About: European Council

EU and COVID-19: Time to think outside the box

The Eurogroup’s decisions taken on 9 April were a necessary and overdue collective EU response, as well as a welcome but flawed and incomplete compromise. If European leaders are to save the EU economy when they meet on 23 April, they need to think outside the box, write Carlos Closa, George Papaconstantino, and Miguel Poiares Maduro.

Europeans have chosen to protect the environment and EU leaders should listen

The European Council should take the result of the European elections seriously and ensure that the EU's goals and budget are future-oriented, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and environment, write Dr Raphael Weyland and Konstantin Kreiser.

Europe’s democratic challenge: in search of government

Europe is about democracy. We cherish democracy in our national institutions by ensuring a healthy separation of powers, by fighting for free and fair elections, and by combining the rule of the majority with the protection of the minority, write Louis Drounau and Andrew Duff.

Europe depends on its cities

Cities are the place where the fight against climate change becomes real, most of the decisions are taken and where equal and inclusive societies can be made, Anna Lisa Boni claims. 

Make lobbying in the EU truly transparent

The Commission is a good example of transparency for other institutions, such as the Parliament and the Council, Frans Timmermans writes.

Putting the EU-South Korea partnership to work

The EU-South Korea summit taking place today (18 October) symbolises the EU's close and multifaceted partnership with South Korea. Yet, Brussels and Seoul should take some practical steps to strengthen their relationship, argue Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Linde Desmaele and Maximilian Ernst.

The end of EU migration policy

The recent EU mini-summit on migration held on 24 June has reaffirmed more openly than ever before, the fundamental dissensions and schism among member states, if not among EU institutions themselves, in the field of migration and asylum policy. A two-speed EU migration policy would be the best solution to keep EU unity, writes Solon Ardittis.

Paris meeting offers opportunity for leadership on high-seas agreement

The high seas make up nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean, but less than 1 percent is currently protected. All this could change this September, when governments come together at the United Nations for an intergovernmental conference to negotiate a new treaty that would create a mechanism for protecting these ocean areas, writes Liz Karan.

Asylum reform: ‘Europe United’ must unite refugee families

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.

Military industry fund could encourage development and export of controversial weaponry

The EU is about to agree a shared military industry fund which will give billions to arms companies and exacerbate the global arms race. Presented as a key step to strengthen the EU, instead, it enshrines renewed prevalence of national interests in a hard-security context, writes Laëtitia Sédou.

Abolish Dublin Regulation for a humane asylum system built on solidarity

The European Parliament and the Council will soon negotiate a revision of the Dublin regulation, concerning the EU's asylum system. This is an opportunity for the EU to develop a more humane system based on objective criteria, and for every member state to take its share of responsibility, writes Cornelia Ernst.

Western Balkan enlargement will catalyse a stronger Europe

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.

EU needs to act now to salvage Iran nuclear deal

The Iran nuclear deal seems to have gone down the drain after the withdrawal of the US. European governments need to unify behind a more assertive diplomatic strategy if they are to have any influence in forthcoming US policy on Iran. Ellie Geranmayeh points out six key actions the EU should prioritise on  to potentially save the deal.

Longevity and the limits of the welfare state in Europe

In November 2017, the EU proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights. However, there are still many shortcomings within the current welfare state and unless policies reflect values then plummeting fertility rates or fading solidarity between young and old will persist, writes Anna Záborská.

Chasing Donald Tusk

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) would like to destroy Donald Tusk, the personal enemy of its leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, according to Roman Imielski.

Successful approaches to energy efficiency in housing show the way

Member States are expected to bring the 2030 Energy & Climate objectives closer to people’s housing needs, next week. Responsibility and innovation, resident empowerment and financial schemes are all parts of the strategic mix, writes Marc Calon.

Hoping for an unexpectedly strong EU foreign policy chief

On 30 August, European leaders will gather to announce what they hope will be a weak successor to Catherine Ashton. It would be better for the EU if those hopes were dashed and a strong individual were to emerge, writes Jan Techau.

European leaders must adopt clear rules to save lives in the Mediterranean

The news of the death of 366 migrants off the shores of Lampedusa triggered a wave of dismay among many European decision-makers. Now, EU leaders have to translate words into action, writes Karolina Babicka.

Europe: You can’t have both more and less

Some EU leaders simultaneously want to opt out of EU policies and be more involved in their elaboration, an untenable contradiction which is misleading their electorates, argues Staffan Nilsson.

The Council’s broken chain of command and what can be done about it

The division of labour between the president of the European Council (Herman Van Rompuy) and the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers (currently Poland) since the Lisbon Treaty has divided EU leadership and led to the "European Councilisation" of EU politics, argues Piotr Maciej Kaczy?ski in an exclusive commentary for EURACTIV.

Economic governance: What today’s EU summit debate might look like

The main concern underlying reform of EU economic governance is avoiding another debt crisis, but although this is key, Europe should also focus on fostering sustainable growth for future competitiveness, writes Maria Joao Rodrigues, professor of European economic policies at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and a policy advisor to the EU institutions. In the sketch below, she simulates a debate on reforming economic governance.

The new EU appointees: First reactions may be wrong

"Two low-key appointees are more likely to construct the necessary basis for a stronger and more unified role for the EU on the world stage," writes Stanley Crossick, founding chairman of the European Policy Centre, in a November post on Blogactiv.

The Lisbon Treaty: Playing Presidential poker?

The Treaty of Lisbon will change the way European politicians govern and cooperate in the future, says Dominik Hierlemann of the Bertelsmann Stiftung. But with unclear definitions of the new leadership roles, the top EU positions could prove confusing for the bloc's citizens, he warns in a March paper. 

Blair’s candidacy would give EU more credibility

Tony Blair would give the new position of Council President a "public momentum that very few others would," bringing "credibility to the EU project," argues Luis Simon, a teaching assistant at the Centre for European Politics, Royal Holloway College, University of London. But his candidacy ultimately depends on the "ability and will of the EU 27" to balance the divisions evoked by Iraq and his Eurosceptic image, he explains.