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       Cross-Channel train operator Eurostar complained Tuesday that slower post-Brexit passport checks for travellers are forcing it to run some services almost one-third empty.

       The company said that its cross-Channel routes from Paris and Amsterdam to London were being held back by longer passport checks, brought as part of the Brexit vote.

       For instance, British visitors using Eurostar must now have their documents stamped as they arrive and leave the EU, slowing their passage even with UK border points in European stations. EU citizens, meanwhile, have to show they comply with British migration rules.

       Post-Brexit: Chances of EU and UK changing deal 'slim', report claims

       According to Eurostar, the extra time required to check all this information, along with the bottlenecked queues formed, means the rail company can’t offer enough seats.

       "We haven't been able to return to 2019 levels of service because the border crossing is too slow," Cazenave said.

       In 2022, passengers returned but the numbers were still lower. The Eurostar cross-Channel service carried 8.3 million passengers.

       Today there are 14 return trips per day, only partly full, between Paris and London. In 2019 there were between 17 and 18 full trips.

       Cazenave also added that there were not enough border staff to check passports and that she was concerned about the future introduction of a new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) for the Schengen travel area, expected to start this year.

       "We used to ask clients to arrive half an hour before the train, now it's an hour," she said.

       Eurostar merges with Thalys

       The Eurostar Group now includes the Eurostar service from France and Belgium to London and the French-Belgian high-speed train operator Thalys, linking Cologne, Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.

       On Tuesday, the group unveiled a new joint logo that will adorn trains on both route networks, along with an ambitious plan to grow to 30 million passengers a year by 2030.

       Eurostar almost went bankrupt in 2021 and Thalys also sought help from its shareholders.

       The new combined group has a debt of €960 million, according to Cazenave.

       Watch the video in player above.

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       Several sectors across Europe have been impacted by strikes as workers demand higher pay and better working conditions.

       Here’s a look at which workers are going on strike in Europe today:

       Flights cancelled due to warning strike at German airport

       Around 300 flights were cancelled at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport as workers went on strike, the airport said.

       Those flights would have transported some 35,000 passengers.

       “Affected passengers are asked to contact their airline for information on rebooking and alternative travel options,” the airport added in a statement.

       Employees in security, ground handling services and the company running the airport were striking over a pay dispute.

       The airport opened in 2020 after significant delays and construction problems. Berlin Brandenburg Airport continues to struggle financially with a lot of debt but is working on becoming "financially independent," a spokesman said.

       Passengers look at a display board showing all flights as canceled during a warning strike at Berlin-Brandenburg BER Airport in Schoenefeld, Germany, Jan. 25, 2023Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP Photo

       Amazon workers go on strike for the first time in the UK

       Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Coventry became the first in the UK to go on strike over the company’s low pay.

       The workers voted in mid-December to go on strike.

       “The fact that they are being forced to go on strike to win a decent rate of pay from one of the world's most valuable companies should be a badge of shame for Amazon,” said GMB senior organiser Amanda Gearing in a press release when the vote happened.

       A spokesperson for the GMB union said the workers make ￡10.50 (€11.89) as a base rate per hour but the workers are asking for ￡15 (roughly €17).

       Around 300 workers went on strike on Wednesday at the Amazon warehouse.

       A spokesman from Amazon said that "a tiny proportion of our workforce is involved."

       "In fact, according to the verified figures, only a fraction of 1% of our UK employees voted in the ballot - and that includes those who voted against industrial action," the spokesman said. He argued that the company offers competitive pay.

       France and Spain travel strikes: The dates and cities with delays and cancellations in February

       Italy petrol stations on strike over 'stigmatisation' but unions divided

       Italy's petrol station operators have been on strike across the country since Tuesday evening, although self-service stations remain open.

       The action is taking place on both motorways and local routes.

       Unions however are divided on how long the strike will last. Some operators will continue throughout Thursday while others will end it on Wednesday.

       The main reason for the strike is the obligation for operators to display a panel showing the regional average fuel price. Unions say the government's measure is accusing operators of "speculating on gas prices at the expense of the consumers".

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       Despite the strike, however, Italian law requires that at least 50% of stations in urban areas remain open. On motorways, there should be at least one station operating every 100 kilometres.

       For motorways, you can find out what petrol stations are still open with this list published by the country's Conference of Regions and Autonomous provinces.

       Cars line up at a petrol station in Rome on January 24, 2023.Tiziana FABI / AFP

       French unions give update following massive protests over pension reform plan

       The leaders of France's eight biggest unions are holding a press conference in Paris at 15:30 CET over the government's controversial pension reform, which aims to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

       According to a poll conducted in January by IFOP, the reform is opposed by 68% of French people.

       One million in the streets against controversial pension reform in France What to know about France's nationwide strike over pension reform

       The proposal has already triggered fierce protests in the country, with opposition parties arguing the retirement age should be reduced instead.

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       Last week, over one million people took to the streets against the planned overhaul. In Paris, police clashed with protesters, with doctors having to amputate the testicle of a young man after he was clubbed in the groin by a police officer.

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       Germany has confirmed it will provide Ukraine with much sought-after Leopard 2 heavy battle tanks. Moscow blasted the move as a "blatant provocation".

       In a significant boost to Kyiv's war effort, Berlin agreed to the delivery of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine on Tuesday, reversing its policy of hesitance. This was confirmed by the Chancellery in the afternoon.

       Meanwhile, Washington was expected to announce as soon as Wednesday that it will send M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, a source told Reuters.

       Giving Ukraine battle tanks has been a contentious issue in recent weeks.

       Some of Kyiv's allies, particularly in eastern Europe, have argued it is essential at a time when Russia is gaining ground on the battlefield, while others, notably the US and Germany, have worried about escalating hostilities.

       "Discussions must be concluded with decisions" Volodymyr Zelenskyy

       Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the West to donate their most modern battle tanks on Tuesday evening, saying that "discussions must be concluded with decisions".

       Moscow has warned supplying Kyiv with offensive weaponry will escalate the conflict. On Sunday, a Putin ally said it will lead to a "global catastrophe" by weakening arguments against using nuclear weapons.

       But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz decided to approve sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and will allow other countries -- such as Poland -- to do so as well.

       Poland and Lithuania to send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine

       Countries wanting to export the tank must first ask Berlin's permission as they are German-made.

       Der Spiegel, which broke the news, said Germany was planning to supply at least one company of Leopard 2 A6 tanks, some 14 tanks in total.

       Other European allies intend to go along with Germany in supplying their Leopards, the magazine reported.

       Support for Ukraine

       In Spain, El País is reporting that the government is poised to commit to sending tanks to Ukraine.

       The paper says a condition of the Spanish government participating in the operation to provide Ukraine with a system capable of counteracting the firepower of modern Russian tanks is the existence of an agreement at European level.

       'Free the Leopards!' Campaign aims to 'embarrass' Germany into sending tanks to Ukraine

       Kyiv hailed the move as a potential game-changer on the battlefield, even if some believe the number of tanks falls short of what is needed to liberate Russian-controlled areas.

       "A few hundred tanks for our tank crews .... This is what is going to become a real punching fist of democracy," Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy's administration, wrote on Telegram.

       There is still no official confirmation from Washington.

       One US official told Reuters their country would send about 30 M1 Abrams tanks over the coming months.

       Fielded by some 20 armies around the world, Leopard 2 tanks are seen as the best option, since they are available in large numbers and easy to maintain.