Austria is giving up its opposition to the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. Austria was the last Member State with reservations. This clears the way for the two countries to join the Schengen area. Representatives of the Hungarian EU Council Presidency as well as Austria, Bulgaria and Romania agreed on this […]
Advocate General Athanasios Rantos proposes to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) a strict interpretation of emissions regulations for older diesel vehicles. In his opinion on a case brought by two buyers of Mercedes-Benz diesel cars before the Duisburg Regional Court, he argues for the following line: a vehicle that at the time only had […]
US President-elect Donald Trump wants to appoint Matthew Whittaker as the US ambassador to NATO – a lawyer who was Attorney General for a few months during Trump’s first presidency. Trump announced that Whitaker will strengthen relations with NATO partners and remain steadfast in the face of threats to peace and stability. “I have every […]
Today, the European Parliament could pave the way for the new Commission. For this to happen, however, S&D leader Iratxe García Pérez must convince the Socialist coordinators in the group meeting to vote in favor of the nomination of Raffaele Fitto as Executive Vice-President of the Commission. They could also give up their opposition to […]
The commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck is receiving a grant of €226 million from the hydrogen IPCEI to build a small series of trucks with fuel cell drives. 100 tractor units are now to be developed, built and delivered to customers at the end of 2026. The vehicles are to be powered by liquid hydrogen; […]
Tensions between the EPP, Renew and S&D are growing ahead of Tuesday’s hearings of the six candidates for the executive vice-president posts in the new European Commission. There are indications that the Liberal and Socialist coordinators do not support both the Italian candidate Raffaele Fitto and the Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi. Both have been proposed by […]
He was already Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue (2014 to 2019), then Commissioner for Trade (since 2019). In his next mandate, Valdis Dombrovskis will be responsible for the Economy, Productivity, Implementation and Simplification portfolios. The 53-year-old, who is part of the Christian Democrat EPP party family, was heard by the Economic Affairs and […]
The candidate for the post of Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, has a distinctly EU biography. He was very open about his CV at the hearing of the Agriculture and Environment, AGRI and ENVI Committees. In his introductory remarks, the 52-year-old lawyer, who is not a member of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, […]
Apostolos Tzitzikostas was governor of the Greek province of Macedonia for ten years. Now the politician, who belongs to the Christian Democratic party Nea Dimokratia, plans to become Commissioner for Transport and Tourism. The hearing was led by the Transport Committee. TRAN Chairwoman Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (EPP) moderated the three-hour event. The coordinators nominated him after […]
The EU wants to better protect people from the dangers of passive smoking. The Commission recently adopted a Council recommendation. According to this, the member states should ban smokers and vapers in public and semi-public places. In places where children, young people and particularly vulnerable people frequently spend time. It’s not about enclosed spaces, it’s […]