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In today’s Capitals news:
WARSAW
Poland’s exit results may have been welcomed in several European capitals, with many hailing them as a possible end to the bitter fight with Brussels if the current opposition formed a government, but the charm of Former President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, might not be all that it seems. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
The party advocating “self-determination” in the European elections presents two main candidates. The European Free Alliance (EFA) party, although weak in terms of seats and declining voting intentions, aims to make the voices of national minorities and stateless nations heard in the European debate by presenting two leading candidates plan who will campaign across the continent to “spread ideas”. “self-determination”, the newly elected main party candidates told Euractiv. Learn more.
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BRUSSELS
Brussels residents have been advised to stay at home after the terrorist shooting in Brussels. The Belgian federal prosecutor in charge of the investigation into the terrorist shooting called on Monday, October 16, Brussels residents to stay at home until the threat disappears, while France tightened its borders with Belgium. Learn more.
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BERLIN
Germany will begin checks at the border with Switzerland. Germany will introduce controls on its border with Switzerland following pressure to reduce irregular migration flows. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD/S&D) also promised on Monday to introduce stationary border controls with Poland and the Czech Republic. Learn more.
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PARIS
Six months after the pension reform, the French cabinet is courting the unions by talking about an increase in wages. The French government on Monday convened the leaders of unions and employers’ organizations for a high-level “social conference” focused on wage increases, months after a much-maligned pension reform paralyzed government-union dialogue. Learn more.
The French government risks a protest vote against the reform of the European electricity market. French opposition members have denounced government efforts to rein in electricity prices amid EU negotiations to reform the bloc’s electricity market, saying the executive will be judged during the 2024 European elections. Learn more.
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VIENNA
Austria rejects new compromise on European debt reform. Austria has criticized the latest compromise proposal to reform EU fiscal rules, with Finance Minister Magnus Brunner saying it lacks ambition. Learn more.
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THE HAGUE | COPENHAGEN
The Dutch and the Danes will intensify their cooperation on carbon capture and storage. Denmark and the Netherlands signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the EU Environment Council in Luxembourg on Monday, committing to cooperate in the areas of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and CO2 transport . Learn more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
COPENHAGEN
Denmark steps up crackdown on illegal foreign workers. The Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration on Monday unveiled a stricter regime to control illegal work by people who are not legally resident in Denmark but are not subject to deportation. Learn more.
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OSLO
Norway’s foreign minister has been fired amid a stock scandal. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre dismissed Anniken Huitfeldt as foreign minister amid stock market scandals, saying it was necessary to restore trust and quell controversy over her husband’s dealings and corporate conflicts. resulting potential interests. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
MADRID
Sumar presents the recognition of Palestine as a condition for entering the next Sánchez government. Recognition of Palestinian statehood is one of the conditions for the left-wing Sumar Platform to sign a coalition agreement with interim Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the group’s spokesman, Ernest Urtasun, said on Monday, stressing that we should not wait for a common agreement. EU position. Learn more.
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LISBON
Portugal’s Costa urges Israel to respect civilians in Gaza during military action. Israel has the right to defend itself by acting militarily while respecting the civilian populations of Gaza, Prime Minister António Costa said on Sunday in Alvor, Portimão. Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
PRAGUE | STOCKHOLM
EPPO could expand as Czech deputy director hints at possible inclusion of Sweden. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) could soon be expanded to include a new member state, Sweden, the body’s Czech deputy head Petr Klement told Euractiv.cz in an interview. Learn more.
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BRATISLAVA
Smer signs a coalition agreement to end the “reign of foreign NGOs”. The new Slovak government wants to crack down on foreign-funded NGOs, in a move reminiscent of laws qualifying NGOs as foreign agents introduced into Russia and Hungary, the latter having seen its laws invalidated by the Court of Justice of EU. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE
Serbia rejects the Berlin Process Summit to sign a trade deal with China. Serbia will sign a free trade deal with China on Tuesday – covering 10,412 Serbian tariff lines or products and 8,930 on the Chinese side, as President Aleksander Vučić snubbed the Berlin Process summit in Tirana to head east . Learn more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court will hear a case against the use of agrophotovoltaics. Agrophotovoltaic building Arable land use – that is, when the same area of land is used to produce both solar energy and agricultural products – could lead to the transformation of agricultural areas into agricultural production factories. energy, President Rumen Radev told the Constitutional Court on Monday. Learn more.
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BUCHAREST
Romanian Parliament readopts special pension reform after constitutional review. Romania’s Chamber of Deputies quickly adopted the law on special pensions on Monday, in line with the European Commission’s request to release a third installment of the recovery fund, after the Constitutional Court ruled the previous proposal unconstitutional in August. Learn more.
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PRISTINE | TIRANA | BERLIN
German representative in the Western Balkans: There is no need for a new approach to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Germany does not support the idea of a regional conference or a new approach to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, according to Manuel Sarrazin, special representative for Western Balkan countries to the German government, who spoke to Euractiv on the sidelines of the Berlin Summit in Tirana on Monday. Learn more.
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PRISTINE
Serbia refuses to sign the dialogue agreements supported by the EU at the Berlin Process summit. Serbia had the opportunity to sign the EU-facilitated Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Agreement at the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana, but refused, according to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Learn more.
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TIRANA
Divisions over Kosovo-Serbia, enlargement, financing and “class”, laid bare at the Berlin Process summit. TIRANA, ALBANIA – European Commission and Council leaders as well as key EU member states are adamant on the need for continued dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, despite the uncertainty caused by the recent September 24 attack in northern Kosovo, one of the many differences expressed during this conference. the Berlin Process Summit in Tirana on Monday. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Extraordinary meeting of the European Council by videoconference to focus on developments in the Middle East;
- The Economic and Financial Affairs Council meets to discuss the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), climate finance ahead of COP28, non-cooperative jurisdictions on taxation, and more Again ;
- Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council expected to discuss electricity market design, National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), winter preparedness, and more ;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the meeting of the College of Commissioners;
- Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness meets Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe;
- Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, delivers the Commission’s statement to Parliament on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty;
- Parliament Speaker Roberta Metsola received Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan;
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives King Abdullah II of Jordan;
- United Kingdom: The Energy Intelligence Forum 2023 takes place;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)