Euractiv.com

As the reality of the coronavirus pandemic slowly dawned on Europe’s leaders last spring, the battle was about getting hold of personal protective equipment for the continent’s army of doctors and nurses.

The European Parliament approved a revamp of the EU's “use it or lose it” waiver for airport slot rules on Thursday (11 February), a measure first introduced in March 2020 to stop pandemic-hit airlines from flying almost empty planes to maintain access to ports.

Crises boost EU integration: an unprecedented budget, common bonds, border guards in EU uniforms. But EU parliamentary democracy is lagging far behind and the European Parliament should defend democratic oversight. If it shies away from using its powers, it will lose them, writes Sophie in ‘t Veld.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has issued a stark warning on the involvement of Big Tech firms in cryptocurrency projects, cautioning that such moves could jeopardise privacy, create further risks to competition and even "endanger monetary sovereignty".

With trilogue negotiations on the European Climate Law currently underway, the EU is decisively forging its path towards 2050 climate neutrality, setting an example on the global arena.

With almost two out of three new cars in Europe bought for corporate purposes, companies have the power to shape the direction of the market, according to a new report due to be published next week (17 February).

As digital skills have become essential in the labour market, especially for young people, there is an increased urgency to tackle the inequalities of the digital divide caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers have said.

The EU Council finally managed to adopt a position on widespread new data protection rules on Wednesday (10 February), as part of the so-called ePrivacy regulation, although Germany and Austria abstained from voting and Berlin's data protection authority called for 'significant changes' to the text.

Europol, the European police agency, said on Wednesday (10 February) it had assisted in the arrest of 10 hackers suspected of stealing $100 million in cryptocurrency in a “SIM-swapping” attack that allowed suspects to gain access to their victims’ phones....

Veteran President Alexander Lukashenko launched a Belarusian “People’s Assembly” on Thursday (11 February), inviting 2,700 people to discuss political reform in what opponents dismissed as a sham exercise to help him to cling to power.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about PM Babis' interest in Serbia's vaccination programme, Estonia's plans to build Europe’s first small scale nuclear reactor, and so much more.

Pesticides that are currently banned in Europe may still be exported to foreign countries, an issue which highlights the EU's lack of coherence, according to the leftist Die Linke and the Greens. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The five left-leaning opposition parties have filed another motion for a constructive vote of no confidence in the government of Janez Janša, with Karl Erjavec, the president of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS), as a candidate for the prime-minister designate position....

“We still have our MiGs whose lifespan expires in 2024. I deeply hope that by that time we will resolve our situation regarding the multipurpose fighter aircraft,” Croatian Defence Minister Mario Banožić said on Wednesday, adding that until then Croatia’s...

Although the Romanian government is struggling to keep the budget deficit at around 7% of the country’s GDP, the adjustment from last year is still too low to gain praise from Brussels, according to Prime Minister Florin Citu. While the...

Given that monthly living costs for a household with two adults and two children has now reached €1,300 in Bulgaria, 65% of Bulgarians are currently unable or just about able to cover their living costs, according to an annual report...

The GRBAlpha satellite, which is currently in Moscow awaiting its launch abroad a Russian spaceship this spring from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, will be the second satellite constructed in Slovakia to orbit the earth. Researchers from Slovakia, Hungary, and Japan participated...

The loss of Klubrádió’s broadcasting licence, the last independent radio station in Hungary dealing with public affairs issues, has aggravated the EU executive’s concerns about media freedom and pluralism in the country, a Commission spokesperson said on Wednesday. Klubrádió will...

Independent media protested on Wednesday against government plans to impose a new tax on advertising revenue. Daily newspapers filled their entire front page with an appeal to authorities to back away from the idea, accompanied by a ‘Media without choice’...

The only way to resolve the Cyprus issue is to establish two states on the island, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told the Turkish Cypriot community on Wednesday. At the same time, Athens favours an UN-supported solution for a federation, while...