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BRUSSELS, March 27 (Reuters) - Alitalia, the predecessor of Italian state-owned airline ITA Airways, will have to repay a 400 million-euro ($430 million) loan to the Italian government because the money breached EU state aid rules, EU competition authorities said on Monday. Italy granted the loan in 2019, two years after giving a 900 million-euro loan to keep the loss-making company operating. The European Commission, which acts as the competition watchdog in the 27-country bloc, subsequently ruled that both loans constituted illegal state aid. The Commission had in 2021 it ordered Alitalia to repay the 900-million-euro illegal loan. Successive governments pumped an estimated 10 billion euros into Alitalia to keep it afloat in its last 14 years of life, despite heavy losses and bad management.

[1/4] Britain's King Charles waves as he arrives for a visit to the new European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London, Britain March 23, 2023. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERSPARIS, March 24 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles on Friday cancelled a state visit to France after social unrest over President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law erupted into some of the worst street violence seen in years across the country. "The King and The Queen Consort's State Visit to France has been postponed. Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said. A Buckingham Palace source said Charles' visit to Germany will go ahead as planned.

REUTERS/Eric GaillardSummary Pushed pension changes through with no voteGovernment barely survived no-confidence motionStrikes and protests continuePARIS, March 22 (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said a deeply unpopular new law that raises the retirement age was necessary and would enter into force by the end of the year. "Do you think I enjoy doing this reform? "But there is not a hundred ways to balance the accounts ... this reform is necessary." Polls show a wide majority of French are opposed to the pension legislation, as well as the government's decision to push the bill through parliament last week without a vote. "I don't expect much from Macron's speech," pensioner Jacques Borensztejn said at a rally on Tuesday in Paris.

Protests against the bill have drawn huge crowds in rallies organised by unions since January. Most have been peaceful, but anger has mounted since the government pushed the bill through parliament without a vote last week. The ongoing protests could impact a planned state visit next week of Britain's King Charles, a Buckingham Palace source said. While the opposition has called for Macron to fire his prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, who has been at the forefront of the pension reform, Macron backed her and said that he had tasked her to work on new reforms. "Tomorrow we will be on the streets again to demonstrate against the pension reform and demand its withdrawal," said one of them, CFDT union member Sophie Trastour.

☆ ECB's Villeroy: rate hike signals strong confidence in European banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank's decision to raise interest rates by half a point on Thursday reflects the central bank's priority of fighting inflation and also signals strong confidence in the solidity of European banks, French ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Friday. "French and European banks are very solid," Villeroy, who is also governor of the French central bank, said on BFM business radio. "I think we sent a signal of confidence that is strong and dual. It reflects both confidence in our anti-inflation strategy and confidence in the solidity of European and French banks," Villeroy said. While the ECB had "the tools to ensure the liquidity of banks", Villeroy said it was unlikely it would have to use them as "European banks are not in the same situation as U.S. banks".

Cars were torched in Paris and other French cities in the evening during otherwise peaceful demonstrations involving several thousand people. "Something fundamental happened, and that is that, immediately, spontaneous mobilisations took place throughout the country," hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said. Protests took place in cities including Toulon on Friday, and more were planned for the weekend. Macron will want to turn the page quickly, with government officials already preparing more socially minded reforms. Amid the unrest on Thursday evening, someone had tagged on a shop front: "Let's destroy what destroys us."

☆ Belgium to become second EU country to recognize Buddhism
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - Belgium is expected to officially recognize Buddhism after the federal government approves a draft law on Friday, opening the door to federal funding, official delegates and school classes. The Belgian Buddhist Union had requested recognition in March 2006. The only other EU country where Buddhism is recognized is Austria. There are currently six worship services officially recognized in Belgium: the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox, the Israelite, the Anglican, the Protestant Evangelical and the Islamic, recognized in 1974. All Belgian provinces and the Brussels Region would then also have to each finance a local Buddhist centre.

[1/11] Protesters take part in a demonstration against the French government's pension reform plan, as part of the eighth day of national strike and protests, in Ancenis-Saint-Gereon, France, March 15, 2023. The pension bill passed to a joint parliamentary committee on Wednesday where lawmakers from the lower and upper chambers are seeking a compromise text. If a deal is reached, a final vote in both the Senate and National Assembly will be held on Thursday. This new day of protests "is meant to tell lawmakers: don't vote this reform," he said. "In the National Assembly, there will not be an easy vote, nor will there be panic," government spokesman Olivier Veran told Europe 1 radio station.

☆ Macron seeks French pension reform support as strikes run on
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PARIS, March 13 (Reuters) - Strikes blocking fuel deliveries from French refineries ran into a sixth day on Monday, piling further pressure on President Emmanuel Macron as he races to shore up support for unpopular pension reforms in a final parliamentary vote. The last and crucial moment would then be a final vote, Thursday, both in the Senate and in the National Assembly. [1/3] A view shows the French oil giant TotalEnergies refinery in Donges near Saint-Nazaire, France, March 10, 2023. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe 1 2 3Macron's party needs the support of Les Republicains in the National Assembly to ensure the bill is approved. Veran also echoed Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who has said she preferred a vote rather than using the 49:3 procedure, which refers to the related article in the French constitution.

☆ TotalEnergies: Strike continues for sixth day at company's French sites
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, March 12 (Reuters) - TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) said on Sunday the rolling strike over the government's planned pension reform continued for the sixth day running at its French refineries and depots, an company spokesperson told Reuters. The French Senate on Saturday night passed President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular plan, an important step in it becoming law, shortly after a seventh day of demonstrations that were not as large as authorities had expected. Reporting by Forrest Crellin; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ French union leader vows to keep fighting Macron's pension plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, March 12 (Reuters) - French unions will keep on fighting against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plan despite the upper house of parliament approving the text on Saturday, a leader of one of the main unions said on Sunday. "Given the mobilisation of the population, the level of opposition to the plan (...) you cannot resort to a democratic flaw by using this 49:3 procedure," he said on BFM TV. "In my opinion, (using 49:3) would be very dangerous as it risks creating a great degree of bitterness," Berger added. French unions have called for an eighth round of nationwide demonstrations on that day to keep up the pressure on the government and parliament. Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ French Senate adopts Macron's pension reform in wake of days of protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - The French Senate on Saturday adopted President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform plan, with 195 votes for and 112 votes against, a bill whose key measure is raising the retirement age by two years to 64. The upper house of the French Parliament voted on the text in the wake of a seventh day of nationwide demonstrations against the plan. Now that the Senate has adopted the bill, it will be reviewed by a joint committee of lower and upper house lawmakers, probably on Wednesday. An additional day of nationwide strikes and protests was planned for Wednesday. Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France faces another day of nationwide protests against Macron's pension plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - France faced a seventh day of demonstrations on Saturday against President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform plans amid ongoing rolling strikes which have affected refineries, public transport and garbage collections. Demonstrations started at 10 a.m (0900 GMT) in the streets of major cities including Toulouse and Nice. Opinion polls show a majority of voters oppose Macron's plan, while a slim majority supports the strike actions. An additional day of nationwide strikes and protests is planned for March 15. Reporting by Tangi Salaun, Forrest Crellin and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Mike HarrisonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU strikes deal to curb energy use by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, March 10 (Reuters) - The European Union struck a deal on Friday to cut final energy consumption across the bloc by 11.7% by 2030, a goal lawmakers said would help fight climate change and curb Europe's use of Russian fossil fuels. The deal was agreed after all-night talks between negotiators from EU countries and the European Parliament. The 11.7% goal was a compromise between the EU Parliament, which had wanted a far higher goal of 14%, and some EU countries who wanted to stick to the original 9% aim. From 2024 to 2030, countries will have to save an average of 1.49% of final energy consumption per year. The deal will now go to the European Parliament and EU countries for a final vote - which is usually a formality that approves the law with no changes.

☆ Belgium bans TikTok from federal government work phones
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 10 (Reuters) - Belgian federal government employees will no longer be allowed to use the Chinese-owned video app TikTok on their work phones, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday. "That is the reality," the prime minister said in a statement. "That's why it is logical to forbid the use of TikTok on phones provided by the federal government. The European Commission and the European Parliament last month banned TikTok from staff phones due to growing concerns about the company, and whether China's government could harvest users' data or advance its interests. Belgium's Flemish regional government on Thursday announced it would restrict the access to TikTok on its staff's phones, and other regional governments were urged by De Croo to apply the same rules.

☆ ECB's Villeroy: French inflation peak seen in H1
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 9 (Reuters) - France's inflation peak will come in the first half of this year, French European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday, adding inflation across the euro zone was still too high and remained the top priority for monetary policy. "I can't comment on interest rates, but what is very important is the inflation expectations", Villeroy said, adding: "The peak will come this semester, and then inflation will halve by the end of the year." The ECB has already raised rates by 3 percentage points since July and essentially promised another half a percentage point increase on March 16, but investors have recently speculated on an even bigger move given poor inflation data. Several policymakers have warned recently that ECB rate hikes need to continue until core inflation turns around and starts falling towards the ECB's 2% target. Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ French Senate votes raising retirement age to 64
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 9 (Reuters) - French senators early on Thursday voted in favour of raising the legal retirement age to 64 from 62, a first win for President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plans which have sparked protests and strikes across the country. Two hundred and one members of the Senate, dominated by the conservative Les Republicains party, voted in favour of the reform's flagship article 7 on the retirement age, while 115 voted against it. The French upper house is expected to approve the remaining articles of the reform bill later this week. It will then be submitted to a mediation committee between lawmakers from the Senate and the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, next week. The government is hoping the pension changes will be adopted by parliament by the end of the month.

On Tuesday, a nationwide day of industrial action brought record numbers of people onto the streets against the policy change. But Olivier Gantois, the head of the French Association of Petroleum Industry (UFIP), said there was little impact on consumers for now. The logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is seen at TotalEnergies fuel depot in Mardyck, near Dunkerque, as France faces the sixth nationwide day of strike and protests against French government's pension reform plan, France, March 7, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal RossignolThe four French LNG terminals and all of the gas storage facilities also remained blocked, FNME-CGT representative Fabrice Coudour said. The next nationwide day of strikes and protests is set for Saturday.

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg: World more dangerous with Russia suspending START treaty
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 21 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday Russia's decision to suspend participation in the latest START bilateral nuclear arms control treaty made the world a more dangerous place, and he urged Moscow to reconsider. "More nuclear weapons and less arms control makes the world more dangerous," Stoltenberg, standing alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, told reporters. "It is President Putin who started this imperial war of conquest ... As Putin made clear today, he's preparing for more war ... Putin must not win ... It would be dangerous for our own security and the whole world," Stoltenberg added. "I regret the decision by Russia to suspend its participation in (the) New START programme".

☆ U.S. and NATO see Ukraine in urgent need of more arms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/10] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov attend a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, February 14, 2023. "Ukraine has urgent requirements to help it meet this crucial moment in the course of the war," U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said at a meeting of the so-called Ramstein group of allies of Ukraine. When it comes to artillery, we need ammunition, we need spare parts, we need maintenance, we need all the logistics to ensure that we are able to sustain these weapons systems." NATO defence ministers were also to discuss adapting a target for members to spend 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. Some nations see this as too low, given the Ukraine war, while others such as Germany are still far below the 2%.

☆ Germany to restart production of Gepard ammunition for Ukraine, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Germany has signed contracts with Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE) to restart the production of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft guns it has delivered to Kyiv, German Defense minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday. "We will quickly start our own production of Gepard ammunition at Rheinmetall. I am very happy we have been able to guarantee the delivery of this important part of air defense," Pistorius said before a meeting with NATO ministers in Brussels. Germany has been trying for months to find new munitions for the Gepard anti-aircraft guns which its own military had decommissioned in 2010. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Sabine Siebold; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ NATO Secretary General: incidents with balloons over U.S. form part of pattern
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Recent incidents regarding balloons shot down by the United States, which suspects they are surveillance balloons from China, form part of a pattern which highlights the need for NATO to be vigilant, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "What we saw over the United States is part of a pattern where China and also Russia are increasing surveillance activities on NATO allies," Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday. It was the fourth flying object to be shot down over North America by a U.S. missile in a little more than a week. China's foreign ministry said it had no information on the latest three flying objects shot down by the United States. Reporting by Bart Meijer, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold and Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Sudip Kar-GuptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France urges stronger international response to Iran's missile program
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna looks on during a news conference with Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira ( not pictured ) at Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, February 8, 2023. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File PhotoSummary French govt: Colonna spoke to Blinken on ThursdayDiscussed Iran, Ukraine, Armenia, AzerbaijanUrged stronger response to Iran missile programmePARIS, Feb 10 (Reuters) - There must be a stronger "international response" to the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missiles program, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told her U.S. counterpart Anthony Blinken, France's Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The French Foreign Ministry said Colonna and Blinken had spoken by phone on Thursday, during which they discussed an array of topics, including Ukraine and Iran. Colonna and Blinken also reiterated their "full support" to Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia almost a year ago, and discussed the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten and John Irish; Editing by Sudip Kar-GuptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ French Senate to open commission of inquiry into TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The French Senate will open a commission of inquiry into Chinese social media company TikTok to look into its use and strategy of influence, according to a statement from senator Claude Malhuret's office. The commission of inquiry will aim to shed light on whether TikTok promotes certain content in some parts of the world, excluding China, in order to undermine its foreign users or not, according to Claude Malhuret, the lead senator on the topic. It will also look into the platform's obligations in terms of protecting personal data. The commission, approved last night by a conference of the presidents of political groups in the Senate, will start working from March 1 with 19 members of the Senate. Reporting by Marine Strauss, Blandine Henault; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Syria requests EU support for the first time after earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"We have received a request from the government of Syria for assistance through the civil protection mechanism," European Commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic said. Lenarcic told reporters that EU member states were being encouraged to contribute with assistance as requested. An EU official said the 27-member bloc would need enough safeguards to ensure that the aid provided effectively reached those in need and that the provision of any future EU assistance would not go un-monitored. A country can request assistance through the EU mechanism when the scale of an emergency or disaster overwhelms its response capabilities. Once activated, the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre coordinates and finances assistance provided by EU member states and eight additional participating nations.

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