European Union

In a time of growing diversity, secularism is the very principle that caters for the co-existence of the multitude of life stances and worldviews present in our societies. Yet, attempts to undermine it emanate at the highest level of the European Parliament. Secularism is a key principle of the European project, writes Giulio Ercolessi.

Coal has historically been at the cornerstone of the UK's electricity mix, but the first three months of 2019 saw the electricity grid clock up 650 hours of coal-free generation – more than was achieved during the entirety of 2017. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.

Germany, as well as other EU member states in the Schengen area, is extending the period of random border checks. The EU Commission is not pleased. EURACTIV’s media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Poland was the most populous country and biggest economy joining the EU in the 2004 “big bang” enlargement. The Polish citizens confirmed their will to join the Union in a referendum in June 2003.

The Council adopted conclusions on the mid-term review of the EU Forest Strategy.

The Council adopted a series of legislative acts.

The EU is better protecting consumers and businesses when they shop and trade online and offline.

The Council today agreed on key parts of the draft Council decision establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe.

The regulation adopted by the Council today aims to ensure that from 2030 onwards new cars will emit on average 37.5% less CO2 and new vans will emit on average 31% less CO2.

The rules governing the EU's internal gas market will in future apply to gas pipelines to and from third countries. The Council adopted an amendment to the gas directive.

The EU is taking steps to increase the number of TV and radio programmes available online for European consumers. The Council today adopted a directive which will facilitate the licensing of copyright-protected material contained in such programmes so that they can be made available throughout the EU.

The EU is amending its legal framework on copyright to make it fit-for-purpose in today's digital environment. The Council today adopted a directive that modernises existing EU copyright law to pave the way towards a true digital single market.

The European Commission today officially signed a €214.9 million grant for works on a new Baltic gas pipeline project aimed at connecting Poland and Denmark with Norway.

Excessive demands, different salary expectations and insufficient flexibility: despite the well-functioning economy, the satisfaction of employees in German companies is falling like in no other European country.  EURACTIV Germany's media partner Wirtschaftswoche reports.

Lyon’s Court of Appeal once again ruled against Monsanto on Friday 11 April and in favour of farmer Paul François, victim of pesticide poisoning. However, the case is far from over. EURACTIV’s partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.

The aim of bioeconomy is to have an innovative and low-emissions economy, bringing together demands for sustainable agriculture and fisheries, food safety, and the use of renewable biological resources for industry, while protecting biodiversity and the environment.

Gas pipelines from "third countries", such as Russia, will have to follow EU anti-monopoly law on their offshore sections, but only in the territorial waters of EU states under a new directive adopted by member states Monday. The diluted law allows Germany and Russia to operate the new Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, most of which lies outside EU waters in the Baltic Sea, as they see fit bilaterally.

The EU's agriculture ministers rubber-stamped a new regulation on the future of cars on Monday, on behalf of their environment colleagues. The new regulation was the result of a political compromise and was already agreed by a large majority in the European Parliament. Cars that are sold in the EU in 2030 will have to be 37.5% cleaner in terms of CO2 emissions, compared to 2021.

More than 2.5 years after the European Commission proposed it, the directive on copyright was given the final approval by member states in the Council of the EU on Monday. The text of the directive was the subject of intense debate and lobbying, with fears that the rules, meant to protect creators, could inadvertently stifle free speech. EU countries have two years to transpose the directive into national law.

A "censorship of the internet" could be in store as a direct result of the EU's new rules on Copyright protection, a Polish government minister said on Monday (15 April), as EU member states approved the controversial plans after more than two years.