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
Gunnar Beck: von der Leyen should step down over “disastrous” vaccine rollout Partner Content
16 Apr
Gunnar Beck: von der Leyen should step down over “disastrous” vaccine rollout
The European Commission President has faced fresh calls to quit following debacles over vaccines and repeated lockdowns.
Plenary vote on EU-UK Agreement in limbo pending Brexit deal assurances Partner Content
16 Apr
Plenary vote on EU-UK Agreement in limbo pending Brexit deal assurances
Despite approval from the Foreign Affairs and International Trade committees, the European Parliament has decided not to set a date for the final vote until the UK fully implements the Withdrawal Agreement.
Jourová says Commission following ‘with concern’ Polish Ombudsman removal
15 Apr
Jourová says Commission following ‘with concern’ Polish Ombudsman removal
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal has removed human rights watchdog Adam Bodnar from his position, eliminating one of the last vestiges of independent scrutiny of the PiS government.
Europol voices concern over rise in online child abuse during pandemic
15 Apr
Europol voices concern over rise in online child abuse during pandemic
The issue is one of several “disturbing” new trends noted by the agency in a new report.
Parliament’s trade and foreign affairs committees gear up for Brexit trade deal vote
15 Apr
Parliament’s trade and foreign affairs committees gear up for Brexit trade deal vote
While the plenary vote on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) has been delayed, the two committees will have their say this afternoon.
Leeds: The UK financial powerhouse planning a digital future at the heart of Europe Partner Content
15 Apr
Leeds: The UK financial powerhouse planning a digital future at the heart of Europe
Tom Riordan, Chief Executive at Leeds City Council, believes that while the city is well placed to help transform the UK’s economic infrastructure, continuing to build relationships with European partners will be key to its ongoing success.
How Europe can deliver a sustainable built environment Partner Content
15 Apr
How Europe can deliver a sustainable built environment
A life cycle, material neutral approach is key to decarbonising European buildings, writes CEMBUREAU’s Koen Coppenholle.
Parliament delays Brexit trade deal ratification; MEP says ‘cool heads must prevail’
14 Apr
Parliament delays Brexit trade deal ratification; MEP says ‘cool heads must prevail’
Members of the committees on trade and foreign affairs will vote on the deal on Thursday, but the vote in plenary will take place at a later, thus far undefined, date.
Commission announces accelerated delivery of 50m BioNTech-Pfizer vaccines
14 Apr
Commission announces accelerated delivery of 50m BioNTech-Pfizer vaccines
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the additional doses will be available in the second quarter, starting in April, rather than in the last quarter of this year as originally planned.
Campaigners to step up efforts to ban use of cages for farmed animals
14 Apr
Campaigners to step up efforts to ban use of cages for farmed animals
Renewed calls for a ban will come when Parliament holds a hearing on the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative.
First step towards sainthood of Robert Schuman is ‘wonderful’, says senior MEP
13 Apr
First step towards sainthood of Robert Schuman is ‘wonderful’, says senior MEP
It is reported that Pope Francis could recognise the “heroic virtues” of one of the EU’s founding fathers within weeks.
Hungary and Belgium face criticism in Amnesty International report
13 Apr
Hungary and Belgium face criticism in Amnesty International report
In its 2020 annual report on the state of human rights around the world, the charity says the health pandemic has thrown into stark relief, and sometimes aggravated, existing inequalities and patterns of abuse.
Building a European data strategy
13 Apr
Building a European data strategy
If the EU is serious about becoming fit for the digital age, it must first build an environment that allows European companies to take advantage of the data economy, argues Miapetra Kumpula-Natri.
Pandemic has underlined need for more legal migration for low-paid work, say MEPs
13 Apr
Pandemic has underlined need for more legal migration for low-paid work, say MEPs
Deputies have demanded new legal ways for people to come and work in the EU, including instruments enabling legal migration for medium and low-paid employment.
Mental health is everybody’s business
13 Apr
Mental health is everybody’s business
Increased mental ill health is an inevitable consequence of lockdown; however, dealing with this will require realistic resources. A European year for mental health will help bring the required focus, write the co-chairs of the MEP Alliance for Mental Health.
Rights group calls for “tough sanctions” on Turkey Partner Content
12 Apr
Rights group calls for “tough sanctions” on Turkey
The StopErdoganNow group says the EEAS is not taking concerns about alleged human rights violations in Turkey seriously enough.
Moroccan Sahara and New Zealand High Court ruling
12 Apr
Moroccan Sahara and New Zealand High Court ruling
Recent High Court of Justice decision is another victory for the southern Moroccan provinces, writes Dr Aymeric Chauprade.
Wave of Brexit-related rioting hits Northern Ireland
09 Apr
Wave of Brexit-related rioting hits Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Protocol seen as cause of Loyalist-led riots.
European Commission president leads EU tributes to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
09 Apr
European Commission president leads EU tributes to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
British Queen Elizabeth II's consort for more than 70 years passes away aged 99.
Friends and colleagues pay tribute to Former Eurosceptic MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
09 Apr
Friends and colleagues pay tribute to Former Eurosceptic MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
Denmark and Europe will be ‘quieter and less daunting ‘in his absence says former MEP colleague.
Building cloud supply on EU terms
09 Apr
Building cloud supply on EU terms
A key enabler of data-driven innovation and technologies, cloud computing plays a crucial role in our data-powered economy; let’s ensure it has the necessary physical infrastructure to grow, writes Pilar del Castillo.
#SofaGate furore rages on as Charles Michel comes under pressure to publicly apologise
08 Apr
#SofaGate furore rages on as Charles Michel comes under pressure to publicly apologise
European Council President says he’s saddened by suggestions he was unconcerned by the widely criticised diplomatic gaffe.
US and UAE seek Middle East climate alliance for green push Partner Content
08 Apr
US and UAE seek Middle East climate alliance for green push
Diplomatic success will depend on oil markets’ future in a post-pandemic world and countries’ willingness to accelerate the renewables uptake, writes Anca Gurzu.
How to bridge digital divides and educate children in Europe and around the world Partner Content
08 Apr
How to bridge digital divides and educate children in Europe and around the world
Education is a fundamental human right and a pillar of democracy. But during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, UNESCO estimated more than 1.6 billion learners – 91 percent of the world’s school population – had their learning affected. Matching students with connected devices was profoundly important, yet colossally challenging, for both families and teachers, write Qualcomm’s Audrey Scozzaro Ferrazzini and Elliott Levine.