Monday

4th Dec 2023

Opinion

'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU

Since last week, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta corporation is forcing its European users to either accept their intrusive privacy practices — or pay €156 per year to access Facebook and Instagram without tracking advertising.

Opinion

My experience trying to negotiate with Uber

After working with people in unusual employment situations for a decade, I thought I had seen it all as a union organiser. Then I began dealing with Uber.

Latest News

  1. EU-China summit and migration files in focus This WEEK
  2. COP28 debates climate finance amid inflated accounting 'mess'
  3. Why EU's €18m for Israel undermines peace
  4. Israel's EU ambassador: 'No clean way to do this operation'
  5. Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law
  6. Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground
  7. Germany moves to criminalise NGO search-and-rescue missions
  8. Israel recalls ambassador to Spain in new diplomatic spat

Opinion

The EU's 'no added sugars' fruit-juice label sleight-of-hand

The Food Information to Consumers package would have finally regulated the health or nutrition claims companies make on their products, claims like "heart-healthy" "30-percent less fat" or "no added sugar". Legislation on these claims is now 15 years overdue.

Member states stall on EU ban on forced-labour products

More than two years after the EU Commission first proposed a law on forced labour, inter-institutional negotiations have not started because member states cannot reach agreement — risking the text's adoption before the 2024 European Parliament elections.

Platform workers could face 'robo-firing' under EU's AI rules

The platform workers directive, currently under negotiation, could create "ambiguity" on the processing of personal data by the platform and would also violate the GDPR by including the use of so-called robo-firing, research shows.

Strikes across Europe squeeze Amazon on 'Black Friday'

On one of its most profitable retail days of the year, Black Friday, online giant Amazon faces a wave of protests and demonstrations in more than 30 countries demanding better wages, fair tax payments and greater accountability for the planet.

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'Fucking furious': MEPs urge action on gender violence

MEPs across the political spectrum united on Thursday to send a clear message: a robust directive on violence against women is needed — and the Council must unblock the negotiations before the end of the mandate.

Opinion

Germany, Israel and Gaza: an increasingly untenable position

I completely agree with the Berlin government's concern about anti-Semitism in Germany — but I think its approach to the war in Gaza and developments in the West Bank is morally wrong, politically damaging, rigid and likely to break soon.

EU proposes online platform to match legal migrants with jobs

The EU Commission has proposed a platform that would bring together EU employers and non-EU workers. The aim? To address the pressing labour shortages facing the EU-27, but also to boost competitiveness — and discourage illegal migration.

No mass scanning in EU online child-abuse bill, MEPs agree

MEPs agreed on new rules for online service and hosting providers to improve the protection of children online, but also to ensure the privacy of internet users — a balance that was missing from the EU Commission's proposal.

Analysis

'Bestaanszekerheid' — the buzzword of the Dutch election

Despite its higher than average income, the Netherlands is no exception to the cost of living crisis, which is at the forefront of political parties' and trade unions' messages ahead of the 22 November election.

Opinion

S&D urges EU plan to address housing crisis for young people

The Socialists & Democrats are gathering in Málaga to prepare their manifesto for the 2024 European elections. With house prices doubling in countries like Latvia, Luxembourg, Czechia, and Austria, the S&D is calling for affordable housing for young Europeans.

Crunch point in talks on EU gig workers' employment status

The 'presumption of employment' crux continues to hold up agreement on a final text to improve conditions for digital platform workers. On Thursday, the EU institutions will meet again on the technical aspects of the agreement.

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?

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