European Union

A group of 154 German economists warn in a joint article The euro should not lead into the liability union in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that plans to transform the European Stability Mechanism to a permanent European Monetary Fund to weather economic shocks "pose great risks for European citizens". The proposals of French president Macron and EU Commission president Juncker would also deprive the German Bundestag of control, they said.

The Swedish government is preparing to distribute a 20-page pamphlet next week If Crisis or War Comes to all 4.8 million households, informing people on what to do in case of war. The Swedes are advised to stock non-perishable food, water bottles, warm clothing and sleeping bags. The initiative comes as Sweden debates Nato membership and ahead of general elections in September.

Leaders of Italy's far-right League and the 5-Star Movement have proposed a law professor at Florence University, Giuseppe Conte, as the country's new prime minister. Conte is not an MP and is unknown in politics, but has served as a 5-Star Movement adviser. The two parties need to reach an agreement on their prime ministerial candidate with Italy's president Sergio Mattarella before seeking approval from parliament for their coalition government.

Transport is one of the EU’s few sectors where emissions are actually growing. Brussels believes that electric vehicle uptake is one of the main solutions to halt this trend but what steps are being taken to decarbonise our roads?

EU ministers today (22 May) will refine a last-ditch bid to persuade US President Donald Trump to back off stiff tariffs on metals imports from Europe and win the bloc a similar break as handed China.

Six beneficiaries of a €35m defence research grant were also part of the EU expert group that called for more public money in for the military. 'This raises serious concerns about a conflict of interests,' says campaigner Bram Vranken.

All eyes are on Italy as the far-right League and rebellious Five Star Movement close in on power, ringing alarm bells in Brussels as the country inches towards becoming the first EU founding member to have a euro-sceptic government.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday (20 May) addressed thousands of expatriate Turks in Sarajevo at his only election rally outside Turkey after other European countries banned such events.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev used the first day of an official trip to Moscow on Monday (21 May) to try and resurrect plans for a pipeline that would bring gas directly from Russia to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, after it was cancelled in 2014.

EU crop based biofuels are currently the primary tool in the decarbonisation of transport in Europe: no small task. Their direct displacement of oil, high sustainability; huge GHG reductions and addition of high protein animal feed to the food chain...

A coalition of activist groups on Monday announced a campaign to break up Facebook, arguing that the huge social network "has too much power over our lives and democracy."

The EU's foreign policy chief warned Monday (21 May) there was "no alternative" to the Iran nuclear deal, after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed unprecedented sanctions against Tehran following Washington's withdrawal from the pact.

This week's Clean Energy Ministerial must send clear signal on the role renewables can play in raising climate action targets, writes Jennifer Morgan.

A host of UK packaging organisations have called for more recycling collection points, tax reliefs for recycled content and a universal list of acceptable materials as part of a desired regulation reform to make it easier for consumers to recycle packaging waste. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s meeting on Tuesday afternoon (22 May) with European Parliament leaders is “the right thing for himself” after the company’s recent data collection scandal, EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said in an interview.

Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League on Monday (21 May) proposed Giuseppe Conte, a little-known law professor, as prime minister to lead their big-spending coalition government.

The European Union is starting to think in earnest about how to reduce the impact of transportation on the environment. But are plans to tackle a sector whose emissions continue to grow too strict or not ambitious enough?

The European Commission wants to triple the amount of money for migration in the next EU budget. Earlier this week, EU agencies, NGOs, and the mayor of Athens gave their views at a European parliament public hearing.

It is very unlikely that the climate target of the Paris agreement can be met without a system that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – we need negative emissions.

Based on figures from 2016, nearly 26.4% of children across the EU are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, poverty or social exclusion. But the EU has one potential policy development to deal with this worrying trend, write Joanna Hofman and Katie Stewart.