Good morning from Brussels, 

Key policy files were not deeply discussed among the 27 EU commissioners under Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership of the European Commission, EU socialists’ lead candidate Nicolas Schmit told Euractiv in an interview. 

He said von der Leyen’s approach to the college “is not the management style I would approve and pursue”.

Referring particularly to migration deals with third countries in Africa, Schmit said she involved the college “to the minimum”. 

Schmit also said he was open to the ongoing discussion of externalising migration procedures outside the EU as long as they are “under European control.” 

Max Griera has the story.

Migration is one topic that Europe’s hard-right and far-right parties could find common ground and coordinate in the EU Parliament after the elections, Jorge Buxadé, the leading candidate of the Spanish far-right VOX party, has said. 

Overall, though, he noted that it would be “very difficult” to form a big alliance between the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Marine Le Pen’s far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group or the Alternative for Germany (AfD). 

Recently expelled from ID, AfD received an invitation from the Bulgarian pro-Russian far-right Vazrazhdane party to form another “truly conservative” group. 

On the other side of the Channel, Nigel Farage is playing the migration card, eyeing the Conservatives’ second place in the upcoming UK elections.

Europe should have a containment strategy towards Russia, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told Euractiv’s Aurélie Pugnet in an interview, as his country prepares to host NATO foreign ministers on Thursday to work on a new kind of support package for Ukraine.

Less than two months before NATO’s 75th-anniversary summit in Washington, the top job race nomination continues amid political bargaining, with outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is seeing the number of his backers go up, one by one, to the point that he only has three countries left to convince. Read more. 

In energy, EU energy ministers are meeting today for the final time this term to discuss Russian energy and the Green Deal, but many countries are tabling ‘Any Other Business’ points, intending to influence the EU’s post-election agenda.

In the digital world, associations of European startups have called for more integration of the EU’s single market to better support innovators in a political declaration.

Last but not least, EU member states said on Wednesday they are hopeful of agreeing on the negotiation frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova in the first week of June, though some objections from Hungary remain.

STOCKHOLM

With just over a week before the European elections, public debate in Sweden is dominated by a far-right troll factory scandal while the ruling centre-right coalition is trying to dilute its cooperation with the far-right via a broader collaboration with the Social Democrats in the European Parliament. Read more.

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ATHENS

Soaring prices top Greece’s EU election agenda. Greeks are going to the ballots for the EU elections fuming over skyrocketing prices, especially of food and fuel, which have sparked an intense political debate among parties over how to stem the seemingly unstoppable inflation. Read more.

BERLIN

Interior minister hails effect of border checks as Germany extends Schengen exception. German interior minister Nancy Faeser (SPD, S&D) has extended controversial checks at the border with Czechia, Poland, and Switzerland on Wednesday for the first time since introducing them last year while praising their effectiveness. Read more.

German cabinet approves carbon capture and hydrogen plans. Germany’s cabinet approved on Wednesday two draft bills to accelerate the integration of hydrogen and carbon capture respectively, into the country’s energy and industrial systems. Read more.

LONDON

UK elections: Farage plays migration card eyeing Conservatives’ second place. Immigration will decide who wins the UK general elections scheduled for 4 July, said former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, as his party Reform UK hopes to usurp the Conservatives from second place and become the main opposition to the Labour Party. Read more.

MADRID

An alliance between the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament and Marine Le Pen’s far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group or the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is “very difficult”, Jorge Buxadé, the leading candidate of the far-right VOX party, said on Wednesday. Read more.

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ROME

Italian opposition urges government to recognise Palestinian State. Italian opposition parties, the Five Star Movement, the Democratic Party, and the Green and Left Alliance, are putting increasing pressure on the Italian government to follow the lead of Norway, Spain, and Ireland in officially recognising the state of Palestine. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese minister ‘understands’ Ukraine using weapons against Russian military targets. Portugal understands the use of weapons by Ukraine for defensive purposes against military targets on Russian territory, Defence Minister Nuno Melo said on Wednesday, adding that his view is personal and in no way commits the government of which he is a member. Read more.

WARSAW

Commission withdraws Article 7 proceedings against Poland. The European Commission officially withdrew the Article 7 procedure against Poland after concluding that the country no longer violates the rule of law, the EU’s executive branch announced on Wednesday. Read more.

EU court rules Poland must pay €68m bill in Turow coal mine case. Warsaw will have to pay €68 million in EU fines over the continued operation of the Turow coal mine despite court orders to the contrary, the EU’s lower court ruled, Wednesday. Read more.

SOFIA  | BERLIN

Bulgaria’s pro-Russian far-right party Vazrazhdane is calling on Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), which was recently kicked out of the Identity for Democracy (ID) group in the EU Parliament, to join it in a “truly conservative and sovereignist” group, the leader of the Bulgarian formation, Kostadin Kostadinov, announced on social media. Read more.

• EU: Foreign Affairs Council, in its trade configuration, convenes to discuss EU competitiveness, Africa trade and investment relations, 13th WTO ministerial conference, and more;
• Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, in its energy configuration, expected to address electricity grids and REPowerEU, European Green Deal, Energy Charter Treaty, and more;
• Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič receives Commissioner General of UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini;
• Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski holds meetings with Kazakhstan Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Kushukova Zhanat, Minister for Justice Yeskaraev Azamat Nesipbayevich, in Astana;
• Spain: Amnesty law for events related to Catalan independence drive expected to be voted on by parliament;
• NATO: Foreign affairs ministers informal meeting takes place in Prague, Czech Republic;
• UN: Security Council decides on renewal of sanctions on South Sudan, renewal of mission in Iraq; Security Council meets on Syria; High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi reports to Security Council;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Liene Lūsīte, Alice Taylor]