Eurotopics.net

The European Commission has blocked a retail tax introduced by Warsaw on the grounds that the levy, which means that companies with large turnover pay more taxes than those with low turnover, may breach EU state aid rules. Brussels wants to destroy Polish retailers, some commentators argue. Others warn Warsaw not to get into a fight with the European Commission.

Police in New Jersey have arrested a 28-year-old US citizen of Afghan origin in the wake of bomb attacks in New York and New Jersey. 29 people were injured in the attacks on the weekend. Commentators say such attacks will play right into the hands of Donald Trump in the presidential election campaign.

The UN member states have agreed on non-binding principles for dealing with refugees and migrants at the Summit on the Global Refugee Crisis in New York. People must force their governments to improve the situation of refugees, some commentators urge. Others say more must be done to fight the causes of the exodus.

Putin's United Russia party won the Duma elections on Sunday with a big lead against three other parties with close ties to the Kremlin. Once again there were reports of irregularities, and voter turnout was lower than in 2011. Voters see no point in going to the polls at all anymore, commentators write, describing the Duma as a pro forma institution.

In his State of the Union address, EU Commission President Juncker complained about lacking solidarity among the member states. The EU is in an "existential crisis" after the Brexit vote, Juncker said to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Some commentators also pin the blame for the state of the EU on the individual states. Others accuse Juncker of shifting responsibility to others.

Bayer has purchased the US seed producer Monsanto for 59 billion euros, becoming the world's biggest agrochemical business. Should this trigger panic among farmers and consumers or prompt a well-reflected debate on genetic engineering?