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In today’s Capitals news:
WARSAW
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has decided to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine in its war against Russia in response to escalating tensions between the two countries over grain imports. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Vestager presents the EIB’s candidacy to Le Maire during his visit to Paris. Margrethe Vestager, a leading candidate to head the European Investment Bank (EIB), came to Paris on Wednesday to speak at a flagship start-up conference – and present her candidacy for the job of the EIB to the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire. Learn more.
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BERLIN
German investments in China have increased despite commitments to reduce dependence. German companies have invested proportionately more in China this year than ever, despite the government’s promises to reduce its trade dependence on Beijing. Learn more.
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PARIS
France must triple its renewable energy capacities by 2035, says the network manager. To achieve its European goals, France will need to triple its use of renewable energy and reduce its energy consumption by a third by 2035, French electricity network operator RTE said in its outlook on the energy mix horizon 2030 and 2035. Learn more.
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BRUSSELS
Diamonds are not forever since Belgium is ready to ban Russian stones. Global diamond hub Belgium is set to extend sanctions on Russian diamonds, with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo telling the jewelry industry in New York on Tuesday evening that these “symbols of war” should be banned from the G7 market from January 2024. Learn more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
HELSINKI
Finland’s opposition is in uproar as the government delays an important law for people with disabilities. The Finnish Parliament’s health and safety committee was outraged when opposition members boycotted a meeting after the Finnish government announced its intention to delay the implementation of the long-awaited health and safety law. services for people with disabilities. Learn more.
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COPENHAGEN
Denmark will encourage the production of NATO munitions. The Danish government is seeking to increase munitions production and is already considering buying up land housing a former weapons factory in a bid to help Ukraine and boost NATO military production. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
ROME
Salvini criticizes Austria for blocking border crossings and threatens to file a complaint with European justice. The Italian government will take Austria to European justice for its blocking of the Brenner crossing on the Italian-Austrian border, said League leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, calling the Austrian decision an “act of violence and political arrogance. Learn more.
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MADRID
The Catalan separatist leader takes for granted that the Spanish government will adopt an amnesty law. The adoption by the Spanish government of an amnesty law for those involved in the 2017 secessionist attempt, in order to pave the way for the reinstatement of interim Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, was taken for granted by the Catalan separatist leader Oriol Junqueras, president of the independence party of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
BRATISLAVA
Slovak farmers record historic profits in Ukraine’s grain conflict. Slovakia’s agricultural sector made its highest ever profit of €346.5 million in 2022, but farmers still fear a “permanent end” to their business unless the government keeps Ukrainian grain off of its territory. Learn more.
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PRAGUE
The Czech government is pushing for lithium mining despite regional skepticism. The Czech government is doing everything possible to facilitate lithium mining in the country, as it is a strategic raw material for the recovery of the Czech economy, Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) during a visit to potential mining areas. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BUCHAREST
Romanian MP: Member States must have integrity agencies in addition to the anti-corruption directive. Each member state will establish an anti-corruption directorate, but it is also important to have integrity agencies to manage prevention and conflicts of interest, EP rapporteur on the new anti-corruption directive told Euractiv Romania , Ramona Strugariu. Learn more.
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SOFIA
The Bulgarian government promised the protesting miners a secure civil service. A demonstration in Sofia, organized by the two unions of Bulgarian miners and energy workers from the Maritsa basin, resulted in an agreement with the government to guarantee the maintenance of jobs for employees in the sector. Learn more.
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PRISTINE
The Speaker of the Kosovo Parliament reiterates the accusations against Lajcak. Kosovo’s parliament speaker, Glauk Konjufca, is the latest in a series of politicians to accuse the EU’s special envoy for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajcak, of bias in the ongoing dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: The informal meeting of transport ministers discusses the role of transport and mobility in achieving social and territorial cohesion, in the context of decarbonization and digitalization;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers opening remarks at the Global Citizen NOW climate session in New York, USA;
- Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič represents the EU at the ministerial consultation of the next COP28 presidency on the global stocktake; Participate in a roundtable with CEOs on “Accelerating the transition to net zero”; Participate in the third high-level dialogue on “Building an energy transition aligned with 1.5C”;
- Vice-President Vĕra Jourová speaks at the International Conference of Public Broadcasters, Prague, Czech Republic;
- Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit takes part in a high-level conference organized by the Spanish Presidency on “The future of work and social dialogue”;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni receives Governor of the National Bank of Moldova Octavian Armasu;
- The Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, met with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths. Delivers a speech at an EU ministerial-level event on broadening the donor base; delivers a speech at an EU co-sponsored ministerial-level event on “Closing the Gap: Accelerating Climate Action in Fragile and Vulnerable Contexts”, in New York, USA;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski attends the International Dairy Cooperatives Forum in Bialystok, Poland;
- France: Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu receives German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius; ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks at Mediterranean meetings in Marseille;
- UN: Special Rapporteur on the situation of rights in Russia presents his first report to the UN Human Rights Council;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)