The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
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Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): A Solution to Achieve Global Climate Goals
Equinor safely stores CO2 in the Norwegian North Sea. The Northern Lights project will start storing CO2 in 2024, and the new Smeaheia license has the potential to store 20 million tonnes of CO2 annually, transported from Belgium and Germany through a new pipeline.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
THE HAGUE
While the victory of the Dutch far-right PVV party whets EU nationalists’ appetite for seeing a return to “national identities”, the possibility of Gert Wilders leading the country – or even entering government – remains complex.
The Dutch parliamentary election on Wednesday resulted in a massive win for far-right PVV, getting 37 seats out of 150, followed by former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans’ socialist and green party coalition (PvdA/GL), who got 25 seats. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU left camp accused of double standards in rule of law. The centre-right and conservative groups in the EU House have accused the Greens, Socialists and the Left groups of double standards – comparing Spain to Hungary and Poland – for not condemning Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s controversial deals with separatist parties, which, they say, are an attack on the rule of law. Read more.
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BERLIN
Scholz: Deal on new EU debt rules to arrive ‘shortly’. EU countries are close to a reform agreeing on the bloc’s controversial debt rules, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after meeting Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, who remained more guarded about the prospect of a deal, on Wednesday. Read more.
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PARIS
France unveils 2030 energy targets, criticised by environmental NGOs. The document that sets out France’s 2030 energy targets and was submitted for public consultation that the Energy Ministry unveiled on Wednesday has insufficient data to judge the actions taken by the public authorities, the Climate Action Network France said on Wednesday. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finland to close all but northernmost border crossing with Russia. Finland will close all but the northernmost crossing point on its border with Russia from midnight on Friday in a bid to halt a flow of asylum seekers to the Nordic nation, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Wednesday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
LISBON
Portugal wants to evacuate Palestinians from Gaza with links to country. The Portuguese government wants to evacuate another ten to twelve Palestinians who have relations with the country from Gaza, Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister João Gomes Cravinho told the press in Madrid on Wednesday. Read more.
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MADRID
Sánchez’s newly formed government strengthens social agenda in new budget. Moving towards full employment, strengthening the welfare state, and improving gender equality are some of the objectives within Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s new government’s new budget plan, Education Minister and progressive coalition government spokesperson Pilar Alegría said on Wednesday. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
Poles doubt PiS will stay in power: poll. Most Poles do not believe that the ruling PiS party will succeed in forming a new government despite winning the elections and the president’s nomination, according to a poll published by Wirtualna Polska on Wednesday. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czechia will use EU’s Just Transition Fund for large ‘risky’ projects. Czechia wants to devote a larger part of the EU’s Just Transition Fund to large-scale strategic projects that have long faced criticism and are connected with significant risks, said Czech Deputy Environment Minister Jan Kříž, adding that projects must undergo a robust approval process to receive the funding. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Disinformation experts are leaving Fico’s government. Ministry workers are leaving their posts after the Smer-SD party took power, citing interference and incompatibility, as government members spread hoaxes and pro-Russian narratives in a team that is losing disinformation experts. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian government survives second no-confidence vote. The Bulgarian government survived a second no-confidence vote on Wednesday – which had been filed based on allegations that the cabinet had failed in the field of defence and national security. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
German Eurofighters arrive in Romania for NATO air policing mission. Four Eurofighter jets from the German Air Force arrived in Romania on Wednesday to provide airspace surveillance support for the NATO Air Policing South mission. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbia makes progress with last year’s recommendations from Foreign Investors Council. The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) has provided this year’s assessment of the business and investment climate in Serbia, along with recommendations for its improvement, noting that progress has been made in just 28% of last year’s 383 recommendations. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council convenes to discuss digital education, young people’s mental health, working conditions for artists, and more;
- EU-Canada summit to focus on support to Ukraine, Middle East, Armenia, Energy, and more; Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends;
- Informal meeting of equality ministers expected to explore current EU challenges in responding to violence against women, such as data collection and victim support;
- Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at “Making Human Rights a Reality” conference; Hosts Executive Director of Free Press Unlimited Ruth Kronenburg;
- Vice President Maroš Šefčovič delivers keynote speech at the EU Clean Air Forum;
- Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira participates in Lisbon Agri Conferences 2023, in Portugal; Addresses launching ceremony for “Talent Booster Mechanism”, first key initiative of the “Communication on Harnessing Talent in Europe’s Regions”;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni meets with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, in Oslo;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson hosts EU-Türkiye high level dialogue on Migration and Security;
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in Animal Welfare Intergroup November session, in Strasbourg, France;
- Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi hosts Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon Abdallah Bou Habib; Hosts Minister of Interior of Türkiye Ali Yerlikaya;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli makes online keynote speech for STEM Women Congress;
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson visits European Training Mission (EUTM) Mozambique Headquarters, in Maputo;
- Parliament plenary session votes on Strategic Compass and EU space-based defence capabilities, and more; Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in plenary debate on international day for the elimination of violence against women, young researchers, and Judicial cooperation;
- China: French Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna on official visit;
- Jerusalem: Belgian PM Alexander De Croo and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez visit Middle East;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
