All posts tagged: Antonio Costa

EU’s net payers prepare revolt as €1.8 trillion budget takes shape – POLITICO

EU’s net payers prepare revolt as €1.8 trillion budget takes shape – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

In addition to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Ireland and Belgium are expected to be represented in the talks, which are being held ahead of a General Affairs Council in Brussels where the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (long-term budget) is to be debated. But a rival camp of 16 countries — including Italy, Spain and Poland — are pushing back on the mooted cuts. They argue that spending on agriculture, payments to poorer regions and fishing must be increased from the Commission’s budget proposal, where they make up less than half of total spending. “In the Commission’s proposal, Cohesion Policy, CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and the CFP (Common fisheries policy) are the only policies facing reductions in real terms, despite the overall increase in the size of the new MFF,” the countries wrote in a joint statement on Monday evening that was coordinated by Romania. Signatories include Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Swedish European Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz talks to …

Zelenskyy rejects Merz proposal for associate EU membership

Zelenskyy rejects Merz proposal for associate EU membership

Published by Sam Flores

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday rejected a German proposal to grant Ukraine associate membership in the EU because it would leave Kyiv without a voice inside the bloc. “There can be no complete European project without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s place in the European Union must also be complete — full and equal,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “It is important to open the clusters” on negotiation areas, he said. “It is important to make meaningful progress in the negotiations. It is important to work at one hundred percent for security and for our people,” Zelenskyy stressed. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested that Ukraine should be granted an “associate member” status in the EU that would come with benefits such as participation in meetings of the European Commission and the European Council. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Thursday appeared to endorse the incremental approach touted by Merz, arguing that EU candidate countries could be granted access to the “single market, customs union, the roaming area, Erasmus and Horizon” programs as steps …

Why are drones suddenly terrifying Europe? – POLITICO

Why are drones suddenly terrifying Europe? – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

With drone alerts, emergency shelters and fighter jets over the Baltics, Europe’s security fears suddenly feel much less theoretical at the GLOBSEC forum in Prague. On the ground in Czechia for the Brussels Playbook Podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the growing wave of drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine. They also discuss why Baltic leaders are sounding the alarm and how the crisis in Latvia became serious enough to bring down the government. Then: Germany is growing impatient with the EU’s enlargement drift. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is pushing a new concept called “associate membership” that would pull countries like Ukraine and Moldova closer to EU institutions — even before full accession. And finally: Brussels’ next big institutional power struggle is already underway. António Costa looks increasingly safe as European Council president, while the European People’s Party scrambles to keep its grip on the EU’s top jobs and protect Roberta Metsola’s position as European Parliament president. Do you live in Baltic country? Have the recent drone incursions affected your everyday life? We’re …

Von der Leyen and Costa pick their Eurovision favorites – POLITICO

Von der Leyen and Costa pick their Eurovision favorites – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The song that “moves me the most,” the German politician went on, “is ‘Ne partez pas sans moi’ by Céline Dion, which won [for Switzerland] in 1988. What a voice, what emotion.” And, from the more recent entries, “I think the energy in ‘Euphoria’ by Loreen in 2012 is unmatched!” The song won for Sweden, and Loreen went on to win the contest again in 2023. A spokesperson for European Council President António Costa said that his favorite Eurovision entry is Portugal’s 1974 chanson “E depois do adeus” by Paulo de Carvalho. While the song failed to win the contest, it became the anthem for the Carnation Revolution just three weeks later, ushering in the country’s democratic transition. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas did not respond to a request for their favorite Eurovision songs. Following the fall of the Iron Curtain, the participation of the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine in Eurovision has been seen as a symbol of the continent’s unity. Kyiv’s 2016 …

EU hails ‘new chapter’ as Magyar sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister – POLITICO

EU hails ‘new chapter’ as Magyar sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Magyar has vowed a reset with Brussels to try to secure around €10 billion in EU funds frozen as a result of backsliding over human rights and the rule of law in recent years. The center-right Hungarian flew to Brussels for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week as the new administration scrambles to meet an August deadline to show progress on reforms or risk losing access to the money altogether. Tisza, formed by Magyar in 2020 after he left Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party, won 141 of the 200 available parliamentary seats in April’s nationwide vote, giving the party the two-thirds supermajority required to make constitutional changes. Orbán, along with many of his top allies, has said he will not take his seat in the new parliament, but made an appearance Friday on a Hungarian-language YouTube channel to insist he would face any investigation into his conduct and is innocent of any wrongdoing. However, the departure of Orbán — who had consistently used his veto in the European Council to block …

‘A deal is a deal’: Von der Leyen fires back at Trump over auto tariff threat

‘A deal is a deal’: Von der Leyen fires back at Trump over auto tariff threat

Published by Sam Flores

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to hike tariffs on European cars, warning Washington to stick to the terms of its trade deal with Brussels. Speaking out for the first time since Trump’s Friday announcement that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on EU-made automobiles, von der Leyen flatly stated that “a deal is a deal.” “We have a deal, and the essence of this deal is prosperity, common rules and reliability,” she said during a press conference at the EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan. While the EU is in the “final stages of implementing the remaining tariff commitments,” the Commission president added, “the U.S. has the commitment … where alignment with the agreed ceiling is still outstanding.” She also stressed the bloc is “prepared for every scenario.” During the same press conference, European Council President António Costa said EU leaders “fully support” the Commission’s response to Trump’s latest trade threat. French President Emmanuel Macron made that backing explicit at a separate press conference in Yerevan with …

The EU-Mercosur deal takes effect — but the fight over it goes on – POLITICO

The EU-Mercosur deal takes effect — but the fight over it goes on – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

What’s changing? The agreement will gradually eliminate duties on more than 90 percent of EU exports, including on cars, pharmaceuticals, wine and spirits, and olive oil. Some so-called non-tariff barriers — such as on labeling — will be removed. Public procurement markets will open up, allowing EU companies to bid for government contracts. The Commission estimates that EU exports to the Mercosur region will grow by 39 percent through 2040, to €50 billion. “The benefits are real and visible as of now,” von der Leyen said in a post on X. “Tariffs start falling. Companies are gaining access to new markets. Investors have the predictability they need.” But gains will be slower to materialize on some products. “In most cases, the tariff reductions will be phased in over a period of 10 to 15 years. The economic effects will therefore become apparent primarily in the medium to long term,” said Oliver Richtberg, head of foreign trade at Germany’s VDMA engineering federation. If either the Court of Justice or lawmakers ultimately reject the agreement, the European Commission …

Why are drones suddenly terrifying Europe? – POLITICO

Berlin turns up the heat – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Europe is staring down a familiar and unwelcome set of circumstances: rising energy prices, slowing growth and growing political pressure. As the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran ripples through global markets, EU governments are scrambling to cushion the blow — with far fewer tools than they had when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered the last energy crisis. Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Nick Vinocur to unpack what this new economic shock could mean — not just for households, but for Europe’s political center. Also on the pod: German conservatives turn up the heat on Ursula von der Leyen — and Belgium looks to keep the lights on in its shops a little longer. Got a question or a comment? Contact us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Source link

EU leaders condemn attack at Trump dinner – POLITICO

EU leaders condemn attack at Trump dinner – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Authorities said a “lone actor,” armed with a shotgun and other weapons, charged a security checkpoint outside the annual dinner late Saturday and exchanged gunfire with security forces. The incident triggered panic inside the ballroom as Trump and other dignitaries were rushed from the stage. Trump initially signaled he wanted to resume the event before abandoning the idea as security concerns mounted. “We very much wanted to continue it,” he said at a press conference shortly after the incident, adding that he would not let “these sick people … change the fabric of our life.” One Secret Service officer was struck in his bullet-resistant vest but is “doing great,” the president said, praising the rapid response. In her post, Kallas wished the injured officer a “swift recovery.” Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. The gunman was tackled but was unharmed; he was being evaluated at a hospital, police said. The suspect, identified as a 31-year-old man from California, was taken into custody and …

29 leaders gathered in Cyprus. As usual, the summit was about one who didn’t. – POLITICO

29 leaders gathered in Cyprus. As usual, the summit was about one who didn’t. – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Over dinner, leaders talked about how to make the EU’s barely used mutual defense clause — Article 42.7 — work in practice, while avoiding any suggestion it could replace NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee. That discussion comes at a sensitive moment for European capitals, which are trying to respond to growing uncertainty over Washington’s commitment to European security without sending the signal — either to the U.S. or to Russia — that they are undermining NATO themselves. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among those who came out strongly in favor of making Article 42.7 operational, according to a senior EU official, who added that Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides presented ideas on the subject to the other leaders over dinner. On Friday, leaders turned to the bloc’s next seven-year budget. The debate has been sharpened by the economic pressure of the war and by calls for the EU to become more ambitious — and more independent from Washington. The EU budget amounts to around 1 percent of the bloc’s wealth, with capitals like Berlin opposing …