Politics

Johnson gets his deal and plaudits, now eyes shift to Westminster

Boris Johnson got his Brexit deal in Brussels on Thursday (17 October), but this appears to have been the easy part. Now he has to sell it at home.

The Brief, powered by TIF – Johnson’s coup

Boris Johnson is naturally a cheery individual, but he truly had every reason to smile on Thursday. First, he secured a Brexit deal that even a week ago nobody thought he could. Then he got Jean-Claude Juncker to do his...

Protecting human dignity is the EU’s top job

The 10th anniversary of the Charter of Fundamental Rights is a reminder that the EU's main priority is to ensure respect and protection of human dignity. writes Alice Neffe.

Pro Europa Protest Against Brexit

Pro Europa organised an event protesting Brexit in the shadow of the ongoing EU Council Summit of October 17-18.

Barnier: ‘School of patience’ delivers new Brexit deal

EU and UK negotiators agreed a new Brexit deal on Thursday (17 October), prompting the bloc's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, to declare: “Brexit is a school of patience”.

EU Summit LIVE: Brexit, Budget, Balkans

European leaders gather for a summit in Brussels on 17-18 October to discuss if, how and when the United Kingdom will leave the bloc. With everything up in the air, an extension seems the safest bet. The EU's seven-year budget, enlargement to the Western Balkans and escalation in Syria will also be high on the agenda.

New EU Commission delayed for at least a month

The European Parliament expects the new EU Commission to start work with at least a month's delay after MEPs rejected three candidate-commissioners, the institution's spokesman said Wednesday.

Why it makes sense to adopt new own resources for the EU budget

The European Union is forgetting the revenue side of the EU budget to pursue its policies. The new own resources can provide a link to an EU policy, increase ownership, and shape behaviour of citizens, businesses and governments, write a group of Slovak diplomats.

Ciolos: We need strong majority for a ‘Renewed’ Europe

For the first time, the centre-right EPP and the Socialists no longer have a working majority on their own in the European Parliament. This new reality alone is a chance for change in Europe, writes Dacian Cioloș who will host a pre-EU summit meeting today of European centrist and liberal parties.

EU and UK on brink of a Brexit deal despite Unionist concerns

The EU and UK are on the brink of a Brexit deal, but it is unclear whether the Democratic Unionist Party will agree to the new agreement, and when UK lawmakers will vote on the deal.

The Brief, powered by EK – The Macronian Candidate

If a sleeper agent trained by a hostile foreign power were to infiltrate the EU's structures of power, with the aim of launching subtle acts of sabotage, could they hope to do much better than what Emmanuel Macron is doing at the moment?

‘Broad support’ for EU-wide plastic tax

A European tax on plastic waste is gaining momentum as a way to bring new sources of revenue to the EU budget as leaders prepare for a two-day summit in Brussels beginning on Thursday (17 October).

EXCLUSIVE: Johnson Brexit deal must go to people to pass parliament, say lawmakers

Any Brexit deal struck by Prime Minister Boris Johnson will need to be put to the British people in a referendum if it is to pass the UK parliament, a cross-party group of UK lawmakers told EURACTIV on Wednesday (16 October).

Visegrad countries slam Finnish presidency MFF paper

Ahead of an EU summit starting on Thursday (17 October), diplomats from the four Visegrad countries harshly criticised the Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU for a paper it prepared to help the leaders’ discussion on the bloc’s...

Visions for Europe: ‘A Europe that supports research and education to dismantle borders’

My future Europe is a place where both research and education are no longer empty words, writes Ramona Coman.

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.

Macron prepares counter-offensive for Brussels

French President Emmanuel Macron will only choose the new French candidate for the  European Commission after an EU summit on 17-18 October, where he intends to secure political support from the European Parliament. EURACTIV France reports.

Italy’s German-speaking province makes U-turn on scrapping Italian name

The local government of the Italian autonomous province Alto Adige/Südtirol had to step back and change a law that would have removed the term ‘Alto Adige’ from its Brussels office, as the attempt nearly led the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis.

Romania’s President appoints Ludovic Orban as PM-designate

Romania’s centrist President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday (15 October) he had appointed opposition Liberal Party leader Ludovic Orban as prime minister-designate to form a transitional government until a parliamentary election next year.

Brexit deal within reach in last-ditch talks, but doubts remain

Britain and the EU made headway on Tuesday (15 October) in last-ditch talks on a Brexit deal ahead of a leaders' summit, but with just hours left to clinch an agreement it was still unclear if London could avoid postponing its scheduled departure on 31 October.

No escape from the hostile environment

The UK's offer of settled status to EU citizens may have seemed like a change of tack in its migration policy but there are many causes for anxiety, writes Roger Casale.

EU bank kicks climate can down road to November 

The European Investment Bank decided on Tuesday (15 October) to delay a decision on updating its energy lending policy until November. Germany and the European Commission are still pushing for controversial changes to the bank’s original fossil-fuel-free proposal.