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France needs to push back the retirement age and the government will continue its pension reforms as soon as the Covid-19 situation is under control, French president Emmanuel Macron said in a televised speech Monday. His initial proposals for pension reforms provoked weeks of protests and strikes just before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Macron put it on hold as he ordered France into lockdown a year and a half ago.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a critical juncture for global development. Under the label of “Team Europe”, the EU has sought to mobilize rapid development assistance to support partners in addressing the impacts of the crisis, while promoting joined-up approaches among European actors to assert itself in a changing and competitive geopolitical context. This article assesses how substantive and process-oriented EU development policy norms are reflected in the Union’s global COVID-19 response. Focusing on the EU’s response during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020, the article shows that the EU’s response to this extraordinary crisis consisted of a deepening of EU integration. In so doing, the EU emphasized process-oriented over substantive norms in its development policy.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a critical juncture for global development. Under the label of “Team Europe”, the EU has sought to mobilize rapid development assistance to support partners in addressing the impacts of the crisis, while promoting joined-up approaches among European actors to assert itself in a changing and competitive geopolitical context. This article assesses how substantive and process-oriented EU development policy norms are reflected in the Union’s global COVID-19 response. Focusing on the EU’s response during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020, the article shows that the EU’s response to this extraordinary crisis consisted of a deepening of EU integration. In so doing, the EU emphasized process-oriented over substantive norms in its development policy.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a critical juncture for global development. Under the label of “Team Europe”, the EU has sought to mobilize rapid development assistance to support partners in addressing the impacts of the crisis, while promoting joined-up approaches among European actors to assert itself in a changing and competitive geopolitical context. This article assesses how substantive and process-oriented EU development policy norms are reflected in the Union’s global COVID-19 response. Focusing on the EU’s response during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020, the article shows that the EU’s response to this extraordinary crisis consisted of a deepening of EU integration. In so doing, the EU emphasized process-oriented over substantive norms in its development policy.

EU foreign-affairs chief Josep Borrell said Slovenia's prime minister Janez Janša did not speak for the EU, despite holding the EU presidency, when he went on an anti-Iran regime rant in video-talks with an Iran opposition group this weekend. Janša's comments "did not represent the European Union, most definitely not ... they were certain opinions of the Slovenian prime minister," Borrell said Monday, amid sensitive, EU-chaired Iran nuclear non-proliferation talks.

The Council and European Parliament today reached a provisional political agreement on a proposal to revise the Aarhus Regulation, which aims to guarantee access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.

Remarks by Paschal Donohoe following the Eurogroup meeting of 12 July 2021 on the exchange of views with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, fiscal stance of the euro area and the digital future of the euro.

Representatives of the EU Member States, the Western Balkans and Turkey, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, as well as representatives of the central banks of the Western Balkans and Turkey met for their annual economic policy dialogue . The dialogue aims at preparing the Western Balkans and Turkey for their future participation in the European Semester.

The Council approved conclusions setting out the EU's priorities at the United Nations during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (September 2021 – September 2022).

The Council approved conclusions on “A Globally Connected Europe” stressing the importance of connectivity for promoting the EU’s geostrategic interests and values globally.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

The Council prolonged the sanctions targeting specific economic sectors of the Russian Federation for a further six months, until 31 January 2022.

The Council has decided to set up an EU military training mission in Mozambique to support local armed forces in protecting the civilian population and restoring safety and security in Cabo Delgado.

The Cuban government should listen to its people's grievances instead of reacting with a crackdown on the biggest demonstrations there in 30 years.

In der Debatte um die umstrittene Ostsee-Pipeline Nord Stream 2 hat der Fraktionsvorsitzende der Europäischen Volkspartei (EVP) im EU-Parlament, Manfred Weber, eine Belastung der Beziehung zu den europäischen Verbündeten beklagt.

As the first anniversary of the deadly Beirut explosion approaches, the EU said it hopes to develop the legal framework for sanctions targeting Lebanese leaders by August. More than 11 months since Lebanon's government resigned in response to the blast in August 2020, the country is still headed by a caretaker government. The EU said the sanctions would be "balanced" against people from Lebanon's various ethnic, sectarian, and political divides.

Nouveau gouvernement en Macédoine du Nord : un ghetto doré pour les politiciens albanais
Albanais de Macédoine : éclaboussé par les scandales, le BDI plie mais ne rompt pas
Macédoine : menaces contre les journalistes, quand le BDI se croit au-dessus des lois
Macédoine du Nord : ces mini-centrales qui détruisent la montagne du Shar
Macédoine du Nord : le juteux business des mini-centrales hydroélectriques
Pollution : comment la Macédoine du Nord se chauffe avec du mazout interdit par l'UE

/ Politique intérieure, Macédoine du Nord, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, Environnement

Nouveau gouvernement en Macédoine du Nord : un ghetto doré pour les politiciens albanais
Albanais de Macédoine : éclaboussé par les scandales, le BDI plie mais ne rompt pas
Macédoine : menaces contre les journalistes, quand le BDI se croit au-dessus des lois
Macédoine du Nord : ces mini-centrales qui détruisent la montagne du Shar
Macédoine du Nord : le juteux business des mini-centrales hydroélectriques
Pollution : comment la Macédoine du Nord se chauffe avec du mazout interdit par l'UE

/ Politique intérieure, Macédoine du Nord, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, Environnement

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday (12 July) urged member states to consider imposing sanctions over the crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray, as the bloc looks to increase aid deliveries to the region.

Prime minister Mark Rutte admitted on Monday coronavirus restrictions had been eased too early, reimposing restrictions in a bid to halt the surge of Covid-19 cases in the country, Reuters reported. "We had poor judgement, which we regret and for which we apologise," Rutte said. Infections have increased eightfold in a week, reaching their highest level in 2021. Meanwhile, several organisations joined a lawsuit aiming to overturn the restrictions.