The Council last week decided to extend the sanctions targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months until 15 September 2021. The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed persons and…
“European countries are failing to protect refugees and migrants trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean. Backsliding in the protection of the lives and rights of refugees and migrants is worsening and causing thousands of avoidable deaths each year”, said Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a report. The…
Parliament has adopted its negotiating position on the new Fisheries Control system, which will reform the rules that have governed EU fishing activities since 2010. By 401 votes in favour, 247 against and 47 abstentions, MEPs agreed to use new technologies to better enforce fishing rules and improve security and transparency. They also insist that…
Europe’s consumers are being sent confusing messages. On the one hand vaccination is being proclaimed as a route out of the coronavirus pandemic. But a number of countries are now curtailing the use of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, claiming that an unexpected side effect is the greater risk of blood clots after it has been…
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China adopted last week a Decision that will have a significant impact on democratic accountability and political pluralism in Hong Kong. The Decision will lead to a concentration of power and influence in the Hong Kong Election Committee, which is not a democratically elected body. The…
In 2020, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEE) saw their trade value cross US $100 billion for the first time, writes Dr Jianli Yang. The Chinese media lauded this development, deeming it a ‘role model’ in a time when regional cooperation has taken a hit. It…
Between 9-11 March, the representatives of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe met to examine the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, in accordance with the supervisory role of the Committee of Ministers under Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the agenda was Romania and…
The mineral wool industry continues to face opposition in France, with leading player Rockwool seeming unlikely to receive the needed permits. Arnaud Svrcek, the Mayor of Courmelles, told L’Union newspaper shortly before the start of the public inquiry to authorize the operation of a mineral wool plant in the Soissons region of France and to…
10 March marks the 62nd anniversary the uprising by Tibetans against the military occupation of Tibet. The date is remembered worldwide by Tibetans to recall the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the invasion by the People’s Republic of China in 1949. After the uprising, many Tibetans, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, were forced to find refuge…
The Europe Commission has set out new targets as part of Europe’s Digital Decade 2030. Reaction to the announcement on Monday was swift with Vodafone Group External Affairs Group Director, Joakim Reiter telling this website, “Vodafone believes that the new Digital Decade 2030 targets set out by the European Commission today, combined with the €672.5…
