European Union

An estimated 5,000 supporters of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party demonstrated in Berlin on Sunday "for the future of Germany" in the party's largest gathering since it became Germany's top opposition party. AfD supporters shouting "Merkel must go" were largely outnumbered by rival demonstrations, gathering about 20,000 people, according to police estimates, however.

Several US news sites including The Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune have temporary been taken offline in Europe in response to European Union GDPR data rules, which came into effect on Friday. "Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries," reads a message greeting visitors to the sites. Other US media like the New York Times have not restricted access for Europeans amid GDPR.

Abortion could be legal in Ireland by October following a landslide referendum on Friday (25 May) ,where a two-thirds majority (66.4%) voted yes to allow abortion on a high turn-out of 64 percent. The Irish government will move quickly to implement the decision, health minister Simon Harris has promised, but the full text of the legislation will not be tabled until the autumn. Meanwhile, abortion remains illegal.

The EU commission will reveal on Monday plans to limit the use of plastics and raise tax-revenues for the Union's budget. Germany has already signalled approval of the plans, with environment minister Svenja Schulze telling German TV ARD that single-use plastics "should be regulated at a European level". Without action there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has warned.

Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Belgium, Fuad Isgandarov, talks about the current geopolitical tensions with Iran, recent political changes in Armenia, attacks against his country in  the international media, the human rights situation and future EU relations.

Thousands of Albanian opposition supporters rallied in the capital Tirana on Saturday calling for the resignation of interior minister Fatmir Xhafaj, whose brother has been convicted of drug trafficking.

Ireland voted by a landslide to ditch its strict abortion laws in a landmark referendum that Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said had finally lifted decades of stigma and shame.

At the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC), the annual European Week Against Cancer (25 – 31 May) is a crucial milestone in our calendar. It is an opportunity to make heard the voice of the 400 members that we represent as the largest umbrella cancer patients’ association, covering all 28 EU Member States as well as other European countries.

Some 5,000 supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) marched through the streets of Berlin on Sunday (27 May), but they were heavily outnumbered by anti-AfD demonstrations.

While the EU seems to have agreed on a united stance in the Iran nuclear dispute with the US, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has highlighted the cracks and put his country forward as an informal mediator. EURACTIV Poland reports.

France and Germany are pushing for an EU-wide initiative to fund innovation and research in tech start-up projects across the bloc so that Europe can compete more effectively against the likes of China and the United States.

Italy's president is expected to ask a former International Monetary Fund official today (28 May) to head a stopgap government amidst political and constitutional turmoil, with early elections looking inevitable.

The European solar industry has urged the EU to end import duties on Chinese photovoltaic cells when anti-dumping measures expire in September, saying they are holding off a “jobs bonanza” in the sector.

Helping illegal migrants can come at a cost in France where the notion of solidarity offence is currently under revision. At the European level debates on the issue have only just started. EURACTIV.fr reports.

As the debate over the future EU budget intensifies in the European Parliament, more questions are being asked about the funds allocated to border security, migration and refugee integration. EURACTIV.ro reports.

The 2015 migrant crisis caught Europe off guard, with little funding, limited manpower and no contingency plans in place. The number of migrants trying to reach Europe has declined significantly since then but migration is back on the EU's radar.

An innovation-driven approach – ranging from vaccination to other health management solutions and appropriate biosecurity measures – will ensure more sustainable future livestock farming and protection of public health, as animal diseases do not recognise borders, Roxane Feller told EURACTIV.com.

In an effort to minimise animal diseases’ outbreaks, the European Commission adopted in 2007 the “Prevention is better than cure” approach when it comes to animal health strategy. According to the executive, the objective was to focus on preventive measures, disease surveillance, controls and research.  

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for surfers.

The EU makes it easier for you to enjoy riding the waves in several ways.

Most importantly, you can enjoy improved water quality at many EU surfing spots, thanks to EU rules that protect the environment, including against sewage and industrial waste. This reduces your chances of getting sick. The EU also publishes information on bathing water quality online, so that you can easily check the water quality at your favourite surfing spots.

© oneinchpunch / Fotolia

As a surfer, you know how hard it can be to find the best surfing spots. If you love surfing but live inland, there’s nothing to stop you trying out the surf in another EU country, as there are no borders within the EU Schengen Area. The EU has provided financial support to several projects that can help you explore new destinations. One example is ‘SURFINGEUROPE‘, which enables you to discover an entire surfing route, from Bundoran in Ireland to Viana do Castelo in Portugal. Another example of EU funding is ‘Green Room‘, which helps you plan a sustainable surfing experience in six Surf Camps, including in Bornholm in Denmark and Gran Canaria in Spain. Such projects promote local tourism and increase employment, from which you might also benefit.

Finally, a special free app called ‘MeteoSurf‘ uses data from the EU-managed Copernicus earth observation programme to provide surfers with information on sea conditions in the Mediterranean Sea. Once you select a surfing spot, MeteoSurf produces a table with the forecast for wave height, wave direction, wind speed and wind direction. All you need to do is catch the perfect wave!

Further information

• European Commission’s Directorate General for Environment website on ‘Bathing water quality’, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-bathing/index_en.html
• Official website of Surfing Europe, http://europesurfing.eu/
• Official website of the Green Room Surf Alliance, http://www.greenroom-surfalliance.org/philosophy.php
• European Commission’s Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service website on ‘Meteosurf’, http://marine.copernicus.eu/usecases/met-ocean-conditions-surfers/

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In this section you will find video coverage of events illustrating the relations between the EU and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Download this video here.