European Union

Germany plans to take all its coal-fired power plants off the grid by 2038. Europe's press discusses if and how that can work.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed plans to merge the Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger chat services by 2020. This will mean that messages can be exchanged between the different services. A step that is likely to be greeted by many users raises the ire of commentators.

The Dutch coalition government has agreed to grant asylum to around 600 migrants under the age of 18 and their families. They will receive permanent residency permits even if they have no right to asylum. With this compromise solution the four coalition parties have averted a government crisis. Decisions on asylum issues often leave a bitter aftertaste, commentators write.

The case of a terminally ill woman suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease who wants to end her life in Switzerland by means of assisted suicide has sparked a debate in Estonia. Commentators discuss the complexity of the issue and put clear demands to politicians.

2019 is an important year for EU-Kazakhstan relations, in anticipation of the full entry into force of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the EU.

Despite the remarkably promising Western Balkans Strategy presented by the Commission almost a year ago, 2018 could be described as “one step forward, two steps back” with regards to the European aspirations of the Western Balkans, write Djordje Bojović and Nikola Burazer.