Interviews
Former Greek anti-corruption chief: Novartis scandal has harmed EU budget
The scandal involving Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis in Greece has affected the health budgets of other EU countries and the bloc’s finances, Greece’s former anti-corruption prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Stop calling Putin, Estonia’s prime minister says
There is no point in talking to Vladimir Putin if we really want him to understand he is isolated, Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told EURACTIV in what can be seen as a thinly veiled criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron's largely unsuccessful phone diplomacy with Moscow.
Academic: We are probably entering a long period of high gas prices
With Russia’s war in Ukraine, the European Union is probably entering a long period of high gas prices, warns Ilaria Conti, saying the EU should use the crisis to mandate a storage obligation on EU member states and push for higher targets on renewable energy.
Ukraine’s integration can start today, EU Parliament chief says
The EU should open its doors to Ukraine, paving the way for immediate access to trade, programs, funding, transport, movement, and more, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Asked by EURACTIV what her thoughts are...
Radio spectrum: inside the next challenge for 5G deployment
A significant new spectrum needs to be attributed to 5G usage for the new generation of networks to carry out their full benefits, as the next years could be crucial for Europe to catch up or further fall behind in this technological race, Luciana Camargos told EURACTIV.
Analyst: Price collar would preserve ‘political stability’ of EU carbon market
Some form of price regulation, like a price collar or position limits on market players, could address worries about high prices on the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and help prevent "a political backlash", climate and energy expert Michael Pahle told EURACTIV in an interview.
Hamburg city prioritises diversity to revive culture, save economy
The Hamburg city is looking for solutions to reverse a negative trend of disproportional retail’s sector growth compared to other sectors in the downtown, told EURACTIV.de Dorothee Stapelfeldt, Senator for Urban Development and Environment in the Government of Hamburg in an interview.
Germany calls for Western Balkan enlargement, abolition of unanimity
Germany wants to use the Conference on the Future of Europe as a starting point to further develop the EU, possibly change treaties and abolish unanimity decision-making for EU foreign policy matters.
Ukraine ‘highly prepared’ for next steps in EU bid, deputy PM says
Ukraine will complete by the end of this week the second part of a questionnaire on the ability of Ukraine to assume the obligations of membership and expects a positive answer in June, the country's Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, Olha Stefanishyna, told EURACTIV but added that Kyiv understands "there is no fast track" for EU membership.
MEP: Finland’s mistrust towards Russia is increasing
In an interview with EURACTIV, Finnish Green MEP Alviina Alametsä said that a majority in parliament and the public in her country are now in favour of NATO membership, for which it hopes to have “some signals and symbols of support during a possible membership application”.Promoted content
Citizens must be at the forefront of the CoFoE follow-up
Citizens must be actively involved in the process of implementing the CoFoE proposals, according to Antonis Kourras, member of the Conference Citizens’ Panels.
Industry boss: ‘Without Russian gas, we are probably in the worst situation we’ve ever been’
European gas infrastructure operators are preparing for all scenarios in the coming winter, including one “with no Russian gas at all” and supply cuts for consumers, says Torben Brabo.
CoR President: Regions must be involved in crisis response
The EU must shrink the gap between its institutions and regional actors to respond to contemporary crises and challenges effectively, Apostolos Tzitzikostas told EURACTIV Slovakia.
Soil conservation must be priority, says Indian leader of new global campaign
There is an urgent need to focus on soil conservation, a global campaign originating in India is arguing in an attempt to highlight the threat to one of nature’s greatest resources.
Paris arrondissement mayor: Pandemic ‘accelerated’ trends, challenges are here to stay
The pandemic, while not having profoundly changed Paris' neighbourhoods, has revealed certain challenges and trends that are there to stay, the mayor of Paris' 18th arrondissement, Eric Lejoindre, told EURACTIV France in an interview.
Germany must send aid, change diet amid global food crisis, says official
To help solve the food price crisis, Germany must quickly send aid to import-dependent countries but also change its diet and consume less meat, Niels Annen, parliamentary state secretary at Germany's economic cooperation and development ministry told EURACTIV Germany in an interview.
Regulation is the only way to make online platforms serve society, MEP says
How can online platforms that seek to maximise profits be made compatible with or even foster consumer protection, democratic processes, and worker rights? For European lawmaker Tiemo Wölken, the short answer is regulation.
Permitting and supply chain issues must be tackled to boost wind sector, says industry
Wind energy will play a key role in helping Europe break away from Russian fossil fuels and increase its energy independence, but slow permitting and strains on the supply chain need to be tackled if Europe wants a fast rollout of wind power, according to Sven Utermöhlen.
FAO official: EU’s rethinking of food system fundamentals is legit amid Ukraine, COVID, climate crises
It is understandable that the EU is reorganising the fundamentals of its agricultural model in terms of strategic autonomy after the Ukraine war and the effects of both COVID-19 and climate crises, an official of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation told EURACTIV in an interview.
If Turkey was an EU member, Ukraine war might have been prevented, says minister
Turkey's leaders have recently increased talk about their will to return to the negotiating table with Brussels. But what has prompted this new momentum? EURACTIV Slovakia spoke to Faruk Kaymakci, Turkey's deputy minister of foreign affairs and director for EU affairs.
How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ended Vatican’s multilateral foreign policy
The Vatican City's multilateral approach to foreign policy has ended with the war in Ukraine as Pope Francis takes an increasingly anti-Putin stance, Vatican expert Piero Schiavazzi told EURACTIV.
Employers’ representative: EU needs competitiveness check, not minimum wage directive
An EU directive on minimum wages "risks undermining collective bargaining and adding up complexities to the recovery and the resilience of the EU economy", Stefano Mallia, who represents employers in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), told EURACTIV.Promoted content
We need a genuine union of European citizens that includes Ukraine
Interview with Marta Barandiy, founder of civil society network Promote Ukraine and editor-in-chief of Brussels Ukraїna Review, and Maryna Yaroshevych, head of advocacy at Promote Ukraine The Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) is the opportunity for the EU...