Europe
EU entry for Russians + 69-euro ticket + Wissing's digital strategy
Dear reader,
For weeks now, the member states have been arguing about a visa regime for Russian tourists. Countries like Poland and Estonia would have preferred a complete entry ban on vacation travel and shopping trips of Russians to the EU. Now it is clear that a far-reaching travel ban will not happen for the time being. However, foreign ministers have agreed in Prague to suspend visa facilitation for Russians, reports Ella Joyner. And after the talks, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis sees the option of introducing even stricter regulations at the national level.
From Prague to Meseberg: As Europe.Table has learned, the German government wants to continue the 9-euro public transport ticket as a 69-euro ticket. Negotiations with the federal states are already underway. However, there will be no counter-financing through higher taxation of the private use of company cars. Green politicians and Dirk Messner, head of the Federal Environment Agency, were among the critics who had called for the abolition of the "company car privilege" in the run-up to the cabinet meeting. Markus Grabitz has the details.
Digitization in Germany is finally supposed to make progress: "We want to be among the top 10 in Europe, that is our ambition," said Digital Minister Volker Wissing yesterday in Meseberg. Falk Steiner took a closer look at the German government's digital strategy – and focused particularly on EU aspects. His conclusion: Although some points such as the Data Act or the Media Freedom Act are mentioned, the European aspect of the strategy is hardly visible. Instead, it is primarily a reflection of the rather chaotic state of German digital policy.
