EU Institutions

ECB raises rates, signals at least one more hike

The European Central Bank raised interest rates by 0.5% on Thursday (2 February) and explicitly signalled at least one more hike of the same magnitude next month, reaffirming it would stay the course in the fight against high inflation.

ECB lays out balance sheet run-off, to further favour greener firms

The European Central Bank will favour bonds issued by greener companies as it starts running down its €5 trillion portfolio of bond holdings from March, it said on Thursday (2 February).

NGOs: Collateral damage from Qatargate?

Welcome to EU Politics Decoded. In this edition, we look at how NGOs and civil society groups risk becoming collateral damage from the Qatargate scandal.

EU ministers relaunch call to improve honey labelling

EU agriculture ministers have reiterated their call on the European Commission to revise legislation on the labelling of honey blends and protect producers and consumers when choosing the honey of their liking.

French MEPs concerned over EU-Mercosur deal amid regional push

Over 20 years in the making, the EU-Mercosur deal is edging closer to implementation, with the region's leaders, including Brazil's freshly elected President Lula, pushing for swift ratification. However, French EU lawmakers reiterated concerns over environmental standards.

EU ministers step up fight against animal transport ban

A coalition of EU agriculture ministers have joined forces to push back against a potential ban on live animal transport to third countries, but the Commission stressed the need to be ambitious on animal welfare. 

Parliament will be ‘more transparent, modern and open’, says Metsola

Roberta Metsola has vowed to use the Parliament’s response to the so-called ‘Qatargate’ scandal to make the institution "more visible, more effective, more transparent, more modern and more open".

Tougher reforms are needed post-Qatargate, MEPs told

Transparency experts have urged MEPs to push for tougher internal reforms in the wake of the Qatargate scandal, noting that Qatar is not the only state to practice ‘chequebook diplomacy’. 

Italy not starting a new energy policy, says former PM

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Algeria brought speculation that the country is looking to forge a new energy policy. However, this is just business as usual, former prime minister and current leader of the Five Star Movement Giuseppe Conte told EURACTIV in an exclusive video interview.

Citizen-backed petition to ban pesticides by 2035 divides EU lawmakers

A petition led by citizens and NGOs calling for a ban on synthetic pesticides left a bittersweet taste after being delivered to the European Parliament in a ‘lively panel’ joined by the Commission, agriculture and environment lawmakers.

Morocco votes to review ties with European Parliament

Moroccan lawmakers on Monday (23 January) voted unanimously to review ties with the European Parliament, accusing it of meddling after a resolution that urged the kingdom to respect press freedom.

ECB rate hikes could derail climate investments, MEP warns

The European Central Bank's (ECB) decision to increase interest rates to fight inflation could impede investments in green energy, EU lawmaker Rasmus Andresen warned, calling on the bank to differentiate its interest rates.

Big Pharma has ‘disproportionate’ influence on public health, new report says

The pharmaceutical industry disproportionately influenced EU institutions resulting in harm to public health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from two health NGOs. 

EU parliament slams declining press freedom in Morocco

The European Parliament on Thursday (19 January) condemned what it described as a decline in press freedom in Morocco and said it was "concerned" by corruption allegations against Rabat.

Bulgarian socialist MEPs skip vote for special tribunal to punish Russian crimes

None of the five Bulgarian socialist MEPs took part in the vote on Thursday (19 January) on a resolution demanding the Russian political and military leadership be held accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

EU lawmakers warn against loosening state aid rules

EU Parliament lawmakers fear large EU countries like France and Germany could gain a competitive advantage if national state aid rules are relaxed across the bloc, and are pushing for an EU Sovereignty Fund to be adopted.

European Parliament calls for investigation into Enlargement Commissioner Varhelyi

The European Parliament on Wednesday (19 January) called for an investigation into whether the bloc's Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has breached the EU executive's code of conduct.

France: Mobility apps and cab drivers agree on minimum ride pay

EURACTIV France obtained final drafts of two agreements that cab drivers and digital platforms, such as Uber, are set to sign on Wednesday, enshrining a minimum ride pay of €7.65 and setting the agenda for future negotiations.

Italian politics threatens to torpedo EU buildings directive

An outrage in domestic Italian politics has put the reform of the EU’s energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD) in peril, blowing up a tenuous political compromise from December 2022.

Angel replaces Qatargate MEP as Parliament vice-president in narrow vote

Luxembourgish Socialist lawmaker Marc Angel was narrowly elected as a vice-president of the European Parliament on Wednesday (18 December), filling the vacancy left by the Greek MEP Eva Kaili, currently in custody on corruption charges.

French pensions reform: A problem that must be corrected?

The French government argues that its controversial pension reform, which will raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, will mitigate a growing spending deficit - an approach contested by experts and trade unions.

What’s next for the European Parliament?

To repair the reputational damage caused by the Qatargate scandal, the European Parliament needs specific integrity measures, a checks and balances system, more transparency in the decision-making process at the level of all institutions, and stronger rules to regulate lobbying, writes Victor Negrescu.

MEP ‘friendship’ groups with foreign countries to be banned post-Qatargate

‘Friendship’ groups of MEPs with countries outside the EU will be banned under new plans to improve transparency in the European Parliament in the wake of the Qatargate bribery scandal.

ECB will continue hiking rates, Croatia central bank governor says

The European Central Bank (ECB) will continue raising its interest rate this year, depending on inflationary pressures and the effect of previous rate hikes, the central bank governor of the newest eurozone member, Croatia, told EURACTIV in an interview.