Future EU
Portuguese MEPs critical of von der Leyen’s state of the union speech
Portuguese MEPs were sharply divided in their appreciation of the state of the Union speech presented on Wednesday by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament. EURACTIV's partner Lusa reports.
The Brief, powered by EPRA — All is well, Madame la Marquise
“Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise, tout va très bien, tout va très bien,” a popular French song goes. This has become a proverbial catchphrase to express an attitude of blindness in the face of a difficult situation –...
#SOTEU: Key issues from von der Leyen’s annual speech
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual state of the union address in the European Parliament on Wednesday, praising the EU’s efforts in dealing with the pandemic and economic recovery, but also calling for more efforts to achieve strategic autonomy, climate goals and a coherent European defence.
#SOTEU: The nitty-gritty of von der Leyen’s message for Europe
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her state of the union address in the European Parliament on Wednesday (15 September), praising the EU's efforts in dealing with the pandemic and economic recovery. She stressed the importance of working on Europe's strategic economy, a stronger health union, defence, and the green and digital transition.
The fate of the Union
The state of the European Union address must become a real democratic exercise. And that requires an assertive European Parliament prepared to hold the Commission president to account, writes Sophie In't Veld.
Slovenia: Future of Europe debate should focus on resilience
After the successive crises over two decades, a core issue for the Conference on the Future of Europe should be how to ensure the resilience of the EU and put policies in favour of European citizens first, Slovenia's State Secretary Gašper Dovžan told EURACTIV.
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe. The EU's leaders must stop paying lipservice to the climate emergency, writes Helena Marschall.
Kaczynski and Putin’s alliance without friendship
It is wrong to assume that Europe's far-right are divided in their attitudes to Putin's Russia, writes Maciej Kisilowski.
Bring the Erasmus Generation to the Conference on the Future of Europe
The Erasmus Generation has mostly remained behind the scenes within NGOs, multinationals, and public administration. It is time for them to take on more political responsibilities and use their hands-on understanding of Europe, writes João Pinto.
The Brief, powered by Greens/EFA – Return to the Dark Ages
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Greece this week to protest against the government’s push to effectively make immunisation against COVID-19 mandatory in order to lead a normal life.
Transnational lists, top-candidate system no cure for EU ‘democratic deficit’
Transnational election lists and the Spitzenkandidaten system used during the EU elections to nominate the bloc’s leaders are no “miracle cures” to the “democratic deficit” in the EU, according to an information report presented by French senators on Tuesday (6 July). EURACTIV France reports.
Citizens not satisfied with EU’s current state, say MEPs
With the first plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe on Saturday (19 June) designed to have EU citizen participation at its core, some MEPs believe the event could be a catalyst to change the bloc's treaties, while others hope citizens are not used as political pawns. .
The Brief, powered by ITI – What is the EU doing at G7?
At the G7 round table, there are actually nine seats. At last week's three-day G7 summit in Cornwall, two of them were taken by European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (both of whom managed to grab a seat this time).
A new phase for the European project
The European Union must assert itself as a full-fledged political entity with economic, social, cultural dimensions and take internal and external actions that are decided democratically by its own citizens, writes Maria Joao Rodrigues.
The Brief, powered by UNESDA – Janša’s alternative vision
Slovenian premier Janez Janša is hardly likely to make the shortlist of poster boys for EU integration. Yet thanks to the vagaries of the bloc’s six-month rotating EU Council presidency, the Future of Europe Conference, launched in May, will sit in his hands, and overactive Twitter account, from July until the end of the year.
The Brief, powered by UNESDA – God is a concept
The EU has started discussing its future. Our take is that in order to be able to project itself in time and space, the EU needs to be at peace with itself and that most specifically includes its Christian roots...
A moment of truth for European political parties
European political parties are largely ignored but they have vast untapped potential to play a major role in EU decision making and in giving the EU more democratic legitimacy, argue Alina Bârgăoanu and Dan Luca.
A time to reflect
The European Parliament has begun a much needed reflection process with a view to updating the way that the institution works, writes David Sassoli.
The Robin Hood of Brussels should go away
There are many advantages in the EU becoming more financially independent of the member states, write Jakub Kučera and Lukáš Rejzek.
Time to rethink EU democracy
To regain people’s trust in democracy, we need to fundamentally revisit the way our democracies work. The Conference on the Future of Europe is a chance to update the way Brussels does politics, write Guy Verhofstadt and Dacian Cioloș.
The New European Bauhaus must transform beauty into public good
To realise its potential to help Europeans live "beautifully, sustainably, together," the Commission needs to prioritise beauty as a European public good supported by adequate investment, maximum societal participation and a comprehensive policy framework, argues Vadim Kononenko.
Long odds on a successful conference
There is a parallel between the position in which the European Union is today and that in which Ireland found itself in 2001 following the rejection of the Nice Treaty in a referendum, writes Dick Roche, commenting on the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Federalists: Conference on the Future of Europe could kickstart EU reform
Like the Schuman Declaration in 1950, the Conference on the Future of Europe could pave the way for a reform of the EU, the Spinelli Group – which gathers federalist MEPs and national parliamentarians – with the Union of European...