⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Germany, France and Poland call on Russia to defuse Ukraine crisis: French President Emmanuel Macron called on Tuesday for „firm“ dialogue with Russia to resolve the Ukraine crisis, in talks with his German and Polish counterparts in Berlin. „Our common goal is to prevent a war in Europe,“ German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said alongside Macron and Polish President Andrzej Duda. But, he made clear, peace could not come at any price. Speaking a day after meeting US President Joe Biden in Washington, Scholz continued: “A further violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine is unacceptable and would lead to far-reaching consequences for Russia, politically, economically and surely strategically, too.” Duda spoke of the „most difficult situation in which NATO and the EU have found themselves since 1989.“
france24.com, nytimes.com, tagesspiegel.de
‚War in the middle of Europe‘: German foreign minister visits frontline in eastern Ukraine. reuters.com
Kyiv: Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia have assured Ukraine of solidarity and non-military support. faz.net
Former US president Trump: „Germany is really a hostage of Russia.“ rnd.de
Biden vows to shut down Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades Ukraine: US President Joe Biden emerged from a meeting with Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz Monday vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis. “It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.
time.com
Vestager positions herself in Nord Stream 2 debate: Europe doesn’t need the pipeline, said EU Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager on Tuesday at the Europe 2022 conference, a cooperation of several German newspapers. At the same time, Vestager warned against hastily intervening in the market in the fight for affordable energy prices.
handelsblatt.com
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EU states agree crisis strategy for security policy: In order to be able to act on an equal footing internationally, a strategy paper aims to prepare the EU for the threats of the future. The „Strategic Compass“ is intended to counteract a possible strategic loss of importance in security and defence policy and to strengthen the EU’s own ability to act. It defines security and defence policy priorities and identifies possible threats. Most recently, French Foreign Minister Florence Parly promoted the idea that Europe should be fully sovereign and master of its own destiny.
tagesschau.de
EU unveils multibillion-euro chip production plan: The EU on Tuesday unveiled its new Chips Act, in which the bloc will spend some €42 billion in public and private funds to become a microchip producer. The EU wants to boost its economic self-sufficiency in the critical semiconductor sector, which has been plagued by supply chain shortages for more than a year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the Chips Act will link research, design and testing, but also coordinate EU and national investments.
dw.com
Meta denies that it will shut down Facebook and Instagram in Europe: Facebook’s parent firm Meta said Monday it has no plans to pull its services from Europe, after raising the possibility amid an ongoing row over transferring European data to the United States. „We have absolutely no desire and no plans to withdraw from Europe, but the simple reality is that Meta, and many other businesses, organisations and services, rely on data transfers between the EU and the US in order to operate global services,“ the firm said in a statement.
rfi.fr
EU tech: France wants to boost European tech with billions of euros. euractiv.com
EU cuts payments to Poland in dispute over mine: The EU Commission will withhold millions of euros in payments to Poland to recover unpaid fines, the first time it has used such a method to discipline a member country. The Commission said it would pursue a formal procedure to recover the fines that the Polish government has refused to pay in a dispute over its refusal to comply with an EU legal order related to its operation of a lignite mine. The move underscores the Commission’s determination to pursue a new, more aggressive strategy with wayward members.
nytimes.com
Polish president proposes abolishing disputed court chamber: Polish President Andrzej Duda said Thursday he is sending to parliament for approval a draft law that would abolish a top court’s disciplinary chamber in order to end a dispute with the EU. The EU says changes that the government has made to Poland’s justice system and the judiciary, putting them under political control, undermine the principles of democracy and the rule of law. “We don’t need this dispute,” Duda said, stressing that Poland is going through a difficult time at home and internationally, with mounting security tensions in the region.
abcnews.go.com
Germany considering lawsuit against EU taxonomy: Germany’s vice-chancellor Robert Habeck said on Monday that Berlin would examine a contentious proposal by the European Commission to include nuclear power and fossil gas in the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy before considering a potential lawsuit.
euractiv.com
EU states to take in refugees or pay: EU countries that don’t want to take in refugees should instead pay a fee. European interior ministers agreed on this plan at an informal meeting in Lille, France. The agreement is modelled on the Valletta Agreement, in which several states agreed to distribute rescued boat refugees for the first time in 2019. Unlike 2019, however, the agreement is to become a commitment. The fee and the distribution key still need to be decided. Also at France’s suggestion, a so-called Schengen Council was founded. In the future, the EU interior ministers will meet regularly to discuss crises.
zeit.de
Northern Ireland first minister resigns over Brexit checks on goods: The first minister of Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist party’s Paul Givan, has resigned over Brexit checks in the Irish Sea. Givan said it had been the “privilege of my lifetime” to hold the position but he had to go as the principle of consent that lay behind the institutions of power were being “tested” by Brexit. It is the culmination of months of protests by the DUP against checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea. The departure of Givan came just hours after the DUP agriculture minister, Edwin Poots, ordered a halt to Brexit checks on food and farm products coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
theguardian.com
France, Greece and Portugal relax Covid travel restrictions: France, Portugal and Greece have each updated their entry requirements for fully vaccinated travellers, with changes coming into effect in time for the holiday season.
theguardian.com
- Spain lifts outdoor mask requirement tagesspiegel.de
- Austria ends further restrictions this weekend zeit.de
- Bulgarian police confiscate thousands of fake vaccine cards n-tv.de
- Italian anti-vax parents lose appeal over unvaccinated blood donor request for child’s heart surgery independent.co.uk
Covid vaccines: Talks collapse on classifying vaccine donations as development aid. euractiv.com
Far-right MEP who gloated over David Sassoli’s death named party leader in EU Parliament: MEPs from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) have chosen their new party leader in the EU Parliament: Nicolaus Fest, who caused outrage last month when he shared insults and delight over the death of David Sassoli. Parliament President Sassoli died in January at the age of 65. According to leaked text messages obtained by German broadcaster ARD, Fest wrote in a group chat: “Finally, that filthy pig is gone.“ Fest takes over from Jörg Meuthen, who recently resigned and left the AfD but remains an MEP.
politico.eu
Council of Europe launches proceedings against Turkey: The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has taken a further step to launching sanctions against Turkey for not releasing philanthropist Osman Kavala. It has asked the European Court of Human Rights to reexamine the case.
dw.com
Saving the nuclear pact: Talks with Iran continue cnn.com
Vaccination: Antivax protests are on the rise in Europe, but can they last? euronews.com
Brexit: EU Commission extends exemption for British financial services providers handelsblatt.com
EU agriculture: Getting started on the next agricultural reform tagesschau.de
Eurobarometer: Defending democracy is top priority for the European Parliament europarl.europa.eu
Burundi: EU lifts existing restrictions under Article 96 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement consilium.europa.eu
⊂ QUOTE OF THE DAY ⊃
„I think these big digital corporations are not used to being opposed.“
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck and his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire seemed unimpressed on Monday by digital giant Meta’s threat of possibly withdrawing Facebook and Instagram from the EU.
euractiv.com
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
Former Pope Benedict XVI apologises to sex abuse victims: Former Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday over his handling of clergy sex abuse cases. Benedict expressed his „deep shame“ and „great pain,“ as well as his „sincere request for apology to all victims of sexual abuse.“ However, the retired pope said he was not personally involved in any cover-up after an independent inquiry criticised his actions in the way he dealt with four cases during his time as archbishop of Munich. Yet, the former pope admitted that he had attended a meeting in which the child-abusing past of that priest was discussed and that he had previously provided false information. He later said his wrong statement was the “result of an oversight in the editing of his statement.”
dw.com, politico.eu
Clashes in Slovak parliament over military treaty with the US: Thousands of Slovaks rallied Tuesday to protest a military defence treaty between their nation and the United States. The protesters gathered in Bratislava in front of parliament, where lawmakers were debating the Defence Cooperation Agreement. Police prevented some protesters from entering the building. The parliamentary debate was obstructed by opposition lawmakers, who used whistles to prevent others from speaking. They also seized an Ukrainian flag unveiled by the coalition lawmakers, after pouring water on it and a lawmaker who was holding it.
abcnews.go.com
Record French trade deficit: France posted a record trade deficit last year as imports surged on higher energy prices and Airbus exports fell, official data showed on Tuesday, casting a rare cloud over President Emmanuel Macron’s economic record. nasdaq.com
Italy’s 5Star Movement in disarray: Italy’s 5Star Movement has been thrown into chaos after a judge invalidated the appointment of leader Giuseppe Conte. The court found “grave defects in the decision-making process,” citing the fact that 80,000 new members were excluded from the vote and the fact that the vote did not achieve the required quorum — half of the total members.
politico.eu
Greek protesters torch equipment at island migrant camp: Four people have been arrested on the Greek island of Lesbos after violence broke out during a protest against plans to build a new migrant camp. Following a peaceful march to the site in heavy rain Monday, a small group of protesters set fire to earth-moving machinery being used by a contractor who has started work on the 87.5 million-euro project. A police statement Tuesday said the four suspects face charges including attempted grievous bodily harm, arson and property destruction.
washingtonpost.com
Greenpeace chief to lead German climate diplomacy: The chief of Greenpeace International, Jennifer Morgan, has been tapped to lead in the German government on international climate policy. The foreign ministry led by former Greens party leader Annalena Baerbock is responsible for international climate diplomacy, which will task Morgan primarily with the organisation of the annual world climate conference “Conference of Parties” (COP), as reported by Reuters.
euractiv.com, reuters.com
Amy Gutmann becomes new US ambassador to Germany: The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Amy Gutmann, President Joe Biden’s nominee for ambassador to Germany, close to six months after her nomination. The 72-year-old with German-Jewish roots still has to be sworn in before taking office. She will be the first woman to hold the US ambassador’s post in Berlin. Almost every Republican voted against Gutmann, who has served as the president of the University of Pennsylvania since 2004.
dw.com
French far-right presidential hopeful likens himself to Boris Johnson: Far-right French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour has said of all world leaders he is compared to he feels most like the British prime minister, Boris Johnson. During a morning news programme, the interviewer mentioned former US President Donald Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Italy’s former deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini and asked if they were models for Zemmour. “You have not mentioned Boris Johnson and I am astonished because he is without doubt the leader I feel I am closest to, culturally, intellectually… and he’s obviously a European like me but English,” Zemmour said.
theguardian.com
France’s right-wingers are vying for votes: In addition to Marie Le Pen, publicist Eric Zemmour is also on the far-right fringe in France. At the weekend, there was a first showdown between the two; they each appeared in front of thousands of supporters. Le Pen has long been the best-known figure on the right, but is being overtaken by the publicist, who has been convicted several times for racist statements and speaks even more radically. In polls, both are tied at around 14%. n-tv.de
Taliban delegation holds talks in Geneva: Representatives of the Afghan Taliban regime arrived in Geneva on Sunday for several days of talks. nzz.ch
German defence minister ‚very sceptical‘ about Mali mission: German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Sunday she was „very sceptical“ that the country could maintain its troops in Mali amid growing tension between the West African country and its international partners. Germany has some 1,200 troops deployed in Mali as part of a 9-year-old international counter-terrorism and peacekeeping mission in the Sahel state. But tensions have escalated between Bamako and its partners after the junta government failed to organise an election following two military coups.
reuters.com
European oil facilities hit by cyber-attacks: Multiple oil transport and storage companies across Europe have dealt with cyber-attacks. IT systems have been disrupted at Oiltanking in Germany, SEA-Invest in Belgium and Evos in the Netherlands.
bbc.com
Italy: President Sergio Mattarella sworn in for a second term euronews.com
IMF loans: Greece plans to repay last IMF bailout loans early reuters.com
Migration: Lithuania reaches agreement with 272 migrants on repatriation zeit.de
Portugal: Right-wing populist Chega party in trouble: MPs allegedly invited 170 people to restaurant during lockdown sueddeutsche.de
Poland: Finance minister resigns after backlash over tax reforms ft.com
Romania: Dacian Ciolos quits as leader of Romanian opposition party politico.eu
Belgium: Anti-terror police make 13 arrests in Antwerp politico.eu
Switzerland: Three paralysed patients walk again thanks to spinal cord implants english.elpais.com
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Negotiations to amend constitution and electoral law continue on Thursday derstandard.at
⊂ POLITJOBS ⊃
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⊂ LAST BUT NOT LEAST ⊃
Boris Johnson sang ‚I Will Survive‘ to new communications director: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sang Gloria Gaynor’s hit song „I Will Survive“, according to his new communications director, before discussing his appointment to try to reset his premiership after a series of political scandals. Guto Harri, who was appointed as Johnson’s new director of communications on Saturday, said in his first interview that the pair launched into a rendition of the song after he asked the prime minister if he could survive.
reuters.com