In brief | 18 September '24
Reuters: German conservative Merz set to run for chancellor in 2025 vote
The leaders of Germany's conservatives have agreed to nominate Christian Democrat (CDU) chief Friedrich Merz to run as chancellor in next year's federal election, the head of Bavaria's conservatives, Markus Soeder, said
Bloomberg: Germany’s Habeck says trade conflict with China must be averted
German economy minister Robert Habeck urged the European Union and China to find a political solution in a dispute over Chinese-made electric vehicles and said a trade conflict should be avoided “at all costs.”
Euractiv: Von der Leyen plans five more years of intense energy and climate rule-making
As expected, her commitment to climate action remains intact, but this time with a strong pro-business slant, Euractiv writes.
Euronews: ‘Dream team’: Green groups breathe a sigh of relief on von der Leyen’s climate choices
Climate activists and the renewable energy lobby have broadly interpreted Ursula von der Leyen’s commissioner picks – the Netherlands’ Wopke Hoekstra, Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen and Spain’s Teresa Ribera – as signalling continuity with the Green Deal that marked her first mandate.
BBC: Heavy rain to hit Italy, as thousands evacuated from central Europe floods
At least 21 people have died in flooding in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Austria.
Guardian: Norway: electric cars outnumber petrol for first time in ‘historic milestone’
Nordic country, paradoxically a major oil producer, has set target for all new cars sold to be zero emission.
Bloomberg: Intel’s German plant delay lands blow to EU's chip ambitions
The embattled US chipmaker’s move to delay the project in Magdeburg by about two years is a blow to the EU’s goal of producing one-fifth of the world’s semiconductors by 2030.
Bloomberg: Dutch to give extra €19 billion loan to capital-strapped TenneT
The financing comes on top of the €25 billion loan the Dutch government provided in January for its much-needed grid investments this year and in 2025, and after talks with Berlin over a sale of its German network failed.
