European Union

The EU's top diplomat rebuked on Thursday (28 October) the Kremlin's attempt to strong-arm Moldova over a new gas deal, saying a commodity like gas should not be used as a geopolitical weapon.

The EU’s counter-proposal to the request to waive intellectual property (IP) rights on COVID vaccines is meaningless as it deals with patents without any technology transfer, according to a health expert.

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on Thursday to make the European Medicines Agency more effective in tackling shortages of medicines and medical devices.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on Thursday to make the European Medicines Agency more effective in tackling shortages of medicines and medical devices.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The European Union will aim to convince other countries to raise their climate ambition at the COP26 summit opening on Sunday in Glasgow. Here’s how.

This week our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on on the COVID 19, the fourth wave the European countries try to avoid, the offered third vaccine dose and the new measures decided by the EU members.

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the EU after cardiovascular disease. 2.6 million people are diagnosed every year.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said that the recent Commission report on her country was “the best report of European Commission in the last few years". However, a more in-depth view actually shows that the report is very critical.

The European Court of Justice has imposed a record fine on Warsaw in the legal dispute between Poland and the EU. Poland must pay one million euros per day as long as the controversial disciplinary chamber - which according to the judges violates the separation of powers - is not abolished. Commentators see the EU with the upper hand and warn about further escalation.

Prime Minister António Costa's socialist minority government in Portugal is facing a crisis after a dispute over the 2022 budget. The Communists and the Left Bloc, which until now have supported the government, have voted against its draft budget. President Rebelo de Sousa had announced that he would dissolve parliament if the vote failed. Commentators harshly criticse the far left's stance.

The Republic of Moldova, which so far has been dependent on Russian gas but has been unable to reach an agreement with Moscow on terms for continued supplies, has now purchased a first "test portion" of natural gas in Poland, which will be delivered via Ukraine. Journalists believe this confrontation could have unexpected consequences.