BERLIN German cabinet committee agrees to €1 billion anti-racism package. A committee in the German cabinet agreed to 89 measures on Wednesday to combat the rise of right-wing extremism and racism in the country. The measures will be presented to the full cabinet next week. Read the full story here. /// PARIS French skiers to forego ‘Christmas on the slopes’. Skiing will not be permitted during the Christmas period, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday night in a televised speech where he laid out the country’s new health measures. Read more. /// BRUSSELS Virus slows down in Belgium. The COVID-19 infection rate is now lower in Belgium than in neighbouring countries, Netherlands, Germany, France and Luxembourg, virologist and inter-federal COVID-19 spokesperson Steven Van Gucht said on Wednesday. He, however, warned the country is “still a long way from the safe harbour” as “pressure on hospitals is decreasing, but still remains high.” At the same time, Federal Minister of the Self-Employed, David Clarinval, speaking ahead of the Consultation Committee meeting on Friday, pleaded that all stores in Belgium should be reopened “as soon as possible” as otherwise, Belgians would consider going shopping in neighbouring countries where stores remain open. (Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV.com) /// VIENNA Western Austria to start mass testing earlier than other regions. Austria’s Western states (Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg) will have their tests already on the first weekend of December to make logistics more manageable, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced on Wednesday. Read more. /// LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg parliament validates new COVID-19 measures. Luxembourg’s new COVID-19 measures will come into force on Thursday, after 31 MPs of the DP-Déi-Gréng-LSAP majority voted in favour. The opposition, which vote against the measures, have criticised the government for the proposed measures’ “lack of coherence”. The new measures adopted on Wednesday are intended to offer a prospect of improvement in time for Christmas, according to members of the government majority. (Anne Damiani | EURACTIV.com) |