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In today’s Capitals news:
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants to prevent asylum seekers from choosing the countries in which they seek asylum and is forming an alliance with Serbia and Hungary to this end. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Brussels abandons proposal to cap gasoline prices amid growing frustration in European capitals. A possible EU-wide gas price cap remains up in the air, with the European Commission yet to present the legislative proposal needed to create it, while countries remain divided on the issue ahead of a meeting next week during which ministers should adopt. Learn more.
EU member states clip the Commission’s wings during discussions on anti-coercion tools. EU member states agreed on Wednesday on a common negotiating position on the EU’s anti-coercion instrument regulation, significantly reducing the European Commission’s powers to act unilaterally in response to attempts at coercion economy of third countries. Learn more.
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BRUSSELS
Belgian justice authorizes the dismantling of the Doel 3 nuclear reactor. The work currently being carried out at the Doel 3 reactor, the dismantling of which is planned, can continue, the Brussels court of first instance ruled on Wednesday. Learn more.
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BERLIN
Germany offers Poland aerial surveillance following missile explosion. Germany has offered to help Poland monitor its airspace from Thursday after a Polish village near the Ukrainian border was hit by a missile on Tuesday. Learn more.
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PARIS
Le Pen denounces France’s hypocrisy towards Italy over the Ocean Viking. The French government has behaved hypocritically towards Italy in the current migration-related diplomatic crisis, despite its hypocritical attitude towards Italy.refusing to authorize the landing of the Aquarius in 2018, said Marine Le Pen Corriere della Sera. Learn more.
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THE HAGUE
The Netherlands granted 322 million euros in military support to Ukraine. The Netherlands has provided 322 million euros in military support to Ukraine since the start of the war until Monday, Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren wrote in a letter to Parliament on Wednesday. Learn more.
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND
LONDON
“Hunt to introduce bill for Truss government’s economic experiment”. The chaos caused by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s short-lived mini-budget, including £40 billion in tax cuts and increased spending, damaged the UK’s reputation, said Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey told MPs on Wednesday, while new chancellor Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce a series of major tax rises alongside spending cuts. Learn more.
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DUBLIN
Irish authorities are banned from entering Russia. Ireland’s prime minister, deputy prime minister and many other senior Irish officials have been banned from entering Russia after the country sanctioned them over Dublin’s support for Ukraine. Learn more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
HELSINKI
New Finnish hydrogen plant: part of the future transport network? A new 300-megawatt hydrogen plant on Finland’s west coast could have significance for the Nordic Hydrogen Route (NHR), an initiative that aims to build a hydrogen transport network around the Baltic Sea north by 2030, creating an open hydrogen market. Learn more.
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STOCKHOLM
Former Prime Minister attacks Sweden’s new climate policy ahead of EU presidency. The new government’s budget and deep cuts to the environment and climate budget were sharply criticized on Wednesday by former Social Democratic Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, as Sweden prepares to take over the presidency of the Council in 2023. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
ROME
No one enters illegally, says the Italian government. The Meloni government’s hard line on immigration is confirmed and Italy wants the EU to cooperate to meet the “historic challenge” of migration, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told the Italian Senate on Wednesday. Learn more.
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MADRID
Real risk of technical recession in the euro zone, warns the ECB. The euro zone could soon enter a slight technical recession after two consecutive months of economic contraction, ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos warned on Wednesday. Learn more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
More incidents could occur following Polish missile explosion, says Czech expert. Intensifying Russian attacks on Ukraine could lead to more incidents, like the one that occurred in Poland, warned former Czech army chief of staff Jiří Šedivý. Learn more.
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WARSAW
NATO, vigilant following the missile explosion in Poland, will do what is necessary, Stoltenberg said. NATO ambassadors agreed to remain vigilant, calm, closely coordinated and monitor the situation, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, underscoring NATO’s willingness to do what is necessary to protect the allies. Learn more.
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BRATISLAVA
The Slovak economy is doing well but risks falling into recession soon. Although the economy maintained modest growth in the third quarter of 2022, the Central Bank expects the country to slide into recession at the end of the year. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
TIRANA
30% of Albanians live abroad in a context of increasing migration difficulties. Albanians form the third largest diaspora in the world, with around 30% of those born in the country now living outside its borders, according to data published by Forbes, amid a tense situation between Albania, Europe and the United Kingdom continue to smolder due to increasing asylum flows. Learn more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria removes COVID-19 regulations. The latest restrictive measures linked to COVID-19, including wearing masks in pharmacies and maintaining a distance of 1.5 meters in commercial establishments, will be removed, Bulgarian authorities announced on Wednesday. Learn more.
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BUCHAREST
Member States will visit Romania for a Schengen evaluation. A mixed team of experts from the European Commission and member states, including the Netherlands, will visit Romania to clarify any questions regarding the country’s implementation of the Schengen acquis, the government announced on Wednesday. Learn more.
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BELGRADE
Serbia will use its natural gas reserves. Serbia has started using its natural gas reserves because daily supplies no longer cover its needs, President Vučić said. Learn more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia withdraws from the Energy Charter Treaty. Slovenia is no longer party to the Energy Charter Treaty after the Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved the government’s withdrawal proposal on Wednesday. Learn more.
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PRISTINE
War and pandemic impact passport production in Kosovo. Citizens and residents of Kosovo have been unable to obtain passports or driving licenses for the past two months due to lack of materials caused by the ongoing crises. Learn more.
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AGENDA
- EU: Vice President Frans Timmermans delivers the opening speech at the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy side event on energy transition at COP27, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson attends the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Meeting in Wiesbaden, Germany;
- Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton delivers a speech at the high-level conference “The Unitary Patent System, a game-changer for innovation in Europe”, in Brussels, Belgium;
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas meets with H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah Emirate, in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates; Participate in a high-level roundtable on “Migration: what are we doing right?” » at the Global Citizen Forum 2022 Annual Summit
- Commissioner for Stability and Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union, Mairead McGuinness, delivers a speech on the progress of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) at the Association’s anniversary event financial markets in Europe (AFME);
- Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders delivers the opening speech of European Consumer Day 2022, on the theme “Empowering consumers to act for a more sustainable world”; Participates in the European Business Summit (EBS);
- The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, participates in the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament; Attends the working lunch with the ambassadors of the Committee of Permanent Representatives II (COREPER II);
- Conclusions FEMM delegation in Poland holds press conference on backlash against women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights;
- “Western Balkans: Smart Cities Economic Forum” takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, with the aim of strengthening economic ties between the EU and the Western Balkans;
- The supreme body of the European agency EU-LISA, responsible for the operational development of large-scale European information systems in the area of freedom, security and justice, meets in Prague, Czech Republic;
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets representatives of the financial sector;
- Luxembourg: OECD ministers meet on public trust and democracy;
- Greece: Anniversary of the violent repression, on November 17, 1973, of the uprising of the youth of Athens against the military junta of 1967-1974;
- Australia: The world congress of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) takes place;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)
