The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, thanks to on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

European news you deserve to read. welcome to Capitals by EURACTIV.

Celebrating 20 years of the Food Supplements Directive

The EHPM is organizing a high-level event in the European Parliament on June 14 to celebrate the achievements of the Food Supplements Directive and discuss the future of the sector, moderated by MEPs Pascal Arimont and Simona Bonafè.

Learn more.

In today’s news from the capitals:

VISEGRAD

Many Ukrainian Roma refugees with dual Hungarian nationality have shuttled between Visegrád capitals as governments refuse to provide these families with the same assistance as other Ukrainians with a single passport. Read more.

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EDITORIAL OPINION

The European Parliament is joining the problematic media freedom club. In a surprising move, the European Parliament has removed a post from its website and social media referring to a recent report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) indicating that Greece is the worst country in the EU when it comes to freedom of media. Contacted by EURACTIV, the European Parliament’s response was even more problematic. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

The Commission should prevent staff from accepting ‘revolving door’ jobs, says the EU watchdog. The European Commission should temporarily prevent its staff from accepting jobs in the private sector if they present risks of conflicts of interest that cannot be compensated by restrictions, European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly recommended on Wednesday May 18. Read the full story.

The EU presents a 300 billion euro plan to abandon Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the green transition. The European Commission on Wednesday (May 18th) presented a 300 billion euro plan to eliminate Russian energy imports by 2027, although it admitted that this would require short-term investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure to replace Russian oil and gas imports. Read more.

BERLIN

The European Parliament calls for sanctions against Schröder for links with Russia. The European Parliament is increasing its pressure on former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, saying he faces sanctions if he refuses to resign from his job at Russian companies, according to a draft motion seen by EURACTIV. Read the full story here

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PARIS | MADRID | ROME

Russia expels Italian, Spanish and French diplomats in “retaliation”. Russia on Wednesday expelled 85 staff from the embassies of Spain, Italy and France in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of Russian officials following the invasion of Ukraine. Read more.

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VIENNA

The Austrian Chancellor presents a new government after a reshuffle. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer introduced new cabinet members to parliament and swore in new Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig after two ministers resigned last week. Read more.

UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND

BELFAST | LONDON

Sinn Fein’s McDonald says the UK government in “bad faith” is bolstering the United Ireland case. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said on Wednesday May 18 that UK proposals to override some post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland were “astonishing” and yet another move from London that only serves to boosting the Irish Nationalist Party’s quest for a united Ireland. . Read more.

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LONDON

Don’t extradite Assange, urges UK’s EU human rights chief. European human rights experts have joined the campaign urging the UK government not to extradite controversial WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange to face trial in the US, warning it could have a ” chilling effect” on media freedom. Read more.

NORDIC AND BALTIC

HELSINKI

Russia could cut gas to Finland this week, according to an energy supplier. Russia could cut off gas supplies to Finland this week, Finland’s state-owned energy supplier Gasum said on Wednesday (May 18th), following Moscow’s request for countries to pay for gas in rubles and a demand from Russia. Helsinki for NATO membership. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM | HELSINKI

Finland and Sweden submit NATO bids with strong Nordic support. The Swedish and Finnish ambassadors to NATO submitted their candidacies to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday as the Nordic countries close ranks to ensure their security. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM

A Swedish court convicts Belgian and British nationals for breaking into a military base. the Södertörn District Court has convicted a man from Belgium and the United Kingdom who broke into the Muskö military base in 2018 for unauthorized handling of classified information, the SVT television channel reported on Wednesday. . Read more.

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VILNIUS

The export of Lithuanian goods is experiencing a huge increase. Exports of goods of Lithuanian origin increased by more than 30% in the first quarter of 2022, totaling more than 6 billion euros in revenue from January to March 2022, the Lithuanian Department of Statistics reported. Read more.

SOUTHERN EUROPE

LISBON

Portugal fears the surge in COVID-19 cases will affect tourism. The increase in COVID-19 cases could affect the recovery of the tourism and services sector, Economy Minister António Costa Silva said on Wednesday. Read more.

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Italy supports the NATO candidacies of Finland and Sweden. Rome welcomes Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO bids and is committed to supporting Finland during the transition period, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said after meeting his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin at the Palazzo on Wednesday. Chigi. Read more.

VISEGRAD

BRATISLAVA

Slovak ministers disagree on the effect of the Russian oil tax on prices. Finance Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) and Economy Minister Richard Sulík disagree on whether the new temporary tax on Russian oil approved by parliament on Wednesday will affect gas prices. Read more.

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WARSAW

The Poles begin the experience of universal basic income. The Association of Border Communities of Warmia and Masuria will distribute a monthly PLN 1,300 (€280) to thousands of Poles to measure the impact of a universal basic income on their lives. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Orbán’s new ministers chart EU fund-focused policy. New ministers taking office in the cabinet of the re-elected Hungarian prime minister are expected to focus on EU funds in their dealings with Brussels while trying to correct bloc values. Read more.

The Hungarian Constitutional Court cancels the opposition referendum. Despite previous green lights from Parliament and the Supreme Court (Kúria), Hungary’s Constitutional Court has blocked referendums on controversial investments in Chinese universities and unemployment benefits. Read more.

BALKAN NEWS

The Romanian parliament adopts a new offshore law. The Romanian parliament has approved a new law on deep oil and gas operations, which should unblock gas projects in the Black Sea, with 249 deputies in favor and 34 against. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Serbia to help companies doing business with Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. The Serbian government will adopt an ordinance on Thursday to help 1,400 companies whose operations involved doing business with Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said. Read more.

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SARAJEVO

The Bosnian entity will approve subsidies for electric and hybrid cars. The government of one of the two autonomous entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is expected to approve on Thursday a subsidy plan for citizens who want to buy electric or hybrid cars, the klix.ba news site reported on Wednesday. Read more.

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PRISTINE

Kosovo army veterans sentenced for leaking classified information. Two former Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) veterans have each been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for leaking classified information, the Kosovo Specialized Chamber has found in its first verdict since its establishment in 2016. know more.

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TIRANA

EU to fund Albanian agriculture, organic farming and rural development. The EU is set to inject some €112 million into Albanian agricultural and rural development, including sustainability, agro-tourism and organic farming, under the IPARD III program announced on Wednesday. Read more.

AGENDA:

• EU: Commission Vice-President Vĕra Jourová receives Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta, the parent company of Facebook
• Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson addresses the International Migration Review Forum in New York
• Meetings of G7 development, finance and health ministers take place in Berlin and Bonn
• Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans meets Estonian President Alar Karis
• Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton receives Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov
• The European Parliament will hold a plenary session while the Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMP) will hold its own meeting
• Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech in parliament ahead of the upcoming EU summit and meets Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands
• France: International climate conference “ChangeNOW” in Paris
• Hungary: United States Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) to be held in Budapest
• Serbia: European Council President Charles Michel is visiting Serbia as part of a three-day tour of the Western Balkans, during which he will visit Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Romania: Visit of Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa to Romania

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