EurActiv
French company likely to supply new radars for Bulgarian army
French defence company Thales likely won the bid to supply Bulgaria’s army with new 3D surveillance radars for €142 million - a 25% decrease from the €200 million price Thales initially wanted Sofia to pay for them.
Categories: EurActiv
Slovak opposition reignites anti-government protests amid democratic concerns
Anti-government protests organised by Slovakia’s opposition parties, which have attracted tens of thousands of people in recent months, have resumed after a five-week break, citing the government’s constant attacks on Slovak democracy and the country’s reputation.
Categories: EurActiv
Spanish parliament OKs amnesty law, right-wing opposition announces block in Senate
The Spanish parliament has approved a bill that would pardon Catalan separatists who committed unlawful acts between 2012 and 2023, but with the text now heading to the Senate, the party with a majority in the higher house, the right-wing Partido Popular (PP), has said it will try to block the process.
Categories: EurActiv
Towards a stronger, greener and resilient Digital Single Market in Europe [Promoted content]
In light of the complex geopolitical situation, the numerous global challenges ahead of us, including the green transition, and the debate on the enlargement of the European Union (EU), citizens and businesses need to rely on a stronger EU to reinforce our values, rights, and vision of the future.
Categories: EurActiv
EU prosecutor says Greece obstructing investigation into deadly train accident
EU chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi has said the Greek authorities are posing obstacles in her investigation over a train accident last year which killed 57 people, mainly youngsters.
Categories: EurActiv
Hijacked Bulgarian ship may have been used in attack near Somalia
Somali pirates who seized the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo ship Ruen in December may have used the vessel in the takeover of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia two days ago, the European Union naval force said on Thursday (14 March).
Categories: EurActiv
Italian majority split on third term for regional governors
Tensions are rising among the majority parties in Italy’s ruling coalition after a proposal by Matteo Salvini’s Lega (ID) to extend the maximum term of office for regional governors to three years failed to convince the right-wing coalition’s other partners - a move that could reshape the power dynamics within the government and Lega ahead of June’s EU elections.
Categories: EurActiv
Danish government’s plan to extend military service ‘unrealistic’, says union
The government’s recent proposal to extend compulsory military service from four to 11 months is “unrealistic,” mainly due to a lack of capacity, a leading union representing Danish armed forces personnel told Danish media on Thursday.
Categories: EurActiv
EU delegation of German far-right faces revolt before European Elections
In an unprecedented move, outgoing members in the European Parliament of Germany’s far-right AfD have elected a new delegation chair, defying a direct request by the party leadership not to go through with it.
Categories: EurActiv
Ukraine: Macron accepts possibility of need for troops in Ukraine
Commenting on his recent statements on the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television interview on Thursday that France would “never go on the offensive” but reiterated his goal of making Russia lose.
Categories: EurActiv
“Broken” Franco-German tandem needs Tusk and Trump
As the vital relationship between Franco-German leaders Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron appears “broken”, hopes for a sustainable fix rest on the Weimar Triangle and even the return of an old nemesis.
Categories: EurActiv
Bulgaria and Romania to partially join Schengen – a bit too late?
On the latest episode of Euractiv’s Today in the EU we invited Georgi Gotev, our senior editor to take a deep dive into Bulgaria’s and Romania’s Schengen admission.
Categories: EurActiv
Data protection in the EU: Children, migrants, and EU Commission
This week, together with the European Data Protection Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski, we look at data protection issues, including the regulation concerning the detection and removal of online child sexual abuse material, as well as Frontex’s handling of migrants’ data, and the recent news regarding the European Commission's violation of data protection rules in its use of Microsoft.
Categories: EurActiv
Orphan medicines Pharma package provisions unleash uncertainties, stakeholders warn [Advocacy Lab Content]
There are more than 6,000 rare diseases, with 27 different healthcare systems governed by conflicting rules and principles, with no harmonisation for orphan medicines payments. Rare disease clinicians hope the Pharma Package will bridge regulatory gaps.
Categories: EurActiv
Abusive subcontracting detrimental to all workers, says European trade workers’ union [Advocacy Lab Content]
When done abusively to cut costs and circumvent regulations, subcontracting is detrimental to both the subcontracted workers and local workforces who end up approaching the negotiating table from weaker positions, says a leading European trade unionist.
Categories: EurActiv
EU needs an ambitious Bio Act, says MEP Weiss [Advocacy Lab Content]
Europe needs a Bio Act according to MEP Pernille Weiss (EPP). Weiss and other expert speakers at the European High-Level Summit on Biosolutions said failing to develop an effective biosolutions framework will lead to a stifling of innovation and growth.
Categories: EurActiv
EU push to make private sector finance key investments is misguided, analysts warn
The EU’s recent push to encourage the private sector to step in to finance critical investment - especially through the revival of Capital Market Union (CMU) plans - is both unrealistic and misguided, experts warned.
Categories: EurActiv
EU Commission scrutinises nine big tech platforms over targeted ads and generative AI
The European Commission requested information on Thursday (14 March) from nine big tech platforms on their use of targeted ads and generative artificial intelligence (AI) to gauge compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Categories: EurActiv
Commission says new rules on animal welfare postponed in name of strategic dialogue
After tabling just a small part of the promised overhaul of legislation on animal welfare, the Commission told the European Parliament plenary on Thursday (14 March) that a revision must rely on a strategic dialogue with stakeholders.
Categories: EurActiv
Panama tackling illicit trade [Advocacy Lab Content]
Panama is increasingly becoming the hub of illicit tobacco trade, costing the country massive loss of public revenues and at the same time, raising questions over the policy response to this phenomenon.
Categories: EurActiv