Politics
Car gatecrashes into Merkel’s office
A car with slogans scrawled on its sides crashed into the gate of the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday (25 November) and police arrested the driver, a Reuters witness said.
Diversity in media sector: Still lots of room for improvement
Europe’s newsrooms are still predominantly white and middle-class, though societies are changing at a rapid speed. Experts are calling on the sector to change and enable journalists to reflect the society they are reporting about.
Far-right terrorism bigger threat to West than Islamic State – study
Global deaths from terrorism have fallen for a fifth consecutive year, according to the 2020 Global Terrorism Index, but far-right attacks have increased by 250% globally, to a level not seen in the last 50 years, with the pandemic likely to exacerbate the trend.
Biden says UK border with Ireland must remain open
US President-elect Joe Biden said on Tuesday (24 November) he did not want to see a guarded border between Ireland and the United Kingdom, adding that he had previously discussed the matter with the British and Irish prime ministers and other European leaders.
UK set to slash development aid budget
The UK government is expected to slash aid spending when Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveils the government’s Spending Review on Wednesday (25 November).
Commission issues guidelines on ‘integration’ to clear way for EU migration pact
The European Commission on Tuesday (24 November) issued a new set of guidelines, calling on EU member states to do a better job of integrating migrants into European societies.
French police probe ‘brutal’ dispersal of Paris migrants
French authorities on Tuesday (24 November) ordered an investigation into the forceful removal by police of a camp of migrants in central Paris that prompted outrage over the "brutal" tactics used.
The Brief, powered by Facebook – A journey without destination
You can tell that it’s squeaky bum time, as Alex Ferguson was so fond of saying. Industry groups and think-tanks are rushing to the printers to publish warnings of doom for their sector if Boris Johnson and the EU decide they can’t or won’t compromise on a post-Brexit trade deal in the next few days.
Investors or professionals: How most Hungarian media helped discrimination
Media watchdogs have been sounding the alarm over the shrinking space for media pluralism in Viktor Orbán's Hungary. EURACTIV looks into how discrimination of ethnic and social minorities has evolved in the country and how the development of its media landscape also played a role.
Has Europe learned the lessons of Srebrenica?
Twenty-five years on, what exactly has Europe learned from the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina? Not enough, and no one is taking the responsibility to prevent it from happening again, writes Emir Suljagic.
UK firms face hefty compliance costs without EU data deal, report warns
British firms face a bill of up to £1.6 billion if Boris Johnson’s government fails to convince the EU to grant an adequacy decision allowing dataflows to continue, according to a new report published on Monday (23 November).
Biden pushes new approach to EU in calls to leaders
US President-elect Joe Biden spoke with the heads of the European Union institutions and NATO on Monday (23 November) in a round of calls seen as part of his efforts to repair tattered transatlantic ties.
France’s ‘feminist diplomacy’: lots of talk, little action
The term 'feminist diplomacy' used by France since 2018 remains unclear, according to a report by the country's High Council on Gender Equality presented to the government on 18 November. EURACTIV France reports.
Media society and non-discrimination: Are we doing enough?
Racist harassment, violence, and discriminatory ethnic profiling are commonplace in Europe, which increases the importance of the role of the media in exposing discrimination based on ethnic origin. Over the years, the European Union has put in place legislation to...
Jourova: More homework remains to be done on diversity in media
The under-representation of people with a minority racial or ethnic background in the media, including in media newsrooms themselves, remains a problem that needs to be addressed, and the European Commission is ready to help with funding, Commission vice-president Věra Jourová told EURACTIV in a written interview.
The Brief, powered by EHFG – Bosnia’s war and peace
In recent European history, it is difficult to find a political experiment that has flopped as spectacularly and as silently as the Dayton Peace Accord.
Conference on the Future of Europe: EU overhaul in the making?
In 2020, hundreds of EU citizens were meant to be invited to reflect on Europe’s future at a conference that will debate European policy priorities in an attempt to introduce direct democracy in EU decision-making over the course of the...
Member states stymying debate on EU’s future, says MEP
After the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the Conference on the Future of Europe, a two-year soul-searching exercise aimed at reforming the EU after Brexit, onto the back-burner, the recovery from the health crisis could present a new opportunity, Socialist MEP Gabriele...
5-Star Movement rejects coalition with Forza Italia
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Spanish nurses opposing the idea that pharmacies can carry out COVID-19 tests, Bratislava distancing itself further from Poland and Hungary on the rule of law veto, and so much more.
Tweets of the Week: Rule of Law, Brexit mascot and vaccine efficacy claims
Hungary and Poland scupper rule of law aims, Brexit talks seem to be going down in flames, and vaccines efficacy sparks spurious claims!
Inconclusive video summit hashes over EU budget hurdle, vaccines
EU leaders said Thursday (19 November) they would intensify efforts to convince the Prime Ministers of Poland and Hungary to drop their veto of the EU coronavirus economic recovery plan, which has plunged the bloc into a new crisis.
Post-Brexit talks hit new delay after Barnier official gets COVID-19
Talks on an EU-UK trade deal face a new delay after a senior member of EU negotiator Michel Barnier’s team tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday (19 November).
The Brief, powered by EHFG – Focus on Plan A, keep Orbán for later
Europe’s focus is on Plan A: urgently reaching an agreement on the next EU budget, recovery fund and rule of law mechanism. There is also a Plan B, in case the Hungarian and Polish vetoes are not lifted. The thorny issue of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will be assessed later.