Eurotopics.net

Covid-19 has changed European cities. Outdoor activities have becoming increasingly popular and more people are cycling to work to avoid cramped conditions on public transport, often benefitting from wider bicycle lanes. Commentators argue that these changes are worth preserving even after the pandemic and call on politicians to provide incentives.

Another serious train accident occurred in the Czech Republic on Tuesday when a mail train and a regional train crashed into each other. The driver of the regional train was killed. On July 8 two people were killed in a collision near Pernink, and there were two more minor accidents on July 10 and 12. The Czech press demands action.

The first EU summit after four months of video diplomacy will deal on Friday and Saturday with the coronavirus recovery fund and the budget. The Commission is proposing that 500 billion euros be allocated as grants and another 250 billion as loans. The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Austria are against this plan. Commentators examine the summit's potential for conflict.