Saturday
21st Apr 2018
MEPs are using so-called 'friendship groups' to cater to foreign governments without oversight and little public scrutiny. Initially set up to promote cultural exchanges, some have become lobbying platforms to push state views from governments with poor human rights records.
The European Commission will present proposals to protect whistleblowers, combat fake news and organise the digital single market. The international community will gather in Brussels to discuss how to help Syrians in the current war and after.
France and Germany have pledged to forge a joint position on euro reform by June, despite German reluctance on deeper monetary union.
Years of heavy-duty and expensive lobbying, including of a European commissioner for health, has not opened the way for mouth tobacco sales in the EU. The EU court in Luxembourg last week refused to lift the ban.
On Thursday, the European Parliament will vote on a political deal on organic farming, following 19 months of behind-closed-doors negotiations. EUobserver here details a five-month odyssey to get access to the secret documents that led to the deal.
Eurozone bank chief Mario Draghi will stay part of an opaque "lobbyist" group despite transparency complaints.
Two groups are meant to provide expert advice on how to spend EU money on a new military research programme - but much is unclear about how and even if they operate.
The EU's latest funding rules for European political parties and their think tanks fails to address the underlying problems of abuse. Instead of tackling the loans and donations culture, it has simply made access to EU funds a lot easier.
Fundamental freedoms are under attack across the EU but the case of Bulgaria presents unique challenges, and opportunities to learn, for left-wing forces throughout Europe.
A resolution condemning the appointment of the EU executive secretary general has left frustrated MEPs and a bruised EU executive.
Project Safte, an international research project funded by the European Commission, has revealed a loophole in the EU firearms directive that is being exploited by criminals and possibly terrorists.
Secretary general of the EIB says in response to EUobserver's appeal that there is no overriding public interest in releasing the document.
More and more consumers are likely to invest in solar panels in the future as it becomes simpler to produce one's own electricity, writes Monique Goyens, director general of BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation.
The French president tried to woo the European Parliament but found that his quest for leadership will have to abide by the rules set by the European political groups.
EU member states welcomed the dialogue between Poland and the EU Commission on rule of law, but insist that more progress is needed to bring Warsaw's judicial overhaul in line with EU values.
Political funding of European parties is being overhauled ahead of the European parliament elections next year. The latest rules will cut funding for smaller parties, with an aim to squeeze out duplication and over-representation of the far right.
EU foreign ministers have discussed new sanctions on Syria, Iran, and Russia in light of the chemical warfare in Syria.
In a speech to the European Parliament on Tuesday and then at a meeting with German chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, the French president will try to get support for his EU reform proposals.
British prime minister Theresa May claims that "there is no practicable alternative' to the use of force in Syria following another chemical weapons attack. However, this is simply not true.
EU foreign ministers to back Western air strikes on Syria, the same way they backed the UK over Russia's chemical attack on an ex-spy in Britain.
Albania and Macedonia should start accession talks, but human rights abuses mean Turkey should stay on hold, EU says in draft report seen by EUobserver.
Germany's socialist foreign minister just said the EU should "step up pressure" on Russia. Merkel aired "political" doubts on a Russian pipeline.
French president to deliver speech on EU democratic model after populist victories in Hungary and Italy and amid an escalation of the Syria crisis.
Germany is proving less keen than the European Commission had hoped to share its wealth with poorer EU states.
Oettinger and Canete spoke to representatives of the German carmakers 15 days before the commission presented a bill o CO2 emission standards.
At least 11 European political parties, two EU agencies, and the Nordic Council have a controversial tracking pixel on their website.
No one can escape death. But choices over how one's body is disposed of could either lessen or increase your carbon footprint.
A German MEP who steered the EU general data protection law through the European Parliament says the Facebook chief was only beginning to realise his firm's impact on people's privacy.
A draft report by the civil liberties committe says Hungary is at risk of breaching EU values. Orban's government claims this is an attack on his electoral victory.
As the EU Council kicks off negotiations over the post-2020 budget, ministers have have an opportunity to create a framework that will unlock innovative financing and scale up the citizen-led clean energy transformation
Russian firm Gazprom has been strangling EU energy markets for years, documents show, as the EU commission takes aim at a new Russian pipeline.
Fines in the EU are often divergent and low. The European Commission proposes to change EU consumer rules to make fines more deterrent.
A high proportion of former commissioners and top civil servants in charge of banking and financial regulation during the crisis have joined the sector, a report shows.
