Czechia presents plan for Ukraine's and Moldova's integration into EU's internal market
Source: ČTK news agency, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Dvořák said that the plan focuses on specific proposals to deepen EU cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova, in particular in energy, telecommunications, environment and agriculture.
Quote: "I presented the Czech initiative to help Moldova and Ukraine integrate into the internal market faster. We believe this is an important step that can speed up the whole process," the Czech minister explained.
He added that so far, the Czechs have managed to enlist the support of nine other EU countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Romania, Latvia, Slovenia, Sweden and Denmark.
The document, quoted by ČTK, states that further economic integration into the EU through free trade agreements would significantly support Moldova and Ukraine "in their efforts to counteract the pernicious Russian influence".
Dvořák said that the acceleration of integration would be based on "our technical assistance, closer cooperation, creation of working groups and establishing contacts".
Background:
The preparation of the plan and its presentation at the EU level became known last week.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, the European Commission is allegedly considering not extending the preferential trade regime for Ukraine in its current form and has already started technical negotiations on new trade terms.
Support UP or become our patron!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
5 minutes ago
- CNN
France recognizing a Palestinian state is a bold move by Macron, with a hint of desperation
With a single post, French President Emmanuel Macron changed everything, and nothing at all. His late-evening announcement on X that France will recognize a Palestinian state in September, the first member of the United Nations Security Council and the G7 nations to do so, took many by surprise. Although France's recognition has been expected for several months now – indeed the brief Israel-Iran war forced a postponement of the summit on Israel-Palestine with Saudi Arabia and European allies that Paris had been shepherding – it was not expected to land like this. The surprise announcement tells us two things. Firstly, that Emmanuel Macron feels this is the time to act. Leaders from France, the UK and Germany are due to speak Friday to seek urgent action over the new lows of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than a thousand Gazans have been killed desperately seeking food since May, dozens more from starvation itself. Images of skeletal, starving Gazans, including children, have harked back to the darkest corners of the twentieth century, stirring Western revulsion – if not yet concrete action – toward the humanitarian crisis. Macron's decision is a bold one – following a smattering of European allies: Ireland, Norway and Spain – but leading the way for major international powers to follow suit. 'I've had other colleagues on the phone and I'm sure that we won't be the only ones recognizing Palestine in September,' a senior official in the French presidency told CNN Thursday following Macron's announcement. Eyes will now likely turn to the UK, perhaps Germany too. The prospect of the United States, Israel's closest ally even without a Trump presidency, seems impossible. But for those on the ground, the French decision will likely change little. The move was welcomed by Hamas as a 'positive step.' For Israeli leaders, it didn't go down well at all. Recognition 'rewards terror' said Israeli Prime Minister (and long-time opponent of a Palestinian state) Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night, with other ministers arguing the move now justifies the official annexation of the West Bank – Judea and Samaria in the parlance of the Israeli far-right. Even if international recognition could magically mete out concrete change for Gaza, the September deadline will come far too late for Palestinians starving to death under the Israeli-controlled blockade of food. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the main United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, said Thursday that people in Gaza resembled 'walking corpses' as starvation took hold. All 2.1 million people in Gaza are now food insecure and on Tuesday, Gaza's health ministry said 900,000 children are going hungry. Some 70,000 children already show signs of malnutrition, they said. France's solo announcement also suggests a hint of desperation on Macron's part. He's a man who likes a coalition on the world stage – strength in numbers is usually a winning strategy. A month ago, the stage appeared set for France to recognize Palestine – a summit co-hosted with Saudi Arabia was planned in Riyadh from June 17 to 20. But when open conflict broke out between Israel and Iran on June 13, that plan was torn apart. The expectation among experts was that France and Saudi Arabia would marshal other allies into a joint recognition – a strong signal to Jerusalem and Washington D.C. on the importance of the two-state solution and peace. Macron may still have his win in September if allies join France's recognition but it won't have been without risking France's diplomatic capital and cajoling more reluctant partners. 'The idea is to put a bit of pressure on other countries,' the senior French official told CNN. And Macron's decision holds weight. European nations have proved stubbornly reluctant to formally act upon a two-state solution and recognize Palestinian statehood. Respect for the West's ally Israel, distaste for the Islamist government in Gaza and the shortcomings of the West Bank's Palestinian Authority, and an apparently acceptable decades-long status quo saw muted outrage at Israeli settlements and attacks on Palestinians, with little shift in international action. France is now breaking that glass ceiling. Within France, a country that has long held a sympathetic position toward the Palestinian cause, recognizing Palestinian statehood won't be a controversial move. Post-WWII leader Charles de Gaulle famously rallied France to the Palestinian people following the 1967 war, with Paris engaging with the Palestinian Liberation Organization for decades, even as terror attacks were committed in the group's name on French soil. In 2014, the French parliament called on the government to recognize Palestine, an appeal that the government backed at the United Nations Security Council in an unsuccessful vote to bring about Palestinian statehood by 2017. France has long backed a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine based on the 1967 borders, although the Elysee source said that the French recognition would not specify the borders. Macron staunchly backed Israel's retaliation for the October 7 massacres but over time has hardened his criticism of Netanyahu and Israel's conduct of the war. Publicly, he worried about about 'importing' the conflict into France, home to Europe's largest community of Jews and Muslims. But as casualties in Gaza mounted, France banned arms exports to Israel, orchestrated aid drops into the territory and repeatedly called for a ceasefire and access of humanitarian aid and journalists. In taking this leap of faith, recognizing a Palestinian state ahead of France's peers, the Elysee Palace is surely hoping for a domino effect of recognition across the West. With aid still cruelly beyond the reach of ordinary Gazans, perhaps it's a last ditch effort to bring some relief.
The Hill
6 minutes ago
- The Hill
U.S. drops to lowest ranking yet on index of most powerful passports
The U.S. has dropped to its lowest ranking yet on the index that tracks the most powerful passports among countries, according to a new quarterly report released this week. The Henley Passport Index, which was formed by London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners, revealed in a Tuesday update that the U.S. has gone down by one spot in the world rankings, and now has the 10th most powerful passport worldwide. The report is compiled using data from the International Air Transport Association. The U.S. was first on the list in 2014. The U.S. passport allows Americans to enter 182 countries without a visa. Tied with the U.S. are Lithuania and Iceland. 'The consolidation we're seeing at the top underscores that access is earned — and must be maintained — through active and strategic diplomacy. Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts,' said Christian H. Kaelinm, the inventor of the passport index concept. Singapore is still in first place, allowing its citizens visa-free access to 193 destination spots. South Korea and Japan share second place, granting 190 visa-free destinations to their citizens. Seven European Union (EU) countries — Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain — are in the third spot. Seven other EU nations — Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden — are in fourth place, while Greece, Switzerland and New Zealand are tied in fifth place, according to the report. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list with allowing visa-free access to 25 destinations. 'While international passport rankings may vary based on methodology, our focus remains on facilitating secure, efficient, and reciprocal travel for American citizens and foreign nationals alike,' a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Irish consumer sentiment drops to near two-year low in July
DUBLIN (Reuters) -Irish consumer sentiment fell to a near two-year low in July as concerns about the cost of living and tariffs on European Union exports to the U.S. weighed, a survey showed on Friday. The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey slipped to 59.1 in July from 62.5 in June, nearing April's two-year low of 58.7. The reading is below the 70.5 level posted in July 2024 and far lower than the long-term survey average of 83.9. The drop in Irish sentiment contrasted with improvements elsewhere. Consumer sentiment in the U.S. returned to its best level for five months in July, while consumer confidence in the euro zone also increased slightly this month. The components in the Irish survey that focused on household finances and spending were notably weaker, which its authors said likely reflects cost-of-living concerns and government hints that there will be fewer offsetting measures in October's budget. The threat of a 30% tariff on EU exports to the U.S. also weighed, despite positive domestic economic data, including robust tax revenues and job creation. Ireland is among the countries most exposed to President Donald Trump's sweeping economic policies, with a significant proportion of employment, tax receipts and exports dependent on a cluster of mainly tech and pharmaceutical U.S. multinational companies. Sign in to access your portfolio
