Opinions

The age of permacrisis

Despite the fatigue with the pandemic and the longing for stability and predictability, Europe has entered the age of ‘permacrisis’, in which volatility, uncertainty, and a prolonged sense of emergency have become the new normal, argue Ricardo Borges de Castro, Fabian Zuleeg and Janis A. Emmanouilidis.

The female face of energy poverty is still invisible

Women are more likely to live in energy poverty, something that needs to be reflected in EU policy as it rolls out its renovation wave, writes Michaela Kauer.

Why the EU should pay attention to Africa’s tech sector

As the EU defines its priorities for an EU-Africa partnership, Africa's burgeoning tech sector is an obvious starting point for collaboration, argues Dan Dalton.

The Brief, powered by FACEBOOK – Michel’s musical chairs

European Council President Charles Michel missed a few good chances in Ankara. But despite his apology tour, where he tried to frame the 'Sofagate' incident as a diplomatic snub rather than a sexist move towards a female leader, this musical chair mishap will mark his mandate, which is up for evaluation in less than a year.

The challenge of protecting European privacy from Uncle Sam’s snoopers

The findings of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) in the two cases arising from complaints against Facebook by Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems highlight the fundamentally opposed approaches towards data and personal privacy in the EU and the US, writes Dick Roche.

How Joe Biden could effortlessly boost aviation climate action

Europe is strengthening its carbon pricing system for aviation. After having fought the policy under the Obama administration, President Joe Biden has a chance to show that the world has changed and that the US is now ready to support real climate action, argues Jakop Dalunde.

Greater corporate tax transparency is also good for business

Far from making life harder for business, public country-by-country reporting will actually improve relations with investors, and benefit both companies and consumers, writes Elena Gaita.

Protecting our health also means switching to toxic-free food packaging

As the world looks to rebuild after COVID, we need to change our approach to the environment, particularly the chemicals and single-use plastics involved in food packaging, writes Frédérique Ries.

The EU should get serious about Georgia’s political crisis

The lack of visionaries in Georgian politics increases the European Union’s responsibility to make sure that the country gets out of its current crisis, write Vakshuti Menabde and Teona Lavrelashvili. By Vakhushti Menabde is director of Program of Support for...

The Brief, powered by bp – An elusive elixir: how to unite the right

A “European renaissance based on Christian values” is probably not what Emmanuel Macron and others have in mind when they think about the EU’s future. But that was top of the agenda for Europe’s three populist musketeers on Thursday. After...

Great Serbian vaccinationism

The decision of the Serbian authorities to open the door to their neighbours for vaccination has nothing to do with reviving warm memories of the former Yugoslavia, writes Orhan Dragaš.

Mercosur trade deal threatens to wreck EU’s climate credibility

To pass the EU-Mercosur deal in its current state would set an horrific precedent for future trade deals currently under negotiation and fly in the face of the EU’s landmark Green Deal, write Laurence Tubiana and Ani Toni.

The Brief, powered by bp – Dress rehearsal elections

As Bulgarians are gearing up for a general election on Sunday (4 April), the crucial issue - or risk, for some - is whether Boyko Borissov, who has run the poorest EU country with small interruptions since 2009, will get another mandate.

A circular economy for textiles to design out waste and pollution

Europe has an opportunity to use the textiles strategy, due to be published this year, to build on its history of textile manufacturing and switch to a more sustainable industry, benefitting citizens and the environment, writes Valérie Boiten.

The Brief, powered by bp – Not that ‘smart’ after all

All it took was a few hours of warm weather and the Brussels parks were suddenly flooded with hundreds of young people on Tuesday as if there had never been any confinement. Similar pictures could be seen across Europe - a clear sign that people are reaching their confinement limits during this seemingly never-ending pandemic.

Moria 2.0: The EU’s sandbox for surveillance technologies

The three camps of Lesvos, Old Moria, Moria 2.0 all tell a story of the multi-layered ecosystem which gives rise to the allure of quick fixes facilitated by technology. Yet the complexity of human movement is nothing but simple, writes Petra Molnar.

How the European Commission is underselling climate action

A blanket 10% rate of interest on borrowing is being assumed for the European Commission's upcoming 2030 package of climate and energy laws. This fails to take into account the present low rates across most European countries, writes Ursula Woodburn.