Dear collegues, API-IPA would like to share the following statement with you:

Last week, several complaints have reached us about the handling of news by the SPP.

Tuesday afternoon the Commission put out a statement (18/3982) of President Juncker concerning remarks of Commissioner Oettinger earlier the same day in an interview with Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany).

Journalists holding a permanent accreditation at NATO were unpleasantly surprised today when arriving at the alliance's new headquarters, where they were not given access on showing their permanent accreditation pass as usual, but also had to wait in a sometimes long line for a separate media-visitors badge and for a special badge to open the new turnstiles at the entrance gate. On top of that, identity cards were taken in and only given back after returning the two extra badges when leaving the NATO premises.

API has sent the following e-mail to European Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas about the presentation of the press material about the Multiannual Financial Framework, last week by president Juncker: 

The European Council will make the access to the Lipsius and Europa buildings for accredited journalists a bit easier, something API has asked for sometime ago. The inter-institutional (yellow) badge will be 'upgraded' for that purpose. 

API-IPA mourns the death today of one of its co-founders, Guido Boodts (73), after a short sickbed.

Belgian journalist for De Standaard newspaper Boodts was one of a group of European journalists who decided in 1975 to establish the Association de la Presse Internationale as representative of the foreign correspondents covering European affairs in Brussels.

The International Press Association (API-IPA) is shocked by the murder of our Slovak collegue Jan Kuciak and his friend. API-IPA condemns this crime against a journalist. We expect the Slovak authorities to do their utmost to investigate the truth and to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Today, Thomas Wieser gave his last press briefing as head of the Euro Working Group, which prepares the meetings of the Eurogroup ministers. On this occassion API-IPA issued this statement:

The International Press Association (API-IPA) wants to thank Thomas Wieser for the fair and professional briefings he held as chairman of the Euro Working Group. We always felt well informed by him and we regret that we lose him as a counterpart for the Brussels press corps. API wishes him all the best for his future work.