European Union

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is no longer optimistic when it comes to avoiding US tariffs on goods, thanks to the result of the WTO Airbus case.

Germany's energy-intensive steel industry needs to reinvent itself so that it can meet European climate targets and remain competitive. However, there is still a long road to go before the sector goes green. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The Council of Europe and NGOs have urged EU countries to agree on a "sustainable and predictable" mechanism for disembarking people rescued in the Mediterranean, ahead of an EU meeting of interior ministers.

A group of eight EU countries has sent a letter to the incoming European Commission of Ursula von der Leyen, calling on the bloc to raise its climate ambition from a current 40% emissions reduction to a 55% cut by 2030, EURACTIV has learned.

France’s European Commissioner-designate, Sylvie Goulard, was given a rough ride on Wednesday (2 October) by MEPs, who questioned her integrity. Goulard now has the chance to convince MEPs by answering a new set of questions in writing or by facing the music at the end of this week. EURACTIV France reports.

European officials warned Monday (6 October) that Britain's latest Brexit proposal cannot serve as a basis for a breakthrough before next week's Brussels summit.

US President Donald Trump warned Turkey Monday (6 October) against going too far in Syria, one day after giving Ankara a green light to invade its southern neighbor, sparking panic among Washington's Kurdish allies.

In a fragmented EU market, the vaccines ecosystem is complex and in order for it to be “healthy” all relevant stakeholders should be taken into account, Professor Panos Kanavos, an associate professor at LSE, told EURACTIV.com.

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Josep Borrell, Spanish candidate for High Representative/Vice-President for foreign affairs and security policy.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Josep Borrell, Spanish candidate for High Representative/Vice-President for foreign affairs and security policy.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The Constitutional Affairs and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committees questioned Věra Jourová, Czech Vice President-designate for Values and Transparency.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The Constitutional Affairs and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committees questioned Věra Jourová, Czech Vice President-designate for Values and Transparency.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Paul Tang questions why bank lobbyists are seeking to delay transparency measures that they have publicly endorsed.

Entry into office of two new Members of the Court of Justice

The Dutch coalition government on Monday lost its majority in the parliament, after a member of prime minister Mark Rutte's VVD party said he wanted to keep his seat as an independent. Last month, MP Wybren van Haga was dismissed for maintaining ties with the company he founded in 2018, reported Reuters. With only 75 seats, Rutte's four-party coalition will need the support of the opposition to pass legislation.

Ursula von der Leyen is set to spend her days and nights in Commission HQ, in a specially converted flat high on the 13th floor. Here, we offer a fictional telling of what might come to pass in those haunted hallways a few months from now...

Written by Aidan Christie,

© Architectes : Vandenbossche SPRL, CRV S.A., CDG S.P.R.L., Studiegroep D. Bontinck, ©Façade et Hémicycle – Arch M. Boucquillon Belgium – European Union 2019 – Source : EP

Once the last of the first round of hearings of the European Commission candidates put forward by Ursula von der Leyen concludes on Tuesday 8 October, the attention of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will turn to the first plenary session of the new term to be held in Brussels. The focus will still be on the hearings process, however, with decisions to be taken by the political group leaders on possible additional hearings of certain candidates, as well as hearings of the replacement nominees from Hungary and Romania.

Among the highlights of the session will be debates following statements from the Council and Commission on the forthcoming European Council meeting, and on the next multiannual financial framework (MMF) and the own resources system. As regards the first of these, the 17-18 October European Council meeting is the last one scheduled under the current leadership, with Charles Michel taking over from Donald Tusk as President on 1 December, and Jean-Claude Juncker due to hand over to Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission on 1 November. Von der Leyen has been invited to attend the European Council meeting and the leaders are expected to discuss the programming for the coming five years, on the basis of the 2019-2024 Strategic Agenda agreed in June.

The other main subject to be discussed by the Heads of State or Government will be the EU’s post-2020 budget, with the Finnish Presidency of the Council outlining the progress made on narrowing the gaps between Member States’ positions on the MFF; the subject is nevertheless expected to return to the European Council’s agenda in December. The new Parliament will therefore be taking its first opportunity to outline its position on both the MFF and the own resources system in advance of the leaders’ discussion. A motion for a resolution tabled by four political groups (EPP, S&D, Renew and Greens/EFA) largely seeks to reiterate the positions adopted by Parliament during the last term.

On Wednesday evening, the High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission, Federica Mogherini, is due to make a statement on the situation in Ukraine. With the election in Ukraine of a new president, and then parliament, earlier this year, efforts have been stepped up to relaunch talks under the Normandy format. President Volodomyr Zelenskiy’s room for manoeuvre remains limited, however, and there is little sign of the commitments made under the Minsk Agreements being followed through; the conflict thus continues in the Donbass region.

On Thursday morning, there will be a debate on a report from the EMPL committee on the employment and social policies of the euro area, a contribution to the annual European Semester process. Parliament’s position is supposed to feed into the Council’s recommendations on euro-area policies, due to be adopted in November. The committee’s report emphasises the need to strengthen social rights, so that they stretch to all, as well as to develop labour market and education policies to ensure adequate social protection and address skills mismatches more effectively.

Parliament is due to vote on Thursday on draft amending budget No 4 (DAB 4/2019), in which the Commission is proposing to reduce commitment and payment appropriations for 2019, on the basis of updated needs and revenue forecasts. In its report, the Committee on Budgets voted to amend the Council’s position, seeking to redeploy savings to other major EU programmes that are currently lacking in funding. It is therefore calling on the Commission to present a new proposal along those lines. Parliament will also debate the issue of greening the European Investment Bank (EIB), with the Bank’s president taking part. This issue has gained in significance in the light of the Commission President-elect’s priority to develop a European green deal.

Environmental activists of the group 'Extinction Rebellion' and NGOs on Monday demanded government action in support of the climate emergency, and a commitment to reducing the impact of climate change.

Anti-Brexit campaigners on Monday lost a court case in Scotland aimed at preventing the UK government crashing out of the EU with no deal. Activists had wanted the Scottish court to rule that Boris Johnson must commit to asking Brussels for an extension of the 31 October Brexit deadline, if no deal is found this month. Judges in Edinburgh accepted the government's assurances they would ask for an extension.

The European Investment Bank wants to purge its loan books of fossil fuels, including natural gas, by 2020. Although the Bank's final decision is expected to be delivered on 15 October, resistance, especially from Germany, is brewing. EURACTIV Germany reports.