Eurotopics.net

The EU's environmental ministers have agreed on a compromise for CO2 emissions limits for new cars. They are to be 35 percent lower compared to 2021 levels by 2030. The EU Parliament had demanded a reduction of 40 percent, while the German government insisted on no more than 30 percent. Whereas for some the compromise doesn't go far enough, others ask whether it can be implemented at all.

Police in Belgium have raided the offices of ten top-league football clubs as part of a major probe into tax fraud, money-laundering and match-fixing. They arrested numerous prominent suspects, including Ivan Leko, manager of Belgium's reigning champion FC Brugge. What consequences will the probe have for football in Belgium and across Europe?

After the presidential election in Bosnia and Herzegovina the president of the Republika Srbska, Milorad Dodik, has won a seat on the country's three-person presidency. The Bosnian Serb nationalist wants the Serbs to secede. Željko Komšić, a moderate who is controversial in Croatia, is taking Dragan Čović's place as the representative of the Croats. Commentators take a closer look at the two politicians.

At the UN General Assembly due to take place at the end of the month in New York, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus want to push for a relaunch of negotiations on the Cyprus conflict. According to media reports, the formation of a loose federation is under discussion to achieve the island's reunification. Under this arrangement the central government would have limited powers. Cypriot commentators are divided over the idea.

Finland wants to regulate the purchase of alcoholic beverages online. Under the proposed legislation the Finns would no longer be able to purchase beverages that contain more than 2.8 percent alcohol from abroad on the Internet. The EU Commission has objected to the law, saying that it contravenes the principle of free circulation of goods. Will the country be able to win out over Brussels on this issue?

The two major far-right parties in Italy and France have started their joint campaign for the European elections. Salvini and Le Pen announced in Rome that they would seek to establish a "Europe of nations" after the May vote. While some commentators see the end of the EU approaching, others say the right-wing populists' promises are doomed to fail.