The European news you deserve to read. welcome to The capitals by EURACTIV.
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Carbon capture and storage (CCS): A solution to achieve global climate goals
Equinor stores CO2 safely in the Norwegian North Sea. THE Northern Lights Project will start storing CO2 in 2024, and the new Smeaheia License has the potential to store 20 million tonnes of CO2 per year, transported from Belgium and Germany via a new pipeline.
In today’s Capitals news:
WARSAW
Polish opposition leader and election winner Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform (PO, EPP) left no room for speculation when he openly declared that his party, which should return to power in Poland after eight years in opposition, was opposed to a change in policy. European treaties, just like the conservative camp in power in Poland. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Michel attempts to reassure Ukraine and Moldova as unease grows ahead of key EU summit. Ukraine and Moldova’s hopes for an opening to EU accession talks took center stage in Kiev on Tuesday as visiting European Council President Charles Michel sought to reassuring that their accession process remained a priority for the bloc. Learn more.
EU says no Palestinian aid will be given to Hamas and programs must continue. No European Union development funds intended for Palestine have flowed to Hamas, the European Commission said on Tuesday (21 November), but it called for tighter controls in future. Learn more.
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THE HAGUE
Euroscepticism hangs over the future Dutch government. Latest election polls suggest a close link between possible right and center coalitions, both likely to take a tougher stance on the EU than the previous executive due to the centre-right newcomer NSC (PPE) and the skyrocketing rise of the far-right. Right PVV (ID). Learn more.
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BERLIN
Experts warn of investment cuts after ruling by Germany’s top court. As Germany scrambles to find 60 billion euros after the Constitutional Court ruled that transferring unused COVID-related debt to a climate fund was unconstitutional, economists have warned that cuts in spending could harm the country’s economic growth in coming years, following a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday. . Learn more.
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PARIS
The French Prime Minister kicks off the campaign for the European elections in Strasbourg. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne kicked off the European election campaign in Strasbourg on Tuesday before a visit to the European Parliament, where she will meet her Renew “European family” and plans to speak with the president of the Renew group , Stéphane Séjourné. Learn more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
STOCKHOLM
Sweden to strengthen ‘honest lifestyle’ requirement for residence permits. Sweden plans to toughen requirements for an “honest way of life” for those wishing to stay in the country, as the center-right coalition and its far-right ally in parliament, the Sweden Democrats, announced their intention to open an investigation. on the issue Tuesday. Learn more.
Parents in Sweden are confused about vaccinating their children against COVID. Although vaccinating healthy children against COVID-19 is not recommended by experts, the Swedish government has caused confusion among parents after a minister said there were no legal obstacles to vaccination of children, sparking criticism from local authorities and doctors. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
MADRID
The Spanish judge wants Puigdemont to be investigated for terrorism. Spanish judge Manuel García Castellón on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to investigate former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, leader of the separatist party Together for Catalonia (JxCat), in connection with the blockade of Barcelona airport in 2017 . Learn more.
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ROME
Tajani: the migration agreement between Italy and Albania is not comparable to that between the United Kingdom and Rwanda. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday about the controversial agreement between Italy and Albania on the management of irregular migrants, saying it is not comparable to the one recently signed between the United Kingdom and Rwanda. Learn more.
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LISBON
Portugal was asked to reduce energy support measures. Portugal must reduce its energy support measures as soon as possible this year and next, according to a European Commission report published on Tuesday, highlighting Portugal’s limited progress in implementing the Commission’s budgetary recommendations. Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
In Poland, a child must wait 238 days before seeing a psychiatrist, says an activist. Poland’s mental health care sector has improved in recent years, but there are still significant challenges to overcome, with one campaigner pointing out that a Polish child faces a 238-day waiting list to see a psychiatrist. Learn more.
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PRAGUE
Czechia wants to ban travel to the Schengen area for Russian diplomats. The Czech Republic is proposing to restrict the travel of Russian diplomats in the Schengen area, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates/Greens/ALE) announced on Tuesday. Learn more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovakia repeals gender reassignment guidelines. Slovakia’s Health Ministry has revoked a document that gave guidelines on how to carry out gender reassignment procedures, stoking fears that medical professionals will return to past practices of forced castration and sterilization. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgaria will not join Schengen before the Austrian elections in 2024, the MEP said. Bulgaria will not be admitted to Schengen before the 2024 Austrian parliamentary elections, Bulgarian MEP Andrei Kovatchev told reporters on Tuesday, adding that Austria had no problem with Bulgaria’s membership until that time. that a speech by his Minister of the Interior changed the situation last November. Learn more.
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BUCHAREST
The European Commission approves a new version of Romania’s recovery plan. The European Commission on Tuesday approved Romania’s revised recovery and resilience plan, which places greater emphasis on the green transition and reduces funding for some hospital construction projects.. Learn more.
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BELGRADE
Vučić and Stoltenberg discuss Serbia’s collaboration with NATO and tensions in Kosovo. Recent tensions in northern Kosovo, the efforts of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) to maintain peace and stability, and Serbia’s collaboration with NATO were among the topics discussed between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Secretary NATO General Jens Stoltenberg in Belgrade. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the virtual summit of G20 leaders;
- Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica takes part in Parliament’s plenary debate on “The revised pollinator initiative – a new deal for pollinators”;
- Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, receives UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNOPS, Jorge Moreira da Silva;
- Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, holds a video conference with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson takes part in trilogues on the new Filtering Regulation/ECRIS, the Crisis and Force Majeure Regulation, the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR);
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets Finnish Minister for European Affairs Anders Adlercreutz; He welcomes the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov;
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Italian Prime Minister Giogia Meloni;
- Czech Republic: Summit of Czech, Hungarian, Polish and Slovak presidents;
- Belarus: Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and heads of security councils of CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) states meet before the organization’s summit;
- UN: Security Council meets on Gaza;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)
