Euractiv.com

The EU and its member states can and must jointly do more for animal welfare. This is the clear message the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council wants to convey by organising  a one-day conference dedicated to our treatment of animals, write Stella Kyriakides, Ben Weyt, Celine Tellie and Bernard Clerfay.

A fierce debate is raging in Czechia about whether the country should retain or end the so-called protected distribution channel, which obliges pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply selected suppliers with medicines.

A leaked European Commission paper on “industrial carbon management”, to be published on 6 February, lays the groundwork for captured carbon dioxide to be “recycled” in chemical processes or used as maritime and jet fuel, while accounting for non-emitted CO2 in the bloc’s carbon market.

Italian left-wing opposition party PD will hold a ‘pro-press freedom’ sit-in outside the headquarters of national public broadcaster RAI, announced party leader Elly Schlein, over Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s alleged monopolisation of state TV for campaigning ahead of June’s EU elections.

German, Polish, Romanian, and French farmers were joined in their protests by Belgian farmers on Friday and throughout the weekend, with demands similar to those of their European peers.

The Austrian government has appointed the president of the country’s federal administrative court, a candidate ranked third by an expert selection committee, following 400 days of political back-and-forth.

France’s main farming unions called to blockade the capital and strategic points in the region on Monday, following the prime minister’s latest proposals, which they deemed insufficient, leading to an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry on Sunday evening to prevent a possible ‘siege of Paris’.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Sunday (28 January) that he has proposed the signing of a non-aggression pact to Azerbaijan, pending a comprehensive peace treaty between the arch-foe Caucasus neighbours.

France will freeze all funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for at least the first half of 2024 after Israel accused some of the organisation’s members of being involved in the 7 October Hamas terrorist attacks.

EU leaders are gearing up to push ahead with a €50 billion support package this week, with or without Hungary. But many in Brussels realise the step could come at a higher cost than money and time.

The German liberal FDP and social democrat SPD gathered on Sunday to pass their programmes for the upcoming EU election, as both parties try to mobilise voters against declining poll ratings. 

In this week's edition: Ukraine aid debate, Sweden's NATO path and more EU defence talk.

India is seeking to distance itself from its largest arms supplier after Russia's ability to supply munitions and spares was hobbled by the war in Ukraine, but must step carefully to avoid pushing Moscow closer to China, Indian sources said.

Intense fighting raged Saturday (27 January) in the Gaza city of Khan Yunis, sending Palestinians fleeing further south as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his vow to "eliminate Hamas".

Ukrainian defence officials and corporate leaders sought to steal about $40 million through a fraudulent arms procurement scheme, the country's main intelligence and security agency said Saturday (27 January).

The French government dropped plans to gradually reduce state subsidies on agricultural diesel but that seems not enough for angry farmers surrounding Paris and still threatening to converge on the capital in their tractors.

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Italy again this weekend for an Italy-Africa summit, just a few weeks after her trip to flood-hit Forlì in Emilia-Romagna together with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The European Central Bank’s (ECB) decision to maintain interest rates at their record high levels on Thursday (26 January) has raised fears about its impact on Germany, as it shows increasing signs of weakness amid a manufacturing slump and declining business confidence.

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday (26 January) stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit that sparked a fire on a fuel tanker operated on behalf of trading firm Trafigura.

Ukraine has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to participate in a planned "peace summit" of world leaders in Switzerland, a top diplomatic adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russia's invasion approaches its second anniversary.