EU leaders divided over how to finance weapons

Good morning from Brussels,

Although most EU leaders agree that Russia is a long-term threat and they need to be prepared, the way to finance boosting domestic defence production still divides them.

Euractiv’s Alexandra Brzozowski and Aurélie Pugnet reported on the several proposals on the table and the reactions at the EU summit on Thursday.

But they were able to agree on something- EU leaders unanimously agreed for the first time to call for an “immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza and urged Israel not to launch a major ground offensive in the southernmost city of Rafah.

They also greenlighted opening EU membership talks with Bosnia.

However, Russia’s shadow is not only visible in Brussels.

In Bratislava, a crucial presidential election is taking place on Saturday. Ivan Korčok, a pro-Western former foreign minister, will compete against former Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, a coalition partner of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Euractiv’s Natália Silenská analyses Slovakia’s political crossroads, while Radovan Geist talks about the challenges ahead in today’s Podcast with Evi Kiorri.

While other political forces have already launched their campaigns for June’s EU elections, the hard-right conservative faction has just started and is eyeing collaboration with the centre-right European People’s Party, writes Max Griera.

Meanwhile, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that a 2019 EU regulation obliging EU citizens to give their fingerprints for national identification cards was founded on the wrong legal basis, declaring the EU law entirely invalid.

Today's edition is powered by European Round Table for Industry

BERLIN

Germans more interested than ever in EU elections. Two thirds of the German electorate have a high or very high interest in the European elections, according to a new survey conducted three months before the vote. Read more.

Bundestag adopts its DSA implementation law with a one-month delay. Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, adopted on Thursday a law implementing the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU legislation regulating how online platforms should handle illegal and harmful content. Read more.

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PARIS

French Senate rejects EU-Canada free trade deal. The French Senate has rejected by a large majority the trade agreement between the EU and Canada, provisionally in force since 2017, because of its potential impact on French livestock farming, signalling more difficulties for the final ratification of the agreement by the EU. Read more.

After Belgium, France seeks Commission’s green light to ban disposable e-cigarettes. The French parliament agreed on Thursday to ban disposable electronic cigarettes known as ‘puffs’, with the ban expected to come into force at the end of September, the Green MP who initiated the law, Francesca Pasquini, has said. Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgian businesses particularly hit by rising labour costs, inflation. Belgium’s labour costs rose by almost double the average EU increase, resulting from the combination of inflation, wage indexation, and labour shortages, according to Eurostat studies published in recent years that were confirmed in a new report published on Tuesday. Read more.

STOCKHOLM

Sweden not on track to meet climate targets, warns expert agency. Sweden’s climate policies are leading to a short-term increase in emissions and putting the country on a path to miss its 2030 reduction target, according to a report published on Thursday by a government policy review board. Read more.

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COPENHAGEN

Danish Security Intelligence Service warns terror threat remains high: report. Denmark continues to face a serious terror threat, namely from militants of Islamist movements, according to the Danish Security and Intelligence Service’s annual security assessment published on Thursday. Read more.

ROME

Journalists from Italian news agency AGI are striking on Thursday and Friday against the possible sale of the agency to Lega MP Antonio Angelucci, arguing that selling to a right-wing senator who already owns several newspapers would risk media pluralism and be a blow to press freedom. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish parliament approves new committee to probe COVID corruption cases. The Spanish parliament approved a new committee of inquiry to investigate alleged cases of corruption in the purchase of masks and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on Thursday, starting with the so-called “Koldo case” involving a former minister of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D). Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal’s PM-designate assures von der Leyen of political stability. Portugal’s political stability is not at risk, Prime Minister-designate Luís Montenegro of the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) assured EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, promising “responsibility” to the EU. Read more.

BRATISLAVA

With the first round of Slovakia’s presidential election on Saturday, all eyes will be on two main candidates, Ivan Korčok, a pro-Western former foreign minister, and former prime minister Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s coalition partner. Read more.

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WARSAW

Tusk criticised over not delivering on 100 election promises. As Poland’s government reaches the 100-day mark, the opposition and former ruling camp has criticised Prime Minister Donald Tusk for not fulfilling his 100 election promises, despite his claims his cabinet has done more than any other since the fall of communism. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech party ANO targets Green Deal, migration pact revision ahead of EU elections. Revising the European Green Deal and the EU Migration Pact are among the key issues Czech party ANO (Renew/ALDE), currently polling at almost 30%, wants to address, Klára Dostálová, the party’s lead candidate in the EU elections, told Euractiv Czechia on Thursday. Read more.

SOFIA

Bulgarian far-right tempts voters with NATO exit pledge. Pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane has introduced a bill that would have Bulgaria withdraw from the NATO military alliance the month the country celebrates its 20th anniversary of joining. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania’s Social Democrats and Liberals unveil EU election joint list, lose top candidate. Romania’s Social Democrats and Liberals announced the composition of their joint list for the EU elections on Thursday, and while an independent candidate was chosen to lead the list, she withdrew her candidacy at the last moment. Read more.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]