Eurotopics.net

After four years of trials Iceland is introducing a four-day workweek. Around 86 percent of the country's employees will now have the right to work a 35-hour week instead of the previous 40 hours - with full pay. Trials with one percent of the workforce testified to fewer cases of burnout, higher job satisfaction and equal or even improved performance. The model is stimulating debate in other countries.

In the wake of the plane hijacking and the resulting EU sanctions on Minsk, the number of migrants crossing the border from Belarus into Lithuania has risen to well over 100 per day - many of them people who have travelled from Iraq, Syria and Russia. Lukashenka has confirmed that he is deliberately not stopping drug smugglers or mass migrations at the border. Lithuania has declared a state of emergency and is now erecting a border fence.

Italy has won the Euro 2020 European football championship with a 3-2 victory against England on penalties. The game was watched by 60,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium. The day after the final Europe's commentators are full of praise for the two teams but criticise a lack of scrutiny regarding the organisation of the tournament in the context of the pandemic.

Volkswagen and BMW have been ordered to pay 875 million euros in fines to the EU for colluding with Daimler to restrict the size of their urea tanks in 2009, thus hindering competition. Urea mixtures improve exhaust gas purification and reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Have the companies been let off too lightly, or are they being punished for normal and desirable cooperation?

The Russian Duma has passed a law that reserves the term "shampanskoye" - as all sparkling wine is called in Russian - for Russian products only. All others, including champagne from the French Champagne region, must henceforth be declared as "Igristoye vino" (sparkling wine). Europe's press goggles, jokes and scolds.