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Germany's Schengen abdication — a structural policy failure not a quick fix | Germany’s latest move to reinstate border controls is more than just a temporary fix; it is a sign of deeper cracks within the country’s migration policy. Since the Ventimiglia crisis in 2011, internal border controls in the Schengen zone have been an increasingly common tool to address migration pressures. Germany, as... | (ELIAMEP), and author of | What sets German chancellor Olaf Scholz's latest decision apart is not the act itself — but its magnitude in the absence of an immediate border crisis. This time, it reveals a more structural issue within Germany’s approach to integration and migration. If left unaddressed, this policy shift could put the entire Europe... | [
"Migration",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | migration | 2024-09-16T09:59:15.548Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar9466b27b |
Orban's Patriots for Europe — worst name ever | The name Patriots for Europe will easily go down in the history of the EU as the greatest misnomer ever. The name suggests an unlimited love for their home country Europe but its manifesto emphasises the national sovereignty of the nation-states on the continent. Moreover, the launch of the Patriots for Europe by Hunga... | and the recently-published | The name Patriots for Europe will easily go down in the history of the EU as the greatest misnomer ever. The name suggests an unlimited love for their home country Europe but its manifesto emphasises the national sovereignty of the nation-states on the continent. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-09-16T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar699a7338 |
Fairtrade: the unbearable compliance costs of EU deforestation law for small-scale farmers | Fairtrade International (the Bonn-based global organisation, co-owned by more than 2 million farmers and workers, to promote fairer prices, and a worldwide-recognised label of sustainability) is deeply concerned that many small-scale cocoa and coffee producer organisations will be cut off from trade with the European U... | Fairtrade International | Fairtrade International is deeply concerned that many small-scale cocoa and coffee producer organisations will be cut off from trade with the European Union market because of the EU Deforestation Regulation that will start to apply on 30 December 2024. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-09-13T09:36:57.882Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar19f5a8cf |
Where the EU's efforts to regulate AI fall short | In recent years, efforts to regulate AI have surged. However, the technology’s complexity compounded by self-interested actors making wild claims about its potential to do harm, make it challenging to craft measured regulations. In a 2023 open letter , academics and business owners including Bill Gates warned that AI p... | Centre for AI: Social and Digital Innovation | The technology’s complexity — compounded by self-interested actors making wild claims about its potential to do harm — make it challenging to craft measured regulations. | [
"Digital",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2024-09-12T11:56:06.510Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/are9af2ae9 |
Why Chinese electric vehicle plants in EU could be a good thing | Last month the European Commission announced it will impose additional taxes on electric vehicles produced in China. These are levies ranging from nine percent (Tesla) to as much as 36.3 percent (SAIC and other producers that do not cooperate in the commission’s investigation). For the time being, attention is — unders... | researcher on modern China | As the EU imposes more import duties on products made in China, it becomes more attractive for Chinese companies to open production facilities here. Europe should welcome them. Finally a level playing field when China's multinationals have to comply with European rules and pay taxes here. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-09-11T11:37:29.752Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arc88d71a8 |
Will the centre-right enable the far-right in Austria at September's election? | For almost two years, opinion polls have given a lead to the Austrian far-right Freedom Party for the 29 September national elections. With only weeks left until election day, the mainstream parties are in the meantime sounding the alarm to convince voters of the threats a potential far-right chancellorship and governm... | University of Georgia, USA | While all eyes are on the far-right, the centre-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)’s key role in September's election is often neglected. While unlikely to come in first, they will hold the most powerful position in the aftermath: forming a coalition without them is practically impossible. As such, whether a far-right... | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-09-10T10:27:34.739Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ara2339dd7 |
The case for a first-ever EU just transition commissioner | The 'mission letters' for the new college of commissioners Ursula von der Leyen sends out on Wednesday (11 September) will tell us a lot about whether the promise of just transition translates into tangible action. Building a society that enables people to thrive while also protecting the planet is possible. To get the... | Social Platform | Transitioning to a greener Europe should be a win-win for everyone — but without the protection of social rights, many people stand to lose out. As Ursula von der Leyen prepares to unveil the mission letters for her new commissioners, one key question looms: will the new EU Commission deliver on its promise to support ... | [
"EU Political",
"Green Economy"
] | * | 2024-09-09T10:57:25.642Z | https://euobserver.com/*/arad2bc36c |
Why 'protecting kids' is a politician's cop-out for more chat surveillance | In the realm of political discourse, few arguments are as emotionally charged — or as manipulatively wielded — as the call to "protect our children." At face value, it's an unassailable proposition; who would argue against the safety and well-being of society's most vulnerable members? But the reality is far more sinis... | Raphael Tsavkko Garcia | The European Union’s proposed "chat control" initiative is a full-frontal assault on digital privacy. Under the guise of combating child abuse, the EU is considering a plan that would require tech companies to scan all private messages for potentially illegal content | [
"Digital",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | digital | 2024-09-06T09:23:03.782Z | https://euobserver.com/digital/ar50be8e42 |
Why did the EU quietly approve a Big Agri mega-merger this summer? | Now that the post EU-election dust has whirled down, politicians are returning back to Brussels from a well-earned holiday, it might be a good moment to highlight a mega business merger in the agricultural sector. While most people were on their summer holidays, the merger between two Big Agri giants, Bunge and Viterra... | SOMO | The world’s fifth-largest grain-trading company intends to buy — with EU approval — Canada’s largest grain company, headquartered in the Netherlands. The result is likely to be a cartel of food-price inflation. | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2024-09-05T10:31:21.252Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar421c0515 |
Collating carbon data shows there is a pay-off to emissions cuts | As the EU’s institutions return from summer recess, urgency is building to strengthen the bloc’s ability to transform into a sustainable economy that can continue to compete globally. Mario Draghi’s report on the issue is also expected in the coming months. Considering the EU’s ambitious Green Deal, this is often paint... | Carbon Disclosure Project | Mario Draghi's competitiveness report, and the EU Green Deal, are often painted as a trade off between environmental ambition and economic competitiveness, when, in reality, the two are not mutually exclusive. If anything, they go hand-in-hand — and there is data that proves it | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2024-09-04T10:34:33.189Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar21ba5cb6 |
Why EU leaders should get off Musk's X | When men go to pee in a public toilet they spend a minute gazing at the wall in front of them, in what many advertisers have seized upon as an opportunity to display posters of their products above the stinking urinals. But in terms of framing, you'd better ask yourself: Is this really what I want my brand to be associ... | 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. | Leaders should ask themselves - is X really what I want my brand to be associated with? | [
"EU & the World",
"Digital"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-09-03T16:05:54.577Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar1eb43d53 |
MEPs must fight back - and vote - to protect EU aid budget this month | As the new European Parliament gears up for another term, MEPs face one of their most important tasks: voting on the EU’s aid budget for 2025. We, presidents and European directors of 13humanitarian NGOs, urge MEPs to reflect the opinion of their constituents and defend aid to the most vulnerable. While many topics spa... | Willy Bergogné: Europe Director & EU Representative Save the Children | As the new European Parliament gears up for another term, MEPs face one of their most important tasks: voting on the EU’s aid budget for 2025. Yet, heads of state and politicians are increasingly seeking drastic cuts to official development aid and scaling back on humanitarian aid pledges, write the directors of 13 int... | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-09-03T09:39:38.626Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ard7c0d656 |
The AfD victory in Thuringia echoes the Nazi win there in 1930 | Sunday night (1 September) was a huge success for the relatively young hard-right populist party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). For the first time since 1945, a German far-right party has won regional elections at a state-level. In the state of Thuringia, it received almost 33 percent of the vote, leaving the cent... | The Bridge Initiative | The AfD's victory has historical significance — it was in the Thuringian state election of 1930 that the Nazi Party had its first success, becoming the second-largest party in the regional elections gaining 11 out of 53 seats, which allowed them to form a coalition government and appoint the first minister of the inter... | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-09-02T10:30:21.527Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar90812415 |
Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan: accounting for the missing is the first step | Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and elsewhere, together with a global slide from democratic to authoritarian rule, have produced a spike in the number of missing and disappeared persons. This is a trend that has been compounded by some of the consequences of climate change, including mass migration. As we mark the I... | International Commission on Missing Persons | From Ukraine, to Gaza and Sudan, accounting for the missing and gathering evidence for future war crimes trials are an essential element in restoring the rule of law and laying the foundations for long-term peace, writes the director-general of the International Commission on Missing Persons. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-08-30T07:45:36.459Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar02fecaeb |
EU among top spenders on ineffective ‘climate solutions’ | EU countries rank high among wealthy countries that spend billions of public money on so-called 'climate solutions' that "consistently fail, overspend, or underperform," new analysis by research and advocacy group Oil Change International (OCI) suggests . The report focuses on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and fossi... | 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 countries rank high among the wealthy countries that spend billions of public money on so-called 'climate solutions' that "consistently fail, overspend, or underperform", according to a new analysis. Prime among them is carbon capture and storage. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2024-08-30T07:15:35.666Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/arfe1ac3fa |
Europe's Indentitarian Movement — old fascism in new clothes | On Wednesday (28 August), German broadcaster RTL screened coverage obtained through investigative documentation into one of Europe’s growing and popular rightwing extremist movements, the Identitarian movement. The Identitarian movement has become the main representative of what has been called the 'New Right'. The ter... | The Bridge Initiative | A group of journalists traveled throughout Germany and Austria, where it met with activists from the Identitarian movement, including some with official positions in political parties such as the Alternative for Germany. In private conversations, they would be much more open than in public. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-08-29T07:04:05.376Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar824d9c24 |
The silent nightmare of Balkan depopulation | There is a silent nightmare taking place in the Balkans, with large-scale emigration plus by a low birth rate. Serbia and Albania have lost over half a million people since 2014, Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to lose half of its manpower by 2050 (more than during the 1990 wars), and Croatia losing more than one mi... | Dr Rigels Lenja | There is a silent nightmare taking place in the Balkans, with large-scale emigration plus by a low birth rate. Serbia and Albania have lost over half a million people since 2014, Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to lose half of its manpower by 2050 (more than during the 1990 wars), and Croatia losing more than one mi... | [
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-08-20T06:37:24.827Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar8e14dd8e |
Time for the EU to push back on religious freedoms in Pakistan | Last week (14 August) 2024, marked the 77th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence following the termination of the British Raj. Politician and founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded a homeland for Muslims, which was ultimately achieved with Pakistan’s formation. While Pakistan celebrates its independence, ... | Global Human Rights Defence | As Pakistan celebrates 77 years of independence, is time the EU takes action and demands Pakistan's adherence to human rights conditions — as the EU has the authority to suspend or withdraw Islamabad's favourable trading privileges in case of serious violations. | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-08-19T06:21:01.780Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar1804e718 |
EU's carbon border tax will hurt developing country SMEs | The EU prides itself in its progressive values, including its commitment to sustainable development. However, its incoming deforestation regulation and carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) disproportionately burden developing countries–and within them, smaller and medium sized companies (SMEs) in particular. As pa... | Economist Intelligence Unit | The impact of the carbon border levy and the deforestation regulation on smallholder farmers and SMEs in developing countries adds fire to perceptions that these are unilateral measures imposed by Western countries — instead of being part of a globally-negotiated solution to a critical issue | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2024-08-16T06:32:25.152Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar6d69cded |
Bulgaria's eurozone accession problems mount | Despite receiving a commendation from eurozone leaders for its progress back in March, Bulgaria's political stalemate has further delayed its eurozone entry — now only expected in 2026 due to ongoing instability and inability of Bulgaria to meet the required criteria. While the entry was originally targeted in January ... | Blaga Thavard | The timeline for Bulgaria’s journey toward eurozone membership has already slipped from January 2024 to sometime in 2026, with obstacles including the country's own political fragility — the nation is grappling with elections for seventh time in three years, a revolving door of governments, high inflation and targeted ... | [
"Rule of Law",
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2024-08-13T06:03:06.515Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/are1757c31 |
Time for an EU commissioner for animal welfare | The coming weeks are crucial to ensuring that the EU Commission’s plans and priorities for the next five years respond to the hopes and expectations of Europeans in many policy areas, including that of animal welfare — which is very popular among citizens but too often neglected by their institutions. Eurobarometer and... | GAIA | Animal welfare will not be adequately protected in the EU unless it is managed in a different way from the past. Now is the time to deliver a much needed change: an EU commissioner for animal welfare. | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2024-08-08T05:49:15.158Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar2cab72be |
Gift away: Supporting members can now gift EUobserver articles | Last week, we quietly released a new feature for EUobserver 's supporting members: gift articles. It works just like gift articles from the New York Times, Financial Times and The Atlantic. If you're a supporting (ie, paying) member of EUobserver, you can click the little gift icon at the top an article. This copies ov... | Alejandro Tauber | A (for us) new way of sharing our journalism with people who might not yet know about EUobserver — try it out. | [
"Inside EUobserver"
] | inside-euobserver | 2024-08-06T08:35:46.926Z | https://euobserver.com/inside-euobserver/arb9123375 |
Poland's rightwing PiS was economically redistributive. Is that a lesson for the left? | The last 15 years or so have seen a rise in support for far-right political forces across the Western world. Since June alone, elections for the European Parliament, the French National Assembly and the House of Commons in the UK revealed big gains for the Right. Many are deeply apprehensive about this trend due to the... | University of Buckingham | For the Left, a crucial way in which the rise of the far-right can be halted is by the implementation of measures which will redistribute wealth, so that the ordinary citizens’ standard of living can be improved, and inequality reduced. Yet Poland's rightwing Law & Justice party already tried that. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-08-05T06:00:11.312Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar0a707e50 |
Lukashenko opens window of opportunity for Western influence | In recent weeks the Belarusian regime has been indicating that it does not feel comfortable in the situation in which it has found itself. Aleksandr Lukashenko, who on July 20 celebrated the 30th anniversary in power, reshuffled his team and appointed the new head of the presidential administration, the new minister of... | Arkady Moshes serves as the director of Russia, the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and Eurasia Research Programme, and Ryhor Nizhnikau is a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA). | For the West, the forthcoming presidential election might be the last opportunity to engage with the Belarusian society. | [
"Opinion"
] | opinion | 2024-07-30T07:21:17.974Z | https://euobserver.com/opinion/arfa85b69c |
US trade deficit: are the EU and China to blame? (No) | If Donald Trump manages to win the November US elections, one of his priorities appears to be to put an end to decades of trade deficit, for which he not only intends to target China with increased tariffs but also the EU. As he put it in his Bloomberg interview, ‘the European Union sounds so lovely. We love Scotland a... | Centre for European Policy Studies | If a possible new Trump administration wants to set the record straight on trade policies, they’d better focus on reforming the World Trade Organization than on a trade war or expansionary fiscal and monetary policies. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-30T06:59:36.323Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar591fde06 |
Lonely in Venice | To say that Gustav von Aschenbach had a good summer in Venice would be a lie. The weather was hot and oppressive. He repeatedly wanted to leave, but could not. A pandemic was spreading, but the authorities were trying to cover it up. He discovered his forbidden love for a boy staying in the same hotel. And then he died... | Democracy Reporting International | Death in Venice is not the prototype of a light holiday read. But is it worth opening one of the most celebrated novellas of the last century? | [
"Opinion"
] | opinion | 2024-07-29T07:22:30.944Z | https://euobserver.com/opinion/arc8e2a7c2 |
How a Slovak priest, Russian bikers, and a Polish lobbyist fuelled anti-LGBTI hate | Ahead of the snap parliamentary elections in September 2023, the topic of LGBTI rights was heavily utilised in Slovakia as a political tool. The current prime minister Robert Fico mocked opponent Michal Šimečka, head of the liberal party, by questioning whether he would "identify as a boy, a girl, or a helicopter" in a... | . | Anti-LGBTI disinformation narratives in Europe show similarities and connections to Russian propaganda | [
"Investigations",
"Health & Society"
] | investigations | 2024-07-26T07:15:30.636Z | https://euobserver.com/investigations/arcd805ac8 |
How the ultra-right used homophobic disinfo in Czech and Hungarian elections | When Zuzana Huszár, 29, returned home one evening in June 2024, after a long day of work at a queer safe space in Prague, Czech Republic, she found her partner agitated. Her partner, Tereza Misha, told her that she had been “shamed” on the streets and received “hateful comments” on her way back from work due to her que... | Agence France-Presse (AFP) Fact Check | Anti-LGBTI disinformation narratives in Europe show similarities and connections to Russian propaganda | [
"Investigations",
"Health & Society"
] | investigations | 2024-07-25T06:37:47.719Z | https://euobserver.com/investigations/arc113bb65 |
Putin's takeover of Georgia risks tragic EU defeat | The appointment of Estonian former prime minister Kaja Kallas as the EU's new high representative for foreign affairs and security policy (HRVP) is undoubtedly a rock-solid demonstration that countering Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a top priority for the EU. In Georgia, another key Eastern Partnership cou... | The Georgian people have shown their determination, their non-violent discipline, their commitment to European ideals and their resistance to the tyrannical influence of the Kremlin. | In Georgia, another key Eastern Partnership country that was the first victim of Russian aggression in 2008, new EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas will have to deal with surging Russian influence and the transformation of Georgia into a Russian vassal against the will of its people. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-25T05:37:25.739Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ard5236aa9 |
Fish-feed industry wreaking havoc in West Africa | Salmon is marketed to consumers as the ‘chicken of the sea’ – sold as low-carbon, easy to cook and sustainable. Sales of farmed fish are booming in Europe – the aquaculture sector is now the fastest-growing food sector in the world and is often credited with providing respite for our overfished oceans. But there’s a ca... | Hazel Healy is DeSmog's | An in-depth report by DeSmog reveals that flagship initiatives to ensure “responsible sourcing” for the global aquafeed industry are being undermined by systemic conflicts of interest, endangering efforts to safeguard critical fish stocks in West Africa. | [
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2024-07-23T08:30:53.582Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar42058c24 |
Labour challenges on doorstep of new EU parliament | The rising cost of living, the protests that Europe has seen in the last years, and the results of the European elections, show the need to invest in the social dimension of the European project, and to improve the everyday lives of ordinary Europeans. The EU parliament's employment and social affairs committee (EMPL) ... | Li Andersson, member of the European Parliament for Finland and candidate to chair the employment committee in the European Parliament. | Some of the policies that are waiting at the doorstep of both the next parliament's employment committee and the programme of the next European Commission are public procurement, abuse of workers, use of AI in the workplace, social dialogue and exposure to harmful chemicals. | [
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | health-and-society | 2024-07-22T09:16:05.845Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar106a92a4 |
Dutch to stay out of widening EU boycott of Hungary | The Netherlands isn't joining a boycott of Hungary's EU presidency, as its new government sits on the fence on rule-of-law. Dutch prime minister Dirk Schoof said on Thursday (18 July) that his justice minister, David van Weel, will attend an informal meeting in Budapest on Monday. "If it is in the Netherlands’ interest... | 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 Netherlands isn't joining a boycott of Hungary's EU presidency, as its new government sits on the fence on rule-of-law. | [
"EU & the World",
"Rule of Law"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-19T09:24:27.846Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar1a14e2b6 |
The Olympics should be for all women, including Muslim women | It’s a Saturday and I just completed another park run in South London. I lie down on the warm grass and stretch. Around me, there are people of all backgrounds, racial identities, ages and abilities. This is our space, where we come every weekend and chat after racing each other to the finish line. I feel elated, energ... | Anna Błuś | France is the only country in Europe with bans on religious headwear in sports such as women’s football, basketball and volleyball. This is why ahead of, and during, the forthcoming Paris Olympics and Paralympics, Amnesty International is calling for an end to these violations of women and girl athletes’ human rights. | [
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | health-and-society | 2024-07-19T07:00:18.386Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar1325c645 |
Open letter to MEPs: an urgent response in defence to an isolationist America | You will never have as much power as you will have on Thursday (18 July) at 1 PM, when you vote on the Commission presidency in a secret ballot. The fate of the EU will be in your hands. Essential in our view, is that in your vote you take into account the position of the new European Commission, especially the re-elec... | Luis Garicano and Guy Verhofstadt are former liberal MEPs from the Renew Europe group | In the emerging security landscape, the establishment of the European Defence Union is not just a strategic necessity; it is a moral imperative to ensure the safety and stability of Europe for generations to come. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-07-17T12:11:20.844Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar7e94e394 |
Podcast: The Trump shot heard around the world | A would-be assassin’s bullet didn’t have to kill Donald Trump to fundamentally change the course of the 2024 presidential election in the United States. The incident itself is just the most recent and highest profile example of an apparent increased willingness to resort to political violence. The European Union alread... | writer | A bullet grazed the ear of Donald Trump and, with it, ricocheted off European politics. Meanwhile, the UK wants to cosy up to its old fling, the EU, almost as much as Orbán wants to with Russia. | [
"Euroscopic"
] | euroscopic | 2024-07-17T11:45:54.399Z | https://euobserver.com/euroscopic/arc48e4bb7 |
MEPs worth keeping an eye on in the next term | This week, the new European Parliament will convene for the first time in its constitutive session. As MEPs decide on how to divide the Parliament’s influential positions, like committee chairs, vice-presidents and quaestors, and hold the much-anticipated vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission presidency, t... | Piet Ruig | As MEPs gather on Tuesday (16 july) in Strasbourg for the constitutive session of the next European Parliament, the first contours of the new political dynamics will become apparent. Out of the 720 members, the EUobserver has picked out seven lawmakers worthy to keep an eye on in the next term | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-07-16T06:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar737a6007 |
Orban's make-believe 'I'm the EU president' act is a gamble on a Trump win | Viktor Orbán's alleged "peace diplomacy" campaign, which unfolded during the first 12 days of Hungary's EU presidency, has shocked and surprised Budapest's EU and Nato partners. Not only were the snap visits to Putin, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump not coordinated with allies, but most importantly, Orbán's travel plans to... | German Marshall Fund of the United States | There are at least two qualitatively new features of the unfolding events of the Hungarian EU presidency that may fundamentally influence its endgame. This time, the Hungarian government is not confronting the European Parliament or the Commission, but rather all the other member states, writes Daniel Hegedus of the Ge... | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-07-15T05:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/araa27331d |
My son's torturer will be representing Syria at the Paris Olympics | The Olympics is such a celebration of young people, of big dreams realised and collective joy. It reminds me of the energy that my youngest son Ayham had when he was growing up. He wanted to learn everything about politics since he was a young teenager, questioning freedom of speech in Syria under Assad’s rule. I learn... | Caesar photos | The International Olympic Committee knows the crimes Omar Aroub committed and yet he is still allowed to be part of Syria’s delegation. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-12T09:14:19.091Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar8672ae76 |
Nato's two-percent of GDP target is a blank cheque to the arms industry | In his opening address at the 75th anniversary celebratory summit in Washington, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg described it as the most "successful alliance in history ," claiming recently that its main purpose was not to fight wars but to prevent them. The people of war-torn nations like Afghanistan, Iraq an... | Transnational Institute | Aligning a state’s military budget with a percentage of its GDP says precisely nothing about that state’s military capability. It is an entirely arbitrary figure established by a purely economic criterion. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2024-07-11T10:43:08.353Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar0395ffcd |
The EU and China are destined for a protracted trade war | The EU began imposing tariffs of up to 37.6 percent on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) last Friday (5 July), affecting $11.5bn [€10.6bn] of Chinese EV exports. In response, China threatened retaliation, starting with pork, particularly affecting Spain. It's likely China will expand its retaliation list to include Europ... | . | The EU began imposing massive tariffs on Chinese electrical vehicles last Friday — it's likely China will expand its retaliation list to include European big engine cars, dairy products, wine and cognac. The EU-China trade war appears imminent. | [
"EU & the World",
"Green Economy",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-10T10:50:38.328Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/aredfedbb0 |
Report highlights hiring practices as hurdle to disabled European job-seekers | Employees with disabilities continue to face serious obstacles to labour market inclusion, according to a new report by the European Disabilities Forum (EDF) published on Wednesday (10 July). The report details how, despite existing legal frameworks on reasonable accommodation measures, these are not effectively put in... | Piet Ruig | Europeans with disabilities continue to face pervasive problems in workplace and labour market accessibility, according to a new report by the European Disability Forum. Obstacles highlighted include a lack of accessible hiring practices and insufficient provision of assistive technology. | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2024-07-10T06:00:00.000Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ard19d45ea |
Memo to Nato: hoping for Ukraine victory but denying supplies won't work | As Nato meets in Washington on Tuesday (9 July) for a three-day summit, with Ukraine one of the topics at the top of the agenda , officials have already started preparing — and according to the Wall Street Journal, Nato will establish a greater presence in Ukraine. The organisation will “station a senior civilian offic... | non-resident fellow | Delayed Western response during Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and stalled assistance to Ukraine in late 2023 and early 2024 are partially to blame for Russia’s continued war | [
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | ukraine | 2024-07-09T10:56:48.094Z | https://euobserver.com/ukraine/ar1303c12d |
The EU must not support intensive fish farming — it's not sustainable | The Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will run between 1 July and 31 December 2024, has announced in its programme that it will pay particular attention to the development of “sustainable and competitive aquaculture”, arguing that “it is the animal protein production sector with the small... | Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements | The Hungarian EU presidency has announced its main priority when it comes to fisheries is to support aquaculture. The EU should focus instead on responding to the social and environmental challenges posed by this sector and on promoting sustainable small-scale aquaculture options. | [] | * | 2024-07-08T13:40:04.687Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar52d6319c |
Confiscating Russian assets would not break international law — it would safeguard it | Seizing all $300bn [€277bn] of Russia’s frozen state assets and transferring them to Ukraine is disregarded as nearly impossible by the EU. Consequently, we have ended up with a disappointing compromise. At the recent G7 summit in Italy, leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a $50bn loan backed by the interest earned ... | Celine la Cour | European officials highlight potential economic retaliation — particularly from China and Saudi Arabia — as the main reason to refrain from confiscating Russia’s frozen assets. Whether in the form of direct retaliation against large EU member states such as France and Germany, or by withdrawing state assets from Europe... | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-08T11:24:21.270Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar07c9897d |
Podcast: Orbán in command | The schizophrenic politics of the European Union continue. On one hand, you have the far-right winning big in France’s first round of parliamentary elections and the eurosceptic Viktor Orbán taking over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (not to be confused with the European Council, which of ... | . | A run through the beginning of the controversial Hungary’s EU Council presidency and what is at stake in French politics right now. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Political"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-08T09:29:56.849Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar439da76b |
Beyond the missiles — a call for a €1bn European Cultural Deal for Ukraine | While the world focuses on military tactics in Ukraine, a quieter war rages for the soul of the nation. Children cry for food and their parents, missiles rain down, yet in conference rooms, journalists, security experts and foreign policy analysts discuss "Europe at War" comfortably from their distance. Amidst all the ... | is head of public policy at the | A quieter war rages for the soul of the Ukrainian nation. Amidst all the military hardware talk a critical frontline is being ignored: the cultural front.
| [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-05T11:10:44.897Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar129eb7bc |
Do European Jews endorse the IHRA definition of anti-semitism? | In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted a “working definition of anti-semitism”. Since then, the definition has attracted endorsement by a wide range of governmental, professional and civic organisations as a means of identifying antisemitic attitudes and behaviours. In particular, the ... | Professor Stephen H. Miller OBE | The objections to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-semitism are that some of the examples conflate anti-semitism with harsh, but non-racist, criticism of Israel. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-07-04T09:40:25.815Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ara3188a41 |
Already scandal-hit, new far-right Dutch government assumes office | The new Dutch government was formally sworn in on Tuesday (2 July). Despite promises by outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte’s that the incoming coalition would continue the same line as far as the EU was concerned, the look of the new cabinet suggests differently. Ahead of last week's EU summit, Rutte and Dutch official... | Piet Ruig | The new Dutch government was officially sworn-in on Tuesday. The handover comes as outgoing prime minister, Mark Rutte, tried to allay apprehensions of the coalition involving the far-right PVV, promising continuity with his own policies. But the composition of the cabinet already indicates otherwise. | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-07-03T08:37:45.914Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar45a258b3 |
Orban's new Patriots for Europe group is targeting the council, not the parliament | On Sunday (30 June), 24 hours ahead of the official start of Hungary's rotating EU presidency, Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) chairman Herbert Kickl, former Czech prime minister and ANO leader Andrej Babiš and Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party announced the official creation of a new nationalist... | German Marshall Fund | Viktor Orban's newly-announced central European "Patriots for Europe" group, with Austria's FPÖ and the Czech Republic's ANO, may further fragment the radical right in the European Parliament. However, with an eye on expected national election results and likely prospective members, in the future this group – rather th... | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | * | 2024-07-01T16:12:28.277Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar7e524613 |
How QAnon pushed climate-denialism into European mainstream | At a protest in Oxford, UK, early last year, a round of speakers warned of the city council's plans to restrict traffic as part of a 'globalist agenda' to strip away freedoms and control the population by stopping them from leaving their neighbourhoods. In the crowd, people denounced vaccines while others rallied again... | Nikolaj Nielsen | Climate-change deniers and anti-vaxxers are converging online in far-right conspiracy groups, according to an investigation by the nonprofit investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports and EUobserver, taking in everything from 15-minute cities to net zero. | [
"Investigations",
"EU Political",
"Health & Society"
] | search | 2024-07-01T13:48:50.764Z | https://euobserver.com/search/Olena%20Tregub |
Podcast: After the vote is before the vote | The UK and France head into snap elections. A Hezbollah threat against EU-member Cyprus reminds Brussels that the walls of the "garden" may not be as high as one might like. Plus, Rutte goes NATO. News doldrums, silly season, . There are many names for the summertime off-season, when there isn’t much to report except t... | writer | The UK and France head into snap elections. A Hezbollah threat against EU-member Cyprus reminds Brussels that the walls of the "garden" may not be as high as one might like. Plus, Rutte goes NATO. | [
"Euroscopic",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-28T12:43:18.986Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/ar1e68819f |
EU Migration ‘schizophrenia’: Need workers, close borders? | Europe’s economy needs one million foreign workers each year, said Ylva Johansson , the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, in January. This is due to the demographic change in Europe, which is resulting in a decline in the working age population. So-called EU Talent Partnerships are presented as a solution to this... | A failure to address labour and skills shortages will negatively impact the European economy, especially as the demographic change and the green and digital transition continue to put a strain on the labour market. Using Talent Partnerships as a bargaining chip to enforce migration control makes them miss out on their ... | With the need for one million foreign workers annually, the EU introduced Talent Partnerships to bring in non-EU citizens to fill gaps in the labour market. Pilot projects only led to a small number of recruitments so far, with partner countries required to cooperate on border protection and returns. | [
"EU & the World",
"Migration",
"Investigations"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-28T11:35:38.005Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/are40a8fca |
Hungary’s democratic Rubik’s Cube | It is perhaps fitting that Hungary has chosen the Rubik’s Cube as the logo for its upcoming EU presidency. It may signal “the essence of Hungarian genius” – as Hungarian EU affairs minister János Bóka claims - but it also represents a complicated dynamic where each piece of the puzzle is interconnected and solving one ... | Unhack Democracy | Recent elections reveal the chilling effect of the new 'Sovereignty Law' on civil society and media, just as Hungary prepares to take over EU Council presidency
| [
"Rule of Law",
"Opinion"
] | rule-of-law | 2024-06-28T08:51:03.270Z | https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/ar10731f16 |
Right of reply: Who is ADF International in reality? | Should Europeans be free to express their opinions? We think so. In fact, we stand up in courts around the world – from Finland to Nigeria – defending those being unjustly criminalised for doing just that. Recently, an author in this magazine wrote an opinion piece expressing a negative opinion about us. That would be ... | Adina Portaru is a senior legal counsel for ADF International in Brussels. | Adina Portaru, a senior legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International in Brussels, responds to EUobserver's opinion piece describing who ADF International is and why they are lobbying Brussels. | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-26T13:09:59.781Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arf89cfa2b |
EU’s female 'dream team' must put values over power | The stars appear aligned for the appointment of three women to lead the EU’s most consequential institutions. Some will see this as a moment to celebrate the creation of a female-led European “dream team” or even a “feminist” Europe. For others, the jury is still out. A quick recap: Unless she fails to get a majority o... | Media Career Award 2023 | Some will see the EU-top job appointments as a moment to celebrate the creation of a female-led European “dream team” or even a “feminist” Europe. For others, the jury's out. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-26T13:08:13.508Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar3ef1d4d4 |
What could five more years of von der Leyen mean for Europe? | As the chief of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has become one of Europe's most influential women — a powerful position that she has been fighting to keep. But what could five more years of von der Leyen mean for the EU? Top negotiators have agreed on a second term for the German conservative, according t... | 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. | As the chief of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has become one of Europe's most influential women — a powerful position that she has been fighting to keep. But what could five more years of von der Leyen mean for the EU? | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-25T15:31:12.673Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arb5ac9760 |
Russia bans EUobserver and dozens of EU media | Russia has banned 81 EU-based media, including EUobserver, saying they "systematically disseminate false information about the progress of a special military operation [Russia's invasion of Ukraine]". The Russian foreign ministry announced the move on Tuesday (25 June) in retaliation against EU sanctions on Russian pro... | 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. | Russia has banned 81 EU-based media, including EUobserver, saying they "systematically disseminate false information about the progress of a special military operation [Russia's invasion of Ukraine]".
| [
"EU & the World",
"Rule of Law"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-25T14:14:22.907Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar5b99bec6 |
EU needs to help Moldova fight Russian disinfo attacks | As 2024 unfolds, Moldova finds itself at a decisive juncture. With pivotal presidential elections, a crucial EU referendum , and parliamentary contests looming by mid-2025, the destiny of the nation hangs in the balance. Despite the popularity of Moldova's president Maia Sandu and her administration, the country is und... | Carolina Bogatiuc is a policy fellow on EU Affairs at the Institute for Policy and Strategic Initiatives (IPIS), former chief of staff to the former Moldovan minister of foreign affairs and European integration, Nicu Popescu. | With national elections and an EU referendum looming by mid-2025, Moldova's future hangs in the balance, amid attacks by Russia-linked disinformation. | [
"EU Political",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-24T11:39:09.350Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/arddf59232 |
Fist-fight in Italy's parliament, Macron lights a fuse in EU | Yes, the “centre” of European politics “held.” But oh dear are things fragile. Neither the German nor French political establishment enjoys much legitimacy these days, and only the far-right seems to have come up with an “alternative” to them. Hey, say what you want, but at least it’s an ethos . While there are still p... | writer | This week's Euroscopic gets into European power battles, Giorgia Meloni's push towards the fancy-sounding idea of “differentiated autonomy” and the role that Israel’s destruction of Gaza is playing in splitting the EU. | [
"Euroscopic"
] | euroscopic | 2024-06-21T12:55:56.195Z | https://euobserver.com/euroscopic/arf3402996 |
Euronews, Orbán, Fico — media freedom is in peril across the EU | On 11 April, the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) passed its final vote before becoming law in the EU. The same day, it came to light that the 2022 sale of Euronews had in fact placed it under the control of investors closely allied with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, and the purchase was primarily financed by... | Eva Simon | The sale of Euronews to investors linked to Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico's move to bring Slovakia's public media under public control offer a clear warning that new legislative action from Brussels will not be enough on its own to reshape Europe’s media landscape. | [
"EU Political",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-21T10:16:02.583Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar751a340d |
How to deal with a problem like Serbia's Vučić and his rampant nationalism? | In the wake of Aleksandar Vucic's defiant display at the UN , draped in the Serbian flag and delivering a nationalist salute, the Balkans once again finds itself at a critical juncture. This act, laden with historical connotations and nationalistic fervor, serves as a stark reminder that Serbia's leadership under Vucic... | European Council on Foreign Relations | Following Aleksandar Vučić's flag-waving disrespect at the United Nations Srebenica genocide resolution, the notion that Vucic alone can steer Serbia towards Western values and interests must be dispelled. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-20T10:39:21.780Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar7ce2ba26 |
France and Italy face EU debt showdown as deficits exceed limits | The EU Commission is preparing debt procedures for France and six other countries for their breach of EU spending rules. “We have assessed the fiscal situation in member states, we have come to the conclusion that deficit criteria are not met in some countries, including in France,” said trade commissioner Valdis Dombr... | 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 EU Commission is preparing debt procedures for France and six other countries for their breach of EU spending rules — preparing the way for a hard fiscal fight later this year. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2024-06-19T12:23:32.725Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar11845cb6 |
The EU is pushing Cambodia further into the orbit of China | In 2020, when the EU ended Cambodia’s preferential treatment under the ‘Everything but Arms’ trade arrangement, it cited “serious and systematic concerns related to human rights” and the need for ongoing monitoring of restrictions the governing regime was imposing on freedom of expression and political rights. Three ye... | Khmer Movement for Democracy | The significance of a deepening of relations between Phnom Penh and Beijing cannot be understated.
There is growing evidence to suggest that Cambodia is enabling China to establish a naval base at Ream, where Chinese-owned companies have been engaged to modernise the existing port. | [
"EU & the World",
"Opinion"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-19T10:59:16.555Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar2722e442 |
While military aid soars, humanitarian help for Ukraine plummets | If you were to be dropped into one of the major cities of Ukraine in the centre or west of the country – such as Lviv or Kyiv – on an ordinary Tuesday morning, you would think that everything is normal. In these energetic and picturesque European cities, parents walk their children to school, cafes spill over with stud... | is humanitarian advocacy officer for | Donors, including Germany, the UK and the EU, have already announced dramatic budget cuts to humanitarian aid for Ukraine. | [
"Ukraine",
"Opinion"
] | ukraine | 2024-06-18T10:32:02.273Z | https://euobserver.com/ukraine/arbe75531d |
Big Pharma influence hangs over Europe’s medicines regulator | At the end of 2019, two pharmaceutical consultants checked into an Amsterdam hotel. It is one of hundreds of options in the city. It is also where experts from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are staying for their monthly meeting. Many are their former colleagues. Senior figures from the agency’s Committee for Medi... | Investigative Europe | Investigate Europe has found that the European Medicines Agency is beset by several conflicts of interest concerns over professional and financial ties to industry. It is also facing growing criticism for fast-tracking drugs that could pose serious risks to patients. | [
"Investigations",
"Health & Society"
] | investigations | 2024-06-17T15:13:53.960Z | https://euobserver.com/investigations/ar6d0b9023 |
The 'renovictions' problem - fighting the greenlash in eco-housing | A rise in the so-called 'greenlash' - opposition from people and communities negatively impacted by climate policies - is slowing political progress, especially in the buildings sector, which accounts for 40 percent of European emissions, and where greening our homes, workplaces and public buildings is critical to reac... | , and one of the authors of the | The shortage of affordable housing in the EU means that building eco retrofits may inadvertently increase financial burdens on renters and homeowners, fuelling a 'greenlash' that is feeding into Europe’s already divisive politics. | [
"Green Economy",
"Health & Society",
"Opinion"
] | green-economy | 2024-06-17T12:27:15.732Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar2951ca4e |
Wolf in sheep's clothing? The two faces of the Russian Orthodox Church | The Russian Orthodox Church looks tamer inside the EU than it does in Russia — but the Kremlin’s weaponisation of religion has made it a security concern. Surrounded by gaily-painted icons and frocked in an ornate red-and-gold vestment, archpriest Pavel Nedossekine praised the virtues of St John the Russian, an 18th ce... | "Russian services have become increasingly ruthless since the [Ukraine] war - they wouldn't think twice about blackmailing a decent person living in Belgium to work for them, by threatening their relatives in Russia if they didn't comply," he said. | The Russian Orthodox Church looks tamer inside the EU than it does in Russia — but the Kremlin’s weaponisation of religion has made it a security concern. | [
"EU & the World",
"Ukraine"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-17T09:49:55.929Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arfc186c44 |
Left surged in Finland: its leader, Li Andersson, explains why | Finland's Left Alliance party leader Li Andersson won more votes than any other Finnish candidate running in the European elections. Ever. In an election that saw a far-right surge in France and Germany, the 37-year old former education minister is part of a larger left-leaning victory spanning Denmark, Sweden, and Fin... | 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. | Finland's Left Alliance party leader Li Andersson won more votes than any other Finnish candidate running in the European elections. Now she is at the European Parliament hoping to counter the far-right, while championing labour rights and climate. | [
"Nordics",
"EU Elections"
] | nordics | 2024-06-14T11:32:34.055Z | https://euobserver.com/nordics/ar06b6ecc0 |
My brother died on the Pylos shipwreck: one year on I've started a petition for justice | My name is Oday Al Talab. I had two brothers, Mohammed and Riyadh, but Riyadh died in the Pylos shipwreck. In my city in Syria, Daraa, I worked as a journalist. Snipers of the regime shot me twice because of my media activity in Syria, where I was documenting violations against civilians. Due to my health and continuou... | Oday Al Talab is a Syrian refugee living in the UK. | Oday is a Syrian who now lives in the UK. His brothers Mohammed and Riyadh fled Syria to Europe. They ended up on the Adriana, an overcrowded trawler that left Libya with an estimated 750 people from Syria, Pakistan and Egypt onboard, before sinking off the coast of Pylos, Greece, a year ago today (14 June 2023). Oday... | [
"Migration"
] | migration | 2024-06-14T09:29:04.830Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/arcc6a6261 |
Accounting for the missing in Ukraine is first step to peace | The “ Peace Formula Philosophy ” that Ukraine has proposed for discussion at the international conference in Switzerland this weekend (15 and 16 June) includes provisions on the release of prisoners and deportees, and accountability for “serious crimes under international law” through “appropriate, fair and independent... | International Committee on Missing Persons | Ahead of this weekend's Swiss conference on peace in Ukraine, the director general of The Hague-based International Committee on Missing Persons explains the importance of DNA-tracing the remains of those lost or missing or abducted in the war — including children and the remains of Russian soldiers. | [
"Ukraine"
] | * | 2024-06-13T11:34:07.848Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar8fe33a52 |
Medicine dealers: Europe’s secret drug negotiations | Patients suffering from cancer or other serious diseases rarely realise that their fate can depend on secret price deals struck between state officials and pharma executives, according to research by Investigative Europe. “The negotiation is totally secret. Everything moves around in sealed envelopes, changing hands wi... | Eurydice Bersi, Lorenzo Buzzoni, and Maxence Peigné are investigative journalists for Investigative Europe | Patients suffering from cancer or other serious diseases rarely realise that their fate can depend on secret price deals struck between state officials and pharma executives, Investigative Europe can reveal. | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2024-06-13T11:02:10.145Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ardb8697b8 |
Meloni tries to gag G7 on ‘safe and legal abortion’ | Italy's objections to the promotion of sexual rights have forced the G7 to shelve plans to include “safe and legal abortions” in a draft communique, which can still be subjected to changes, EUobserver has learned. The 13-15 June meeting of the G7 leaders in Italy is addressing the issue of how to use windfall profits g... | 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. | Italy's objections to the promotion of sexual rights have forced the G7 to shelve plans to include “safe and legal abortions” in a draft communique, EUobserver has learned. | [
"EU Political",
"Health & Society"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-12T11:39:22.932Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar8d2c0166 |
EU's leaked strategic agenda makes zero mention of health | The leaked EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 draft does not include a mention of health once, and climate change as mere lip service, even though climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss are estimated to be responsible for almost 20 percent of deaths in the European region according to the World Health Organization... | Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) | The leaked EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 draft does not include a mention of health once, and climate change as mere lip service, even though climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss are estimated to be responsible for almost 20 percent of deaths across Europe | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2024-06-12T10:50:39.832Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar6c97bea9 |
EU leaders plotting top jobs dinner next week — but without von der Leyen | Following the European election results, attention has rapidly focussed on the infamous riddle of the EU top jobs appointments, with much political manoeuvring already in play behind the scenes. The first official discussion on top jobs will only take place during an informal dinner next Monday (17 June) — when EU lead... | 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 first official discussion on top jobs will take place during an informal dinner next Monday, but Ursula von der Leyen, who is seeking reelection, has not been invited — prompting the commission the demand her place at the table. | [
"EU Political",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-11T16:17:35.771Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ara3a1dce1 |
Newly-sensible, centrist Poland has chance to lead Paris-Berlin-Warsaw triangle | Radoslaw Sikorski has bold ambitions for Poland and its role in Europe. The Polish foreign minister told the Sejm that Warsaw should “facilitate and contribute” to the European Union’s transformation as “a geopolitical entity” capable of defending its interests. Sikorski’s stated view that his country belongs at the ce... | EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy | As France and Germany shift to the hard-right, the centre is holding in Poland | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-11T11:39:09.710Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ara08babc4 |
Amid far-right noise, pro-European centre holds – albeit weakened | Despite concerns about the surge of the far-right in Europe, the pro-European parties have managed to hold a majority in the next European Parliament — making EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s own re-election more likely. The European People’s Party (EPP) came top in the four-day European elections, winnin... | Luxembourg, which has compulsory voting, topped the list with 82 percent, followed by Malta at 72 percent and Germany at 66, with Belgium, which has compulsory voting as well, still to publish figures. | Despite fears of a far-right take-over, Europe's political centre holds after the EU elections, amid gains by the centre-right and stability for the socialist centre-left. But major losses for the liberal Renew and the Greens, paired with a sharp rise for the far-right in France, indicate Europe is still turning right.... | [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-10T00:19:25.644Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/ar1883aa39 |
Surprise win for Flemish Nationalists in Belgian domestic election, far-right second | The Flemish Nationalist NVA, a member of the rightwing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), narrowly beat the far-right Flemish Interest in the Belgian national and regional elections taking place on Sunday (June 9), simultaneously with the European elections. NVA leader and mayor of Antwerp Bart de Wever decla... | Piet Ruig | The Flemish Nationalist NVA defied polls by winning the Belgian national elections, beating the far-right Flemish Interest, who came second. Though a centre-right coalition led by NVA leader Bart de Wever seems most likely, any coalition will involve highly-challenging parliamentary arithmetic. | [
"EU Political"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-09T22:35:13.009Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ara6d73e0b |
European elections 2024: Live results | More than 360 million Europeans were eligible to vote in this ongoing EU elections — a four-day democratic marathon across the 27 EU member states whose outcome will determine the influence of political forces in Europe over the next five years. While European elections often see a low turnout (with the highest-recorde... | The outgoing European Parliament (11:30) | EUobserver's live coverage of the European Parliament election results. Dive into the latest updates and share your thoughts in the comments section to join the conversation. | [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-09T10:54:29.732Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/ar098d1384 |
Greece issues arrest warrant for Norwegian helping refugees | Human rights defender Tommy Olsen, from Norway, is facing up to 20 years in prison after Greece issued a national warrant for his arrest last month. "We have just seen the files, and there isn't one single piece of evidence against me," he told EUobserver on Thursday (6 June). Olsen runs the Aegean Boat Report, a Norwe... | 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. | Aegean Boat Report NGO chief Tommy Olsen is facing up to 20 years in prison after Greece issued a national warrant for his arrest last month. | [
"Migration"
] | migration | 2024-06-07T14:33:56.808Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/arc4387302 |
Meloni prepares for G7 Africa test | The preparations for next week’s G7 summit in southern Italy have been overshadowed by the European elections. Even so, the summit in Apulia, which starts on 13 June, will be a major diplomatic test for the EU, and particularly Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni. Leaders are expected to discuss a plan to use windfal... | 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. | Overshadowed by the EU elections, next week’s G7 summit in southern Italy will be a major diplomatic test for the EU, and particularly Italian premier Giorgia Meloni. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa"
] | * | 2024-06-07T13:45:54.397Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar6ef1a54f |
Dutch 'Green-Left' victory shows high turnout matters in far-right fight | The Dutch left-green merger party led by former EU commissioner Frans Timmermans won the Dutch European Parliament elections, narrowly defeating far-right leader Geert Wilders for the top spot, gaining eight seats compared to Wilders’ seven, according to the definitive exit poll. Earlier this week, Wilders’ Party for F... | 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 exit polls show that high voter turnout in the Dutch elections was crucial in determining the outcome, which turned out more favourable for the pro-EU camp than expected. | [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-07T13:10:06.761Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/arb2769f3b |
2000-2024: A short history of Europe's far-right...so far | The 4 February 2000 might as well be remembered as the day Europe had to fight again for its democratic values. And it failed. On that day, in Austria, the center-right ÖVP, a member of the European People’s Party (EPP), announced a coalition with the radical-right FPÖ. The reaction was broad and strong. In the streets... | Filipe Henriques | The 4 February 2000 might as well be remembered as the day Europe had to fight again for its democratic values. And it failed. The next commission will have far-right commissioners from Italy, Hungary and the Netherlands and Ursula von der Leyen will have no issues giving them relevant portfolios | [
"EU Political",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-07T11:49:48.529Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar7fa302bc |
Macron’s tactics against the far-right failed | On Thursday evening (6 June), French president Emmanuel Macron organised an interview on French public television to address the threats to Europe. He talked about Ukraine and Russia, about Palestine and Israel – but most of all he pleaded with French voters not to vote for the far right in the upcoming election. Becau... | Emma Sofia Dedorson | French president Emmanuel Macron had two main goals for his presidency: to curb the rise of the far right, and to make Europe independent from the US and from China – with France as its leader. Now he is losing Europe to the far right.
| [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-06T21:47:45.732Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/ar00181ab3 |
Pollwatch: Final EUobserver update before Sunday's big results night | The European People's Party (EPP), Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and liberal Renew Europe are expected to maintain a majority (with 397 projected MEPs), even though all groups would see losses, according to our final pre-election polling collaborative project Pollwatch. With a so-called 'greenlash' led by farmers’ prote... | 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. | With a so-called 'greenlash', led by farmers’ protests against Europe’s environmental agenda, the Greens are poised to suffer the biggest hit, losing 22 seats from their current 71 — but liberal Renew Europe is facing similar losses. | [
"EU Elections"
] | * | 2024-06-06T16:24:23.681Z | https://euobserver.com/*/areaba2f2f |
Lamy: EU should work with African states to make carbon tax work | “The purpose of CBAM [the carbon border adjustment mechanism] is not to make money but to make sure that others raise the price of carbon,” says Pascal Lamy. Both a former EU trade commissioner and a former director general of the World Trade Organisation, few are more qualified to assess the raft of new taxes and laws... | 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 needs to work with countries and offer them technical support to adapt to the bloc's new carbon border tax, says former EU trade commissioner and ex-WTO chief, Pascal Lamy. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-06T15:31:22.402Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar6fb8a9e6 |
Coming clean? EU cleaning industry exploitation exposed | As morning dawned over Munich, German customs authorities embarked on a covert mission to investigate suspected illegal migrant labour at a local hotel. Asked what their purpose is, they answer they are aiming to uncover companies that exploit undocumented migrants as employees. “At night, in the darkness and especial... | At this point, the institution monitors 15 million mobile workers in the EU – with limited capacity, director Boiangiu has to admit. “The ELA has 144 employees,” he points out. | The cleaning industry across Europe is increasingly under scrutiny for its treatment of employees and disregard for the European standard of fair labour laws. A six-month-long investigation into the European cleaning industry shed light on a complex network across Europe and exploitative business practices. | [
"Health & Society"
] | health-and-society | 2024-06-06T15:10:45.181Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/arfbfcd875 |
ECB lowers interest rates for the first time in five years | The European Central Bank (ECB) reduced its key interest rate 25 basis points to 3.75 percent on Thursday (6 June). The sharp decline in inflation since last year allowed for a loosening of monetary policy. The big question now is how much more the bank will lower borrowing costs this year. Italian central banker Piero... | 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 European Central Bank loosened its monetary policy and lowered borrowing costs by 0.25 percent. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2024-06-06T14:37:24.524Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar7a695f3b |
Disinformation often worst three days ahead of EU elections, says official | EU officials are raising the alarm at the increasing sophistication of disinformation campaigns — as tens of millions of European citizens head to the voting booths over the next few days. With some 360 million people eligible to vote in the European Union, including 26 million first time voters, the issue has taken 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. | EU officials are raising the alarm at the increasing sophistication of disinformation campaigns — as tens of millions of European citizens head to the voting booths over the next few days. | [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-06T14:20:47.159Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/arf6d875e2 |
EU silent on Israel's killing of journalism out of Gaza | As military censorship and the targeted killing of media workers have cast a pall across Gaza, the silence of the EU’s vice-president for values and transparency Věra Jourová has become deafening. Jourová is tasked with preserving press freedom and pluralism and she has repeatedly spoken out against threats to these in... | Media Diversity Institute | As military censorship and the targeted killing of media workers have cast a pall across Gaza, the silence of the EU’s vice-president for values and transparency Věra Jourová has become deafening. | [
"EU & the World",
"Health & Society"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-06T10:22:47.016Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar2ae1cf23 |
The EU's 'Bellwether state'? Dutch exit polls will give first glimpse into voting | The Netherlands will be the first EU member state to vote in the European election on Thursday (6 June), with most other countries heading to the ballot on Sunday. The Dutch exit polls, appearing at 9pm, could thus drive speculation about the EU-wide results, in particular about the performance of the far-right. As in ... | Piet Ruig | With exit polls coming out on Thursday night, the Dutch EU election 'results' arrive well before the rest of Europe has voted. The Netherlands is by no means a true 'bellwether state' — but the exit polls might still give some indication of how Europeans are voting generally. | [
"EU Elections"
] | eu-elections | 2024-06-05T16:51:47.937Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/ar0565fc7e |
Has the ECB's rate policy been a success? | The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to start lowering interest rates by 0.25 percent on Thursday (6 June). This will reduce the main interest rate from a multi-decade high of four percent down to 3.75 percent, reducing the lending costs for households and businesses, which could result in a slight uptick in eco... | 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. | Now that the European Central Bank is expected to lower interest rates, it's interesting to examine some of the impacts of its policies and potentially glean some lessons learned. | [
"Green Economy"
] | green-economy | 2024-06-05T16:51:35.469Z | https://euobserver.com/green-economy/arcf4d71f7 |
'Political homophobia' strikes back in Georgia | As EU cities prepare to show their love of diversity in summer festivals, “political homophobia" is making a comeback in Georgia and closer to home. The 2024 Gay Pride season has already begun in Vienna, with festivals also due in freewheeling Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome in the next three months, as well as in more cons... | 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. | As EU cities prepare to show their love of diversity in summer festivals, “political homophobia" is making a comeback in Georgia and closer to home. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-05T16:51:15.525Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arb7e312e7 |
EU cashes in on €130m in rejected visa applications | EU governments rake in €130m per year in rejected visa application fees, dubbed as 'reverse remittances', according to new analysis shared with EUobserver. The cost of Schengen visa rejections in 2023 was €130m, up from €105m in 2022, the data compiled by Marta Foresti and Otho Mantegazza at LAGO Collective finds. The ... | 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. | EU governments rake in €130m per year in rejected visa application fees, dubbed as 'reverse remittances' by critics, according to new analysis shared with EUobserver. | [
"EU & the World",
"Africa"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-05T15:13:12.309Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar1aabb08b |
The vote of second-generation Europeans in EU elections: 'Our voices matter' | "Voting in European elections creates a sense of crumbling in me: it reassures and frightens me at the same time," says Hager, the daughter of a Tunisian father and Algerian mother. This compliance officer working for a private company lives in a small northern municipality near Genoa, on Italy's Ligurian Mediterranean... | Earth Journalism Network | Migration, the EU's response to Gaza and representation among people working in and voted into EU institutions are seen as major issues for second-generation European migrants. | [
"Migration",
"EU Elections"
] | migration | 2024-06-05T14:41:17.931Z | https://euobserver.com/migration/ar498e9653 |
Why are the EPP flirting with far-right fundamentalists? | When nearly 200 million Europeans cast their ballot this weekend, they will not only have expressed a preference for a certain party, or for certain candidates. They will have made a life-shaping choice about the type of society they will live in for the years to come. While European elections were traditionally about ... | Iratxe García Pérez | The idea that the European People's Party, the party of Robert Schuman, Helmut Kohl or Simone Veil, could team up with the heirs of Mussolini, Franco, and Jean-Marie Le Pen, has started to flourish, warns S&D Spitzenkandidat Nicolas Schmit and Iratxe García Pérez | [
"EU Elections"
] | * | 2024-06-05T11:53:53.250Z | https://euobserver.com/*/ar9c659a9d |
France, Germany, Poland 'main Russian disinfo election targets', warns Jourová | France, Germany and Poland have recently become the main targets of Russian disinformation campaigns in the run-up to this weekend's elections, EU Commission vice-president Věra Jourová told a group of journalists in Brussels on Tuesday (4 June). Before the 6-9 June European Parliament vote, these big countries had bee... | 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. | France, Germany and Poland have recently become the main targets of Russian disinformation campaigns in the run-up to this weekend's EU elections, said EU Commission vice-president Věra Jourová. | [
"Digital",
"EU Elections"
] | search | 2024-06-04T15:53:50.700Z | https://euobserver.com/search/Jeton%20Zulfaj |
Why all would-be MEPs should sign the Child Rights Manifesto | This weekend's elections are rightfully seen as a crossroad to define the future of the European Union. It is paramount to include children’s priorities in today’s decision-making, as they are one of the most impacted groups by the decisions that we will take in the upcoming years. But, as future members of the Europea... | Hilde Vautmans | Progress has been made but circumstances in which many children live, within and outside the European Union, continue to show how the EU, in the upcoming 2024-2029 legislature, must keep children’s needs on the front burner. | [
"Health & Society",
"EU Elections"
] | health-and-society | 2024-06-04T12:34:15.248Z | https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar8c35cef1 |
While EU leaders look away from Gaza's agony, European voters do care | Two devastating wars in the EU’s neighbourhood provide a chilling backdrop to this weekend’s European elections. Both conflicts represent egregious breaches of international law and blatant violations of human rights. Both are testing politicians’ commitment to “European values”. Yet only one is getting the attention i... | Media Career Award 2023 | Stopping the catastrophe in Gaza does not appear to be top of the agenda for any of the EU candidates seeking top Commission jobs or hoping to join the EU parliament. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-04T08:45:12.268Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/areed9b08b |
Russia fears ahead of Belgium's double EU and national elections | Two leading Belgian parties have hit back at allegations they were Russia-friendly, as the EU host-state prepares for double elections. MEPs from the rightwing Flemish NVA party and the far-left PVDA party told EUobserver they fully aligned with mainstream Western views condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The NVA'... | 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. | Two leading Belgian parties have hit back at allegations they were Russia-friendly, as the EU host-state prepares for double elections. | [
"EU & the World",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-and-the-world | 2024-06-04T08:31:19.688Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arc03073af |
Michel: we've 'paid the bill' for von der Leyen's 'geopolitical' commission | EU in-fighting is heating up ahead of the European elections — with official internal documents slamming the "geopolitical commission" of EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and making her re-election anything but foregranted. Von der Leyen's self-proclaimed 2019 geopolitical commission pushed her beyond her r... | 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 in-fighting is heating up ahead of the European elections — with official internal documents slamming the "geopolitical commission" of EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and making her re-election anything but foregranted. | [
"EU Political",
"EU Elections"
] | eu-political | 2024-06-03T16:20:58.275Z | https://euobserver.com/eu-political/ar70197388 |
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