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CZECH REPUBLIC
- According to Eurostat, governments across the EU spent over €100 billion on research and development (R&D), equivalent to 0.8% of GDP. The highest spending per capita was recorded in Luxembourg, while Czech Republic ranked 15th of 27th, with just under €150 per person.
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A discussion is underway in the European Union about the color-coded labeling of food products, the so-called Nutri-Score, to indicate how healthy they are. Some Czech food manufacturers are not waiting for legislation, and have started using the scheme themselves.
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Former Czech president Václav Klaus has been admitted to hospital for the second time in a matter of weeks. A spokesperson said the 80-year-old was suffering from high blood pressure, the same problem that saw him taken into Prague’s Central Military Hospital the first time.
WORLD
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Manufacturers will be forced to create a universal charging solution for phones and small electronic devices, under a new rule proposed by the European Commission (EC). The aim is to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to re-use existing chargers when buying a new device. All smartphones sold in the EU must have USB-C chargers, the proposal said.
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Portugal will lift almost all remaining COVID-19 restrictions, allowing full occupancy in restaurants and cultural venues from Oct. 1. Among the few measures that remain in place, mask-wearing is compulsory in public transport, at large events, in nursing homes, hospitals, shopping malls and hypermarkets. Masks ceased being compulsory outdoors last week.
