Fifteen EU governments have joined the European Commission’s lawsuit against Hungary over a controversial anti-LGBTQ law making what civil society groups have described as the largest human rights case in EU legal history. Officials from the French and German governments and Slovenia confirmed on Thursday (6 April) that they had Continue Reading
Ukraine seeks to prevent leaks of military secrets
Ukraine’s leaders discussed ways to prevent leaks of military information on Friday (7 April) after secret documents detailing US and NATO efforts to help the country plan a counter-offensive against Russia’s invasion reportedly appeared on social media. The New York Times said on Thursday, citing senior US officials, that classified Continue Reading
Macron mobbed at university on final day of China trip
French President Emmanuel Macron was greeted by a huge crowd at a university in southern China on Friday (7 April) on the last day of a visit in which he repeatedly pushed his counterpart Xi Jinping to help end the Ukraine conflict. Macron, who landed in the capital Beijing on Continue Reading
French parliament report slams ‘harmful’ EU energy policies
The EU electricity market has damaged France’s energy system, according to the conclusions of a special enquiry committee set up by the French parliament. Read the original French article here. After a record 150 hours of hearings, lawmakers presented a 376-page report on “the reasons for the loss of sovereignty Continue Reading
German debt rules proposal fuels new austerity fear
A German non-paper on the reform of European debt rules has been met with strong reactions from economists, who fear that the mistakes of the euro crisis could be repeated if the proposal is implemented strictly. The paper comes in advance of the Commission’s legislative proposal to reform the EU Continue Reading
EU impotent amid global infertility challenges
Infertility is a major health challenge globally, with one in six people worldwide experiencing it at some point throughout their lifetime, but EU action to address the issue remains limited. Ancient Hindus believed that passing through a hole in a rock or a hollow in a tree would improve fertility, doctor Continue Reading
Cookie fatigue: The questions facing the EU Commission initiative
The European Commission wants to discuss with stakeholders how to improve consumer awareness of online tracking and alternatives to tracking-based advertising as part of its exercise to reach a voluntary pledge to phase out cookies before the year’s end. As anticipated by EURACTIV, on 28 March, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Continue Reading
Electrifying corporate cars is smart green industrial and social policy
To reach the EU’s carbon reduction targets whilst boosting industry, the electrification of corporate fleets should become a cornerstone of Europe’s Green Industrial Plan, writes Stef Cornelis. Stef Cornelis is director of electric fleets with Transport & Environment (T&E), a clean mobility NGO. With European elections taking place in spring Continue Reading
Migrant workers keep German care system afloat, say experts
The German health and old-age care system is dependent on migrant workers, according to experts, with 690,000 people born in another country working in the sector. With an ageing population whose demand for care is growing steadily, and with labour shortages already abundant, migrant workers form an essential part of Continue Reading
Germany proposes giving more teeth to competition authority
The German government proposed a draft law on Wednesday (5 April) to give its competition authority more powers to tackle interferences with competition, following allegations that petrol stations had artificially kept fuel prices high in 2022. After oil prices skyrocketed following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in the spring of 2022, Continue Reading