On January 10th, three Polish cities - Poznań, Wrocław, and Kraków - ranked among the global top ten of the most polluted cities, according to the Air Quality Index, increasing health risks for their citizens.    

Bottom-trawling emits up to 370 million tons of CO2 a year, according to new research, which adds pressure on EU lawmakers to consider regulating the industry.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Serbia being unhappy over Kosovo enforcing the euro-only currency policy, Babiš promoting an anti-EU stance as his party gains traction ahead of the EU elections, and so much more.

The Bulgarian government should focus on ensuring timely and equitable access to innovative therapies for Bulgarian patients while preserving the financial sustainability of the national drug pricing and reimbursement system, the executive director of ARPharM, says in an interview with Euractiv.

Ukraine, Moldova and Slovakia on Friday (19 January) joined an initiative for a planned corridor to carry natural gas between Greece and countries to its north as Europe steps up efforts to diversify supply and boost energy security.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s government submitted the long-announced final version of the Law on the Croatian Language – in which the government is given the authority to protect and ensure the use of Croatian and promote the learning of the Croatian language abroad – to the parliamentary procedure.

Kosovo will only accept the euro within its borders, a decision that has sparked fears of renewed flare-ups with Serbia as Serbs in the north of the country insist on using Serbian dinars, while the EU called on both sides to avoid any further escalation.

Only around 20 individuals participated in Sunday’s protest at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, organised by far-right senator Diana Șoșoacă, after farmers and transporters rejected participation, saying they refused to be represented by any party or policymaker.

Bulgaria and Greece will seek funding from all possible international sources, including the EU and NATO, to improve transport connections between them, according to information provided to Euractiv Bulgaria by the government in Sofia.

The Czech Ministry of Health says that providing unconditional longer regulatory protection, demanded by the pharma industry, will not solve the problem of the outflow of investment from Europe to the USA or boost innovative medicines, rejecting the industry's arguments.

Around 25 Slovak NGOs have initiated a collective amendment against the draft law on extraordinary measures for strategic investments and the construction of The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in Slovakia, saying it goes against EU directives for nature protection.

About 35% of Czech voters would vote for the ANO party (Renew), according to a fresh poll by Median, while former Prime Minister and party Chairman Andrej Babiš becomes increasingly anti-EU.

Estonia plans to build a small modular reactor (SMR) to wean itself off from its addiction to polluting shale oil and meet its target of producing 100% decarbonised electricity by 2030. A vote in Parliament is expected "in the first half of 2024," officials say.

Russia leapfrogged Saudi Arabia to become China's top crude oil supplier in 2023, data showed on Saturday (20 January), as the world's biggest crude importer defied Western sanctions to purchase vast quantities of discounted oil for its processing plants.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was optimistic about regaining regional power in Galicia with a first round in 2024 against his Popular Party (PP/EPP) rivals scheduled for 18 February after his party PSOE lost in last year’s local elections. 

The death of veteran finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble marks the end of the post-war generation of Francophile German politicians and heralds rockier relations for the EU's Franco-German “engine” as Berlin shifts its focus eastward.

The controversial changes in the public media by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government were necessary, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who added that the government needs to be more transparent and predictable when it comes to its changes in the media landscape.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Sunday, a meeting that appears to have laid the groundwork for an upcoming agreement between Italy and Turkey to curb the arrival of migrants from Libya.

The WerteUnion (Union of Values), a group of mainly members of the centre-right CDU (EPP), voted on Saturday to defect and create a new party as the battle for right-wing voters in Germany intensifies amid public anger over the rise of right-wing extremism.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ended his fading presidential campaign on Sunday (21 January) and endorsed Donald Trump just two days before the pivotal New Hampshire primary.