Politics

The Brief – Side-stepping the migration issue

No one can say that the EU and its leaders are not exorcised by migration. Its next seven-year budget is expected to include a plethora of new tools, including a “migration management window”. An investment fund for African countries has been set up to “tackle the root causes of migration”.

Barnier: UK needs to show ‘realism’, will be shut out of Arrest Warrant

The UK needs a reality check and will not be able to remain part of the European Arrest Warrant after it leaves the European Union, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said on Tuesday.

Spain’s new prime minister aims for regular elections in 2020

Spain's new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took over earlier this month after his conservative predecessor lost a no-confidence vote, said on Monday (18 June) he plans to stay in office until the regular ballot scheduled for 2020.

The EU needs to walk the talk on the Paris Climate Agreement

With its objective of reaching greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality in the second half of this century, the Paris Agreement has been hailed as the most ambitious climate accord to date. But it is only as ambitious and effective as the policies that countries implement to achieve its objectives, writes Lola Vallejo.

Romania parliament changes criminal procedure; opposition says aims to hide graft

Romania's lower house of parliament on Monday night (18 June) approved amendments to the country's criminal procedure, which critics and the centrist opposition say would weaken prosecutors' powers to probe high level corruption.

Salvini wants census of Roma communities to expel non-Italians

Italy's new government plans to carry out a census of the Roma community with an eye to kicking out anyone staying in the country illegally, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said yesterday (18 June).

Czech PM flatly rejects EU post-Brexit budget proposal

Czech billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babiš yesterday (18 June) rejected the European Commission's multi-year draft budget as "completely unacceptable", lashing out at spending priorities imposed by Brussels.

Conte: Germany is aware EU needs to change its migration policy

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (18 June) she wanted to support Italy in its efforts to reduce the number of migrants arriving on its shores, possibly handling asylum requests for Europe in non-European countries including Libya.

Half of Aquarius migrants seek asylum in France

Almost half of the 630 migrants that were rescued from the Mediterranean and arrived in Spain's port of Valencia at the weekend want to seek asylum in France, the Spanish government said yesterday (18 June).

Merkel avoids government collapse over immigration but faces deadline

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Bavarian allies agreed to give her two weeks' breathing space yesterday (18 June) to find a European solution to a row over immigration that threatens to scupper her three-month-old coalition government.

Europe and refugees causes rift among the French right

The theme of Europe and refugees is the main cause for division in the French conservative party Les Républicains. The leader of the party has dismissed its vice-president Virginie Calmels, who accused him of “defending his own ideas”. EURACTIV.fr reports.

The Brief – Breakthrough with Poland: Wanted or not?

Yet another visit by Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans to the Polish capital resulted in no breakthrough in the spat between Brussels and Warsaw over the rule of law.

Integration through language

Five years ago, the founders of ‘Teachers on the Road’ started visiting fifty refugee homes in the German states Rhineland-Palatine and Hesse. A lot has changed since then – and not always for the better. EURACTIV Germany reports.

New Czech government in jeopardy over foreign minister nomination

The Czech Communist party will withhold support from the next government if the Social Democrats stick to their nominee for the post of foreign minister, Communist leader Vojtech Filip said on Sunday (17 June).

Migrant feud casts shadow as Macron and Merkel seek EU roadmap

French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Germany tomorrow (19 June) seeking progress with Chancellor Angela Merkel on elusive eurozone reforms, but the deepening EU rifts over migration threaten to dominate an already daunting agenda.

German coalition hangs on EU summit’s delivery on asylum reform

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), will decide today (18 June) whether to defy her by implementing a plan to limit immigration at the German border and risk destabilising her three-month-old coalition.

Valencia gives ‘huge example of solidarity and humanity’

The head of the Red Cross urged European Union member states yesterday (17 June) to follow Spain's example of welcoming a rejected migrant ship and "put into practice" the humanitarian values promoted by the bloc.

May heads for Brexit showdown on parliament role

Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plans face rejection by the House of Lords on Monday, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation with rebel lawmakers in her Conservative party later in the week.

A momentous decision on elephant ivory falls to Europe

China and the UK have joined the US in closing their domestic ivory markets. It is now time for the EU to follow their footsteps if we are to give Africa’s elephants a fighting chance to survive the current onslaught from global criminal syndicates increasingly involved in the poaching and distribution of ivory, argues Catherine Novelli.

The Brief – An unhealthy obsession

Like the Olympics, the World Cup is one of life’s great distractions. Its enduring popularity ensures that it is also an obsession for politicians. Argentina’s military junta was so desperate to win the competition it hosted in 1978, that it...

MEP: In the long term, migrants will be part of solution in Europe

More and more voices are calling for an urgent reform of the strained Dublin asylum system as migrants continue arriving across the Mediterranean and migration takes centre stage in Europe again.

Trans-Europe Express – Migration is here to stay

Never before since becoming Germany’s Chancellor in 2005 has Angela Merkel been as close to losing power than on Thursday (14 June). And the reason was migration.

Protected grey seals at the mercy of Poland’s ruling party

Poland's ruling party has a peculiar stance when it comes to nature conservation, a clear example of this is the felling of the Białowieża Forest. The recent killings of protected seals along the country's shore have been completely ignored by the party, which believes that ecology is a notion created by the left. EURACTIV's partner Gazeta Wyborcza reports.