Parliament and Council negotiators reached on Thursday a provisional deal for an EU digital Covid certificate to facilitate free movement in Europe during the pandemic. The certificate will be available in either digital or paper format. It will attest that a person has been vaccinated against coronavirus or has a recent negative test result or…
The European Commission has signed a third contract with the pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer. It reserves an additional 1.8 billion doses on behalf of all EU Member States, between end 2021 to 2023. It will allow for the purchase of 900 million doses of the current vaccine and of a vaccine adapted to variants,…
Today, cats are hugely popular: you can admire them in all shapes and sizes on the internet and they are one of the most adored of all house pets. But it hasn’t always been that way. So where did this recent and worldwide fascination for these extraordinary creatures come from? That is the mystery that the Yper…
With the international tourism sector set to reopen after the health crisis, a leading ferry operator has moved to provide added protection for travellers. The ferry company DFDS says it will continue to offer its “Travel Guarantee” throughout 2021. This means if plans change because of Covid-19, travellers can re-book a crossing at no extra cost. …
The European Union deplores the publication of Measures in “Response to Unfriendly Actions of Foreign States”, following the unprecedented Decree signed by President Putin on 23 April. The EU considers the allegations of unfriendly actions as unfounded. This Decree is incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 with regard to the duties…
The airline Emirates has set up a humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India to transport urgent medical and relief items, to support India in its fight to control the serious COVID-19 situation in the country. Emirates will offer cargo capacity free of charge on an “as available” basis on all of its flights to nine…
The EU-India Business Roundtable took place virtually in Porto to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of climate, digital and healthcare and to support increased trade and investment. The business roundtable was organised in the margins of the EU-India Summit and with the support of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union….
The secretary general of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marika Pejčinović Burić, has highlighted a “clear and worrying degree of democratic backsliding” in her report on the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the continent. “In many cases, the problems we are seeing predate the coronavirus pandemic but there is no doubt…
It’s back! Yes, after a hiatus that seemed to go on forever, restaurants and bars in Belgium have finally been allowed to open again, albeit on a strictly limited basis. From 8 May, such places were able to open their terraces (assuming they have one) for customers. The move comes after a period of closure…
Months of pandemic restrictions have triggered a major shift in public expectations for urban space and commuting. Europeans are crying out for a fairer share of public space for public transport, cyclists, and pedestrians, according to an online survey of 10,050 residents in 15 European cities polled by YouGov The survey was commissioned by the Clean Cities…
