The Brits’ comeback

October 31, 2019

I see no Brexit. Indeed, once the bloc unanimously granted an extension for Brexit requested, both pundits and politicians feel relieved as the have perceptualised the trap that they had fallen in with the self-inflicted blunder that they committed three and half years ago. It was one of the biggest...

Issue 1322: The EU needs an Afghanistan policy (Print Edition)

February 21, 2020

An academic’s view of the coronavirus

February 21, 2020

Two months after the coronavirus outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the deadly pathogen has gone on to claim the lives of...

Scripta Manent at EASME

February 21, 2020

**Edit: After publication, EASME issued a statement in response. The statement reads: ”The recruitment procedure took place two years ago, in compliance with EASME recruitment...

China, strange attractor and victim

February 21, 2020

When neither science nor religion can give replies, the matter becomes philosophical. When the economy cannot give solutions, the matter becomes political. The China...

The EU needs an Afghanistan policy

February 21, 2020

For more than 40 years, Afghanistan has been a symbol of a state traumatised and destroyed by war. Since the Soviet Union's invasion in...

Revealing the whistle-blowers

February 21, 2020

The Novartis case had shaken the Greek political system precisely 2 years ago. At that time, 10 political executives were named, in the framework...

Assange to seek asylum in France, lawyers say

February 21, 2020

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's European defense team has said it intends to seek political asylum in France for the whistleblower. Assange’s US extradition trial...

Libya’s rival factions resume talks in Geneva

February 21, 2020

Libya's rival factions resumed talks in Geneva on Thursday. The peace talks are aimed at brokering a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn country. "The talks...

Tunisia names new coalition government in bid to avoid early election

February 21, 2020

Tunisia's prime minister-designate Elyes Fakhfakh has announced the formation of a new coalition government after coming to an agreement with Ennahda, the biggest party...

South Sudan’s rival leaders to form coalition government

February 21, 2020

South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to form a unity government, paving the way towards ending more than six...

Issue 1322: The EU needs an Afghanistan policy (Print Edition)

February 21, 2020

Scripta Manent at EASME

February 21, 2020

**Edit: After publication, EASME issued a statement in response. The statement reads: ”The recruitment procedure took place two years ago, in compliance with EASME recruitment...

Issue 1322: The EU needs an Afghanistan policy (Print Edition)

February 21, 2020

An academic’s view of the coronavirus

February 21, 2020

Two months after the coronavirus outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the deadly pathogen has gone on to claim the lives of...

A rising star of the Italian left: Interview with Italy’s Elly Schlein

February 14, 2020

January’s elections in the wealthy Northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna saw former MEP Elly Schlein secure 22.098 votes, making her the top vote-getter in...

EU Affairs

EU invests more than €100 mln in new LIFE Programme for green projects

February 21, 2020

The European Union will invest €101.2 million for the latest projects under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action, the European Commission...

Commissioner urges Italy to suspend cooperation activities with Libyan Coast Guard

February 21, 2020

The Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović in a letter sent to Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio has urged the country's government to suspend...

Revealing the whistle-blowers

February 21, 2020

The Novartis case had shaken the Greek political system precisely 2 years ago. At that time, 10 political executives were named, in the framework...

EU budget talks remain in a deadlock

February 21, 2020

Budget talks had to continue on Friday as EU leaders failed to overcome their differences and agree on the bloc's long term budget, during...

SolarPower Europe, RGI, WindEurope, smartEn discuss climate neutrality goals

February 21, 2020

Leading associations of the energy transition – smartEn, SolarPower Europe, the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), and WindEurope issued a declaration in Brussels on 18...

An academic’s view of the coronavirus

February 21, 2020

Two months after the coronavirus outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the deadly pathogen has gone on to claim the lives of...

US envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks to become Acting Director of National Intelligence

February 21, 2020

President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany and concurrently Special Envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting...

Hungary’s Orbán questions EPP ideology and leader

February 20, 2020

Viktor Orbán, Hungary's Prime Minister, in a memorandum sent to European People's Party (EPP) leadership called for an internal debate on the future mission...

Turkey probes judges who acquitted activists including Kavala

February 20, 2020

Turkey’s Council of Judges and Prosecutors has launched an investigation into three judges who acquitted rights activist Osman Kavala and eight other activists of...

Lewandowski to EU governments: No take-it-or-leave-it Budget proposal for Parliament

February 20, 2020

STRASBOURG – Following a debate on EU’s key Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 in Strasbourg on 12 February and ahead of a special...

Expansion of renewables, storage, interconnectors key to deliver EU’s Green Deal

February 20, 2020

BRUSSELS – Europe is not building enough new wind farms to deliver the EU’s Green Deal goal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told New Europe...

Leaders' Perspectives

Basil A. Coronakis

Founder of New Europe

China, strange attractor and victim

When neither science nor religion can give replies, the matter becomes philosophical. When the economy cannot give solutions, the matter becomes political. The China issue… Read More »

Richard Giragosian

Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center

A missed opportunity in Munich

Looking back at over a decade of European engagement beyond its eastern periphery, one fundamental challenge of the Eastern Partnership programme has been dealing with… Read More »

Valery Kavaleusky

The Russian economic model is not an example for Ukraine

KASSANDRA

Scripta Manent at EASME

February 21, 2020

**Edit: After publication, EASME issued a statement in response. The statement reads: ”The recruitment procedure took place two years ago, in compliance with EASME recruitment...

The New Sheriff(s) in Research

February 21, 2020

Kassandra has spent many column inches on the European Commission’s Research Department. First because it spends a few billions in taxpayer money every year...

Opaque EU agencies and the black box of EASME

February 21, 2020

The European Commission is a dense and complex structure, and only the very knowledgeable insiders are able to grasp the network of interconnections that...

China, strange attractor and victim

February 21, 2020

When neither science nor religion can give replies, the matter becomes philosophical. When the economy cannot give solutions, the matter becomes political. The China...

All roads lead to Rome, which in this case is the containment of China

February 7, 2020

After the acquittal of President Donald Trump by the Senate in the impeachment trial, as was expected, the road for his re-election in November...

Von der Leyen’s deSelmayrisation of the European Commission

January 31, 2020

Cut off the head of the snake, and the body will die, the old adage goes. In the European Commission, the process is a...

The idiocy of regulating mobile phone chargers

January 31, 2020

Yes, the European Parliament is pushing for a standardized connector for all smartphones. For any phone that comes into the market today there's essentially...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

EU invests more than €100 mln in new LIFE Programme for green projects

February 21, 2020

The European Union will invest €101.2 million for the latest projects under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action, the European Commission...

SolarPower Europe, RGI, WindEurope, smartEn discuss climate neutrality goals

February 21, 2020

Leading associations of the energy transition – smartEn, SolarPower Europe, the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), and WindEurope issued a declaration in Brussels on 18...

Expansion of renewables, storage, interconnectors key to deliver EU’s Green Deal

February 20, 2020

BRUSSELS – Europe is not building enough new wind farms to deliver the EU’s Green Deal goal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told New Europe...

EU’s Court of Auditors says Commission should update nuclear-safety rules

February 17, 2020

The European Commission has met its responsibilities on legislation and oversight of nuclear safety across Europe, but more steps are required to improve the...

Facial recognition technology breaches GDPR says Vestager

February 17, 2020

Margrethe Vestager, EU's tech chief Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday that facial recognition technologies breach the need to give consent, which is stipulated in Europe's data...

EU Ombudsman to investigate Commission’s backing of gas projects

February 17, 2020

European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly announced on Thursday she has opened an investigation into the European Commission’s so-called list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs), as...

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Hungary’s Orbán questions EPP ideology and leader

February 20, 2020

Viktor Orbán, Hungary's Prime Minister, in a memorandum sent to European People's Party (EPP) leadership called for an internal debate on the future mission...

Lewandowski to EU governments: No take-it-or-leave-it Budget proposal for Parliament

February 20, 2020

STRASBOURG – Following a debate on EU’s key Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 in Strasbourg on 12 February and ahead of a special...

Expansion of renewables, storage, interconnectors key to deliver EU’s Green Deal

February 20, 2020

BRUSSELS – Europe is not building enough new wind farms to deliver the EU’s Green Deal goal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told New Europe...

Michel’s budget proposal for 1.074% of EU’s GNI “disappointing” says Chair of EP’s Budget committee

February 18, 2020

With EU leaders expected to gather in Brussels for an emergency meeting on 20 February aiming at resolving EU's 2021-2027 budget stalemate, debate around...

MEPs won’t approve budget cuts

February 14, 2020

STRASBOURG, France – During a debate of the EU’s key Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027, MEPs underlined that Parliament will only give its...

EU lawmakers block Green’s push to cancel gas projects funding

February 14, 2020

STRASBOURG - Members of the European Parliament rejected on 12 February calls to veto the fourth list on projects of common interest (PCI), on...

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

EU budget talks remain in a deadlock

February 21, 2020

Budget talks had to continue on Friday as EU leaders failed to overcome their differences and agree on the bloc's long term budget, during...

Lewandowski to EU governments: No take-it-or-leave-it Budget proposal for Parliament

February 20, 2020

STRASBOURG – Following a debate on EU’s key Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 in Strasbourg on 12 February and ahead of a special...

Michel: Europe’s looking at Africa with fresh eyes

February 10, 2020

The next generation of leaders in Europe seeks a renewed EU-Africa partnership, Charles Michel, EU Council President told African leaders on Sunday during a state...

Croatian PM Plenković tells Michel he wants MFF negotiations concluded during the country’s Presidency

February 10, 2020

Negotiations on the bloc's long-term budget should be concluded within 2020's first half, said Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of Croatia during a meeting with Charles...

European Council President meets with Bulgaria’s PM Borissov

February 6, 2020

Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria's Prime Minister met with EU Council President Charles Michel, at the institution's headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. EU funds from the Multiannual...

France scores victory on Enlargement rules

February 5, 2020

The EU Commission released new proposed rules on February 5 which substantially modify the current Enlargement process but also allow EU member states to...

EU National News

Assange to seek asylum in France, lawyers say

February 21, 2020

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's European defense team has said it intends to seek political asylum in France for the whistleblower. Assange’s US extradition trial...

Libya’s rival factions resume talks in Geneva

February 21, 2020

Libya's rival factions resumed talks in Geneva on Thursday. The peace talks are aimed at brokering a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn country. "The talks...

Irish government enters stalemate

February 21, 2020

Ireland’s Fine Gael party leader Leo Varadkar has formally resigned as prime minister after Ireland’s parliament entered a stalemate over the choice of a...

Global demand for LNG grows by 12.5% in 2019

February 21, 2020

Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) grew by 12.5% to 359 million tonnes in 2019, according to Shell’s latest annual LNG Outlook published...

Commissioner urges Italy to suspend cooperation activities with Libyan Coast Guard

February 21, 2020

The Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović in a letter sent to Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio has urged the country's government to suspend...

SolarPower Europe, RGI, WindEurope, smartEn discuss climate neutrality goals

February 21, 2020

Leading associations of the energy transition – smartEn, SolarPower Europe, the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), and WindEurope issued a declaration in Brussels on 18...

US envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks to become Acting Director of National Intelligence

February 21, 2020

President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany and concurrently Special Envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting...

EU officials meet Cyprus’ Anastasiades amid growing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean

February 21, 2020

Amid growing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades met with EU officials in Brussels, where he...

Hungary’s Orbán questions EPP ideology and leader

February 20, 2020

Viktor Orbán, Hungary's Prime Minister, in a memorandum sent to European People's Party (EPP) leadership called for an internal debate on the future mission...

Ireland’s Fianna Fáil unveils government formation plans

February 20, 2020

Ireland’s liberal Fianna Fáil will step up efforts to form a government by starting formal engagement with other parties, except the left-wing nationalist Sinn...

World News

Tunisia names new coalition government in bid to avoid early election

February 21, 2020

Tunisia's prime minister-designate Elyes Fakhfakh has announced the formation of a new coalition government after coming to an agreement with Ennahda, the biggest party...

South Sudan’s rival leaders to form coalition government

February 21, 2020

South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to form a unity government, paving the way towards ending more than six...

Global demand for LNG grows by 12.5% in 2019

February 21, 2020

Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) grew by 12.5% to 359 million tonnes in 2019, according to Shell’s latest annual LNG Outlook published...

Sri Lanka to withdraw from UN rights resolution

February 21, 2020

Sri Lanka's prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the country was withdrawing from a United Nations resolution investigating alleged war crimes. The announcement comes days...

Pompeo concludes Africa trip with a challenge to Chinese economic influence

February 19, 2020

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo capped his three-country visit to Africa where he pitched strengthening economic relations with the United States as the...

Pompeo starts tour of Africa

February 17, 2020

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the US is working to determine what level of military forces is needed in West Africa to...

South Sudan rebels reject president’s peace deal

February 17, 2020

South Sudan rebels rejected the government’s peace offer to reduce the number of states and create three administrative areas in the country, aiming to...

Ethiopia approves controversial ‘hate speech’ law

February 14, 2020

Ethiopia's parliament has passed a law that punishes "hate speech" and "fake news". However, rights groups say it undermines free speech months as it...

OPEC says coronavirus outbreak to reduce world oil demand

February 14, 2020

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has cut its forecast for global growth in oil demand this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. In...

Gazprom says Power of Siberia, TurkStream to boost Russia’s position as gas supplier

February 14, 2020

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom closely follows the ongoing developments and takes the necessary measures to mitigate a number of adverse factors affecting the suppliers...

THE ENLARGEMENT MONITOR

US envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks to become Acting Director of National Intelligence

February 21, 2020

President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany and concurrently Special Envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting...

Munich Bacchanalian surprises

February 17, 2020

At the Munich Security Conference 2020, two reality-altering messages were sent back to Southeastern Europe, which incidentally was not the core focus of this...

North Macedonia takes a small step forward and one backwards this week

February 13, 2020

Since being installed in early January in preparation for the country’s April 6 elections, Caretaker Government Labour Minister Rashela Mizrahi, from the ultranationalist VMRO-DPMNE...

France scores victory on Enlargement rules

February 5, 2020

The EU Commission released new proposed rules on February 5 which substantially modify the current Enlargement process but also allow EU member states to...

Despite Brexit, Western Balkans get some attention

January 31, 2020

Despite all the noise surrounding Brexit, Libya’s civil war and the Iran mini-crisis, Brussels’ attention to the Western Balkans is increasing substantially as important...

US diplomatic engagement helps reopen Kosovo-Serbia flights

January 23, 2020

Representatives of Serbia, Kosovo, the US, and Lufthansa Group signed a milestone agreement on January 20 to establish an air link between Serbia and...

Greece’s Balkan diplomacy currently a sideshow

December 13, 2019

While keeping up the appearances of an active diplomatic campaign in Southeast Europe, the net impact of Athens’ recent initiatives will yield next to...

New Mexico sues Google for collecting children’s personal data

February 21, 2020

New Mexico’s attorney general Hector Balderas announced on Thursday that it sues Google. The lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Albuquerque. It...

Boeing says it found debris in fuel tanks on grounded 737 Max jets

February 20, 2020

Boeing announced it has ordered inspections of its grounded 737 Max series jets, after it found foreign objects in the fuel tanks of some...

Airbus announces 2,300 job cuts in defense and space division

February 20, 2020

European planemaker Airbus announced that it plans to cut 2,362 jobs across several countries by the end of next year. Its Germany-based subsidiary, Defence and...

IRS sues Facebook for $9b over Irish offshore deal

February 20, 2020

Facebook and US tax authorities are beginning a multi-billion dollar dispute over profits shifted to an Irish subsidiary by the social media giant. The US...

France steps up Ghosn probe into misuse of funds at Renault

February 20, 2020

French prosecutors have stepped up their investigation into alleged misuse of funds at Renault by former boss Carlos Ghosn. A judge had been assigned...

China prepares to launch new satellite, role not revealed

February 19, 2020

China’s space program is expected to soon launch its Long March 7A rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center. The official acknowledgement of a mission...

Europeans remain concerned about cybercrime despite growing awareness

February 19, 2020

Europeans are better informed about cybercrimes but are becoming increasingly concerned about their own security, according to the latest survey by the European Commission,...

EU invests more than €100 mln in new LIFE Programme for green projects

February 21, 2020

The European Union will invest €101.2 million for the latest projects under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action, the European Commission...

Naftogaz seeks nearly $8 bln for assets expropriated by Russia in Crimea

February 21, 2020

Ukraine’s joint stock oil and gas company Naftogaz said on 17 February the group seeks nearly $8 billion of compensation for its assets expropriated...

Global demand for LNG grows by 12.5% in 2019

February 21, 2020

Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) grew by 12.5% to 359 million tonnes in 2019, according to Shell’s latest annual LNG Outlook published...

SolarPower Europe, RGI, WindEurope, smartEn discuss climate neutrality goals

February 21, 2020

Leading associations of the energy transition – smartEn, SolarPower Europe, the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), and WindEurope issued a declaration in Brussels on 18...

KazMunayGaz oil and gas production stable in 2019

February 20, 2020

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan - The level of oil and gas condensate production in 2019 was stable and amounted to 23.6 million tonnes of oil and...

Lewandowski to EU governments: No take-it-or-leave-it Budget proposal for Parliament

February 20, 2020

STRASBOURG – Following a debate on EU’s key Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 in Strasbourg on 12 February and ahead of a special...

Expansion of renewables, storage, interconnectors key to deliver EU’s Green Deal

February 20, 2020

BRUSSELS – Europe is not building enough new wind farms to deliver the EU’s Green Deal goal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told New Europe...

Interfaith matters : Interview with Dr Jasbir Singh Puri

February 21, 2020

A medical doctor by profession Dr Jasbir Singh Puri, he moved to Dublin, Ireland from India in 1988. Today he is a retired consultant...

Tajikistan arrests suspected members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood

February 19, 2020

The former Soviet Central Asian republic of Tajikistan is one of the world's poorest nations and a hotbed for radical Islamic groups that operate...

Scotland’s Sikhs warn of further legal action over census if not classified as religious group

February 19, 2020

The community of Sikhs living in Scotland have urged local officials to consider them as an ethnic minority rather than a religious group for...

Historic Alexandria synagogue hosts the largest prayer service since restoration

February 19, 2020

A six-hundred-year-old, recently renovated synagogue in Egypt’s Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria hosted about 180 Jews to celebrate Shabbat earlier in February The event, which...

Latter-day Saint missionary assaulted in alleged hate crime

February 19, 2020

Officials in the US state of Utah arrested two men who are under the age of 20 for assaulting a black missionary from the...

Priests of disgraced Legion face trial for getting abuse victim to lie

February 18, 2020

Four priests and a lawyer from the disgraced Legion of Christ religious order are due to stand trial on charges they tried to obstruct...

New leak reveals secrets of China’s notorious Xinjiang camps

February 18, 2020

According to a newly leaked document from the Xinjiang camps, China is tracking every family and every movement of Muslim minority Uighurs. The document shows...

Supported by the Faith and Freedom Summit Coalition

STAKEHOLDER VIEWS

Association of European Journalists(AEJ)
By Otmar Lahodynsky

A sad day for Europe, but a chance to reform the EU

February 7, 2020

It was a sad day for Europe on January 31. For the first time in its history, one of its 28 Member States voluntarily...

NOVA COMPETITIVIDADE
By Francisco Jaime Quesado

The digital revolution

February 14, 2020

Europe is facing a real digital revolution. Information and communication technology now permeates virtually all aspects of our lives. The digital revolution is strongly...

Monnet Matters
By Editorial

Their discontent, our problem

October 7, 2019

If we have learnt anything from the last decade of European elections, it is that with all certainty we can say two things: (a)...

ICI Washington
By Alec Mally

US envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks to become Acting Director of National Intelligence

February 21, 2020

President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany and concurrently Special Envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting...