Opinions
EU’s hydrogen strategy a good start but key problems sidestepped
Europe’s hydrogen strategy mostly points in the right direction by identifying renewable hydrogen as a key energy vector and necessary storage solution for delivering a zero-carbon EU, but it side-steps several key problems that go to the core of what...
Protests in Bulgaria are also about media freedom
Protests in Bulgaria are a genuine civil protest against the party-state and in favour of basic democratic rights such as media freedom, writes Maria Stoyanova.
US pipeline sanctions: Reality check
US pipeline sanctions suggest a deliberate misreading of the European gas market and a paternalistic “America knows best” view of how Europeans should manage their energy commerce, writes Danila Bochkarev.
Farm to Fork Strategy: A partial response to our farmers’ needs
The European Commission's Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy has pleased environmentalists, but that is not enough - we have to look at the big picture and address its economic and social impact as well, writes Hermann Tertsch.Stakeholder Opinion
COVID-19 & Startups: Opportunities in Times of Crisis
Covid-19 is an unprecedented challenge for all businesses. For startups at the most vulnerable phase of their development, however, it is a potential existential crisis. Despite this, government aid during the crisis has often neglected startups, favouring incumbents and national champions.Stakeholder Opinion
Caucasus: Armenia’s ‘New war for new territories’
While Europe and the rest of the world is trying to cope with the coronavirus and searching for ways to re-energise their pandemic-affected economies, fighting broke out on 12 July on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia would appear by any rational analysis to have the only motive for starting the recent border skirmishes, writes James Wilson.
Gas boilers deserve an ‘F’, not an ‘A’
Fossil gas boilers may continue to be labelled ‘green’ for another decade or so if EU leaders fail to review energy labelling rules for heating appliances within a year. This would be very bad news for an overheating world, write...
The Brief – Breaking (for) summer
This summer will be different. Travelling in the time of COVID-19 is not a pleasure, even inside Europe, and especially if you live in the EU and want to go to another continent. Intercontinental travel has almost completely stopped, only...
A stronger Commission is not the same as a stronger Europe
It is a dangerous myth to believe that maximising the role of the European Commission is synonymous with a stronger, wealthier Europe, writes Gunnar Hökmark.Promoted content
The European Green Deal will unlock the true potential of bioenergy – if we take the right decisions now
Despite the considerable challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission continues to push ahead on the implementation of its ambitious European Green Deal agenda. Its latest proposals include a new 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and, most recently, the ambitious Energy...
Illiberal democracy in Slovenia? Yes and no
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša is the strongest challenger to a status quo in which the left has been in power in the country for too long, writes Žiga Turk.Special ReportPromoted content
Europe at the crossroad of Rare Diseases innovation: lessons from the past and future outlooks
In shaping the future of rare diseases policies all stakeholders should cooperate to create an environment that actively supports research and clinical development of orphan medicinal products (OMPs). This entails building synergies all across the innovation ecosystem to address the...
The Brief – Poking the Bear
It only took a few short months for the accusation that the 2016 Brexit referendum was rigged, unfair and corrupt to start doing the rounds. This week, Boris Johnson’s government finally published the Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee report, which...
What the European Council on recovery tells us about European climate politics
After five long days and nights of negotiations, European leaders struck a deal on the seven-year EU budget and “Next Generation EU” recovery plans on Tuesday. What did this European Council tell us about the politics of green and resilient recovery in the EU? Jennifer Tollman, Johanna Lehne and Rebekka Popp explain.
The Brief – Monnet’s law
“All’s well that ends well” should have been the refrain among exhausted diplomats after 92 hours of very intense negotiations in Brussels. With one of the longest summits in history now behind us, it is time for EU pundits to...
The budget deal and EU defence cooperation: What are the implications?
Most headlines on the EU budget deal will focus on the response to Covid-19. But the new budget will include billions for new EU defence initiatives, writes Niklas Novaky.Promoted content
Cambodia: Between COVID-19 and EBA Withdrawal
For Cambodia, the impact of COVID-19 is similar to a simulation of the possible withdrawal of the EU-driven Everything But Arms (EBA) trade scheme. In the current situation, if EBA is to be withdrawn, it would signify "a nail in the coffin" of the already dying garment industry, the country's biggest employer, writes Sim Vireak.
Digital politics and the COVID crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to move more of our lives online faster. But is this for the better? What should we take with us from our lockdown experiences, asks Dita Charanzová.
Russian interference in western judicial systems is growing
The West doesn’t seem to realise the trend whereby bad-faith Russian cases brought by the Russian state and oligarchs leverage trumped-up charges in Russian courts to harass and damage opponents and rivals in western legal proceedings, writes Daniel Mitov.Stakeholder Opinion
Have we given the tech giants the keys to our privacy and our medical secrets?
For months, the world has been asking: how can we avoid a resurge of the pandemic, which would be catastrophic for our economies and well-being? Part of the answer lies in establishing a screening and tracking system for people who have been exposed, in order to prevent them from infecting those around them in turn, writes Pierre Pozzi Belforti.Stakeholder Opinion
Five reasons why Armenia is resorting to military provocation
Azay Guliyev explains why recent clashes at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be taken seriously by the international community.
The Brief – EUCO Wrestlemania
Europe’s premier political entertainment extravaganza, EUCO Wrestlemania, kicked off on Friday for a full weekend of fighting. Here’s the play-by-play account of the still ongoing summer slam in Brussels.
Let’s talk about pork…
An EU-funded campaign has been launched in France, Spain and Portugal to ‘demystify’ the production of pork. Joanna Swabe argues that if we’re going to ‘talk about pork’, let’s talk about routine violations of animal welfare legislation and eating less of it.