Latest news about EU in The Nomad Today

Prime Minister Sanna Marin, holding a video conference. Photo: Laura Kotila/Vnk.

Finland

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Prime Minister Marin to attend video meeting of EU leaders

The Nomad Today 2/24/21

Finland stresses the importance of speeding up vaccine delivery to the Member States and supports the Commission’s efforts to increase production in Europe.

07 February 2021, Czech Republic, Prague: People protest in support of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Boris Nemcov Square Photo: Michal Kamaryt/CTK/dpa

World

POISONING

EU ministers agree on new Russia sanctions over Navalny jailing

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/22/21

Russia's EU ambassador Vladimir Chizhov warned that Moscow "will be ready to respond."

World

POISONING

EU ministers may trigger new Russia sanctions over Navalny

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/22/21

These could be asset freezes or travel bans.

Finland

EU-RUSSIA

Haavisto to inform Brussels of his meeting with Lavrov on Navalny

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/21/21

The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell renewed the threat of sanctions on Russia on Sunday, a day after two court rulings against the Kremlin's opponent.

03 November 2020, US, Scranton: Former US Vice-President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden (C) stops to visit his childhood on the day of the US Presidential election. Photo: Preston Ehrler/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire/dpa.

World

DEFENCE

Putin wants to weaken European unity, Biden says

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/19/21

"It's much easier for the Kremlin to bully and threaten individual states than it is to negotiate with a strong and closely united community," US President added.

A sign reading "Corona" stands in front of a Corona test station on the German-Czech border. Photo: Armin Weigel/dpa.

Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS

EU recorded over 450,000 excess deaths between March and November

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/17/21

The November peak was especially deadly in Bulgaria, Poland and Slovenia, which all showed an increase of more than 90%.

The Foreign Ministers of Finland (L) and Russia, in Saint Petersburg. Photo: @ulkoministerio/Twitter.

World

NAVALNY CASE

Lavrov blames EU for destroying diplomatic ties in meeting with Haavisto

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/15/21

"The EU is continually tearing up relations," Lavrov said speaking at a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto.

HANDOUT - 12 February 2021, Belgium, Brussels: European Parliament President David Sassoli (R), Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa (L) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a photo after they signed the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) agreement in Brussels. Photo: Daina Le Lardic/European Parliament/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

World

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

EU's Covid-19 recovery fund gets final approval

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/12/21

A large chunk of this money - 312.5 billion euros - is to be distributed in grants for investments and reforms in the 27 countries of the bloc.

31 January 2021, Berlin: A demonstrator holds a sign reading "Free Kremlin's Prisoners" during a demonstration against the detention of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny was immediately detained upon his arrival in Moscow earlier this month after receiving treatment in Germany following a near-fatal assassination attempt. Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa

World

Germany, Poland, Sweden expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat moves

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/8/21

EU foreign ministers are set to discuss on 22 February whether to hit Russia with fresh sanctions over the Navalny case.

FILED - 31 January 2021, Russia, Saint Petersburg: A couple stands in front of Russian National guard officers who are blocking a street during a demonstration against the detention of the Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Navalny was immediately detained upon his arrival in Moscow earlier this month after receiving treatment in Germany following a near-fatal assassination attempt. Photo: Sergei Mikhailichenko/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire/dpa

Finland

POISONING

Haavisto to discuss Navalny case during visit to St Petersburg

The Nomad Today 2/7/21

Foreign Minister Haavisto will meet representatives of civil society organisations too.

FILED - 25 January 2021, Belgium, Brussels: European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference following an EU Foreign Ministers meeting at the EU headquarters. Borrell is due in Moscow on Friday just days after the jailing of prominent Russian dissident Alexei Navalny that provoked an international uproar. Photo: Zucchi-Enzo/EU Council/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only in connection with the latest coverage about (the transmission/the film/the auction/the exhibition/the book) and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

World

FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF

Top EU diplomat in Russia as tensions peak over Navalny sentence

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/5/21

Josep Borrell has stressed he plans to call once again for Navalny's release during the trip.

HANDOUT - 31 January 2021, Belgium, Brussels: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen takes part in a video conference with seven chief executives from pharmaceutical firms with EU Covid-19 vaccine supply contracts. Photo: Etienne Ansotte/European Commission/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

Work

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Almost 2 million more unemployed in EU in December compared to 2019

The Nomad Today/dpa 2/1/21

13.7 million people are out of work in the eurozone.

28 January 2021, United Kingdom, London: Pharmacist Bhaveen Patel draws up a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in preparation for coronavirus vaccinations during a clinic held at Junction Pharmacy. The roll out of the vaccination programme continues as the Government targets vaccinating the 15 million in the most vulnerable groups by mid-February. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/dpa

Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS

AstraZeneca vaccine gets EU green-light amid delivery row

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/29/21

The European Commission has pre-ordered 300 million doses of the cheap and easy-to-use drug, with an option to buy 100 million more.

HANDOUT - 27 January 2021, Belgium, Brussels: European Commissioner in charge of Health Stella Kyriakides speaks during a press conference on the COVID-19 vaccine by AstraZeneca, at EU headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Aurore Martignoni/European Commission/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS

AstraZeneca vaccine delay dispute in EU not resolved by crisis talks

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/28/21

AstraZeneca claimed that British production sites and chains were more efficient, and that low yields at a site in Belgium were to blame for delays to the 27-member bloc.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (L). Photo: Jussi Toivanen/Vnk.

Finland

FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL

EU foreign ministers meet to discuss climate and energy matters

The Nomad Today 1/24/21

The ministers will discuss cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom in foreign and security policy as well as the arrest of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

HANDOUT - 21 January 2021, Belgium, Brussels: European Council President Charles Michel takes part in a EU summit video conference at the European Council headquarters. EU leaders were striving to forge a strategy to keep in check fast-spreading new coronavirus variants, with some nations warning they may have to tighten borders. Photo: Dario Pignatelli/European Council/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

World

CORONAVIRUS

EU borders to stay open but pre-travel virus testing to be amped up

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/22/21

Several states dependent on tourism are meanwhile to introduce a European 'vaccine passport,' which would allow restrictions to be lifted for those who have received a jab.

Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS

EU Covid-19 deaths pass 400,000 as vaccine debate runs on

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/19/21

The vaccine strategy earned criticism, with lawmakers highlighting that they had been given only severely restricted access to one of the vaccine contracts, while not being able to see any other.

HANDOUT - 08 January 2021, Belgium, Brüssel: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference on the coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine doses from Pfizer-BioNTech. Photo: Etienne Ansotte/European Commission/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS

EU Commission wants 70% vaccination rate in bloc by summer

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/19/21

EU heads of state and government will debate whether there should be an EU vaccine passport.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin. Photo: Jussi Toivanen.

Coronavirus

VACCINATION

Marin urges EU to speed up Covid-19 vaccine distribution

The Nomad Today 1/12/21

The head of the government believes that the vaccines procured jointly by the EU can be distributed to the member states more quickly than at present.

Coronavirus

VACCINATION

EU doubles vaccine order, allows extra dose from vial

The Nomad Today/dpa 1/8/21

EU states are hoping that vaccinating enough of the population will ensure herd immunity, though the exact target rate differs from country to country. For example, France is aiming for 60%, and…