Euractiv.com

It is not often that we knowingly witness history in the making before our own eyes, but today we've had one of those moments.

The European Council has asked the Commission to present a mandate to start post-Brexit negotiations with the UK as soon as possible, following Thursday (12 December) UK elections results that confirmed a strong majority for Boris Johnson.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) will next week unveil a "detailed democratic case for the transfer of power" that may enable a second Scottish independence referendum to take place in the near future, the leader of the party Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday (13 December).

Poland would not be eligible for funds available under the European Green Deal if it does not sign up to the EU’s climate objectives, French President Emmanuel Macron warned at the closure of an EU summit on Friday (13 December).

After three and a half years there is finally closure. There will be no second referendum. The UK will leave the European Union in January. But as one battle ends, a host of new fronts open up.

Using digital tools to deliver care more efficiently presents a massive opportunity to relieve Europe’s strained healthcare systems, but the enormous potential of this technology carries significant ethical and environmental considerations, EURACTIV heard at a recent event. 

The development of pioneering new digital treatments and technologies, including robotics, artifical intelligence and data networks, is set to transform our healthcare systems over the coming years.

With Germany’s dwindling leadership on climate, Britain’s departure from the European Union could have “potentially huge” consequences for climate policy, says Sandrine Dixson-Declève.

Cybersecurity represents one of the greatest challenges that companies, individuals, national governments and supranational organisations currently face. The technological devices that citizens use daily could be at risk of potential cyber-threats due to insufficient built-in security safeguards.

EU leaders put on a brave face on Friday (13 December) and congratulated Boris Johson on his resounding victory in the UK elections, which means he will take the country out of the EU next month after three years of Brexit frustrations.

Higher quality fuels play a key role in delivering on a cleaner and more sustainable mobility in Europe. Fuel ethers are key components to produce them.

The European Commission is considering removing coking coal from a list of critical raw materials. The steel industry, already facing difficulty importing the raw materials it needs, says this could spell disaster.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out about Al Gore's comments on the COP25 climate summit in Madrid, calling it a missed opportunity, and so much more.

The Pentagon on Thursday (12 December) tested a conventionally configured ground-launched ballistic missile, a test that would have been prohibited under the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

The upcoming EU Industry Strategy must be a cornerstone of the Green New Deal, making it possible for the EU to both meet its climate goals and strengthen its global industrial leadership in a fast-changing global economy, write Adair Turner and Sandrine Dixson-Declève.

The European Central Bank will next year review its tools and objectives in order to better fulfil its mandate of price stability, and it also intends to assess the appropriateness of issuing its own digital currency, in the face of growing concerns about Facebook’s Libra.

Climate activists set out their goals, Macron’s jumper amuses style trolls, and the great British public goes to the polls.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Friday (13 December) he would stand down as his party faced its worst electoral defeat in 84 years, but he did not set a date for his departure and added he would remain in charge during a period of reflection.

The Green Deal presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (11 December) avoided two controversial agricultural issues: genetic engineering and pesticide limits. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Malta's Prime Minister Josep Muscat came under increasing pressure on Thursday (12 December) as calls for his immediate resignation intensified in Brussels in an ongoing investigation over the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia.