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In today’s news from The Capitals:
BERLIN
The outgoing lower chamber of the German parliament, the Bundestag, voted on Tuesday to amend the country’s constitution and clear the way for a historic debt-funded investment package which could run to €1 trillion or more in higher military spending and investments in the country’s ageing infrastructure. Read more.
WESTERN EUROPE
PARIS
France debates supermarkets to keep minimum 10% margin on foods. The French National Assembly voted on Monday to extend a requirement that supermarkets charge at least a 10% margin on foodstuffs, a measure intended to protect farmers’ incomes. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
COPENHAGEN
Scandinavian Airlines accused of greenwashing. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), the national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, is under fire after Danish consumer watchdog group Forbrugerrådet Tænk accused it of greenwashing and reported it to the country’s consumer ombudsman for breaching the country’s marketing laws, per Jyllands-Posten.
Borderline satire. The airline’s „Conscious Traveler” initiative – where passengers earn bonus points and a shiny eco-label by watching a video on future aviation, buying a dynamo flashlight from SAS’s webshop, or opting for biofuel – has been branded “borderline satire” by Tænk’s director, Winnie Grosbøll.
“Flying isn’t eco-conscious, and a powerbank doesn’t change that,” she told public broadcaster DR, arguing it misleads customers into thinking small purchases offset aviation’s hefty CO2 footprint.
SAS doubled down and rejected the critique. In a statement to DR, the airline insisted its programme reflects “dedication to transformation” toward sustainability, spotlighting investments in cutting-edge tech.
(Charles Szumski | Euractiv)
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VILNIUS | TALLINN | RIGA
Baltics and Poland to withdraw from Ottawa mine convention. The defence ministers of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have backed a recommendation to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines, signalling a dramatic shift in NATO’s eastern flank strategy. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Draghi: Europe’s security is in trouble – thanks to the US. Europe’s security is at risk due to „the change in our main ally’s foreign policy toward Russia, which, with the invasion of Ukraine, has proven to be a concrete threat to the European Union,” warned Mario Draghi, special adviser to the EU Commission President, while presenting his report to the Italian Parliament on Tuesday.
A higher chain of command: In response, “Europe must act as a single state,” as overcoming national defence models and adopting a continental ap proach “becomes a necessary step.” This requires “a higher-level chain of command to coordinate heterogeneous armies,” one that „can operate as a continental defense system, independent of national priorities,” Draghi said.
The former ECB chief and Italian PM reiterated that “the only way” to finance European defense is through joint debt, as national budget constraints prevent significant deficit increases. This approach, he argued, is crucial to avoid cuts to healthcare and social spending, which would mean “the negation of Europe’s identity.”
(Alessia Peretti | Euractiv.it)
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MADRID
Spanish government agrees with Puigdemont’s party on a ‘solidarity distribution’ of immigrant minors. The coalition government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D) and the left-wing platform Sumar approved on Tuesday a reform of the Law on Foreigners (Ley de Extranjería) that will allow the distribution of nearly 6,000 unaccompanied immigrant minors in Spain’s 17 regions after reaching an agreement with the Catalan separatist JxCat party. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese President: Europe must be part of a Ukraine security solution. The president of Portugal said on Tuesday that Europe should be part of the security solution created for Ukraine in a post-war scenario, pointing out that Portuguese participation will be defined together with the allies.
At a joint press conference with his Slovenian counterpart, Nataša Pirc Musar, at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana on the occasion of a state visit to Slovenia, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that the two countries are „in agreement that it is not possible to exclude Ukraine in a matter where the centre of this three-year war has been Ukraine”, stressing that this would be „absurd”.
“Nor is it possible to exclude Europe because this is a global war involving global powers, but taking place in a European theatre and where European security is at stake,” he continued.
In the same way, he said, “Portugal believes that it doesn’t make sense to exclude Europe from the security solution that will be created now at this time of discussion of a ceasefire, but above all for lasting peace”.
(André Campos | Lusa.pt)
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
‘Fire extinguisher MEP’ grabbed spray paint this time. Polish MEP Grzegorz Braun (NI), who gained international notoriety for using a fire extinguisher to put out the Hanukkah candles in the Polish parliament as a protest against the celebration of the Jewish holiday in the country, this time lashed out at the LGBTQ+ community by spray-painting a Pride exhibition in Opole, southwestern Poland.
Braun, who is running for president as the candidate of his Civic Union of the Polish Crown (KKP) movement and was expelled from the Civic Union party (ESN/PfE) for putting forward his candidacy despite the grouping having already nominated the younger and more moderate Sławomir Mentzen as its candidate, visited the city of Opole on 18 March.
After seeing the exhibition of the NGO Rainbow Opole, entitled “There are more of us. Provoke equality with us,” which had been up for less than 24 hours and consisted of pictures taken during the Pride marches in Opole, Braun grabbed a spray can and vandalised it, as documented in a film posted on social media.When asked by the person behind the camera to stop, he replied that “he had already started”
Unacceptable behaviour: Opole City Hall spokesman told the media that the city found such behavior “unacceptable” and would seek compensation from the MEP. He added that the damage had been estimated at around 35 thousand zlotys (8.4 thousand euros).
Earlier this month, Braun announced that he had been punished for an incident in the European Parliament in January in which he repeatedly disrupted the proceedings of the chamber, including during a minute’s silence to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. He displayed a letter he had received from President Roberta Metsola (EPP).
The MEP was excluded from plenary sessions for six months and was also fined 30 daily allowances. The daily rate is over €300, meaning Braun will lose €9,000.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)
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PRAGUE
EP legal affairs committee backs lifting immunity for Czech MEP Nagyová. The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) recommended lifting the immunity of Czech MEP Jana Nagyová from far-right the Patriots for Europe group, who faces charges in the Čapí hnízdo subsidy fraud case.
The case involves allegations that former Czech PM Andrej Babiš and Nagyová misused €2 million in EU subsidies by falsely presenting a company as a small business. Nagyová has already been twice acquitted by Czech courts, but the verdicts were appealed.
The trial was paused after her election to the European Parliament in June 2024, which brought with it parliamentary immunity. She insists the case is politically motivated and expects to be cleared again.
(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)
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BUDAPEST
Hungarian minister suggests Orbán may not back EU defence fund. In a Facebook post on Monday, EU parliamentary affairs secretary Barna Pál Zsigmond expressed Hungary’s objection to the €150 billion defense plan tentatively agreed by EU leaders at their summit earlier this month.
He criticised the EU for standing in line for „just a little sovereignty” and denounced Brussels itself for looking for „new resources to escalate the conflict.” No plan which supplies arms to Ukraine or requires joint borrowing among member states would gain support from Hungary, Zsigmond said.
Prime Minister Victor Orbán had supported the EU summit conclusions on the defence spending package earlier this month. The legal texts are due to be presented by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tomorrow, before EU leaders debate them on Thursday.
(Telex.hu)
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BRATISLAVA
Fico announces agreement with rebel MPs, securing more comfortable majority again. After weeks of uncertainty over the strength of support for Slovakia’s ruling coalition in parliament, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced he has reached an agreement with three rebel MPs.
By securing their support, Fico’s government would get back to 79 votes in the 150-member parliament, up from the slimmest possible majority of just 76 until now.
No further details about the content of the agreement were offered by Fico or the MPs, but Fico vowed they will be forthcoming in the next few days.
Meet the team. The two MPs in question, Samuel Migaľ and Radomír Šalitroš, were elected on the list of Hlas-SD – Fico’s junior coalition partner – but later broke ranks with the party criticizing its leadership and some actions of the government. As a result, they were expelled by the party.
The third MP, Ján Ferenčák, was not formally expelled from Hlas-SD but has nevertheless been part of the rebel group, abstained from voting with the coalition while also remaining part of the ongoing negotiations within the coalition.
(Zuzana Gabrižová | Euractiv.sk)
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgaria risks losing €2.5 billion from EU Social Climate Fund. Bulgaria risks losing €2.5 billion in EU grants from the Social Climate Fund because it is late in preparing its national plan, influential NGOs such as WWF, Za Zemyata (For the Earth) and Habitat Bulgaria have warned. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romanian beekeepers call for government support amid rising costs and market challenges. Romanian beekeepers are urging the government to provide financial support to help maintain bee colonies and introduce import licenses for honey and other bee products in hopes of protecting domestic production from non-EU imports.
They report that honey prices have remained consistently low over the past two years, despite production costs rising by 40%.
Ukraine Factor. Additionally, the beekeepers argue that EU export licenses granted to Ukraine after the Russian invasion have further impacted their livelihoods.
Ioan Fetea, president of the Romanian Beekeepers Association (ACA) warned about counterfeit honey entering both the Romanian and broader EU markets.
In 2024, the ACA requested de minimis aid from the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture to support bee colonies survival and build winter reserves, but the promised assistance never materialised, despite being allocated in the budget.
In the absence of government aid, beekeepers had to use personal funds for supplemental feeding to keep their colonies alive. Nevertheless, some counties have reported losses of over 30–35% of their bee colonies.
Despite facing difficulties in recent years, Romania remains one of the European Union’s top honey producers.
(Catalina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)
AGENDA:
- EU: Tripartite Social Summit expected to focus on “Bringing Europe back on track in a challenging geopolitical environment as an attractive, competitive and investment friendly location that protects and creates quality jobs”;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts UN Secretary General António Guterres;
- High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas participates in Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) Conference;
- Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen holds exchange of views with Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence and Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield;
- Vice President Raffaele Fitto delivers opening speech at Inaugural Congress “Cooperatives: Driving Force for Europe’s Competitiveness and Social Cohesion”; Meets with European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) President Oliver Röpke;
- Vice President Roxana Mînzatu meets with EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries) representatives; Participates in first meeting of Commissioners’ Project Group on Artificial Intelligence;
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres; Receives courtesy visits from President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo; Holds meeting with Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies (FAES) President José María Aznar;
- Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development debates cohesion policy investment role in resolving current housing crisis, and more;
- Parliament’s Committee on Development debates EU/UNOPS Global Gateway implementation, and more;
- Parliament’s Committees on Budgetary Control and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs hold joint meeting on European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) Annual Report 2024
- Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs votes on Establishing an EU talent pool, and more;
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(Edited by Vas Panagiotopoulos, Daniel Eck, Sofia Mandilara)
