European Union

In Germany's parliamentary elections on 26 September voters will also decide who succeeds Angela Merkel as chancellor. According to INSA surveys, the SPD - junior partner in the current grand coalition government - is polling at 26 percent, giving it a clear lead against the CDU/CSU (20.5 percent) and the Greens (15 percent). Europe's press looks at what the potential government alliances could mean for the EU - and especially for Brussels' financial policy.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met the President of the Government of Catalonia Pere Aragonès in Barcelona on Wednesday to resume the dialogue on Catalan independence dispute after an 18-month break. However, the only result of the meeting was the announcement that the parties would continue the talks despite their opposing positions. The Junts party, the more radical junior coalition partner of the Catalan separatist government, boycotted the meeting.

Electricity prices have soared in EU countries since the beginning of the year. The electric baseload - the minimum amount of electricity required by the power grid - currently costs more than twice as much on the electricity exchange platforms as it did in the summer of 2020, while natural gas prices have increased ten-fold in the same period. Increased demand in Asia and less input from wind power are among the reasons for the surge in prices.

A row appears to have broken out among the Taliban leadership between the more "moderate" camp and the hardliners: Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting first deputy prime minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and number two in the Islamist movement, disappeared several days ago. Rumours of his death or escape are circulating. Whether the Taliban's denials are credible remains to be seen.

On June 26th, a visit mandated by the EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Mr Joseph Borrell, took place in Georgia. Vlad Olteanu is the founder of I3pact EU. Alexander Schallenberg, Minister for European and International Affairs...

European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová presented on Thursday (16 September) a Recommendation on the Safety of Journalists, urging EU countries to address security concerns in an environment increasingly hostile towards the media.

A group of environmental organisations and global energy companies, including Shell, have called for mandatory EU rules on methane encompassing the entire gas value chain, including imports from abroad, writes Maarten Wetselaar.

Parliament says the EU must push back against aggressive policies while laying the groundwork for cooperation with a future democratic Russia.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Parliament says the EU must push back against aggressive policies while laying the groundwork for cooperation with a future democratic Russia.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Commission v Belgium and Magnetrol International
State aid
Tax exemptions granted by Belgium to multinational companies by way of rulings: the Commission correctly found that there was an aid scheme