European Union

Tens of thousands of airline passengers in the UK have been left stranded after a suspicious sighting of two drones circling the vicinity of Gatwick airport, prompting security authorities to halt flights late on Wednesday (20 December) evening.

The debate on CAP reform has made good progress under the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Romania will play the leading role from the beginning of next year. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Spanish producers are increasingly taking advantage of the booming Internet and digital commerce in order to shorten the supply chain and therefore improve their profitability.

The EU Commission and Italy have settled their row over the budget plans put forward by the government in Rome. Italy now intends to limit new debt to 2.04 percent of GDP. Some commentators praise Brussels' decision not to go ahead with an excessive deficit procedure. Others criticise that by giving in the EU has undermined the credibility of the Stability Pact.

The British government has plans for a new immigration law to apply after Brexit. Visas for work migrants would be limited to one year unless they earn more than 30,000 pounds (roughly 33,000 euros), in which case they would receive a five-year visa. Some commentators say the legislation would increase exploitation of foreign workers. Others see the plans as a step towards a fairer system.

The EU has agreed on a law that would ban single-use plastic products starting 2021. Negotiators from the EU Commission, the EU Parliament and the EU states have agreed on the details of the legislation with the help of which cotton buds, plastic utensils and straws are to be banned. For commentators the law is a step in the right direction.

In the Danske Bank money laundering scandal Estonian police have arrested ten former employees of the bank. Estonian prosecutors ordered them to be detained on suspicion of knowingly transferring suspect money. Estonian media are jubilant that the first arrests have been made but hope this is just the beginning.