European Union

President Donald Tusk presented his expectations ahead of a challenging G7 summit in Canada, and highlighted how crucial G7 unity is for Europe and for the whole world.

The Council adopted conclusions on the third progress report on the implementation of common proposals endorsed by EU and NATO Councils on 6 December 2016 and 5 December 2017.

The Council agreed its general approach on a draft Cybersecurity Act.

The Council adopted a revised mandate for EULEX Kosovo that will run until 14 June 2020. It also allocated a budget of EUR 169.8 million to the mission.

Written by Marcin Grajewski,

© lermont51 / Fotolia

In June, the Heads of State or Government of the countries sharing the euro currency will discuss ways to improve the functioning of the euro area. French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed an ambitious reform plan, but Germany, the euro area’s economic powerhouse, is more cautious. Despite continued growth, after years of stagnation, the euro area needs better governance to meet future challenges, economic analysts say. They add that recent political developments in Italy may complicate the drive for reform, as could unstable political situations elsewhere.

This note brings together commentaries, analyses and studies by major international think tanks and research institutes on challenges facing the euro area and related issues. Earlier publications on the topic can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’ published in December 2017.

Why Italy will confront the EU, but stay in the euro
Centre for European Reform, June 2018

Italy’s hazardous new experiment: Genetically modified populism
Brookings Institution, June 2018

The EU must realize that populism is a symptom of real policy failure
Chatham House, May 2018

How to exit the euro in a nutshell ‘Il Piano Savona’
Centre for European Policy Studies, June 2018

Mattarella’s line in the sand
Bruegel, June 2018

Italy heads for confrontation with itself, financial markets, and Europe
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

Quit kicking the can down the road: A Spanish view of EMU reforms
Real Instituto Elcano, May 2018

Turmoil in euro area spreads as Rajoy’s government is ousted in Spain
Atlantic Council, May 2018

Italy is too big to fail
Atlantic Council, May 2018

Does the euro area need a safe or a diversified asset?
Centre for European Policy Studies, May 2018

Are SBBS really the safe asset the euro area is looking for?
Bruegel, May 2018

Capital position of banks in the EMU: An analysis of Banking Union scenarios
Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, May 2018

Fiscal rules and the role of the Commission
Bruegel, May 2018

Tackling non-performing loans in the euro area
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft, May 2018

Completing Europe’s Banking Union means breaking the bank-sovereign vicious circle
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

EFN report: Economic outlook for the euro area in 2018 and 2019
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, April 2018

Macron, Merkel and the new European sovereignties
Real Instituto Elcano, April 2018

Convergence in the European Union: Inside and outside the euro
Centre for European Policy Studies, April 2018

Should Bulgaria join the euro now?
Jacques Delors Institut Berlin, April 2018

Une finance au service du développement de long terme en Europe
Confrontations Europe, April 2018

Quelles perspectives pour renforcer la zone euro?
Confrontations Europe, April 2018

The European ETF market: What can be done better?
Centre for European Policy Studies, April 2018

Making a reality of Europe’s capital markets union
Bruegel, April 2018

State contingent debt as insurance for euro-area sovereigns
Bruegel, April 2018

Economic recovery and inflation
Center for Social and Economic Research, April 2018

Reforming the European Monetary Union: The challenge of reconciling risk sharing with market discipline
Istituto Affari Internazionali, April 2018

How to solve the Greek debt problem
Peterson Institute for International Economics, April 2018

Debt mutualisation, inflation and populism in the euro zone
Real Instituto Elcano, April 2018

Market discipline and liquidity key issues in the EMU reform
Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, April 2018

The fallacy of fiscal discipline
LUISS School of European Political Economy, April 2018

No escape from politics: Four tests for a successful fiscal instrument in the euro area
Notre Europe, Bertelsmann Stiftung, March 2018

Cash outflows in crisis scenarios: Do liquidity requirements and reporting obligations give the SRB sufficient time to react?
Bruegel, March 2018

Domestic banks as lightning rods? Home bias during the euro zone crisis
Centre for European Policy Studies, March 2018

Is the bank-sovereign link truly severed?
College of Europe, March 2018

The search for a euro area safe asset
Peterson Institute for International Economics, March 2018

Enhancing credibility and commitment to fiscal rules
Center for Social and Economic Research, March 2018

The new global economic governance: Can Europe help win the peace?
LUISS School of European Political Economy, March 2018

Macron’s plans for the euro
Centre for European Reform, February 2018

The missing third leg of the euro architecture: National wage negotiations
Peterson Institute for International Economics, February 2018

ECB interventions in distressed sovereign debt markets: The case of Greek bonds
Institut für Weltwirtschaft Kiel, February 2018

The effects of unconventional monetary policy in the euro area
Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, February 2018

The euro paradox: Explaining the resilience of the single currency
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, January 2018

Tales from a crisis: Diverging narratives of the euro area
Bruegel, February 2018

Some unpleasant euro arithmetic
Centre d’études prospectives et d’informations internationales, January 2018

Bank liquidation in the European Union: Clarification needed
Bruegel, January 2018

Risk reduction through Europe’s distressed debt market
Bruegel, January 2018

Reconciling risk sharing with market discipline: A constructive approach to euro area reform
Centre for Economic Policy Research, January 2018

Reconciling risk sharing with market discipline
LUISS School of European Political Economy, January 2018

Oil price shocks, monetary policy and current account imbalances within a currency union
Centre for European Policy Studies, January 2018

Low interest rate environment amplifies negative effects of austerity policy
Deutsche Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, January 2018

Read this briefing on ‘Challenges for the euro area‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

EUobserver asked the parliament for minutes of the meeting where the details of the hearing with Facebook CEO were determined. The format - later heavily criticised - had not been discussed.

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will debate the future of the EU with MEPs and with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Strasburg on Wednesday.

Poland's power behind the throne, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is unwell, but the ageing party chief's successor could be even worse for Warsaw's EU relations.

Most people gain weight because of the lifestyle and measures like plain packaging will not provide the solutions we need, conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said.

How many times have you actually read the entire 17,000-word privacy notice before agreeing to share your data? Do you feel more or less protected by clicking 'yes'?

Westminster is aflutter with talk of resignations and betrayal after 24 hours in which the fragile unity of the UK government shattered like a cheap vase.

Plenary - Strasbourg

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

The European Defence Agency today published five paid 1-year traineeship positions, hereby launching the pilot of its new Traineeship Programme for young graduates.

The European Defence Agency Traineeship Programme is aimed at recent university graduates who want to transition to the world of work in an organisation at the heart of defence cooperation in Europe. The traineeships are offered for a fixed period of one year and aim at providing trainees with an opportunity to gain solid professional experience in their areas of competence. The deadline for submission of applications for 2018 is 9 July 2018 at noon Brussels time. The traineeships will start in October 2018.

The profiles published today cover traineeships in the Land & Logistic domain, Operations Support, Education, Training & Exercises, Single European Sky, Corporate Programmes and Projects and the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR).

For more information on the tasks for each of the profiles, how to apply and financial matters, click here.

 

EU import rules do apply to Penka the cow, but she is now safely back in Bulgaria awaiting tests to see if she is healthy and able rejoin her fellow cows.

Written by Clare Ferguson,

European Union, EP

In the latest in a series of discussions on the future of Europe, a highlight of Parliament’s agenda for June is the debate planned for Wednesday morning with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. A number of important statements are expected; on Tuesday afternoon from the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, on the Iran nuclear agreement; from the Council and Commission on the independence of the judiciary in Poland on Wednesday, and on the preparation for the European Council meeting of 28 and 29 June 2018 on Tuesday morning, where the negotiations on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal are likely to be discussed.

Crucially, for Parliament, the number of Members of the European Parliament is limited to 751 under the Lisbon Treaty. The United Kingdom withdrawal means the seats left vacant by British Members must be redistributed, a situation complicated by the withdrawal date falling just before the next European elections. The composition of the European Parliament will therefore change after ‘Brexit’, providing an opportunity for Parliament to correct the current flawed application of the degressive proportionality principle, (minimum of 6 seats per Member State, maximum 96; with each Member elected in more populous states representing more electors than those elected in less populous states, and vice versa), without reopening the Treaties. Parliament will vote on Wednesday on whether to consent to a European Council decision on a partial redistribution of seats for the next term, involving no loss of seats for any Member State, reserving 46 seats for future enlargements, and reducing the overall number of Members to 705. The decision is based on a proposal made by Parliament following a vote in the February plenary session.

On Tuesday afternoon Parliament will consider whether further macro-financial assistance to Ukraine will continue to be paid, in view of the lack of progress on fighting corruption in the country. Despite the priority accorded to Ukraine under the Eastern Partnership, the EU has already cancelled assistance payments due in the previous programme, due to the country’s failure to meet the conditions regarding governance and economic reforms. Parliament and Council positions to date indicate that any further assistance will be conditional on progress in the fight against corruption, with a proposed Memorandum of Understanding to be signed covering institutional and administrative capacities, including an anti-corruption court. An oral question addressing the issue of corruption closer to home is scheduled for Thursday morning.

Turning to transport, Europe remains the safest air space in the world and the EU intends to ensure it stays that way. On Monday evening, Parliament will discuss a provisional agreement on common rules in the field of civil aviation. Parliament’s focus in the proposals has been on adapting the rules to heavier air traffic and emerging technologies in aviation, such as drones. The new rules have already been approved by the Committee on Transport and Tourism, and are ready for formal adoption during this month’s session, with debate scheduled for Monday evening. Free movement of goods in the EU is also essential to the success of the internal market. However, the large-scale use of heavy-duty vehicles in transport has consequences for our environment, as they emit around a quarter of all road transport CO2. Parliament proposals extend EU targets to reduce these emissions, to encompass new administrative fines on manufacturers who fail to comply, and introduce new on-road verification tests. On Monday evening, Parliament will consider the final agreed text on monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of heavy-duty vehicles that seeks to stimulate market uptake of cleaner, fuel-efficient, heavy-duty vehicles.

A proposal to amend and simplify the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), which deals with the regulation of OTC derivatives in the EU, will be debated on Monday evening. The 2017 Commission proposal covers issues with the clearing obligation, reporting requirements, risk-mitigation techniques and trade repositories in the ‘over-the-counter’ (OTC) derivatives market. Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs is proposing further amendments that would boost transparency, compliance with reporting requirements, and access to clearing, including the principle that clearing services be provided under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (‘FRAND’) commercial terms.

On Wednesday evening, Parliament will consider a compromise text on a proposed directive introducing a proportionality test for new national regulations for professions, which affect employment in areas such as medicine and architecture. Public concern has been expressed regarding the inconsistent application of proportionality principles and a lack of transparency in the access to such professions, which is decided by Member States individually. Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection obtained a compromise between addressing unnecessary national requirements and allowing a specific status for healthcare services, and Council’s desire to limit obligations regarding the transparency of the national regulatory process.

EU citizens have a huge range of cultural heritage sites, museums, exhibitions, films, and live performances to choose from, and digital access to cultural services makes it even easier to get a ‘culture fix’. However, participation in cultural activities remains low. While the EU offers support for Member States in promoting cultural life, on Wednesday evening, Parliament will discuss a report on the barriers to accessing culture in the EU, which include public funding levels, access, and the role of education.

Tuesday afternoon’s statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presenting the annual report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2017 and the EU’s policy on the matter is followed on Thursday with debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Russia, Bahrain and on the situation of Rohingya refugees.

A list of all material prepared for this Plenary Session: Common rules in the field of civil aviation (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of heavy duty vehicles (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Proportionality test for new national regulations for professions (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Further macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Regulation of OTC derivatives in the EU (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Barriers to accessing culture (available in DE – EN – ES – FR – IT – PL) Composition of the European Parliament (available in EN)

The hepatitis C virus is a global public health threat with significant morbidity and mortality, and within Europe, the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region and the European Region have the highest reported prevalence.

France called today (8 June) for more ambition from Germany in reforming the euro zone, saying Europe faced a "now or never" moment with rising external threats from the United States and China.

Tension rose among the richest countries in the world on Friday (8 June) as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose more tariffs on European and Canadian products ahead of a G7 meeting in Canada.

Public debate on energy efficiency has tended to focus on savings made by the end-user – whether in buildings or in consumer products like TV sets, lightbulbs, and vacuum cleaners, which have all grabbed headlines.

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson warned there could be a Brexit meltdown but it will be "all right in the end" and said that US President Trump would take a tougher stance were he leading the talks, according to BuzzFeed.