European Union

The Austrian government passed a law banning plastic bags at the end of last year. Now its implementation is being worked out with retailers. Environment Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) wants "an end to plastic waste". It is estimated that the ban on plastic bags will reduce such waste by 5,000 to 7,000 tonnes. But commentators have their doubts about the effectiveness of the ban.

Three-time Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico wants to leave politics and run for the post of constitutional judge. Fico was forced to resign as head of government following mass protests in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak. Commentators praise the decision to withdraw from politics but have doubts about whether the Constitutional Court is the right place for the former leader.

Written by Etienne Bassot,

© lazyllama, Andrey Popov, sdecoret, Zerbor, Richard Carey, Siarhei, SFIO CRACHO, peshkova, EdNurg / Fotolia; Lightspring / Shutterstock.com

This annual publication offers up-to-date insight from policy analysts in the European Parliamentary Research Service on ten key issues and policy areas that are likely to feature prominently on the political agenda of the European Union (EU) in 2019. Each of the ten contributors presents the state of play on the issue, highlights what the European Union is doing and the specific role of the European Parliament, considers possible interactions with the other issues, and looks to the future to identify some of the major staging posts ahead.

This new edition covers three clusters of issues. The institutional cluster starts with ‘A new European Parliament – A new European Commission’, focussing on the institutional implications of the new political landscape which citizens will define when they vote in the European elections in May 2019. It suggests the ways the new European Parliament may differ from the current and previous ones, and looks at how the new European Commission will be appointed. Next, this cluster puts the spotlight on ‘The way forward’ for a Union of 27 Member States, looking at the direction of the current debate and the future beyond Brexit. Finally, the ‘Future financing of the Union’ presents the content and objectives of the Commission’s proposals for the financial framework for the next seven years, and the Parliament’s ambitions and position in the negotiations.

Four geopolitical issues form the second cluster: first, the relationship between the European Union and Africa – referred to by the President of the European Commission in his 2018 State of the Union speech as our ‘twin continent’. This section looks at the push for stronger relations and explores potential partnerships. Then, ‘Trade wars’ takes stock of current relations between Europe, China and the United States and addresses the political, economic and legal implications and the EU’s response in this context. Next, ‘Internal security’ reveals how crime is increasingly becoming digital in nature and how the EU is dealing with the issue. Lastly, environmental and climate challenges are studied from an unusual perspective, albeit one constituting the largest part of the surface of our planet, namely the oceans. ‘Towards a policy for the oceans’ looks at the benefits of, and pressures on, the oceans, as well as at EU and global policies in this area, and at likely developments in the coming year.

Technological issues close the circle of these ‘Ten issues to watch in 2019’, starting with a reflection entitled ‘From artificial intelligence to collective intelligence’, which explores this emerging topic and the role of the EU in 2019 and beyond. This is followed by a piece on ‘Electric mobility’, looking at the growing market for electric road vehicles and EU action to support it. Finally a more general contribution on ‘Digital transformation’ takes stock of this omnipresent phenomenon and looks at how best to build a digital economy and shape the legal, ethical and regulatory framework it needs.

Complementing the two previous issues in this annual series, and the extensive offer of EPRS publications in general, this 2019 issue of ‘Ten issues to watch’ seeks to inform Members of the European Parliament and the broader public, and to stimulate reflection and discussion at the start of a decisive year for the future of Europe and its citizens.

Read this In-depth analysis on ‘Ten issues to watch in 2019‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Czech farmers have to invest more in processing agricultural products if they want to improve their position in an increasingly competitive environment, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan said in an interview with Aktuálně.cz.

European Parliament president, Antonio Tajani, called on Wednesday for stronger cooperation between Africa and Europe by organising yearly EU-Africa summits instead of now meeting only every three years. Opening a conference in the European Parliament organised by the ECR group, he said the next EU budget for 2021-2027 should lead to more EU investment in Africa and brought up an older idea of building a Europe-Africa "sea motorway".

The policies of Italy's anti-immigrant and anti-establishment government which came to power last June have torpedoed the country's global democracy ranking, a think tank said Wednesday (9 January).

Iran ordered four terrorist attacks in Europe in recent times, the EU has said, while imposing new sanctions.

German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron will sign a bilateral cooperation and integration agreement on 22 January at a ceremony in Aachen town hall, the German government announced on Tuesday. The new Treaty of Aachen builds on the Elysee Treaty of 1963 on reconciliation between Germany and France and will further strengthen relations in areas such as economic policy, foreign and security policy.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rebuked Washington's national security adviser on Tuesday (8 January) for demanding that his country not attack Kurdish fighters in Syria, accusing him of complicating President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw US troops.

A majority of 303-296 in the UK parliament approved on Tuesday a bill forcing Theresa May's government to ask explicit parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal before it can use certain powers relating to taxation law. Some 20 members of May's Conservative Party are understood to have voted against the government.

Thailand on Wednesday (9 January) welcomed a decision by the European Commission to drop the Southeast Asian nation from a list of countries it had warned over illegal and unregulated fishing.

Malta is pushing other European countries to take in around 250 migrants in its care before it will allow dozens of people stuck on two rescue boats to disembark, a government source said Tuesday (8 January).

The UK government has made a U-turn on its decision to end the solar "export tariff", confirming that households which install solar panels in the future will be paid for excess power they generate and send to the grid. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.

The interim head of Romania's anti-corruption agency said Tuesday (8 January) she was stepping down, citing a "hostile environment", just as the country takes on the EU's presidency. 

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini attacked France and Germany on Tuesday (8 January) over their role in a European Union investigation into a planned merger involving Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.