Opinions
The Brief — Inflation blues
With the pandemic raging around us and hefty price rises hitting Europeans in their pocketbooks, anyone immune from the January blues should be instructed to share their secret with the rest of us.
How Germany’s Nord Stream pipes promote war in Europe
Unlike the naïve West, Russia knew perfectly well what it was doing by building the first Nord Stream pipe, which came onstream in 2011. Andreas Umland ponders if anything has changed until the present day when Nord Stream 2 is completed.
The EU and its member states must impose a diplomatic boycott on the Beijing Olympics
The EU and its member states must adopt statements in advance of the Beijing Olympics and boycott the games at the political level, a group of MEPs and national MPs write in a letter sent to EURACTIV.
The Brief — COVID gamblers
Is this the end of COVID – or at least of the restrictions? Or is it a misperception? Should we brace for a new variant, possibly the worst we could imagine?
Time for Europe to stand on its own two feet
The way the US recently applied the Magnitsky Act in Bulgaria may have been beneficial for the country struggling with its mafia, but was a humiliation vis-a-vis the EU, Dick Roche writes.
Fallout from Kazakh unrest must not undermine decades of progress
It is crucial that after the unrest, president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev now prioritize the safeguarding of the country’s reputation as a stable country, responsible international partner, and attractive investment destination, writes Matthew Bryza.
The Brief – An inevitable betrayal
Following the 2008 economic crisis, the EU socialists almost collapsed in successive elections across the bloc. Back then, they put the blame on the “grand coalition” they had formed with the centre-right.
The EU needs to respect different labour market models
Swedish trade unions cannot support EU wage legislation, and the issue risks undermining support for the EU project, argues Torbjörn Johansson.
Tracking progress to a well-being economy
Over time, the European Commission has developed many different sets of metrics to measure progress on economic, social or environmental objectives. The challenge now is to come up with a common narrative and a set of indicators that brings all of them together, writes Jonathan Barth.
Living with nuclear power plants at your border
The nuclear industry's announced renaissance to “save the climate” would mean building 600 to 700 new reactors worldwide, significantly increasing the risk of an incident with cross-border implications, write Horst Hamm and Charlotte Migeon.
Leadership in times of crisis starts by fixing the EU’s democratic deficit
As we enter 2022, it is 30 years since Citizenship of the European Union was first introduced during the Maastricht Treaty negotiations. This led to the creation of the first transnational citizenship, affording all EU citizens with rights, freedoms and legal protections, write Suzana Carp and Justin Goshorn.
After the protests, what debt will Kazakhstan’s leaders owe Russia?
What seems obvious after the recent protests is that Kazakhstan might become even more reliant on Russia, demonstrating a diminished ability to balance the influence of Washington and Moscow, writes Aigerim Toleukhanova.Promoted content
Bioenergy: A Sustainable Source that Benefits the Climate, Industry and Society
As the world battles climate change, it is imperative for all elements of society, from governments to businesses to individual citizens, to work together. In Japan, this principle is deeply ingrained.
Russia is making the West more united than ever
If the Russian-Ukrainian conflict turns hot again, the response of the West will not be as muted as in 2014 when Crimea was invaded and annexed, writes Róbert Vass.
The Brief, powered by The Greens/EFA – Divorcing over Djokovic
Novak Djokovic’s Australian saga is dangerously divisive. The Serbian tennis player is becoming, possibly against his will, an icon of the anti-vaxxers.Special ReportPromoted content
History education can put democracies back on track
The backsliding of democracy in Europe is also driven by the distortion of historical facts and facilitated by a lack of the will and ability to identify disinformation. History education is a key element in providing future generations with the...Promoted content
Rethinking the way we serve food and drinks to EU consumers
To safeguard hygiene, keep customers and employees safe and promote sustainable growth in Europe’s vibrant food service sector, the EU must be patient and wise in promoting new ways of serving food and drinks to European consumers.
The Brief — The party’s over
It was always likely that something trivial would bring down Boris Johnson. It would never be policy because Johnson is, ideologically, something of an empty vessel. Throughout his career, it has always been unclear what, besides advancing his own interests, he actually believes in.
Higher charging infrastructure targets will prevent two-track Europe in EV shift
Rapid decarbonisation of road transport is needed to achieve Europe’s carbon neutrality by 2050. To ensure that no EU country is left behind in the transition to electric vehicles, ambitious charging infrastructure targets must be applied across the bloc, writes Mathieu Bonnet.Promoted content
The EU needs legislation on access to in-vehicle data
Digitalisation has the potential to revolutionize the way we use, maintain, repair, and insure cars; the existing sector-specific legislation needs some overhaul to keep allowing consumers to control and manage data flows that they generate while using their vehicles.
Towards the end of the road for the EU’s inhumane live animal transports?
Members of the European Parliament have a unique chance to drastically improve the lives of animals during transport. They need to take it, argue Tilly Metz and Anja Hazekamp.
‘Don’t Look Up’: The engine-makers’ answer to the climate crisis
Netflix’s new comedy film Don’t Look Up may be a heightened parody of the climate crisis, but scenes from the film recall the latest lobbying campaign to keep fossil fuel engines on our roads, argues Alex Keynes.
The Brief — The Battle of Normandy
The tensions with Russia over Ukraine are said to be at their most dangerous since the end of the Cold War. Talks with Russia are ongoing in various forms. However, there are no results, and no prospects of any breakthrough.
Africa takes vaccination into its own hands
Africa can’t rely on wealthy nations for help in the face of empty promises, and vaccine hoarding writes Peter Burdin, former BBC Africa bureau editor.