Sánchez walks a tightrope as Spain commits to NATO target
08 May Foreign & Security Policy

Sánchez walks a tightrope as Spain commits to NATO target

With Spain pledging to spend 2% of its GDP on defence, PM Pedro Sánchez faces scepticism as he stretches the definition of military spending. Around Europe, not everyone is impressed.
by Arno Van Rensbergen
Op-ed: Europe can defend its liberal democracy if it reclaims common ground
09 May Foreign & Security Policy
Op-ed: Europe can defend its liberal democracy if it reclaims common ground
Russian gas phaseout: Why going cold turkey is easier said than done
07 May EU Institutions
Russian gas phaseout: Why going cold turkey is easier said than done
Op-ed: EU's Russian speakers are an opportunity, not a risk
07 May Culture & Arts
Op-ed: EU's Russian speakers are an opportunity, not a risk
UK set to cut back on attending EU meetings
22 Aug
UK set to cut back on attending EU meetings
Decision reflects preparations for 31 October departure from EU, says UK Brexit minister.
Croatia nominates Dubravka Šuica as country’s next EU Commissioner
21 Aug
Croatia nominates Dubravka Šuica as country’s next EU Commissioner
European Commission president-elect Ursula von der Leyen needs just four more female nominees to hit equal representation target.
MEPs debunk post-Brexit US-UK trade deal
21 Aug
MEPs debunk post-Brexit US-UK trade deal
EU commentators warn the British government that a Trump trade agreement will come at a price and could take years.
Fears that UK edging closer to ‘No-deal’ Brexit
21 Aug
Fears that UK edging closer to ‘No-deal’ Brexit
UK government rejects call to reopen Parliament amid Brexit chaos
Tusk dismisses Johnson’s call to remove Irish backstop
20 Aug
Tusk dismisses Johnson’s call to remove Irish backstop
European council president Donald Tusk has hit back at an appeal by UK PM Boris Johnson to scrap the Irish backstop.
EU Parliament President intervenes in Italian ‘Open Arms’ migrant standoff
20 Aug
EU Parliament President intervenes in Italian ‘Open Arms’ migrant standoff
David Sassoli has urged the Italian government to let the Open Arms rescue ship carrying migrants to disembark at Lampedusa.
UK “not ready” to stop free movement on Brexit day
19 Aug
UK “not ready” to stop free movement on Brexit day
Campaigners have reacted with fury to UK plans to stop free movement on 31 October, the day the UK is due to leave the EU.
Movers and Shakers | 16 August 2019
16 Aug
Movers and Shakers | 16 August 2019
Boris Johnson accuses MPs of 'collaborating' with Brussels to block No Deal Brexit
15 Aug
Boris Johnson accuses MPs of 'collaborating' with Brussels to block No Deal Brexit
Legal and political experts, campaigners and MPs have been accused of "collaborating" with Brussels to undermine the UK government's negotiating position by attempting to block a no-deal Brexit.
MPs reconsider Brexit proposal involving second referendum
14 Aug
MPs reconsider Brexit proposal involving second referendum
A plan designed to pass the UK Withdrawal Agreement in exchange for a second referendum on EU membership is being looked at again by MPs, it has emerged.
Likelihood of UK general election before end of year ‘higher than ever’
13 Aug
Likelihood of UK general election before end of year ‘higher than ever’
A leading UK think tank says that the chances of a general election before the end of the year seem “higher than ever.”
Senior political figures urge overhaul of EU foreign policy
12 Aug
Senior political figures urge overhaul of EU foreign policy
A group of senior EU political figures have called for a “change in EU foreign policy” under the European Commission’s new President, Ursula von der Leyen.
How the largest American Muslim foundation was falsely demonised by white supremacists Partner Content
09 Aug
How the largest American Muslim foundation was falsely demonised by white supremacists
The escalating spate of mass shootings from Christchurch to El Paso has been enabled by the fact that millions of ordinary people now believe in the existence of an Islamist conspiracy to ‘replace’ white people through mass immigration and birth rates, writes Saeed Khan.
Movers and Shakers | 9 August 2019
09 Aug
Movers and Shakers | 9 August 2019
Fisheries Committee chair discusses No Deal Brexit fears with fishermen and producers
08 Aug
Fisheries Committee chair discusses No Deal Brexit fears with fishermen and producers
The new chair of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee was visiting the largest fishing port in France on Thursday amid fears that the threat of a No Deal Brexit will put cooperation between British and continental fishermen at risk.
The EU must do more to fight the funding of Islamism across the continent Partner Content
07 Aug
The EU must do more to fight the funding of Islamism across the continent
The case of Qatari-controlled, UK-based Al Rayan Bank, which continues to provide financial services to a series of Islamist and extremist groups blacklisted by other institutions, highlights the dangers of lax financial oversight by the EU and its Member States, writes Nervana Mahmoud.
UK urged to guarantee right of EU citizens to participate in post-Brexit local elections
06 Aug
UK urged to guarantee right of EU citizens to participate in post-Brexit local elections
A campaign group that first raised the alarm about the “mass disenfranchisement” of EU27 citizens before the European elections in May has now called on the UK Government to guarantee their right to participate in post-Brexit local elections.
Huawei ‘fighting for survival’, says chairman Partner Content
02 Aug
Huawei ‘fighting for survival’, says chairman
Huawei’s chairman has admitted the company is under “immense pressure” and “fighting for survival”.
EU ‘too slow to act’ on tax transparency
02 Aug
EU ‘too slow to act’ on tax transparency
Former MEP Catherine Stihler says the EU has been “too slow to act” on the “urgent need” for greater tax transparency.
Movers and Shakers | 2 August 2019
02 Aug
Movers and Shakers | 2 August 2019
Keep track of developments in the European institutions and public affairs with our movers and shakers column.
Adopting a gender-sensitive lens in global security
01 Aug
Adopting a gender-sensitive lens in global security
Global security has deteriorated over the past decade, with the number of people forced to flee their homes due to violence, human rights violations and war on the increase. The EU must adopt and implement a gender-sensitive lens when dealing with this, writes Madi Sharma.
Italy's ‘suicide diplomacy’ is reducing its influence in EU and NATO, says report
01 Aug
Italy's ‘suicide diplomacy’ is reducing its influence in EU and NATO, says report
A new report says that while Italy has a "central role" to play in Europe’s response to growing security challenges in the Mediterranean region, the current government’s "suicide diplomacy" is weakening its clout in the EU and NATO.
MEPs denounce attacks against Polish Equality March participants
31 Jul
MEPs denounce attacks against Polish Equality March participants
A cross-party group of MEPs have condemned violence against the participants of a Polish city’s first ever gay pride march.
A wake-up call for EU fisheries ministers
31 Jul
A wake-up call for EU fisheries ministers
The latest scientific advice from The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) makes for sad reading - North Sea cod is severely depleted. However, this could be just what is needed to shock EU fisheries ministers into action, write Rebecca Hubbard and Dr Monica Verbeek.