European Union

House prices, mortgages and rents are strangling citizens across Europe, depriving 895,000 people of access to housing, as the cost of living crisis, the fallout from the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic put ever-more pressure on people's pockets.

The load factor of nuclear reactors – their output in relation to their theoretical energy generation capacity – needs improving, CEO of electricity and gas supplier E-Pango Philippe Girard told an event on France's energy mix organised by Euractiv on Monday (3 October).

The European Parliament is lifting objections to press ahead on EU-wide asylum reforms with the council, representing member states.

Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron made a promise. "By the end of the year we will regain control of the price of electricity, at the French and European level," he said on 25 September. Euractiv France looks at how this could be done.

The Slovak social democrat party of Robert Fico appears to be edging towards the margins of the pan-European socialist family as the row over his party's pro-Russian stance continues to escalate.

The French government dissolved the fundamentalist Catholic association Civitas on Wednesday (October 4), stating that the group seeks to "wage war against the Republic" by spreading anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, homophobic and conspiracy theories.

Germany, famous for its careful political culture, has long resisted the rise of populism. But with two state elections looming and the far-right at an all-time high, ever more parties, including the mainstream ones, are tapping into populist rhetoric. West...

The political appetite for EU sanctions on Serbia is growing, after Belgrade's response to a dramatic attack in Kosovo. Croatia has joined eight other EU states calling for action, according to diplomatic sources.

As part of its efforts to secure EU accession for the Western Balkans, the German government is sending for the first time an agricultural attaché to the region to help it implement the often highly technical EU legislation in the field.

With an overwhelming majority, the European Parliament has adopted a new instrument to fight economic blackmail. At the same time, however, the EU itself is facing accusations of coercion with its environmental rules.

During his address, Czech President Petr Pavel called for a dialogue with citizens, a fight against populism and a policy of no concessions to Putin.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

During his address, Czech President Petr Pavel called for a dialogue with citizens, a fight against populism and a policy of no concessions to Putin.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

An editorial word: Overarching effect of health in EU policies By Giedrė Peseckytė & Marta Iraola  Making changes at the EU level in the health field is not easy. The Lisbon Treaty sets common safety concerns in public health matters...

GRANADA, SPAIN - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev will not attend EU-brokered talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Spain this Thursday (5 October), Azeri diplomatic sources confirmed to Euractiv.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is closely monitoring drug shortages as access to medicines is once again at the heart of discussions in Brussels, since the demand for drugs increases during the virus season.

Following two rounds of tense negotiations, Wopke Hoekstra and Maroš Šefčovič received the European Parliament's blessing on Wednesday (4 October) to take on the climate and Green Deal portfolios in the European Commission.

Factors such as the weather, and conditions in countries of departure, are much more key in explaining changing migration movements than talk of the 'pull' effect. But despite the many attempts to 'debunk' it, the pull theory is resilient.

The war in Ukraine and inflation have depleted the reserves in the EU's long-term budget. The EU needs more funds so that it can react to crises, say MEPs.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The war in Ukraine and inflation have depleted the reserves in the EU's long-term budget. The EU needs more funds so that it can react to crises, say MEPs.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On Wednesday, Parliament approved nearly €455 million in EU Solidarity Fund aid in response to recent natural disasters in Romania, Italy and Türkiye.
Committee on Budgets

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP