Sunday

28th May 2023

Agenda

EU citizens, trade, and tax on EU agenda This WEEK

  • European leaders praised Macron and his electoral success (Photo: Reuters)

European leaders will be digesting the results of the French election this week, where centrist Emmanuel Macron beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

EU leaders hailed the pro-EU Macron's victory on Sunday as a boost for the European project.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, will be in Berlin on Monday (8 May) to meet with the German foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel, as Germany also heads into elections in September.

Meanwhile, Macron's win comes as the continent prepares to celebrate Europe Day on Tuesday (9 May) - the anniversary of the 1950 Schuman declaration which helped to create the EU.

Juncker will participate in a civic debate about the EU's future the same day at the Bozar - an arts centre in Brussels.

He will by joined by former Green leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the director of the European Broadcasting Union Guillaume Klossa, MEPs Danuta Hubner and Maria Joao Rodrigues, and former Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas.

Juncker will also give a speech on the future of Europe on Thursday at the Romanian parliament in Bucharest.

Brexit citizens

The situation of EU citizens living in the UK will be on the European Parliament's agenda this week.

On Thursday, the EU parliament's civil liberties committee will hold a hearing with representatives of "The 3 Million" group, which represents EU citizens in the UK.

The parliament will also continue to look into dodgy tax deals.

Its committee on money laundering and tax evasion will hear from representatives of the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and Madeira on Tuesday about their tax regimes and EU cooperation.

Spot the digital

An adviser to the European Court of Justice, the EU's top court, will issue his opinion in a case that will determine whether Uber, the popular ride-sharing application, should be regulated as a transport company or as a web company on Thursday.

The final decision, which will take this opinion into account, could determine whether the online service should be regulated more strictly under national transportation rules.

For its part, the Commission is expected to roll out a report on Wednesday on the progress of the Digital Single Market. It is expected to identify key points of focus for a better-integrated market.

Trade

On Thursday, EU foreign ministers will discuss trade - primarily the new anti-dumping methodology proposed by the EU commission.

The Council of the EU, where member states meet, has already agreed to a negotiating position on the issue and will start discussions with the EU parliament.

The proposed country-neutral methodology for assessing market distortions by state interventions in third countries is aimed at fighting dumping from countries such as China.

EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem will travel to Mexico early this week.

The Central American nation is one of the key countries with which the EU is negotiating a free trade agreement, in an increasingly protectionist global environment.

Macron wins French presidency

[Updated] The centrist pro-EU candidate easily beat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, with 66.1 percent of the vote against 33.9 percent.

EU relieved by Macron's win

EU leaders saw Macron's victory as a blow against nationalism and Russian meddling, but one in three French voters still picked the far right.

MEPs demand stronger rules against tax evasion

MEPs in the civil liberties and economic committees voted in favour of toughening up EU wide rules on tax evasion, as they gear up for institutional talks in March on the EU's anti-money laundering directive.

Barnier unveils EU's Brexit goals

Barnier to set out EU negotiating positions on citizens' rights, divorce costs, and Ireland in Brexit talks, amid a prickly atmosphere between London and Brussels.

Russia sanctions and EU elections on top This WEEK

The parliament's constitutional affairs committee is set to vote on a draft proposal on the number of seats in the European Parliament, and their distribution among EU countries, ahead of the 2024 elections.

Keeping China at arm's length is in focus This WEEK

The G7 aims to send a signal to China by announcing a joint effort to counter "economic coercion," with the EU hoping to avoid becoming a "vassal" in a US-China clash, as French president Emmanuel Macron said recently.

Opinion

How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon

The EU led support for the waste management crisis in Lebanon, spending around €89m between 2004-2017, with at least €30m spent on 16 solid-waste management facilities. However, it failed to deliver.

Latest News

  1. How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon
  2. EU criminal complicity in Libya needs recognition, says expert
  3. Europe's missing mails
  4. MEPs to urge block on Hungary taking EU presidency in 2024
  5. PFAS 'forever chemicals' cost society €16 trillion a year
  6. EU will 'react as appropriate' to Russian nukes in Belarus
  7. The EU needs to foster tech — not just regulate it
  8. EU: national energy price-spike measures should end this year

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us