Photo by Jean Carlo Emer on Unsplash Charles Michel has admitted that the EU and US face “enormous” challenges. He was speaking on the eve of the upcoming EU- US summit in Washington. The former Belgian PM, now EU council president, said, “The EU and US share a special bond. We are more than close allies, we are…
Council
New European Prosecutor Appointed
Photo by Joel & Jasmin Førestbird on Unsplash Member states have appointed a new European prosecutor to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Miranda de Meijer will serve a term for a non-renewable period of six years which will start on 1 November. This appointment takes place in the context of the partial renewal of the EPPO College. As…
“Ukraine is a Crime Scene:” Charles Michel
Photo by Brandon Morales on Unsplash EU council chief Charles Michel has described Ukraine as “a crime scene.” He was addressing the UN Security council meeting in New York. Michel added, “The perpetrator is sitting in this very room. You know who you are.” The former Belgian PM added, “The Kremlin dreams of restoring the old Russian empire. After Ukraine,…
EU-China Relations
Photo by Ying Wu on Unsplash The EU and China have both said that they wish to pursue “stable and constructive relations”. The pledge comes amidst growing tensions surrounding China’s policy towards its near neighbour, Taiwan, and other issues. European Council President Charles Michel met with China’s Prime Minister LI Qiang in the margins of…
Starting Grants for Young Scientists
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the awarding of 400 Starting Grants to young scientists and scholars across Europe. The grants – totalling €628 million – support cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from medicine and physics to social sciences and humanities. They will help researchers at the…
Tackling Wildfires
Photo by Egor Vikhrev on Unsplash The EU says it is reacting with unprecedented speed to tackle the biggest wildfires ever recorded in the EU. The Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre has mobilised 11 firefighting planes and 1 helicopter from the rescEU reserve, stationed in 6 Member States. In addition, 6 European countries have contributed…
New Director of Communications for De Croo
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash Barend Leyts, spokesman of the President of the European Council, is to join the cabinet of the Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo where he will take on the role of Director of Communications. Leyts and the President of the European Council, currently Charles Michel, have worked 8 years together. The…
European Strategy for Older Persons
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash The EU Commission has been urged to present a new strategy for older persons before the end of its current mandate The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called on the European Commission and the Member States to develop a new European Strategy for Older Persons in a plenary debate with Commission Vice…
Council Statement on Ukraine
Parliament Calls on NATO Allies to Honour Commitment to Ukraine
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash MEPs have call on NATO allies to “honour their commitment” to Ukraine and pave the way for Kyiv to be invited to join the defence alliance. In the resolution, adopted with 425 votes in favour, 38 against with 42 abstentions, MEPs stress that they expect that the “accession process will start after…