EURACTIV.com
Health Commissioner Andriukaitis announces run at Lithuania presidency
European Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis announced on Friday (15 February) he would run for president of Lithuania, after some dithering due to his current institutional position.
The Brief – Spain’s call for elections: A wish for common sense
Spain wrapped up a dizzying week as Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called early elections for 28 April. It will be the third time Spaniards go to the ballot box in four years, with the political scene thrown wide open by recent developments.
Spain to hold early elections on 28 April
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Friday (15 February) for snap elections on 28 April, only nine months after he took office, after failing to secure the Parliament’s support for his 2019 budget.
EU in fresh diplomatic push to ‘raise global ambition’ on climate change
A special UN summit scheduled in New York next September will provide “an essential opportunity to mobilise political will to raise global ambition” on climate change, according to a draft EU statement due to be adopted on Monday (18 February).
Trans-Europe Express – Mother of all European elections
At a press conference about '100 days before the next European elections', European Parliament spokesperson Jaime Duch Guillot made plenty of use of superlatives. Because this year’s European elections are dead serious.
Glyphosate ban was out of pesticide committee’s scope, co-rapporteur says
Greens did not back the call to ban glyphosate because out of the mandate of pesticide special committee, pledging to battle for it at the right time and moment, Greens co-rapporteur on the final report Bart Staes explained in an interview with EURACTIV.com.
UK’s May suffers new defeat, increasing Brexit confusion
British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered another embarrassing defeat on Thursday (14 February) after MPs voted against her Brexit strategy for the second time.
Gas must be ‘completely’ decarbonised by 2050, says UK think-tank
Britain must entirely get rid of fossil-based natural gas in the coming three decades if the country is to meet its long-term decarbonisation objectives, according to a think-tank close to the ruling Conservative party.
New treaty bans commercial fishing in the Arctic for 16 years
The European Union and nine other countries, including the US and Russia, approved an international agreement on Thursday (14 February) that will prohibit commercial vessels from fishing in the Arctic in order to preserve the region's fragile ecosystem.
Tweets of the Week: Brexit, copyright, and valentines
Roses are red, violets are blue, This week it’s Brexit, copyright and lazy rhymes too.
EU court rules against Commission on Belgium ‘excess profit’ tax scheme
The system of exception for the excess profit of Belgian entities that are part of multinational corporate groups does not constitute illegal state aid, contrary to the European Commission's previous assessment, the EU's top court ruled on Thursday (14 February).
The Brief – Eurocrat XI
The European Parliament has teamed up with the world of football in an effort to get us all out to vote in May and it’s not a bad idea. But how would the EU officials we know and love fare on the pitch if asked to pull on a pair of boots?
Europe strengthens monitoring of foreign investment
The European Parliament approved on Thursday (14 February) the proposal to screen foreign investment at EU level, clearing the path for closer monitoring of third country companies willing to invest in EU’s critical sectors.
EU Commission, farmers fume at Greenpeace on animal farming report
The European Commission and the EU farmers association (Copa Cogeca) both dismissed a report conducted by Greenpeace as groundless and simplistic. The report argued that animal farming in Europe was using too much agricultural land.
‘No alternative’ to digital construction, expert says
The digitisation of the EU's construction industry is an oft-overlooked area of technological development, both politically and socially. EURACTIV.com spoke to Milena Feustel to shine a light on the sector and explore the direction the digital construction is going in across Europe.
Over a Coffee with Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout, lead candidates for the Greens
Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout, lead candidates in the European Elections for the Greens meet with EURACTIV’s Brian Maguire over a coffee to talk about the upcoming EU elections.
Europe creates labour watchdog to fight against abuses
The European Parliament and member states have reached an agreement to set up a new European Labour Authority (ELA) to protect workers’ rights and launch cross-border investigations in case of potential abuses.
MEPs stir north Africa’s frozen conflict
European Parliament endorsed the new EU-Morocco Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement on 12 February. Although it's a triumph for Morocco and its lobbying efforts in Brussels, it is unlikely to do anything to resolve a long-running legal and political saga in North Africa.
EU approves ban on electric pulse fishing from 2021
The European Parliament and EU member states clinched an agreement late last night (13 February) over new technical conservation measures for fishing, which includes an EU-wide ban on the controversial pulse trawling starting from mid-2021.
Don’t link EU regional funds with budget deficit rules, Parliament insists
EU lawmakers rejected on Wednesday (13 February) a controversial proposal by the European Commission to make payments of cohesion funds conditional to the observation of country-specific recommendations on economic reforms.
Brexit: ‘No special contingency measures‘ for data flows, EU says
"No special contingency measures for data flows" will be taken out in the case of a no-deal Brexit, according to documents released on Monday (11 February) .
NATO in search of options to prepare for post-INF world
In the aftermath of US President Trump's withdrawal from the landmark nuclear arms-control accord earlier this month, NATO allies on Wednesday (13 January) met in Brussels to plan for a future that includes a “Russia with more missiles.”
Deal struck on copyright reform after ‘intense’ negotiations
The future of online copyright is set to be radically transformed as Parliament and Council negotiators struck an agreement on the controversial Copyright Directive on Wednesday (13 February) evening, over two years after the measures were first introduced by the Commission.