 | This week's European news |
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Letter n°1085 of Tuesday 29th October 2024 |
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Jack Stewart - 29 Oct 2024 | | |
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| Agenda | Other issues | Contact |
| ■ Elections :
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 | | Results of the parliamentary elections in Lithuania | | The left-wing opposition in Lithuania won the parliamentary elections on 27 October to the detriment of the ruling party. According to data after 99% of the votes had been counted, the Social Democratic Party (SD) won 52 of the 141 seats in Parliament, compared with 28 for the Homeland Union (UP), which came second in the election. Outgoing Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte might be replaced by another woman, Vilija Blinkeviciute. Read more |
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 | | Results of the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria | | The Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, came first in the parliamentary elections with 26.4% of the vote. "After 7 legislative elections and five prime ministers in under 4 years, it would be good if this electoral came to an end as soon as possible in Bulgaria," notes Corinne Deloy. An analysis to be found on the Foundation's website. Read more |
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| ■ Foundation :
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 | | Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2024 | | If, like the new High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas, you want to find out more about our publications, buy the Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2024! It is available for sale on our website in French and English. Order it here. Read more |
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| ■ Commission :
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 | | Reform programmes in the Western Balkans | | On 23rd October, the reform programmes of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia were approved by the European Commission following the Member States' positive opinions. The Commission looks forward to Bosnia and Herzegovina officially submitting its reform agenda for assessment, and continues to support the authorities in finalising it. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited the six countries of the Western Balkans from 23rd to 26th October. Read more |
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 | | Major investments in the ecological transition | | On 21 October, the European Commission invested more than €380 million in 133 new LIFE projects. The aim of these projects is to support the ecological transition and the achievement of the objectives of the Green Deal. It then announced on 23rd October that 85 projects had been selected to receive €4.8 billion from the Innovation Fund. These projects are located in 18 countries and cover a wide range of sectors. The underlying objective is to reduce CO2 emissions, with an expected reduction of 476 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent within 10 years of their implementation. Read more - Other link |
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| ■ Parliament :
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 | | The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize awarded to an investigation into child migrants | | The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize was awarded on 23 October to the 'Lost in Europe' project. The prize, created in 2019 as a tribute to the murdered Maltese investigative journalist, rewards outstanding journalistic work that defends European values. The 'Lost in Europe' project investigated the disappearance of more than 50,000 unaccompanied migrant children between 2021 and 2023. This represents an average of 47 children disappearing every day after arriving on European soil. The investigation was carried out by media from Germany, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The winners received €20,000 in prize money. Read more - Other link |
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 | | The 2024 Sakharov Prize awarded to two Venezuelan political opponents | | On 24th October, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, announced the winners of the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado, leader of the Democratic Forces of Venezuela, and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, President-elect of Venezuela, for their fight for democracy in their country. The two opponents were forced to flee their country following a wave of arrests that has already affected nearly 2,400 people. Read more |
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 | | Draft Union Budget 2025 | | Before the start of negotiations with the Member States, MEPs proposed the first guidelines for the budget. The level of commitment appropriations has been set at €201 billion, i.e. €1.24 billion more than the Commission's proposal in June. The aim is to address health issues, support young people and agriculture, and step up action on climate change. Three weeks of negotiations will then take place with the Council to reach an agreement on the European budget for 2025. Read more |
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| ■ Council :
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 | | Meeting of agriculture and fisheries ministers | | The agriculture and fisheries ministers meeting on 21st and 22nd October reached a political agreement on catches in the Baltic Sea. The future of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 was examined with a view to guaranteeing food security and a fair standard of living for farmers. Europe's place in world agricultural trade was debated, with the aim of strengthening its leading position on world markets. Read more |
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| ■ Diplomacy :
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 | | Conference on support to Lebanon in Paris | | The international conference in support of the population and sovereignty of Lebanon, attended by 70 delegations and 15 international organisations, took place in Paris on 24th October under the aegis of French President Emmanuel Macron. $800 million in humanitarian aid, as well as $200 million in aid for the Lebanese army, were mobilised to support people displaced by the conflict and to find a lasting solution to put an end to the hostilities. Read more |
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| ■ Germany :
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 | | New NATO naval structure inaugurated | | On 21st October, Germany inaugurated a new NATO naval command centre in Rostock, one of the largest German ports on the Baltic Sea. The facility will employ more than 180 people, representing 12 Alliance countries, and will be headed by a German admiral. The creation of this new command centre will enable the defense of the interests of member countries, and more specifically NATO's eastern flank, particularly in the face of an increased risk of conflict with Russia. The aim is to coordinate Member States' naval activities and provide information on the maritime situation in this area. Read more |
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| ■ Austria :
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 | | Karl Nehammer asked to form a government | | Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has asked outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer to form a government on 22nd October. Given the FPÖ's inability to form a majority government coalition, the task has been entrusted to the leader of the ÖVP. Read more |
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| ■ Denmark :
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 | | North Sea ministerial meeting | | On 24th October, the climate and energy ministers of 8 European countries, the European Commissioner for Energy and the international heads of the main wind energy companies met in the port of Odense for the North Sea Summit. Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and Ireland, together with the European Commission, agreed on how to install some 20,000 offshore wind turbines in the North Sea by 2050. These objectives are the result of the need to maintain a dynamic Europe in terms of energy transition in the face of fierce Chinese competition in this field. Read more |
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| ■ Estonia :
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 | | Visit by NATO Secretary General | | NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte travelled to Estonia on 23 October to visit a multinational battle group protecting the Alliance's eastern flank. By devoting more than 3% of GDP to defence, Estonia is setting an example and hopes that NATO will strengthen its partnership with the European Union and its partners. Read more |
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| ■ France :
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 | | Meeting with Viktor Orban | | On the evening of 22nd October, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting at the Elysée Palace with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, ahead of the forthcoming summit of the European Political Community (EPC) on 7th November in Budapest. The two leaders discussed energy, defence and transport, the war in Ukraine and the recommendations of the Draghi report. Read more |
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| ■ Ireland :
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 | | LinkedIn fined €310 million | | The Irish Data Protection Commission, acting on behalf of the European Union, fined the US company LinkedIn €310 million on 24 October. The company, which is owned by Microsoft, had not properly obtained the consent of its users for the use of their data. This constitutes a breach of the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), more specifically with regard to targeted advertising. Read more |
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| ■ Italy :
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 | | Meeting of G7 development ministers | | The meeting of G7 development ministers was held in Pescara from 22nd to 24th October. Discussions focused on three themes: food security, sustainable infrastructure and global health. Among the initiatives discussed, projects in Africa such as the Lobito corridor and the Mattei Plan were highlighted as ways of stimulating public and private investment. They stressed the importance of access to water and coffee value chains, with a particular focus on small African producers. Read more |
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| ■ Latvia :
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 | | Parliamentary Summit of the Crimean Platform | | The 3rd Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform was held on 24 October in Riga, Latvia. The summit brought together more than 70 parliamentary delegations, including 36 Speakers of Parliament, as well as representatives of international organisations such as the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the OSCE. Discussions at the summit focused on human rights violations in occupied Crimea and ways of restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity. At the end of the meeting, a Joint Declaration was adopted, condemning Russia's actions, calling for the intensification of sanctions and the release of political prisoners. Read more |
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| ■ Portugal :
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 | | 35th Hispano-Portuguese Summit | | The 35th Spanish-Portuguese summit was held on 23 October in Faro, Portugal. The two countries signed 11 agreements, notably on water management, cross-border mobility with the construction of two new bridges, and energy interconnection with France and the European Union. They also reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine and promoting European and international cooperation, notably with Mercosur and on innovation and sustainability projects. Read more |
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| ■ Georgia :
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 | | Results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia | | According to the electoral commission, the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has close ties with Russia, won the parliamentary elections with 53.9% of the vote, ahead of the pro-European coalition. The President, Salome Zurabishvili, denounced a 'total falsification' of the election and called for demonstrations on 28 October, which were well attended, particularly in Tbilisi, to the sound of the European anthem. International election observers have doubts about the official result of the elections and have unanimously concluded that pressure was exerted on voters before and during the vote. Faced with these suspicions, the electoral commission decided to carry out a recount on 29 October in 14% of polling stations where the opposition accused the ruling party of massive fraud. Read more - Other link - Other link - Other link |
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| ■ Moldova :
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 | | Second round of the presidential election in Moldova | | Moldova is accusing Russia of interference, notably through corruption and disinformation. These actions intensified shortly before the referendum on Moldova's accession to the European Union and the first round of the presidential election on 20th October. On 3rd November, the Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, will face the socialist candidate Alexandru Stoianoglo, a former public prosecutor who is sympathetic to Russia. Read more - Other link |
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| ■ UK :
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 | | Historic defence agreement with Germany | | On 23 October in London, the United Kingdom and Germany signed a historic defence agreement to strengthen security and defence cooperation between the two countries. The aim is to strengthen security on NATO's eastern flank through joint training of the German and British armies in the Baltic States. The agreement also provides for closer industrial cooperation, such as the opening of a new Rheinmetall plant in the UK. This agreement is the defence component of the broader cooperation treaty signed this summer between the two countries, which is due to be finalised next year. Read more |
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| ■ Ukraine :
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 | | French Foreign Minister visits Kyiv | | On 19th October, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, visited Kyiv to discuss Ukraine's Victory Plan with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriï Sybiga and President Volodymyr Zelensky, following on from the discussions begun when the Ukrainian President met Emmanuel Macron on 10th October. The Minister reaffirmed France's support for Ukraine. During this meeting, the parties discussed the continued implementation of the peace formula, the preconditions for holding a second Peace Summit and Ukraine's integration into NATO. Read more |
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 | | UK lends £2.26 billion to Ukraine | | On 22 October, UK Treasury Secretary Rachel Reeves announced a €2.7 billion loan to Ukraine to invest in military equipment to support Ukraine's efforts against Russia. The loan is the UK's contribution to the G7 Ukraine Loan, which will provide Ukraine with $50 billion for military, budgetary and reconstruction needs, and will be repaid from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets. Read more |
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 | | 35 billion loan to support Ukraine | | On 22nd October, MEPs approved an exceptional loan of €35 billion to Ukraine. The loan will be financed by interest on frozen Russian assets. This is in line with a G7 initiative in June which envisaged financial support for the attacked country of up to €45 billion. This macro-financial assistance plan was officially adopted by the Council on 23rd October. Read more - Other link |
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| ■ Council of Europe :
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 | | ECHR delivers a decision on Russian legislation regarding "foreign agents" | | The European Court of Human Rights handed down a judgment entitled Kobaliya and others v Russia on 22 October. The Court found violations of the right to freedom of expression, freedom of association and respect for private and family life. These violations relate to the changing Russian legal regime, which requires a large number of non-governmental organisations, media outlets and individuals to register as "foreign agents". This legislation was deemed to be stigmatising, misleading and had been created with a view to punishment and intimidation rather than transparency. Read more |
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 | | A report on hate speech in Italy published by the Council of Europe | | The Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a report on 22nd October calling on Italy to create an independent body to promote equality, adopt a National Action Plan to combat racism, organise an awareness-raising campaign to promote equality, diversity and intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, and take further measures to combat hate speech by public figures. Read more - Other link |
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| ■ IMF :
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 | | Global and European economic outlook | | In its economic outlook report published on 22 October 2024, the IMF considers that the recovery of the European economy is continuing. The outlook for 2024 and 2025 remains for a slight increase in growth from 1% to 2.3% for 2024, and from 1.4% to 3.1% for 2025. According to the report, the time has come to pursue a fiscal policy that will restore room for manoeuvre and ensure debt sustainability. Read more - Other link |
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| ■ Studies/Reports :
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 | | Warning about the risk of duplication of European funds | | On 21 October, the European Court of Auditors published a report warning about the double payment of European funds for the same action. In particular, the Court warns about the use of the post-covid recovery fund, amounting to €648 billion, which finances projects similar to those already financed by European funds such as the Cohesion Funds. This duplication represents a misuse of European funds, and the safeguards intended to prevent such abuses are unfortunately not sufficient. At the same time, the lack of a clear definition of the concept of double-funding leads to further confusion. Read more |
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| ■ Culture :
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 | | Trip around the Ancient Mediterranean in Paris | | Until 31st January 2025, the Collège de France and the Institut des Civilisations are presenting the exhibition "Wines, oils and perfumes: an archaeological journey around the ancient Mediterranean". In addition to numerous objects from the Louvre's Department of Antiquity, the exhibition features archaeological discoveries from major sites in Roman Gaul, Italy, Egypt and Greece. Read more |
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 | | Sorolla in Madrid | | To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Joaquín Sorolla, the Royal Collections Gallery in Madrid is presenting almost 80 works by the Valencia-born artist until 16th February 2025. In collaboration with the Museo Sorolla, the exhibition reveals the most representative paintings from the Spanish painter's work, as well as other less well-known productions or those never before seen in Spain. Read more |
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 | | Dali in Athens | | Until 29th November, the Hellenic World Cultural Centre in Athens is presenting the exhibition 'Dali: Cybernetics', which combines technology and art. Using a virtual reality experience, the centre reveals the Spanish painter's obsession with cybernetics, biology and quantum physics. Salvador Dali's emblematic works are reinterpreted using cutting-edge technologies, allowing visitors to revisit the classics by one of the most eminent exponents of Surrealism. Read more |
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 | | Pawel Orlowski in Katowice | | Until 30 March 2025, the Museum of Silesia in Katowice is presenting the installation PINK BOT, a series of sculptures by the Polish artist, Paweł Orłowski. Six three-metre-high pink sculptures are on display, helping to provoke wide-ranging reflections in connection with the theme: the conversation about equality in public space and in art, but also about redefining the notion of justice and the social roles imposed by gender. Read more |
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 | | Dreams at the Musée des Confluences in Lyon | | Until 24th August 2025, the Musée des Confluences in Lyon is presenting the 'Dreamtime' exhibition. Through a historical and multi-continental approach, the museum is offering an insight into the mystery of sleep, with a view to learning more about the mechanisms of the imagination and the subconscious that are present in all of us. Read more |
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 | | Wimbledon Music Festival | | The 16th Wimbledon International Music Festival will take place from 2nd to 24th November. This classical music festival features concerts by both renowned and emerging artists. Performances take place in a variety of venues around Wimbledon, including churches, concert halls and public spaces. Read more |
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 | | Janáček Festival in Brno | | From 1 to 24 November, the city of Brno in the Czech Republic will be hosting the Janáček Festival for the 9th year running. This celebration features a series of concerts and operas in tribute to the eminent composer Leoš Janáček, who spent most of his life in the town. Read more |
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 | | Italian Renaissance Drawings in London | | From 1st November to 9th March 2025, the King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is presenting an exhibition entitled "Drawing the Italian Renaissance", bringing together a wide range of drawings made during this artistic period. The exhibition includes over 150 very different works, all from the Royal Collection, by artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, but also works by lesser-known artists. Read more |
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 | 3rd November |
| | Presidential Election (second round) (Moldova) | | |
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| | 4 November 2024 |
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| | 4th November 2024 |
| | Parliamentary hearings with the Commissioners designate |
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 | The Letter n°1085 | | PDF | | in English -- Edition of Tuesday 29th October 2024 |
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| The Letter is also available in: |
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| The Letter's Editorial Team : Helen Levy, Juliette Bachschmidt ; Catherine d'Angelo, Maxime Painot, Lilian Lallemand, Fabio Tomasic, Marie Cohignac N° ISSN: 2729-6482 A question, a suggestion ? Contact us! info@robert-schuman.eu | Editors-in-chief : Elise Bernard Publishing Director : Pascale Joannin |
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