Future EU Archives

If European leaders won't agree on a working intra-European solidarity mechanism, Europe's free movement zone will be at risk and many more children will lose their lives trying to reach safety and shelter in Europe, writes Karen Mets.

On World Refugee Day (20 June), it is important to touch upon the sensitive issue of uniting families at a time when separation is happening on the US border. However, separation is also a consequence of the Dublin regulation, which must be reformed, writes Iverna Mc Gowan.

The European Parliament is trying to reach out to young people, particularly those who don’t see the benefits of being part of the EU, writes  Ramón Luis Valcárcel and Sylvie Guillaume.

Young EU citizens want to reclaim ownership of the European project and make it a force for good in the world. With culture and art, they could help cultivate an identity that would go deeper than legislation and regulation, writes Danuta Hübner.

With a year to go until the European Parliament elections and the appointment of a new European Commission, the EU is yet again at a crossroads. But unlike Robert Johnson, the EU is unlikely to sell its soul to play a mean guitar, writes Tom Parker.

Addressing the reforms needed to prepare the six Balkan countries for EU accession can be cathartic in effect, and reinvigorate the European Union, writes Andrey Kovatchev.

When one in four children in the EU is growing up at risk of poverty and social exclusion, investing in children is an economic necessity as much as a moral imperative, writes Jana Hainsworth.

To some extent the vote next May will be a test of the resilience of the forces of disruption, the main achievement of whom so far being Brexit, writes Geoffrey Harris.

Based on figures from 2016, nearly 26.4% of children across the EU are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, poverty or social exclusion. But the EU has one potential policy development to deal with this worrying trend, write Joanna Hofman and Katie Stewart.

Not to beat about the bushes, Michel Barnier should succeed Jean-Claude Juncker. Not just because his handling of the Brexit process has enlarged his stature, but for a number of other cogent reasons, writes Gilles Merritt.

In 2012, all but two EU member states committed themselves to strengthening the rules and institutions that govern their national budget preparation processes by signing the European Fiscal Compact. However, little has been done since, writes Michal Horvath.

As Europe is confronted by different visions about its future, the question remains how these different visions will affect the developments in the Western Balkans. The Balkans remain fragile, and the external pressures and internal divisions could deliver fresh instability in the region.

Last week, the Commission announced a budget that ‘’protects, empowers and defends’’. But who exactly are we protecting empowering and defending? Not Europe’s children nor their counterparts in the developing world. Children are not even mentioned in this proposal.

The idea of making EU funding conditional with respect of the rule of law seems logical as legislatives changes adopted in Hungary and Poland are worrisome. But will it tackle the root of the problem? Ramona Coman and Nathalie Brack have the answer.

Let’s involve more people in decision making and inspire all levels of government, be they local, national or European, to put people first, writes Anna Lisa Boni.

A vital social democracy will play a decisive role in shaping the future of the European Union. The goal of a united Europe, contractually agreed by all EU member states, is to promote participatory democracy, writes Norbert Kluge.

The EU’s next Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) must reflect the commitment the EU has made to decarbonise its economy, in line with the aims of the Paris Agreement. Strong overall coherence to ensure that funds are spent in targeted and intelligent ways is the key to its success, writes Jonathan Gaventa.

It is high time the European Commission stops dragging its feet and present a legislative proposal to ensure the corporate respect for human rights and to establish binding human rights for European companies, writes Heidi Hautala.

The fact that the Western Balkans is being increasingly prioritised on the European agenda is no longer sufficient To achieve real progress in EU integration, the Western Balkan countries need a clearly defined plan that includes a concrete timeframe for all six countries, writes Ilhan Kyuchyuk.

The number of poor countries facing major debt crises has doubled since 2013, and only 1 in 5 are now considered to be at low risk of crisis. With some countries in the midst of crisis and others on the brink, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains a pipe dream, writes Mark Perera.

Although talks on the EU's next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) might appear dull on the surface, we should force ourselves to take notice of them and emphasise the long-term importance of the external tranche of the budget, writes Susi Dennison.

As Roma week 2018 comes to a close, Violeta Naydenova calls on the member governments and the Commission to use their influence to persuade the Bulgarian Presidency to increase their efforts against anti-Roma hatred in Bulgaria.

To ensure the security and stability of the Western Balkans, the perspective of membership may no longer be enough. The EU should push back against Russian propaganda and engage in smarter outreach. It needs a new, more confident approach, writes Sir Graham Watson.

Much ado about nothing. This is how we could sum up one of President Macron’s first citizens’ consultations, held in Croatia, writes Mario Munta.