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
Why Green mobility needs the right infrastructure
10 Jul
Why Green mobility needs the right infrastructure
A comprehensive network of publicly accessible charging points is essential for the successful decarbonisation of the EU’s transport sector, argues Ismail Ertug.
An EU citizens’ budget
10 Jul
An EU citizens’ budget
The views of European citizens are conspicuously missing from the EU budget talks, yet they should be at the centre of them, argues Victor Negrescu.
Why the EU needs pharmaceutical independence
10 Jul
Why the EU needs pharmaceutical independence
The Coronavirus outbreak has shown why the EU must address medical shortages and re-establish its position as a world leader in the pharmaceutical field, argues Tomislav Sokol.
Senior MEP ‘pessimistic’ about progress in latest Brexit talks
09 Jul
Senior MEP ‘pessimistic’ about progress in latest Brexit talks
Bernd Lange, a member of Parliament’s UK Coordination Group, told this website that he hopes the continuing talks, being held for the first time in London, will “unlock the UK’s negotiating position.”
EU leaders tell Member States it is ‘essential’ to agree on budget and recovery plan at summit
09 Jul
EU leaders tell Member States it is ‘essential’ to agree on budget and recovery plan at summit
At least four Member States, “the Frugal Four”, remain opposed to the package, but the leaders of the main EU institutions have ratcheted up the pressure to reach an agreement in a week’s time.
New challenges, old threats
09 Jul
New challenges, old threats
As the world deals with the economic fallout from COVID-19, new European Defence Agency chief executive, Jirí Šedivý, tells Rajnish Singh that previous security threats have not gone away and therefore defence funding should remain a key EU priority.
Trade Commissioner: EU will ‘act decisively’ if US slaps fresh tariffs on goods
09 Jul
Trade Commissioner: EU will ‘act decisively’ if US slaps fresh tariffs on goods
Phil Hogan’s stark warning follows the US threat to put duties on EU goods such as beer, gin and olives, intensifying a long-running row over aviation subsidies between the two sides.
Cyber defence in the ‘New Normal’
08 Jul
Cyber defence in the ‘New Normal’
The Coronavirus crisis has increased the risk exposure of being targeted by sophisticated threats, warn Wolfgang Roehrig and Mario Beccia.
Resumed Brexit talks have ‘not lived up to’ call for more urgency to reach deal
07 Jul
Resumed Brexit talks have ‘not lived up to’ call for more urgency to reach deal
Luxembourg MEP Christophe Hansen, a member of Parliament’s UK Coordination Group, said the meetings between the two sides have, so far, “not exactly lived up to the expectations of fresh momentum.”
Work-life balance in the Coronavirus era
07 Jul
Work-life balance in the Coronavirus era
The global pandemic has proven that people can achieve a healthy work life balance while working from home through the use of technology already at their disposal, writes David Casa.
LNG is a key component of the EU’s energy mix
07 Jul
LNG is a key component of the EU’s energy mix
The EU will not achieve its long coveted goal of energy sovereignty without the inclusion of natural gas, writes Carlo Fidanza.
Commission admits ‘series of mistakes’ made after von der Leyen Croatia election video
06 Jul
Commission admits ‘series of mistakes’ made after von der Leyen Croatia election video
In an unusual intervention in domestic politics, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly voiced her support for Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
5 Questions with... Henna Virkkunen
06 Jul
5 Questions with... Henna Virkkunen
Henna Virkkunen (FI, EPP) is a member of Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee
Anders Fogh Rasmussen: Frugal Four will back EU budget and recovery plan ‘subject to concessions’
06 Jul
Anders Fogh Rasmussen: Frugal Four will back EU budget and recovery plan ‘subject to concessions’
The former Danish Prime Minister’s comments come ahead of a key meeting on Wednesday, where EU leaders hope to break the current impasse over the €750bn Recovery Plan and the next long-term budget.
Spate of burglaries hit European Parliament during Coronavirus lockdown
06 Jul
Spate of burglaries hit European Parliament during Coronavirus lockdown
The crime spree appears to have taken place mainly while the building was effectively empty, with thieves accessing “sensitive” papers and breaking into secure cupboards in MEPs’ offices.
A history of violence
06 Jul
A history of violence
Sharing her own recent experience of police harassment, Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana says there is an urgent need to address police brutality, accountability and over policing.
French Armed Forces Minister makes plea for ‘properly financed’ European Defence Fund
06 Jul
French Armed Forces Minister makes plea for ‘properly financed’ European Defence Fund
Speaking to MEPs, Florence Parly said the EDF, a new EU defence initiative, could be “an important tool for economic recovery” from the pandemic.
Evin Incir: Enough is Enough
06 Jul
Evin Incir: Enough is Enough
The death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests have thrust racism back into the spotlight. Evin Incir tells Lorna Hutchinson that it’s time for policymakers to move from words to action and make full use of the momentum behind this crucial rights issue.
The Rebel Queen
02 Jul
The Rebel Queen
This year, in the wake of our global reckoning with racism, Independence Day should also be a day for reflecting on all people of African descent who fought for their right to be free from slavery and oppression, yet who have been deliberately erased from history.
Michel Barnier says ‘serious divergences remain’ in Brexit negotiations
02 Jul
Michel Barnier says ‘serious divergences remain’ in Brexit negotiations
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator was speaking at the close of this week’s talks with his UK counterpart David Frost.
MEPs call for more transparency in German politics as EU presidency kicks off
02 Jul
MEPs call for more transparency in German politics as EU presidency kicks off
A new report claims that the German government’s “love affair” with gas and “unconditional support” for its automobile sector are “clear cut examples” of how its EU presidency risks stymying effective climate action by the EU.
EU Pharmaceutical Strategy could be a lost opportunity if action is not taken now Partner Content
02 Jul
EU Pharmaceutical Strategy could be a lost opportunity if action is not taken now
In its current form, the pharma strategy roadmap lacks the necessary drivers of innovation to put Europe back at the forefront of medical discovery, writes Nathalie Moll
Selection process for new European Banking Authority chief branded ‘a joke’
01 Jul
Selection process for new European Banking Authority chief branded ‘a joke’
Senior German MEP Sven Giegold says that MEPs will only be able to choose from a “one-man” shortlist which also lacks gender balance.
“High expectations” for German EU presidency, says senior MEP
01 Jul
“High expectations” for German EU presidency, says senior MEP
Senior Greens MEP Bas Eickhout says Germany takes over the helm of the EU from Croatia during “unprecedented times” for the bloc.