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Benin has ordered the European Union's ambassador to leave the country over alleged political interference, diplomatic sources said Wednesday (27 November).

French farmers angered by government policies that they say threaten their livelihoods drove convoys of tractors into Paris on Wednesday, obstructing commuter traffic and adding to the social unrest facing President Emmanuel Macron.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out how Catalan separatists ERC and Spanish socialist party PSOE will try to solve to the country's current political deadlock, and so much more. The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network.

The European Parliament yesterday (25 November) formally rubber-stamped an agreement on the EU’s budget for 2020, including a commitment to ring-fence 21% of EU spending on measures aimed at addressing climate change. EURACTIV’s media partner Climate Home News reports.

The EU needs to show leadership on space traffic management to ensure that it protects its increasingly important space infrastructure, writes Marian Jean Marinescu.

Georgia takes over the Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on Wednesday (27 November). On this occasion, the country's Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani submitted an exclusive op-ed.

Ankara will resist efforts by its NATO allies to persuade it to back an alliance defence plan for the Baltics and Poland until its demands are met over a plan for Turkey's defence, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Wednesday (27 November).

As Europe moves towards net-zero emissions, policymakers are looking at all available sources of energy, including new low-carbon gases like hydrogen, to decarbonise at least cost. But direct electrification – of transport, industry and buildings – remains the top priority for the European Commission.

Qatar has pledged to host not only the most sustainable World Cup in the middle of the desert, but is already sharing lessons from the event three years before the teams even begin to play.

From the early stage of its post-Soviet transition, Kazakhstan has consolidated strong state power to avoid chaos. Today, as the country is considered successful at home and internationally, this centralisation is being reduced and tribute is being paid to the one person who steered the country during the last 30 years.

Germany has pledged to play a more active role in NATO with Chancellor Angela Merkel promising to raise military spending to 2% of the country’s GDP by the beginning of the 2030s. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The question of whether the UK will open its doors to GMOs after Brexit has become more pertinent after EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told MEPs on Tuesday (26 November) that in order to secure a trade agreement, the UK would have to agree to maintain a ‘level playing field’ and not undercut EU regulation.

Patients deserve faster access to safe medical cannabis. Legalization is not enough – governments and businesses need to work together to reduce barriers and lessen patients’ reliance on the illicit market.

The new President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, cited climate policy as the most pressing issue facing her new executive team, which was officially confirmed by a vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday (27 November).

European parties rushed to stake their claim to political fame in the European Parliament on Wednesday, firing off salvos of righteous demands and bold promises that may, or may not, eventually be addressed in the next five years.

Member states must strongly support the proposal of the European Parliament to add a budget line for local authorities to tackle global challenges, including through their decentralised cooperation, writes Marlène Siméon.  

Disagreement on the inclusion of nuclear power in the EU’s upcoming green finance taxonomy has revived long-standing divisions between France and Germany over the energy transition. EURACTIV France reports.

The European Parliament gave the green light to Ursula von der Leyen’s college of Commissioners “for a fresh start for Europe” on Wednesday (27 November) with a comfortable 461 votes in favour, 151 against and 89 abstentions.  The first woman...

Air quality is rapidly becoming more and more of an emotionally-charged subject as the health implications become more explicit. Here is how things stand at both EU and national level.

Tens of thousands of farmers protested in Berlin on Tuesday (26 November) against the government's new agricultural policy. They complained about increasing environmental protection requirements and falling product prices, which are increasingly damaging their business. EURACTIV Germany reports.