European Union

Part of the French yellow vest protest movement have announced plans to run in the European elections in May. Ten names are already on their list, led by Ingrid Levavasseur, a nurse from Normandy and one of the movement's best-known faces. Journalists see the move as having reshuffled the cards in French politics.

The EU Commission has warned of the security risks involved in granting citizenship without going through the proper procedures. Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria are offering passports in exchange for cash or investments. This is facilitating money laundering and corruption, said EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos, announcing standardised regulations by the end of the year. A long overdue measure, commentators observe.

Latvian companies are trying to recruit people from Ukraine and Belarus to counter labour shortages caused not just by a booming economy but also the fact that hundreds of thousands have left the country in recent years in search of better jobs. Latvia's media call on the government to take action.

Wales voted to leave the EU just like England did but spare a thought for a country that will be most hard hit by Brexit. The green, green grass of home is starting to turn brown.

Plenary session and committees, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This week Davos bling continues to shock, fingers are pointed at Elmar Brok, and 10 years meme makes us all take stock. This episode is supported by FleishmanHillard.

National data protection authorities from around the EU are about to make public their decision on a threat by Romania's data chief to force journalists to reveal their sources, in a case involving high-level political corruption.

The EU commission on Thursday announced an infringement procedure against Austria for reducing child benefits to Austrian-based foreign workers whose children live in poorer EU countries. Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said people who work and contribute to social security and tax system in an EU state should be entitled to the same social security benefits as local workers.

The British Queen has called for "common ground" amid the UK's political crisis over Brexit. By tradition, the monarch never comments on political affairs. However, in a speech to the Sandringham Women's Institute she called for "never losing sight of the bigger picture" and "respecting" opposing views. Prime minister Theresa May's 'Plan B' Brexit deal is due to be debated next week, with just nine weeks to go until Brexit.

Slovenia has been taken to court by the European Commission for allowing national investigators to look into documents and seize IT hardware belonging to the European Central Bank without permission. The case relates to a 2016 investigation into Slovenia's central bank chief Bostjan Jazbec for possible "criminal abuse of office" related to a €3bn bailout preventing banks from collapsing.