EPC Meeting to be Hosted by Starmer

Photo by Matt Brown on Unsplash

Photo by Matt Brown on Unsplash A former UK MEP said a key meeting this week is a chance to “restore the UK’s tattered European credentials.” The fourth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) takes place on Thursday. It is a collective launched after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that was the brainchild of the…

Accusations of Dam Sabotage

In a recent statement, Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused Ukraine of planning to sabotage the dams of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Station and the Kaniv Reservoir. This accusation is clearly provocative and has raised serious concerns within the international community. Analysts and experts in international security believe…

Cochinillo and Twente Given PGI Status

Photo by Kiran kichu on Unsplash

Photo by Kiran kichu on Unsplash Two new items have been given “protected” status by the EU. This comes after the EU Commission approved the addition of Cochinillo de Segovia and Twente to the protected list of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).  The first comes from Spain while Twente wine is from the Netherlands. Cochinillo de Segovia is meat…

Morocco Contests ICSID Ruling

Photo by Alex Belogub on Unsplash

Photo by Alex Belogub on Unsplash The International Centre for Investment Dispute Settlement (ICDI) rejected on Monday, most of the Corral Morocco Holding groups, estimated up to $ 2.7 billion, by only granting compensation for compensation 150 million dollars, less than 6% of the amount that the group has claimed, according to the Minister of Economy and Finance,…

First Plenary of Parliament After Elections

President Roberta Metsola

The newly elected European Parliament holds its constitutive session in Strasbourg this week, with the election of the new Commission president top of the agenda. The first session of the new Parliament after the recent EU elections will be opened on Tuesday.  Parliament’s first act after its constitution is to elect its President for the…

UN Adopts Resolution on Ukraine’s Nuclear Plants

Zaporizhzhia

The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution entitled “Protection and Security of Ukraine’s Nuclear Facilities, including Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” highlighting the international community’s responsible approach to current challenges and risks particularly those largely instigated by Russia on both regional and global scales. This resolution underscores support for Ukraine in its struggle against…

The Next President of the European Commission

Ursula von der Leyen

A decision on the next president of the EU commission will take place in Strasbourg next week. In the run-up to the recent European elections, the EPP Group elected Ursula von der Leyen as its Spitzenkandidat to become the next President of the European Commission.  She is also the EU Member States’ candidate for this…

Hungarian Presidency of the Council

Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash

Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash Hungary has taken up the rotating presidency at a sensitive time for Europe, a time of political transition within the institutions and extraordinary challenges for the Union. Serious concern has been voiced in some quarters about its suitability for the post at such a time. This is due to the repeated issues the…

Humanity Must Triumph over Barbarity

Photo by Andrew Solok on Unsplash

Photo by Andrew Solok on Unsplash Russia’s attack on Kyiv this week, including a children’s hospital, has faced universal condemnation. A children’s hospital in Kyiv was hit after Russia launched a wave of missile strikes against cities across Ukraine. Two people died when the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital – Ukraine’s biggest paediatrics facility – sustained major damage during the…

Preventing the Militarisation of Outer Space

Photo by Christian Crocker on Unsplash

Photo by Christian Crocker on Unsplash There is a pressing need for countries and international organisations to understand better how existing international law can help them address serious concerns about the militarisation of outer space, a new study says.             Space is an increasingly militarized domain, with the potential to be a source and place of armed conflict….