Euractiv.com

On issues such as providing cleaner air, reducing noise pollution, establishing cleaner water and tackling waste, cities are at the forefront of change, writes Anna Lisa Boni.

The number of oil refineries in Europe is likely to decrease but those that remain will be truly competitive, highly technological and highly efficient, Ilshat Sharafutdinov told EURACTIV in an interview.

The end of sugar quotas coincides with the collapse of prices on the world market. This is currently more of a problem  for sugar refiners than sugar beet growers, who are still protected by contracts. EURACTIV.fr reports

In 14 years, Sofia's metro project has taken up nearly €1 billion from EU funds. It was declared "infrastructure project of the last decade" in Bulgaria. Due to be completed in less than two years, it should serve around 1.2 million people a day. EURACTIV's media partner Dnevnik reports.

Hate speech laws are spreading in Europe as EU governments and international organisations try to find measures to defuse conflicts.

An energy efficiency target of around 35%, combined with a parallel increase in ambition for renewable energies, would allow the EU to halve its emissions by 2030, write Fiona Hall and Brook Riley.

Belarus on Tuesday (22 May) appointed its first ambassador to Sweden for almost six years, resolving a bitter diplomatic spat over a pro-democracy stunt involving teddy bears.

Accusations of hypocrisy have rained down on the couple that heads Spain's far-left Podemos party for buying a 600,000-euro luxury home with a swimming pool after previously condemning such extravagance.

The EU said Tuesday (22 May) it will consider imposing new sanctions on Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro's re-election was marred by "irregularities" and failed to meet international standards.

Euro-hopeful Bulgaria does not yet meet the criteria to adopt the single currency, the European Commission will say today (23 May) in an assessment of European Union countries that must one day switch to the euro.

Tensions soared between a handful of leading MEPs and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as the 34-year-old billionaire avoided answering detailed questions on the company’s data policies during a meeting in the European Parliament on Tuesday evening (22 May).

Stung by criticism it has been selling European Union passports for cash, Cyprus has tightened vetting procedures in a scheme that grants Cypriot citizenship to investors, the finance minister said yesterday (22 May).

Market pressure, the strong hand of EU institutions and the limits of power will determine how far the new Italian government will go in shaking up the eurozone’s status quo.

Batteries and storage are set to become even more important as electro-mobility and renewable energy go from strength to strength. That is why EU efforts are meant to help the burgeoning industry compete against the likes of China and electric carmaker Tesla.

French President Emmanuel Macron has to make his political identity clear and clarify whether he is a “real progressive” who wants to contribute to a social Europe, S&D President Udo Bullmann told EURACTIV in an interview.

Europe’s struggle with migrants has led to an increase in funding for border control to authoritarian regimes such as Chad, Niger, Belarus, Libya and Sudan. EURACTIV.fr reports.

Annual summits between China and central and eastern European countries are beneficial to the European Union as a whole, the Chinese government told Bulgaria's foreign minister, brushing off concerns that Beijing is seeking to divide the continent.

Public-private partnerships are vital to achieving the leap forward, deploying new clean technologies at scale and fast, writes Maroš Šefčovič.

The EU's Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said on Tuesday (22 May) there were “signals” from the US administration that it would impose tariffs on EU's steel and aluminium exports or enforce other restrictions, as she warned the bloc's steelmakers to prepare for the worst.

For Stephane, a Parisian shopkeeper, today’s demonstration is one too many. "It’s not good for business", he says while closing his store just before the civil servants demo arrives. Emmanuel Macron doesn’t really care though.