European Union

Ukrainian refugees fleeing by train to Poland face 10-hour journey in overcrowded conditions.

Australia and the Netherlands said on Monday (14 March) they had begun joint legal action against Russia at the United Nations' aviation agency over the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 eight years ago.

Slovakia and Italy have called for adjusting the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including a policy postponement and a reconsideration of the EU's green ambitions amid fears of food insecurity caused by the war in Ukraine.

The EU and the US should draw a clear red line between what is sanctioned and goods that can be continued to be traded with Russia, Kairat Torebayev, vice-minister of trade and integration of Kazakhstan, told EURACTIV.

The war in Ukraine has sparked an unprecedented level of unity within the European Union – not least in the context of its migration and asylum policies, an area notorious for the continuous bickering among member states, writes Marie De Somer.

Sweden and Poland rejected a proposal on boardroom equality for women, while Estonia, Slovakia and Hungary abstained.

The Council of 27 EU member states has agreed to extend the regulation establishing the EU Digital COVID Certificate by one year, until 30 June 2023, but the extension now needs to be negotiated with the European Parliament.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, reporters already on the ground and international media organisations sound the alarm over journalists actively seeking routes into a war that they may not be prepared to cover. 

Rewatch this EURACTIV Virtual Conference to find out how long it will take until autonomous vehicles become the norm, and what is delaying progress. Discussed questions included: - Can the existing infrastructure be adapted to accommodate autonomous vehicles? - What are the most efficient technologies that can be deployed in a sustainable and ethical manner for making autonomous driving an everyday reality? - Is there harmonisation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) across Europe, such as data standardisation and the extension of digital infrastructure, to ensure a seamless service for road users and to prepare for autonomous vehicles? - Are users aware of, and ready for, the challenges, like roads with mixed driver and driverless traffic?

Russia's attack on Ukraine is also being fought in the information space. While the narratives to justify the aggression have not changed significantly, the growing number of Russia's fake reports might be used to justify even more dramatic actions, a senior official of the EU's diplomatic service told EURACTIV.

As EU finance ministers meet on Tuesday (15 March) to discuss the proposal for a carbon border levy, they should look to protect the most vulnerable countries from being hit and work to phase out free allowances quicker, write Anne Gläser and Chiara Putaturo.

Written by Marcin Szczepański.

It is widely held that geopolitical tensions in the world are on the rise. One of the clear indicators of this phenomenon is the increasing use of economic tools for the pursuit of strategic and geopolitical aims. This can take the form of coercion exerted by one country on another through trade or investment restrictions to interfere with their sovereign choices. In response to the EU and its Member States becoming the target of deliberate economic coercion in recent years, on 8 December 2021 the Commission published a proposal for the adoption of an anti-coercion instrument (ACI) that would allow the EU to better respond to such challenges on a global scale.

While the new framework is primarily designed to deter economic coercive action through dialogue and engagement, it also allows – as a last resort – to retaliate with countermeasures comprising a wide range of trade, investment and funding restrictions. While there is broad support for creating a legislative tool to address the growing problem of economic coercion, opinions are divided as regards the severity of countermeasures and the manner of establishing when they should kick in.

Within the European Parliament, the file has been assigned to the Committee on International Trade (INTA). A draft report is expected to be published in April.

Versions

• March 2022: Proposed anti-coercion instrument (1st edition)

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the Union and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries Committee responsible:International Trade (INTA)COM(2021) 775
8.12.2021Rapporteur:Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany)2021/0406(COD)Shadow rapporteurs:Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP, Greece); Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew, France); Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, Germany); Roman Haider (ID, Germany);
Michiel Hoogeveen (ERC, Belgium);
Helmut Scholz (The Left, Germany).Ordinary legislative procedure (COD)
(Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Publication of draft report

While human loss is a dramatic consequence of Russia's war in Ukraine, we should also watch the automotive industry as 7% of the EU's GDP and jobs are related to the sector, writes Federica Prandin.

MEPs will discuss the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as gender equality and the economic recovery during a busy committee week.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

MEPs will discuss the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as gender equality and the economic recovery during a busy committee week.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

Russia's war against Ukraine has shaken certainties and led to a fundamental revision of certain ideas and policies. Defence budgets are being drastically increased, the EU is jointly supplying military equipment to Kyiv. Commentators ask what Europe will look like when the weapons fall silent, and what should be done in anticipation of that moment.