title stringlengths 15 139 | content stringlengths 459 61.8k | author stringlengths 0 519 | description stringlengths 37 471 | keywords listlengths 0 5 | category stringclasses 23
values | datePublished stringdate 2023-01-02 06:25:02 2025-10-28 21:57:05 | url stringlengths 35 74 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EU holds back on taxing US Big Tech | As transatlantic trade tensions simmer, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has floated the idea of taxing digital advertising revenue — a so-called 'Amazon tax' — as a possible countermeasure to US tariffs. But with the EU now limiting retaliation to goods, the bloc appears to be backing away from that threat... | Wouter van de Klippe | In April, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen floated an 'Amazon tax' on digital ads as a counter to US tariffs. But with the EU now limiting retaliation to goods, the bloc appears to be backing away from that threat. | [
"Digital",
"EU Political"
] | digital | 2025-06-10T07:12:40.366Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/arb99e5fa7 |
Undocumented workers - EU can't live with them, can't live without them | In the corridors of Brussels, the topic of undocumented migrants rarely occupies center stage in political dialogue, at least not in terms that reflect their de facto role within the Union. Debates around migration continue to orbit familiar binaries: legal versus illegal, humanitarian duty versus border control, integ... | CBS University of Applied Science | The day-to-day functioning of many EU member states quietly rests on the presence of millions of people who do not exist in official registers. Their labour is deemed illegal, yet their presence is tolerated; their contributions are unrecognised, yet essential. | [
"Migration",
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-06-09T08:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar72f99fcf |
Udo Bullmann — A lone voice for ‘spend to grow’ economics | In a time of fleeting online fame and short-sighted opportunism, it’s reassuring to see politicians who’ve held the same values for decades — and behave as if they still matter. When he entered the European Parliament as a member of the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) in 1999, Udo Bullmann had already been an active membe... | Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent. | A rare and brave German voice against the austerity cuts imposed on Greece and Italy during the eurozone crisis, Udo Bullmann got involved in politics in 1975 — and 50 years later is still not afraid of being smeared as ‘fiscally irresponsible’. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes",
"Green Economy"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-06-06T08:32:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ara795211c |
Francesca Albanese: 'EU officials must face charges of complicity in war crimes' | The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, doesn’t hesitate to use the term genocide. She repeats it deliberately during her conversation with EUobserver. “It is genocide. I know people are uncomfortable with that word, but what else can we call it?,” she sa... | Emma Sofia Dedorson | At the Cannes Film Festival, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, speaks with EUobserver about the genocide in Gaza, and global complicity.
| [
"EU & the World"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-06-06T05:33:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar6303344c |
Why Mercosur is only the start of the story | The EU-Mercosur agreement could reshape not only transatlantic relations, but the economic map of Latin America itself. After a quarter-century of stop-go negotiations, Brussels and the four Mercosur states — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — finally have an agreement on the table that slashes more than 90 perc... | Ernesto Talvi | The question for policymakers, businesses, and civil-society leaders on both sides of the Atlantic is not simply 'if' the EU-Mercosur deal will pass, but 'where' it could lead next: could this agreement become the springboard for a transatlantic EU-Latin America bloc? | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-06-05T08:45:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ara4c61699 |
Marion Lalisse — EU’s combating anti-Muslim hatred coordinator keeps us in the dark | Last May, the European Commission's former second-in-command, Margaritis Schinas, hosted a conference against racism and antisemitism. Its star speaker was Israel's minister of foreign affairs, Israel Katz. Katz has courted a slew of controversy over the years. He declared UN secretary-general António Guterres persona ... | Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010. | Marion Lalisse was appointed by the European Commission as coordinator for combating anti-Muslim hatred. But EUobserver’s attempts to squeeze responses out of the commission on her behalf have been a near impossible endeavour, highlighting possible institutionalised racism for a minority under constant attack. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-06-05T06:51:29.186Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ard65841db |
Frivolous copyright claims ‘censor’ Investigate Europe's gambling exposé | Anonymous actors are abusing Google's infringement process by submitting bogus copyright claims to silence an investigation into unlicensed casinos. Since Investigate Europe and its partners revealed gambling firm Soft2bet's connections to over 100 blacklisted betting sites in March, Google received a flurry of malicio... | Investigate Europe | An investigation into blacklisted online casinos has been the target of bogus infringement claims sent to Google by unnamed actors. MEPs are asking for journalistic work to be better protected and for a Europe-wide crackdown on unlicensed gambling. | [
"Digital",
"Health & Society"
] | digital | 2025-06-05T06:27:13.184Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/ar386f4e45 |
US tariffs talks heading in 'right direction', says EU trade chief | The EU and United States are “advancing in the right direction” to reach a trade agreement that will head off 50 percent steel tariffs, the bloc’s trade chief said on Wednesday (4 June). EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič met US trade representative Jamieson Greer at the margins of the Organization for Economic Coope... | Benjamin Fox is a seasoned reporter and editor, previously working for fellow Brussels publication Euractiv. His reporting has also been published in the Guardian, the East African, Euractiv, Private Eye and Africa Confidential, among others. He heads up the AU-EU section at EUobserver, based in Nairobi, Kenya. | The EU and United States are “advancing in the right direction” to reach a trade agreement that will head off 50-percent steel tariffs, the bloc’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said on Wednesday. | [
"EU & the World"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-06-04T15:02:13.157Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ard64e93e0 |
The EU needs to research its own oligarchic capture | Qatargate was not a blip. It was a warning. The European Union now faces a stark question: will it continue to claim democratic legitimacy while ignoring how its own policies, institutions, and public discourses are being warped by the power of the super-rich ? Oligarchic capture is not just corruption by another name.... | Institute for History, Leiden University | From tax codes to agricultural subsidies, from philanthropic networks to media empires, oligarchs are shaping the future of Europe — and perhaps few in Brussels dare to name it. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-06-04T10:40:01.330Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/arab37afb7 |
Leak of EU's full 2024 Gaza report piles pressure on Israel | Even though a suspension of commercial ties between the EU and Israel remains unlikely, the publication of an internal EU paper from 2024 spelling out Israel's "war crimes" in Gaza will make it harder to claim Tel Aviv deserves to keep free-trade perks. The EU foreign service and European Commission are currently "revi... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | The leak of an internal EU paper from 2024 spelling out Israel's "war crimes" in Gaza will make it harder to claim Tel Aviv merits keeping free trade perks. | [
"EU & the World",
"Rule of Law"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-06-03T14:20:30.628Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar13e20dff |
Edgar Buckley — Author of Nato’s Article V on 9/11 | The peak moment in transatlantic solidarity — 9/11 and the triggering of the famous Article V — was prompted by a little-known British official in Nato, who now worries that US appeasement of Russia risks wider war in Europe. The only time in Nato's history that allies invoked their treaty’s Article V mutual defence cl... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | With US-Europe relations at a swift and unprecedented nadir, one obscure Nato official remembers when Washington and Brussels spoke with one voice — the night of Tuesday, 11 September 2001. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-06-03T11:07:54.070Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ar7d706407 |
PSG's victory shows 'sportwashing' now winning in football | When Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup, western media was flooded with reporting on Doha’s ‘sportswashing’ as a spotlight was shone on alleged human rights abuses, mistreatment of migrant workers and poor LGBT rights. But, after the tournament ended, attention moved elsewhere. Now, after a Champions League final involvin... | is professor of international relations at | Pars St Germain won while wearing Qatar shirts, while Rwanda has sponsored Arsenal, PSG, Bayern Munich and Athletico Madrid. Some have marvelled how a landlocked African state with a GDP per capita below $1,000 can afford to spend millions sponsoring western football clubs. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-06-03T08:21:20.948Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar740fce63 |
Climate scientists warn against carbon offset loophole in EU 2040 target | Europe’s climate scientists have warned the European Commission not to rely on international carbon offsets to meet its 2040 emissions target, saying it would weaken the bloc’s credibility and risk undermining real efforts to cut emissions. In a new report the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABC... | Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent. | EU climate scientists warned that including carbon offsets in the 2040 target would pose a “huge risk” and make the emissions reduction goal less credible — urging real cuts and domestic removals instead. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2025-06-02T16:05:03.278Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar68293da4 |
Luisa Albera — Saving lives in the Mediterranean | Luisa Albera peers through the binoculars into the vastness of the blue Mediterranean Sea. From the deck of the Ocean Viking rescue ship, she pans the horizon in the hopes of spotting people fleeing the coast of Libya. Having left the port of Marseille only days earlier, the plan was to patrol the international waters ... | Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010. | Luisa Albera is the lead rescue coordinator onboard the Ocean Viking rescue ship, operated by SOS Mediterranee, an international civil organisation dedicated to saving migrants’ lives at sea. Her skill and experience led to the largest rescue ever carried out by the Ocean Viking, some 80 nautical miles north of Libya d... | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-06-02T11:58:07.237Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ardf2290db |
EU Oceans Pact — time for commission to be enforcer, not just architect | As ocean advocates and former stewards of Europe’s marine policies, we recognise the familiar tension facing EU commissioner for fisheries and oceans, Costas Kadis, this month: the final countdown before launching a major European Union initiative — this time, the EU Oceans Pact . We’ve stood where he now stands. One o... | Virginijus Sinkevičius | There is one clear lesson from our time in office regarding the new EU Oceans Pact — ambition on paper must be matched by accountability in practice, warn two former EU fisheries commissioners. Too often, weak leadership and political hesitation have allowed member states to bypass or delay implementation. | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2025-06-02T10:21:26.522Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar28c6f774 |
PiS-backed Nawrocki wins narrowly, imperilling Tusk’s reforms and EU ties | A wafer-thin win by Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian backed by Poland’s populist Law and Justice party in Sunday's (1 June) presidential election, has put back into question the future of the country’s relations with the European Union — and will block liberal reforms planned by the country’s government. A fina... | Society of Journalists | A wafer-thin win by Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian backed by Poland’s populist Law and Justice party in this weekend's presidential election, has put back into question the future of the country’s relations with the European Union — and will block liberal reforms planned by the country’s government. | [
"EU Political",
"EU Elections"
] | * | 2025-06-02T08:12:35.150Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar7e3d2be4 |
Flight delays, Moldova, 2026 budget and Nato meeting in focus This WEEK | EU transport ministers will try to agree on changes to the current rules about air passenger rights and airline liability on Thursday (5 June). The revised proposal, which the European Commission adopted in March 2013, is far from dead. While member states in the Council have held many discussions on the topic for over... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | EU ministers will focus on transport and digital issues this week, including flight-delay rights, vehicle registration, satellite connectivity, and cybersecurity. Items also on this week's agenda include Ukraine's Nato meeting, the 2026 EU budget, enlargement talks with Moldova, and rule-of-law concerns in Slovakia. | [
"Agenda"
] | agenda | 2025-06-02T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/agenda/arc350e517 |
'Mid-term rentals': the new haven for investors to keep ahead of housing regulations | As traditional hotels in hotspot tourist destinations can be expensive, short-term rentals such as Airbnb have boomed in city centres across Europe — putting pressure on the housing market and displacing residents from their own neighbourhoods. Local administrations have led the fight against the uncontrolled rise of a... | Sergi Pijuan | As short-term rental regulations grow, investors are shifting towards so-called 'mid-term' accommodation. With legal frameworks often ignoring rentals longer than 30 days, rising demand from students and mobile workers has created a new haven for real-estate capital — deepening pressure on housing markets. | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2025-06-02T03:30:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar2ed4b648 |
Katherine Kondor — Watching the far-right culture ‘influencers’ | Katherine Kondor is used to being an outlier. While many of her colleagues study the far-right through voting patterns and party policies, her research covers clothing brands, Instagram aesthetics, food, and the top 40 music charts. “Culture creates the conditions for political movements to thrive,” she says. “It’s not... | Alejandro Tauber is Publisher of EUobserver. He is Ecuadorian, German, and American, but lives in Amsterdam. His background is in tech and science reporting, and was previously editor at VICE's Motherboard and publisher of TNW. | Far-right movements across Europe are no longer confined to rallies or party platforms. They are shaping entire cultural ecosystems through music, fashion, food and wellness, and attracting new followers along the way. Researcher Katherine Kondor believes understanding these everyday influences is key to confronting th... | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-29T09:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/arffd5bd75 |
Forests are not following the European Commission’s script | The Paris Agreement gave us the net-zero concept. Intentions were good, and net-zero became a focal point for climate action. Many have followed the call, and few climate initiatives exist that do not refer to it. The two-degree goal – and the 1.5-degree ambition – were linked to “a balance between anthropogenic emissi... | Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget | Instead of a compensation-driven net-zero, focus on rapid fossil reduction with near-zero goals. Wood-based solutions could be valued for displacing fossil emissions and forests could be appreciated for providing wood—not for keeping it. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2025-05-28T15:56:15.124Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar566da87e |
Serhiy Nigoyan — First victim of the Ukrainian revolution | A small stone tablet on a grassy bank in Hrushevskoho Street in Kyiv city centre marks the spot where police shot dead the first victim of the largest "colour revolution" of the 21st century — the Euromaidan . Serhiy Nigoyan’s name is hardly known outside Ukraine, but the 20-year-old is also celebrated in a mural in Ky... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | Serhiy Nigoyan’s name is hardly known outside Ukraine, but the 20-year-old is celebrated in a mural in the capital, Kyiv, and in Ukrainian songs, while the country’s leaders laid flowers at the Hrushevskoho Street memorial on the anniversary of his killing on 20 January 2014. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-28T09:26:05.377Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ar9f2abd01 |
36 MEPs demand end of Israel trade agreement now to stop the Gaza genocide | Images keep appearing, each reaching new heights of horror. Reports from the UN, independent experts, and NGOs are piling up, all unanimous. Statements from Israeli officials leave no doubts regarding their intentions. Since World War II, no genocide has been so well-documented, yet so long ignored by Western powers. I... | Cecilia Maria Strada, MEP Partito Democratico, S&D | Since World War II, no genocide has been so well-documented, yet so long ignored by Western powers. Denouncing the EU-Israel trade agreement is a decisive step in confronting the far-right Israeli government. But this step, alone, will not be enough to alter the course of Israeli authorities, warn MEPs from the Left, t... | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2025-05-28T09:21:44.162Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar3be3d1da |
'Qualified majority' of EU states sign anti-Orbán pushback | Homophobia, as well as Russophilia, could cost populist Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán his EU veto, 20 other EU countries have shown. The 20 capitals signed a letter on Tuesday (27 May) urging the European Commission to fine Orbán over his de facto ban of Budapest Pride , a major LGBTI event. Some of their envoy... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | Homophobia, as well as Russophilia, could cost populist Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán his EU veto, 20 other EU countries warned on Tuesday. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-27T18:18:06.283Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar3581b752 |
Decoupling and fastracking Moldova's EU accession ahead of Ukraine could work | Ukraine and Moldova have been set to join the European Union together by the end of the decade. Both countries were granted EU candidate status in 2022 a few months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. But the EU has indicated a dramatic shift in this proposed timetable for enlargement. Marta Kos, the EU comm... | EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy | Marta Kos, the EU commissioner for enlargement, recently stated she would not rule out “decoupling” Moldova’s accession process from that of Ukraine. While the suggestion has been met with criticism from Kyiv, fast-tracking Moldova into the EU might not be such a bad idea strategically, writes Hugo Blewett-Mundy. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-27T13:17:26.635Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar6dc6f166 |
Laura Espinosa — Europe’s first line of defence against contagious diseases | “To put it briefly, we are the detectives of potential public health threats”, Laura Espinosa tells EUobserver. Espinosa is an expert on epidemic intelligence at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), a group few people have heard about — thankfully. Alongside her relatively small team of collea... | Alejandro Tauber is Publisher of EUobserver. He is Ecuadorian, German, and American, but lives in Amsterdam. His background is in tech and science reporting, and was previously editor at VICE's Motherboard and publisher of TNW. | Laura Espinosa spends her days sorting through thousands of signals, as part of a team that quietly protects millions across Europe from disease outbreaks. Her role at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) usually means ‘success’ goes unnoticed — but that's exactly how she knows she's done her j... | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-27T03:49:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/are8cea047 |
Top firms urge EU to stick to 90% climate target | A coalition of over 150 businesses, associations and investors — including Ikea, Google, Vattenfall and Allianz — is urging the EU to stick to its target of cutting emissions by 90 percent by 2040. In a joint letter sent to EU leaders on Tuesday (27 May), they warn that “90 percent should be considered as the floor rat... | Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent. | Over 150 firms, investors and business associations, including Ikea, Google, Vattenfall and Allianz, are urging the commission to stick to its 90 percent climate target, which is due to be presented before the summer. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2025-05-26T22:12:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar4221546b |
EU officials advised to keep Gaza misgivings internal | EU officials who were unhappy about Europe's handling of the Gaza War should file internal grievances instead of going public, the EU Commission has indicated. "As a member of staff of the European Commission one has the right of freedom of expression, but ... it's not an absolute right," a commission spokesman told pr... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | EU officials who were unhappy about Europe's handling of the Gaza War should file internal grievances instead of going public, the EU Commission has indicated. | [
"EU & the World"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-26T15:56:48.026Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar9ef26836 |
Europe's Gaza protests are starting to have results | Prabowo Subiante, Indonesia's new president, struggled to hide his annoyance. He was speaking at the annual Antalya Forum in Turkey a few weeks ago. For decades, he said, Europe has given us lessons — often with a pointed finger — on how Indonesia should strive for and adhere to international law, democracy and human r... | De Standaard | I read Israeli newspapers every day, and in them I notice that European protests do get coverage and are thus noticed. Nor should one doubt that Israeli embassies relay every protest to the foreign ministry in Jerusalem. And European politicians are not insensitive to these protests either, even if they often seem not ... | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-26T09:13:02.606Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar12aa73a8 |
Nato's Achilles heel? The Suwałki Gap, and Lithuania's fears of a Russian attack | Even though the Baltic countries are arming themselves massively, everyone is talking about a possible invasion by Moscow. There is even a new evacuation plan for Vilnius. Sunshine and a temperature of nearly 20 degrees promise a wonderful spring day in Vilnius. The River Neris meanders through the Lithuanian capital a... | is a foreign editor at the Austrian media outlet | Despite massive rearmament and evacuation plans, a major vulnerability remains — the Suwałki Gap, sometimes dubbed 'Nato’s Achilles’ heel', a narrow strip of land connecting the Baltic states with Poland. To the west lies the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, to the east, Moscow-loyal Belarus. If Putin were to strike her... | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-24T07:30:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arfe612e44 |
EU tells Hungary to scrap its anti-NGO bill or face court | The European Commission has told Hungary to scrap its Transparency of Public Life bill or face possible legal consequences. "The Commission has great concerns with this draft. If adopted as it is, it would constitute a serious breach of EU principles and law," said a commission spokesperson, in an email on Friday (23 M... | Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010. | "The Commission has great concerns with this draft. If adopted as it is, it would constitute a serious breach of EU principles and law. ... We will not hesitate to take the necessary action if this draft is adopted", a commission spokesperson emailed. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Health & Society"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-23T20:17:32.767Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar67861009 |
Denmark leads attack on European Court of Human Rights | Nine EU states are targeting the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights in a wider bid to deport unwanted migrants. A letter spearheaded by Denmark , which is set to take over the rotating EU presidency from July, is demanding more leeway on deporting people who have committed crimes. Published on Thursday (22... | Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010. | Nine EU states are targeting the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights in a wider bid to deport unwanted migrants. | [
"Migration"
] | migration | 2025-05-23T13:00:37.956Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar0ba3543b |
Why it matters that the EU is pushing to offshore asylum: 10 questions | For years, EUobserver has been tracking the European Union's increasing efforts to move asylum processing and responsibilities beyond its borders — a policy euphemistically referred to as "externalisation" and “border management”. This controversial trend raises significant legal, ethical, and humanitarian questions — ... | Externalising asylum is the hottest trend in EU migration policy; but just 10 years ago the European Commission opposed it on humanitarian and legal grounds. Here's what you need to know. | [
"Migration"
] | migration | 2025-05-23T11:36:35.883Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/aredb505d6 | |
What is Europe doing about deepfake porn? Not enough | The Take It Down Act is a landmark US bipartisan federal law that mandates swift removal of non-consensual sexualising deepfakes (AI-generated fake explicit imagery of real people) and grants victims stronger legal protection. The rise of such content not only violates personal rights. It is a silent epidemic striking ... | International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, University of Tübingen | Thousands of women worldwide are victims of such attacks on their physical and psychological integrity. These attacks leave an indelible mark in the form of trauma, depression, or fear. Yet as of today, most EU countries lack clear criminal provisions addressing such deepfakes.
| [
"Digital",
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2025-05-23T10:52:28.978Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/ar5f48cc16 |
Mendi Mengjiqi — Making music to build countries with | There is an artist wandering alone in the mountains of north-eastern Kosovo who deeply cherishes the EU ideal — of a united and peaceful Europe — but who is losing hope the Western Balkans will follow his beloved Poland on the path to accession. "There's a dangerous situation in the world today — so many crises, in Ukr... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | Most national anthems have a martial theme, to put it mildly. That’s not the ethos of Mendi Mengjiqi, who composed the anthem for Kosovo, when it declared independence in 2008.
| [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-23T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ard29e42ec |
The EU's Rwanda raw materials deal — profits before Congolese lives | Few Europeans realize how much the EU and Donald Trump actually have in common: a hunger for minerals from Congo and Rwanda. In February 2024, the European Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), agreeing with Rwanda to develop “sustainable value chains” for critical raw minerals. According to the United... | 's regional director of east and southern Africa. | The EU’s attempt to thread the diplomatic needle by denouncing Rwanda’s support for M23 while refusing to suspend the critical raw materials agreement without adequate safeguards to ensure that this agreement does not contribute to human rights abuses is revealing, write Amnesty International. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-22T12:27:57.312Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ara5bb207b |
The EU's defence splurge — a gold rush for arms lobbyists | Europe is entering a new era of defence spending. Alarmed by Russia’s war on Ukraine and the US’ waning commitment to European defence, EU leaders have pledged to rearm fast, aiming to be “ ready by 2030 .” This surge in budgets may be necessary for security, but it’s triggering a lobbying gold rush in Brussels as arms... | Transparency International | This defence spending splurge in budgets may be necessary for security, but it’s triggering a lobbying gold rush in Brussels as arms manufacturers scramble to shape how new funds get spent. The result? An uptick in lobbying that risks outpacing the rules meant to keep influence peddling in check, warns Transparency Int... | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-22T11:28:22.011Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar624355af |
Denmark hires US lobbyists, amid Greenland dispute | Denmark has hired influential K-Street lobbyists with Republican party links as it seeks warmer relations with US president Donald Trump. Denmark's Washington ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen has agreed a contract with Mercury Public Affairs worth $263,000, according to filings under the US state department's foreign ... | Benjamin Fox is a seasoned reporter and editor, previously working for fellow Brussels publication Euractiv. His reporting has also been published in the Guardian, the East African, Euractiv, Private Eye and Africa Confidential, among others. He heads up the AU-EU section at EUobserver, based in Nairobi, Kenya. | Denmark has hired influential K-Street lobbyists with Republican party links, as it seeks warmer relations with US president Donald Trump. | [
"EU & the World"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-22T07:30:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar2b764a88 |
Led By Donkeys — How four blokes with a ladder took on Brexit | They say that ‘strongmen’ leaders can stand anything — apart from being laughed at. And they say that the best way to win an argument is to quote your opponents' own words back at them. Well, Will Rose, James Sadri, Oliver Knowles and Ben Stewart — better known as the (initially) anonymous Brexit ad-busting British gue... | Matthew is EUobserver's Opinion Editor. He joined EUobserver in June 2018. Previously he worked as a reporter for The Guardian in London, and as editor for AFP in Paris and DPA in Berlin. | Hatched over drinks in a London pub, and anger over the lies fuelling the UK’s exit from the EU, four friends took on Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson armed only with a ladder and some posters. Their guerilla ad campaign didn’t ultimately work — but it had more cut through than most mainstream media coverage. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-22T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/aree7a7c9c |
Language battle over 'deportation' shines light on EU spin | The European Commission won't use the word "deportation" to describe kicking out failed asylum seekers and rejected migrants from the European Union. It is a word loaded with historical horrors of World War II, where Nazi Germany deported millions of Jews to extermination camps in eastern Europe. The ensuing genocide o... | Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010. | The European Commission doesn't use the word "deportation" to describe kicking out failed asylum seekers and rejected migrants from the European Union. It prefers the euphemisms "forced returns" and "voluntary returns." | [
"Migration",
"EU Political"
] | migration | 2025-05-22T03:30:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar6eb0b0bd |
The trillion dollar question — what next for EU financing for development? | EU member states are feeling the heat to come up with a credible offer for the UN Financing for Development Conference , set to take place in Seville at the end of June. The EU is under pressure to honour its commitments to multilateralism and stand up against attacks on sustainable development within the UN ’s system.... | European Network on Debt and Development | EU member states are under pressure come up with a credible offer for the UN Financing for Development Conference in Seville at the end of June. The question is whether the EU will demonstrate the political will to do so, and whether Spain — as host country — can move the bloc forward, warn Oxfam, Action Aid and Euroda... | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2025-05-21T10:37:55.994Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar2474eeac |
Francesca Albanese — Anatomising Israel’s genocide comes at a cost | Of all the unsung heroes featured in this magazine, Francesca Albanese’s name and face might be one of the most recognisable. Her speeches at the United Nations and elsewhere have garnered tens of millions of views online. She often speaks of the “love and compassion” shown to her by people moved by her work. And yet, ... | Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent. | Francesca Albanese takes on death threats, smears and accusations of hate speech and anti-semitism for calling out Israel’s actions in the occupied territories. She doesn’t even get paid. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-21T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ar413c877b |
Journalists helped shape the EU — now it needs us more than ever | Journalists are an unruly bunch, always have been, always will be. But they are also the lifeblood of democracy. Without us there would be no accountability for the powerful, no pushbacks against the corrupt, no visibility for the honorable. There would also be no European Union. The EU would exist of course but it’s j... | Media Career Award 2023 | In a climate of disinformation, authoritarian resurgence, and geopolitical uncertainty, Europe needs journalists who spotlight the good news but can also track the money, trace the lobbying, confront the evasions, and conduct cross-border investigations that go beyond national silos, writes Shada Islam. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-20T11:25:31.706Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/are3969bb2 |
The EU's strategic dialogues — are they just 'participation washing'? | Strategic Dialogues, the European Commission’s latest effort to engage stakeholders, target contentious issues like the green transition and agricultural reform. It is a promising step — but risks falling flat without deeper reform. To avoid becoming a missed opportunity for EU democratic strengthening, these dialogues... | Sebastian Oberthür | Most dialogues have taken place behind closed doors, with minimal public information about the agenda, participants, or outcomes. With no detailed records and no clear reporting, the public is left in the dark — unable to follow discussions or assess how stakeholder input shapes EU strategies. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2025-05-20T09:31:51.793Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar68785150 |
Hungary’s independent media — ‘A battle of the wills, but worth the struggle’ | The Hungarian government of Viktor Orbán has been systematically undermining independent media, many of which have been pushed to the brink of closure or left struggling to survive under relentless political and economic pressure. EUobserver spoke to various independent journalists who describe changes in the Orbán gov... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | Authoritarian leaders don’t appreciate a free and independent media investigating their affairs. But, previously, that has only been a problem outside the EU’s borders. Hungary’s government now smears and attacks its own journalists, starves their newspapers and TV stations of income, whilst happy to bask in the power ... | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-20T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ar8f388ae7 |
Marathon Putin-Trump call leaves EU in limbo on Ukraine war | Russia and Ukraine might sign a "memorandum of understanding" as a "prelude" to a peace deal if "root causes" of the war were eliminated – that was the outcome of a two-hour phone call between Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump on Monday (19 May), according to Putin, quoted by Russia state m... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | The Vatican might host future Russia-Ukraine talks on a peace "memorandum", but Putin refused any immediate ceasefire in a phone call with Trump on Monday. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-19T18:29:19.528Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar616b9682 |
Europol's deepening aversion to transparency | Buried deep in Europol’s most recent programming document lies a somewhat abstruse yet extraordinary admission of the agency’s aversion to external scrutiny. “The agency is exposed to the risk of not accomplishing its mandate…resulting from new legislative and policy initiatives, as well as not meeting the demand from ... | Giacomo Zandonini | We are alarmed by Europol arrogating to itself the right to develop surveillance tools, which are likely to dramatically transform the landscape of policing across the EU, in almost complete secrecy. Yet, despite this opacity, political support for Europol is growing in Brussels and EU capitals. | [
"Migration",
"Rule of Law",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-05-19T09:41:19.821Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ara76e008c |
Right of Reply: Volga shipping responds to EU sanctions report | In the article " EU names Emirati and Chinese firms in new Russia sanctions ," published by EUobserver on 7 May 2025, the following is mentioned: "The shipping firm, Volga Shipping ... [is] allegedly running shadow oil tankers to evade a Western oil embargo". Volga Shipping wishes to correct this, as the information is... | Pavel Vinogradov is general manager of Volga Shipping | Russia firm Volga Shipping does not transport Russian oil, its general manager has said, despite EU allegations of sanctionable behaviour.
| [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine"
] | * | 2025-05-19T08:43:31.265Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar05849ab0 |
Romanians elect pro-EU Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan as new president | Nicușor Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has been elected president of Romania following a dramatic and closely-watched electoral campaign. After finishing second in the first round of voting on 4 May with 20.99 percent of the vote, Dan made a remarkable comeback in the runoff on Sunday (18 May), securing 53.6... | Mihaela Gherghisan Naum | Nicușor Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has been elected president of Romania following a dramatic and closely-watched electoral campaign. | [
"EU Political",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-political | 2025-05-19T08:20:47.138Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arfc921f7e |
Yuliia Paievska — 'We don't fight against the wounded' | Moscow’s war on Ukraine has been marked by the surprising brutality of Russian forces and resilience of Ukrainian fighters, but one of its heroes is a woman who has been saving lives on both sides for over 10 years. Yuliia Paievska is a 56-year-old Ukrainian martial arts coach and paramedic who is also known by her nom... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | A Ukrainian nurse and martial arts expert, who has treated both the fallen of her own country — and that of its enemy. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-19T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/are0e23580 |
UK-EU summit, Russian sanctions and reforming carbon levy in focus This WEEK | European leaders and UK prime minister Keir Starmer will meet in London on Monday (19 May) for the first formal EU-UK summit since Brexit, hoping to sign off on a new defence agreement and to improve post-Brexit trade ties. Starmer came to power in mid-2024, promising to "reset" relations between London and Brussels, a... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | This week, European and UK leaders meet in London to finalise a defence agreement and aim to improve post-Brexit trading ties, while EU foreign ministers are set to officially adopt the 17th sanctions package against Russia. Meanwhile, MEPs are expected to approve the simplification of the carbon levy. | [
"Agenda"
] | agenda | 2025-05-19T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/agenda/arfb62b33d |
Invisible wounds: a generation of Ukrainians may be lost to mental trauma | The devastation of the war in Ukraine continues to dominate news cycles. Families are displaced, infrastructure is in ruins, and the lives of millions are upended. Yet, another crisis brews beneath these headlines, quieter but no less destructive. The psychological toll of the war threatens to leave the country’s next ... | Plan International | The psychological toll of the war threatens to leave the country’s next generation with wounds that could take decades to heal. | [
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | ukraine | 2025-05-16T09:51:00.919Z | https://euobserver.com/ukraine/ar327312a7 |
'Forever chemicals' are everywhere: so why isn’t the EU banning them all? | One of the most lobbied files in Brussels right now is the proposed universal restriction on PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as the ‘forever chemicals’. These persistent, harmful substances are in everything from your waterproof coat to your fridge, from your frying pan to your mobile phone, fro... | is a lawyer at | The EU Commission is talking up its ban on the consumer uses of forever chemicals. This might sound good in theory, but it would fail to effectively tackle PFAS pollution – and hand a major lobby win to the PFAS industry. | [
"Green Economy",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2025-05-16T08:11:35.432Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/araaf3ce41 |
Esther Lynch — A shy but unwavering force for Europe’s workers | Four minutes before the interview was due to start, a call from the comms department: Esther Lynch is hesitant to be featured in a magazine about unsung heroes, because she doesn’t see herself as a hero. Which is exactly why she’s featured in this magazine. Lynch never imagined herself in the spotlight. Her first encou... | Alejandro Tauber is Publisher of EUobserver. He is Ecuadorian, German, and American, but lives in Amsterdam. His background is in tech and science reporting, and was previously editor at VICE's Motherboard and publisher of TNW. | Esther Lynch, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), has spent a lifetime standing up for the rights of workers across Europe. Quietly forceful and deeply committed, she sees unions not only as a mechanism for negotiation, but as pillars of democracy itself. | [
"The EU's Unsung Heroes"
] | the-eus-unsung-heroes | 2025-05-16T06:28:55.941Z | https://euobserver.com/the-eus-unsung-heroes/ar9b3b4d7e |
Why doesn't the EU recognise the anniversary of the Nakba? | Recognising the Nakba [the 1948 Palestinian 'catastrophe' of expulsion and displacement] should not be a controversial matter. The ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Zionist militias in 1948 is one of the most factually proven events in history. Failure to recognise the Nakba means an endorsement of the narrative that ju... | Palestine Liberation Organization | The 15 May marks the forced expulsion and displacement of 700,000 thousand Palestinians during the conflict that created the State of Israel in 1948. Not that you would know that from the EU. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-15T12:22:25.373Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arf0ed37ea |
Hungary’s new anti-NGO law is a full-frontal assault on the EU Commission | Europe has been facing illiberal, authoritarian challenges to pluralist democracy with growing intensity and frequency since the inauguration of the second Trump administration. Emboldened by both the retreat of US democratic leverage and the disturbingly familiar aspirations of the current US government , Europe’s ill... | German Marshall Fund of the United States | The clear goal is to suffocate what remains of Hungary’s critical civil society and to intimidate independent media ahead of the highly contested 2026 elections — elections that the incumbent Fidesz party would lose if held today, writes Daniel Hegedüs | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-15T10:05:21.706Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar96012839 |
Why the lack of transparency on European political parties public funding? | If the European Union wants to act on the global stage as a democracy with moral standing, it cannot be an exception to rules on political transparency. This is in line with the principle of subsidiarity: affairs should be handled at the level at which they are best handled. However, this increased involvement and deci... | European Party Funding Observatory | Transparency on European parties and their funding often falls short. As of April 2025 (due to a convoluted funding mechanism), the most recent year for which European parties' final amount of public funding is known is 2021, warns the European Democracy Consulting Stiftung. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-14T09:18:06.182Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar0149ddf9 |
The EU Commission’s drift towards authoritarianism | The second Ursula von der Leyen EU Commission lists ”protecting our democracy, upholding our values ” among its key priorities. These are commendable words but, as always, actions speak louder. Judging by its actions, the commission’s commitment to democracy seems to stop at the vocabulary, and definitely does not exte... | Päivi Leino-Sandberg | As a researcher, following the Ursula von der Leyen presidency demonstrates its attitude towards participatory democracy has been a journey from disbelief to frustration, and then to worry and anger, warns professor Päivi Leino-Sandberg. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-05-13T08:27:28.176Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar038e6ec2 |
The carbon footprint of EU's defence spurge | We have faced two of the hottest years on record consecutively; the Mediterranean is warming a fifth faster than the rest of the world’s seas, and lives and livelihoods are at risk across the continent. Yet despite more intense climate risks than ever, Europe is investing in weapons with more zeal and aggression than i... | Scientists for Global Responsibility | How should climate activists respond to Europe’s embrace of a ‘security’ emergency that has completely displaced its commitment to tackle the far bigger climate emergency? So far, the response from climate groups has been rather muted, with few statements by climate organisations and little evident public resistance. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-12T10:27:59.233Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arec5a86ca |
Murder inside a French mosque: not an outlier, the inevitable result of Islamophobia | On 25 April, Aboubakar Cisse was executed in cold blood inside a mosque in southern France. In the days after, following political pressure, French MPs held a minute of silence for Aboubakar. However, this assassination continues to be portrayed as an isolated act of hatred and derangement. This is missing the point. ... | European Network Against Racism | The killing of Aboubakar Cisse in cold blood inside a French mosque is not an outlier. It is the result of policies and discourses that have actively furthered the dangerous securitisation of racialised people and in this particular instance Muslim and Black communities, writes Emmanuel Achiri from the European Network... | [
"Migration",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-05-09T12:20:56.585Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar37136891 |
On Europe day, meet the inner workings of the EU | Happy Europe day! To celebrate the work of hundreds of institutions across the continent, the vision of the EU’s founders, the quiet everyday contributions of Europeans, and the quirks (and yes, the chaos) that make the Union what it is, we’ve pulled together a selection of our favourite stories exploring the inner wor... | Why the EU keeps declaring war on bureaucracy | From EU nerds to EU nerds, with love. | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2025-05-09T09:45:03.333Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arfad23491 |
EU trolls Putin's 'aberration' of WW2 parade | EU flight bans and Ukrainian drones have made two of Russia’s VIP guests look silly on the eve of a monumental parade. The only EU leader going, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico, almost didn't make it after the Baltic countries closed their airspace to him on Thursday (8 May). Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vučić also ... | Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online. | EU flight bans and Ukrainian drones have made two of Russia’s VIP guests look silly on the eve of a monumental parade. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-09T05:35:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/areaaf8639 |
EU trade deal at risk without exemption from carbon tax, India warns | Indian officials have warned that the EU’s carbon levy could be a deal-breaker in trade talks with the bloc, after securing the promise of compensation for the costs of carbon taxes in a similar trade pact with the UK. “We will retaliate for whatever non-tariff barriers come in,” India’s commerce and industry minister ... | Benjamin Fox is a seasoned reporter and editor, previously working for fellow Brussels publication Euractiv. His reporting has also been published in the Guardian, the East African, Euractiv, Private Eye and Africa Confidential, among others. He heads up the AU-EU section at EUobserver, based in Nairobi, Kenya. | Indian officials have warned that the EU’s carbon levy could be a deal-breaker in trade talks with the bloc, after securing the promise of compensation for the costs of carbon taxes in a similar trade pact with the UK. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-08T15:46:05.898Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar59f2c61e |
O'Flaherty: state of human rights in Europe 'worst in my professional life' | The current state of human rights in Europe is the worst ever witnessed by Michael O'Flaherty — the commissioner for human rights at the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe. "What's new, and which makes things all the more disturbing is the extent to which people in power are willing to distance themselves from human ri... | The current state of human rights in Europe is the worst ever witnessed by the commissioner for human rights at the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, Michael O'Flaherty. | [
"Migration",
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Ukraine"
] | migration | 2025-05-08T12:36:27.679Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar2478e43d | |
The EU has simply abandoned human rights in Tunisia | In the early morning of 19 April, a Tunis court issued sentences in a mass trial of 40 lawyers, opposition figures, and critics of the president. Thirty-seven defendants were sentenced to heavy prison terms of up to 66 years after just three court sessions, during which they were not heard or given a real opportunity t... | Human Rights Watch | 37 Tunisian lawyers and opposition figures have been given prison sentences of up to 66 years for conspiracy against state security and terrorism, for offences such as meeting with European diplomats like the French and Italian ambassadors, writes Human Rights Watch. | [
"Migration",
"Africa",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-05-08T11:28:57.351Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar72293cab |
No surrender to tech oligarchs: EU must build alternative social media platforms | A sigh of relief and hope was felt throughout Europe last week. With the European Commission's sanctions against Apple and Meta, executive vice-president Teresa Ribera demonstrated that the EU is still the leading force in the world when defending and executing tech regulation. The message was clear: no matter where a ... | set of proposals | We can put an end to exploitative and toxic business models that threaten not only mental health but also our democracies. If X, Meta and TikTok do not play by our rules and are damaging to our citizens, we need to consider a full suspension on these platforms, as it happened in Brazil, write the Socialists & Democrats... | [
"Digital",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2025-05-08T09:22:16.811Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/ar813b9410 |
Ukraine in the EU – the end of the Common Agricultural Policy? | To build support for Ukraine’s EU accession across Europe, the key policy implications of Ukrainian membership need to be discussed in a clear and inclusive manner. One step in this direction is to dispel some of the myths that generate worries in some member states about the social and economic implications of Ukraine... | Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies | There are fears that Ukrainian farmers would receive large agricultural subsidies immediately on accession, diverting funds from existing member states. Plus worries Ukraine might not adhere to as high standards of food safety and environmental protection as other EU member states, writes Klara Lindström. | [
"EU Political",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-05-06T09:50:02.230Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar5e501bb3 |
10 reasons why you should support EUobserver | We won't lie: EU democracy is not dependent on journalism, but on a well-informed public. By supporting EUobserver you are contributing to that mission. Our coverage of overlooked pan-European stories is not controlled by corporations or billionaires and as a non-profit, any support goes straight back into reporting. B... | Alejandro Tauber is Publisher of EUobserver. He is Ecuadorian, German, and American, but lives in Amsterdam. His background is in tech and science reporting, and was previously editor at VICE's Motherboard and publisher of TNW. | Strong democracies need strong watchdogs — but more than that, people like you who care about what the watchdog discovers. | [
"Inside EUobserver"
] | inside-euobserver | 2025-05-06T09:19:17.287Z | https://euobserver.com/inside-euobserver/ard8e4db6d |
Right of Reply: Vazil Hudak | Although the article has already been amended by EUobserver following Vazil Hudák's request for correction, and some incorrect and false information has been removed, it still contains false and misleading statements about Hudák. Hudák is therefore interested in removing the false and misleading impression that the art... | 'revolving doors' problem | A right of reply from Vazil Hudak, former vice president of the European Investment Bank. | [
"Opinion"
] | opinion | 2025-05-05T15:44:26.573Z | https://euobserver.com/opinion/ar31a04bcf |
Libya and the EU: How many times can we do the same thing and expect a different result? | The US’ retreat from its global role has renewed intense conversations about a more “geopolitical” Europe. They have focused on where Europe stands in relation to the world’s great powers — sometimes at the expense of the places where EU foreign policy has a more immediate, widespread, and lasting impact. This may shif... | Clingendael Institute | Nowhere have the shortcomings of Europe’s approach on migration been clearer than in Libya, which earlier this year expelled international aid agencies, amid a government clampdown on migration which has involved a surge of violence. | [
"Migration",
"Africa",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-05-05T09:58:52.214Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/arddad4085 |
We are looking for 2,500 new members to ensure EUobserver's next 25 years | This year, EUobserver turns 25-years old. A quarter century. Since our little online newspaper was founded in Brussels in 2000, we have covered the EU through its ups and downs. Through treaty changes, enlargement, the financial crisis, the euro crisis, Covid-19 and Russia’s war in Ukraine, our small but dedicated team... | . | Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy. | [
"Inside EUobserver"
] | inside-euobserver | 2025-05-05T07:31:18.694Z | https://euobserver.com/inside-euobserver/ar3760742f |
€50bn trade offer to Trump, Moscow parade, and EU budget in focus This WEEK | The European Commission is poised to present a revised trade proposal to the Trump administration this week, aiming to resolve the escalating tariff dispute between Washington and Brussels. The updated package closely resembles earlier offers, calling for zero tariffs on industrial goods, reduced non-tariff barriers, a... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | The EU is set to unveil a fresh trade offer to the US this week, while the bloc's foreign affairs ministers will gather for an informal meeting in Warsaw. The EU Commission will unveil its roadmap to end fossil-fuel imports from Russia, while MEPs will meet in Strasbourg — all against the backdrop of World War II comme... | [
"Agenda"
] | agenda | 2025-05-05T05:05:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/agenda/arad6898d1 |
Spain's attack on independent media is unprecedented in a core EU state | Since taking office 100 days ago, the Trump administration has taken targeted action against press freedom in the USA. Reporters critical of Trump have been barred from the White House, media outlets have been put under pressure and prison sentences have been threatened against freelance journalists. State-run foreign ... | Munich Security Conference | If successful, Spain's Pedro Sànchez will have gained control of the national broadcaster, the company’s largest telecoms business and media buyer and its most important print and online publication. Such control of the audiovisual landscape is unprecedented in one of Europe’s core member states. | [
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-05-03T05:31:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar4dbd4763 |
How to tackle the extremist attempts to destabilise pro-European Romania | It has been 18 years since Romania became a full member of the European Union. During this time, the country has undergone a fundamental positive transformation — one that is both visible and widely-felt by its citizens. Beyond the opportunities and freedoms offered by EU citizenship, including the right to live and wo... | Siegfried Mureșan | More time has passed since Romania became an EU member than from the 1989 anti-communist revolution to the moment of accession. 78 percent support EU membership and 87 percent support Nato. So why are anti-European extremist politicians performing well in the polls, asks Romanian centre-right MEP Siegfried Mureșan? | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-05-02T10:01:45.128Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar56c20106 |
Why is Bayer seeking legal impunity in US over glyphosate? | German agrochemical company Bayer — last week holding its annual shareholders meeting ( AGM ) – should not be seeking legal impunity. Nor should any other corporation. In an o pen letter to Bayer's shareholders , over 100 organisations from the EU, US and around the world warned them that Bayer is doing precisely that.... | Corporate Europe Observatory | With Bayer’s CEO Bill Anderson personally attending Donald Trump's inauguration, the German agri-giant Bayer seems to be cosying up to the new administration. Now a draft of the new US Farm Bill contains a section, reportedly “drafted with the aid of Bayer”, that would prevent state and local authorities from setting t... | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-05-01T08:37:35.649Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ardebce703 |
Smart Fortress Europe: How Greece uses tech to crack down on migration | At 5AM on a chilly winter morning in 2022, a group of migrants were preparing an inflatable boat to cross the Evros River that forms the land border separating Turkey and Greece. After battling the strong current, they managed to reach EU soil and hide in the thick vegetation near the river bank – unaware that they had... | published | With EU funding, Greece is ramping up its use of drones and AI to monitor migration. A cross-border investigation by Solomon, Tagesspiegel, Inkstick, El País and Wochenzeitung reveals how far the surveillance system stretches. | [
"Migration",
"Digital"
] | migration | 2025-04-30T10:29:14.367Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar7dc60b94 |
Deregulation of green reporting rules – how business fooled us all | Business got what it wanted — the gutting of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) will be examined by the European Parliament and EU ministers. The deregulation package called Omnibus will probably be adopted and corporate obligations will be significantly weakened. How the proposal was handled,... | , offering businesses practical compliance insights. | Despite most companies claiming compliance with the OECD's tougher environmental standards, the EU's decision to water down its new green reporting law (CSDDD) raises serious questions. Environmental lawyer Franciszek Nowak argues that companies that lie in their operations reports should be held accountable. | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2025-04-29T16:10:38.251Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar8134fa80 |
Inspirations for democracy from pope Francis' legacy | One man was elected to an autocratic office with a large majority, but ruled in a democratic manner. Another man was narrowly elected to a democratic office, but rules like an autocrat. We live in strange times. I am talking about pope Francis and US president Donald Trump. The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church... | , a non-partisan NGO in Berlin that supports political participation. He is currently a fellow of the | Democracies should take some inspiration from pope Francis' legacy. The solution to highly polarised issues is not to use narrow majorities to overpower dissent with laws and policy, but to broaden support in society for a given position, writes Michael Meyer-Resende. | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2025-04-28T15:10:56.342Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar62bd7c9c |
Trump's upturning of trade risks five million European jobs | While the ideology underpinning US president Donald Trump’s disruptive trade policy remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the postwar settlement is quickly changing. The EU must take domestic action to protect jobs, but this new reality has far-reaching implications for the bloc’s trade strategy. The new reality reall... | is the deputy general secretary of the | As the EU adapts to Trump's new trade agenda — with five million jobs at stake — it must protect its social model through investment, fair trade deals, and full union involvement in shaping the bloc’s strategy. | [
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-04-25T10:21:46.118Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arf4f6ec7f |
How the EU and Africa can partner to overhaul global finance | This month marks twenty-five years since African and European leaders met in Cairo for the first Africa-Europe Summit. It was a time when much of the world was embracing multilateralism and globalisation. The African Union was established soon after, China joined the World Trade Organization, and the EU was expanding. ... | Members of Africa-Europe Foundation’s Women Leaders Network | With each geopolitical shift, financing has also shifted. And it is the world’s most vulnerable who are left to pay the price. A transformative 'Grand Bargain' is needed to address the dual crises of trust and financing in the multilateral system, say members of the Africa-Europe Foundation Women Leaders Network. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-24T15:06:39.366Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ard57382b9 |
Poland’s demographic crisis: a growing security threat for Nato eastern flank | Poland is widely viewed as a model Nato ally. The country is on track to spend nearly five percent of its GDP on defence—more than double the Nato target—while rapidly modernising its military and aiming to expand its professional armed forces to 300,000 troops. The Polish economy continues to post a strong performance... | Piotr Arak | Poland is widely viewed as a model Nato ally, being on track to spend nearly five percent of its GDP on defence. But behind this robust image lies a deep structural vulnerability that could undermine the country's defence posture in the decades ahead: demographics. Here's why. | [
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | health-and-society | 2025-04-24T10:52:53.504Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar2161cc04 |
Europe's health at a crossroads: Stronger efforts needed to achieve 2030 targets | The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015, offer a shared global vision for a more prosperous and equitable world. SDG 3 focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, and target 3.3 sets the ambitious aim of ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and... | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) | While progress has been made in reducing new HIV and tuberculosis infections, the current pace is insufficient to meet the 2030 SDG 3 targets for HIV, TB, viral hepatitis, and STIs. | [] | stakeholders | 2025-04-23T14:00:02.181Z | https://euobserver.com/stakeholders/ar427b8248 |
Slovakia’s crackdown on NGOs echoes Putin’s playbook | Just as the United States is scaling back its enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Donald Trump’s acolytes in Eastern Europe are doubling down on legislation that is ostensibly presented as local versions of FARA, though true inspiration for it comes from Russia, rather than from the US. The Slova... | American Enterprise Institute | Russia’s infamous foreign agent law has prompted a wave of imitators in Eastern Europe – most recently in Slovakia.
| [
"EU & the World",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2025-04-23T12:55:45.227Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ard700cb80 |
How Trump both fuels and dims Europe’s anti-migration populism | The Trump administration’s policies have proven to be a force of disruption in the global political and economic landscape. While many expected Trump’s presidency to embolden far-right, anti-migration populist parties across Europe, the reality is far more complex. His tenure could both strengthen and inadvertently wea... | is the director of the | The chaos and contradictions of US president Donald Trump’s leadership have made many European voters wary of embracing similar figures. Probably contrary to his intentions, it seems that Trump, rather than a boost, might be a big blow to some of the far-right populist parties, which usually campaign on anti-migration ... | [
"Migration",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2025-04-23T09:44:30.016Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar1c473f38 |
Easter under siege — Gaza starvation and Europe’s moral reckoning | Even in the valley of death, the human spirit strains toward light. This Easter, in the land where resurrection was first proclaimed, there were no lilies, no hymns, no candlelit vigils — only the stubborn pulse of survival under siege. In Gaza, the bells are silent. The Holy Family Church, Gaza’s oldest and last-stand... | What resurrection is possible in a land where children die of hunger before their first breath? What redemption is there when the wombs that carried life are cut off from food, medicine, and water by siege and design? The truth is stark: this Easter unfolded in the shadow of genocide, writes the Palestinian ambassador ... | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-22T10:10:37.719Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar647a7503 | |
A free Syrian media? They've waited 14 years for this moment | Following the Arab Spring in Syria, a wave of independent media emerged aiming to support the transition to democracy. For 14 years, Syrians awaited the fall of the Assad regime which finally became a reality in December 2024. But paradoxically, these media are now on the verge of collapse themselves. And sadly, withou... | International Media Support | For 14 years, Syrians awaited the fall of the Assad regime. But paradoxically, a wave of Syrian independent media is now on the verge of collapse themselves. And sadly, without them the dream of a united and democratic Syria risks remaining just that. | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-22T04:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar7715c605 |
Crisis-proofing Europe: Why Brussels must rethink corporate restructuring | The European Union finds itself at a turning point where economic policy and industrial resilience must be more closely aligned. After years of pandemic-driven disruptions, geopolitical uncertainty still persists, and rapid technological shifts, the EU’s industrial policy is under pressure to do more than stimulate gro... | CBS University of Applied Sciences | If the EU wants to build an economy that is sustainable, inclusive, and adaptable, it must treat restructuring as an essential policy tool — not a stigma, and not an afterthought. | [
"EU Political",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-04-18T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar8f20e7a1 |
EU's arms spending splurge may outpace its strategic control | Europe is rearming . Defence budgets are rising, stockpiles are being replenished, and long-overdue capabilities are re-emerging as political priorities. The European Union’s sense of urgency is no longer conceptual. It is active, accelerating, and broadly welcomed. But urgency alone does not create power. Behind this ... | , | Within defence ministries, EU institutions, and industrial circles, it is increasingly recognised that rearmament is outpacing Europe’s capacity to steer it strategically. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-17T10:21:10.491Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arb81f37b0 |
Trailing in the polls, who will Orban's scapegoat be at 2026 election? | When elections draw near, authoritarian leaders hiding behind a thin facade of democracy frequently resort to fabricating 'enemies' against whom they can contrast themselves as solution-finders and saviours. They blame foreign forces and allege plots to undermine national stability, security, and traditions. It is a we... | Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) | For Viktor Orbán, Péter Magyar poses a new and troubling problem. Unlike previous opponents, who have been targeted on the basis of their political background, or association to critical institutions, Magyar is one of the Fidesz family. | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2025-04-16T11:37:34.642Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar04791582 |
Europe's mayors stand in solidarity with their Turkish counterparts | The recent arrests and dismissals of democratically-elected mayors in Turkey, and their replacement by appointed trustees, mark a dangerous turning point for local democracy, not only in Turkey but for Europe as a whole. At its core, democracy is not just about casting ballots; it is about ensuring that those elected b... | Council of European Municipalities and Regions | The replacement of elected mayors through judicial intervention— without full transparency and due process — raises serious questions about democratic standards and political freedom in Turkey. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-15T09:41:31.956Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar9f81aba5 |
What next for Ukraine's economy, the 'Day After'? | Earlier this month, US secretary of state Marco Rubio warned that the world will “soon know” whether Russia is serious about ending the conflict in Ukraine. The Kremlin’s refusal to halt its bombardments and its ever-growing list of demands certainly question Moscow’s genuine commitment to pursuing peace. Putin’s game ... | Tenzer Strategics | At the core of Russia’s propaganda offensive is the claim that Ukrainian agricultural exports are flooding EU markets and undermining the competitiveness of European farmers. EU governments will have to patiently debunk the Kremlin’s narrative, which is largely a fantasy, writes Nicolas Tenzer. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-14T10:06:03.277Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar79e976cf |
EU foreign affairs summit and Meloni in Washington in focus This WEEK | EU foreign affairs will gather in Luxembourg on Monday (14 April), with Ukraine, the Middle East, EU-Africa relations and the Western Balkans on the agenda. There is growing momentum among 26 EU member states — all except Hungary — to begin preparing the next round of sanctions against Russia. However, serious doubts h... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | EU foreign affairs will gather in Luxembourg on Monday, with Ukraine, the Middle East, EU-Africa relations and the Western Balkans on the agenda. Also this week, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni will travel to Washington meet Donald Trump. | [
"Agenda"
] | agenda | 2025-04-14T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/agenda/ar72b8175c |
Nato official: 'We depend on the US, without them, there is no alternative' | Javier Colomina is the Nato secretary general's special representative for the southern neighbourhood. Colomina, who joined the alliance in 2017, reflects on how US president Donald Trump's criticism of Nato and his friction with some allies have shaken the confidence of many Europeans in the transatlantic bond. In the... | is a Spanish journalist specialising in politics and economics. He is International editor-in-chief at | Javier Colomina, Nato secretary general's special representative for the southern neighbourhood, reflects on how current events have shaken the confidence of many Europeans in the transatlantic bond. "Nato depends on the US in essential areas. Without them, it would be something else, that, in my opinion, would not wor... | [
"EU & the World",
"Migration",
"Africa"
] | * | 2025-04-12T04:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar12ebb496 |
Is the EU now gaming its climate targets? | The European Commission is once again delaying its proposal for the European Climate Law amendment to set a 2040 climate target. Behind the missed deadlines lies a more concerning trend: an apparent willingness, by parts of the commission, some member states and parliamentarians, to water down the very target that shou... | Climate Action Network Europe | The European Commission is once again delaying its proposal for the European Climate Law amendment to set a 2040 climate target. Behind the missed deadlines lies a more concerning trend, warn Climate Action Network Europe. | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2025-04-10T12:55:56.261Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar53c4a199 |
How will MEPs respond to Huawei scandal? The three D’s – Deny, Diffuse, Dilute | Another parliamentary term, another corruption scandal. This time, the Belgian police sealed office doors inside the European Parliament as part of an investigation into allegations that lawmakers have accepted bribes from Chinese telecoms firm Huawei. According to the information leaked to the press , the bribes have ... | European Policy Centre | The pattern since at least the 2011 cash-for-amendments affair is for each fresh scandal to be followed by new codes of conduct, new rules and amendments to rules, each with their own set of lawyerly caveats. The end result is a complex architecture of ethical regulation that scarcely anyone fully comprehends | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2025-04-09T09:52:47.852Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ard43e1329 |
Some easy wins for the planned 'digital euro' | European central bankers and politicians are increasingly framing the digital euro in the rapidly-changing geopolitical context, emphasising strategic autonomy. Generally, they mention the absence of attractive pan-European digital payment solutions, which makes Europe reliant on foreign, in particular American, paymen... | is professor of practice in new finance at | Europe should now consider implementing a digital euro that is accessible to the global community and has little-to-no holding limit. The question is whether European politicians will have the courage to do this — and transform the digital euro into a genuine geopolitical instrument. | [
"Digital",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2025-04-07T12:21:42.319Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/arfd23c17a |
Why is EU Parliament using a 'bullshit generator' AI for archive access? | Leopold I, Leopold II, and Leopold III. They were kings of Belgium. Robert Schuman 7. That is not the first president of the European Parliament. That’s an address. You know this. Anthropic’s Claude does not. A few months ago, the European Parliament began using Anthropic’s AI models to provide access to its archives. ... | public interest technologist | The parliament wants to provide digital access to its archive. The access should be swift and the responses should be correct — 100 percent of the time. Generative AI systems, however, are bullshit generators. When you want facts, you do not ask generative AI. So why did the parliament choose a gossiper when it needed ... | [
"Digital",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2025-04-07T09:56:17.748Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/are5b83cc3 |
Trump's tariffs, Europe's AI, Ukraine's trade in focus This WEEK | Following last week’s imposition by the US of a 20-percent tariff on all European products, as part of a wider package of global levies, EU foreign affairs ministers responsible will meet in Luxembourg on Monday (7 April). Ministers are expected to discuss ways to find “ a constructive solution ” over the US tariffs, b... | Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. | EU ministers will discuss relations with China and how to respond to the crippling new US tariffs, with some countries calling for countermeasures targeting Big Tech. Ukrainian trade and Europe's AI strategy are also on the agenda. EU commissioners will visit the European Parliament to discuss topics such as digital po... | [
"Agenda"
] | agenda | 2025-04-07T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/agenda/ar25b51518 |
Eggs won’t win the EU a trade war against the US | As Washington slaps new 20 percent tariffs on European goods across the board, the idea of retaliating with agricultural exports might seem tempting. Eggs, surprisingly, entered the picture earlier this year, when the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approached several EU countries about emergency egg imports to eas... | Sergi Pijuan | Amid escalating tariff threats, the US Department of Agriculture turned to the EU for egg imports. We crack open whether Europe can help — beyond the question of whether it should. | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2025-04-04T13:23:19.138Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar00eab35c |
Europe’s regulatory retreat on AI: a free lunch for Big Tech? | The noise surrounding 'competitiveness' in Brussels is reaching a fever pitch. A recent casualty of this push for 'simplification' is the AI Liability Directive (AILD) — a legislative proposal that would introduce clear rules on accountability when AI systems cause harm. Its conspicuous absence from the EU Commission’s... | Max Kretschmer | The EU Commission’s decision to drop the Artificial Intelligence Liability Directive, despite its obvious importance for consumer protection, looks less like a technical decision, and more like a political concession. | [
"Digital",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2025-04-04T09:31:56.870Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/arcbd1284c |
Rightwing MEPs get support for anti-green EU inquiry | The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group has secured enough signatures to launch a formal inquiry committee into what they call 'green lobbying' and the use of EU funds by climate and environmental groups, sources told EUobserver on Wednesday (2 April). The probe will focus on organisations funded by the E... | Wester is a journalist from the Netherlands with a focus on the green economy. He joined EUobserver in September 2021. Previously he was editor-in-chief of Vice, Motherboard, a science-based website, and climate economy journalist for The Correspondent. | The ECR group secured enough signatures to launch a formal inquiry committee into what they call 'green lobbying' and the use of EU funds for green NGOs. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2025-04-02T16:57:00.365Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/arb4fbde5e |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.