Smaller EU states risk being left behind in critical medicines market, says Belgian MEP Sommen

Belgian MEP Liesbet Sommen spoke with Euractiv about critical medicines shortages, EU Pharma Package progress, and SANT’s evolving role.

As US recedes, NATO scrambles to find a new leader

The Brits, French, and Germans all have their own ideas about how to defend the continent with Americaโ€™s plans in flux.ย 

Belgium leading new โ€˜one-stop shopโ€™ for medicines, simplifying pharma market

Belgiumโ€™s Deputy Prime Minister, Frank Vandenbroucke, called the EUโ€™s joint health technology assessment a model of European cooperation, improving medicine evaluation, reducing costs, and strengthening price negotiations.

Organic farmers deplore return of controversial weed killer

Belgium is once again allowing the use of a herbicide that could contaminate crops on farms several kilometres away.

What is the โ€˜Paracetamol challengeโ€™ that has Europe nervous

Euractiv investigated the alleged dangerous trend that has national health authorities sounding the alarm.

โ€˜There is fear of what lies aheadโ€™: Germans divided as snap election looms

Voters share which party they are backing on key issues from immigration to economic stagnation amid a fractured political landscapeโ€œI live in Germanyโ€™s oldest city, founded by the Romans over 2,000 years ago,โ€ said Gregor, 59, from Trier, a town of ab…

Trumpโ€™s uphill battle to make NATO allies hit his mega defense spending target

There is broad agreement to boost defense spending โ€” but the U.S. president’s call for 5 percent of GDP is too much for most European countries.

Cocaine cash propels Brussels gang wars to dangerous heights, drugs czar says

The globalization of the illicit narcotics trade is hampering investigators โ€” but Brussels needs to score some quick societal wins, says Belgium’s drug commissioner after wave of shootings.

Greenland could hold referendum on independence from Denmark โ€“ Europe live

Greenlandic parliament calls for snap election for 11 March as ruling party, Siumut, proposes accelerating independence processGerman chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday that US president Donald Trump was wrong to impose sanctions on the internationa…

Germanyโ€™s old-school conservatism is well and truly over

Even if Merz stumbles across the finish line and secures a coalition government, the death knell for Christian democracy may well have been sounded.

Like an episode of The Wire: Brussels gang wars spiral out of control

โ€œMafiaโ€ shootings with Kalashnikovs trigger alarm in the city as politicians convene an emergency meeting.

Lithuania hopes to woo Trump with its anti-China stance

The country aims to curry favor and keep the U.S. president committed to transatlantic defense by being the first to catch the mood in Washington.

Flemish nationalist Bart de Wever sworn in as Belgium’s new prime minister

Conservative Bart De Wever was sworn in Monday as Belgium’s new prime ministerย after seven months of tortuous negotiations to reach aย coalition deal that shifts the country to the right.ย De Wever has pledged toย crack down on irregular migration and ha…

Rightwinger Bart De Wever sworn in as Belgian prime minister

De Wever, a nationalist from Flanders, takes over from Alexander De Croo after seven months of negotiationsConservative Bart De Wever has been sworn in as Belgiumโ€™s new prime minister, after striking a hard-fought coalition deal that moves the country …

Pressure grows on EU to freeze minerals deal with Rwanda over DRC fighting

Belgium leads calls for suspension of agreement after Rwanda-backed rebels captured city of GomaThe EU is under mounting pressure to suspend a controversial minerals deal with Rwanda that has been blamed for fuelling the conflict in the east of the Dem…

Belgium gets new nationalist-led governmentย 

With its new government, Belgium joins a growing list of European countries led by nationalist forces such as Meloni’s Italy and Orban’s Hungary.
The post Belgium gets new nationalist-led governmentย  appeared first on Euractiv.

Belgium to form government after seven months of negotiations

The coalition government will be led by the conservative New Flemish Alliance partyโ€™s Bart De WeverFive Belgian parties struck a coalition deal on Friday to form a new government headed by the Flemish conservative Bart De Wever, after more than seven m…

Belgium gets new government with Flemish separatist Bart De Wever as PM

After repeated false starts and breakdowns in talks, the country gets a Flemish-nationalist led coalition.

France leads fight against EU plans to merge health crisis and civil protection units

11 countries signed a paper to Ursula von der Leyen warning the move would downgrade Europe’s health crisis resiliency.

Chasing the Don: How EU politicians are jockeying for position with Trump

From Nigel Farage to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, EU politicians are competing for the privilege of being Europe’s Trump whisperer.

EU lets Russian LNG slip in new sanctions package

The proposal will not include a blanket prohibition of LNG imports, as scores of EU hawks have been urging.

โ€˜We wonโ€™t come againโ€™: dazed visitors fed up with overcrowded Louvre

Paris attraction in need of overhaul amid complaints of leaks, long waits, lack of signage โ€“ and too many peopleAs the crowds poured out of the Louvre, the look of dazed exhaustion on many faces confirmed what the museumโ€™s director had warned last week…

Coca-Cola recalls drinks in Europe over โ€˜higher levelsโ€™ of chemical chlorate

Cans and bottles containing the chemical, which can cause health issues, were distributed in Britain at the end of last yearCoca-Cola has recalled its drinks in some countries across Europe after detecting โ€œhigher levelsโ€ of the chemical chlorate.Cans …

Coca-Cola orders massive recall of its products in Europe over chlorine derivative

Coca-Cola recalled its drinks in several countries across Europe on Monday because of excessive levels of a potentially harmful substance. The recall concerns cans and glass bottles of Coke, Sprite, Fuze Tea and other beverages distributed in Belgium,…

One of Europeโ€™s most-wanted drug traffickers living in Sierra Leone, say Dutch prosecutors

Jos Leijdekkers, reportedly the son-in-law of African countryโ€™s president, was sentenced to 24 years in prisonOne of Europeโ€™s most wanted men, the Dutch crime boss Jos Leijdekkers, is hiding out in Sierra Leone, Dutch prosecutors have said.The statemen…

Hungary backs down in EU Russia sanctions standoff

Before relenting, Budapest had threatened to allow billions of dollars to flow back to the Kremlin in a row over energy imports.

Murder in the House of Ullens: The fall from grace of one of Belgiumโ€™s richest families

Police say a dispute over money is behind the shooting of Baroness Myriam Ullens.

Brussels terror attack: Suspect arrested in 2023 killing of Swedish football fans

Belgian authorities said the suspect arrested on Friday was believed to have supplied the firearm used in the attack.

Hungary wobbles on sanctions threat after Trump calls out Putin

Viktor Orbรกn has flirted with killing the EU’s Russia sanctions. But he didn’t get the ally he might have expected in Donald Trump.

EUโ€™s biggest secessionist movement is losing momentum

And Catalonia’s new President wants to shoot it dead.

Von der Leyen announces visit to India

The EU is keen to reactivate talks on a trade agreement with New Delhi.

EU Commission doubles down on Russian asset confiscation despite Belgian warnings

European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis said Moscow must be made to โ€œpayโ€ for its nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine.
The post EU Commission doubles down on Russian asset confiscation despite Belgian warnings appeared first on Euractiv…

Trump presidency will help to โ€˜occupy Brusselsโ€™, says Orbรกn

Hungary PM says new US leader will bolster Europeโ€™s rightwing forces as nationalist politicians attend inaugurationDonald Trump inauguration โ€“ live updatesWhat time is Trumpโ€™s inauguration? How to watch the eventsDonald Trumpโ€™s presidency will boost ri…

There is a ‘backlash against gender balance everywhere’: EU Commissioner for equality

For our first Talking Europe interview with the new crop of EU Commissioners, we host Hadja Lahbib, who is in charge of preparedness and crisis management, as well as equality. Lahbib, a former foreign minister of Belgium, talks about the challenges o…

Austria is set for a far-right chancellor. For the EU itโ€™s the โ€˜new normalโ€™

If Herbert Kickl becomes chancellor, Vienna will join list of disruptive member states, putting EU policies in perilWhen Austriaโ€™s Freedom party (FPร–) entered government 25 years ago, shock waves reverberated around Europe. Punitive measures were impos…

Worldโ€™s far-right populists pack guest list for Trumpโ€™s inauguration

While itโ€™s not usual to invite foreign dignitaries, Trump is laying down a clear ideological marker with his invitees from across the world.

Halt illegal imports of conflict minerals from DRC, campaigners urge EU

Law to stop armed groups profiting from trade in gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum is being breached, rights groups sayThe European Union has been urged to clamp down on illegal imports of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC…

EU warns US over new AI chips blocks

Export restrictions on cutting-edge microchips will affect some EU countries, including Poland.

Court ruling on Belgiumโ€™s conduct in colonial Africa hailed as turning point

Verdict of crimes against humanity for kidnap of mixed-race children could pave way for wider justice, activists sayA historic court ruling that found Belgium guilty of crimes against humanity during its colonial rule of central Africa has been hailed …

Belgian transport faces severe disruption Monday by national strike

Trade unions called the strike to protest against government plans for pension reform.

White powder sent to Belgian PMโ€™s office identified as poison strychnine

Aide of Alexander De Croo hospitalised after opening letter containing potentially fatal poisonA white powder in a letter that hospitalised an aide to Belgiumโ€™s prime minister, Alexander De Croo, has been identified as strychnine, a poison that can be …

Toxic powder injures Belgium PMโ€™s office member at government building

Similar letters were found at the interior ministerโ€™s office on Nov. 20 and on Dec. 9.

A tree is just for Christmas, not for dinner, Belgian food agency warns

Message came after northern city of Ghent posted tips for recycling the conifer as a dishAt a time when most people have probably polished off their holiday leftovers, Belgiumโ€™s food agency has issued a surprising seasonal health warning: donโ€™t eat you…

Itโ€™s now or never for Bart De Wever as Belgian coalition talks get hard deadline

Negotiations must be wrapped up by the end of January.

Donโ€™t eat your Christmas trees, Belgiumโ€™s food agency warns

The cautionary note comes after the city of Ghent promoted eating Yuletide trees to reduce waste.

France reports first case of new mpox variant

It’s the eighth case of the new strain to be detected in Europe.

Headless Europe: As the crises mount, the continentโ€™s leaders are AWOL

Political uncertainty in several EU countries could weaken the bloc’s hand in talks with Donald Trump.
The post Headless Europe: As the crises mount, the continent’s leaders are AWOL appeared first on Euractiv.

5 green targets EU countries will (mostly) miss in 2025

EU countries are behind on most, if not all, their sustainability commitments.

How Charles Michel waded into a minefield in Nagorno-Karabakh

The former Council President wanted to intervene in a bitter conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He ended up mired in problems of his own, excerpts from a new book on the region reveal.

Belgian mayors call for Europe-wide ban on sale of fireworks

Animal rights activists, however, say a nationwide ban in Belgium should come first.

Belgium becomes first EU country to ban sale of disposable vapes

Products banned on health and environmental grounds, while Milan outlaws outdoor smoking Belgium has become the EU first country to ban the sale of disposable vapes in an effort to stop young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and to protect the…

POLITICOโ€™s most-read stories of 2024

Elections, war and porn: The stories that captured your attention over the past 12 months.

Ukraine war briefing: Russia vows to retaliate after state media reportedly blocked on Telegram in EU

Moscow says the move is โ€˜censorshipโ€™ and that it reserves the right to โ€˜respond in the same mannerโ€™. What we know on day 1,041Russia has vowed to retaliate after the channels of its state media were apparently blocked on the popular Telegram social med…

As Belgiumโ€™s disposable vape ban looms, health minister urges EU to change smoking rules

European Commission has delayed updated EU rules on tobacco products.

Europeโ€™s slow but โ€˜inevitableโ€™ march to allow assisted dying

The U.K. is the latest country to move toward legalizing the controversial yet evermore popular practice.

Europeโ€™s Russian energy sanctions have run out of steam. Can Poland fire them up again?

Warsaw wants to use its turn in the EU’s rotating chair to take on Russian imports.

Teenโ€™s murder drives Albania to ban TikTok for aย yearย 

Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed the Chinese-owned platform for inciting violence after a schoolboy was stabbed to death.

The right to perform secondary movements under international refugee law

 

 

Paolo Biondi, EU Asylum
Agency

 

Photo
credit: Ggia, via Wikimedia
Commons

 

 

Introduction

 

The 1951
Refugee Convention is a pivotal document in international refugee
protection, outlining the rights of as…

Europeโ€™s biggest dietary problem? Lobbyists, says Nutri-Score creator.

Franceโ€™s Serge Hercberg warns that disinformation is shortening the lives of consumers.

Ukraine war briefing: Trump envoy Kellogg plans Kyiv fact-finding trip โ€“ sources

Bombed Russian general was accused over banned chemical weapons use in Ukraine; Nato takes over role of Ramstein group. What we know on day 1,029Donald Trumpโ€™s incoming Ukraine envoy, retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, will travel to Kyiv and several other …

Inquest hears details of UK 22-year-oldโ€™s stabbing death in Amsterdam

Dutch court found Daniel Castledineโ€™s attacker, a Belgian male, guilty of manslaughter in January A British student was stabbed to death in Amsterdam, dragged and left at the bottom of steps belonging to a basement apartment, an inquest has heard.Danny…

Commission warns five member states over EUโ€™s online moderation law compliance

“The Commission may decide to […] refer Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union,” wrote the EU executive.
The post Commission warns five member states over EU’s online moderation law compliance …

Trump picks Bill White as ambassador to Belgium

A major donor and surrogate to Trumpโ€™s 2024 campaign, White previously backed President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both Democrats.

Europeโ€™s Syrians shaken by debate over repatriation to their war-ravaged homeland

For many Syrian refugees in Europe, joy at the fall of Assad has been tempered by immediate calls for them to go home.

Germany to enable โ€˜voluntary, secureโ€™ returns for Syrian refugees

The foreign office in Berlin has scripted an eight-point plan for a free and democratic Syria.

Austria prepares to deport Syrian migrants after Assad regime falls

Belgium, Germany, Greece and Austria said they will halt Syrian asylum applications one day after rebel forces ousted the country’s dictator.

Eurostar is Europeโ€™s worst-ranked rail operator, Trenitalia the best

Eurostar, which links France, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, charges prices that are twice the European average, yet fails to deliver better services.

Virkkunen supports EU telecoms consolidation, gets mixed national responses

Representatives from Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands and Slovenia stated that they were not in favour of consolidation.

Countries back Brusselsโ€™ plan to ban outdoor vaping

But Hungary’s minister reminded countries that the move was nonbinding, as Germany and Greece abstained.

115,000 Belgians join new diabetes care pathway, but prevention remains a critical challenge

One euro invested in diabetes prevention can save eight euros in the future. Diabetes is crushing Europe’s health budgets, but Belgium is trying to get ahead of the curve.

Michelโ€™s cabinet chief to become Belgian envoy to US

Frรฉdรฉric Bernard had helped to run meetings of national leaders.

Michelโ€™s cabinet chief to become Belgian envoy to US

Frรฉdรฉric Bernard had helped to run meetings of national leaders.

Belgian court rules against state over abduction of mixed-race children in colonial Congo

In a landmark ruling, Belgium’s court of appeals on Monday said that five women, born in Belgian-ruled Congo and now in their 70s, had been victims of “systematic abduction” by the state when they were abducted from their mothers as small children and…

Belgium found guilty of crimes against humanity in colonial Congo

Court said five women were victims of โ€˜systematic kidnappingโ€™ by state over forced removal from mothers as small childrenThe Belgian state has been found guilty of crimes against humanity for the forced removal of five mixed-race children from their mo…

Court finds Belgium guilty of โ€˜crimes against humanityโ€™ for kidnapping children in colonial Congo

Five mixed-race women sued the Belgian state for taking them away from their families in racially motivated abductions.

Belgiumโ€™s sex workers win maternity pay and pension rights in world first

Move by lawmakers hailed as โ€˜huge step forwardโ€™, ending legal discrimination against sex workersBelgian sex workers have gained the right to sick days, maternity pay and pension rights under the first law of its kind in the world.Lawmakers voted in May…

โ€˜I cried, I cried. I had no oneโ€™: the brutal child kidnappings that shamed Belgian Congo

Over 70 years ago, thousands of mixed-race boys and girls were torn from their mothers by order of the state. This week five survivors hope a court will censure Belgium for crimes against humanityMonique was three years old when a white man from the go…

Undiagnosed HIV cases exceed 5% in Belgium, โ€˜Figures not goodโ€™ says Flemish Minister of Welfare

A surge in sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia is complicating the HIV epidemic. STIs increase the risk of contracting HIV if exposed. A decline in condom use is adding to the crisis.

Belgiumโ€™s Romanians poised to propel the far right into power

Frustrated with mainstream parties and unable to return home, Romanians abroad are emerging as staunch supporters of ultranationalist presidential hopeful Cฤƒlin Georgescu.

A single point of failure

Why Europe’s diamond control node undermines African sovereignty and the Kimberley Process

EU-Mercosur trade deal: Poland joins France in attempt to form a blocking minority

In addition to Paris and Warsaw, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands are also concerned about the free-trade agreement’s impact on their agricultural sectors. Yet, at this stage, they have not all committed themselves.

V13 by Emmanuel Carrรจre review โ€“ gripping chronicle of the 2015 Paris attacks trial

A chronicle of the largest criminal case in French history from a master of the genreIn the early evening of 12 November 2015, three cars left Charleroi in Belgium, arriving a few hours later at a rented house in the northern suburbs of Paris. The occu…

Belgium a pharma leader, investing โ‚ฌ15.5 million per day in pharmaceutical R&D

Belgium has solidified its position as a European leader in pharmaceutical research and development with a daily investment of โ‚ฌ15.5 million, according to the latest figures from pharma.be.

MEPs postpone decision on Hungaryโ€™s Olivรฉr Vรกrhelyi

It means his appointment will be tied to the more high-profile commissioner hearings on Tuesday.

Agricultural problems persist in Europe as farmers plan protests

Like in France, farmers’ organizations in Belgium and Poland are denouncing the free trade agreement negotiated between the European Union and the MERCOSUR countries. Action is being planned.

Huge crime network forging Banksy, Warhol and Picasso uncovered in Italy

Carabinieri and Pisa prosecutor say 38 people being investigated with about 2,100 fake artworks seizedItalian police have uncovered a large-scale pan-European forgery network making and selling fake artworks attributed to some of the biggest names in m…

How a political hostage deal saved 2 commissionersโ€™ jobs

MEPs resort to mutually assured destruction to get Jessika Roswall and Hadja Lahbib through their parliamentary hearings.