Eurotopics.net

The EU Commission's rejection of the plans for a merger between Siemens and Alstom's train divisions has sparked a debate about EU competition laws. On this issue Brussels ignored the will of Berlin and Paris, who wanted to pave the way for a European company that could compete with the US and China in the global railway sector. Should EU states have more or less say when it comes to competition ?

In the negotiations with the Catalan separatists Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has conceded to the demand for an independent facilitator. The right-wing opposition made up of the conservatives (PP), the liberals (Ciudadanos) and the far right (Vox) see Spain's unity at risk and have called a mass demonstration for Sunday to demand new elections. Is Spain's minority government tottering?

Shortly after the settlement of the name dispute with Greece North Macedonia's prospects of joining Nato are very good. Now that the accession protocol has been signed the government in Skopje can send observers to almost all of the alliance's briefings and conferences. In view of these developments the next step is just a matter of time, journalists are sure.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has met with the leaders of the Visegrád countries Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in Bratislava. The five states agreed to cooperate more closely after relations between Germany and the V4 soured as a result mainly of the dispute over refugee policy. The media take a positive view of the rapprochement.

Nach einem Treffen des italienischen Vizepremiers Di Maio mit Gelbwesten hat Frankreich seinen Botschafter aus Rom abgezogen. Damit erreicht der Konflikt zwischen beiden Ländern eine neue Eskalationsstufe. Der Streit hatte sich zuletzt unter anderem an der Flüchtlingspolitik entzündet. Ist die Reaktion Macrons gerechtfertigt?