State-backed foreign firms will have a harder time buying European Union companies under a proposal by the bloc’s executive, which is pursuing more protectionist policies as the global pandemic tips the region into a steep recession. New measures were needed because the existing foreign direct investment screening rules and trade defence measures were not enough […]
The European Commission has opened formal antitrust investigations to assess whether Apple’s rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules. The investigations concern in particular the mandatory use of Apple’s own proprietary in-app purchase system and restrictions on the ability of developers to inform iPhone and […]
The European Commission’s budget plan proposed on Wednesday is too big, news agency CTK quoted Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis as saying on Wednesday. “The sum of 750 billion euros, by which the Commission is proposing to raise the budget, is huge, it is nearly three quarters of the current seven-year budget … The total […]
New auto sales in the European Union fell by a record 76.3 percent year-on-year to 270,682 in April due to the coronavirus crisis, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) reports. Most EU car dealerships were closed throughout April as a result of anti-coronavirus measures. “The first full month of COVID-19-related restrictions has led to the […]
The Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament is calling on Prime Minister Andrej Babis to resolve his conflict of interest as a matter of urgency. Budgetary Control Committee Press Release: Czechia must establish system to protect EU funds against conflicts of interest If the Commission confirms PM Babis’ alleged conflict of interest, he has […]
The European Commission (EC) has approved state aid for the Czech Republic worth 5.2 billion euros (CZK 142 billion) for exporters affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Companies with at least twenty percent of their annual revenue from export sales will be eligible for assistance. Statement from the European Commission: The European Commission has approved an […]
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has approved a loan of EUR 300 million to the Czech Republic. The loan is to finance medical expenses to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The bank also praised the Czech Republic’s rapid response to the pandemic. “The CEB loan will support the Czech government in its efforts to […]
The European Commission (EC) approved CZK 1 billion in aid for Czech firms producing medical supplies needed to combat coronavirus. The European Commission has approved a Czech aid scheme of up to CZK 1 billion (approximately €37 million) to support investments by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the production of products that are relevant […]
The concentration of nitrogen dioxide has declined when the measures adopted due to the coronavirus outbreak have been in force in the Czech Republic, as evidenced by the comparison of satellite images, Jachym Brzezina, from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (HMU), has said.The cause is not quite clear and there may be probably a combination of […]