Author: Euronews

Agricultural ministers meeting in Brussels today (26 February) backed the idea of reopening the EU’s farming subsidies scheme starting by dismantling its green architecture. ADVERTISEMENTMinisters greeted a package proposed by the EU executive to address concerns from the farming community, including loosening green elements in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and reduction of on-farm checks.“These measures will be a first concrete step in the right direction. But the EU Council believes that this is not enough,” said Belgium’s agriculture minister David Clarinval, representing the rotating presidency of the council.EU ministers have invited the commission to beef up its package of…

Diesel supplies to Europe are under pressure following disruptions at US refineries, aggravated by global instability. ADVERTISEMENTUS diesel exports to Europe almost halved in February to 6.65 million barrels, down from 11.44 million barrels in January, according to analysis by ship tracking firm Kpler.The drop in supply was driven by technical failures and planned refurbishments at US refineries, which has cut output to 10% below the prior five-year’s seasonal average.Official government data shows that, in the week to 9 February, US distillates output fell to 4 million barrels per day, the lowest figure seen since December 2022.A key loss to the market…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. Walking the corridors of European institutions, we pass posters and banners trumpeting our continent’s commitment to rights, freedoms, and justice. These should be values we live, not words we use when politically expedient, MEP Cornelia Ernst and Spyros Vlad Oikonomou write. ADVERTISEMENTLast month, a report documented vicious punishment beatings of people held in Greek refugee camps and detention centres.Most who spoke to the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) reported having been beaten indiscriminately. Others said they were beaten…

“People everywhere are feeling anxious about the future and this will be felt at the ballot box this year,” the head of the WTO said. ADVERTISEMENTWar, uncertainty and instability are weighing down the global economy, the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) warned on Monday, urging the bloc to embrace reform as nearly half the world’s population brace for elections this year.WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sought to offer some praise for her organisation as it held its biennial meeting in the United Arab Emirates, even as it faces pressure from the US and other nations.But she was blunt about…

Alexander Lukashenko has said he will run for re-election as Belarus’s president in 2025, delivering a further blow to the country’s stifled pro-democracy movement. ADVERTISEMENTThe announcement came over the weekend during parliamentary elections. Described as more of a ritual than a democratic vote, Belarusians could choose between only four parties, all loyal to Lukashenko. The ballot was tightly controlled, international observers were not invited and opposition parties were legally barred from running.It is the first election in the country since the contentious 2020 presidential vote – deemed a sham by the West – that sparked a wave of mass demonstrations…

The winner of the trophy was chosen by a jury of 59 motoring journalists from 22 European countries. ADVERTISEMENTThe Renault Scenic E-Tech has scooped the prestigious award for Car of the Year 2024, beating BMW and Peugeot to the top spot with a total of 329 points. The winner was revealed at the opening of the Geneva Motor Show, which returned to the international arena following four years of absence. The French electric SUV was in competition with the BMW 5 Series and Peugeot 3008, which scooped the second and third places respectively, leaving behind the four models of BYD Seal, Kia EV9,…

Major economies are releasing their manufacturing PMI and CMI data for February this week, as they continue to grapple with inflation. ADVERTISEMENTThe NVIDIA-led tech rally has sent both the US and the European markets to their all-time highs, sparking concerns about the sustainability of the market rally and prompting some cautious indicators worth noting.Firstly, the Fear & Greed Index, which tracks stock market movements and determines if stocks are priced fairly, has surged into the Extreme Greed zone, suggesting the market might be overbought.Secondly, global government bond yields climbed significantly, implying central banks may not start interest rate cuts as…

Elmer van Buuren, CEO of a European night train firm, explains how he made his business dream a reality through community funding. ADVERTISEMENTWhen Elmer van Buuren’s start-up crowdfunder raised €500,000 in 15 minutes, he thought his website was broken.To his delight, it wasn’t – and two and a half years later, his donation pot has grown to €4.5 million.All of this money is going towards Elmer’s night train firm, ‘European Sleeper’, which runs overnight rail journeys across the continent.“I had always dreamt of having my own train company,” Elmer says. “This idea had been boiling inside for 25 years.”“And I…

Baier, the current party chairman with little European experience, was the only contender. He was elected in a closed assembly in Slovenia. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Left on Saturday elected Austrian Walter Baier as their spitzenkandidat or pick to lead the European Commission following the elections in June.Baier, 70, who hails from the Austrian communist party, has been the group’s president since December 2022 but had, until then, little experience in European politics.He defended his lack of European credentials at the group’s meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Saturday, telling reporters that “frankly speaking, Europe is not just Brussels.””Europe is 27 nations and hundreds…

Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for re-election, sanctions against Russia and the Rafah crisis are the topics in our weekly round-up of European politics. ADVERTISEMENTUrsula von der Leyen will run for re-election and said this week that she is excited about the possibility of a second term as President of the European Commission. An excitement shared by the European People’s Party (EPP), given the notoriety she has gained in the EU and the rest of the world. Another highlight of this week was the approval of the 13th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine launched two years…