Thursday
27th Jan 2022
The EU Commission wants to sign a joint declaration with the European Parliament and the EU Council by the summer and to have the principles act as "a reference" or "benchmark" for all in the bloc.
Europe is green, humane and has defeated populism. These are common views among the EU chattering classes. But they often seem more reflexive than reflective, and some of them amount to shibboleths.
The issue isn't that voices from the Global South simply aren't heard – they are actively muted. A recent study found less than one-percent of climate research papers were written by African authors, despite the continent being the most vulnerable.
The US and Nato have formally rejected Russia's demands to withdraw Western forces from eastern Europe and abandon Ukraine.
Pressure is mounting for the European Commission to revise rules requiring airlines to run at least 80% of booked flights to secure their airport slots, leading some to fly so-called 'ghost flights'.
A group of 23 NGOs urged the European Investment Bank to improve their lending practices to prevent human rights violations and further environmental harm.
Hungary is to host a congress of populist VIPs from around the globe in the run-up to prime minister Viktor Orbán re-election bid in April.
The EU is keen to continue training the Libyan coastguard despite its well-known abuse of irregular migrants, a leaked report has shown.
The European Parliament's Scholl building in Brussels was purchased for almost €75m, despite its estimated market value hovering between €42m and €65m. The issue has led to calls for the institution to review its building strategy, developed before the pandemic.
Case-studies from a year of Polish women living without recourse to abortion, following the highly-controversial Constitutional Tribunal ruling last year. The law's chilling effect on medical personnel is real.
A rift of emotions runs through Europe. While eastern European states fear the return of Russian imperialism, the average western European seems to believe that Russia still pushes back against alleged American imperialism.
Autonomous delivery operator Starship Technologies, based in San Fransisco, has received a €50m venture loan from the European Investment Bank - but the introduction to Europe's historic and narrow streets is so far marked by a lack of impact data.
Europe is preparing to boost its naval presence in the north west Indian Ocean "to uphold freedom of navigation" in the world's trade jugular.
The EU auditors pointed out the limited number of manufacturers able to build and operate 5G infrastructure increases EU dependency on third countries - as well as privacy and security risks associated with interference by "hostile state actors."
The two sides issued a joint statement, a positive development in itself in the divisive Brexit talks, saying Monday's talks took place in a constructive atmosphere.
Two senior German ministers have criticised EU plans to label natural gas green if it includes 30 percent low-cabon gas or hydrogen by 2026.
The latest European Commission health report puts the pair of south-eastern EU accession states last in terms of the overall lifespan of their citizens. Romanians and Bulgarian now die even younger than before.
Almost half of prosecuted cases in Europe are processed outside the framework of a trial - and new research shows that many people will have been coerced into pleading guilty, in some cases for crimes they did not commit.
Poland wants the EU's blessing to restrict people's right to asylum if they sneak in from Belarus.
EU foreign ministers are to condemn "Russia's continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine", while promising "massive" sanctions at Monday's meeting in Brussels.
Throughout the week, MEPs will vote on the chairs and vice-chairs of the 20 standing committees and three sub-committees for the next two-and-a-half years, the remainder of the current legislative term.
The NGO Global Witness found that Shell Quest, a blue hydrogen and carbon capture pilot facility in Alberta, emitted more CO2 than it captured.
The Digital Services Act was adopted with a solid majority in the European Parliament plenary - and today, some marketing professionals weep. The result will be a fundamentally different digital eco-system, and this will change digital marketing too.
Romania's underfunded public health system was on the verge of collapse during the last surge of cases. Hospital morgues were full, and some patients were transferred abroad for treatment because Covid-19 intensive care units were at full capacity.
Environmental lawyers are threatening to take legal action against the European Commission if gas is included in the EU guidelines for sustainable finances. But the draft taxonomy has also triggered discontent among some EU national capitals and MEPs.
MEPs have recalled their demands to include the right to legal and safe abortion into the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, a day after French president Emmanuel Macron pledged to open such a debate in the EU Council.
The case is one of many disputes between the EU and Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, which have started to cost money for Warsaw.
Thirty Dutch mayors have asked the national government to rethink its corona pandemic measures amid protests from museums and cultural centres against continued lockdown.
Obligatory detentions, more security-screening, and faster deportations - these are the French EU presidency's migration priorities.
MEPs will vote on new rules setting out transparency obligations for online players and holding Big Tech giants accountable. But some issues proved to be divisive after EU lawmakers tabled over a hundred amendments on the file.
Emmanuel Macron also took hits from French political opponents, including the Green party presidential challenger MEP Yannick Jadot in the European Parliament ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in France in April.
President Emmanuel Macron's address to the European Parliament championed a bold and ambitious pro-European agenda. There is one problem though - the plans rely on a system of governance that has gridlocked the EU for over a decade.
The EU plans to label natural gas as 'green' in sustainable investment rules. From 2026 it will have to be blended with low-carbon gases like green hydrogen - but many scientists warn this is inefficient, costly and damaging to health.
