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...

Print Edition

Issue 1314: A return of the Normandy Four (Print Edition)

December 6, 2019

Europe’s 5G state-of-play: Interview with Mark Spelman

December 1, 2019

Mark Spelman is a British expert focused on key 5G challenges like standardisation and cyber-security. His current roles include heads the Thought Leadership at...

Britain in Europe

November 25, 2019

If our planet was born 24 hours ago, then life began 8 hours ago; fish appeared in the oceans 45 minutes ago; our ancestors...

Europe’s Green Deal timeline called into question

December 6, 2019

Europe has a unique opportunity in the new year to set an innovative and clear strategy in terms of environmental policy and shape future...

White House finally schedules Washington meeting with Greek prime minister

December 4, 2019

The White House announced on December 2 that President Donald J. Trump would be meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on January 7...

Europe continues to struggle with levelling the playing field for women in politics

December 4, 2019

The participation by women in Europe's politics is improving but is still far from close to closing the gender gap, according to a recent...

Medicine shortages is a top priority for healthcare distributors

December 2, 2019

During its autumn meeting, the European Healthcare Distribution Association (GIRP) placed medicine shortages at the top of its policy priorities. Bernd Grabner, the President of...

Issue 1314: A return of the Normandy Four (Print Edition)

December 6, 2019

Putin offers US to extend key nuclear deal

December 6, 2019

Russia's President Vladimir Putin offered on 5 December to immediately extend the New Start treaty, which is the only remaining nuclear arms reduction deal...

Turkey’s parliament backs controversial deal with Libya

December 6, 2019

Turkey’s parliament on 5 December endorsed a controversial agreement signed on 27 November between the country and Libya, on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean. The...

US says Iran protests death toll may exceed 1000

December 6, 2019

Iranian security forces may have killed more than 1.000 people in response to recent protests over gasoline-price hikes, a United States' official warned. "As the...

Brussels to boost innovative small businesses with €278mn

December 6, 2019

The European Commission has announced on 5 December a funding worth more than €278 million for 75 start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises across...

Russia, Turkey working on new S-400 missile deal

December 6, 2019

Russia and Turkey are working on a contract for Turkey's new purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, Interfax news agency cited a senior official...

Issue 1314: A return of the Normandy Four (Print Edition)

December 6, 2019

Europe’s 5G state-of-play: Interview with Mark Spelman

December 1, 2019

Mark Spelman is a British expert focused on key 5G challenges like standardisation and cyber-security. His current roles include heads the Thought Leadership at...

Britain in Europe

November 25, 2019

If our planet was born 24 hours ago, then life began 8 hours ago; fish appeared in the oceans 45 minutes ago; our ancestors...

EU Affairs

Turkey’s parliament backs controversial deal with Libya

December 6, 2019

Turkey’s parliament on 5 December endorsed a controversial agreement signed on 27 November between the country and Libya, on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean. The...

Creçu pushes EU Commission for solutions to asylum procedures deadlock

December 6, 2019

Former Commissioner for Regional Policy and member of the European Parliament, Corina Creçu, has pushed both the EU Commission and the European Court of Auditors to...

United Airlines replaces Boeing with Airbus

December 6, 2019

The Chicago based United Airlines is planning to replace an ageing fleet of Boeing 757-200 aircraft with 50 new, medium-range Airbus A321XLR jets, Reuters...

Spain follows France, Italy, and the UK to introduce a digital tax

December 6, 2019

Spain will press ahead with a digital tax, following in the footsteps of France, Italy, and the UK, according to El Pais. The plan for...

Italian tax authorities claim FIAT undervalued Chrysler

December 6, 2019

Italian tax authorities believe that Fiat has underestimated the value of its U.S. Chrysler arm to the tune of €5.1bn, which could lead to...

ECB brings forward plans for public digital currency

December 6, 2019

The European Central Bank is planning to bring forward a plan for a public digital currency as European economies are continuously reducing cash usage,...

Irish carbon-capture program gets EU funding

December 6, 2019

The European Commission will fund a Carbon Capture and Storage project by Ireland’s Gas Network parent company (Ervia), public broadcaster RTE reported on Thursday. The...

ESM reform postponed

December 6, 2019

The chairman of the Eurogroup Mario Centeno announced on Wednesday that changes to the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) would be adopted early next year...

Europe’s Green Deal timeline called into question

December 6, 2019

Europe has a unique opportunity in the new year to set an innovative and clear strategy in terms of environmental policy and shape future...

EU negotiators ready to agree on taxonomy for sustainable finance

December 5, 2019

After long negotiations in the European Parliament, EU officials expect on Thursday the finalisation of the "EU taxonomy for sustainable finance" regulation that will provide...

Mass protests in France over pension reform

December 5, 2019

France is facing one of its biggest strikes in decades, as everyone from teachers, postal workers, firefighters and hospital staff took to the streets...

Leaders' Perspectives

Otmar Lahodynsky

President of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ) and European Editor of the Profil news magazine in Austria

Juncker’s legacy

For more than three decades Jean-Claude Juncker played a key role in shaping the European Union first as Luxembourg’s prime minister, then as Eurogroup President, … Read More »

Bashir Khanbhai

A former member of the European Parliament from the United Kingdom (1999-2004)

Vocational Training for poor people

The European Union, USA, China, Russia, Japan and Korea have developed their natural resources, created industries and mechanised their agriculture for maximum output to achieve… Read More »

Monika Derecque-Pois

Reversing the death of Venice

KASSANDRA

An optimistic view of enlargement

December 1, 2019

The concept of a perfectly disciplined, regulated, and technocratic Europe, admittedly, must succeed. The operation was successful, but the patient is about to die. It’s true...

The weeks before the first 100 days of President von der Leyen: Dilemmas and troubles of leadership

December 1, 2019

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went from zero to hero, with her College of Commissioner’s being approved by the European Parliament with...

Tono takes Zabreb by storm, stands up for EPP’s values

November 25, 2019

It took a strong showing of EPP Secretary General Antonio López-Istúriz to set the tone of the entire congress of the EPP, and give...

Weber’s renewed force

November 25, 2019

EPP Chairman Manfred Weber gave a very powerful speech in Zagreb as well. German Chancellor Angela Merkel symbolically spent some time sitting between Weber...

Tusk makes new first EPP impression

November 25, 2019

Newly elected EPP President Donald Tusk made a new first impression in Zagreb. And it was positive. “After five years, I am fed up...

The Congress afterparty brought to you by Star Alliance

November 25, 2019

Berlusconi’s popularity was at its peak at the 2006 congress in Rome. And while the luscious dinners and afterparties in Rome were much more...

VdL’s theatrical stomping ground

November 25, 2019

European Commission President (-elect for a few more fleeting moments) Ursula von der Leyen made a major speech in the EPP’s congress in Zagreb,...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Irish carbon-capture program gets EU funding

December 6, 2019

The European Commission will fund a Carbon Capture and Storage project by Ireland’s Gas Network parent company (Ervia), public broadcaster RTE reported on Thursday. The...

EU backs Celtic interconnector and Baltic synchronisation project

December 4, 2019

In an effort to boost diversification of energy supply and improve energy security for Ireland and the Baltic states, the European Union has signed...

“We will not let technology turn against the people”, Jourová pledges

December 3, 2019

"Technology should serve the people, not the other way around", said Věra Jourová, Vice President for Values and Transparency, European Commission, during a Summit...

EU willing to delay ESM reform to avert second Italian crisis

December 3, 2019

The EU is ready to delay implementing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) reform to avert a standoff with Italy, Reuters report. The Italian government and...

The weeks before the first 100 days of President von der Leyen: Dilemmas and troubles of leadership

December 1, 2019

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went from zero to hero, with her College of Commissioner’s being approved by the European Parliament with...

Blades of Glory: Denmark to repower Middelgrunden offshore windfarm

December 1, 2019

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The blades of the 20 turbines of the Middelgrunden offshore windfarm, off the coast of Copenhagen, rotated slowly as the boat...

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Creçu pushes EU Commission for solutions to asylum procedures deadlock

December 6, 2019

Former Commissioner for Regional Policy and member of the European Parliament, Corina Creçu, has pushed both the EU Commission and the European Court of Auditors to...

EU negotiators ready to agree on taxonomy for sustainable finance

December 5, 2019

After long negotiations in the European Parliament, EU officials expect on Thursday the finalisation of the "EU taxonomy for sustainable finance" regulation that will provide...

EU Parliament declares climate emergency

November 28, 2019

In a wake-up call ahead of the COP25 climate conference that will be held in Madrid from 2 to 13 December, the EU Parliament...

MEPs express concern over climate change

October 14, 2019

The European Parliament in Brussels voted on 10 October for an increase of climate action spending in the next EU budget, calling for a...

Vestager is ready to reign in Big Tech

October 9, 2019

The question of Europe's digital transformation has been a key topic for many of last the Commission confirmation hearings. By the end of the...

Sassoli: UK’s Brexit proposals are not immediately operable, long way from something European Parliament could agree to

October 8, 2019

The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, met today with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, and discussed the facets of...

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Mounting concerns over Europe’s ‘digital sovereignty’

November 21, 2019

Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron have independently expressed reservations about Europe’s reliance on American and Chinese for data storage. Merkel made the point...

The new EPP presidency shaped in Zagreb

November 21, 2019

The European People’s Party Congress saw Donald Tusk take over the party’s presidency as the sole candidate. “Tusk is the face of a modern...

Fury in Italy over Eurozone debt-restructuring reform

November 20, 2019

Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte aims to postpone the reform of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) at December’s EU summit, ANSA reported on Tuesday. A...

Eurozone edging towards recession without policy response consensus

November 15, 2019

According to data released this week, the Eurozone hovers over the prospect of a recession, and there is no policy consensus over how to...

Zaev-Mitsotakis Thessaloniki meeting explores EU Enlargement delays

November 15, 2019

The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia met on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki 2019 Summit on November 14. This was their second...

Brussels casts Zaev a thin lifeline

November 11, 2019

Brussels cast a thin Italian-flavoured political lifeline to North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev over the last ten days, something sorely needed after Zaev...

EU National News

Turkey’s parliament backs controversial deal with Libya

December 6, 2019

Turkey’s parliament on 5 December endorsed a controversial agreement signed on 27 November between the country and Libya, on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean. The...

Spain follows France, Italy, and the UK to introduce a digital tax

December 6, 2019

Spain will press ahead with a digital tax, following in the footsteps of France, Italy, and the UK, according to El Pais. The plan for...

ESM reform postponed

December 6, 2019

The chairman of the Eurogroup Mario Centeno announced on Wednesday that changes to the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) would be adopted early next year...

Europe’s Green Deal timeline called into question

December 6, 2019

Europe has a unique opportunity in the new year to set an innovative and clear strategy in terms of environmental policy and shape future...

France creates anti-hate crime office amid Anti-Semitic wave

December 5, 2019

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the creation of an office tackling hate crimes, after 107 Jewish graves were desecrated with swastikas in eastern France on...

Mass protests in France over pension reform

December 5, 2019

France is facing one of its biggest strikes in decades, as everyone from teachers, postal workers, firefighters and hospital staff took to the streets...

Uber’s European competitor shows higher profitability

December 5, 2019

Estonia’s car-hailing platform Bolt is profitable in two-thirds of the markets in which it operates, surpassing Uber’s profitability. Founded in 2013 as Taxify and rebranded...

SPD not ready to challenge Merkel IV coalition government

December 5, 2019

Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) will vote on Friday on whether to remain as junior coalition partners in Angela Merkel’s fourth government. Despite the election of...

German court annuls ban on Saudi arms exports

December 4, 2019

A German court on 3 December cancelled an export ban that had prevented arms manufacturer Rheinmetall from exporting armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The government...

Head of EU mission asks Malta PM to resign

December 4, 2019

The head of a European Parliament mission, posted to Malta to assess the rule of law, following a scandal over the murder of a...

World News

Benin expels EU ambassador citing “interference” in its domestic affairs

November 28, 2019

Benin has ordered the European Union’s ambassador to the country, Oliver Nette, to leave, accusing him of meddling in state politics, said a statement...

Communisme à la Chinoisé

November 22, 2019

The threat of China is global and concerns the entire Western Bloc – which now consists of the US and Europe – and Russia....

Will obsolete regulation keep holding back the future in Brazil?

November 20, 2019

There is no reason why Brazil, a large country rich in natural resources and human capital, should not deploy world class communications technology, infrastructure,...

Documents reveal how China sends Uyghurs to camps

November 20, 2019

Over 400 pages of internal documents have provided unprecedented insight into the Chinese Communist Party's oppression of ethnic minorities in the country's western Xinjiang...

Crans Montana “African Women’s Forum” hosted in Brussels

November 18, 2019

The city of Brussels hosted on 14 - 16 November the African Women's Forum, organised by the Crans Montana Forum, in association with the New...

Counterterrorism’s chief programmer

November 18, 2019

Interview with Professor V.S. Subrahmanian In today’s world, the capture of a terrorist leader or the destruction of a terror cell is one of the...

The Belt and Road Initiative is a challenge for South and Southeast Asia

November 18, 2019

The euphoria about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Indonesia and elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia (SEA) has been felt since 2017,...

Bidzina Ivanishvili’s seven years of lies and deceit

November 17, 2019

Since he took control of the country in October 2012, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s governance has been based on lies and deceit. Ivanishvili lied to the Georgians,...

Oil mess in Texas, OPEC caution gush crude prices

November 15, 2019

A surprise drop in US crude inventories and comments from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo about lower-than-expected US...

Ebola vaccine authorised by EU Commission, approved by WHO

November 14, 2019

In a landmark decision on 11 November, the European Commission granted a marketing authorisation to the company Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. for the...

THE ENLARGEMENT MONITOR

An optimistic view of enlargement

December 1, 2019

The concept of a perfectly disciplined, regulated, and technocratic Europe, admittedly, must succeed. The operation was successful, but the patient is about to die. It’s true...

Greece champions EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans

November 30, 2019

As a consequence of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision in October to call for a temporary hold on EU accession discussions for Albania and...

Zaev-Mitsotakis Thessaloniki meeting explores EU Enlargement delays

November 15, 2019

The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia met on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki 2019 Summit on November 14. This was their second...

Brussels casts Zaev a thin lifeline

November 11, 2019

Brussels cast a thin Italian-flavoured political lifeline to North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev over the last ten days, something sorely needed after Zaev...

Zaev fumbles after EU Enlargement let-down

October 31, 2019

North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev fumbled badly this week when discussing the relationship between his country’s now-frozen EU accession bid and the standing...

The domino effect of the French veto

October 28, 2019

French President Emmanuel Macron’s veto of the start of EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia at the EU Summit has caused massive...

Enlargement is not Eurovision, Zoran

October 24, 2019

Enlargement boosters across Europe were stunned by the third failure of the European Council to announce a decision on 18 October on a date...

Spain follows France, Italy, and the UK to introduce a digital tax

December 6, 2019

Spain will press ahead with a digital tax, following in the footsteps of France, Italy, and the UK, according to El Pais. The plan for...

Huawei launches new legal action against US ban

December 5, 2019

Telecom giant Huawei announced on 5 December it has launched an authorized challenge to last month's decision by US regulators to classify it as...

Uber’s European competitor shows higher profitability

December 5, 2019

Estonia’s car-hailing platform Bolt is profitable in two-thirds of the markets in which it operates, surpassing Uber’s profitability. Founded in 2013 as Taxify and rebranded...

“We will not let technology turn against the people”, Jourová pledges

December 3, 2019

"Technology should serve the people, not the other way around", said Věra Jourová, Vice President for Values and Transparency, European Commission, during a Summit...

Europe’s 5G state-of-play: Interview with Mark Spelman

December 1, 2019

Mark Spelman is a British expert focused on key 5G challenges like standardisation and cyber-security. His current roles include heads the Thought Leadership at...

European Commissioner slams Turkey’s internet censorship

December 1, 2019

Turkey's continued block of the internet is both unacceptable and a violation of the democratic principles of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects...

Facebook’s only Dutch fact-checking partner quits over political advertising policies

November 30, 2019

A partnership between Facebook and the only Netherlands-based fact-checker, Nu.nl, has stopped checking for possible fake news on Facebook, ending a two-and-a-half-year partnership with...

Rosatom inks deal with Delo Group to facilitate Arctic transport

December 4, 2019

Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom said on 3 December the company is finalising the legal paperwork for the purchase of a minority stake...

EU backs Celtic interconnector and Baltic synchronisation project

December 4, 2019

In an effort to boost diversification of energy supply and improve energy security for Ireland and the Baltic states, the European Union has signed...

Shell offsets CO2 emissions from lubricant for wind turbines

December 3, 2019

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - While the wind industry is striving to eliminate hydrocarbons an energy source, thus cutting CO2 emissions, wind turbines still use hydrocarbons...

Blades of Glory: Denmark to repower Middelgrunden offshore windfarm

December 1, 2019

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The blades of the 20 turbines of the Middelgrunden offshore windfarm, off the coast of Copenhagen, rotated slowly as the boat...

Turkey, Libya delimitation deal raises geopolitical tensions

November 29, 2019

Turkey has signed an agreement with Libya’s internationally recognised government on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea that could affect oil and gas exploration...

Solar panels are seen at the rooftop of Longi Silicon company in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, China.

China helps Kazakhstan build solar and wind power plants

November 29, 2019

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan - China has help implement two renewable energy projects in the Almaty region, southern Kazakhstan - the construction of a 5 MW...

Italian company wins solar power plant bid in Kazakhstan

November 28, 2019

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan - An auction to select an investor for the construction of a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 50 MW...

France creates anti-hate crime office amid Anti-Semitic wave

December 5, 2019

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced the creation of an office tackling hate crimes, after 107 Jewish graves were desecrated with swastikas in eastern France on...

Pope sends envoy to Greek island to bring asylum seekers to the Vatican

December 5, 2019

Pope Francis has sent a papal envoy to the Greek island of Lesbos to bring 33 asylum-seekers back to Rome, the Vatican said. The Vatican...

Belgian city removes carnival from UNESCO list over anti-Semitic allegations

December 5, 2019

The authorities of the northern Belgian city of Aalst decided to exclude their annual carnival from UNESCO's Intangible World Heritage List after coming under...

US House of Representatives adopts Uyghur Act that sanctions China

December 4, 2019

The US' House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill requiring the Trump administration to harden its stance towards China over Beijing's forced detention of...

Spain wants more equality for thousands of recognised religious entities

December 1, 2019

A representative of Spain’s Ministry of Justice has warned of a rise in the number of "intolerant and extremist" speeches about religious identity while...

UK’s Labour rolls out race and faith manifesto

November 27, 2019

The UK's main opposition Labour Party has unveiled what they called an “ambitious” manifesto on race and faith that is designed to educate children...

Pope condemns nuclear weapons as ‘immoral’

November 27, 2019

The use and possession of weapons should be made “immoral” under official Catholic teaching, Pope Francis told reporters aboard the papal plane on November...

Supported by the Faith and Freedom Summit Coalition

STAKEHOLDER VIEWS

Association of European Journalists(AEJ)
By Otmar Lahodynsky

A yearning for freedom made breaching the Wall an act of self-sacrifice

November 4, 2019

At least 136 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989. One of the most spectacular escapes involved an Austrian...

NOVA COMPETITIVIDADE
By Francisco Jaime Quesado

From the d-economy to the d-society

December 1, 2019

The Lisbon Council is a dynamic think tank in Brussels that has been discussing the new challenges that Europe is facing for the future....

New Europe Columns

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

White House finally schedules Washington meeting with Greek prime minister

December 4, 2019

The White House announced on December 2 that President Donald J. Trump would be meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on January 7...

Energy Insider
By Kostis Geropoulos

Blades of Glory: Denmark to repower Middelgrunden offshore windfarm

December 1, 2019

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The blades of the 20 turbines of the Middelgrunden offshore windfarm, off the coast of Copenhagen, rotated slowly as the boat...

Eurasia Watch
By Nicholas Waller

In partnership with Aspria Bruxelles

Print Edition

Focus

NEWSROOM

Print Edition

Focus

EU Affairs

Leaders' Perspectives

KASSANDRA

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

EU National News

World News

THE ENLARGEMENT MONITOR

Internet & ICT

Energy

Faith and Religious Freedom

STAKEHOLDER VIEWS