This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will advise the Czech Republic’s national railway infrastructure manager, Správa železnic, on preparation and procurement of three major railway infrastructure projects as public-private partnerships (PPPs). These projects represent priority domestic rail investments that are part of wider international corridors linking Germany, the Czech […]Czech Republic to advance high-speed train travel with EIB advisory support
August 14, 2025 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will advise the Czech Republic’s national railway infrastructure manager, Správa železnic, on preparation and procurement of three major railway infrastructure projects as public-private partnerships (PPPs). These projects represent priority domestic rail investments that are part of wider international corridors linking Germany, the Czech […]Czech Republic to step up railway improvements with EIB loan of €466 million
February 7, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending the Czech Republic €466 million (11.75 billion Czech korunas) to upgrade key railway lines across the country, highlighting a push for safer, faster and cleaner transport. The EIB loan will cover technological and design improvements on Czech rail routes […]Czech Republic: Construction of Ostrava Concert Hall receives CZK 2 billion from the EIB
July 22, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending 2 bn Czech crowns (ca €84 million) for the construction of a state-of-the-art concert hall in the Czech city of Ostrava. The EIB credit covers most of the financing for the planned €115.5 million cultural landmark in Ostrava, the […]Commission calls on Czechia to improve competition for organising waste collection and recovery in the packaging sector
June 12, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has informed Czechia that measures appointing EKO-KOM as the only company authorised for the collection and recovery of packaging waste for over two decades may be in breach of the EU competition rules. EKO-KOM, based in Czechia, offers collection and recovery […]Commission approves €742 million Czech State aid scheme to support sustainable forest management
October 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €742 million (CZK 17.4 billion) Czech scheme to support sustainable forest management. The measure will contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Common agricultural policy by strengthening forest environmental protection. The […]Czech Presidency outlines priorities to EP committees
September 28, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Ministers are outlining the priorities of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings. Czechia holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2022. A first series of hearings takes place from 11 […]State aid: Commission approves 2022-2027 regional aid map for Czechia
July 30, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules Czechia’s map for granting regional aid from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2027. The Czech regional aid map is the first map approved by the Commission within the framework of the revised Regional […]Czech PM conflict of interest: MEPs want investigation into rule of law breaches
May 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Commission’s audit findings confirm the ongoing conflict of interest of Czech Prime Minister Babiš that Parliament raised in several resolutions and discharge reports. In a draft resolution adopted on Wednesday with 26 votes in favour, none against and 4 abstentions, the Budgetary Control […]Conflict of interest and misuse of EU funds: The case of Czech PM Babiš
May 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Wednesday, MEPs debated with Council and Commission about the findings on the breach of conflict of interest rules involving Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. In the debate, MEPs commented on the recent conclusions of the Commission’s 2014-2020 audit into a case of conflict […]State aid: Commission approves €1.9 billion Czech scheme to support uncovered fixed costs of companies affected by coronavirus outbreak
April 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved a Czech scheme worth €1.9 billion to support the uncovered fixed costs of 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: […]The US calls off globalization, targets Germany. Paris offer to Berlin comes at a cost
June 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Last Friday, the ‘America first’ President Donald Trump repeated his threats to impose a super tariff on imports of European cars, obviously having in mind the German automotive industry. His latest menace came only hours after the European Union moderately retaliated to the US aggressive trade action, by levying additional import duties on American goods […]What Merkel and Macron are to tell Trump in Davos?
January 22, 2018 by 1 Comment
Donald Trump, the American President, is to deliver the closing speech at this year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of 23-26 January in Davos, which as usually is set in the unsullied Alpine landscape. Perhaps, he has something new to say about how America sees Europe. Most probably though, he is simply to repeat his […]Migration crisis update: lack of solidarity not only among EU leaders but also EU officials
December 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
It was two days ago, on the anniversary of the International migration day, when the United Nations urged everyone to contribute to make migration safer in the world. The EU leaders gathered on December 14-15 in Brussels to discuss among others how to tackle refugee crisis. The key point which created disagreements was the letter from the […]Czech Babis, Austrian Kurz and others threaten Europe with nationalist populism
October 26, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Andrej Babis, a media magnate and second wealthier Czech leading his anti-immigration, nationalist and populist ANO party, won last Sunday’s election, with around 30% of the vote. He is to become the next Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Babis did that on an anti-systemic Trump-like ticket. He was recently implicated in a tax fraud […]Refugee crisis update: EU still lacks solidarity as Hungary and Slovakia refuse to accept EU Court’s decision
September 13, 2017 by Leave a Comment
It was last Wednesday when the Court of Justice of the European Union rejected a challenge by Hungary and Slovakia regarding their denial on relocating refugees from Greece and Italy. Both countries though do not intend to change their position on the issue. Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos mentioned that there has […]Refugee crisis update: EU lacks solidarity as migration figures drop
August 9, 2017 by 1 Comment
There has been a significant decrease in July in the number of refugees reaching Italy through the Mediterranean according to data released by the Italian interior ministry last Thursday. The report shows that 11.192 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean last month; only half compared to June’s and last July’s figures. Are migration crisis figures going […]Refugee crisis: Commission proposes a new plan urging EU countries to help Italy
July 12, 2017 by 1 Comment
The EU interior ministers gathered last Thursday in Tallinn to discuss Italy’s problem to deal with migration crisis together with the new Action Plan proposed by the European Commission to support Italy and increase solidarity in the EU. The refugee crisis continues plaguing Europe in 2017 as 101.266 migrants have entered the bloc by sea […]Refugee crisis update: Commission is struggling alone with little help from EU or G7 leaders
June 14, 2017 by 1 Comment
The European Commission has been fighting the migration crisis urging the EU countries for their support to tackle this long-lasting issue but no or little contribution is provided. Last Thursday, the president of the EC prompted the Czech Republic to change its decision regarding their denial on accepting asylum seekers from Greece and Italy under […]The Franco-German axis considers that all EU needs now is more armaments
September 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Last Friday in Bratislava, the Slovak capital, the 27 EU leaders met for the first time without the British Prime Minister. Reportedly they diagnosed that the Union has a grave problem, distancing itself from the people. Of course, the frustration of voters with the EU has not manifested itself just in the Brexit. Brussels have […]No hard drivers in sight to remodel the stagnating affairs of the EU
April 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It’s a tautological statement to say that the euro area is an economy which barely moves ahead, towards producing more jobs and incomes for the tens of millions of the unemployed and materially deprived. However, it seems that it’s worse than that. Mario Draghi, the President of the European Central Bank, said it plainly in […]EU-Turkey deal on migrants kicked off but to who’s interest?
April 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Last Monday, 4 April, Greece and Turkey kicked off the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement. For migrants and refugees alike it foresees deportation from the Greek islands to Turkey, just some dangerous miles eastwards, over rough sea straights at times. Ankara is to receive from Brussels € 3+3 billion for that. During the past twelve […]Spending another 3 billion euros on Turkey feels better than admitting EU’s failure
March 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The migration summit which took place yesterday in Brussels between the 28 EU leaders and the Prime Minister of Turkey was a surprise. The reason is that Ahmet Davutoglou came to the meeting with specific proposals which are able to allow Turkey to take the upper hand and take advantage of the refugee crisis to better […]The Syrian knot cannot be cut without devastating consequences
February 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Brussels seems quite lost with what is happening now in Syria. The statement issued last Monday 15 February by the European High Representative Mogherini and Commissioner Stylianides on the atrocious and murderous attacks on hospitals and schools in Syria stands as an infallible witness to that. At this point in time, the foreign powers, regional or […]Cameron readies to support ‘yes’ for Britain in the EU
January 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
At the next European Council of 18-19 February, the 28 European Union leaders are expected to deliberate and possibly finalize the terms on Britain’s position in the club. David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, has set four conditions in order to support the ‘yes’ vote in the referendum which can definitely decide his country’s position […]The refugee crisis brings to light EU’s most horrible flaws and nightmares
September 16, 2015 by 1 Comment
Last Monday, the EU Interior Ministers convened in Brussels in order to discuss about the quotas of the 120.000 refugees proposed by the European Commission (EC) but didn’t manage again to come to a common decision. Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary belong to the group of countries that are against the latter proposal which […]Auditors say EU spending delivers limited value for money but the timing of their report poses questions
September 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) in a report that was published yesterday reveals that the EU spends billions to help the rural economy restructure but with poor results, delivering “only limited value for money”. EU spending on agriculture be it production and producer subsidies or supporting structural investment plans has being traditionally criticised not […]
