European Commission

The Prime Minister of Ukraine and the EU foreign policy chief discussed further steps in European integration, the free trade regime with the EU, and the creation of a mechanism for confiscating frozen Russian assets.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, met with the Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, to discuss further military assistance to Ukraine, the implementation of the peace formula, EU security guarantees, sanctions against Russia and the confiscation of Russian assets.

By October 2024, the Czech government will request the opinion of the National Economic Council on the feasibility of joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) as a prerequisite for the introduction of the euro.

The European Parliament supports the adoption of a directive that would make speeding and drunk driving punishable in all EU member states.

The European Commission recommends a 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared to 1990 levels to achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2050.

The EU intends to unveil its climate goals for 2040 and a roadmap for the next stage of the energy transition. It is assumed that by 2040, the European Commission intends to achieve a net reduction in emissions by 90%.

Mandatory sorting of mixed household waste is the only way to meet EU recycling targets, according to business and environmental groups.

Ukraine is moving faster than other EU candidates in the screening process.

The new EU sanctions package does not include a ban on exports of aluminum or other Russian goods, but instead focuses on adding hundreds of individuals and entities to sanctions lists.

Poland announces increased checks and inspections of goods from Ukraine at border crossings to protect domestic agriculture.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has introduced an automatic licensing regime for the export of sunflower seeds to Bulgaria instead of the previous non-automatic one.

The IMF Managing Director said that European governments should be more resistant to demands to increase financial support for protesting farmers.

Next week, Hungarian farmers plan to protest on the border with Ukraine against the extension of the EU's preferential trade regime for Kyiv.

Poland withdraws lawsuits against EU climate change policy filed by the previous Law and Justice government.

Polish farmers are planning to block the border with Ukraine again to protest the European Commission's decision to extend trade privileges for Ukrainian agricultural exports.

By the end of February, the EU may vote to allocate 50 billion euros to Ukraine, allowing the country to receive the first tranche of aid of 1. 5 billion euros in March.

Biden thanked von der Leyen for the EU's allocation of €50 billion in additional financial assistance to support Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.

Ursula von der Leyen and President Biden agreed to continue to provide broad support to Ukraine, discussing the situation and the €50 billion European financial assistance package during a phone call.

Businesses have downgraded their assessments of current operations and prospects due to the intensification of hostilities, rising costs, and uncertainty.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he has received guarantees that Hungarian money will not go to Ukraine after the EU agreed to provide 50 billion euros in aid to Ukraine.

The €50 billion aid program for Ukraine approved by EU leaders includes €33 billion in loans and €17 billion in grants, and sets out the prerequisites for receiving the funds and possible revisions to the program.

European leaders consider the concessions insignificant, as they avoided a scenario in which Orban would be able to veto funding for Ukraine every year.

The EU has agreed that the European Council may propose to the European Commission to review the €50 billion support program for Ukraine in two years, if necessary.

This week, the European Commission will start informal meetings to discuss the 13th package of sanctions against russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The proposals are expected to focus on closing loopholes in existing sanctions.

EU leaders are gathering for an emergency summit where they are expected to confront Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over his refusal to authorize a new €50 billion aid package for Ukraine, with efforts to persuade Orban doubling in the last 24 hours but failing as Hungary has demanded an annual veto on the funding, The Guardian reports.

U. S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will appeal to Congress to support Ukraine, saying that if they do not, Putin will win.

The EU will provide Ukraine with at least €21 billion in military aid in 2024. According to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, in the first two years of the full-scale invasion, official Kyiv received 28 billion euros in aid.

The European Commission's proposal to extend the 'economic visa-free regime' for Ukraine will help lift the bans on agricultural imports imposed by Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

The European Commission has proposed to extend the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, while proposing measures to protect sensitive EU agricultural products.

EU leaders will propose holding annual debates on the planned €50 billion aid package for Ukraine to overcome Hungary's opposition to the funding.