Michael Ball
Local Energy Communities: driver of the 2050 low-carbon agenda?
Households and neighbourhoods feeding small-scale electricity and heat into a decentralised European energy grid: this is the vision developed by proponents of microgeneration. As much as half of EU citizens – including local communities, schools and hospitals – could be...
Tweets of the Week: Article 50 in ECJ, Selmayrgate, and Gilets Jaunes protests
This week, Article 50 in ECJ, Selmayrgate just won’t go away, and Gilets Jaunes protests go seriously astray.
Galileo: A critical component for autonomous driving?
The past decades have seen substantial improvements in the performance of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology. The satellite signals have been modernised, and by the end of 2018, multi-band GNSS will become affordable.
Can the EU lead on cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity has become a prominent topic on the EU policy agenda. The NIS directive, the EU's first cybersecurity law, went into effect in May of this year. And the European Commission proposed more legislation, known as the cybersecurity act, in September 2017.
EU visa facilitation for Kazakhstan will be a win-win story
There is nothing to be feared from putting in place visa facilitation for Kazakh citizens.
Science in the future of agriculture: Can innovation double food production – and improve sustainability?
The European farming sector is facing a number of challenges – producing more and better food from shrinking arable land for a growing population, while preserving the environment and ensuring good living standards for farmers.
Regulated energy prices: The end of an era?
Many European countries have various types of limits on gas and electricity prices paid by consumers, a legacy inherited from the post-war period.
Tweets of the Week: Anger in Strasbourg, plastic ban, and the Sakharov Prize
Angry words in the chamber are drastic, MEPs vote against plastic, and reaction to the Sakharov Prize is fantastic.
Decentralised cooperation gets results: the PLATFORMA coalition is there to prove it!
Discover concrete examples of what city-to-city and region-to-region development cooperation can bring to cities and regions from the EU and partner countries.
EU-Kazakhstan: Visa facilitation on the agenda
Kazakhstan doesn’t represent a migration challenge for the EU, and visa facilitation for its nationals going to Europe can be only beneficial for both sides.
Climate change and natural hazards: What advantages for building resilience?
Climate change is increasing the risk of extreme weather events, including droughts, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires. In 2017, costs were estimated to be $306 billion, which is almost double 2016’s loss of $188 billion.
Innovation in oncology – Can science make cancer a manageable disease?
In Europe, more than 3 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year. But recent advances in cancer treatment have offered new hope to those battling the disease.
Tweets of the Week: Bono, Timmermans, and Juncker dancing
This week, Bono comes to Brussels to preach, Frans Timmermans thinks the Commission job’s in reach, and Jean Claude’s dance moves make the British Press screech.
Green Mobility Forum 2018: Reducing CO2 emissions from trucks: can we do it?
Transport accounts for nearly a quarter of the EU’s emissions and, unlike other sectors, greenhouse gases continue to rise. Trucks only make up a small part of vehicles on the roads in Europe: less than 5% of total traffic.
EU-Africa relations: Time for a reset?
Africa and Europe are interconnected by close geographical, business and historical ties. After years during which it received less attention, Africa now tops the European Union political agenda.
Tweets of the Week: Corbyn in town, MEP expenses, and Brexit lemons
This week, Jeremy Corbyn comes to town, MEP expenses ruling raises a frown, and MP lemon tweet is totally shot down.
Europe’s electricity market: Ensuring supply security in the transition to renewables
The on-going transformation of the EU power industry is leading policymakers to re-evaluate the current design of electricity markets. Electricity generated from renewable sources has become one of the most important sources of electricity, paving the way for a transition towards a low-carbon energy system.
The EU in your region: Where does cohesion money go?
Cohesion Policy represents one-third of the current EU’s budget and is the main investment policy of the Union. As the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework are about to kick off, we had a look at how funds are distributed across different regions in Europe and what kind of projects are funded with them.
Running the rule over Article 7
It is the strongest punitive measure the EU has against its member states: Article 7. Since disciplinary measures were triggered against Poland for the first time in late 2017, the punitive Article 7 procedure has gained in notoriety.
The copyright bill: Explained in under 2 minutes
The European Parliament will vote on its controversial Copyright bill on Wednesday, September 12. The directive aims to ensure that producers of creative content are remunerated fairly online.
The evolution and functioning of Europe’s natural gas market as a result of the Third Gas Directive
The liberalisation of European gas markets is widely recognised as a success by industry analysts. But EU politicians are sometimes reluctant to celebrate it because liberalisation on its own has failed to deliver on another key objective – supply diversification.
The role of capacity markets in the electricity market transition
The European Commission presented two proposals on Electricity Market Design as part of its Clean Energy Package of November 2016. Discussions on the package have tended to focus on the level of ambition, in particular Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency targets.
A journey through EU Cohesion Policy
Cohesion Policy supports the development of regions that are lagging behind and helps in fostering innovation and enterprise in more advanced areas of the European Union.