European Union

Police fired tear gas at protesters in Istanbul demonstrating against Turkey's controversial exit on Thursday (1 July) from a treaty combatting femicide and domestic abuse.

Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry suspect North Macedonians with Bulgarian passports are participating in illegal schemes to manipulate the upcoming 11 July parliamentary elections in Bulgaria. The current caretaker interior minister, Boyko Rashkov said the former interior minister Hristo Terziiski had discussed...

Two doses of Covid-19 vaccine appear to provide protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus, the European Medicines Agency said on Thursday. The head of vaccine strategy, Marco Cavaleri, said "it seems the four vaccines approved in the European Union are protecting against all the strains circulating in Europe, including the Delta variant." EMA approved Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

An EU-wide Covid-19 certificate, a document essentially consisting of a QR code, came into force on Thursday to make summer travel easier for Europeans. The document shows whether the bearer is vaccinated with one of the EU's approved vaccines, has recovered from an infection, or has a recent negative Covid-19 test. Under EU law, the certificate is meant to do away with the need for quarantines or further testing.

Germany's interior minister Horst Seehofer called European football's governing body UEFA "utterly irresponsible" for allowing big crowds at the tournament, Reuters writes. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the mixing of crowds in Euro 2020 host cities, travel and easing of social restrictions had driven up the number of new cases rose by 10 percent adding that a new wave is inevitable if football fans and others drop their guard.

Chinese president Xi Jinping told a massive audience gathered at Tiananmen Square to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party that "the era of China being slaughtered and bullied is gone forever," Deutsche Welle reports. "Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloody against the Great Wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people," he said.

Several MEPs urged the EU Commission in a letter not to approve Hungary's Covid-19 recovery plan over concerns about fraud, corruption and LGBTIQ rights. The commission is expected to give its approval next week. "Citizens must be fully assured that the money of taxpayers is invested properly and not used to undermine the foundations of the EU," seven MEPs from Green, Liberal, Social Democrat and radical Left parties wrote.

The European Commission on Thursday adopted Slovenia's recovery plan, as the country took over the EU Council presidency. The EU will disburse a total of €2.5bn (€1.8bn in grants, €705m in loans). "It [the plan] combines investments for the green and digital transitions, with reforms of long-term care, healthcare, and pension systems for the benefit of all Slovenian citizens," said EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The survey, as part of a research project for the German Marshal Fund of the United States, aimed to measure how Romanians react to series of elements of the Eurosceptic and nationalist agenda.

There is a double standard at the heart of the European Commission. Women — mostly white women — benefit from affirmative action when applying for jobs. But people of colour seeking advancement do not benefit from special consideration.

As Slovenia takes over the EU Council presidency from Portugal on Thursday (1 July), it faces an avalanche of climate legislation, both inherited from its predecessor and from the European Commission which is due to table a massive legislative package on 14 July.

A government decree published on Wednesday (30 June) will end the possibility of anonymous donations to civil society in Hungary from Thursday. From now on, associations and foundations will have to indicate every year from whom they have received the...

  Packaging provides countless benefits, but has rightly come under the spotlight as an area with issues to tackle. Upcoming legislation aims to deliver on the circular economy but will it ‘close the loop’ on its’ important ambition? writes Graham Houlder.

The motion of no-confidence tabled before parliament against former Prime Minister Igor Matovič from his current position as finance minister fell short of the necessary 76 votes, as 51 MPs voted in favour, 67 against, and 17 abstained. The no-confidence...

Czech citizens living near the Polish lignite mine in Turów sent a letter to European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, asking him to join the ongoing negotiations between Czechia and Poland. Czechia and Poland are currently in a dispute over the extended...

Council of Europe’s Secretary-General Marija Pejčinović Burić has sent a letter to the Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, in which she expressed the Council’s “concern and disappointment” with the statements of the Polish government on a recent judgement of the...

A recent statement by Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades that the idea of a special bracelet for the unvaccinated is being discussed has caused turmoil in Cyprus. A journalist asked Anastasiades if the government is considering making special bracelets mandatory for...

Italy has taken a number of measures before the England vs Ukraine Euro 2020 match, due to take place in Rome on Saturday, to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant from UK travellers. Some of the measures include...

Four leading newspapers in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway simultaneously published a joint petition on Thursday, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, protesting the closure of the Daily Apple newspaper, and measures to control and...

“The protocol threatens the stability of the political institutions. It is the problem, and that problem needs to be resolved,” DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said in his keynote speech in Belfast on Thursday. Donaldson went on to describe the protocol...