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In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about the COVID vaccine not granting special privileges in Germany for now, Bulgaria preparing for a third coronavirus peak, and so much more.

Palestine’s foreign ministry has released a statement urging Kosovo to annul its agreement establishing diplomatic relations with Israel and its intentions to open an embassy in Jerusalem. “The step that Kosovo took by signing the agreement with the occupying state...

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) could expect “new energy” and support for stability in the country from the White House now that President Joe Biden is leading the country, said US ambassador to BiH, Eric Nelson. There is no difference between...

There has been no greater reliance on digital tools than during the current period, as Europe continues to live under the reality of a global health pandemic. In this context, the European Commission is charting Europe’s digital transition with a...

Parliamentary groups on Thursday supported stronger protection of creative industries online, as well as stronger and better protection of authors, performers, and publishers. The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating impact on the creative and cultural industries which, along with...

The European Commission has criticised Romania’s proposals for its national recovery and resilience plan, while a government official in Bucharest pointed out that the government had not sent an actual plan, only disparate pieces. “A first observation from the Commission...

Bulgarian health authorities are expecting a third coronavirus peak in three weeks after a forecast made on Thursday by Ventsislav Mutafchiiski, the chairman of the National Operations Centre against COVID-19. Just three days earlier, the government had relaxed restrictive measures...

The EU continues to lag behind China and the US when it comes to investments into key technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned.

After Russia’s Sberbank, one of the biggest creditors of the Slovenske Elektrarne electric utility company, requested new guarantees for its loan this week, Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulík reacted promptly and accelerated a legislative proposal ensuring shares in companies of...

Police detained dozens of protesters across several cities on Thursday (4 February) after Turkey brushed aside US and EU condemnation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's crackdown on a month of escalating student rallies.

The EU's aim for net zero by 2050 is insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement and limit warming to 1.5°C. To avoid climate catastrophe, Europe needs to rethink auctions for renewable energy and reintroducing support for small scale supply, argue Hans-Josef Fell and Dr Thure Traber.

This week, acting on the European Commission’s request, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recommended a total ban on the sale and use of lead ammunition and fishing back leads in EU countries. In the Czech Republic, fishermen and hunters have...

The Polish government has approved Poland’s energy policy until 2040 (PEP2040), which sets the framework for the energy transformation in the country, including a minimum 23% share of renewables in gross final energy consumption by 2030 and a reduction of...

Flexibility and compromise are key for a solution to the Cyprus issue, UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab commented on Thursday while asking from all sides to restart negotiations on a decades-old problem. “I think a failure to reach a settlement...

Some 59% of French citizens do not see the prospect of the Western Balkans countries' EU accession in a positive light, a new study has found. But it also revealed increasing mistrust toward the bloc overall.

Portugal will organise a meeting with the board of directors and the executive director of Frontex to ensure "European law" and "established rules" are respected, Eduardo Cabrita, Portugal's minister for internal administration, said on Thursday (4 February).

The jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny will boost his popularity and spark more protests against President Vladimir Putin’s regime, Leonid Volkov, the Kremlin critic’s close ally who currently lives in Lithuania, said on Wednesday. European countries should freeze the...

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is due back in court on Friday (5 February) for a slander trial on the same day as the European Union's top diplomat is in Moscow for talks with Russia's foreign minister.

EU sports ministers have approached European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel with a letter, initiated by Finland and signed by all EU member states, reminding her that human rights must be respected in sports and sporting events within and outside the EU....

‘Much better communication and accountability’ from the European Commission are required in the field of vaccine procurement agreements, according to six Irish MEPs, who have penned a letter to Parliament President David Sassoli on the issue. The group, composed of...