European Union

The German government has ordained that gas be stored in the country’s largest gas storage facility, Rehden, in order to ensure security of gas supply. Gas stores at the facility sold to Gazprom had hitherto been at historic lows.

The European Commission on Wednesday (1 June) approved the €35.4 billion recovery plan for Poland after a long delay due to Warsaw's opposition to roll back judicial reforms. 

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is expected to travel to Warsaw on Thursday to announce the move — which comes after a year-long debate over the release of Covid-19 recovery financing.

Written by Vasco Guedes Ferreira with Tobias Hoffmann.

A conference entitled ‘From a European to a global green’ held on 12 May 2022, organised jointly by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) and the Japan-based Science and Technology in Society forum focused on the transition to green energy in the European Union and the wider world.

The conference aimed to open a constructive exchange of views between leading experts on cooperation opportunities in science and technology in the EU, Japan and the rest of the world, which supports the leveraging of the ‘European Green Deal’ to achieve a ‘Global Green Deal’.

In his opening speech, STOA Chair Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany) highlighted that such discussions at the global level are vital to progress on ‘green’ ambitions, noting that ‘We have to “light the torch & carry it forward” like at the Olympics’. Chairman of the STS forum, Professor Hiroshi Komiyama agreed, responding ‘So all of us take action to reach a bright future, move in the right direction and transform society’.

The first panel focused on ‘Green, secure and affordable energy for Europe’ and promoted a debate on the energy dimension of the European Green Deal. Views and statements from the European Commission and the research and business communities on the implementation challenges were debated. President of the European Research Council (ERC), Maria Leptin stressed the important role of curiosity-driven research. She explained that, in her view, research unconstrained by policy priorities needs to be part of any programme and noted that ERC-funded research projects contribute to achieving the EU Green Deal’s ambitions. Panellists discussed possibilities as to how the EU could accelerate the implementation of energy and climate policies, as well as debating the link with energy security and the reduction of energy imports. Panellists highlighted the role of science and technology in ensuring a fair and inclusive clean energy transition, including the investigation of hydrogen technologies. Panellist and President of the German Leibniz Association, Matthias Kleiner emphasised the need for more renewable energy, transnational collaboration and fundamental research to achieve these goals.

The second panel focused on ‘The path to a Global Green Deal’, with the aim of exploring how international cooperation on science and technology could use the European Green Deal to trigger a global green transformation. Questions and discussions focused on how like-minded partners from around the world could work together towards achieving a more sustainable world. The panel promoted the need for dialogue between industry, society and policy-makers from Japan and elsewhere, and developed a shared vision of the challenges, but also potential science and technology breakthroughs. Further discussions also focused on how different approaches from various regions of the world could be brought together to boost shared knowledge

Closing the event, European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili emphasised the EU’s commitment to accelerate its efforts in implementing the European Green Deal, which should contribute to ensuring Europe’s energy independence. She also highlighted that STOA is working on a complete analysis of the current situation, including the development of a preparedness plan for Europe, which addresses food, energy and technological security. She invited the STS forum to continue its cooperation with the EU aiming for a more sustainable world that could ultimately contribute to greater geopolitical stability.

The full recording of the event is available here. Your opinion counts for us. To let us know what you think, get in touch via stoa@europarl.europa.eu.

The Egyptian president has called for EU support for his country’s position on the ‘existential’ Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as the two sides look to step up political and economic relations against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Sinn Féin leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill on Wednesday (1 June) gave their backing for the EU's implementation of the controversial Northern Ireland protocol and called for support in resolving the political impasse in Northern Ireland.

German MEP Manfred Weber was elected president of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), the largest political family in Europe, at their congress in Rotterdam on Tuesday. Weber has been leading the party's group in the European Parliament and he has received 447 votes out of a possible 502. He succeeds former Polish prime minister and ex-president of the European Council, Donald Tusk.

France's new left-wing bloc has made steady progress in the polls and is threatening President Emmanuel Macron's presidential majority ahead of the upcoming legislative elections, a poll from Tuesday (31 May) shows. EURACTIV France reports.

German liberal MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen and Romanian centre-right MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu have organised a dinner in Strasbourg with Airlines for Europe (A4E). The dinner takes place on the eve of a crucial vote on climate change laws.

While the European Central Bank (ECB) suggests that an increase in interest rates is no longer a taboo subject, the issue of reducing public debt is back on the French political agenda.

The reforms of EU's Emissions Trading System might be one of the important steps to make EU more resilient and less dependent on fossil fuels imported from Russia.

The long-running controversy over the herbicide ingredient glyphosate was reignited this week when the EU chemicals agency (ECHA) said classifying it as carcinogenic was "not justified".

As the data centre industry's conversations around climate neutrality bear their first fruits, some signatories are criticising "unambitious" plans, and argue that too much weight has been given to large American operators.

It was telling that while day one of this week’s EU summit focused on getting a compromise agreement on a Russian oil embargo over the line, day two was about food security and the EU’s southern neighbours.

The war against Ukraine and homemade policy decisions are causing disastrous conditions for disabled children living in institutions. The EU should ensure its humanitarian aid involves this vulnerable group while also supporting community-based disability support, writes Florian Sanden.

With the Conference on the Future of Europe coming to end, the question remains what  stays - will the ideas of citizens remain ideas? Will their input be given a space in the future of European politics?

Seizing Russian assets in Europe is an important and just way to help Ukrainians now and during the country's reconstruction, writes Paweł Jabłoński.  

French President Emmanuel Macron, together with his new Health Minister, Brigitte Bourguignon, has proposed changing the way emergency services in hospitals are run, one of the sore points of the country's health system, and called for a stakeholder conference on health.

Many cancer survivors in long-term remission often experience unfair treatment in accessing financial services because of their medical history. While the right to be forgotten is a way to solve this issue, it is implemented in only a handful of...

The European Environment Agency (EEA) on Wednesday submitted official EU data to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).