⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Macron wants new strategy to protect EU borders: French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday France would work towards a strong and „sovereign“ European Union when it takes over the bloc’s rotating presidency that coincides with France’s presidential election. Macron called for new mechanisms to protect the EU’s borders, adding that France would push for reform of the Schengen area of passport-free travel between 26 countries in Europe.
france24.com
Baerbock says common European response needed on Beijing Olympics: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Thursday that Europe needed to find a common response on the issue of a diplomatic boycott of February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. She said the case of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, whose whereabouts have become a matter of international concern following her allegations of being sexually assaulted, need to be pursued. The US initiated the boycott earlier this week over alleged human rights abuses in China. French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer on Thursday said France would not follow the lead of some other Western governments and launch a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
reuters.com, reuters.com
Germany warns Russia will pay a price if it enters Ukraine: Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned Russia on Thursday that it would pay a “high political and economic price” if it makes any militaristic moves against neighbouring Ukraine. “The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine aren’t up for negotiation for us,” Baerbock said in Paris while making her first foreign trip, a day after taking office. She added that the highest priority must be to avoid a military escalation. During a meeting with the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affair, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Baerbock maintained her rejection of French plans to classify nuclear power as „green“ energy. Following the meeting, Baerbock travelled on to Brussels. There, she stressed the importance of a united Europe in standing up for democracy and the rule of law. At a joint press event with Baerbock, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that in order to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the EU was ready to use „all available instruments“.
apnews.com, tagesspiegel.de, handelsblatt.com
- Russian President Vladimir Putin compares Donbas war zone to genocide bbc.com
- Senior Russian diplomat says failure to stem mounting tensions could push Russia and the West to a redux of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis apnews.com
- Poland’s prime minister demands: New German Chancellor Scholz should stop Nord Stream 2 handelsblatt.com
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Biden rallies global democracies: US President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy was intended to rally the world’s democracies against the authoritarian models of Russia and China. Speaking by video from a White House auditorium, Biden said global freedoms were under threat from autocrats seeking to expand power, export influence and justify repression. “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. And we have to renew it with each generation,“ he said. „In my view, this is the defining challenge of our time.“ The White House said it was working with Congress to provide $424.4 million toward a new initiative to bolster democracy around the world, including support to independent news media.
nytimes.com, reuters.com
EU could reclassify millions of gig economy workers as employees: Gig economy firms like Uber or Deliveroo face tougher rules under new EU Commission proposals presented on Thursday that could see millions of workers reclassified as employees rather than as freelancers. The new rules will ensure that people working through digital labour platforms can enjoy the labour rights and social benefits they are entitled to. They will also receive additional protection as regards the use of algorithmic management.
dpa-international.com, ec.europa.eu
EU extends free mobile roaming to 2032: European citizens will be able to use their mobile phones without excessive extra costs when travelling abroad in the EU, negotiators agreed Thursday morning. The European Parliament, Commission and EU Council agreed to extend the rules and add obligations for operators to guarantee quality and speed of calling, texting and using mobile data abroad.
politico.eu
Iran nuclear deal talks in Vienna: Negotiations between Iran and the other remaining signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal resumed on Thursday after a break of almost a week. dw.com
Uyghur tribunal: A London-based independent tribunal has ruled that China committed genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in its western Xinjiang region. cnn.com
Migration and asylum pact: Council adopts EU asylum agency regulation consilium.europa.eu
Climate: EU passes first chunk of green investment rules reuters.com
Fisheries dispute: French President Macron accuses UK of not keeping its word on Brexit and fishing theguardian.com
Europe tech investment to reach $100 billion in 2021 euractiv.com
Media watchdog: Number of imprisoned journalists hits all-time high euractiv.com
⊂ QUOTE OF THE DAY ⊃
„Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are at the heart of the EU’s response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Investing in human rights, democracy, the rule of law and enabling civic space is essential to achieving and rebuilding better societies for present and future generations.“
Declaration by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Human Rights Day.
consilium.europa.eu
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
Italy fines Amazon for abuse of market dominance: Italy’s antitrust watchdog said on Thursday it had fined Amazon 1.13 billion euros for alleged abuse of market dominance, in one of the biggest penalties imposed on a US tech giant in Europe. Italy’s watchdog said in a statement that Amazon had leveraged its dominant position in the Italian market for intermediation services on marketplaces to favour the adoption of its own logistics service — Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) — by sellers active on Amazon.it.
cnn.com
Denmark’s prime minister defends mink cull: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday defended her decision to order a nationwide cull across Denmark’s mink farms a year ago over coronavirus concerns before appearing before a commission of inquiry. „We were unfortunately forced to make a decision a year ago about the culling of all mink,“ she told reporters before entering the court where the commission is sitting. „It was the right decision.“
news.trust.org
Croatia can join border-free Schengen area: EU governments agreed on Thursday for Croatia to join the bloc’s passport-free Schengen travel area after Zagreb convinced Brussels that it was able to effectively manage its section of the bloc’s external borders. „Croatia is ready,“ European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson told a news conference after agreement was reached among the bloc’s interior ministers. The Commission had recommended Croatia’s inclusion into Schengen in October 2019.
reuters.com
Belarus:
- New German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser calls instrumentalisation of migrants by Belarus „scandalous and inhuman“ tagesschau.de
- Polish probe: Belarusian KGB forced landing of plane with blogger Roman Protasevich rferl.org
- British troops deployed to help Poland guard border with Belarus politico.eu
Austria introduces compulsory vaccination from age 14: Austria’s planned coronavirus vaccine mandate has a minimum age of 14, Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein told a news conference on Thursday. Austria plans to impose fines of up to 3,600 euros on people who flout the vaccine mandate it aims to introduce in February.
reuters.com, abcnews.go.com
- Schools in Denmark to close early for Christmas as Covid cases surge irishtimes.com
- EU drugs regulator says data supports vaccine boosters after three months reuters.com
- EU watchdog says Omicron ‚mostly mild‘ as WHO warns on vaccine hoarding france24.com
Notre Dame’s restoration plans approved: The divisive future interior design of Notre-Dame de Paris was approved on Thursday as part of recovery plans from its devastating fire. A vote took place after a closed-door deliberation between a 24-person committee of architectural experts, politicians, and religious figures.
euronews.com
France 1: Twitter’s content moderation on trial in Paris politico.eu
France 2: French left snubs primary offer from socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo politico.eu
Serbia moves to defuse protests over Rio Tinto lithium mine euronews.com
Italy: President Mattarella pardons former South Tyrolean terrorist derstandard.at
Juan Carlos lawsuit: Spain denies foreign ex-heads of state the immunity emeritus king is claiming in London english.elpais.com
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Srebrenica genocide victims found in new mass grave rte.ie
⊂ POLITJOBS ⊃
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⊂ LAST BUT NOT LEAST ⊃
Poster with Merkel-Hitler collage urges reparations to Poland: Ahead of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s inaugural visit to Poland this Friday, a drastic poster campaign in Warsaw calls for German reparations for war damage. The posters show, among others, former Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as well as the German ambassador in Warsaw, Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, together with Adolf Hitler and Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. The artist behind the campaign is Wojciech Korkuc. He had already caused a stir in 2020 with posters on the subject of compensation.
tagesspiegel.de