Nicholas Vinocur

Brussels

Editor at Large at POLITICO Europe

Editor-at-large, POLITICO Europe. Brussels Playbook co-author.

Articles

Michel Barnier slams ‘authoritarian drift’ in Brussels under Ursula von der Leyen

3 days ago | politico.eu | Clea Caulcutt |Nicholas Vinocur |Nicolas Barré

PARIS — The European Union’s former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is accusing his former boss Ursula von der Leyen of overseeing an “authoritarian drift” during her tenure leading the European Commission.
Nawrocki wins Polish presidency

5 days ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

Presented by Connect Europe By NICHOLAS VINOCUR with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY GREETINGS, and welcome to your week with Brussels Playbook.
EU countries urge crackdown on Hungary over Pride ban

1 week ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

The majority of EU countries want the European Commission to crack down on Hungary over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s plan to ban upcoming Pride celebrations in Budapest, according to a joint statement seen by POLITICO. The move piles pressure on the Commission to penalize Budapest, just as EU diplomats warn of increasing momentum to deploy the “nuclear option” against Hungary over its obstructionism on Ukraine.
What did Ursula tell Donald?!

1 week ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

Presented by PPC By NICHOLAS VINOCUR with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY GREETINGS, this is Nick Vinocur. Sarah Wheaton will be with you Tuesday.
L’Europe doit aller beaucoup plus loin dans la simplification selon Benjamin Haddad

2 weeks ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

L’UE doit radicalement intensifier ses efforts pour réduire la bureaucratie et unifier son marché unique si elle veut rivaliser avec la Chine et les Etats-Unis, a déclaré à POLITICO Benjamin Haddad, le ministre français de l’Europe.
Europe needs to go much further in slashing red tape, French minister urges

2 weeks ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

The EU needs to radically ramp up efforts to slash red tape and unify its single market if it wants to compete with China and the United States, France’s Europe minister told POLITICO. Benjamin Haddad applauded efforts by the European Commission to start streamlining rules in fields such as finance and sustainability as part of a so-called Omnibus Simplification Package, which was launched last month.
EU to launch Israel trade review as Gaza crisis worsens

2 weeks ago | defenddemocracy.press | Nicholas Vinocur

“I’ve made these points also with my talks with Israelis,” she continued. “Also I’ve had talks with UN and the regional leaders as well. Pressure is necessary to change the situation.”The foreign ministers of numerous EU countries voiced support for a Dutch-led initiative to review the agreement — a move that Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp launched last week in a letter to Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, as first reported by POLITICO.
Umowa stowarzyszeniowa między UE a Izraelem zagrożona. "Sytuacja w Strefie Gazy jest katastrofalna"

2 weeks ago | wiadomosci.onet.pl | Nicholas Vinocur

Izrael od tygodni blokował dostawy pomocy humanitarnej do oblężonej Strefy Gazy, a w ostatnich dniach zezwolił na dostarczenie niewielkiej ilości pomocy, która nie została jeszcze rozdzielona. Wcześniej we wtorek ONZ ostrzegła przed grożącym masowym głodem, alarmując, że w ciągu najbliższych 48 godzin zginąć może 14 tys. niemowląt. — Sytuacja w Strefie Gazy jest katastrofalna — powiedziała Kallas.
Majority of EU countries support review of EU-Israel diplomatic agreement

2 weeks ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

A majority of EU countries are in favor of reviewing a wide-ranging political and economic agreement between Israel and the European Union amid concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, two EU diplomats told POLITICO. The EU-Israel Association Agreement entered into force in 2000 and covers topics ranging from the framework for political dialogue to agriculture and the free exchange of goods.
Europe’s diplomatic arm to slash foreign offices

2 weeks ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Vinocur

BRUSSELS — The EU’s diplomatic branch is poised to downsize some 10 foreign delegations and cut an estimated 100 local staffers amid budget cuts and a broader reshuffle, according to a document seen by POLITICO and two officials familiar with the plans. Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas presented the plan for shaking up the European External Action Service, or EEAS, to top European Commission officials last Wednesday.