European Union

The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned Friday "the epidemiological situation [in Europe] is worrying," saying progress on vaccines was key for a long-term solution for the crisis. The commission has sealed two vaccine agreements while five more are under negotiations. Von der Leyen also urged EU leaders to agree on common standards for the previously proposed Covid-19 colour map, to ensure better coordination.

The Commissioner-designate for financial services, Ireland's Mairead McGuinness, promised on Friday (2 October) a “full investigation” into the Wirecard fraud that has thoroughly shaken up Germany, to see why supervision failed.

British prime minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will speak on Saturday, for the first time since June, in a last push to find common ground on a post-Brexit trade deal. The UK and the EU will continue talks next week and until the next EU summit on 15-16 October in an effort to clinch a deal before the end of the year.

Welcome to EURACTIV's AgriFood Brief, your weekly update on all things Agriculture & Food in the EU.

Plenary Session, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU.

The European Union’s Green Deal could be a glue that brings us together: it should be used to build peace in neighbouring countries, writes Peter Läderach.

The EU has launched legal action against the UK after London failed to meet its ultimatum to withdraw its controversial Internal Market Bill. If signed into law the bill would override key sections of the existing Brexit Withdrawal Agreement with Brussels. Europe's press is divided on whether this will escalate the tensions or whether it is just a formality.

The Polish government is being restructured and reduced in size. There will now be 14 instead of 20 ministries. Jarosław Kaczyński, head of the national-conservative governing party PiS, will become deputy prime minister. The new minister of science and education will be Przemysław Czarnek, who is being criticised for his anti-LGBT statements. What impacts will the restructuring of the cabinet have on relations with the EU?

In view of the situation in Belarus and the repressive acts against prominent IT professionals, Latvia and Lithuania see the chance to attract companies that no longer feel safe there. Latvia, in particular, has low bureaucratic hurdles and, according to the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), some companies have already committed to relocating there. Nervous anticipation can be seen in the Baltic press.

Navalny has given the news magazine Der Spiegel his first extensive interview after being poisoned. He accuses Putin of being personally responsible for the attack and announced that he would return to Russia and continue his political struggle. Putin's press officer Dmitry Peskov reacted with the counteraccusation that Navalny was receiving instructions from the CIA.