All EU-related News in English in a list. Read News from the European Union in French, German & Hungarian too.

You are here

European Union

Georgia jailed ex-leader Saakashvili ‘tortured’ in custody: doctors

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:49
The health of Georgia's jailed opposition leader and ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has been seriously damaged as a result of torture and ill-treatment in custody, an independent council of medics said Saturday (18 December).
Categories: European Union

Chile’s Boric seals leftist revival with election win

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:40
Chilean leftist Gabriel Boric won the country's presidential runoff election on Sunday (19 December), capping a major revival for the country's progressive left that has been on the rise since widespread protests roiled the Andean country two years ago.
Categories: European Union

Macron to facilitate Sofia-Skopje dialogue

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:32
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to take steps to facilitate the Sofia-Skopje dialogue, and to move things forward, French Ambassador Cyrille Baumgartner said in an interview on TV Alsat’s “360 Degree” show. “I think the next question will be...
Categories: European Union

Czech stance on climate policy to stay in a rut despite new leadership

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:31
Despite Czech voters ditching the government of Andrej Babiš, the new administration’s stance on climate and energy policy will change little. Under the new five-party coalition, the Czech Republic will remain on the pro-nuclear front. “I do not see any...
Categories: European Union

Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor receives permission to start tests

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:31
The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland has granted the country’s fifth nuclear reactor permission for initiating and conducting low power tests. Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) is set to start regular electricity production in June 2022 and will be the...
Categories: European Union

German minister: Putin should not go shopping on Champs Elysée

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 06:30
Harsher sanctions should be imposed on Russian President Vladimir Putin for deploying troops at the Ukrainian border, Germany’s new Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht told the weekly Bild am Sonntag on Sunday. Putin should “personally feel the consequences” of his actions and not...
Categories: European Union

London banking job exodus to EU slows despite Brexit

Euractiv.com - Mon, 12/20/2021 - 02:00
The number of finance jobs shifting from Britain to the European Union due to Brexit is less than initially expected despite London losing most of its access to EU capital markets, EY consultants said on Monday (20 December).
Categories: European Union

Global Europe Brief: Russia’s draft security pacts, unpacked

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/19/2021 - 10:36
In this week’s edition: Russia security offers to the West, EUCO's Ukraine diplomacy and EU's African military missions review over Wagner links.
Categories: European Union

Gender pay gap persists in Europe

Euractiv.com - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 07:50
Even though women are on average better educated than men in the EU, they earn 14.1% less on average, with big variations across sectors, positions, and member states, according to the 'European Jobs Monitor' by the EU Commission and Eurofound.
Categories: European Union

Adhering to the Right Direction of China-EU Relations – Ambassador Zhang Ming’s Farewell Letter [Promoted content]

Euractiv.com - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 07:00
Zhang Ming is the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the EU. Dear Friends, I took the position as the 14th Chinese Ambassador to the European Union in October 2017. Looking back over the past four years, my...
Categories: European Union

Joint EU-U.S. statement following the EU-U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting Washington D.C., 16 December 2021

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
Joint EU-U.S. statement following the EU-U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting, Washington D.C., 16 December 2021
Categories: European Union

Presentation of letters of credentials to the President of the European Council Charles Michel

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
President Michel received the letters of credentials from three new ambassadors to the European Union
Categories: European Union

Media advisory - Environment Council, 20 December 2021

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.
Categories: European Union

Remarks by President Charles Michel following the European Council meeting on 16 December 2021

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
At the press conference following the European Council and the Euro Summit meetings on 16 December 2021, President Charles Michel highlighted the main results of the discussions.
Categories: European Union

Statement of the Euro Summit, 16 December 2021

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
The Euro Summit, meeting in an inclusive format, adopted a statement on 16 December 2021.
Categories: European Union

European Council conclusions, 16 December 2021

European Council - Sat, 12/18/2021 - 04:52
On 16 December 2021, the European Council adopted conclusions on COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, security and defence, external aspects of migration and external relations.
Categories: European Union

Euronews changes hands with global ambitions in sight

Euractiv.com - Fri, 12/17/2021 - 18:17
The pan-European broadcaster Euronews will be acquired by a Portuguese venture capital firm that has the ambition to make the news network a global actor, its management said.
Categories: European Union

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar: Turning the spotlight on workers’ rights

Written by Beatrix Immenkamp.

Enormous natural gas resources have turned Qatar into one of the world’s richest countries. The 11 610 km2 nation currently has the fourth highest GDP per capita in the world. The absolute monarchy’s estimated 340 000-350 000 citizens benefit from free education, free healthcare, virtually guaranteed – and well paid – employment, and pay almost no taxes. However, the great majority of the emirate’s nearly 3 million inhabitants live in very different conditions. Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants in the world: 85 % of its population are migrants and 94 % of its workforce comes from abroad, mostly from south Asia and Africa. In contrast to the small percentage of expatriates from the West and other Gulf States, Asian and African migrants live and work in harsh conditions. Around 1 million are employed in construction, and 100 000 are domestic workers.

In December 2010, FIFA, world football’s governing body, granted Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from 21 November to 18 December. Expanding on an existing development programme enshrined in the Qatar National Vision 2030, the country embarked on an extensive building programme to prepare for the World Cup, involving an estimated 1 million migrant workers. However, these preparations placed the spotlight on Qatar’s poor treatment of migrant workers. In response to international pressure, Qatar has introduced important legal changes to improve the situation of these workers, which the EU has welcomed. However, according to human rights organisations, the country needs to take further steps to stop abuses. Of particular concern is the kafala sponsorship system, which is widely used throughout the six Gulf Cooperation Council States and gives disproportionate power to employers, leading to widespread abuse of migrant workers’ rights. Even though Qatar has started to dismantle the kafala system, important elements remain in place. Moreover, ensuring compliance with more favourable labour laws remains a challenge. Since 2008, the European Parliament has adopted four resolutions addressing the situation of migrant workers in Qatar; it has called on Qatar to end the ‘deplorable situation’ of migrant workers and prevent preparations for the 2022 World Cup from being ‘overshadowed by allegations of forced labour’.

Read the complete briefing on ‘The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar: Turning the spotlight on workers’ rights‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Categories: European Union

Special CAPitals: The laggers and the leaders of the Unfair Trading Practices directive

Euractiv.com - Fri, 12/17/2021 - 17:31
In this third edition of the CAPitals, EURACTIV's network takes a look at the state of play of the implementation of the Unfair Trade Practices (UTP) directive across the bloc.
Categories: European Union

No checks on medicines from Britain to NI, under Commission proposals

Euractiv.com - Fri, 12/17/2021 - 16:57
The European Union has moved to ensure that medicines will continue to be available in Northern Ireland at the same time as in the rest of the UK, under new proposals published on Friday (17 December).
Categories: European Union

Pages

THIS IS THE NEW BETA VERSION OF EUROPA VARIETAS NEWS CENTER - under construction
the old site is here

Copy & Drop - Can`t find your favourite site? Send us the RSS or URL to the following address: info(@)europavarietas(dot)org.