Interview
Not like last time: Why Gaza is a new 'rip' in Belgian society
Belgium is used to seeing spikes in hatred of Jews and Muslims during Middle East conflicts — but the Gaza war is tearing apart society in deeper ways than before.
EU cost of living continues to rise much faster than wages
EU unemployment remains low at six percent, but food and energy prices remain high and wages are not keeping pace, meaning workers are losing purchasing power, the latest data shows.
Opinion
Gaza nears Mosul and Mariupol as deadliest urban conflict
If the current trends remain unchanged, the campaign in Gaza will be on track to becoming one of the deadliest urban conflicts in recent history.
Latest News
- Eurozone unemployment rises as interest rates start to bite
- EU cost of living continues to rise much faster than wages
- Not like last time: Why Gaza is a new 'rip' in Belgian society
- How austerity is pushing Europe to extremism
- Gaza nears Mosul and Mariupol as deadliest urban conflict
- One in two countries in democratic decline, finds study
- Belgium taking over EU helm as it ignores asylum court rulings
- It's time to open up the European Court of Justice
Eurozone unemployment rises as interest rates start to bite
Unemployment rises as interest rates start to bite as interest rates are beginning to drag down the economy.
Analysis
How austerity is pushing Europe to extremism
A recent study convincingly shows that for every one percent cut in regional public spending, the vote share of extreme parties increases by 1.5 percentage points in the first year and three percentage points two years after the cuts.
Belgium taking over EU helm as it ignores asylum court rulings
While Belgium is set to take over the EU presidency in January to usher in a possible Europe-wide asylum reform, its own government has ignored thousands of court decisions in favour of asylum seekers at home.
One in two countries in democratic decline, finds study
Half of countries saw a decline in at least one indicator of democracy from 2017-2022 —and Europe is no exception to a "worrying deterioration" in rule of law and press freedom, says rInternational Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
Opinion
It's time to open up the European Court of Justice
At present, the ECJ considers documents about ongoing proceedings to be confidential and only makes them available once the proceedings have concluded. Arguments submitted by parties are never published, blinding the public to the full picture.
Interview
Hits and misses of EU workplace and jobs legislation
Ahead of the 2024 elections, EUobserver talked to the Socialists & Democrats spokesperson for employment, Dutch MEP Agnes Jongerius, about past 'successes' on the minimum wage and platform workers, and future challenges on quality traineeships and AI in the workplace.
Feature
Greek island pioneering 'territorial diplomacy' on energy
Migration, sustainability, and energy transition: are local authorities able to combat Europe's pressing issues by surpassing national governments by taking matters into their own hands or will they get lost in a bureaucratic labyrinth built by favouritism?
Sanchez's 'amnesty' talks with Catalan separatists to stay PM
Spain's socialist party wants to avoid new elections and is rushing to form a governing coalition for incumbent prime minister Pedro Sánchez before the Socialists' European congress on 10-11 November. But an 'amnesty' for Catalan political separatists is a sticking-point.
Israel's Gaza attack 'beyond proportionality', Norway says
Israel is breaking the rules of modern warfare in Gaza, Norway's prime minister said in Oslo on Tuesday.
Surge of antisemitism in Europe condemned by EU Commission
The EU commission has condemned antisemitism as Jews in Europe grapple with a spike in attacks after Hamas gunmen slaughtered over 1,400 people on 7 October in Israel.
Stakeholder
Preventing the death of 200 people per hour
Preventing cardiovascular disease — a cost or an investment in EU health resilience?
Column
The EU must become an honest broker again in the Middle East
The same Europe that condemns Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine condemns Hamas when it does the same — but not Israel. This is a gift to Moscow and a disgrace to Europe.
Opinion
Can G7 make Russia pay for reconstruction of Ukraine?
While seizing Russian assets for Ukraine's reconstruction seems a logical option, it presents legal challenges and potential risks to the monetary system. Alternative approaches, such as seizing the proceeds generated by frozen assets, are being considered by Western allies.
Spain and Belgium increased Russian LNG imports, study finds
Spain and Belgium increased imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Russia by 50 percent from January to September 2023, compared to last year, while France saw Russian LNG imports rise by 40 percent, according to a new study.
Stakeholders' Highlights
- This autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
- Fostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
- The European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
- The Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
- UNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
- Georgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
Israeli 'rage' in West Bank alarms France and US
Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the West Bank has drawn French and US warnings, as Israel keeps bombing Gaza after EU leaders appealed for a "pause".
Row over 'unabated' phase-out at pre-COP28 Dubai meeting
Countries met in Dubai to work towards a new climate agreement, ahead of the UN Climate Summit (COP28) in December — but doublespeak geopolitical rivalry complicates consensus on fossil fuel phase-out.
Opinion
The best deal Kosovo and Serbia can get
The newly-proposed scheme, presented by five European and US envoys in separate meetings with Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vučić, would end the unstable and violence-prone situation of Serbia and Kosovo asserting overlapping sovereignty in northern Kosovo.
Agenda
Western Balkans and pre-COP meeting in focus This WEEK
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will be travelling this week throughout the Western Balkan. Meanwhile, the pre-COP28 on Monday and Tuesday will bring together ministers in Abu Dhabi to prepare for the UN climate talks.
Nordic women in majority as the eight parliaments meet in Oslo
Only two parliaments in the world have more than 50 percent female representation, Rwanda and Bolivia. This week's Nordic parliamentary meeting in Oslo will join that select group, with 54 percent female participation.
EU confirms plans for Russia-diamonds ban
The EU has confirmed it is going to strike Russia's diamond industry in upcoming sanctions, spelling trouble for mining giant Alrosa and dozens of other companies.
Spanish plan to cut working week to 38.5 hours in 2024
The Spanish plan aims to reduce the working week to 38.5 hours next year and 37.5 hours by 2025. In EU countries such as Greece or Bulgaria the average working week is over 40 hours.
Opinion
Germany's new 'left' party — AfD-killer or personality cult?
Unshackled from her former party, Sahra Wagenknecht's xenophobic rhetoric will only increase, in a cynical ploy to gather votes from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) by stoking social fires.
Investigation
EU 'green mining' grants went to firms linked to environmental abuses
The Horizon scheme funded 95 projects related to critical raw materials since 2014. Millions of euros went to businesses tied to environmental abuses, others to oligarchs, a Chinese state-owned firm, and another based in a Caribbean tax haven.
Summit: few countries willing to pay for bigger EU budget
EU Commission called on member states at the summit to increase the budget €100bn but few were willing to even consider higher spending, except for Ukraine.
EU backs Israel-Palestine peace summit, Spain solo on ceasefire
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez proposed an international peace summit in six months to address the Palestine-Israel conflict. However, Madrid's attempt to include a humanitarian "ceasefire" reference in the Brussels summit's conclusions failed.
Estonia's Kallas belittles Orbán for Putin handshake
Estonian prime minister Kallas shamed the two overtly pro-Russian leaders in the EU summit on Thursday — Hungary's Orbán and Slovakia's Fico.
EU's Global Gateway meeting slammed as 'business as usual'
The EU Commission invited leaders from the so-called 'Global South' to Brussels to promote its Global Gateway following years of unclarity and underperformance.
Commissioners' no-show at spyware hearing angers MEPs
The EU commissioners were invited to attend the MEP debate on Pegasus, but neither Didier Reynders nor Věra Jourová showed up.
Far-right Meloni praises von der Leyen's migration stance
The European Commission is sending out political signals that its top priority on migration is to shore up borders, send people packing, and prevent others from arriving.
Opinion
Iraq to Gaza via Ukraine — the moral bankruptcy of the West
Europe and the US are thus sending the message that human rights and international law apply to some, but not to others. Some countries that flout rights are sanctioned, while others are simply supported.
Stakeholders' Highlights
- Global interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
- 20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
- Join CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
- Seven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
- World Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
