wyborcza reports.

Ukrainian lawmakers yesterday (7 June) approved key legislation to create a long-awaited anti-corruption court while also voting to dismiss the country's finance minister, a respected reformer backed by the West.

This week, real trade war now, European development days take a bow, and Europe unites to save Penka the cow.

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations headed for a summit in Canada on Thursday more divided than at any time in the group's 42-year history, as US President Donald Trump's "America First" policies risk causing a global trade war and deep diplomatic schisms.

On World Ocean Day (8 June), it is important to bring back to the forefront the debate of overfishing which is undermining the health of our oceans. Five years after the reform on the EU Common Fisheries Policy nothing much has changed, and discarding at sea is still common practice, writes Rebecca Hubbard.

Weekly schedule of President Donald Tusk 7-17 June 2018

The EU’s External Investment Plan (EIP) is the latest addition to the increasingly cluttered landscape of public-private development finance. The EIP's future shape and the role it can play was one of the hot topics at the European Development Days on 5-6 June.

Macedonia's deputy prime minister expects growing "external resistance" as negotiations on the name dispute with Greece get closer to a final deal which would unblock the country's NATO and EU membership bid.

Written by Christian Scheinert (1st edition),

© DeStagge / Fotolia

The European Union is facing new security threats amid growing uncertainty about the reliability of some of its allies. As a consequence, it has embarked on a general scaling-up of its defence capabilities. A European defence action plan has been agreed and a European Defence Fund created to provide financial support, ranging from the research phase to the acquisition phase of military equipment and technologies. The present legislative proposal for EDIDP, which would be part of that fund, is destined to provide the European defence industry with financial support during the development phase of new products and technologies in areas selected at European level. Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) decided to open trilogue negotiations; these have been ongoing since 15 March 2018.

Versions

• June 2018: ‘European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP)‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme aiming at supporting the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the EU defence industry Committee responsible: Committee on Industry, Research and Industry (ITRE) COM(2017) 294
7.6.2017 Rapporteur: Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France) 2017/0125(COD) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

  Miroslav Poche (S&D, Czech Republic)
Zdzisław Krasnodębski (ECR, Poland)
Dominique Riquet (ALDE, France)
Neoklis Sylikiotis (GUE/NGL, Cyprus)
Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, Germany)
David Borrelli (EFDD, Italy)
Christelle Lechevalier (ENF, France) Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Finalisation of trilogue negotiations

Listen to podcast ‘European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP)‘

Horizon Europe, the EU’s research programme, has been one of the biggest winners of the EU’s long-term budget after 2021. But it’s not all about money (even if we're talking about  €100 billion here). Science needs a mission, Commissioner Carlos Moedas told reporters on Thursday.

The UK proposed Thursday to stay in the EU customs union until a new customs arrangement is agreed, which includes a solution to avoid a hard border in Ireland. It said it expected the new arrangement "to be in place by the end of December 2021 at the latest." EU negotiator Michel Barnier welcomed the proposal but said he wanted to check it respects EU red lines.

As the EU unit dealing fake news and propaganda is under threat, it is now time for some leadership in the fight against Russian disinformation.

The Council reached an agreement on new measures aimed at updating EU electoral law.

The Council adopted a general approach on updated electronic road tolling rules.

Council adopted a general approach on updated rules on port reception facilities.

Council and Parliament agreed on new rules to better punish money laundering criminals.

The Council adopted a general approach on the proposed rules for safeguarding competition in air transport.