Euobserver.com

At 2024's European Parliament elections, the stakes will be very high. A lot has happened in the last four years. In 2019, there was no pandemic, no war in Europe and no johnny-come-lately countries demanding a seat at the table.

During a debate in the EU Parliament economy committee, MEPs grilled ECB president Christine Lagarde over the €135bn pay out to commercial banks which some feel constitutes an unwarranted subsidy.

Everything could be seen as a 'political ad' — even well-known voices championing important issues, such as Greta Thunberg, could find themselves subject to European regulations for every tweet, Facebook post, or snap they share.

Final negotiations on the EU due diligence law begin this week. But will this law make companies embed due diligence requirements in their internal processes or incentive them to outsource their obligations to third parties?

The total bill for the Polish government for not amending its disciplinary scheme for judges is €556m. The EU Commission has already deducted €360m from transfers of EU funds to Poland.

Sweden Democrats, the rightwing populist party, of all far-right and populist parties in the EU votes the most against regulations involving the Green Deal.

Help us empower the local and regional level, by proposing or participating in an EPP Local Dialogue in your village, city or region to discuss how to make Europe a better place to live in.

Just think of the creative ways in which autocratic leaders aligned with Viktor Orbán would gain more access to the EU.

The EU Commission is reviewing its posted workers directive. In recent years, subcontracting has lengthened EU supply chains, making it harder to detect labour abuses — and those responsible for them.

Home affairs ministers will work on trying to clinch a common position among EU governments on the migration management system regulation and the asylum procedure regulation, two key parts of the bloc's asylum reform.

The Spanish government has officially requested to postpone the presentation of its upcoming EU presidency priorities in the European Parliament's plenary chamber until September.

Warsaw-based Frontex is likely violating rights by data dumping migrant testimonies with the EU's police agency Europol, according to a data protection authority.

Next year, the EU will have a new anti-money laundering agency. Madrid has offered its tallest skyscraper rent-free, but other cities are also in the running.

If the EU can map out a strategy to "de-risk" economic and trade relations with Beijing, it can do so on human rights.

MEPs have adopted a non-binding resolution that "questions" if Hungary is fit to hold the EU's presidency in the second half of 2024, given persistent concerns over the country's democratic backsliding.

The global energy crisis has become a driving force behind the rapid growth of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

The European Broadcasting Union is wooing Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov for a splashy TV interview, despite his record of bizarre anti-Ukraine hate speech.

The European Central Bank in its Financial Stability Review warned EU home prices could see a 'disorderly' fall as high mortgage rates are making houses unaffordable for households and unattractive for investors.

Extreme weather events in recent months have worsened agricultural production in southern Europe, prompting concerns for authorities in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. As countries will likely face dryer conditions, experts urge adaptation measures for the 'new normal'.

The EU could be a global leader in marine sustainability and significantly reduce forced migration, if only it would challenge those who profit from ransacking African resources.