Tuesday
15th Oct 2019
Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds over their role in Catalonia's 2017 bid for independence. The possible legal immunity of some MEPs remains unanswered.
While the battle with the European Commission over the rule of law rages on, PiS is discreetly trying to tweak electoral law in their favour.
Golden Dawn has elected one of its most prominent members to the EU parliament, the former MP Ioannis Lagos.
The European parliament debates on Tuesday the fires in the Amazon region. "It goes without saying that, in light of the gravity of the situation, Europe will need to renegotiate the Mercosur agreement", writes MEP Kathleen Van Brempt.
France has urged the EU to introduce a framework for the regulation of cryptocurrencies, after the introduction of the new Facebook virtual money 'Libra' threatens the financial stability of the EU.
Ombudsmen are often coming under attack or facing different kinds of challenges. These can include threats, legal action, reprisals, budget cuts or a limitation of their mandate.
Poland's conservative ruling party has won four more years in office, with attacks on courts and LGBTI values auguring badly for EU relations
Budapest joins Istanbul and Warsaw by having an opposition mayor to a strongman illiberal leader, after a united opposition serves a shock blow across several towns in local elections in Hungary.
As Poland's combative Law and Justice party faces elections this Sunday, the commission once again sends a case on its domestic judiciary reforms to the European Court of Justice for breaking EU rules.
The current Czech commissioner for justice, Vera Jourova, was approved for the next commission, as she promised to defend democracy from online threats, and to present ideas about reforming future European elections by 2020.
In these commissioner hearings politics and the law are very close to one another. The temptation to use legal rules and procedures for political ends is real and present.
Portuguese prime minister António Costa's Socialist Party (PS) won Sunday's parliamentary election - increasing from 85 to 106 lawmakers in the 230-seat parliament, but short of an outright majority.
Croatia's European commissioner nominee, Dubravka Šuica - who has been highly-critised at home for not being fully transparent - promised during her European Parliament grilling that she will work "towards the rule of law and transparency".
National courts in EU states can order Facebook to delete content "worldwide", Europe's top tribunal has ruled, in what the US social media giant called an attack on free speech.
The Austrian politician, who has been a commissioner for the last ten years, won the support from MEPs as he pledged he would be an "honest broker" in budget talks.
Malta's nominee for EU commissioner for the new equality portfolio, Helena Dalli, promised on Wednesday (2 October) an ambitious programme to fight all types of discrimination, stereotypes, and gender-related issues across Europe.
After a 15-year legal battle, the US was given the green light to impose tariffs on EU products. The EU is threatening countermeasures but wants to negotiate. Transatlantic ties have suffered another blow.
Two years after the former government of Carles Puigdemont held a unilateral independence referendum in defiance of the Spanish courts and constitution, the political and social conflict in Catalonia is still a key issue for both Spain and Europe.
Thousands of migrants arriving on Greek islands are "creating unsustainable conditions" in an asylum system that was "already under great strain", the EU has warned.
Hours before the European Parliament hearings of would-be commissioners begin, two nominees are rejected in a second vote by MEPs on the legal affairs committee. It is an early blow to president-elect Ursula von der Leyen.
Leader of the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) Sebastian Kurz won Sunday's snap parliamentary election in Austria with 38.4 percent of the vote, after he lost a confidence vote in May due to the 'Ibiza scandal'.
Before Josep Borrell is confirmed as the next the EU high-representative and vice-president of the commission, he is likely to face questions during his grilling about corruption allegations and other controversial comments.
If successful in Sunday's poll, Sebastian Kurz will face three difficult options - a renewed alliance with the disgraced hard-right Freedom Party, a return to a 'Grand Coalition' with the socialists, or a risky three-way split with Greens and liberals.
EU interior ministers will discuss plans, cooked up by Germany, France, Italy, Malta and Finland, to redistribute migrants stranded at sea. The devil will be in the details.
Nine EU commissioner candidates have been taken to task for incomplete or "downright shocking" financial declarations by the European Parliament's legal affairs committee.
Matteo Salvini's recent gambit may have failed, but, in his own words: "From today you will find me even more pissed off and determined. I will go from town to town and we will take this country back."
Romania's anti-graft crusader Laura Kovesi will take on corruption at an EU level as the bloc's first prosecutor - despite opposition from her country's government.
European People's Party group leader Manfred Weber defended Ursula von der Leyen's decision to rename a commission portfolio, partly dealing with migration, "protecting the European way of life". He said it means rescuing people in the Mediterranean.
Hungary was quizzed by EU ministers over its domestic crackdown on media, judges, academia and NGOs. Hungary's minister responded by saying the country had defended "the European way of life" for centuries, and it should be respected.
Poland and Hungary have argued that rule of law is purely a domestic matter and the EU should respect legal traditions, but Dutch foreign minister warned backsliding was a worry for all.
Some media - especially those based in Madrid - have emphasised that "the National Day of Catalonia (the 'Diada') has failed". Nothing could be further from the truth.
Commission president-elect Ursula von der Leyen wants to see "tighter enforcement" of EU rules, and wants the current Belgian foreign minister to take charge.
Catalonia celebrated on Wednesday its national day - while awaiting the trial verdict on 12 Catalan separatists, former politicians of Carles Puigdemont's government. That decision is expected for early October.
