Beatriz Rios Archives

Austria's EU Presidency is committed to preserving EU unity on the US trade dispute during its mandate but wants the European Commission to prioritise a transatlantic dialogue and avoid escalation.

Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz prioritised the protection of the external borders during his country's EU Presidency stint, in order to safeguard the Schengen area, as a recent deal between Germany’s conservative parties could lead to a resurrection of the bloc's internal borders.

The EU has threatened the US with countermeasures worth $294 billion if the Trump administration imposes further tariffs on European cars as a result of the ongoing investigation into whether they pose a possible threat to national security.

Over 500 representatives from across Europe gathered in Brussels last week to reflect on how unions can reshape the role of labour markets in a world where multilateral cooperation is in crisis.

Pedro Sánchez and Giuseppe Conte, the freshly appointed leaders from southern Europe, are two new kids on the bloc. But they could hardly be more different: Sánchez is a breath of fresh air in Spanish and European politics while Conte is a new headache for Brussels. Both made their first appearance at the European Council on Thursday (28 June).

Negotiations over the EU's next long-term budget will start soon and the reform of the Cohesion Policy is one of its main elements. Nikola Dobroslavić (EPP), the European Committee of the Regions' rapporteur on this matter, analysed the worries cities and regions have about the current proposal in an interview with EURACTIV.

Trade unions and employers have joined forces to urge the EU and UK to speed up Brexit talks ahead of tomorrow's European Council summit. 

As the trade war with the US escalates, the EU is considering imposing provisional safeguard measures on steel imports, Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström told the press on Tuesday (26 June).

Harley-Davidson announced on Monday (25 June) it would move some production out of the US to avoid EU tariffs and it might not be the last to do so. That has prompted European consumers’ organisations and importers to warn of the negative impact on consumers.

In 2017, the European Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights, aimed to ensure fair working conditions, social protection and inclusion. How can the the Pillar protect workers’ rights? How can trade unions address new challenges related to working conditions while protecting traditional workers?

For too long, trade unions have failed to anticipate changes in an increasingly volatile labour market. It is time to take a proactive approach and protect workers’ rights, Luca Visentini, secretary-general of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

The European Commission cleared up some of the details of its proposal to reform cohesion policy in the next EU long-term budget during a second round of discussion with MEPs on Wednesday (21 June).

More than 3000 organisations and a group of senior MEPs have urged EU employment ministers to broker a common deal to open talks with MEPs on the Work-life Balance Directive next Thursday (21 June).

Italy will not ratify the free trade agreement with Canada as it does not sufficiently protect the country's food specialties, Italian Agriculture Minister Gian Marco Centinaio said in an interview on Thursday (14 June).

The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (June 13) to hike from €90 million to €13 billion the budgetary funds earmarked for strengthening the EU's strategic autonomy in collective security by boosting cross-border research and innovation in the field of defence.

Tension rose among the richest countries in the world on Friday (8 June) as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose more tariffs on European and Canadian products ahead of a G7 meeting in Canada.

The European Commission put forward a proposal on Wednesday (6 June) to bring all of the EU's existing investment instruments under the banner of a new fund called "InvestEU" which will formally succeed the Juncker Plan.

With an eye on Italy and Spain and the possible political and financial turmoil there, the European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called once again on Tuesday (5 June) for a fast and deep reform of the Economic and Monetary Union.

The EU's Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström warned at a press conference on Friday (1 June) that "the US is playing a dangerous game" and announced measures the EU will launch in "a matter of weeks" against US trade restrictions on steel and aluminium. But she admitted it was a "very difficult, dangerous situation".

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, plagued by corruption scandals, lost a confidence vote in the Spanish parliament on Friday (1 June) and will be replaced by opposition leader Pedro Sánchez, a socialist who vowed to call elections soon.

The Commission rushed on Wednesday (30 May) to defend its proposal on linking Cohesion Policy programmes with structural reforms in the European Semester, after MEPs and networks of regions and cities voiced concerns about the possible impact on Cohesion’s initial objectives to help less developed regions.

EURACTIV gathered a first round of reactions to the European Commission's proposal to reform the EU's €373 billion regional funding programme as part of the bloc’s 2021-2027 budget. One thing is certain: the proposed cuts will be a major issue of dissent in the European Parliament.

L’Abattoir, one of the biggest urban markets in Europe, built in an old slaughterhouse, could well be seen as a symbol of circular economy as it has become a source of income for the poor while promoting sustainable farming on its rooftop.

Member states have reached an agreement on a package of measures aimed at reducing risk in the banking industry. The political consensus built upon a joint proposal by the French and German Finance ministers paves the way for a deepened reform of the Economic and Monetary Union.