European Commission tells staff to ditch ads on X – POLITICO

ELON MUSK’S X IN EU CROSSHAIRS       

SCOOP — NO MORE X ADS, EU COMMISSION TELLS STAFF: The European Commission’s communications department has asked all EU executive services to stop running adverts on X, the social media platform, over “widespread concerns relating to the spread of disinformation,” according to an internal note obtained by Playbook.

Too much disinfo: In a note sent to all heads of service and directors general, the Commission’s Deputy Chief Spokesperson Dana Spinant said disinformation on X, especially in relation to the Israel-Hamas war, had led the institution to “recommend to temporarily suspend advertising on this platform until further notice to avoid risks of reputational damage to the Commission.”

X in EU crosshairs: X has been under growing scrutiny in Europe as a result of the bloc’s new Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission, which enforces the law, in October sent a formal request for information to the company, owned by Elon Musk, to explain how its handling of illegal content and disinformation connected to Hamas’ October 7 attack complies with the DSA.

Post your ads elsewhere: EU services can still use X to communicate through the Commission’s many profile pages. But the communications department is calling time on paid-for advertising on the platform. Spinant said the department “will consider using alternative platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook) or digital advertising on websites, as appropriate. We are also exploring new platforms to diversify our social media presence.”

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While you’re at it: The note also warned services that buying ads that target user profiles based on sensitive personal data would be in breach of the DSA. “It is essential that our advertising respects scrupulously the spirit and the letter of the rules that we seek to enforce as regulator for very large online platforms,” Spinant wrote.

Oops: The warning is a response to recent revelations that DG Home Affairs targeted ads in September at groups of users based on their religious and political beliefs, including X users categorized as “anti-Christian” or those interested in Italian leader Giorgia Meloni or Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin.

FOCUS ON SPAIN       

HOW ‘PERRO’ SÁNCHEZ BECAME TOP DOG — AGAIN: He’s done it. After months of political paralysis, Pedro Sánchez is back for another term as the head of one of the EU’s largest countries.

Whew! What a ride: Four months ago, the 51-year-old Socialist leader was on his way back to being a private citizen after winning fewer votes than conservative rival Alberto Núñez Feijóo in a July election. But Feijóo was unable to form a government, opening the door to Sánchez to try to stay in power.

Steep price: He pulled it off by winning the backing of Junts party lawmakers, but the deal came at a steep price: Not only did Sánchez offer amnesty to Catalan separatists who participated in a failed independence push in 2017, he also pitched legal reforms that have incensed swathes of Spanish society and sparked protests. Strap in for this must-read deep-dive by Aitor Hernández-Morales on how Sánchez snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Not everyone’s cheering: Speaking to Playbook, the secretary general of the European People’s Party, an umbrella group for conservatives from across the bloc, blasted Sánchez for striking a deal with “extremists” to hold onto power. “Pedro Sánchez completely disregarded the choices of the Spanish people and is now collaborating with the most extreme left-wing elements of Spanish society against the desires of the people and against the outcome of the election,” Thanasis Bakolas said.

Oof: But that’s just the start. Accusing Sánchez of pushing Spain to the edge of the “abyss of populism,” Bakolas called amnesty for separatists “terribly worrisome” from a rule-of-law perspective. “I’m sure the EU institutions will act sooner or later, in their own way,” he said. 

ICYMI: The EU’s Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders sent a letter earlier this month asking Spain to clarify what was in the proposed amnesty law. Since then, Sánchez’s camp have unveiled the bill and, this week, the Commission’s Chief Spokesperson Eric Mamer said EU officials had just started to analyze it.

That’s not all: Bakolas went on to draw a link between rule-of-law accusations against Sánchez and a corruption investigation targeting Portugal’s socialist Prime Minister António Costa, who stepped down last week. “How can we be talking about people like Pedro Sánchez and Costa being considered for high positions in Europe when their credibility in their home countries is so diminished?” he said.

They would say that: Europe’s conservatives are smarting from the defeat in Spain, which was about to be a shiny jewel in their crown, before Feijóo fell short forming a government. The EPP is also weaker than it once was with Germany’s Angela Merkel no longer in its camp. Speaking to Playbook earlier this week, Bakolas’ opposite number at the Party of European Socialists, Giacomo Filibeck, pushed back against claims that Sánchez’s amnesty deal violates EU law, saying: “We believe that whatever they are presenting is in line with their own constitutional provision.”

End of the grand coalition? But there’s an issue at play beyond sour grapes. The EU relies on cooperation between the two largest political blocs in the Parliament, the EPP and the Socialists and Democrats, to pass laws and confirm key EU roles. It’s this de facto “coalition” that allows big legislation such as the Green Deal to ever see the light of day. 

Seeds of distrust: Yet as the two sides trade rhetorical punches, there’s a risk this coalition could break down. Bakolas hinted at potential difficulties cooperating with certain socialists: “I’m very worried about their [the socialists] ability to, with a snap of the fingers after the elections, be constructive elements in this majority that needs to define the European Parliament, as step number one, and as step number two, determine the top leadership positions within the European institutions.”

RUSSIA’S WAR       

TIME TO LOOK FOR AMMO FOR UKRAINE ELSEWHERE: That’s the message from Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, following the EU’s failure to produce the 1 million rounds of ammunition it said it would deliver to Ukraine by next March, Jacopo Barigazzi reports.

What Kyiv needs: “We have advocated for a long time that if there is not enough ammunition, or there is not enough equipment in the EU, then let’s buy it somewhere else and give it to Ukraine,” said Rinkēvičs, who was Latvia’s foreign minister for 12 years and now, as president, represents the country on international relations. “It is now important that Ukraine keeps fighting and Ukraine gets what they need.”

Rewind: The question of how Europe should fulfill its ammunition pledge toward Ukraine has been contentious since the start. France, which has the bloc’s biggest defense sector, pushed for strict limits on sending non-EU ammo while others, including Sweden and the Baltics, were more open to buying rounds from outside Europe.

Nowhere to shop: “Our current major challenge is not so much defense spending — we are raising that — but where you can actually find equipment to replenish your stocks, to rearm your defense forces,” said Rinkēvičs, who spoke to POLITICO while in Brussels for meetings at the EU and NATO.

Digging in: “Taking into account that we all understand that the war in Ukraine is going to last longer than one could predict a year-and-a-half ago, and that we also need to build our capabilities” then “we must get serious about how the European defense industry works and how we are also addressing this problem,” he said.

ZELENSKYY’S WARNING: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday gave a warning to “pay attention” to Russia’s actions in the Balkans, suggesting the Kremlin will seek to “invest in ensuring that one Balkan country fights another.” Speaking to reporters, he said: “Believe me, we are getting the information. Russia has a long plan: Middle East, the second distraction will be the Balkans.”

SCOOP — CZECH REPUBLIC SEEKS LONGER EXEMPTION FOR RUSSIAN STEEL: At a meeting of EU ambassadors today, the Czech Republic will ask for a longer exemption period to import from Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), one of the large Russian steel companies, two EU diplomats told POLITICO’s Barbara Moens. The EU’s 12th package of sanctions against Moscow is up for discussion today, with the hope of getting the package signed off before the Council in mid-December.

First exemption request in: In discussions on an earlier package, a number of countries, including the Czech Republic, Belgium and Italy, had asked for a transition period to continue using steel from NLMK. EU countries agreed on a transition period until the end of 2024. But now, the Czech Republic is set to ask to prolong that period to 2028, arguing that “there are major difficulties in getting the product from new suppliers/alternative sources,” one of the diplomats said.

BOOZE BANDITS: When the West imposed sanctions on Moscow, hundreds of foreign firms pulled out of the Russian market. But, somehow, in a country with a historic predilection for alcohol, the booze keeps flowing. Jim Beam bourbon and Macallan Scotch whisky are still being imported by the team that marketed them in Russia before the war in Ukraine, a POLITICO investigation finds. More from Sergey Panov and Douglas Busvine here.

URPILAINEN HEADED OUT?       

CRUNCH TIME FOR URPILAINEN: A third European commissioner looks likely to head for the door. Jutta Urpilainen, the international partnerships commissioner, has been dithering for months over whether to run for the presidency in her native Finland. She may finally climb down from the fence on Sunday, with a press conference scheduled during Finland’s Social Democratic Party council meeting, Sarah Wheaton reports.

Already behind: Finnish socialists — including ex-Prime Minister Sanna Marin — have been begging Urpilainen to jump into a race that’s already well underway ahead of the January 28 vote. Some have even taken to stumping with a cardboard cut-out of the commissioner. Indeed, Urpilainen will have her work cut out: A YLE poll published Wednesday found just 4 percent of respondents backing her — putting her in seventh place.

Familiar faces: At the head of the pack: Alexander Stubb, the former center-right prime minister who bid unsuccessfully to be the EPP Spitzenkandidat in 2019. The poll showed Stubb pulling ahead of former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. Olli Rehn, who handled enlargement and economics portfolios during two stints at the Commission, is running fourth.

More than a figurehead: The Finnish president plays a major role in setting the country’s foreign policy. Current President Sauli Niinistö is still popular after pushing the historically neutral country into NATO, but he’s hit the two-year term limit. 

It’s just getting started: The reality is that most Finns are only just starting to pay attention to the race (if at all). Urpilainen’s backers are optimistic that they can capitalize on disappointment with the country’s new right-leaning governing coalition. At 48, she’ll also offer a contrast with the graying array of men dominating debate stages up to this point (including Monday’s bout, half of which was moderated in English by Sarah).

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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR       

NEW EU STAFF PETITION ON GAZA: Matjaž Nemec, a Slovenian socialist MEP, has started two petitions in support for Gaza, according to emails seen by POLITICO. EU staff can support an appeal to Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to “act immediately to stop the loss of innocent lives in Gaza and in the West Bank.” Staff have to use their official logins to sign the petition, which closes today. The second petition calls on the Commission to suspend the visa-free travel agreement with Israel, Barbara reports.

BERLIN BRACES FOR ERDOĞAN: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives in Germany today for an official visit — and Berlin is bracing for the Turkish president’s anti-Israel vitriol. Erdoğan has become one of the most vociferous backers of Hamas among Middle East leaders. For the German government, that creates a particular problem given the country is home to the world’s largest Turkish diaspora, James Angelos reports.

BORRELL IN ISRAEL: The EU’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell took the opportunity while in Israel on Thursday to recall his time spent in the country in the summer of 1969. He stayed in a kibbutz “to contribute to the spirit” of peace and solidarity, Jacopo reports. “I even found a young woman [and] I married her during my stay in the kibbutz,” he said during his meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

Don’t be consumed by rage: A more serious moment in the meeting came when, after Borrell recalled the horror of the October 7 attacks, he sent a clear message to Cohen: “I understand your fears and pain … I understand your rage. But let me ask you not to be consumed by rage.” Borrell added: “Not far from here is Gaza. One horror does not justify another.”

IRAN-US BACK CHANNEL: Iran’s top diplomat has told the FT that Tehran signaled to the U.S. through back channels that it did not want the Israel-Hamas war to escalate further. But Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also said his country warned Washington that “if the crimes against the people of Gaza and the West Bank are not stopped … a wider conflict could prove inevitable.”

IN OTHER NEWS       

WOMEN’S RIGHTS COMMITTEE PROTESTS DOWNGRADING: The Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) Committee in the Parliament is fighting back against a potential downgrading after the European election next year. Its Chair Robert Biedroń wrote a letter — seen by our reporter Eddy Wax — to Roberta Metsola this week to convey his committee’s “strong disagreement” about tentative plans for FEMM to become a “special committee,” subservient to other more powerful ones. Months of hush-hush talks on reforming the Parliament in time for next year’s European election are concluding.

WASTE SHIPMENTS DEAL: The Council and the Parliament overnight reached a provisional deal on stricter EU rules for waste shipments. Among the measures in the draft regulations are a ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries and better policing of illegal waste shipments. The rules need to be approved by the Parliament and EU member countries before coming into force.

MERCOSUR DEAL IN DOUBT: Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira has warned that his country will not sign a Mercosur trade deal with the EU if Brussels pushes ahead with requirements linked to deforestation. In an interview with POLITICO’s Suzanne Lynch, Vieira said: “We cannot accept restrictions and sanctions imposed on the Mercosur side. If this is not negotiable, then we will not have a deal.” You can listen to the full interview on this week’s EU Confidential podcast here.

GERMANY’S MASSIVE ACCOUNTING PROBLEM: On Wednesday, Germany’s highest court ruled that a plan to repurpose €60 billion left over from an emergency COVID-19 fund to finance the government’s climate agenda was unconstitutional. The decision blew a massive hole through the middle of the coalition’s signature legislative agenda — and risks collapsing the three-way governing alliance, Matthew Karnitschnig writes.

SCOTTISH EU PAPER: The Scottish National Party government will today launch their latest paper setting out what an independent Scotland would look like — and it’s all about the why and how of rejoining the EU, POLITICO’s Andrew McDonald writes in to report. The paper opens with a context section aimed squarely at a Brussels audience, and will aim to set out how Scotland could positively contribute to the EU, should it gain independence and seek to join the bloc.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH PUTIN’S CHEEKS? In this week’s Declassified column, Paul Dallison explores the latest rumors surrounding the Russian president’s health — and the potential reasons behind Vladimir Putin’s puffy cheeks.

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AGENDA       

— High Representative Josep Borrell is in Israel and Ramallah; meets leading Israeli and Palestinian “peace camp” representatives … in Ramallah, meets representatives of Palestinian civil society, President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki … meets Israeli Minister Benny Gantz. Watch recorded press conference with Shtayyeh at 5 p.m.

— Commission President Ursula von der Leyen embarks on a trip to Egypt and Jordan; on Saturday meets the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

— European Parliament pre-session briefing at 11 a.m. Watch.

— Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis receives Trade and Industry Commissioner of the African Union Albert Muchanga … takes part in the high-level dialogue between the EU and the African Union on strengthening trade relations and the economic integration of the two continents.

— Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič receives President of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change Ottmar Edenhofer.

— Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová is in Prague, Czech Republic; attends the 2023 Memory of the Nation Awards ceremony on Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day.

— Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas is in Madrid, Spain; participates in a working breakfast organized by Fundación Euroamérica  … meets with President of the Nueva Economia International Forum José Luis Rodríguez … Director General of the Nueva Economia International Forum David Rodríguez … participates in the Forum for the Future of the EU.

— Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in the 11th meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Southeast European Countries in Budapest … addresses the participants of the Balkan Economic Forum in Tirana, via video message … meets President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić.

— Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič is in Geneva, Switzerland; meets U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk … also meets Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Jagan Chapagain.

— Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides is in Nicosia, Cyprus; delivers a speech on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan at the Standing Committee on Cancer of the Federation of Cyprus Patients’ Associations … delivers a speech at the FONI Council on combatting child sexual abuse and exploitation.

— German Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Berlin.

BRUSSELS CORNER       

STIB GOING DIGITAL: Brussels public transport company STIB is rolling out digital tickets, starting with Brupass and Brupass XL tickets valid across SNCB, STIB, De Lijn and TEC. Tickets can be purchased from the transport companies’ apps (in the De Lijn app from beginning of the January). Every metro station now has at least one gate with new readers that can scan the QR codes from the app.

NEW TRAM 10: Tram 10, connecting Brussels city center with the Military Hospital in Neder-Over-Heembeek, will board its first passengers next fall, STIB announced in a press release. The new line will extend the existing connection between Rogier and Heembeek toward the hospital, with multiple new stops in between, and provide a better connection between the north and south of the city.

FLY TO BERGEN: The Norwegian airline Widerøe will start flying to Brussels Airport, connecting the Belgian capital to Bergen in Norway. The first flight is planned for April 12, 2024.

GANG ARRESTED: Police arrested a gang suspected of targeting and robbing pedestrians earlier this year in Cinquantenaire Park, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said on Thursday. Ten suspects were arrested, including minors and adults.

WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND: Several exhibitions get underway in Brussels this weekend, including …

Code & Algorithms: A new exhibition showcases how algorithms affect our work, leisure and health through interactive installations by 12 artists. Code & Algorithms: Wisdom in a calculated world puts a spotlight on the importance of their neutrality and efficiency, the risks of algorithmic bias and the link between humans and AI. The exhibition is organized as part of the Spanish presidency of the EU and runs until February 18 at iMAL.

Wells run dry: A photo exhibition, The Wells Run Dry, by Venezuelan journalist Fabiola Ferrero runs until December 22 at Center Géopolis, showing photos from Venezuela’s past and present.

Colonial pavilions: How did the colonial pavilions of the World Fairs in Brussels in 1935 and 1958 serve Belgian colonial propaganda? An exhibition at the Design Museum, open until December 8, goes back in time to show how the colonial pavilions of Congo and Ruanda-Urundi were presented to the public.

Sip and paint: For some reason, drinking while painting has become increasingly popular in Brussels — as shown by the number of establishments embarking on the trend. You can uncork your creativity at Paintly, Drink & Draw, or Art & Wine. There’s also painting in the dark (at which you can also drink).

GOOD PIZZA: If you’re looking for a new pizza spot in the city, try Educazione Napoletana. Gian Volpicelli has a review.

BIRTHDAYS: MEP Ivars Ījabs; Former MEP Sven Giegold; President of the European Investment Bank Werner Hoyer; Founder of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum Silvana Koch-Mehrin; British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew; U.S. President Joe Biden’s former Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice; Gianmaria Sisti from Edelman; Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa; Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day in Slovakia and Czech Republic.

CELEBRATING SATURDAY: MEPs Krzysztof Jurgiel and Kathleen Van Brempt; Olivier Bailly from the European External Action Service; POLITICO’s Elena Giordano; Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.

CELEBRATING SUNDAY: MEPs Katarina Barley and Elżbieta Kruk; Former MEPs Rory Palmer, Bogdan Brunon Wenta and Gianni Pittella; Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen; Chief Executive of Square Jack Dorsey; Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, president of Egypt.

THANKS TO: Clothilde Goujard, Playbook reporter Ketrin Jochecová, editor Jack Lahart and producer Seb Starcevic.

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