Page 14 - European Union

New Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline 'means freedom', says EU chief Leyen

The president of the European Union's executive arm travelled Saturday to Bulgaria for the opening of a natural gas link between the country and Greece, emphasising the EU's determination to stop relying on Russian energy imports. Speaking at a ceremony in Sofia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the pipeline as an important contribution to limiting opportunities for Russia to use its gas and oil reserves to blackmail or punish the EU. This pipeline changes the energy security situation for Europe. This project means freedom, von der Leyen told an audience that included heads of state and government from the region. The European Commission committed nearly 250 million euros to finance the project, von der Leyen said. The importance of the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria pipeline, which was completed in July, has significantly risen after Moscow decided to turn its natural gas deliveries into a political weapon. A second European pipeline started operatin

European Union approves energy windfall profit levies, says report

Ministers from the 27 EU member states approved levies on energy firms' windfall profits to try contain an energy price surge aggravated by Russia's war against Ukraine.

European Union demands clampdown on issuing visas to Russian citizens

The European Union's top migration official on Friday urged the bloc's 27 nations to clamp down on issuing visas to Russian citizens amid heightened security concerns over Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear threats and his annexation of parts of Ukraine. This is clearly an escalation and that means also an escalation of the security threat towards the European Union, Migration Commissioner Ylva Johansson said. She urged EU countries to enforce more stringent checks on Russian citizens and deny documents to anyone who might pose a threat. Over 194,000 Russian citizens have fled to neighboring Georgia, Kazakhstan and Finland often by car, bicycle or on foot since Putin last week announced a partial mobilization of reservists to bolster his troops in Ukraine. In Russia, the vast majority of men under 65 are registered as reservists. Johansson said EU authorities must stop short-term visa holders from Russia from renewing them in Europe. If a Russian person intends to stay ..

Comprehensive trade deal with EU could make India an export hub: Mercedes

In June, the EU and India relaunched talks for a free trade agreement with the aim of completing them by the end of 2023

EU adopt windfall levy to manage energy crisis, no deal on price cap

European Union energy ministers on Friday adopted a package of measures to soothe the energy crisis, including a windfall levy on profits by fossil fuel companies, but a deal on capping gas prices remained off the table. With energy prices skyrocketing across Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, EU member countries reached a deal on proposals from the European Commission that the bloc's executive arm said could help raise USD 140 billion to help people and businesses hit by the crunch. The measures include a levy on surplus profits made by companies producing or refining oil, gas and coal. The two other main elements of the plan are a temporary cap on the revenues of low-cost electricity generators such as wind, solar and nuclear companies, as well as an obligation for the 27 EU countries to reduce electricity consumption by at least 5 per cent during peak price hours. The text should be adopted next week and enter into force soon after. Estonian Economic Affairs and ...

Inflation hits 10% in 19 EU nations using euro, electricity prices up

Inflation in the European countries using the euro currency has broken into double digits as prices for electricity and natural gas soar, signalling a looming winter recession for one of the globe's major economies as higher prices undermine consumers' spending power. Consumer prices in the 19-country eurozone hit a record 10 per cent in September, up from 9.1 per cent in August, EU statistics agency Eurostat reported on Friday. Only a year ago inflation was as low as 3.4 per cent. Price increases are at their highest level since record-keeping for the euro started in 1997. Energy prices were the main culprit, rising 40.8 per cent over a year ago. Food, alcohol and tobacco jumped 11.8 per cent. Inflation has been fuelled by steady cutbacks in supplies of natural gas from Russia and by bottlenecks in getting supplies of raw materials and parts as the global economy bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Russian cutbacks have sent gas prices soaring to the point where ...

European Union urges Israel, Palestine to defuse West Bank tension

The European Union (EU) is exerting efforts to defuse the escalating tension between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank, an official announced

EU vows retaliation if energy network attacked after gas pipeline damage

The European Union suspects that damage to two underwater natural gas pipelines was sabotage and is warning of retaliation for any attack on Europe's energy networks, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday. All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act, Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the 27 EU member countries. Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response. Seismologists reported on Tuesday that explosions rattled the Baltic Sea before unusual leaks were discovered on two underwater natural gas pipelines running from Russia to Germany. Some European leaders and experts pointed to possible sabotage given the energy standoff with Russia provoked by the war in Ukraine. The three leaks were reported on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which are filled with natural gas but are not delivering the fuel to Europe. The damage means that

Putin to proclaim formal annexation of Ukrainian territory in days

European Union likely to place trade sanctions on Moscow over 'sham' votes

EU buys additional vaccine doses against monkeypox despite declining cases

The European Commission said it had secured over 10,000 tecovirimat vaccines against monkeypox, despite the declining number of cases in the European Union (EU)

Ukraine to adopt laws for membership talks with EU by mid-November

Ukraine plans to adopt the legislations needed to launch the membership talks with the European Union(EU) by mid-November, a top official said here.

Italy's EU partners vigilant as far right party set to take power

Italy's European Union partners are signalling discomfort, even vigilance, after Italy, one of the bloc's founding members, swung far to the political right. The result of Italy's latest election raises troubling questions about whether Rome will maintain its commitments to EU principles, laws and ambitions. The French prime minister on Monday said her government, along with EU officials, would be watching to ensure that basic human rights are guaranteed in Italy after Giorgia Meloni's neo-fascist far-right Brothers of Italy Party topped the vote count in Sunday's parliamentary election. In Europe, we uphold some values and obviously we will ensure, and the president of the commission will ensure, that these values on human rights, the respect of other people, especially the respect of the right to abortion will be respected by all (member states), Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told French broadcaster BFM TV. Such statements among the longtime EU partners are highly unusual and .

EU countries plan to delay Russian oil price cap amid divisions: Report

Countries may push to have a preliminary deal ahead of an informal gathering of EU leaders in Prague on Oct 6

EU candidate Serbia and Russia sign agreement on foreign policy matters

Serbia has signed an agreement with Russia for mutual consultations on foreign policy matters, the Balkan country's media reported on Saturday. Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic signed the agreement on Friday along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, where most Western delegations shunned Russia's top diplomat over the country's invasion of Ukraine. The consultation plan covered by the agreement is expected to last for two years, Serbia's foreign ministry said in a Friday statement. Serbia officially is a candidate for European Union membership, but the government maintains relations with Russia. Although Serbia said it supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, the government has repeatedly refused to join Western sanctions against its Slavic allies in Moscow. Aligning foreign policies with the EU is one of the main pre-conditions for joining the 27-nation bloc, but Serbia has increasingly defie

EU seeks laws against human rights issue in Pakistan after MEP's visit

The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who paid a three-day visit to Pakistan, have called for timely reforms and legislative changes on human rights issues including enforced disappearances

EU recommends withholding funds for Hungary over graft concerns

The European Commission has today proposed budget protection measures to the Council under the conditionality regulation

In a first, EU moves to cut money for Hungary over damaging democracy

EU executive proposes taking 7.5 billion euros from Hungary; 27 EU countries have three months to decide, no veto; Hungary pledges to meet all commitments to unlock EU funds

EU drafts new media laws amid concern over spying, state pressure

The European Union's executive branch unveiled plans Friday for new laws that it said would help protect media freedom and independence in the 27-nation bloc at a time of mounting concern about the dangers of political influence in several member countries. Spurred into action allegations of state spying on reporters, the use of political pressure on news outlets and the placing of advertising to peddle influence, the European Commission said the EU needs a European Media Freedom Act. We see a lot of worrying trends regarding media in Europe, and it's not only a matter of one or two countries, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told reporters in Brussels. She said the proposed legislation is needed for the times we live in, not for the times we would like to live in. The commission has criticised the governments of Hungary, Poland and Slovenia in recent years for trying to pressure their national media. But EU officials say they see the risk of political influence in mo

EU looks to raise $140 billion with windfall swoop on energy firms

As the bloc supports Ukraine, Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas to 13 member nations, surging gas and electricity prices that are expected to go higher as demand peaks during the cold months

EU seeks $140 bn from energy firms to insulate consumers from energy crisis

European gas and power prices have rocketed this year as Russia cut fuel exports to retaliate for Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine