Author: Euronews

The highly divisive prospect of using so-called Eurobonds to finance efforts to ramp up the EU’s defence capacities will be floated as the bloc’s 27 leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTIt’s seen as a first attempt to test EU member states’ appetite for jointly issuing debt to bolster the bloc’s defence industry as war rages on its eastern flank.Although divisive, French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas have both backed the idea in the past. In February’s summit, Kallas suggested that the bonds should amount to a total of €100 billion.But the taboo of issuing common…

Support for far-right parties is surging ahead of June’s European Parliament elections. This could mean Europe’s Green Deal comes under threat. Source link

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a step closer to entering formal talks on its accession to the European Union after the bloc’s 27 leaders green-lighted the move on Thursday. Source link

Hybrid-electric car sales grew the most in the EU last month but petrol-fuelled cars are still in high demand. Source link

EU leaders have unanimously called for “an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza, after Hungary subscribed to the statement for the first time since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. ADVERTISEMENTThe breakthrough on Thursday follows five months of deep divisions between the 27 leaders, whose failure to coalesce around a call for a ceasefire has put EU unity under stress.The conclusions – the result of intensive talks on Thursday evening as EU advisors hammered out a statement palatable to all 27 leaders – deplore the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians”…

Bitcoin has seen increased interest over the past few months, following the approval of bitcoin exchange-traded funds earlier this year. Source link

Viktor Orbán has congratulated Vladimir Putin on “his re-election” in a fresh affront to the European Union’s political unity. Source link

Hermès has been slammed for allegedly coercing clients to buy other products, to hopefully get a chance to buy the famed Birkin bag. Source link

European countries must not make the same mistake Estonia did before World War II and invest heavily in defence to avoid being caught off guard, the country’s prime minister said ahead of a meeting of EU leaders. Source link

The Bank of England has held the interest rate at 5.25%, with one dissent by Swati Dhingra advocating for a 0.25% cut. Projections see inflation dipping below the target in Q2 2024. ADVERTISEMENTIn its latest policy meeting, the Bank of England (BoE) has opted to maintain the Bank Rate at 5.25%, as widely expected, envisioning a decline in inflation and a modest rise in economic growth in the upcoming quarter.Eight members voted in favour of the decision to keep the rate unchanged. Notably, the BOE highlighted its intentions to keep monetary policies restrictive enough to ensure that inflation falls back…