Category: European Union

Brexit Not to Blame for English Channel Travel Chaos, Downing Street Insists

Downing Street has insisted the travel chaos in the English Channel is not the result of Brexit, blaming instead the shortage of French border control staff for causing long queues and delays. The disruptions started at the Port of Dover on July 22, when thousands of holidaymakers were stuck in traffic jams and 6-hour queues….


Daylight Savings or Daylight Robbery?

Commentary The European Parliament voted on March 26, 2019, to phase out the twice-yearly ritual of changing the clock in the European Union (EU). The vote, if implemented, would overturn the present directive on summertime arrangements. Daniel Boffey, reporting on this vote, said that member states would then “be able to choose whether to remain…


EU Launches Fresh Legal Action Against UK After Northern Ireland Protocol Clears Commons

The European Union has launched fresh legal action against the UK for failing to comply with the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit treaty, just over a day after the UK government’s plan to scrap part of the protocol won approval in the House of Commons. The European Commission triggered four new infringement procedures against…


UK Industry Leaders Urge New PM to Reset Trading Relationship With EU

UK industry leaders have called on the incoming prime minister to reset Britain’s trading relationships with the European Union, which remains the dominant market for British manufacturing exports. In a report published on July 18, Make UK, a business group which represents British manufacturers, and business advisory firm BDO, said that the European market remains…


Drivers’ Group Urges UK Government Not to Impose Speed Limiter Technology

The Alliance of British Drivers (ABD) has urged the British government not to follow the European Union, which has this week made it mandatory for all new cars, vans, and lorries to be fitted with Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology. ISA detects speed limits on roads through satnavs and other devices and gives audible or…


India, EU Kick-Start Free Trade Pact Negotiations After 9-Year Lull

India and the European Union (EU) have resumed their free trade agreement negotiations after a nine-year hiatus since the previous negotiations ended in 2013. India and the 27-nation bloc held their first round of negotiations from June 27 to July 1 in New Delhi. “For the European Union, the partnership with India is one of…


Ukraine’s New Status as EU ‘Candidate Member’ a Dangerous Game to Play

Commentary The European Council has now accepted the application of Ukraine and Moldova to become a “candidate member” countries of the European Union (EU). The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcoming the award of candidate membership, described it as “a unique and historic moment” in his country’s relationship with the 27 members of the EU…


EU Renews Digital COVID Pass Despite 99 Percent Negative Public Feedback

News analysis Acting on a proposal of the European Commission, the European Parliament, as expected, voted on June 23 to renew the EU Digital COVID Certificate for another year. The vote was 453 for, 119 against, and 19 abstentions. The certificate regulation had been scheduled to expire on June 30. Earlier this month, a delegation from the…


EU Signals Shift to Coal, Accuses Russia of ‘Rogue Moves’ on Gas

BRUSSELS/OSLO—The European Union will temporarily shift back to coal to cope with dwindling Russian gas flows without derailing longer term climate goals, an EU official said on Wednesday as a tight gas market and soaring prices set off a race for alternative fuels. European leaders have rounded on Russia as flows through its Nord Stream…


NATO Warns of Long Ukraine War as Russian Attacks Follow EU Boost for Kyiv

KYIV—The head of NATO said on Sunday the war in Ukraine could last years and Ukrainian forces faced intensified Russian attacks after the EU executive recommended that Kyiv should be granted the status of a candidate to join the bloc. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was cited by Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper as saying…