Alleging that Hungary and Poland have violated the fundamental rights of LGBTIQ+ people, the European Commission has launched proceedings against the two countries on 15 July. For one, the EU executive body points out that Hungary’s recently passed law violates fundamental freedoms – including the rights of persons belonging to
Toward its goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, the European Commission today unveiled a comprehensive set of proposals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) in the European Union. The proposals would affect EU policy on climate, energy, land use,
European Union decision-makers say efforts toward a global minimum corporate tax of 15% – which leaders endorsed at the Group of 20 (G20) summit last weekend – should continue forward, as it’s scheduled to be finalized at the end of October. That’s why the European Commission has put its own
In Moldova, president Maia Sandu’s Action and Solidarity party has garnered the greatest share of the vote, 52.8%, in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections. Based on the results, the pro-European party will have 63 of the 101 seats – and that the country with a population of 2.6
A second Bulgarian parliamentary election held on Sunday lead again to inconclusive results. The center-right GERB party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov and the new anti-establishment party “There Is Such a People” both gained 23% in the election on Sunday, 11 July. A second election was called after coalition
The European Commission’s deadline on assessing Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) plan expires today, July 12. According to Brussels-based Politico and various German news outlets, the Commission, dissatisfied with the commitment of Hungary’s government to fight corruption, has submitted further questions to the Hungarian government. Hungary
The European Commission has published its latest updates on Friday for travel regulations between EU countries. To stay up to date with the latest updates, we’d like to point you in the direction of this handy map, which allows you to choose your departure and destination countries, providing the
The European Commission gave a positive assessment of Croatia’s recovery and resilience plan, worth EUR 6.3 billion, which could significantly boost the country’s GDP and create 21,000 new jobs by 2026. The positive assessment was personally delivered by EC president Ursula von der Leyen to Croatia’
Showing his backing of the “Three Seas Initiative,” US president Joe Biden appeared via video conference at the group’s event this week in Sofia, Bulgaria, giving a video address at the start of the conference. Seven heads of state were in attendance at the forum, held on 8-9 July
With populations of only 2.79m (Lithuania), 1.92m (Latvia) and 1.32m (Estonia), the Baltic countries are not huge contributors to global emissions. Despite that, they have set out their plans to meet the EU’s “Fit for 55” ambition of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% until
In the EU’s Summer 2021 interim Economic Forecast, European Commission experts predict that the economies in the EU and euro area are set to expand by 4.8% this year and 4.5% in 2022. This growth outlook is significantly higher in the EU (+0.6 pps.) and the
Hungary’s government faced a barrage of criticism from officials in Strasbourg this week over a law that bans content “promoting homosexuality” to minors, but there are also concerns over a lack of safeguards to prevent corruption. Some are even suggesting that Hungary’s portion of the EU stimulus package
The leaders of the EU are planning to funnel hundreds of billons of euros into sustainable investments each year through banks and markets to create the first “climate-neutral continent” by the middle of the century. The related plans announced in the EU’s sustainable finance framework detail the next steps
This week, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are questioning Slovenia’s president, Janez Janša, on what is holding up Slovenia from appointing its prosecutors to the EU’s public prosecutors office (“EPPO”) – a body designed to ensure proper use of EU funds. Following the recent commencing of Slovenia’s
As of 3 July, the European Union has banned the 10 most-found in waterways single-use plastic products (SUPs). The 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter. Therefore the EU member states have agreed to ban the most-used SUPs
Inflation may pose a real threat for countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), specifically for Poland and Hungary, which are facing post-pandemic economic pressures. That’s why their economies do not appear as shiny as they used to. Hungary saw a recent inflation rate of 5.1%, while Poland’
In an effort to urge the aviation industry to use more clean-burning fuels, a draft from the European Commission proposes a minimum tax within the EU on polluting aviation fuels, specifically on energy products supplied as aircraft fuel for flights within the EU. This means aviation fuels would no longer
Things are mostly going according to plan for the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate, which made its official debut on 1 July. But some questions remain regarding how smoothly things will go for the travelers in Europe who use it, given that some countries can still exercise their own discretion
Activity attributed to Russian internet trolls dropped significantly in the Czech Republic after some workers at the Russian Embassy in Prague were deported, according to a report by the Seznamzpravy.cz news site. Czech authorities’ expulsion of 18 people described as officers of the Russian secret services occurred in April
In Slovakia, a prototype flying car has completed a 35-minute flight between the country’s international airports in Nitra and Bratislava. The hybrid car-aircraft, AirCar, is equipped with a BMW engine and runs on regular petrol. Its creator, professor Stefan Klein, said it could fly about 1,000km, at a
Bulgaria’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 4.5% this year and by 4.0% in 2022, stronger than previously expected, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced. The main upside risks to the outlook are a stronger rebound of consumption amid high
Since Viktor Orbán became the prime minister of Hungary, cooperation among the “Visegrád 4” (V4) countries – Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland – has become a key ingredient of the Hungarian government’s rhetoric. Now, with Hungary taking over the presidency of the Visegrad Group, the country is keen to
North Macedonia’s bid for EU membership has been blocked by Bulgaria over a language dispute. But EU member Croatia is pledging its support for North Macedonia’s accession to the EU. Top leaders of Croatia and North Macedonia met this week, stressing their good relations. Croatia’s prime minister,
Keeping rabbits, hens, pigs, quails, ducks, calves, and geese in cages will be outlawed in all 27 EU member states by 2027 at the latest, even though the European Commission has made prior pledges to end most caged animal farming by 2023. The additional 4-year window is intended to give
Today, 1 July, Portugal is handing over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union to Slovenia, which will hold the position for 6 months. Covid-19 economic recovery coordination, an asylum and migration reform package, and accession for the Western Balkan countries are leading topics on Slovenia’s