Closer EU ties

ered immigration and economic prosperity, it seems that those who came out in support of leaving the EU seven years ago aren’t all as confident in completely cutting ties with the bloc.

It concerns some that the question of Brexit even exists anymore, with those who voted for it often choosing to call the case ‘settled’. But for those who lost so much from Brexit (including freedom of movement rights or their small business), it is still a hard pill to swallow and an issue they feel should remain open to future change.

IN a bid to slash carbon dioxide emissions, French authorities announced that a law banning short­haul flights came into effect on Wednesday, May 24.

The law, created two years ago prohibits passengers from travelling by plane if the same journey could be made by train in less than two and a half hours. Effectively, this means air travel between Paris and cities such as Lyon, Nantes, and Bordeaux.

The law is divisive among the public and with airline representatives. Some airline representatives including Laurent Donceel, the interim president of the Airlines for Europe group, said the move will have “minimal effects” on carbon dioxide emissions.

The law is unpopular with the sector which was hit particularly hard by the Covid­19 pandemic, with flights only re­ turning to 42 per cent of their 2019 rates according to flight portal, Flight Radar.

The French Citizen’s Climate Convention, created by President Macron in 2019 inspired the law, aimed to ban flights where a train journey of up to four hours could replace it, but this was scrapped.

THE EU Commission has put forward proposals for the most ambitious and comprehensive reform of the EU Customs Union since its establishment in 1968.

The measures proposed present a world ­ leading, data­ driven vision for EU Customs, which will massively simplify customs processes for business, especially for the most trustworthy traders.

Embracing the digital transformation, the reform will cut down on cumbersome customs procedures, replacing traditional declarations with a smarter, data­led approach to import supervision.

At the same time, customs authorities will have the tools and resources they need to properly assess and stop imports