15 August 2020 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement. The peace agreement brought an end to 30 years of conflict. Aceh’s example serves as an inspiration of how, through negotiations and strong political will, peace can be achieved even […]
As of 12 August, some of Cambodia’s typical export products such as garments, footwear and travel goods are subject to the European Union’s customs duties. The EU’s decision to partially withdraw Cambodia’s duty-free quota-free access to the EU market is now effective. The preferential treatment enjoyed by Cambodia under “Everything But Arms” (EBA) – the […]
Yesterday, the European Commission has reached a first agreement with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to purchase a potential vaccine against COVID-19 as well as to donate to lower and middle income countries or re-direct to other European countries. This is following the positive steps regarding the conclusion of exploratory talks with Sanofi-GSK announced on 31 July […]
The European Commission has approved an Irish loan guarantee scheme to support companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Framework. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “This scheme, which is expected to mobilise €2 billion of liquidity, will enable Ireland to support companies affected by the […]
Due to COVID-19 outbreak, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority is carrying out extraordinary calculations every two weeks to monitor the evolution of the relevant risk-free interest rate term structures (RFR) and the symmetric adjustment to equity risk (EDA). EIOPA is publishing this information in order to support insurance and reinsurance undertakings in the monitoring […]
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, convened on Friday 14 August a video conference meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 27 EU Member States. The aim of the discussions was to address the pressing situations in the Eastern Mediterranean and in Belarus after the August 9 Presidential […]
Disinformation and misinformation proliferated around the world including in the Western Balkans as the COVID-19 pandemic started. Western Balkans’ fact-checking organisations intensified their work on exposing and countering disinformation, raising the awareness and contributing to local public debates about the problem. As of 30 July, leading fact-checking organisations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia […]
The Members of the International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela are pleased to inform that Argentina has joined the ICG. They welcome Argentina’s commitment to contribute to a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis in Venezuela and look forward to the positive role this country will play as part of the ICG’s efforts. The […]
On 9 August, Presidential elections took place in the Republic of Belarus. The EU has been following the developments leading to the presidential elections closely. During the electoral campaign, the people of Belarus have demonstrated the desire for democratic change. However, the elections were neither free nor fair. State authorities deployed disproportionate and unacceptable violence […]
The European Commission has approved a German aid scheme to support airports in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved partially based on Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and partially under the State aid Temporary Framework. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “Airport […]
