MEPs Call for “De-Oligarchisation” in Moldova

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Photo by Sasha Pleshco on Unsplash  MEPs want the EU to push for accession talks with Moldova. In a parliamentary resolution, MEPs have voted to reaffirm their commitment to Moldova’s future EU membership and want accession talks with Chişinău to launch before the end of the year. The Moldovan government has, MEPs say, “demonstrated its determination and ability”…

European Political Community

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Photo by Danielle Rice on Unsplash A former Europe Minister in the UK has cast doubt on the new European Political Community (EPC). Denis MacShane is a widely respected political observer and served under Tony Blair’s premiership. The Labour veteran politician is partly dismissive of the EPC, the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron.  It is, says MacShane,“basically…

Attacks by Agro-industry on Animal Welfare

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Photo by Jinen Shah on Unsplash A campaign group says that MEPs “from centre-right and right-wing groups” have “consistently vote against measures to improve the welfare of farmed animals.” This is according to a new study of over 10,000 datapoints published on 13 October by Compassion in World Farming. The NGO slammed this “as a coordinated attack by political leaders…

Delivering Cleaner Cars and Trucks in the EU

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Photo by Bro Takes Photos on Unsplash MEPs have adopted radical proposals to lower pollutant emissions and set battery durability requirements for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks. The new rules have been passed by the EU parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. Members adopted the so called “Euro 7” proposals with 52 votes…

Taiwan A Beacon of Democracy in Asia

Taiwan National Day

Taiwan’s Representative to the EU and Belgium says his country is “a reliable, trustworthy” partner for the West. Alexander Tah-ray Yui was speaking at an event at Brussels’ Autoworld car museum to celebrate Taiwan’s 112th National Day. He said, “I must admit that the venue is quite a peculiar setting to host a National Day…

Renewed Momentum for Balkan Enlargement

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Photo by Despina Galani on Unsplash The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has just held the 9th edition of the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum on (19-20 October). It comes  a few weeks ahead of the European Commission’s Enlargement Package and the New Growth Plan.  The Forum signalled a renewed momentum for the region to join the…

Commission Approves Pfizer Takeover of Seagen

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Photo by pina messina on Unsplash The European Commission has unconditionally approved the proposed acquisition of Seagen by Pfizer, under the EU Merger Regulation.  The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’). Seagen and Pfizer are pharmaceutical companies.  In the EEA, the companies’ marketed and pipeline products overlap in the treatment of several…

Romania-Ukraine MOU

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Photo by Olga Prudnikova on Unsplash The European Commission says it welcomes the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Romania and the Government of Ukraine. The executive said on Wednesday this will further contribute to increasing the capacity of “Solidarity Lanes”, especially considering the damage caused to the transport infrastructure of Ukraine due to the…

Overseas Constituencies for UK Voters?

New Europeans

The interests of Britons living abroad would be better represented by constituencies representing their region of the world. That is one of the messages to emerge from campaigners who are pressing for the creation of overseas constituencies The reason is that this is where people are likely to have aligned interests and similar issues around matters such…