Brexit – Raising awareness for hidden Europeans

Raising awareness of the need for EU citizens in the UK to apply for EU Settled Status is one of the main challenges facing the UK government and activists. And it’s proving to be harder than many in the government expected.

Northern Ireland prepares for momentous abortion, same-sex marriage changes

Campaigners who fought for decades to end Northern Ireland's same sex-marriage ban and restrictions on abortion prepare on Monday for a momentous change to the laws on both at the stroke of midnight.

Ahead of election, Spain braces for weeks of violent protests after ‘historic’ sentence

Less than a month before a fresh general election, Spain enters one of the most complex and volatile periods in its recent democratic history, after the Supreme Court sentenced on Monday nine Catalan independence leaders for their involvement in the banned 2017 independence referendum. EURACTIV's partner EFE reports.

The Brief, powered by TIF – A new dialogue with Catalonia

After years of dealing with the Catalan issue by judiciary means, the verdict in the trial of the regional separatist leaders should bring a new opportunity for political dialogue. But staunch positions and the social fracture require time and courage,...

Erdogan thanks Orban for ‘support at the international stage’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in Baku on Tuesday (15 October), on the fringes of the Turkic Council, a group of countries speaking the same family of languages, which Hungary wants to join.

Brexit causes status anxiety among EU nationals in the UK

The negotiations on a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement have been painfully slow and often rancorous, but ministers have always insisted that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK will be protected. But despite all pledges, including from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there is continuing anxiety on all sides.

A hair’s breadth from a massacre: a closer look at the Synagogue shooting in Germany

A gunman killed two people and injured several on Wednesday, but his failure to open the Synagogue's door spared the German city of Halle from a massacre. EURACTIV's media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Commission refers Poland to top EU court over treatment of judiciary

The European Commission referred Poland to the EU's Court of Justice on Thursday (10 (October) in order to "protect judges from political control" enforced by Poland's ruling conservative PiS party.

Jourova: ’I don’t want us to come back to the pre-1989 era’

Věra Jourová, the European Commission's Vice-President elect for Values and Transparency,  gave the good example on 9 October by meeting with Brussels journalists to talk about her future portfolio, answering their questions openly and making some strong political statements.

EU concerned at migrant wave triggered by Turkey’s planned Syria invasion

Germany warned on Tuesday (8 October) of a repeat of the chaotic influx of migrants that caught the European Union unprepared in 2015, while Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus sounded the alarm over a resurgence of arrivals from neighbouring Turkey.

French government revisits migrant quota question

The first debates held in the French National Assembly led the government to suggest that the criteria for family reunification, which allow refugees to bring their families, should be "tightened". EURACTIV France reports.

Billions of euros of EU funds misspent last year

More than €4 billion of European Union funds were misspent last year, EU auditors estimated in a report released on Tuesday (8 October), which highlighted poor checks in receiving states on how the bloc's funds are invested.

Pressure grows on EU member states to agree migrant disembarkation scheme

The Council of Europe and NGOs have urged EU countries to agree on a "sustainable and predictable" mechanism for disembarking people rescued in the Mediterranean, ahead of an EU meeting of interior ministers.

Commissioner hearings LIVE: Vera Jourova

The second week of Commissioner hearings opens in the European Parliament on Monday (7 October) with Czech Republic's Věra Jourová, proposed for the post of vice-president and Commissioner for Values and Transparency.

Le Pen’s Bulgarian ally under the spotlight for cross-border medicine trafficking

Vesselin Mareshki gained international prominence when French far-right leader Marine le Pen chose him as her political ally in Bulgaria. But things started to go wrong when Mareshki lost the European elections in May. Now, judges have recognised him as the mastermind of a cross-border network of medicine traffickers.

The EU’s new migration policy is a gift to the far-right

Far from taking the refugee issue away from the far-right, the EU's new migration policy plan will simply hand the far-right a grievance it can exploit for years to come, writes Faisal Al Yafai.

Germany’s conservative interior minister now a ‘refugee saviour’

Today, Germany's conservative interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) is travelling to Athens to prevent a situation like the 2015 refugee crisis to happen again. He is using the opportunity to work on his image as a 'problem-solver' and is even seeking Turkey's help. EURACTIV's media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Reynders, Belgium’s pick for EU Commission, faces new graft accusation

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders faced new corruption allegations on Tuesday (1 October), days after a prosecutor dropped an inquiry into money-laundering allegations against him by the same man.

Unsuitable mandates, wrong candidates: A difficult start for von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen still has a chance to chart a path to a fairer, greener, inclusive and prosperous Europe. But what values will she really uphold, asks a group of more than 20 signatories, including ActionAid, Climate Action Network, European Network against Racism, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.

Corruption in Romania: a European affair

The situation in Romania is partly hopeful: numerous civic movements have emerged in the country and an outstanding anti-corruption movement is growing in the society, especially among the young generations, write Elena Denisa Petrescu and Yannis Karamitsios.

Riots at Greek migrant camp after killer blaze

At least two migrants died on Sunday (29 September) in a fire at a Greek island refugee camp, with the blaze triggering rioting by angry residents.

Finnish PM says EU ready to tie funding to rule-of-law criteria

Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne said on Sunday (29 September) that all EU countries looked ready to accept that EU funding should be made conditional on democratic principles, he told Finland's public broadcaster YLE.

25 years fighting racism and intolerance across Europe

As the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) marks its 25th anniversary. Maria Pejčinović Burić takes stock of its successes and future priorities.

Kovesi will succeed only if media freedom is kept alive

Laura Codruta Kovesi, Romania's former chief anti-corruption prosecutor, is expected to be approved as the new head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Iveta Cherneva argues that the lack of media freedom in countries like Bulgaria will make it exceptionally difficult for Kovesi to uncover crimes involving EU funding.