Tag Archives: European Union

Agence France-Presse reports: The EU agreed on Friday to suspend requirements that oblige airlines to use at least 80% of their take-off and landing slots in order to keep them the following year until Oct. 24 due to the aviation industry crisis unleashed by coronavirus. “This slot waiver will provide the necessary flexibility and certainty for our aviation industry in …

Reuters reports: Alphabet Inc’s YouTube said on Friday it will reduce its streaming quality in the European Union to avert internet gridlock as thousands of Europeans, constrained by the coronavirus outbreak, switch to working from home. YouTube is the second company after Netflix to act after EU industry chief Thierry Breton urged streaming platforms to cut the quality of their …

CNN reports: The European Union is urging Netflix and other streaming platforms to stop showing video in high definition to prevent the internet from breaking under the strain of unprecedented usage due to the coronavirus pandemic. With so many countries on forced lockdowns to fight the spread of the virus, hundreds of millions working from home and even more children …

The Associated Press reports: Strict new controls to slow the spread of the coronavirus froze traffic at global borders Tuesday, idling trucks in columns more than 30 miles long at some European crossings, while masked security officers turned back travelers at others. The moves by officials bent on protecting their citizens raised new questions about how to maintain supplies of …

Politico Europe reports: Brussels has entered into an ill-tempered diplomatic skirmish between Germany and the U.S. over a company that is developing a vaccine against coronavirus. CureVac, a company based in the German town of Tübingen, hit the headlines over the weekend when Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported that U.S. President Donald Trump was attempting to snatch up exclusive …

Business Insider reports: The European Union will restrict all nonessential travel into the region for at least 30 days, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday. Only essential travel will be allowed for at least a month once the plan is approved by European leaders. “The less travel, the more we can contain the virus,” von der …

The BBC reports: The UK has officially left the European Union after 47 years of membership – and more than three years after it voted to do so in a referendum. The historic moment, which happened at 23:00 GMT, was marked by both celebrations and anti-Brexit protests. Candlelit vigils were held in Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU, …

A Brexit battle has unfolded on Britain’s pop charts: Comedian Dominic Frisby is in a singles chart race as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. On the eve of the UK’s multiple-times-delayed exit from the bloc, he is currently sitting at both number 2 and number 3 in download singles charts with different versions of the same song, …

The European Review reports: A new survey has found that 87 percent of pharmacists are concerned about the supply of medicines to the UK after Brexit on 31 January. Conducted by Medicspot and supported by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), the findings show that 84 percent of pharmacists believe that their pharmacy will be impacted by the UK’s departure from …

The Guardian reports: Britain’s departure from the EU on 31 January was set in stone in a historic moment for the nation as MEPs in Brussels ratified the withdrawal agreement before breaking out in a rendition of Auld Lang Syne. As the president of the European parliament, David Sassoli, announced the result of the vote, with 621 in favour to …

The BBC reports: A commemorative 50p coin marking the UK’s departure from the EU has been unveiled by Chancellor Sajid Javid. The coins bear the inscription “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” and the date of 31 January. Mr Javid had first ordered production of the coins in advance of the UK’s original 31 October departure date. But the …

The Irish Times reports: Companies in the North are continuing to stockpile as the UK’s official departure date from the EU on January 31st approaches and a significant percentage of companies view the “Boris Brexit deal” as “detrimental to business”, a new survey shows. The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, which has a 1,200-strong membership that employs 100,000 people, said …

NPR reports: Britain’s House of Commons has given final approval to the bill authorizing the country’s departure from the European Union, paving the way for Brexit at the end of the month. Lawmakers voted 330-231 on Thursday to pass the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill. It will become law once it is approved by Parliament’s upper chamber, the House of Lords, …

The Independent reports: MPs have approved the government’s EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill at the second reading stage, with 358 votes in favour, and 234 against. Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal has cleared its first Commons hurdle with a thumping majority of 124, putting the UK on course to leave the EU on 31 January. Boris Johnson has been accused of breaking …

Reuters reports: Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding to the state health service. After winning a commanding majority in last week’s election, Johnson will seek to speed up the approval by parliament of his withdrawal …

The Guardian reports: A potentially explosive parliamentary report on the security threat posed by Russia to the UK has been effectively blocked from being published before the general election by Downing Street. The 50-page document from the intelligence and security committee (ISC) examined allegations that Kremlin-sponsored activity distorted the result of the 2016 EU referendum – but has to be …

The Associated Press reports: Britain’s election campaign heated up Sunday even before it officially started, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying he would apologize to Conservatives for failing to take the U.K. out of the European Union by Oct. 31 and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage saying he won’t personally run for a seat in Parliament. Johnson’s promise to have …

Bloomberg reports: Thousands of 50-pence coins minted to commemorate Brexit on Oct. 31 will be melted down after Prime Minister Boris Johnson accepted an extension from the European Union, two people familiar with the matter said. U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid had announced plans for millions of coins engraved with the date Johnson pledged to leave the bloc, …

The BBC reports: EU leaders have agreed in principle to extend Brexit until 31 January 2020 – meaning the UK will not leave as planned on Thursday. EU Council President Donald Tusk said it was a “flextension” – meaning the UK could leave before the deadline if a deal was approved by Parliament. It comes as MPs prepare to vote …

The BBC reports: Boris Johnson has said he will give MPs more time to debate Brexit deal, but only if they agree to a 12 December general election. The prime minister said he expected the EU to grant an extension to his 31 October deadline, even though he “really” did not want one. He urged Labour to back an election …